A Brief Respite

Halloween Howl Free Story from Dreamspinner Press. http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/index.php

A Brief Respite | Jana Denardo 2

“LOOK out, Temple!” Caleb’s sword arced over the redhead’s fedora as Temple managed to duck both his fellow Soldier’s weapon and the succubus that nearly got her claws into him. Caleb finished her off. Spotting two more of them in the speakeasy’s far corner wasn’t easy with patrons running everywhere. Furthermore, the succubi were visible only to his eyes and Caleb’s. Most people couldn’t see demons if they were wearing a human form. It took demon-eyes to spot them. When he pointed his Tommy gun at the succubi, a pack of men rushed him. Temple squeezed off some rounds before he had to sidestep the well-meaning but erroneous patrons who tried to stop him. Their fury ebbed when the two women dissolved into blue goo. Shrieks echoed in the room, several people stampeding toward the door. A guy to Temple’s left fainted. The bartender slammed his palms on the scarred wooden bar, screaming for order, and two men, almost wider than the door, blocked the egress. They would have looked very at home with Temple’s Chicago typewriter, and probably had that very gun in the back. After that, the people simply gave the two blue uniformed Soldiers of the Sun a wide berth and went back to their illicit drinking. “You okay?” Temple rasped, his chest heaving. Caleb nodded, heading for the bar. The bartender got the thin, middle-aged man who apparently ran the joint

A Brief Respite | Jana Denardo 3 without needing a second request from them. Satisfied the place was cleared and payment would be sent to the Order, the two men headed out into the cool night air. They were only eight blocks from the Order of the Sun’s headquarters, not far from the University of Pittsburgh. As they passed the Cathedral of Learning, Caleb pointed toward the immense skyscraper. “I heard they started teaching classes in it this year. Ever wonder what it would be like to be a normal person? Maybe I could have gone to college.” Temple snorted. “My whole family has fought the demons for centuries. I wouldn’t know what it’s like to be normal.” “Yeah. Still, maybe my arms wouldn’t hurt like this if I were.” Caleb sighed. Temple said nothing. Their home, the Order’s headquarters, was Neo-Gothic, much like the Cathedral. Unlike the University’s prize new building, it looked like it belonged in that Boris Karloff Frankenstein movie that Temple had enjoyed when it came out last year. It was unusual that it was just Caleb and him against the demons, but Temple’s new partner had gone to a funeral halfway across the state, and Agni had been assigned some specialized research at the Order. Hopefully, Agni would be waiting on his partners, his lovers. Spooky as its façade might be, the Order felt welcoming once they were in its halls, heading for General Taglioferro’s office to report their success. Afterward, Temple trailed after Caleb back to the Welshman’s apartment, not liking Caleb’s

A Brief Respite | Jana Denardo 4 unusually dour mood. Usually, Agni was the somber one. Temple’s shoulders went slack when he saw Agni waiting for Caleb in Davies’s room. Jerking his head up from the mountain of books, Agni smiled at the sight of them. “You actually got Temple out of a speakeasy before midnight? I’m impressed,” Agni said, and Temple flashed him an obscene gesture. “He was on his best behavior.” Caleb swept a hand toward the pile of books. “That the project?” “They think the secret to what’s been happening in Philadelphia might be related to an ancient Hindu curse, don’t ask me why. I’m one of a handful who can read Sanskrit.” Agni waved the book in his hand. “Did you find who was killing all those men?” “Three succubi.” Caleb scowled, heading to the room that passed as a study and a weapons cache to deposit his sword. “I hate it when they look human.” Temple put his Tommy gun on the table and then leaned over, whispering to Agni. “He’s sort of depressed. I think we should cheer him up.” Agni shut his book. “And I’m sure you have ideas as to how.” Temple stole a kiss. “The best way possible.” Agni snorted, pushing up off the couch. “Go corral him. I’ll get our friend.” Temple nodded, letting Agni fetch the lubricant. He heard the shower turn on. Caleb moved damn quick

