The Whispered

The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. The Whispered Copyright © 2009 D.J. Manly ISBN: 978-1-55487-412-5 Cover art by Martine Jardin All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher. Published by eXtasy Books Look for us online at: www.extasybooks.com

The Whispered

By

D.J. Manly

Chapter One

T

he mountain road twisted and turned upward. His final destination was at the top of the world. What he remembered most about the place was the view off the top of the cliffs had been spectacular. The last time he’d been here, Danny had been with him. A sensation of extreme loneliness settled in his soul. Danny had been born here in Southern Australia, not far from where he headed, in one of the little towns in the foothills, which had been settled by German settlers in the early 1800s. Danny had always called this part of the world home, a place he lamented never having enough time to get back to. Now, he would never leave it. Reese had given good thought to what he would do with the old resort after Danny died and, given the nature of Danny’s work, he’d probably never truly learn the details of how that had happened. Danny had bought him Mountain Escape three months ago. He’d been looking for a summer 1

DJ Manly home in Southern Australia and saw it in the listings on the internet. “This is perfect, Reese,” Danny had said, all excited. “I’m going to buy this place for you.” “For me? What am I supposed to do all the way out there in some closed down hotel?” “Reese, you’re a chef. You could open the place up to guests, cook up a storm and it would be our permanent residence. I’d love it. And you wouldn’t complain about being bored. I’m going to go see it.” Before his death, Danny managed to return home once or twice a month and when he did, the longest he would stay before getting a call to go on a job was a few days. It wasn’t much of a life, but Reese couldn’t imagine a way to live without him. Then one night he came home and announced he’d bought it. Mountain Escape was a miracle in Danny’s eyes. Two weeks later, Reese went to see the place with him and fell in love with it. The hotel was majestic, sitting up on a pedestal. It looked down on everything, high in the mountains where the air was fresh and clean. Now, he was alone and he could have gone anywhere, gotten a job in some fancy restaurant in Paris. But he chose to come the place Danny had built a dream around and give it a chance. Challenges lay ahead to prepare the resort to good enough shape to accept guests, challenges, which 2

DJ Manly would require time and effort, not to mention money. The money wasn’t a problem. Danny had left him with more of it than he’d ever need. The time and effort, well, those weren’t issues either. He was in desperate need of distraction, something he could throw himself into to make him forget his pain. The place came into view. Reese had done a lot of research on Mountain Escape after Danny had bought the place. A twenty-room resort, which in spite of its rather rustic-looking appearance on the outside, once served as one of the most luxurious getaways for some very famous, yet discrete guests. It had one hell of a history, a history, which had allowed Danny to purchase it for half its retail value. A lot of the stuff Reese read about, he considered to be pure nonsense. What was interesting though, was the original owner, a man by the name of Lincoln Pierce, who’d never married or had any children, willed the place to some anonymous organization for a period of twenty years, during which time they were forbidden to sell it. And for that period of time, the will stipulated the original caretaker, Hans Schubert, be allowed to continue to live in the small cottage nearby and collect a yearly salary in exchange for looking after the place.

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DJ Manly Reese pulled the car to a stop out front and got out. For a few minutes, he stood there looking at the place. It had the appearance of a log cabin, set back on a huge lawn, overlooking the water and rocks below. The structure was in good shape although some landscaping would need to be done. He was sure there was a lot to do inside as well. His mind filled with possibilities. The solitude was attractive to people who wanted to get away, which was why it had drawn so many famous people in its day. It didn’t matter if he didn’t have many guests after it officially opened. A few at a time would be fine. He could paint here. He hadn’t picked up a paintbrush since Danny had died. What he needed was a new life, a reason to get up every day, a place to heal. And it was so beautiful. Rose bushes everywhere. He walked around to the trunk of his car and removed his suitcase, glad the place was furnished. He’d sold everything from their London apartment, wanting no reminder of things they’d bought together, even if he’d sold the antiques at a loss. His personal effects would arrive by truck next week. “G’day, Mr. Fuller,” a voice called out, cutting into his thoughts. Hans Schubert, a man in his forties, who seemed far older than his years, with shocking blue eyes and a premature grey mop of hair, walked toward him. “I was a wondering 4

DJ Manly when you’d be getting here, Gov. It’s a scorcher for this time of year.” “Yes, it is,” Reese acknowledged. “But much more pleasant up here in the mountains.” “Did you manage to find those people I told the notary about, in the town, the ones you be wanting to help you get this place in shape?” “Yes. I just spent a few days talking to people. I hired some. They’ll arrive in two weeks. All of them will commute, except for Mrs. Spenser, who will be the new housekeeper. I had a hard time convincing her to stay at the house.” He nodded. “It’s the stories.” “Yes, I’ve read about them.” Reese dismissed the subject. He didn’t need to hear any of them at the moment. With his suitcase in hand, he walked up the path, then up the steep steps that followed. The smell of beautiful red and yellow roses was all around him. Hans reached for his suitcase. “Let me help you with that, while you open the door. Might give you some problems. I need to oil the lock every once in awhile. It’s always stuck.” “Thanks, I’ll just put it down.” He struggled with the lock for a second and then pushed the door open. “Roses are beautiful.” “Yes. It’s important to tend the roses. Everything is working, hot water, the fireplace, the lights.” Hans ran a hand through his hair.

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DJ Manly “I’m sure it is.” Reese switched on the light by the door. He turned back to Hans, sensing the caretaker was nervous about the changes. He’d lived in the small house down the road for many years, his livelihood assured, while the resort stayed empty. “Hans, nothing is going to change. I promise you. You have a home here for as long as you want it. I ask only that you watch the place when I’m not here and give me a hand once in awhile.” “Thank you, sir. I appreciate it, I do.” Reese placed a hand on his shoulder, then walked inside. He stood in a huge open room, the floors, glassy tile in black and white beneath his feet. The walls were wood with overhanging beams and there were huge picture windows all around, profiling a spectacular view of the nature that surrounded them. Scattered around the room were a variety of leather sofas and love seats. Along one wall was a huge bar. On the other side, a small room, which led into an office and further back, the kitchen. Next to the bar was a carved staircase, which would take you to the bedrooms on the second floor, the pool on the roof and an exercise room with communal showers. Behind the staircase were public washrooms and the door, which led down to the basement. Reese walked across the lobby. Another door took him to what once was a great dining room, 6

DJ Manly surrounded by more windows and a round veranda where guests could stroll and admire the view over the jagged rocks and fast flowing river. From the dining room, he strolled into what must have served as a ballroom, with a stage in the front and a beautiful grand piano sitting in the corner. The piano had been polished. In the back, there was a games room as well, equipped with a rather tattered pool table, other assorted round tables for cards and several dartboards. “It doesn’t smell musty,” his voice hitched in surprise. “No, sir,” Hans, following on Reese’s heels, remarked behind him. “I made a habit of coming everyday to open up the windows and such. It needs some dusting up in places.” “Did you polish the piano?” He admired the vase of fresh roses sitting on top of the instrument. Hans lowered his head. “I do that every day, sir.” “Oh, well, I can do that from now on. And next week, the cleaning staff is coming. I’ll get them to help me out.” “Ace! And I made up the first bedroom for you at the top of the stairs. You can change places as you see fit later on. Thought you wouldn’t be wanting to bother with that tonight, with you just getting here and all.”

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DJ Manly “Thank you, Hans.” Reese smiled, thinking about the man’s reply. It would take him some time to get used to the Australian slang. Danny had forgotten most of it, having grown up in New York and London. Reese was sure he’d pick it up as he went along. Hans had brought in his suitcase and it sat next to the bar. “If I can be of service, you let me know.” “Well, what are you doing for supper?” “Thought I’d open me a can of beans, I did.” Reese grinned. “Stick around. I got a better idea. Help me get the cooler out of the trunk.” For dinner, Reese whipped up some salmon steaks on the stove in the kitchen, using a dubious pan. While they ate pan fried potatoes and fresh asparagus, interesting conversation ensued. Hans had never married. He’d come to work at the resort when he was fourteen and he’d been there ever since. The place was his entire life. Reese reassured him again his position was safe. He had also promised himself when they sat down to eat he wouldn’t delve too much into what had happened here a little over twenty years ago, but with Hans right in front of him, the temptation was too great not to ask. He’d read so much nonsense on the web. Maybe the caretaker could 8

DJ Manly tell him the real story. “Hans.” Reese poured some more wine. “I’ve read a lot stuff about the Escape. I know why they say it closed. What really happened? You were here. Was there a suicide? Murder? The official story is the guy got drunk and fell off the cliff and the other guy tried to save him and…” “Listen, Gov, I don’t talk much about them days. And I don’t think you want to know about all that stuff. Best left alone. I tried to tell the other gentleman the day he came with that agent fellow, but he wasn’t interested.” “You’re right,” Reese understood the need not to delve into the past. He’d come here to forget. Maybe Hans had something he would rather forget as well. “It’s in the past. Leave it there. It’s over.” “I never said that,” Hans muttered. “What happened here…may be a long time ago, but it is not over yet.” He stood up. “It will never be over as far as some parties are concerned.” Reese raised an eyebrow. “What parties?” Hans put up a hand, looked around the room as if he was afraid someone listened. “I’ve said enough. And I thank you mightily for the grub. I got to be going, getting dark now. I’ll be here bright and early in the morn to help you.” “I’ll come and get you, Hans.” Reese stood up. “Think I might try and sleep late.” 9

DJ Manly “As you please, Gov.” Reese walked him to the door. The older man hurried down the road. Reese shook his head. What ever the caretaker had been witness to in this place, it sure had spooked him. He frowned and went back into the kitchen to clean up the dishes. Alone again, but that’s all right, he told himself. He had to learn to be alone. After all, there were many times Danny had been gone and he had been alone, but then he always knew Danny would come home. Now, he’d never walk through the front door, call out his name, surprise him with something he’d picked up in some foreign place ever again. Reese finished the dishes and left the kitchen. He strolled into the echoing dining room and out onto the veranda. The moon shone down. A breeze lifted the hair off of his neck. He placed his hands on the railing and looked down at the cliffs, spying the waterfall in the distance. A shiver ran through him. The wind whistled around his ears, bringing with it a whispered voice, Ethan. A shadow passed in front of his eyes. He caught his breath, blinked, nothing. He walked back inside. The chandelier above his head twinkled with the force of the air current. The crystals created an odd tune. He stared up at it. “Chandeliers are so passé.” The words echoed in the quiet room. He 10

DJ Manly took in a shaky breath. Speaking hadn’t helped his fear. Ethan, the voice groaned. “Okay, I’m losing it.” He left the dining room and went upstairs, turning on every light as he did, feeling like a fool. “Okay, this is stupid. I’m a twenty-six year old man, for Christ’s sakes.” Reese surveyed the bedroom. True to his word, Hans had made up the bed for him, a lumpy old four-poster with an outdated bedspread. But it didn’t matter. He was too tired to care. He stripped off his clothes, jumped into bed and reached over to turn off the lamp. He was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. He woke up refreshed, having had the best night’s sleep he’d had since he’d lost Danny. It was all the traveling, he figured. He stretched his limbs and went to get out of bed, then froze. A red rose lay on the pillow beside him, as clear as day. He blinked, thinking he was seeing things, but no. He picked it up in his hand. There were no thorns. It was a beautiful flower, like the kind he’d spied yesterday growing on the vines outside. Perplexed, he flew open his suitcase, pulled on some shorts and a t-shirt and with rose in hand, headed down to Hans’s small cottage.

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DJ Manly Hans stood outside, sipping something out of a battered old tin mug. “Hans.” Reese held the rose out in front of him. “Where did this come from?” Hans stared at the rose for a long time without speaking. “How in hell did this get into my room last night?” “He put it there, sir,” Hans blurted. “He? Who in hell is he?” he barked, unnerved someone had come into his room while he slept. “Ethan,” Hans whispered and turned away. “Ethan?” That was the name someone spoke in the dining room. It gave him the creeps to think some stranger had been in his room. “Who is Ethan? Where is he? He just can’t—” Hans reached out and grasped Reese’s forearm. “No, leave it alone, Gov. He’s no longer of this world.” Reese sighed. “Hans.” He shook him off. “I don’t believe in ghosts. That was no ghost who put the rose on my pillow. And you can tell this Ethan for me, if he does it again, I’ll be calling the police.” “There’s no need for the police, mate. They be having no power against him.” Reese shook his head and headed back to the resort. He dropped the rose on the lawn and went

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DJ Manly back inside, having to push a little hard on the door for it to open. He’d been here less than twenty-four hours and already there was some psycho prowler on the loose. Either that or Hans had gone senile, being out here by himself all this time. He suspected there had been someone in the place last night. He’d seen a shadow, heard a voice. But who? And why would they put a rose on his pillow? Reese rubbed his rough jaw with his hands and decided to forget about it for the time being. After all, it was just a rose. He went upstairs and took a shower. The water ran a little rough when he first opened the pipe. It came out brown, then ran clear. He stayed under the spray for a long time, still disturbed about the rose being on his bed. He went downstairs, made breakfast and decided he needed to start cleaning, get rid of some junk, and check out the basement. The linen was probably totally outdated as well and old. He’d try and salvage what he could. Next week, once the phone and internet were hooked up, he’d order supplies. One thing at a time, he admonished himself. I haven’t even emptied my suitcase yet. Later on that morning, he was on a ladder washing some windows when Hans appeared. “I’m sorry for snapping at you this morning.” 13

DJ Manly “No need.” Hans picked up a cloth to help him. “I can understand it gave you a scare.” “There was someone in here last night.” Hans didn’t answer. He just ran the cloth over the glass, rubbing some of the dirt off. “I heard a voice. And there was a shadow. Hans, is there a squatter?” “You mean a vagabond?” He squinted up at him in the sunlight, then went to rinse the cloth in the bucket. “Yeah. Someone who’s been living here while the place was empty?” Reese came down off the ladder and met his gaze. “Can’t say I’ve seen anybody,” Hans replied and resumed his work. “Do you know if there’s one of those long handles around with some contraption for washing the windows? I’ll never get to the top of the glass.” “Maybe in the shed. I’ll have a look. If not there, in the basement. But watch yourself down there.” “Why’s that?” “Pretty crammed. When Mr. Pierce closed down the place, he moved a lot of things into the basement. Police went through some, but it was just left there, most of it was.” “Well, guess we should clean it out.” “You don’t want to be stirring up anything down there, Gov. There lots of dust and things.” 14

DJ Manly Reese gave Hans a curious look, but wasn’t going to ask him to explain. It was better to drop the subject altogether. Hans seemed to get spooked when he talked about the past and it was unnerving. Reese wondered if the police had questioned Hans at the time. The final police report determined the deaths to be accidental, but some people still contended it was murder. Reese had read one of the victims had been a music executive and the other was an up and coming rock star at the beginning of his career. The police had been unable to establish any foul play. The theory that one had pushed the other and then fell in himself, or that there was a third person involved, was never proven. And witnesses seemed unsure. Still, the incident had been enough to keep people away from the place. Of course all the talk of ghosts roaming around hadn’t helped either. “It must have been tough for Pierce, when he had to close up the place,” Reese thought out loud. Hans picked up the bucket and dumped the dirty water onto the ground. “I’ll get fresh water for you, sir.” “Reese. Call me Reese.” Hans remained silent and for a minute and he thought the man wasn’t going to comment. “I don’t much remember how he felt about it, Mr. Reese.” 15

DJ Manly Reese nodded. The man walked into the house with the bucket. Hans located the right contraption for the windows and together they finished washing them, pausing for a sandwich around three o’clock. Reese never did get down to the basement. That would wait another day. After supper, he washed and waxed the floor in the lobby, then hunted the upstairs for a room with a better mattress. The one he’d slept on last night was going into the dump. There were seven other bedrooms upstairs. All of them were large and would have been considered fancy in their day, with balconies and private bathrooms. At the end of the hall, he found one he liked. It was almost round in shape, the balcony a little larger. The bed was round in shape as well, with a beautiful man’s dresser and a roll top desk. The wallpaper was dated, but could be changed and the mattress was in good shape. In fact, with the exception of the small room Hans had prepared for him when he’d arrived, all the other mattresses were in good shape. He looked around the room he’d chosen to make his own. A little bit of water damage in the ceiling caught his attention and he went to investigate, suspecting it came from the roof. He walked through the communal shower room and took the five steps, which led to the pool 16