A Brief Respite | Jana Denardo 5 sometimes, but a sniff of his own uniform as Temple peeled off the jacket swayed him; getting clean might be preferable to extra-stinky sex. Stripping, Temple pulled open the shower curtain, startling Caleb. “Temple, what are you doing?” Caleb eyed Temple as he climbed in. “What’s it look like?” “I’m not having sex with you in the shower.” Caleb swatted him with a face towel. Temple held up the soap. “I’m washing up. I smell.” “You have your own apartment,” Caleb replied, rinsing off. “Not half as fun as this.” Temple kissed Caleb’s shoulder. “I just said no shower sex.” “Why not?” “Because one of us will slip, fall, and die and be forever remembered as that guy who died in the shower.” Caleb slithered past Temple and stepped out onto the bath mat, only to see Agni standing there. “Should have known Temple wouldn’t wait for me,” Agni said, handing Caleb a towel. Starting to dry off, Caleb asked, “Are you two ganging up on me?” “Not yet, but we will be,” Temple said, standing under the shower spray.

A Brief Respite | Jana Denardo 6 “Or we could always put Temple out like the cat at night.” Agni grinned and Temple tossed a handful of water at him. “Tempting, but he’ll pout for days.” Caleb glanced back at Temple. “Look, I know what you two are trying to do, but I really am all right.” “Then you’ll enjoy the sex even more,” the redhead replied, turning off the shower. “He occasionally makes sense,” Agni said. “Only occasionally.” Caleb put his arms around Agni’s neck, pulling him down into a kiss. Taking Agni’s hand, he headed for the door, naked. “Dry off before you join us, Temple. No wet fools in my bed.” “I’m starting to feel very picked on,” Temple sulked. “Now I’m the one who needs cheering up.” “Then you’d better hurry,” Agni replied. Temple did, even though he knew they really wouldn’t exclude him. Caleb already had Agni out of his clothes by the time Temple got dried off and scurried through the apartment. He paused to watch them kiss, Caleb pressed back against the headboard, his fingers buried in Agni’s dark hair. Aroused, Temple savored the moment, observing their mouths working against each other. His cock stiffening, Temple joined them, caressing Agni’s firm ass. The one side benefit of nightly risking their lives demon fighting were their honed bodies. He dropped kisses across Agni’s shoulders, delighting in the salty taste of the

A Brief Respite | Jana Denardo 7 man’s dark skin. Agni slid his arms around Temple, pulling him close, his erection bumping into Temple’s hip. Temple kissed him deeply, then turned in Agni’s embrace. Kneeling on the bed, Caleb leaned forward, trailing his tongue up Temple’s body. Caleb’s mouth sealed over Temple’s, his tongue thrusting inside. As they kissed, Agni reached around Temple’s narrow hip, his strong fingers playing up and down the length of Temple’s shaft. Moaning against Caleb’s mouth, Temple pressed into Agni’s touch. The redhead caressed Caleb’s cock, whispering in his ear, “You should be in the middle tonight, if you want.” Caleb traced the line of Temple’s jaw with a finger. “I do. How to orchestrate this?” Temple grinned. Orchestrate was a good choice of words when there were three bodies involved. “We could—” Temple reached back and covered Agni’s mouth. “The last time you suggested something from the Kama Sutra, I nearly broke something.” Agni nipped Temple’s fingers. “That is because you are impatient and don’t listen to instructions. My suggestion is a gag for Temple before we start.” “Next time,” Caleb chuckled, pulling Temple down onto the bed. “And if I say no?” Temple sprawled on the mattress.