DJ Manly that was filled with dirty water and leaves. “Ugg.” What a job it was going to be to clean it out. Maybe he’d hire a professional for the daunting job since he had already washed all the windows. Reese sighed and walked around the pool, stopping to admire the breathtaking view for a minute. There was nothing but beauty for miles. A loud clank and sizzle, reminiscent of a breaker tripping, sounded behind him. He turned and shielded his eyes from a bright spotlight shining on the pool. He made a face. That was strange. I doubt there’s an automatic sensor. “Damn it, don’t tell me I’ve got electrical problems.” He walked back inside to the shower room and looked for a light switch. Maybe he’d have to check the fuse box. But then he heard the sound again, almost like a compressor, and was in the dark. “Fuck. Now what?” He didn’t think to bring a flashlight. He placed his hands along the cement walls of the shower, feeling his way back to the hallway where the rooms were. He was breathing hard when his feet hit the carpeting. He had the strangest sensation he wasn’t alone. It didn’t make any sense. There was no one here. He continued down the hall, his hand touching the wall in places, then he touched flesh. It felt like a man’s hand. He jerked away, stumbling against the wall. “Mr. Reese?” Hans’s voice called out in the dark. 17

DJ Manly He breathed a sigh of relief, trying to find the stairs with the tip of his toe, then grasped the handrail and ran down them. “Hans?” Moonlight provided illumination. Hans had a flashlight. “I think you tripped the breaker.” “I didn’t touch it. Where is the fuse box?” “In the basement. I’ll go down and…” “I’ll come with you I need to know where it’s at.” Hans walked around the stairs and took out a key. He slipped it into the lock and turned. “Do I have a key to the basement?” “It’s on that huge ring in the desk.” Hans pulled open the door and motioned to the stairs. “Watch your step.” Reese slowly descended the steps, close at Hans’s heels. They walked along the concrete floor. A strong current of air brushed across his face. Ethan. “Hans? Did you hear that?” “Hear what, sir?” Hans walked around three trunks, over to a steel box on the wall, located beside the furnace. “You say something?” “No.” Hans opened the box, shined the flashlight into it. “Here’s your problem.” He pointed at it with his finger. “It’s tripped.” He

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DJ Manly flipped the switch and there was a humming noise. He slammed it shut. “Let’s get out of here.” Reese didn’t argue. It was creepy down there. He followed Hans, but stopped when movement caught his attention. “There’s someone here.” “Just a rat,” Hans muttered. “Rat? I need an exterminator.” “Might be a good idea.” They were upstairs. Hans went to lock the basement door. “No need to lock it,” Reese told him. Hans glanced at him. “I would.” Reese shook his head. “Leave it. I’ll have trouble finding out which key is which and I should go down there and check it out tomorrow. Any traps around?” “I’ll find you some in the morn.” Reese switched on the light in the lobby. The light came on in there and in the dining room. “On the same switch?” Hans nodded. “I’m going to need an electrician for sure. You know any good ones nearby?” “I’ll get the number for you. Goodnight, sir.” Reese lifted a hand. He was still calling him sir. He shut the door behind Hans. Silence. He sighed. This place was too big to live in alone. It would be good when he had some guests and maybe he could convince some of the staff to stay, at least 19

DJ Manly during the week. A place like this allowed his imagination to run wild. He could have sworn he touched a man’s hand upstairs. Reese laughed. It was definitely time to go to bed. He went back to his new room and found some clean linen. He changed the sheets, then decided to take a shower. He stripped off his clothes and left them in the middle of the floor. Before he stepped into the shower, he paused to study himself in the full-length mirror. He’d lost weight since Danny died, his appetite not like it once was. He’d always been slender, about five ten, one hundred and seventy-five pounds. He tried to keep himself in shape by lifting weights and running. He still had the tone, but needed to get back to exercising. He’d update the equipment here in the exercise room and get back to it soon. His hair was ashy blond and he used to streak it. Danny liked it like that, even though Danny was extremely conservative in appearance. Now his hair was just blond and far too long, tied back in a ponytail at the nape. His green eyes were tired and sad. He hoped they’d get their spark back, but it was going to take time. Danny, fifteen years older and a hell of a lot wiser, had been everything to him. Reese had been nineteen when they met. He’d been bussing tables in a restaurant in London and there Danny was, a handsome, sophisticated man with premature 20

DJ Manly grey hair and sharp blue eyes. Danny had smiled at him and he was his. He had no idea Danny was involved in an international espionage organization for the British government. And Danny never told him what he was until they’d been together three years. “I want to share everything with you,” he had told him later. “I love you, Reese.” Reese’s eyes filled with tears from the memory. “I love you, too, Danny.” That night long ago, he had started a painting of Danny, one he never had time to finish. He hoped to complete it when he finished getting the place in shape. Danny had convinced him the great meals he cooked for them whenever he was able to get home, revealed a real talent for cooking, so Reese had gone to chief school. In France and Italy, he studied with the best. As a result, his painting had fallen by the wayside, but he didn’t mind. Training as a chef helped quell the loneliness he felt when Danny was gone and he loved it. He shook himself, told himself he had too much work to do. He couldn’t spend his time crying or thinking about the past. He went into the bathroom, scrubbed down the shower and then got under the spray. The water mingled with his tears and his chest heaved a few times. He swallowed hard, soaped his body and then stroked his aching cock. He couldn’t remember 21

DJ Manly the last time he’d had sex. Danny had been gone for months before the authorities informed him he wasn’t coming back. It was damn close to a year since someone had touched him. He shut off the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist, deciding he could do with a shave. He wiped the steamed mirror with the back of his hand. A face, but not his own, stared at him. He took a step backward and turned around. Nothing. He turned back again and it was gone. Reese walked out of the bathroom, searched the bedroom. Nothing but silence and the steady ticking of the alarm clock on the nightstand. He had seen someone plain as day—dark hair, dark eyes, no expression, a young man, staring right at him. Was he losing his mind? It took him a long time to get to sleep. He kept the lamp on and tried to read one of the paperbacks he’d started a few weeks back, listening for every little sound, fighting it each time his eyes threatened to close. Eventually sleep claimed him. When he opened his eyes, he was lying on his back, the book open across his chest at a page he’d been reading. He put the book aside and yawned. The sun crept through his window. He checked his watch on the night table. It was after nine o’clock. He swung his legs over the side, stretched, 22

DJ Manly the image of the man’s face still in his head. Then he got up to make the bed and there it was, lying on his pillow, another perfect red rose.

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DJ Manly

Chapter Two

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ver coffee, Reese sat down to write a list of all the things he needed to do, trying to put everything else out of his mind, the man’s face, the hand, the voices, those damn roses. He divided the list into things he could do himself and major things he would need some professional help with. The electrical system needed to be checked and the switch changed in the hall. He also needed a plumber to check the pipes and someone to clean the pool. Cleaning people would be here in two weeks to help him. Meanwhile, he intended to get rid of all the things that were no longer any good. Then he could make a list of stuff he needed to order and take a trip himself into Melbourne to buy some stuff. He sighed, rubbed his eyes and threw down the pen. He wasn’t going to mention to Hans what had happened. He intended to take a tour of the place to see if he could find evidence of a squatter. 24

DJ Manly He knew that man had to be around here somewhere and whoever he was, he was a handsome bugger. But the man had been in his bathroom last night while he was taking a shower. That was frightening as hell. Even if he was gorgeous. Of course, given he hadn’t had sex in so long, maybe he’d dreamed him up, but it was just too real. He wasn’t a fantasy, or he would have been in the damn shower with him. He was there. Why was he spying on him in the bathroom and leaving him roses? Why didn’t he just let him know he was there, introduce himself? Perplexed, Reese thought maybe the guy had been hiding in the basement, but Hans had locked the door, which was curious in itself. Why would he lock the guy in? Did Hans know about him after all? How was he getting out, unless the squatter had a key himself? Was he some escaped convict, a relative of Hans? Reese headed to the basement, bringing the rattraps Hans had left for him early this morning along with him. He opened the door, switched on the light, which consisted of a low hanging light bulb and, with careful steps, walked down the stairs. This time he brought a flashlight. When he got to the bottom, he turned on the flashlight and moved it around. Cobwebs, spiders, dust. There was no evidence of any one living down here and who would want to? The air was stale, foul even. 25

DJ Manly There were three large trunks, coated with dust, sitting in the middle of the floor. He walked over to one and looked at it. There was a huge padlock on it. Reese went down on his haunches and inspected it. Well, this belonged to him now. And he was curious to see what was in there. If he wanted to get into it, however, he was just going to have to break the lock. He stood, looked around, trying to see if there was a crowbar or something. There was an old mirror sitting in the corner. The frame was silver. It was quite beautiful and although worn, could be recovered, another project to put on his list. He wiped the cobwebs away and gasped. “You,” he whirled around. The figure stood there in the corner of the room, tall, dressed in jeans and a dark blue shirt. His hair was long, his eyes large and dark. He was the most beautiful man he’d ever seen. He smiled at him. It was the man he’d seen in the bathroom mirror the night before. “Listen, if you need a place to stay…” Ethan. The man in the corner hadn’t said anything. The voice came from elsewhere, all around him. Suddenly, he faded from sight. Reese sat down on the trunk and perched on the edge of it for a second, his legs no longer agreeing to support his weight. The current of air whooshed around his head, then nothing. He took a breath, stood up, 26

DJ Manly turned and examined the mirror, glimpsing only his own reflection. A terrified face stared back at him. He forgot about looking in the chest and ran back up the stairs. Just as he got to the top, the door slammed in his face. Reese almost lost his balance and fell backward He grabbed the wobbly railing just in time to save himself from falling. He turned the door handle. Nothing. The single light bulb swung back and forth from the ceiling, but there was no breeze in the basement. There was one window and it was jammed shut. The ground began to shake a little under his feet. An earthquake? Australia was not prone to earthquakes, as far as he knew. The vibration stopped and the door creaked open by itself. Reese quickly went through it and shut the basement door. He stood there for a moment, leaning on it, shaking. This wasn’t happening. “There was someone in my basement,” Reese told Hans a few minutes later. Hans was trimming the hedges outside. “You put down those traps I left for you?” “No, I left them in the middle of the floor. Hans, did you hear me?” “Yep, I did. You said someone was in the basement.” “Who is he?”

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DJ Manly “Probably Ethan, although he’s not known to actually appear, just like that, especially not in the day. Folks usually see him wandering around the veranda at night.” Reese’s mouth opened. “You’re serious?” “Yep,” he muttered as he snipped off the top of the bush with his big clippers. “Was he dark haired, tall, good looking?” “Yeah, that was him.” He stopped. “A little strange, were you into those trunks?” “Well, I was thinking about breaking one of the locks.” “That was probably it.” He kept on trimming. “It, what? Hans, is there a trap door in the basement?” “Nope.” “He just disappeared. He was there, then he was gone and then there was this shaking and for a minute, I couldn’t open the door.” Hans looked at him. “I tried to tell you, sir.” “Tell me what? That this place is haunted by a ghost?” “Ghosts, sir, Ethan may be the least of your problems, but the other one might consider you to be invading his space.” “The other one? Who is he?” “Not sure, sir. That’s a debatable topic.”

28

DJ Manly Hans walked over to the next hedge and inspected it from one angle, then another. “Why would this ghost not be pleased? I mean, why would some ghost hang around here?” Reese couldn’t even believe he was asking the question. “For Ethan, of course.” He started chopping at the tree. “Ethan, the up and coming rock star who died here? That Ethan?” “That be the one. Everyone loved him. Everyone wanted him.” He put down the choppers. Reese could have sworn he saw tears glisten in Hans’s eyes. “Whoever is holding him here will never let him go, unless he’s…” Hans broke off. “He’s what?” “Waiting for something else?” “Did you…did you love him, too?” Hans’s face contorted. He picked up the sheers. “It’s best left in the past.” “Hans, I’m having a hard time with this. With all the stuff I have to do here and now this, I’m totally overwhelmed. You want me to believe this place has two spirits and—” “I don’t want you to believe anything. It just is, so you’re going to have to find a way to deal with it, if you want to live here. That’s what I tried to

29

DJ Manly tell your companion, but he bought the place anyway.” “That’s why Pierce didn’t want the place sold?” “Pierce was rather attached to it. Let’s say, he had sentimental value for it. He couldn’t live here after, but he came to visit often before he died. He sometimes spent nights here. They found him dead one morning, lying in the middle of the ballroom.” Reese’s eyes widened. “He died here, too?” He nodded. “He died where he wanted to be, close to Ethan. That’s what he wanted.” “They were lovers.” “Some people thought they owned Ethan, body and soul. They still do. There’s no squatter, Mr. Reese.” “So, I have ghosts.” He threw up his hands. “And it looks like one of them is dangerous. Is Mr. Pierce still hanging out here as well? Is he the other ghost?” “I have no idea. I only see Ethan, late at night, leaning on the railing on the veranda where he fell over. He looks so alone, so sad. He strolls around the balcony sometimes, then disappears.” Reese went inside then. It was too much, what with ghosts strolling balconies and people dying in the ballroom. He was beginning to think coming here had been a mistake. It was almost suppertime, but he had no appetite. Instead, he 30

DJ Manly went upstairs and began throwing out all the faded towels and sheets, salvaging what he could. He hadn’t realized he’d been up there for more than three hours until his stomach started to growl. He threw down the sheet he was inspecting and turned to leave the room. He heard footsteps and a sound, which sounded like something clanging. “Okay, let me see you. I’m tired of these games.” The man was standing there at the top of the stairs, dark hair, dark eyes, dressed in jeans, but with a tool belt around his hips. “Mr. Fuller?” he said. “I’m Samuel Johnston. Hans called me. He said you had a lot of work and was in need of some help around here?” “You’re real?” Reese asked, knowing he sounded ridiculous. Samuel Johnston came closer. He didn’t laugh at him. He just nodded. “Flesh and blood. See,” he held out his hands. He breathed easier. “What kind of skills do you have?” The contractor grinned. “What do you need?” Reese blushed. He laughed a little uncomfortably. He didn’t misinterpret him. “Are you a licensed electrician?” “No, but I can do basic stuff and tell you if you need one or not. I’m actually a builder, but

31

DJ Manly business is slow at this time of year. I can spare a couple of months if you need me.” “Can you stay here?” “In this house?” “Oh, not you, too.” Reese shook his head and went downstairs. Samuel followed. “Are you a local?” “I know the story if that’s what you mean.” “So,” Reese leaned on the desk, “you believe in ghosts, too?” He took off his tool belt and held it in his hand. “My father’s kid brother died in this house.” He walked across the floor and into the dining room. He pointed to the veranda. “He fell to his death right there.” “Your uncle?” “Um.” He glanced at him. “After he died, my father brought my mother and I to live in a town nearby while the investigation was going on. My father started a small construction business to support the family in the interim and we ended up staying.” “Your uncle was Ethan?” He nodded. “Ethan Woods.” “You look just like him.” “You’ve seen his picture? I’m surprised. There aren’t many left around.” “No, I’ve seen him.” 32

DJ Manly Samuel laughed. “You’ve been in touch with Evelyn Singer, I see.” “Who?” “Evelyn Singer, the head of the paranormal society. They owned this place until you bought it.” “So, that’s the anonymous owner.” “Um.” “Why would Pierce give it to them, because of all the rumors about ghosts?” “That and the fact they were related. Evelyn Singer was Lincoln Pierce’s aunt. After he gave to her, the paranormal people were here often, due to all the sightings. I don’t know what they found.” “And do you believe your uncle roams around the balcony at night?” Reese half-laughed. “I don’t know. People tell me they’ve seen him. And now you said so yourself.” “So, what happened exactly? Do you know?” Reese asked. He shrugged. “I was an infant when my uncle died. I heard the stories much later. You probably know as much as I do if you’ve read up on the stuff.” “Did you ever come up here?” “Yes, a few times with my father. He would drive up and just sit there, looking at the place, until I’d make a fuss, get bored and beg to go.” He laughed. 33

DJ Manly Reese laughed, too. “Sounds like a kid. And your father, does he talk about it anymore?” “No. Not for years, but he keeps a picture of my uncle and him on the nightstand.” “They were close.” “Very. My grandparents were Irish immigrants. My father and uncle grew up in New York and I guess they had it hard. My grandfather was a day laborer and not the most congenial of men. My grandmother was deeply religious and worked out as well. I think they were pretty much on their own. But then my uncle started playing music and he was really gifted. Dad said he was destined for stardom, but then he died…” Samuel looked around. “Here, in this place.” “Hans seems terrified of what happened here. Did he testify?” “Everything was kept really hush, hush. There was an inquiry, but no trail. There were important people staying here and I think there was a lot going on here at that time was best kept private.” “Are you saying this place was a…” “I’m saying men came here and they met other men and they spent time.” “A gay resort.” “At that time, a homosexual meeting place for men who wanted their privacy.” “Was your uncle…”

34

DJ Manly “I think so.” He nodded. “Although Dad’s never admitted it, even when I told him a few years back I swing that way. It’s the Catholic thing.” Reese met his gaze. “Oh.” He laughed. “Oh?” “I…well…okay.” Reese looked anywhere but at him. “That embarrass you?” “No, I’m gay myself.” “I know,” he replied. “You do?” “Everyone was aware that you had a male partner when the place was bought. So, did he come with you?” “He’s…” Reese pushed out some air. “Dead. Danny died last year in an accident.” “God, I’m sorry,” he sighed. “I didn’t mean to…” “Not your fault. So, of course I need your help. I have a lot of things to do. You can commute or stay here if you…I mean, you’d have your own room and everything.” Samuel laughed a deep, husky laugh. “I didn’t think you were propositioning me, Reese. And personally, I’ve just gone through a break up and I’m staying with my parents temporarily while my new house is being built. I’d be happy to stay here

35

DJ Manly for a few weeks. My mother is driving me crazy.” He patted his stomach. “And over feeding me.” He didn’t appear like he was being overfed to Reese. He had a fantastic body and yes, he’d noticed how those well-worn jeans clung to his ass and framed his groin. He was obviously hung, and for the first time in a long time, Reese had the taste of desire in his mouth. “Perfect,” he responded. “I’ll need to go into town to pick up some food.” “You can come with me,” he invited. “I’ve got to go home, load some tools in the truck and pack a bag. I’ll drop you off and pick you up later. I won’t expect much pay, the room and board will be fine and we’ll see how much work I can actually help you with first.” “I got a water leak somewhere, probably from the pool. That should be looked after first and I might have some problem with the breaker. I know you’re not an electrician, but…” “Like I said, I can do basic stuff. I’ll have a look. If you’re ready to go, we should get going. Driving this mountain road at night can be a challenge.” “Okay, I’ll be with you in a minute.” Reese went upstairs to get his wallet. “When’s the phone being hooked up?” Samuel asked him on the way down the mountain. 36

DJ Manly Reese studied his strong forearms as he drove. “Next week, the internet, too. I’ve got staff coming out to help with the cleaning in two weeks.” “Good. You actually going to open it up to guests?” He glanced at him. Reese placed his hands on the dashboard. Samuel drove these roads fast. “Ah, yeah, I’m planning on it.” Samuel chuckled. “Don’t be scared. I know these roads.” “Okay.” “So, did you even run a resort before?” “No. I’m a chef.” “Really?” “Yep. Danny bought this place to occupy me. He was gone a lot. After the…after he died, I decided to come out here anyway, give myself something to do. Doesn’t matter if it’s successful. If I get a couple of guests a year, that’s okay. When I get everything fixed up, I’d like to paint again.” “A man of many talents,” Samuel drawled. “Are you any good?” “Um, not bad, I took some painting courses in London. It relaxes me. What do you do out here for entertainment?” He laughed. “Not too much. I go to Melbourne when I can’t take it anymore. The ex and I used to travel a lot. I’d close down the business in the winter and we’d take off. Peter was a travel 37

DJ Manly journalist, so he’d work from where ever with his laptop. It was a nice life.” “Sorry it didn’t work out.” He didn’t say anything. Maybe it was too fresh. Reese studied him as he drove. He couldn’t get over how much he resembled that man. He couldn’t bring himself to call what he’d seen in the basement a ghost. They could have been twins. “So, where is this Singer woman? Is she in town?” “Yeah, right across from the food store. There’s a sign in the window of her house. If you’re lost, just ask someone.” “Weird place for a paranormal society, isn’t it?” “Not really, the locals are a superficial lot. This area has been known for some pretty bizarre sightings. UFO’s, too.” “Great.” Samuel grinned, slowing down as he entered the town. “Are you sure you want to delve into this, Reese? Sometimes it’s best to leave the past alone. My father learned that the hard way. I think he discovered a lot of things about his baby brother he preferred not to know.” “Well, something is going on up there and I figure the more I know about it, the better, since I’m not leaving. Look, I can’t say I believe in this ghost thing, but I did see something. I thought at first it was a squatter, but now I’m not sure.”

38

DJ Manly Samuel pulled up at the curb. He pointed to a house across the road. “Evelyn lives there. And I’m not questioning you. Sometimes I wonder though if the stories don’t fuel the imagination, you know? What about this squatter idea?” “Well, the place has been empty for a long time. It would be the perfect place for a homeless person. I didn’t find anyone though and Hans says he’s never seen anyone either.” “Well, I’m sure there’s an explanation.” Reese nodded. “And what about you, you won’t feel a little weird staying up there where your uncle died?” He shrugged. “I have a natural curiosity about the place, I have to admit. I look forward to the opportunity to explore it a little, I guess. And if my uncle’s ghost is roaming the place like people say, I doubt I’d have anything to fear from him. From what my father said, people loved Ethan. He was supposedly a warm person who was kind to everyone. Why should he be anything different in death?” “Did he…do you know if he liked roses?” “Roses?” “Yeah.” “Why?” “Someone has been leaving them on my bed.” Samuel laughed. “It sounds like your squatter has a crush.” 39

DJ Manly “Great.” “I’ll ask my father if you like.” “Thanks.” Reese got out of the truck. “I’ll meet you back here in an hour or so,” he added. “If you’re not finished and looking for me, I’ll be over at the diner having a coffee.” “Okay,” Reese told him, waving as Samuel drove off. He stared at the house on the other side of the street a second, then crossed the road. Evelyn Singer was a tall, spidery-looking woman with a long nose and grey tendrils falling at the side of her head. She smoothed down her lavender linen dress after she opened the door and peered at Reese curiously. “I’m Reese Fuller,” he told her. “I’m the new owner of the Escape.” She hesitated and then mumbled, “I’ve got nothing to tell you.” He narrowed his eyes. “Look, I just want to know what you found out when you went up there.” “You won’t believe me anyway. In fact, no one does. And I’m the only one left in the society. They all washed their hands.” “Why?” “They said they believed, they wanted the opportunity to see it with their own eyes, then when they did, they all ran away.” “What did they see?” 40

DJ Manly She waited. It seemed as though she was going to say something, but instead shook her head. “Nothing. We saw nothing. And if you want some good advice, young fellow, get rid of that place, just leave it.” The door closed. Reese sighed. He was going to knock again, then changed his mind. Instead, he headed to the grocery store. When he met up with Samuel and they had loaded the supplies into his truck, Reese told him what had happened. “That’s not like Evelyn. She’s usually very sociable.” “I got the feeling everyone was staring at me in town,” Reese offered. “It’s a small town and you’ve bought the haunted manor. It’s normal.” “What do you think they saw up there?” “I don’t know, maybe nothing. I spoke to my dad about the roses. He said Uncle Ethan always gave his mother roses for her birthday, red roses, but other than that, he didn’t say much. When I told him I was going to be staying up there though, he didn’t seem to like it a hell of a lot. And before I left, he said, be careful. It’s not like my dad to tell me to careful at my age.” “How old are you?” Reese grinned. “I just turned thirty.” “Happy Birthday.” 41

DJ Manly “Thanks.” “You still want to stay up there with me?” “Yeah, I do. There’s a lot of work to do.” “I won’t argue with you there,” Reese said.

42

DJ Manly

Chapter Three

A

fter they’d unloaded the food and Samuel’s tools and had a bit of supper, Reese fixed up a room for Samuel across from his. He was secretly relieved to have someone else in the house with him tonight. They stood together on the balcony later, sipping a glass of wine, and Reese told him about the trunks in the basement. “If there is anything in there belonging to your uncle, I’ll make sure your father gets it.” “That would be nice. I wonder why Pierce locked them.” “I don’t know. I think they were police evidence at one time. Did you know Lincoln Pierce?” “Yes.” “Did you know he died here?” “They found him in the ballroom three years back. They say he had a heart attack.” 43

DJ Manly “What did he do after he sold this place to the historical society?” “Drink.” “Hans hinted Pierce was in love with your uncle.” “Really? Hans would know more than me, like I told you, Reese, you’re asking the wrong guy. I don’t know much more than you do about what happened here.” Reese drained his glass. “Want another?” “No. Actually, I’m a little tired.” “Me, too. I’ve made up your room.” “Thanks.” They walked up together. Reese pointed to the room across from his. “There you go.” “Goodnight,” Samuel said. “I’ll take a look at the water damage tomorrow, may have to tear down the ceiling.” “I’ll change rooms,” Reese replied. He grinned. “Good idea.” Reese went into his bedroom and stared up at the ceiling for a minute. The spot seemed to have spread a little and there was a small pool of water on the floor. “Oh shit,” he said, “Samuel.” He went into the hallway. Samuel’s door was open and he had taken off his shirt and was just about to unzip his jeans. Reese bit his lip. God, what a body, his shoulders broad, biceps and pectorals, hard and well muscled, his skin bronze and sun 44

DJ Manly kissed. His body showed the signs of a man who’s used it. When the zip came down and he was about to pull his jeans down, Reese made a sound in his throat. Samuel pulled up his jeans and zipped them fast, coming to the door. “What’s wrong?” “I’ve got a…” His gaze moved over him irresistibly. “Pool…water…puddle. I mean, my ceiling is leaking.” He couldn’t form words. Samuel walked into the bedroom and looked up at the ceiling. He spotted a chair and pulled it over, standing up on it and pressing on the ceiling. Reese was treated to being able to stare at his incredible ass. He swallowed, telling himself to concentrate, but his cock had no intention of allowing it. “The ceiling is rotted right through,” he informed him. “I’ve got to take it down tomorrow to find the leak. “My guess is there’s a crack in the foundation of the pool.” Reese nodded. “For tonight, put a pan under it.” He got off the chair. “It’s a slow leak, so it shouldn’t flood you out of the room.” He laughed. “Okay, thanks.” “No problem,” he agreed. Reese had to conclude that Samuel was a gentleman. Damn it. It would have been far easier if Samuel had just grabbed him and threw him on 45

DJ Manly the bed. He wouldn’t have resisted. He was smiling as he crawled into bed, something he hadn’t done in awhile. He closed his eyes and had the most erotic of dreams. He was laying spread eagle on the bed, bound hands and feet, with fingers, mouths and cocks invading every inch of him. He moaned, called out. Then he heard the name. Ethan. Reese bounded up in bed. It was still dark outside. He squinted at the clock to see it was a little after three. He lay back down on the pillow, his body covered in sweat, his cock sticky and restless. Music began to play. He got out of bed and stood at the door. It was a beautiful melody, strong, fast, with an intensity and passion he’d never experienced before. He grabbed a robe and walked down the hallway, quietly coming down the stairs. He moved quickly through the lobby, then the dining room and stopped at the door of the ballroom. Nothing. Silence. Had he imagined it? He switched on the light and walked over to the piano. He sat down on the bench for a moment, staring at the keys. Something moved. A man stood in the entrance. Reese held his breath. “Reese, are you all right?” “Samuel?” “Yes, it’s me.” He walked over, wearing a pair of loose fitting pale blue pajama pants. “What are 46

DJ Manly you doing down here playing the piano at this time of night?” “I wasn’t playing the piano.” Samuel screwed up his face. “But I heard it.” “So did I. So I’m not losing my mind?” Samuel looked around him. “There’s no one else in the house?” “No.” “Reese, don’t make any sudden moves,” Samuel whispered. “Just look over there in the corner.” There was a white light and a face, one Reese hadn’t seen before. The face was staring right at them. The light flickered and went out. Clear as day, a voice screamed, “Get out!” Reese stood up and clutched onto Samuel. The light flickered again and the room once again flooded with light. Samuel drew him close and put an arm around him. “It’s all right. It’s gone.” “What in the hell was that?” Samuel shook his head. “Damned if I know.” Reese felt a little self-conscious and pulled away from Samuel. “I think I’m up. Coffee?” Samuel nodded and they walked out of the ballroom, leaving the light on as they went. An hour later, at first light, Samuel was knocking down the ceiling in the bedroom 47

DJ Manly upstairs. They didn’t talk much about what they’d seen in the ballroom, except Samuel asked him if he was religious. “Not very, why?” “I don’t know. Some people would say you should have this place blessed by a priest. Reese, this could be dangerous.” “I know that.” “I don’t know who, or what it was, but it didn’t seem friendly.” “Unless I can find out more about what in hell went on here, I’m in the dark.” That was the end of the conversation. Shortly after, Samuel went back to work and Reese went through the things in the kitchen. But his mind was constantly on the trunk in the basement. He gave in, took a hammer out of the drawer and headed to the basement door. When he got to the lobby, Hans walked in, toolbox in hand. “G’day, Reese.” He raised a hand in greeting. “Thought I’d come by and give Mr. Woods a hand, saw him out on the roof a while back. It sounds like he’s bringing the house down.” “He’s upstairs. I’ll take you.” “Reckon he’s pretty easy to find.” Hans chuckled, following Reese up the steps. When they got to the bedroom, Reese stopped, his mouth opening. Most of the ceiling was on the 48

DJ Manly floor. Samuel’s head was stuck up inside the ceiling and when Hans called out to him, he ducked out and looked at them. Reese started to laugh. He was covered in plaster, his hair and his face completely white. “Don’t you look cute,” Reese pointed out. Samuel wiped at his face and grinned. “Hans came by to give you hand.” “Great, I can use someone to hand me stuff.” He coughed and came down off the ladder. “I found the leak and as I expected, it’s a hairline crack in the pool. And of course, there’s more than one. The entire ceiling is going to have to come down.” “Great,” Reese muttered. “I’m going to mix up what I need to fill the crack.” “What can I do?” Hans asked. “Get up there and try and clear as much of that debris away as possible,” he said. “I’ll be back. I need something in the truck.” Hans crawled up on the ladder and Reese followed Samuel downstairs. “How much is this going to cost me?” he joked. Samuel looked at him for a second. “A kiss.” “Kiss?” Reese croaked. “Me kiss you like that?” Samuel grinned. “It was worth a try. Don’t worry about the labor. I’ll give you the receipts for the supplies.” He wiped his face again. 49

DJ Manly “Oh, that is you under there?” Samuel chuckled and walked outside. “A kiss,” Reese muttered, but was smiling as he walked down into the basement. With some effort, a few minutes later, he had the first trunk open. Inside were ledgers with the names of guests who’d stayed there. Reese read the dates on the books. 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, the last date he found was 1987, the year the resort was shut down. Reese ran his hand over the last book. He thumbed through it, noting the names of prominent politicians, judges, movie stars, singers, all male, all returning guests. In June of 1987, he read the names Ethan Woods, Renaldo Masters, Kevin Silver, Lincoln Pierce and Anthony Page. The last one Reese remembered was a major league baseball player back in his dad’s time. He examined the ledger again. There were lines drawn through the next three weeks. Reese was sure he’d read the incident happened in early August, August the third, which meant these five men were guests at the Escape for all that time until Ethan and Renaldo died. Those pages had been highlighted with notes made in the margins by someone who was investigating the case. The scribbles were hard to make out, but he read the words reports obtained of illicit sexual behavior. Then there was some other stuff written in red that had 50

DJ Manly been scratched out. Reese started at the names for another couple of minutes, then closed the book. Next, he dug down in the trunk and picked out a forty-five record still in its sleeve. On it was written something. The words to and love Ethan were easy to read, but after the to, the name appeared to have been scratched out and another written on top. It looked like Lincoln, but he couldn’t be sure. Reese examined the record. He’d have to find an old record player around. The title of the song on side A was Live for the Day. Side B was the same although in brackets, it was written musical version, then the name, Ethan Woods. He put the record down and fished around some more. There was a man’s shirt, a pair of briefs, a comb, an evaporated bottle of aftershave and a variety of jewelry, then right at the bottom, an old black and white photograph. Someone had put arrows pointing to certain people on it. Reese took the photograph and held it underneath the light. The photograph had been taken in the ballroom because he could see the piano in the background. The five men had their arms around each other. He recognized Ethan right away. He stood out—beautiful, smiling, lifting a glass in his hand. He was in the center. All the men were around twenty-five to thirty years old, with the exception of Ethan who couldn’t 51

DJ Manly have been any more than twenty. Words had been scrawled on the back—left to right: Anthony Page, Renaldo Masters, Ethan Woods, Kevin Silver and Lincoln Pierce. August 2-1987. He turned it back over in his hand and studied Ethan’s smiling face. He could have sworn he was looking at Samuel, even though Samuel was ten years older than Ethan had been in this picture. He had the strangest feeling. Three of the men in this picture were dead. He wondered what had happened to the other two, Silver and Page. He put the things back into the trunk, feeling like he’d disturbed the dead, and went to open the second one. When he opened the lid and saw what was lying on top, he dropped it. After he’d recovered from the shock, he bent down and opened it again. Condoms, rolls of them, halfempty bottles of lubricant, dildos, handcuffs, nipple clamps, leather straps, black leather masks and a variety of manuals and sexually explicit videos lay there. At the bottom were three prerecorded cassettes marked Private. Reese removed one from the plastic case. There was a date written on it. June twentieth, 1987. Private pool party. Reese hastily returned it to its case and dropped it back inside the trunk. He closed it, almost afraid to open the last one. He decided to leave it. He’d had enough for today. 52