A Brief Respite | Jana Denardo 8 “If you thought it could be a minute’s fun, you’d do it.” Caleb shrugged. Temple pursed his lips. “Good point.” Pulling himself up against the headboard, Temple tugged the pillows into a pile. He curled himself against the pile, beckoning at Caleb. Caleb kissed Temple’s knee, working his way along Temple’s wiry thigh until finally slipping the tip of the redhead’s cock into his mouth. Taking Temple deeper in slow measures, Caleb rubbed Temple’s belly. Temple leaned to one side, taking Agni’s cock in hand. Agni stretched out alongside them on the bed, letting Temple have his way while Agni nuzzled between Caleb’s legs. Fingers and tongues teased and delighted sensitive flesh until Caleb disentangled himself from the heap, his chest heaving. “A little too much too fast,” Caleb rasped. “Where’d you put our friend?” Temple asked Agni, who struggled off the mattress to fetch the lubricant from the dresser. Agni slicked up his hands with a thick layer of the lube before stroking it onto Caleb’s cock. Caleb moaned as Agni’s fingers circled the head of his cock. Caleb dipped his own fingers into the lubricant, and then positioned himself over Temple lounging on the pillows. The redhead spread his legs to allow Caleb better access. Caleb slipped a finger inside Temple, sweeping over that hidden button of nerves that never failed to make Temple’s body arch and buck in delight. “Dammit, Caleb, don’t toy with me. Just fuck me,” Temple demanded.

A Brief Respite | Jana Denardo 9 “Did you forget that you’re supposed to be making me feel better?” Caleb pinched Temple’s side. “Trust me, it will.” “Next time, definitely the gag,” Agni said. Snorting, Caleb pressed into Temple. Their hips slowly rocked together as Temple wrapped his arms around Caleb’s back, pulling him close. As they kissed, Agni rubbed his own shaft, slicking it up. Kneeling behind the two lovers, Agni caressed Caleb’s ass. Sunk deep into Temple, Caleb looked over his shoulder. “More.” Agni pushed a finger inside of Caleb, his hand matching his lover’s rhythm as he made love to Temple. Agni added a second finger, scissoring them. Caleb moaned, pushing back hard against Agni’s hand. Unable to hold off any longer, Agni withdrew his hand. Kissing Caleb’s back and Temple’s hands, Agni thrust into Caleb. After a few moments of awkwardness trying to match rhythms, their bodies started moving together. The clash of bodies made the bed sing under them, their groans and guttural cries playing counterpoint to the mattress. For this brief moment, bodies used to the fight and eyes accustomed to horror found respite in the tangle of limbs, in the scent of sex, its raw warmth. Caleb gave in to his body first, shuddering between Agni and Temple as he came. Agni pulled out, letting Caleb do the same. Caleb took Temple’s cock into his mouth once more as Agni sank back

A Brief Respite | Jana Denardo 10 into Caleb, thrusting harder now, each stroke more demanding. Temple spilled in Caleb’s mouth, sinking back on the pillow with a sharp grunt. Agni’s climax was quieter. Afterward, they stayed in their tight knot, resting in rare relative safety. Caleb roused himself, pushing up on one elbow. “Now I need a shower again.” Temple yanked him back down on the bed. “Later. We’re not done with you.” “Temple, if you had your way, we’d never leave this room,” Caleb protested. “True, but this time he’s right,” Agni said, kissing Caleb’s shoulder. Caleb smiled at his partners. “Who am I to argue?”

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JANA DENARDO’s career choices and wanderlust take her all over the United States and beyond. Much of her travels make their way into her stories. Fantasy, science fiction, and mystery have been her favorite genres since she started reading, and they often flavor her works. In her secret identity, she works with the science of life and gives college students nightmares. When she’s not chained to her computer writing, she functions as a stray cat magnet. She’s also learning that the road to enlightenment is filled with boulders she keeps falling over and that the words gardening and Zen don’t go together no matter what anyone says. Visit Jana’s blog at http://jana-denardo.livejournal.com/.

A Brief Respite ©Copyright Jana Denardo, 2011 Published by Dreamspinner Press 382 NE 191st Street #88329 Miami, FL 33179-3899 USA http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/ This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the authors’ imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. Cover Art by Anne Cain [email protected] Cover Design by Mara McKennen This book is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution via any means is illegal and a violation of International Copyright Law, subject to criminal prosecution and upon conviction, fines and/or imprisonment. This eBook cannot be legally loaned or given to others. No part of this eBook can be shared or reproduced without the express permission of the publisher. To request permission and all other inquiries, contact Dreamspinner Press at: 382 NE 191st Street #88329 Miami, FL 33179-3899 USA http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/ Released in the United States of America October 2011 eBook Edition