DJ Manly He left the basement and locked the door behind him. It was lunch hour. He’d look for Hans and Samuel and asked if they wanted sandwiches. He bounded upstairs. The room was empty. They must be on the roof. He glanced up at the ceiling and shook his head. There over on his bed, which Samuel had covered with plastic, lay a red rose. It must have been there this morning, but he hadn’t gone back to bed after hearing the music. There were voices coming from the roof. He walked toward the shower room, pausing when he thought he heard a groan. He stopped dead at the threshold of the room, his jaw dropping, as he saw several naked men standing under one showerhead. One of them was being soaped from the back by the other two, his gorgeous ass opened and violated by the hands of the others. Reese noticed that his hands had been cuffed over his head. Groans again, heavy breathing and then one of the men began to fuck him, as the others stood around, watching. The one in the handcuffs moved his head and winked at him. Reese grabbed onto the wall. “Reese,” someone called out. Everything vanished. Reese found himself looking at Samuel in an empty shower room. “Reese?” He nodded. “Yeah?” 53

DJ Manly “I thought that was you. I’ve sealed the crack, but I’ve had to drain the rest of the water out. It’s really skuzzy. I think you need a real pool guy to…Reese?” Reese nodded at Samuel. “Yeah, okay. I came to see if you wanted lunch.” Samuel was in front of him. “What happened?” “I saw men in this room.” “Like that apparition last night?” “No. I saw you. I mean, not you, Ethan and two men. They were…fucking you, him.” Samuel lifted his eyebrow. “Okay.” “I know you don’t believe me.” “I do. I just don’t know what to say. That’s pretty un-ghostly, isn’t it?” “It’s like he was here, really here.” Samuel put a hand on his shoulder. “Let’s go downstairs, shall we? Hans, lunch time,” he called out. It was Samuel who ended up making the sandwiches. Reese’s head was filled with the images of what he’d seen in the shower room, not to mention the material he found in the trunks. “Did you know about the pornographic tapes?” Samuel paused in eating his sandwich. Hans blinked. “I…yes. Well, I wasn’t around when they were took.” “Were you involved?” There was silence. 54

DJ Manly “What’s in the third trunk? I noticed the ledgers, the man’s stuff, the forty-five and then the tapes, the sex toys. What’s in the third one?” Samuel’s eyes widened. Hans had an expression on his face that Reese had never seen before. Even his voice changed. “If you’re so interested, open it.” Samuel glanced at Reese and Reese at him. Hans had returned to his sandwich as if he hadn’t said anything. Hans stared at Reese. “Something the matter, Mr. Reese?” Reese shook his head. “No. Nothing.” “Mighty good sandwiches.” Samuel finished the last bite of his and poured himself another cup of coffee. Hans volunteered to pick up all the stuff around the pool. “Thanks, Hans, I’ll take care of it. Why don’t you go home and rest? You’re worked hard today,” Samuel told him. Reese echoed Samuel and Hans said his goodbyes, thanking Reese for the lunch. “Now,” Samuel asked, “what’s this about pornographic films?” “Come, I’ll show you.” Reese put down his napkin and picked up his ring of keys. “What in hell was that with Hans?” Samuel demanded as they headed to the basement. “I don’t know, but that wasn’t him. It wasn’t his voice, wasn’t his eyes.” Reese unlocked the door 55

DJ Manly to the basement and they went down. Reese opened the two trunks and showed Samuel what was in them. “Jesus Christ,” Samuel exclaimed. “Those same guys were together here a long time and everything I found revolves around your uncle. Look at this picture. He’s the center, the center of everything. And I think he gave this record to someone else, but it looks like Pierce put his name over the top. I can’t see who it’s to.” “Give me the hammer. We’re opening the third trunk,” Samuel muttered. Reese waited while Samuel snapped the lock. The trunk lid came up. Photographs of Ethan, some of them publicity shots, shots on stage, magazines and then amateur photos, naked, very provocative, downright pornographic, some of them taken in the room upstairs. Reese recognized the wallpaper. He was beautiful. Samuel was reading the letters, none of them were signed. “My God, someone was obsessed with him, threatening to commit suicide if Ethan didn’t make love to him.” Some of the photographs had Ethan’s face blotted out, or his head torn off. One had I hate you, but I love you written across it in big, bold letters. Reese studied each photograph. “Does it turn you on?”

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DJ Manly Reese looked up sharply as he heard Samuel’s voice. There was a light in his eyes he had never seen before, just like Hans earlier. He was different, seductive. “You want me?” Those words echoed around him, in a whisper and then a rumbling started under his feet. Reese reached out and clutched Samuel’s arm. “Samuel, what is that?” “It’s him,” came the reply. “He doesn’t need to know.” “Samuel, stop it, snap out of it. You’re freaking me out.” He backed away from him. “Who in the hell are you?” “You know who I am. He won’t let me go. Help me, Reese.” The rumbling stopped. Samuel dropped to the floor. He ran over to him and picked up his head. “Samuel, Samuel, are you all right?” He opened his eyes. “Huh?” “Are you all right?” “What in hell happened?” “I don’t know.” Reese helped him up. “First, let’s get out of this basement.” A little while later, they sat together outside on the lawn swing, neither one of them said anything for a long time. “Are you going to tell me how I ended up on the floor?” Samuel demanded. “Maybe you should go.” 57

DJ Manly “Do you want me to go?” Reese met his gaze. “No.” “Well then I’ll stay. What did I do just before I flaked out?” “You spoke to me as if you were someone else.” “Like Hans did earlier?” Reese nodded. “I think I’m going crazy. None of this makes sense. What in hell went on here?” Samuel glanced back at the house. “I don’t know. Maybe you should just sell this place, get out of here. Maybe no one is meant to live here.” Reese considered it. “You could be right.” “Mr. Reese,” Hans called to him. “Just got a call, telephone guy is on his way to connect your phone and your computer.” “Already? That was fast. They said they weren’t coming until next week. Oh.” He stood, pointing at the truck coming up the road. “There they are.” “Isn’t your computer with your stuff?” Samuel asked. “It’s just my laptop and I brought it with me.” “Oh.” Samuel stood as well. “While the guy is hooking you up, I’ll go and check the bond on the pool.” “Okay,” Reese told him. “Is there anything you want me to do after he leaves?” “No, except make us a good dinner. I’m starved.” Reese smiled. “That I can do.” 58

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They ate calmly, talking about their respective childhoods. Samuel said he was bored growing up. He did three years in the military as soon as he was old enough to join, then decided to come home to help his dad out with the construction business. “I got my license,” he explained. “And that’s how I met Peter. He was doing a feature on the qualifications required to work in construction and I was just finishing. He interviewed all the students.” “Was it love at first sight?” “It was lust at first sight.” He laughed. “Why’d you break up?” “We suddenly wanted different things, I guess. I wanted to settle down. He wanted variety.” “He was an idiot.” Reese looked at him. Who in hell would want anyone else when they had Samuel? “Why thank you, Reese.” He grinned. They looked at each other for a minute. For Reese, it was a little too long. “Dessert?” “No, I’m full. Let’s take a walk outside.” “Okay.” “Leave the dishes. I’ll help you with them later.” After the walk, they were too tired for dishes. Samuel went upstairs to bed first and Reese went

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DJ Manly around locking the doors, promising to do the dishes in the morning. When he got upstairs and outside Samuel’s door, he paused. He was sleeping in the room beside him tonight, the other room still in need of a ceiling. When he went inside and crawled into bed, he thought he could hear Samuel breathing. It was comforting and he drifted off to sleep. When someone called his name, he tried to sit up, but something or someone was pinning him to the mattress. “Reese, help me. Please. Help me.” In his dream state, he saw Samuel, or was it Ethan, leaning over the railing on the veranda. There were shadows around him, but he couldn’t see who they were. “Help me,” he looked right at him and then disappeared over the side. “Nooooooo!” Reese cried out. “Damn it, no. No.” “Reese.” Someone shook him. “Reese.” His eyelids flew open. He was in his room. Samuel sat on the edge of his bed, his hands on his shoulders. “Are you all right?” Reese’s chest heaved. He couldn’t seem to calm his breathing. He clutched onto Samuel, held him close. “Don’t leave me,” he pleaded. “Don’t let me go.”

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Chapter Four

“I

want to take you back. I have to. I’ll find a way.” The words echoed in his mind. He moaned and rolled over on the bed, reliving the best sex he’d even had. Samuel’s kisses had been on fire. As Reese had clung to him, Samuel’s attempt to comfort him turned into a raging passion. Reese knew once it began, it wouldn’t stop. Samuel pulled the blanket off him, revealing his nakedness, and ran a hand up his calf to his thigh. He pulled himself away from Reese for about two seconds, long enough to strip off his pajama pants and then wrapped his arms around him again, crawling up on the bed and pressing his body against him. Reese had put his hands in Samuel’s hair, deepening their kiss, groaning as Samuel’s fingers wrapped around his cock. “Oh God, yes,” he had moaned, lifting his hips off the bed. “Touch me. It’s been so long.” He had licked his lips as Samuel’s mouth had come off his and had 61

DJ Manly bestowed soft kisses across his chest, lapping at one nipple, then the other before moving down and capturing his cock in his mouth. Reese had reached up and grabbed the rungs in the bed with his hands, his head going to the side as Samuel had begun to deep throat him, sliding one hand under his hips and flirting his finger along his crack. He had driven him out of his mind. “Samuel,” he had cried out. Ethan. He had pushed the other name in his head away, watching Samuel’s head move up and down as he had brought his cock to the brink, then backed off. Samuel had propelled him onto his stomach, pulled him up onto his knees and had begun to give him the rimming of his life, his hand fondling Reese’s cock at the same time. Reese had pumped into Samuel’s hand, while Samuel had kissed his neck. “Fuck me,” he had pleaded. “Condom, lube?” “Shit, damn. I don’t have any,” Reese had muttered. “Never mind.” Samuel had fallen down beside him and pulled Reese with him. He had taken him into his arms. “It’s okay. You feel good?” “I feel fantastic.” Reese had run a hand over Samuel’s chest. “But you’re still hard.”

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DJ Manly “I was going to take care of that inside of you but…” “I’ll fix it.” Reese had smiled and taken Samuel’s hard cock in his hand. “You’re beautiful.” “You think so?” “Oh yeah.” “They thought so, too.” “Who?” Reese had narrowed his eyes. “All of them,” he had continued. “All of them in the picture.” Reese had blinked. He had searched Samuel’s eyes, then stiffened. “Samuel? Is that you?” “I can’t stay long.” He had touched Reese’s hair. “I have to show you. He won’t let me go. I’m trapped here, don’t you see? Be careful.” “E…Ethan?” He had smiled at him. “You were meant to come here. So was Samuel. I need you. Don’t leave me, Reese.” Reese had reached out and touched his face. “Ethan, who won’t let you go?” It was at that moment his bed started to shake violently. Shadows moved all around him. Someone or something moaned. He grabbed the body beside him and shook him. “Samuel, please, please, wake up.” He was out cold. “Get out!” It was the voice again. “Get out of here!” 63

DJ Manly For a minute, Reese pulled his knees up to his chest and placed his face in his arms, fear paralyzing him. Then mustering all the courage he could, got up onto his knees on the bed and shouted, “This is my house now. Go away!” The shaking stopped. It was quiet. Samuel slept peacefully beside him. Reese pulled the blanket up over them and snuggled up against him. I have to take you back. I have to find a way. I have to show you…show you…show you. “Show me what?” Samuel asked him. Reese opened his eyes. Samuel was looking down at him, smiling. “Hey.” Reese sighed. “God, you’re so beautiful.” “Flattery will get you everywhere.” He leaned down and kissed him gently. “Good.” Reese wound his arms around his neck. “Oh God,” he groaned, “we have to get some condoms and lube.” Samuel chuckled. “Yep, but right now.” He rolled onto his back and displayed his erection. “You got any ideas?” “Oh, I have few ideas.” Reese grinned and crawled over between his thighs. He licked up the underside of his cock, then twirled his tongue around its head. “I like the way you think,” Samuel grunted. “Suck it.” 64

DJ Manly “I like the way you think.” Reese laughed, then opened his mouth wide and moved down over Samuel’s cock. Um. He tasted delicious. He was delicious. Samuel reached down and entwined his fingers with Reese’s as he continued to work on his cock, licking and sucking it to the back of his throat until Samuel let out a cry and his come filled his mouth. Reese pulled back, watching his beautiful face as his cock pumped out its release. He moved one hand up over his belly to his chest and licked his lips as his cock continued to squirt. “Fucking so erotic,” Reese whispered. “You’re such a hunk.” Samuel smiled, reaching over and drawing Reese’s head closer. He kissed him deeply as Reese knelt between his legs. He pulled him down on top of him and moved his hands over Reese’s ass. “Oh God, I’d love to fuck you,” Samuel grunted. Reese was breathing hard. “There’s a bunch of rubbers in the basement and maybe I can find an unused tube of lube.” “It’s old, that stuff.” Samuel made a face as Reese pulled away. “Desperate conditions call for desperation solutions. Stroke that beautiful cock, make it nice and hard for me,” Reese said, then raced out of the room and down the stairs. He made record time, 65

DJ Manly flipping open the trunk and picking out the lube and a roll of condoms. He paused, opened the third trunk, lifted out the naked picture of Ethan, the one where he was lying on the bed, spread eagle, his cock really hard. His head was back and he was smiling. Reese put it back down and raced back up the stairs to the room. When he walked in, he froze. Samuel was there in the exact same position as Ethan had been in the picture. He smiled at him. “Missed you.” “I got the…” Reese couldn’t look away and he could no longer speak. “Come over here, baby, and sit on my cock. Ride it. It’s what you want. That picture turned you on. You’re so hard. Hurry up. I can’t stay forever.” “Samuel? God, you’re not Samuel, are you?” He stroked his cock. “Come on. I want to fuck you. Do it. Do it now before…he won’t let me stay. He’ll catch us. Come on, baby.” He stroked his cock some more. Reese was drawn toward him without resistance. He straddled his hips, abandoning the lube and the condoms. As his cock invaded his ass, impaled him, opening him wider and wider, Reese moved down on him and cried out with a mix of pleasurable pain. He began to move his hands over his own chest, his head back. “Oh 66

DJ Manly yeah, yeah,” he cried out. He was so beautiful and the way he moved his hips was driving Reese out of his mind. He pulled out and came, streams of it hitting his chest and belly. “There you go, baby. Use my body. They all did,” he groaned. “They all used it.” Reese collapsed on top of him. A hand touched his hair. A few minutes later, a voice asked, “How come you didn’t use the lube or the condoms?” Reese looked into his eyes. “Samuel?” “Yes? Reese?” He laughed. “Is there another man in bed here with you?” “Do you remember fucking me just now?” “Of course I remember fucking you.” “He was here.” “Who?” “Ethan.” “Again?” “He says he wants to show me something. Damn it, Samuel.” Reese clutched his head. “I think I’m going out of my mind.” Samuel pulled him up against him. “We’re going to go away this weekend, leave here.” “But I have so much work to do.” “The work can wait. Let’s go camping.” Reese thought about it for a minute, then with a grin, nodded enthusiastically. “Okay.”

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DJ Manly The mountains were lovely and they slept out under the stars rather than inside Samuel’s luxurious trailer. In the morning, they bathed in the waterfall and made love. Samuel had stopped at a drugstore on the way and bought a fresh supply of lube and condoms. “Fuck me here, under the water,” Reese told him. He couldn’t get enough of Samuel. He had a great cock and knew how to use it. And Reese hated to admit it, but he was much better at it than Danny had ever been. Reese gripped the rock, the water pouring down on him as Samuel slipped his dick into his ass and pumped the hell out of him. At the same time, his hard body moved against his and his hands touched him in all the right places. Reese screamed out his orgasm, just to hear what it sounded like out there in the middle of nowhere. When Samuel pulled out, Reese took him down in the shallow water and kissed him all over. When he was hard again, Reese spread his thighs as he sat up against a rock and sucked him off. They stayed naked out there most of the day. And when the sight of him made Reese hot again, he wiggled between his thighs and played with his balls, then licked them and suckled them until Samuel pleaded for mercy. “No attention for my poor cock?” Reese smiled slyly. “I want to fuck you.” 68

DJ Manly “You do, do you?” “You have a delicious ass and it deserves to be invaded. I want to rape your ass.” He grinned down at him. “I think that might be a felony.” “Not with the willing, it’s not.” Reese laughed. “Play a game with me.” Reese spread out on the ground and played with his own erection, looking up at Samuel. “I’ll do anything with you when you look at me like that.” “Putty in my hands,” Reese teased. “Okay, I’ve captured you out here. You’re my prisoner. I’ve always wanted to do this, so bear with me.” Samuel laughed. “See that big rock there.” “Yep.” “Go lay on it on your belly and spread you legs real wide.” Samuel walked over to the rock and did exactly as Reese asked him. Reese was suddenly really turned on beyond reason. He walked over, feasted his eyes on Samuel’s hard, round ass, then slapped it. “Beg for mercy.” “Please, please don’t.” He started to laugh. Reese slapped him again, laughing. “No academy award for you. Your ass is mine, slut.” Samuel glanced back at him. “Fuck me.”

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DJ Manly Reese spread some lube on his fingers and roughly inserted two of them into Samuel’s ass. He licked his lips, not able to wait. He quickly tore open the condom and rolled it on. “Your ass is so fine, so open. I’m going to spread you good, baby.” He went into him without any more hesitation. Samuel groaned, grunted and then began to respond to the pace Reese had set. It felt so wonderful being inside of him. “You’re mine,” he cried out before he realized it. Later, he wondered if his declaration had been premature. Samuel wasn’t his. They’d only just met. Before Reese came, he pulled Samuel to his feet. With a foot balanced against the rock, he continued pumping into him, his hands pinching his nipples at the same time. He came with a deep groan of satisfaction, whispering his name against his back. Samuel leaned back against him and they stood there, rocking back and forth, holding each other. Reese never wanted it to end. They stayed another night. Samuel fucked him out under the stars. Reluctantly, they decided to head back the next day. They arrived Sunday evening, at around nine thirty. The first thing they saw as they drove up the road was every light in the place was on. “What’s going on?” Reese gasped, hopping out of the truck and racing up the front steps. Samuel 70

DJ Manly came right after him. When he walked in, he stood there, stunned. It was as though a hurricane had hit the place. The sofas were turned upside down, chairs were scattered across the room and the pictures hanging on the wall were all turned back to front. Reese and Samuel looked at each other in awe. Samuel was speechless as well. “Enough!” Reese cried, his gaze searching the room. “Stop this, Ethan.” Samuel stared at him as if he’d lost his mind. “You think a ghost did this?” “It has to be. Where is Hans? I’m surprised he didn’t notice the lights were all on…and oh no,” Reese cried out, “Hans? Hans, where are you? Samuel, run down and check his house.” Samuel raced out the front door. “Hans?” Reese cried out, heading for the basement. He inserted his key and turned. The door stayed stubbornly closed. “Hans, are you down there?” A voice called out. “Mr. Reese? Is that you?” “Hans? Are you all right?” “Yep, I think so. I got myself locked down here somehow.” “Don’t worry. I’m going to get you out of there.” “The light is burnt out, I think. It won’t go on.”

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DJ Manly “I thought that I just replaced that stupid light bulb,” Reese replied, tugging on the door. “Damn it. Wait. I’ll be right back.” Reese ran into the kitchen and came back with a small crowbar. Maybe he could pry the door open. There was a rumbling sound and someone called out again. “Hans?” Reese struggled with the door, chipping off some wood and finally pulling it open. “Hans?” He took the stairs a little too fast and almost went flying. When he got to the bottom, he tripped over a body that lay in a huddle. Reese crawled over to him. “Hans? Are you all right?” Hans groaned a little, then he reached out and clutched Reese’s arm. “You’re in danger here, Mr. Reese. Leave this place. He wants you gone.” “I’m not going anywhere,” Reese said stubbornly as he pulled Hans to his feet. “Is anything broken?” “I don’t think so.” “What happened?” He put his arm around Hans and helped him up the stairs. “I saw him, Mr. Reese. I saw him plain as day.” “Who?” “Lincoln Pierce. He was holding Ethan by the throat, on his knees like. He told me to get out, but the door was jammed and I couldn’t. I’m sure it was Lincoln who tore the place apart.” 72

DJ Manly “No, I think Ethan did it. I think he was angry I left. He wants me to help him and I don’t know how. I don’t know what he wants.” “No one can help him, sir,” Hans told him when they got to the top of the stairs. “Hans, you got to talk to me. You saw it all. If I knew what happened here…I could…” Samuel came in, out of breath. “Good, you found him. Are you all right?” he asked Hans. “Fine. I may need a hand getting home.” “I’ll drive you,” Samuel offered. He looked at Reese. “Go ahead. I’m fine. I’m going to try to put the living room back together. Hans, please, you need to talk to me. Tomorrow, okay?” Hans nodded hesitantly. “Goodnight.” Reese began to put things back together, feeling such sadness. What did Ethan want from him? Then he paused. There was a piano playing, a voice was singing. It sounded like an echo, faded, but clear enough so he could make out the words. Live for the day…experience the pleasure…come with me tonight…I’ll be yours until first light. Forget me tomorrow, baby. I’ll be living for the day… Reese walked slowly toward the ballroom, as if in a trance. The voice was calling to him like a drug. When he got to the entrance, he saw him, Ethan, sitting in the corner, his hands on the keyboard, singing those words in a voice truly 73

DJ Manly blessed by the gods. He stared straight ahead, not appearing to see anything. Reese swallowed. This couldn’t be, but then he’d seen him before. “What do you want from me, Ethan?” He demanded, his own voice sounding sharp and desperate. “You ask me to help you, but I don’t know how. Tell me how you died.” He stopped playing, smiled at him, then just vanished. Reese shuddered, his feet cemented to the floor. That was how Samuel found him, frozen to the spot, a little ways away from the piano. Samuel placed a hand on his shoulder and Reese came back to reality. “I saw him. He was singing. Damn it, Samuel, why won’t anyone talk to me?” Samuel took him into his arms and held him. “Come to bed. Forget about it now. People are scared, that’s all.” He led him out of the ballroom. “We need to get some sleep. I have to start putting up that ceiling tomorrow. I’m going to need some help now. Hans won’t be able to and it takes two people.” “I’ll help you,” Reese assured him. “Is Hans really all right?” “He’s got a few bruises, but nothing serious.” “He saw them, both of them and I think it gave him a fright.”

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DJ Manly “Don’t think about that now. You need to sleep.” Reese fell asleep upstairs in Samuel’s arms. If he dreamed, he didn’t remember it and when he woke up, Samuel was gone, probably already preparing what he needed to, in order to fix the ceiling. Reese looked over on his pillow. There was no rose there today. He stopped to say hello to Samuel before going downstairs. He was in the room across the hall, measuring this and that. “I’ll be down in a bit,’ Samuel told him. “I’m making coffee,” he called out, headed down to the kitchen. He put on the coffee, then fired up his laptop, picking up the phone and calling Hans at the same time. “You all right this morning?” he asked. “Fine, thank you for asking.” “I’ll bring you some breakfast, okay?” “No need. I managed to get some this morning.” “Okay. I’ll be by later.” “Mr. Reese. I really don’t have much to tell you about…well, that time.” “Hans, what are you hiding?” “Nothing, sir.” “I’m not going to judge you.” “We all do things we’re not proud of.” 75

DJ Manly “Like what?” Reese typed the name Kevin silver into his browser. “Just things.” “Sexual things?” “I was young, sir. I didn’t understand so well what those men were up to. I was as entranced by Mr. Woods as they all were, but I didn’t kill him.” Reese gripped the phone. “Things got out of hand here, didn’t they?” “I got to go, sir.” The phone went dead. Several sites came up with the name Kevin Silver and by process of elimination, he found the right one. The Kevin Silver, who’d been a guest at the Escape in 1987, was now on the Supreme Court. He was married with three children and considered an exemplary member of his community. His wife was the head of some huge charity organization for children who lived in poverty. Silver lived in Washington, DC. His search for Anthony Page was easier. He had retired from major league baseball in 1991 and now was a sportscaster and little league coach in Arkansas. He’d been married and divorced three times, and had six children, one whom went on to win a gold medal at the Olympic Games for figure skating. Reese stared at his picture for a few minutes, then brought up a picture of Silver. Both handsome men in their forties, neither one of them 76

DJ Manly looked like their lives had been at all disturbed by the events, which happened in their youth. Did they know? Were either one of them involved in what happened? “That’s Tony Page,” Samuel pointed out. He came up behind him and peered down at the computer screen. “Yeah. Were you a fan?” “Hell, yeah. He was a great player. Was a hot looking guy, too, still is.” “Um,” Reese nodded. “Kevin Silver is on the Supreme Court.” “Oh yeah? He was in the picture, too, right?” “Um. Must have come from a rich family.” “Says his father was a congressman from Florida.” “You’re not thinking of contacting these guys?” “Yeah, I am. Maybe I can find out what happened here.” “They won’t exactly be thrilled about that.” “Your uncle is dead and so is that record producer. No one saw anything? Pierce can’t talk anymore, but something led him to drink and Hans, well…he said something quite bizarre to me on the phone.” “What?” “I don’t know, but he gave me the impression he felt guilty about something. Do you know he

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DJ Manly told me he was only fourteen when he came here to work for Pierce?” “Fourteen? Where were his parents?” “I don’t know.” Reese shut down his laptop. “Do you know Mrs. Singers’s phone number? I don’t have a local phone directory.” “No, but I can call Frankie at the diner. She’s Evelyn’s niece. What makes you think Evelyn will talk to you now? She wouldn’t before?” “Maybe she thought I was being insincere. She seemed upset the others in the organization ran away when they saw something. What did they see?” He pushed the phone at Samuel. Samuel picked it up and dialed. A few minutes later, he was on the phone with Evelyn. “I believe you saw something, Mrs. Singer. I want to discuss it with you. Please.” Reese put down the phone. “She’ll see me this morning.” “What about the ceiling?” Reese smiled. “I’ll help you later. I promise.” Two hours later, he was standing outside on Evelyn Singer’s porch, waving goodbye to Samuel. He rang the doorbell and Evelyn Singer opened it. She led him inside quickly and closed the door behind him. “Please,” she invited, “come and sit down, Mr. Fuller.”

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Chapter Five

“D

id you know Lincoln was my nephew?” “Not until just recently, no. Samuel told

me.” She smiled, taking a photo album out from under the coffee table. She opened it and showed him a few photos of Lincoln Pierce. One was taken by the water of him in a bathing suit. He was smiling. “He was a good looking man,” Reese told her. “Yes. And he was a good man, had a good head on his shoulders and his life was on the right track until that big city executive guy brought Ethan Woods to Mountain Escape.” “You mean, Renaldo Masters?” “Yes, that was his name. He thought he was better than all of us little hicks, threw money around like it was paper. He owned that cocky, young rock star, with his long hair and tight jeans.” “They came to town?” 79

DJ Manly “Yes, a few times, along with that snotty kid and some baseball hero. After they got here, Lincoln seemed to change. He became superior like, condescending. He had no time for his parents anymore, no time for anyone. He became obsessed.” She leaned forward. “With that Ethan Woods fellow. He was all he could talk about when he did bother talking to anyone else. Well, no one saw them for most of the time they were up there. After a while, none of them even came into town anymore. People said there was a party going on up there most every night, with loud music playing. Lincoln blocked off the road so no one could get up there and put a huge sign saying no trespassing. He even put up some electronic contraption at the gate. Lincoln let most of the staff go, saying he would run the hotel on his own. When I called him up one time to say someone in town had been asking about booking a room up there, he just told me, most matter of fact, there was no room and hung up. Eventually he had the phone disconnected. “When Woods and that record producer fellow died, Lincoln came into town. It must have been about four in the afternoon, hours after it happened. He went over to the police station and told the officer on duty two men had fallen to their deaths up at the Mountain Escape. The officer told me later Lincoln had seemed drunk, yet one of 80

DJ Manly those tests they do, I don’t know what you call it now…” “Breathalyzers?” “Yeah, that’s it. Well, it showed he hadn’t had a drop.” “He was most likely in shock, Mrs. Singer.” “Evelyn,” she corrected. “Evelyn, was the police investigation adequate, as far as you could see?” “Not by a long shot. There were some prominent boys up there, celebrities and the son of some fancy politician. I’m sure the case was kept low profile because of that. There were apparently no witnesses. They found alcohol and drugs in the blood stream of both Woods and Masters so they concluded they fell off. It was judged accidental.” “But you don’t believe that?” She shook her head. “Lincoln never opened up the place again after it happened. I watched him waste away in front of my eyes and literally drink himself to death. I’ve always been spiritual, Mr. Fuller, and I’ve had dreams about that place. Then people started saying they saw things. Lincoln never wanted to talk about it. He’d just say, Aunt Evelyn, leave it alone. He died in 1990. They found him in the middle of the ballroom, his eyes still open, a bottle in his hand. He willed the house to me and I put it in the hands of the paranormal society. I didn’t want the place. It’s cursed. But I 81

DJ Manly felt I owed it to Lincoln to go up there one night with some of the others and see for myself if what people were saying was true. “ She reached out and grabbed Reese arm. “I saw that young rock star. I saw some…orgies and sexual…well…” She swallowed. “Unspeakable things. I saw Ethan Woods and Renaldo Masters fall over that rail and there were shadows. They were all there when it happened, Mr. Reese. Every last one of them. They saw the whole thing, yet none of them would talk.” “And Hans, was he there, too?” “That I don’t know. I had no sense of that, but the others, I knew it, even if I didn’t see their faces. I heard their voices, their shadows…Silver, Page and my Lincoln, all there. When the other members of the paranormal society saw things, they washed their hands, got scared, said it was no good dragging up the past, especially with big shots like that Silver and Page involved.” Reese closed his eyes and sat back on the sofa. “Ethan speaks to me.” “What does he say?” “He says he needs me to help him, save him. He wants to take me back.” “He’s not there alone.” She looked at him. “No. I think there is an evil ghost there with him, too. I swear Ethan came through Samuel the other day.” 82

DJ Manly She shivered. “Leave there, Reese. It’s not safe. The things that happened in that place, well, it was an abomination. That place should be destroyed.” “Ethan won’t rest until he tells someone what he needs to. Hans won’t talk to me.” “Hans lost his parents a very young age. Lincoln took him in, treated him like a son.” Reese nodded, not so sure of that. “Hans never had much education, he’s been pretty sheltered. He insisted on staying up there. I can’t understand it, after everything that went on in that place.” Reese stood. “Thanks, Evelyn. I appreciate all you’ve done.” She smiled at him. “Be careful.” He nodded and left. Samuel was waiting for him at the diner and on the way home, Reese gave him a rundown of what Evelyn had told him. “What do you think?” he asked. “I think I’m more confused than ever. In the beginning, I thought maybe Renaldo had killed Ethan, or they had just fallen over together, but now, I’m not so sure. And I know Lincoln was obsessed with Ethan. I’m sure those letters were written by him, but who did Ethan write that inscription to before it was crossed out?” 83

DJ Manly “Good question. It was either, Masters, Silver, or Page.” Reese laughed a little. “That narrows it down.” They pulled up to the house. “I’ll help you with the ceiling, then I’m going over to check on Hans,” Reese mentioned, as he got out of the car. “Okay.” Samuel nodded. “I’ll get my tools.” Putting up the pieces of Gyprock was a chore and by the time they had drilled half the ceiling in place, Reese’s arms felt as if they were falling off. “Can we take a break, macho man?” he asked with a grin, climbing down off the later. Samuel drilled one the screws in deeper and came down himself. “Okay. What do you want to do?” “This,” Reese pulled him into his arms and kissed him passionately. “Um,” Samuel groaned. “This I can handle.” “Well then, stud, get naked,” Reese teased. He moved away so that he could take off his clothes. Samuel shrugged out of his as well. Outside the sun began to descend in the sky and as evening took them, Samuel pressed Reese down on the floor and began kissing his chest. Reese pushed his head downward until Samuel took his cock into his mouth. He closed his eyes, grabbing onto Samuel’s dark hair. Don’t leave me, Reese, not until I show you. 84

DJ Manly Reese blocked out the voice, his cock close to exploding as Samuel sucked it hard, his hand playing under him, teasing his anus. Reese hips bucked upward and Samuel grabbed him and turned him around, pressing him onto all fours. Without any warning, he plunged his cock into him and began to ride him hard. Reese cried out something, which sounded like a mix of pleasure and pain and dropped his head, his chest heaving. “Yes, yes…yes!” Ethan. Ethan. There was a cock in his mouth, hands moving over his flesh. My turn. Move. I want him next. I want that ass. No more. No more. Please. Please. “Reese, I’m sorry,” someone replied. “I thought you’d enjoy it. You…” Reese lay on the floor on his stomach. He licked his lips. He was so hot, so over the top, but just a little too much. “It’s not you.” He shook his head. “I wasn’t talking to you.” He closed his eyes. Samuel lay down beside him on the floor. “Who were you talking to then? You were pleading with me to stop.” “It was Ethan. They were all there and they couldn’t get enough. He was exhausted. He wasn’t enjoying it anymore. He wanted them to stop.” Reese sat up. “They forced him. I think it started out as fun and then they all got possessive of him. 85

DJ Manly They all wanted to…Samuel,” Reese gasped, “he was their prisoner.” God, was that why this place was haunted? Did they keep Ethan here as a prisoner, then kill him when he tried to escape? Nothing made sense. “You know that for a fact?” “I feel it. It’s what he’s been trying to tell me. And somehow, he still is. Do you believe someone can possess a soul in death?” Samuel sighed. “I don’t know, Reese, but this is getting bizarre. I think you may be letting your imagination run away with you.” Reese jumped up from the floor, then leaned down and kissed him firmly on the mouth. “I think I’m falling in love with you. Would that be okay with you?” Samuel smiled. “I think so.” “Come with me. We’re going to hook up that old VCR.” “Why?” “I want to see those tapes.” “Reese,” Samuel hesitated. “Are you sure?” “Yes, I’m sure. Do me a favor. Hook up the machine and I’ll go get the tapes.” Samuel sighed and got up off the floor. When Reese came into the bedroom where the VCR was, Samuel had pulled on a pair of shorts and was lying back on the bed. Reese held the tape 86

DJ Manly in his hand. “I realized when I was downstairs this might feel weird to you. After all, Ethan was your uncle.” “An uncle I never knew,” he sighed. “But it’s okay. I’m just not sure I want to see what’s on that tape. There’s more than one, right?” Reese nodded. “It’s a wonder someone didn’t destroy them. I think one will be enough.” Reese pushed on the television and then slipped the film into the machine. He waited. A picture came up, black and white, camera jumping. All he could see were bodies, no faces, men taking off their clothes. Reese sat down on the bed. There was no audio. He fiddled with the volume, nothing. “Obvious, none of them wanted to be identified.” Samuel sat up. Reese watched carefully. When the various naked body parts moved around the bed, Reese’s mouth went dry. “Ethan!” He was lying on the bed, face down, his wrists tied, his legs spread and secured. Hands began touching him, their bound subject pumping into the mattress. Reese peered closer and was yanked back as the television exploded. “Holy shit, Reese.” Samuel wiped the pieces of glass off of Reese’s chest and shoulders. “Are you all right?”

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DJ Manly “The tape,” Reese moaned. He pulled away and push the eject button on the VCR. The tape came out looking rather fried. “Fuck!” “Never mind, Reese.” Samuel patted his shoulder. “He did this.” Reese looked around the room. “What didn’t you want me to see?” “Reese, the television was old. It blew, that’s all.” “No, it wasn’t because the television was old.” Reese dropped the ruined film on the floor. “I’m going to see Hans. It’s time he give me some answers.” Samuel got up off the bed. “I’ll start supper.” “Great. Thanks. I won’t be long.” Reese knocked a few times on the door of Hans’s cabin before he decided to walk in. He was appalled at the condition. The place consisted of one big room with peeling wallpaper and a musty smelling carpet. There was a small, filthy kitchen sink, with a hot plate sitting on a counter. A miniature refrigerator was sitting on an old night table. On the opposite side of the room, was a rickety old cot with a torn blanket, near a window covered with a plastic garbage bag. Hans was perched in an old beat up Lazy Boy, a small black and white television, blaring. Some kids were tap dancing on a variety show. 88

DJ Manly Reese started to shake. He knew as he approached Hans was dead. A tear ran down his cheek. He reached out, touched his hair and smoothed it back, then swallowed. On Hans’s chest lay one perfect red rose. It’s all right. He didn’t suffer. Did you kill him? No. His own misery ate him alive. Reese turned around. There was no one there. “He knew everything. And now he’s gone. You killed him so I’d never know!” Silence. Reese left the cabin and walked back to the house. As he approached, he realized that everything seemed different to him. He felt different, not quite himself. It was certainly because of the way he had found Hans. And that rose. It sent a shiver down his spine. He went into the kitchen and when Samuel noticed the expression on his face, he stopped slicing tomatoes and came over to stand beside him. “What’s wrong?” “Hans is dead.” “Dead?” Samuel put down the knife. “What in hell happened? He had a sprained ankle, for Christ’s sakes.” “We need to call someone.”

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DJ Manly “I’ll handle it,” Samuel replied. “Take a breather. You’re upset.” He picked up the phone. “Are you sure he’s dead?” Reese nodded. “He looks dead.” Reese left the kitchen while Samuel was on the phone and entered the dining room. He felt like he was dreaming. Nothing seemed real. He tried to turn around, call out, but he was being led. He stood in the middle of the dining room for a moment, then opened the door to the veranda and walked out. As he did, his entire body tingled, he was numb, some electrical current seizing hold of him. He tried to turn around and go back in, but instead he was compelled to run his hand along the railing, vaguely recalling the place where it was once weak and wobbly, but now seemed solid. And the color, it was green, not blue. The rail was no higher than four feet and he was reminded of how anyone could have easily fallen over, or been pushed. Why was the railing green? It wasn’t green. He was a little dizzy suddenly and moved away from the rail, the rocks below seeming to call up to him. The dark sky was lighter and the sun was rising over the mountains, but that was impossible. It was evening. “You haven’t painted that yet?” a voice demanded. 90

DJ Manly He turned around. A man stood there, a man he recognized from a photograph. It was Lincoln Pierce. He blinked. No, this isn’t happening. Lincoln was grinning at him. He was a handsome man, broad shouldered, slimmed hips, dazzling smile. He was wearing a pair of dark blue pants and a grey t-shirt, wiping his hands on a towel. “Hans,” he snapped, “are you day dreaming again, boy? I told you, we have some important guests coming, tomorrow. The railing needs to be painted. Why can’t you listen?” The sun was hot in the sky. Reese glanced over Pierce’s shoulder. Through the glass, he could see the dining room was set with fancy tablecloths and napkins. Everything had been polished and cleaned. “Did you call me…Hans?” “What do you want me to call you, you silly boy? Get the paint out of the basement. If you get started in an hour or so, the sun will have gone down. Don’t want to let the paint dry too fast in that hot sun. It will bubble. And don’t forget to get Mr. Silver’s car key and go fill up his car with gas. He’s going into town tonight and I think he’s scared to run out on these dark roads.” He smirked and then walked off. Reese blinked, confused. Slowly, he went back inside. The dining room was empty. He could hear someone playing pool in the other room. And

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DJ Manly he knew he was looking at the Escape the way it once was twenty years ago. A voice called to him. A young woman in a black uniform with a white apron brought a pot of coffee to one of the tables. He heard voices. Two men walked into the room, Kevin Silver and Anthony Page. Silver was a tall, lanky fellow, skinny, with shaggy brown hair that was washed out. He looked like he was wearing contacts and having a hard time adjusting to them. Page was shorter, but well built, with big green eyes and a ready smile. Reese…Reese! The voice grew fainter. “What are you staring at, geek?” Kevin Silver glared at him. “Hey, Hans.” Anthony Page grinned and ruffled his hair. “Don’t mind him. He’s a little full of himself.” “He’s just in awe of the big baseball star,” Silver mocked. “I’ve got to go…get some paint,” he heard himself say and went rushing off through the lobby to the basement, bumping into a young man in a dark uniform. “Hans, where you going?” the guy asked. He had a bad case of acne and a haircut to match. “I got to paint the railing, Harry.” “Oh, boss on your case again for that eh? Well, Ethan Woods is coming tomorrow. Can you 92

DJ Manly believe it, the Ethan Woods coming here? Mr. Pierce says we’re not allowed to ask for his autograph. Jenny is freaking. Her and her girlfriends say they’re going to camp out front tonight. Ethan Woods is really cool, got to dig that new song.” “Cool, yeah. Ah, I got to get the paint.” Reese shook his head and ran to the basement door. He opened it, switched on the light and raced down the stairs. There were no trunks. There was nothing except a few broken chairs and the mirror sitting in the corner. Reese approached it slowly. The reflection was not his own. It was of a young man, maybe eighteen, blond, blue eyed, nice looking but awkward. It was Hans. There were paint cans sitting in the corner and beside the cans, a few used paint pans, several new paintbrushes and a small roller. He picked up the pan and then the cellar door opened. Someone called his name. He froze, his stomach knotted. “Hans? You down here?” Steady footsteps. “I’m here, Mr. Pierce.” He clutched the handles on the paint cans. Lincoln Pierce stood in front of him and as Reese tried to skirt out of the way, the man blocked his path. “What’s your hurry?” He had a memory in his mind of Lincoln Pierce coming to his room late at night, many times and for many years. “No hurry, sir.” 93

DJ Manly “Then put down those cans,” he unzipped his pants, “and get on your knees.” There was no use refusing him. He owed this man everything. He’d taken him in, given him a home. He put down the paint cans and dropped to his knees on the floor in front of him. Lincoln put a hand on his head and pressed it to his cock. “Go to it, boy, and do it the way I taught you.” Fifteen minutes later, he had taken off his shirt and was out on the veranda preparing the railing for the paint. It didn’t need any primer, just a little sanding. By the time he got through sanding and scraping, it would be suppertime and he could go about applying the paint. When the door burst open and Kevin Silver stood there, he figured he was in trouble. The expression on his face was furious. “I thought you were told to fill my tank with gas?” Reese stood up, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand. “I’m sorry, sir. I was about to go. I got busy and I…” Kevin Silver walked up to him. He gave him the once over. “Don’t go getting uppity with me.” “I wasn’t getting uppity, sir, I was…” “Go and do what you’re told. And while you’re at it, you might as well take the pants off, too. I hear you know how to give good head.” “Excuse me, sir?” 94

DJ Manly “Maybe one night I’ll put that mouth of yours to some useful work.” He threw his car key at him. “Go now, vermin!” Reese brushed by him and went outside. He took the key and got into Silver’s fancy sports car. He drove it a few miles down the road to the nearest petrol station and filled up the tank with Lincoln’s credit card, making sure to get a receipt. The gas would go on Silver’s tab at check out. Twenty minutes, he was back, parking the car in the exact same place. Silver was sitting out by the pool on the roof, taking to Page, who for the most part, was ignoring him. Reese walked up and handed Silver his key. “It’s done, sir.” “You didn’t jack off in my car, did ya?” “Kevin.” Anthony Page clicked his tongue. “Give the kid a break.” Silver laughed and Reese headed back downstairs to the dining room. The staff was sitting up for dinner. He could smell the food coming from the kitchen. He was hungry. He went back out onto the veranda and started to paint. A half hour later, Lincoln came outside to check on him. “Good job, but don’t paint around this side anymore. Dinner is on the table and I don’t want Silver or Page having this for entertainment.” “Okay, sir.” 95

DJ Manly “Paint around the other side.” “Can I stop for supper, sir?” “After the others are done, I’ll save you something. Get back to work,” he barked, “before you lose the light. This needs to be done tonight.” As Reese painted on the other side of the veranda, he was acutely aware of being two people. He was still there, but it was like he was a spectator, trapped inside of Hans’s body and Hans’s mind. He had all his memories and his thoughts. It was like he was sharing them in some way, on a train he couldn’t stop, barreling along a one-way track. Did he exist somewhere else? Where was Samuel? Where was his life, the future? He was frightened, knowing for some reason he was supposed to be here painting this railing in the fading light. He could hear laughter, music coming from the games room. As the light completely eluded him, he put the cover on the paint can and came inside. He wouldn’t be able to finish tonight and Lincoln would probably be mad at him. Maybe he could sneak away, clean up and just go to bed. The dining room was empty when he came back in and closed the door. He walked quickly across the lobby and hightailed it upstairs, walking into the smallest room as the top of the stairs and closing the door. He jumped into the

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DJ Manly shower and cleaned up, then forgot about eating. He just crawled into bed and went to sleep. He woke up before dawn, dragged on some shorts and ran back downstairs to finish the paint job. When the door opened onto the veranda, he stiffened, figuring it was Lincoln. It was Jessica, the waitress who was on for breakfast. She was holding a thermos of coffee and a paper bag in her hand. “Here. There’s sandwiches left over from last night. Did you eat?” “No.” He grabbed the bag and began to devour the sandwiches. “Thanks.” “You shouldn’t let him work you this way. You’re not his slave.” “It’s okay. I should have finished the painting last night. That rock star is coming today.” “Um.” She closed her eyes. “Ethan Woods. Imagine, Ethan Woods, right here. I love his song.” She began to hum, swaying a bit. “He’s so beautiful. I’ll die if he so much as looks at me.” “Don’t do that.” Reese smirked, in between bites of sandwich. She laughed. “I got to get back.” She lowered her voice. “I can’t stand that Kevin Silver. He’s such a bitchy queen. It’s obvious he hates women. Anthony is really nice though.” Reese knew Hans wasn’t sure what she meant by bitchy queen, but he laughed anyway. 97

DJ Manly She waved at him and went back around to the other side. The door opened and closed. Ethan would arrive today. He wasn’t sure how he felt about that. It would feel strange coming face to face with him, alive. He went on painting. No one disturbed him until he had finished the job. He was carrying the empty paint cans around to the garbage, his face and clothes streaked with paint when the car drove up. It was a big, long limousine with the kind of windows no one could see through. He paused, waited, wishing his hands weren’t full of paint. A large man got out first, broad shoulders, substantially built, his hair a mass of thick, dark curls hanging to his shoulders. He was wearing an open neck white shirt and a tan suit. He had on a pair of fancy sunglasses. He took them off when he got outside. The other man got out on the other side. He was tall as well, well built, muscular, wearing jeans and a snug white t-shirt. He had long, black hair tied into a ponytail and when he glanced at him, Reese went weak in the knees. Or was it Hans? It could have been both of them. And Hans’s thoughts powered out his own. He’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. Don’t look at me. Don’t. I’m a mess. I have paint all over me and…if there’s a God…maybe Ethan is God. 98

DJ Manly “Hey.” Ethan walked right over to him. “How you doing? This place is fucking beautiful. I love it. What cha’ painting?” “I…I was painting the…” “Mr. Masters,” Lincoln called out and galloped down the path to meet his new guests. “I’m Mr. Pierce. We spoke on the phone. But please, call me Lincoln. And you must be the famous Ethan Woods?” Lincoln turned to Ethan, who was still looking at Hans. Ethan laughed and shook Lincoln’s hand. “I’m not that famous yet.” “Your record is a number one best seller.” “Lucky,” he shrugged. Renaldo shook his head. “He’s modest. Mr. Pierce, Lincoln, you are looking at a superstar. You have invested well.” “Seeing him in person, I don’t doubt it.” “So, what’s your name?” Ethan asked him. “My name?” “Oh, he’s nobody.” Lincoln placed an arm around Ethan and led him toward the steps. “Just Hans, the hired help.” Hans lowered his head. Ethan glanced back at him once before he disappeared inside. Hans attempted a smile. There was no point telling him his name anyway. They weren’t supposed to bother the guests.

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Chapter Six

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ater that evening, Lincoln told him to get rid of all the teenage girls who hung around outside singing Ethan’s hit song over and over. One of those girls was Harry’s sixteen-year-old sister, Jenny. “Okay, ladies,” he tried to be gentle with them. “I know you love Ethan, but he wants some privacy. You’re going to have to move on.” There were at least twenty females on the lawn, some of who were surely over thirty. “Oh come on, Hans, sweetie.” Jenny bumped him with her hip. “Just tell him to come out for a few minutes to say hello. We promise we’ll…” Suddenly there was screaming and some frantic scrambling. He was almost knocked off his feet. He turned to see Ethan Woods had come outside. He held up his hands as the girls flocked around him. “Okay, ladies, okay.” He laughed. “I’ll give you what you want. Just leave me in one piece, okay?” 100

DJ Manly Hans folded his arms across his chest and grinned. Ethan was good with his fans, gentle and patient. He signed everything he could possibly sign, under the watchful eye of his record producer, Renaldo Masters, who had come outside as well and was hovering anxiously in the background. “Okay,” Hans interjected when the girls got tedious, “you’re going to have to all go home. We don’t want to have to get the police.” He moved into the small crowd and began to pull them back from Ethan, one by one. There were some moans and groans, but the girls did start to head toward the road. “Impressive,” Renaldo told him. “You’d make a good bodyguard.” Ethan smiled at him. “Want to be my bodyguard, Hans?” He opened his mouth to speak, but wasn’t quite sure how to respond. Ethan laughed. “Come on.” Renaldo nudged him. “You’re embarrassing the boy. He’s not used to talk like that.” “It’s okay,” Hans called out uncertainly, just before Ethan went back inside. “Maybe.” Ethan smiled. Renaldo dragged him in the door.

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DJ Manly The one thing he’d discovered about Ethan Woods pretty quickly was he was an expert at flirting. Over the next few days, he had everyone eating out of the palm of his hand, including the kitchen staff. He treated everyone the same, no matter who they were, and Hans would have done anything for him. Ethan slept late, they all did, except for Lincoln of course and in the evening, they either played pool, or cards, or went into the ballroom to listen to Ethan sing and play the piano. Sometimes Ethan sat on one of the sofas in the lobby with one, or two of the others. Hans couldn’t help but notice how close they sat together or sometimes one of the other mans’ hands would stray over onto Ethan’s thigh. Ethan had a beautiful voice and Hans loved to hang out ballroom hugging the doorframe, listening to him. All the men in the room were riveted to Ethan as he sang, urging him to go on and sing another and another. He also played beautifully on the piano, as well as the guitar. Lincoln kept Hans pretty busy, running here and there and doing a variety of things, but at least he didn’t come and visit him in the night anymore. He actually slept better than he ever had, except for the dreams. He dreamed of Ethan, dreamed they were making love out in a field of tall grass. It was so real sometimes Hans could 102

DJ Manly smell the wildflowers. He’d wake up feeling all hot and flushed and somewhat embarrassed. One morning, a week and a half after Ethan and Renaldo had arrived, Lincoln told him to lock the gate to the road, which led to the resort. “Lock the gate, sir? Why?” “Don’t ask me why, just do it,” he muttered. “And stay in your room tonight after supper. You can eat there.” “All right,” Hans answered. “But how will the supplies get in if the gate is…” “You’ll go into to town and pick up anything we need for the time being. I’ve cancelled all deliveries for the time being, for security reasons.” Hans nodded. It seemed a little drastic. There’d been no one up there since he’d shooed off the girls. “And I want you to go to town and purchase a No Trespassing sign and here’s a list for some other things.” He shoved a paper at him. “With Ethan here, we don’t want any newspaper people or idiot girls hanging about. We have to protect him. And don’t dawdle in town all day.” “No, sir. Will there be anything else?” “I’ll let you know,” he said and walked away. Hans was busy most of the day, repairing the fence. It wouldn’t close properly. It was suppertime when Anthony Page and Kevin Silver 103

DJ Manly drove past him, honking the horn. Anthony waved and smiled. Silver just looked straight ahead. The radio was blasting out some heavy metal tune and Hans stood and watched them until the dust they were kicking up blotted out the sight of the car. He remembered he still had to go into town to pick up the things on the list Lincoln had given him. He wasn’t sure what to do about the fence. He couldn’t lock it if they were coming back. He left it open and trudged up the road, dirty, exhausted. He’d hurt his hand trying to pull out a piece of rotted wood. When he walked into the front lobby, Harry was there at the desk. “What’s with the fence?” he asked, grabbing his jacket, ready to leave for the day. Hans shrugged. “It’s all messed up. And it’s not going to work to lock it. I can’t lock it if Mr. Page and Mr. Silver are out, can I?” “The boss said something about a guy coming tomorrow to install some sort of intercom. We’re going to have to buzz in.” “It’s going to be like Fremantle.” “What’s Fremantle?” Harry asked, coming around the desk. “A famous prison in the north.” Ethan came into view. Hans grinned. “Yeah. That’s it.” 104

DJ Manly Ethan leaned on the desk, raising a hand to Harry, who announced he was off. They were alone. Ethan was smiling at him. “What have you been up to…and shit, what happened to your hand, lad?” Ethan reached over and took his hand, turning it palm side up. “It’s, ah…it’s okay.” He thought he was going die with Ethan holding his hand. “You sound…Irish. Are you Irish?” “Yeah,” he said. “I try not to let it show.” “I knew you weren’t Aussie. You grew up in America, right?” Ethan was still studying his hand. “Yeah. You got any peroxide? That’s got to be cleaned, bandaged. It will get infected.” Hans tried to pull away. “What’s a big rock star like you doing that for?” “Come on, kid” he growled, pulling him through to the kitchen. “There’s got to be a first aid kit here somewhere.” His Irish brogue really came through. “I shouldn’t,” Hans shook his head. “I’m supposed to go to town and I haven’t gotten the things on the list and…” “Don’t worry about that. Give us a break here, man.” He smiled. “Up there, on the top shelf.” Hans pointed. He watched as Ethan reached up to take it down. “Hey.” He surveyed the kitchen, 105

DJ Manly suddenly noticing that there was no cooking staff and nothing being prepared for dinner. “Where’s Jamie…and Erin?” Ethan opened the kit and grabbed Hans’s hand, putting it over the sink. “I don’t know. Come to think of it.” He glanced around. “Haven’t seen them at all today.” “What did you eat for breakfast then?” “Lincoln made breakfast this morning, or rather brunch, no one gets up here too early.” He poured the peroxide on Hans’s wound. “Yeow!” Ethan chuckled. “Don’t be such a big baby.” “That hurt.” “It’s infected all ready.” He took a piece of gaze and began cleaning out the wound. “You’re a doctor now?” Ethan grinned. “Some people think so.” “A love doctor, maybe.” Ethan laughed. “I can’t believe you said that.” “I see the effect you have on people. I may not be bright, but nothing wrong with my eyesight…ow…ow,” he complained. “It’s almost over. There. Okay. I need to bandage it. Aw.” He poked around in the kit. “I found some ointment. This is pretty good.” He rubbed it gently on his wound. Hans almost closed his eyes.

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DJ Manly “Okay, now the bandage.” He began to wind it around his hand. “Shit, I don’t think there’s any tape.” Hans stood up. He placed his hand on the back of Ethan’s neck as he looked down into the kit and pulled him in for a kiss. When he was actually kissing him, he could think of nothing except what his lips tasted like, the feel of his mouth on his. When he released him, he was stunned. What in the hell had he done? What had possessed him to kiss one of the guests? “Oh, my…God.” He stumbled back and almost fell. The bandage on his hand was slowly unraveling. “What in hell did I do? I’m sorry, oh please, don’t tell Lincoln. Please…” “Don’t tell me what?” Lincoln asked, walking into the kitchen, surveying the scene. “That Hans cut his hand,” Ethan said, as smooth as could be. He shut the first aid kit. “You cut your hand?” Lincoln regarded him, acting as if he cared. “Yes, sir. It’s okay.” He wound the bandage around it again. “I’ll put a pin in it, attach it somehow. Don’t you worry, Mr. Woods.” “Ethan.” Lincoln smiled. “What are you doing, playing nursemaid to Hans?” He shrugged. “I like playing doctor.” He winked. Lincoln laughed. 107

DJ Manly Hans grinned and took the opportunity to flee the kitchen. While Lincoln was in the kitchen with Ethan, he stole Lincoln’s car key from where it hung on the hook behind the desk. He found a safety pin to hold his bandage together and ran out to the car. He drove at break neck speed in order to get to the store before it closed. As he parked in front of the grocery store, he was relieved to see someone coming out of it with a bag in his hand. He noticed Andy’s car parked in front of the bar and stood there for a minute before he went in and loaded up the cart. “It’s for Mr. Lincoln,” Hans told the cashier and she wrote it down, waving to him as he put everything into the trunk. The sky grew dark and grey as he drove home again, taking those narrow, winding roads faster than he usually did. It looked like rain, which was rare this time a year. When he got to the Escape, a flash of lightning lit up the overcast sky. Hans began to bring in the groceries. As he was putting everything away, Lincoln walked into the kitchen. “Where in the hell did you go?” “To town, like you said.” “Dinner will be late because of you.” “I’m sorry.” He could hear men’s laughter coming from the dining room. 108

DJ Manly “Um. I bet. If you hadn’t wasted all your time flirting with Ethan, you’d have gotten back on time.” “I wasn’t flirting with him, Lincoln, honest.” Just kissing him, he thought with a secret smile. “There’s some cold chicken in the fridge and some bread. Make your sandwiches and go to your room.” “Do you want me to help you make dinner? Is the chef sick?” “No. I laid him off.” “You mean, we have no chef?” “I’m going to be taking care of that from now on. Hurry up and get upstairs.” He took some of the food items Hans had just bought out of the fridge again. “I can help you if—” “Hans, you heard me,” he snapped. “Go up to your room and don’t come back down again until tomorrow morning. And I expect you to clean out the gutters tomorrow.” “Okay, Lincoln, no problem.” Thunder roared around them. “Strange weather,” he commented. Lincoln was chopping up lettuce. He didn’t answer. Hans made his sandwiches and left the kitchen. He paused, seeing if he could hear Ethan’s voice. Everyone was talking at once. He wanted to sneak a peek at him, but then changed his mind as he 109

DJ Manly heard Lincoln’s footsteps. Hans walked through the lobby and ran upstairs to his room. He turned on his television set to some sitcom he liked and kicked off his shoes. He got on his bed with his sandwiches and tucked in, realizing this was the first solid food he’d had since last night. Eventually, due to the storm he lost the picture on the television. He turned it off, frustrated, deciding he was going to go to sleep. He was tired from all that work outside. When he finished the sandwiches and turned to put the plate on his nightstand, he spotted something unfamiliar laying there. He reached over and picked it up. It was a forty-five record, Ethan’s record and on the sleeve was written To Hans, Love Ethan. Hans ran his fingers over the inscription. He smiled, hugging the record to him gently. “Love Ethan.” Ethan must have put the record in his room when he’d been in town. Did that mean he liked the kiss? Ethan snuggled down into his bed, the forty-five pressed against his chest, smiling. “Love Ethan,” he whispered. “I love you, too.” He fell asleep. It was the laughter that woke him, that and the hard rock music, which was practically shaking his bed. He glanced upward, realizing the racket

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DJ Manly was coming from the roof. Right above him was a huge deck and a swimming pool. Hans crawled out of bed and put on his shoes. He switched on a light and checked the clock on the wall. It was almost three in the morning. He quietly made his way down the hallway. The other rooms were empty, the doors left open, some of them illuminated with night table lamps. He turned the corner. The floor was wet leading into the communal shower room. They must have all gone swimming. He heard noises, noises like Lincoln used to make when he was inside of him, noises which came from not one but several male voices. He placed a hand over his mouth as he came around the corner, instantly dipping back into the shadows. Ethan’s naked body was turned to the wall, his hands tied to the showerhead above him, his legs were spread. Rivers of water ran over his skin, plastering his long hair to his shoulders. Lincoln was on the floor between Ethan’s legs, his hands and mouth on his genitals. Kevin Silver was moving some object in and out of Ethan’s ass, while Renaldo stood back, masturbating, and Andy kissed his chest, his neck, his mouth. Hans was shaking, his own cock hard as rock. How could it be helped? Ethan Woods was the most incredibly beautiful man he’d ever seen, with a hard, luscious body. Every inch of him was 111

DJ Manly delicious and he, too, wanted the opportunity to do what these others were doing. Silver withdrew the object from Ethan’s ass, causing him to let his head go back and groan as Andy pushed Lincoln aside and got down between his legs. Silver ran his hands over Ethan’s hard round ass. “I want it,” he growled. “I want his ass.” “You’ve had him.” Lincoln nudged Silver aside. “He’s mine.” He went into Ethan without hesitation, causing him to cry out in a way, which confused Hans. He wasn’t sure if Ethan was experiencing pleasure or pain. Maybe it was both. Lincoln began to move inside of Ethan, riding him, pumping him with a look on his face, which was nothing short of supreme joy. Andy buried his face in Ethan’s groin at the same time and Silver appeared to be just plain miserable with his skinny dick standing up like a tin soldier. Renaldo grabbed him and pushed him onto his knees. “Don’t just stand there, rich boy,” he barked, his eyes on Ethan’s body as it moved in a sensuous dance a few feet away. “Suck it.” Hans backed away. He turned and ran down the corridor as fast as he could back to his room, the images in his mind making him ejaculate into his hand before he got into bed. “Shit,” he said as he went into the bathroom to clean up. “Ethan,” he whispered. “Oh, Ethan, I wish that was me. I 112

DJ Manly want to be inside you like that. I want to make you…” He stopped, walked over and lovingly examined his forty-five. He turned out the light and crawled into bed. A few minutes later, the music stopped and he fell asleep.

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Chapter Seven

T

he man came in the afternoon to install the new security system. Lincoln left the house and went down to the gate, ordering Hans and Harry to clean up the breakfast dishes. “Is Mr. Pierce really cooking?” Harry asked. He handed Hans a newly washed dish. Hans wiped it. “Yeah.” “I don’t get it. It’s like he’s barricading the place.” Hans nodded, but he didn’t say anything. It was true and he believed he knew why. It was bizarre. He’d seen it over the last two weeks, the way those men hovered around Ethan and with what he saw last night, he understood why Lincoln wanted him out of the way. They were all fucking him, each of them having their own little piece. Harry was talking about his new girlfriend, claiming she had a double D chest. Hans’s mind was on Ethan, the way the water had run down 114

DJ Manly his body last night, the way he’d looked tied to that showerhead. In fact, he couldn’t stop thinking about it. “Hans, there you are.” Hans turned to see Ethan. He walked across the floor, slapping palms with Harry. “Hey, man.” “Hi,” Harry replied, pleased. “You looking for me?” “Yeah. Did you get my gift?” Hans blushed. “Yeah. Thanks. I love that song.” Harry threw Hans a look, then stared down into the dishwater. “You done?” “Ah, no I…” “Sure he is,” Harry sang out. “I’ll finish up here.” “Good,” Ethan told him. “I want you to take me to that waterfall Lincoln keeps talking about.” “The waterfall?” “Yeah. Lincoln is busy with that intercom guy and the others are still in bed. I’m restless. Please?” He gave him a little boy look. How in hell could he refuse that? “We’ll take Lincoln’s car.” Hans’s heart jumped for joy. He ran out into lobby, grabbed Lincoln’s car key and raced outside, Ethan at his heels. Lincoln’s car was an old Ford convertible and the top was down. Ethan jumped in the passenger’s seat without opening the door and 115

DJ Manly Hans laughed, starting the engine. Hans drove down the road, pausing when they got to the gate. Lincoln marched over to the car. “Where in fuck are you going?” “I asked Hans to show me the waterfall,” Ethan informed him. “I wanted to show you.” “Yes, but you’re busy,” Ethan protested. “I’m bored, Lincoln.” “Okay, all right, whatever you want.” He smiled. He glared at Hans. “Don’t come back too late.” “We won’t,” Hans muttered and drove on by. “Boy.” He laughed, when they were down the road a way. “You sure got Lincoln wrapped around your finger.” “You’re not jealous, are you?” “Of Lincoln? Hell, no.” “So, how long has he been fucking you?” Hans glanced at him, then away. “Come on, Hans. Lincoln is no benevolent. If he took you in at that age, he had his reasons.” “He doesn’t really…I mean, it’s off and on, I mostly suck him off…worst case is that he fucks me.” “Does he force you?” “Well, let’s say he doesn’t ask.” “He treats you like shit.” Hans didn’t say anything. 116

DJ Manly Ethan reached over and took his hand. “Sex should be pleasurable.” “Was it that way…for you…” Hans swallowed. “Last night?” He removed his hand, stared at him. “You saw us?” Hans turned onto the road that would lead them to the waterfall. “I heard you, then came to see what…I wish I hadn’t.” Ethan fell silent. “They all want you.” “They all own a piece of me.” Hans pulled the car to a stop. “We have to walk from here. And what do you mean they all own a piece of you?” “Carnival Records is one of the companies owned by Kevin Silver’s father.” “And Andy Page, the baseball player, how does he factor in?” “His mother and Kevin’s father are siblings. Eileen Page is the president of Carnival music.” “So, Kevin and Andy are cousins?” Ethan got out of the car and started to walk. “Yep.” “And Lincoln, is a bloody cousin, too?” Hans clipped. “No, rather he’s an obsessed fan who has shares in Silver’s stock.” “And why do you let them?” 117

DJ Manly “Maybe I like being a slut.” He grinned. “You were enjoying that last night?” “Some of it.” He shrugged. “And like it or not, I’m a commodity, Hans. If I want to be someone in this business, well…” “But you’re so talented and good looking.” “So are a lot of men.” He pointed “There it is.” He began running and as he did, he took off his shirt. Hans laughed, picking it up as he chased after him. When they got there, Ethan stripped off the rest of his clothes. He motioned to Hans. “Come on. Come in with me.” He was having a déjà vu and saw himself frolicking in the waterfall with Ethan. No, it wasn’t Ethan. It was someone who could have been Ethan, but his hair wasn’t as long. Samuel. Samuel. Where are you? I’m lost. He took off his clothes and a deep sense of longing over took him as he waded through the shallow water to where Ethan stood under the cascade. He looked beautiful in the sunlight. And as Hans inched closer to him, Ethan reached out and pulled him under with him. Hans wrapped his arms around his neck. “Ethan,” he sighed softly. Ethan looked down at him with those blue eyes. “Hans. Kiss me,” he begged. “Kiss me like you did back there at the Escape in the kitchen.” 118

DJ Manly Hans twirled his fingers around some of Ethan’s long dark hair. Their lips met hard and passionately, filled with need. There was no denying what they both wanted, craved. Ethan’s hands moved over his body, moaning softly as he pulled him closer, turning him around in his arms and lifting his legs. Hans wrapped them around Ethan’s hips as he held his ass cheeks and ducked them both out from under the water. Hans found his back pressed against a tree. Ethan was still kissing him, his face buried in Han’s neck. Hans felt the sharp entrance of Ethan’s cock into his ass, as he lifted him higher, grunting his effort as he held him there and slowly fucked him. Hans pressed back as Ethan’s cock went deeper and his head moved back and forth against the tree. He buried his fingers in Ethan’s damp black hair. “Oh God,” Ethan whimpered, grunting louder with his effort, fucking him faster and higher. “Hans…shit…fuck…ahhhhh.” Ethan’s cream filled him. Ethan let him down as gracefully as he could, staggering backward, pressing his back against a smooth rock as he recovered from his orgasm. His face was a mask of sweat and sweetness, a hand moving over his chest and stomach with satisfaction. When Hans looked down at himself, he noticed he’d come as well. He couldn’t remember when. 119

DJ Manly All he knew was the beauty of his face was almost more than he could take and he wanted to cry. His ass stung and pieces of bark dug into his back. He’d never been happier in his life. Ethan smiled at him, his tongue moved over his lips. “Come here, Hans.” Hans ran over to him, throwing himself into his arms. “Whoa.” Ethan laughed. “Take it easy.” He kissed the top of his head. “I want to stay here with you forever.” Ethan relaxed, stroked his hair. “Um. That would be nice. We can’t do that. Lincoln would freak.” “To hell with him.” “He’s a little creepy.” “He’s not bad, just domineering.” “Are you always going to live with him?” “No. It’s just that right now I have no place to go.” Ethan hugged him. “Ethan?” “Yeah?” “Are you going to do that anymore?” “Do what?” he asked. “Let them…you know, with the other guys. I don’t like them touching you.” “It doesn’t mean anything, Hans. Just guy stuff.” 120

DJ Manly Hans reached up and kissed him on the mouth. Ethan kissed him back, taking him down to the grass. He let Hans kiss every inch of him, then suck his cock. Hans would have stayed there all night, touching him, but Ethan told him they had to get back. They walked together hand in hand back to the car. Hans glanced back at the waterfall. Reese. Where are you? Come back to me. Hans stopped, listened. “Samuel?” “Who’s Samuel?” Ethan asked. He thought for a moment and then shook his head. “I don’t know.” And he didn’t. They could see the lights from the resort when they turned onto the road. Hans pulled the car to a stop at the fence. “Shit.” “Don’t worry, he’ll let me in.” Ethan got out and walked over to the intercom. He pressed the button. “Hey, it’s Ethan, someone going to let me in?” A few seconds later, the buzzer buzzed and Ethan ran over and got back into the car. The gate swung open and Hans drove through. He wasn’t looking forward to seeing Lincoln for some reason. He had a feeling he wouldn’t be pleased they’d been gone so long.

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DJ Manly When they walked in, Lincoln met them. He was smiling. “Come, Ethan. You must be starving.” He didn’t say anything at all to Hans. Hans figured he wasn’t invited. Lincoln steered Ethan off into the dining room as Hans climbed the stairs to his room, feeling hungry, but deciding to wait until people were out of the way to raid the kitchen. When he walked into his room, he froze. It looked as if a hurricane had struck. His mattress was half off the bed, his nightstand overturned and the few articles of clothing possessed had been ripped off the hangers. He rushed over to his bureau where he had left the forty-five Ethan had given him. It was gone. “Damn you, Lincoln!” What would have possessed him to do something like that? Hans stalked out of the room and down the hallway. He turned the handle to Lincoln’s room and walked in. He searched the drawers, the nightstand and finally the closet. On the top shelf was a shoebox. Hans took it down, threw it on the bed and opened it. There on top of the pile was his record. His name had been scratched off and the name Lincoln had been written over top of it. Hans swore under his breath. Why would Lincoln take his present and do this? He put the record down on the bed and picked up the next item in the box. It was a picture of Ethan. A 122

DJ Manly professional photographer had taken it for some kind of magazine obviously, then other pictures, shots of Ethan sleeping, naked. Then more pictures, Ethan, and more Ethan. A picture of him in the shower being penetrated by the contraption he saw the other night. Hans sunk down on the bed. There were letters, written in bold erratic handwriting. He swallowed as he read the first one. I’ve loved you from the moment I watched you singing in that club. Renaldo thinks you’re his. He’s wrong. I saw you first. I’ll die if I don’t have you, Ethan. You must want to be with me, here forever, I’ll never let you leave me. You’ll never leave here…Ethan…I… The door opened. Hans dropped the letter. “What in hell are you doing in my room?” Lincoln was enraged. His gaze went to the box on the bed, then he made a lunge for him. He picked him up off the bed and threw him across the floor. “You little slut! I saw you with him. I saw him fucking you today! I’ll kill you. I saved you from the streets and you repay me like this! He’s mine, he’s mine.” Lincoln had picked him up again. He was shaking him, then he started hitting and punching him. Hans fell to the floor. The pain was excruciating. Lincoln started kicking him and then the blackness came.

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DJ Manly “Samuel,” he muttered. “Samuel, help me.” The pain had possessed him and wouldn’t let him go. “Shush,” a voice whispered. “It’s okay. I’m here. I’m here. How in the hell did you fall down all those stairs?” “Stairs?” He blinked open his eyes. Beautiful, dark eyes peered down at him. He gasped, the pain washing over him again as he breathed. Lincoln stood behind him, Page and Silver and Masters hovering around the door. “Yes, I was telling the guys how you took a nasty tumble. I’ll send for the doctor in the morning if you’re not any better,” Lincoln told him. “No, no doctor.” Hans shook his head. Something in Lincoln’s eyes told him to play along. After reading those letters, he was seriously frightened of him. “You should get some sleep,” Lincoln advised “Everyone out.” “I’m staying,” Ethan insisted. Lincoln’s eyes turned dark. “That’s not necessary. We’ll check in on him from time to time. I checked him over, ribs aren’t broken, just bruised. Come on, Ethan, he needs to sleep. The painkillers I gave him should be kicking in soon.” “Painkillers? What did you give me?” Hans tried to sit up, but couldn’t.

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DJ Manly “Rest now.” Lincoln pulled Ethan to his feet. “We won’t be far.” “Poor kid,” Anthony Page commented. He was in the dark, his head heavy, as if under a cloud. Had Lincoln poisoned him? He was insane, obsessed with Ethan. Ethan was in danger. He knew it. He was, too. They had to get out of here. Hans faded in and out of sleep, struggling to pull himself out of the trance he was in. It’s okay, Reese, he told himself in the deepest corner of his mind. Hans doesn’t die here. You’re going to be all right. Ethan…Samuel…I love you. He opened his eyes, although he wasn’t sure how much time had passed. The sunlight was streaming through the window. He ran his hands over his face. He had at least three days growth of beard. He turned his head and there on his pillow lay a single, red rose. He picked it up, smelled it. It had to be Ethan who’d left it. He tried to sit up, but had some difficulty. He was weak. He had problems making his legs work. Leaning heavily on the furniture around him, he made his way to the door. The pain in his ribs was gone, but the mirror revealed a pale, bearded man with a swollen lip and two black, puffy eyes. When he got to the hallway, he fell. Someone heard the noise and came running upstairs. It was 125

DJ Manly Anthony Page. “My God,” he exclaimed, “what are you doing out of bed, mate?” “Anthony.” Hans clutched onto him. “Get Ethan. I have to talk to him.” “Ethan went into town with Lincoln this afternoon.” Anthony pulled him up off the floor. “He’s in danger.” “He’s fine.” Anthony laughed. “You need to get some food into you and move around a bit. You have no strength in your legs. Come on, I’ll take you downstairs.” Anthony sat him on a chair in the kitchen and made him a sandwich. “You should have gone to the hospital. You look like shit. Lincoln said you were all right.” “I am all right.” He took the sandwich in his hand and bit into it. “Anthony, didn’t you notice that Lincoln let all the staff go? He closed off the place with a security system. I think he’s losing his mind. I need to show you something.” “What?” “In his room in a box, there are letters and pictures. It’s not natural. He stole my record and put his name on it.” Anthony laughed. “Hans, what are you talking about?” “Come on.” With great difficulty, Hans led Anthony Page back up stairs, stumbling and almost falling twice. 126

DJ Manly When they went into Lincoln’s room, Anthony hesitated. “I don’t feel right about this. We shouldn’t be in here.” “Anthony, he did this to me. He beat me up because he’s jealous. He found out that Ethan and I and…” “Ethan and you?” “Yes, down by the waterfall.” “Hans, Ethan is not for you.” “Anthony, look in the closet. You’ll see.” Anthony opened the closet. “What am I looking for?” “A box. It’s up there.” The box was gone and after a few more minutes, Anthony insisted on leaving the room. “Hans, you are imaging things. We have no right to be in here. Now, stop this nonsense, okay?” He had lost his chance to convince Anthony and obviously Lincoln had hidden the box. He left the room and went back to his own, attempting to clean himself up. For the next week, Lincoln was extremely kind to him, not requiring him to work and taking his meals up to him. Hans wondered if he’d dreamed it all. Ethan came up to his room to say hello a few times, but he was never alone, one of the other men was with him and he never stayed long. 127

DJ Manly Hans felt stronger every day and about a week later, he dressed and came downstairs. It was early in the morning, the place seemed empty, but he knew it was because everyone was sleeping, including Lincoln. He went to the kitchen and made himself breakfast and then came back out into lobby and glanced upstairs. He needed to talk to Ethan. It was nine in the morning, time to wake him up.

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Chapter Eight

E

than slept in the room next to Lincoln’s. He’d walked past it often it enough and stared at it longingly. He knocked softly, not wanting to wake the others. When there was no response, he tried the door handle. It turned and the door opened. Ethan was naked and lying in the bed on his stomach, his arms and legs stretched out to the sides and tied down. His body gleamed with something that had been rubbed into his skin. Hans rushed over to him. For a moment, he thought he was dead. The room smelt of sex and sweat. Ethan’s beautiful face was sideways on the mattress, his long dark hair half covering it. Hans brushed it aside and undid the rope on one of his wrists. It was red and raw underneath. “Ethan.” He shook him, running around to the other side of the bed and untied the other wrist. He touched his shoulder. “Please, Ethan, wake up.” He noticed traces of white powder on the nightstand. He 129

DJ Manly placed a finger in it, examined it. He didn’t know enough about drugs to know if that’s what it was, but he suspected it, especially since he couldn’t seem to rouse Ethan. He untied his ankles and tried to pull him out of bed. There was no way he was going to get him down those stairs. He was dead weight. He would have to call the police. They’d know what to do. As he walked toward the door, he heard a sound. Renaldo Masters stood there. His hair was in disarray and he was in his underwear. He fixed him with his gaze. “What are you doing in here, Hans?” “I came to talk to Ethan. What have you done to him?” “Not anything he didn’t want doing. Look, Hans, you’re a little bit too…well…you’re not worldly. You don’t understand the lifestyle of rock stars.” “I’m taking him out of here.” “Oh no, you’re not. Do you know how valuable he is, how much work I’ve put into making him a star? He’s not going anywhere?” “If he’s so valuable, why are you giving him that stuff? It’s drugs, isn’t it?” “It’s drugs, isn’t it?” a voice mocked. It was Kevin Silver gawking over Renaldo’s shoulders. “Little ignorant mountain boy. He wants in on the action.” 130

DJ Manly “He doesn’t understand Ethan.” “Okay, Hans,” Lincoln’s voice boomed over the others. He brushed by the other two and marched into the room. “That’s enough. How dare you question me. You know nothing about Ethan. And if you cause any trouble for us or try to break up our little party, I’ll make you pay.” “Invite him along tonight for the ride.” Kevin Silver shrugged. “That’s all he wants, a piece of the action.” “Not a bad idea.” Renaldo grinned. Lincoln sighed. “All right. Tonight you can stay up, hang around. You’ll see everything is all right, just a little fun between consenting adults. Okay?” Hans nodded silently, his gaze going to Ethan’s still motionless body on the bed. Lincoln pointed at him. “And don’t get any romantic notions about you and Ethan. He’s communal property. You wait your turn. And no private little love sessions.” Renaldo and Kevin walked into the room. They all surrounded him. Hans stiffened. There was no mistaking the threat in their eyes. “And don’t think about using the phone,” Lincoln snapped. “I’ve had them disconnected.” “You disconnected the phone? Why? How can you take reservations?” “We won’t be needing any more reservations, for now.” Renaldo smiled at Lincoln. 131

DJ Manly “That’s right,” Lincoln acknowledged. “We have a full house.” “And where is all the staff? Where is Harry?” “On vacation.” Renaldo smiled. The three of them laughed. “Which reminds me.” Lincoln placed a hand on Hans’s neck and directed him out of the room. “If you want to be one of us, start making yourself useful. We’re hungry, so get cooking.” Hans spent the entire day cleaning the rooms, doing laundry and cooking. As he was stripping the bed in Lincoln’s room, someone came up behind him. It was Ethan. He wrapped his arms around him. “Hey, baby, what ‘cha you doing in here?” He kissed Hans’s neck. “Stop that. If Lincoln sees us, we’re in big trouble, or rather I am.” Hans turned around and shoved him off. “And look at you, awake finally at four in the afternoon.” He laughed. “Rough night?” “You might say that.” “Well.” Hans went about to putt clean sheets on the bed. “Tonight I’ll be with you it looks like.” Ethan was on the other side of the bed, tucking the sheet in. He paused, his hair still damp from his shower. He looked so young. “What do you mean?” 132

DJ Manly “I’ve been invited to the party.” “There isn’t going to be any party. And you’d be best to find something else to do.” “Why? If they can have you, why can’t I?” Hans squeezed the pillowcase he had in his hand. “It’s not fair.” Tears burned his eyes and he blinked them off, one escaping down his cheek. “Hans,” Ethan said softly. He came around to the other side of the bed. He wiped the tear off his cheek with his finger. “Don’t.” “Lincoln is dangerous, Ethan. He’s insane. I found pictures of you in his room and…” “Shush. It will be all over soon. In two weeks, we’re leaving. I’m doing a concert in London.” No. That’s not true. You’ll never leave this place, Ethan. “We’re just having a little fun.” “What is that white powder stuff on the nightstand I saw?” “What white powder?” “You wouldn’t wake up today, Ethan. I tried and it was like…” “Shush,” he insisted as he pulled him into his arms. “You’re working yourself all up for nothing. You shouldn’t hang around when they get…well…when they drink too much. It gets a little rough. I want our time together to be private time. Promise me you won’t hang around.”

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DJ Manly “We’re not allowed to be alone together, they told me.” “To hell with them.” Ethan kissed his mouth. He kicked the door closed with his foot. “No one has to know.” Hans melted into his arm, tearing at Ethan’s clothes like a man possessed. “I’d like to tie you up and fuck you, too,” he teased, nibbling his ear as he fumbled with Ethan’s zipper. He opened his pants and pushed him back on the bed, stripping off his own clothes while he watched Ethan pull his pants down and off. Hans was pulling up Ethan’s t-shirt as he crawled on top of him, pinning him to the mattress. He heard his own laughter as he dipped his head down to kiss him again. It sounded like pure joy in the quiet room. Ethan reached down and urged Hans to move up higher. “I want to suck your cock. Fuck my mouth,” he urged. Hans blushed, chuckling. “You say such things.” His knees positioned themselves on each side of Ethan’s face and Ethan ran his fingers over Han’s shaft, gripping it and opening his mouth. He bent his head back, urging Hans to lift up and go deeper. Frustrated with not getting the right angle, Ethan shifted sideways and dropped his head over the side. Hans bore down on him, moving in and out of his mouth then allowing 134

DJ Manly Ethan to take control. His cock hit the back of Ethan’s throat. Ethan. Ethan. I can’t help you. I want you. I love you all ready. This wasn’t fair. Why have you done this to me? Where’s Samuel? Where am I? He was coming. He fell off him, rolling to his side, his body convulsing with his orgasm. “Oh God…God…Ethan…Ethan…I love you.” “You do?” He leaned over him, smiling. Hans wrapped his arms around his neck. “Forever.” They kissed again, deeply. “Fuck me, baby,” Hans pleaded, looking into his eyes. “Oh, Ethan, Ethan, fuck me.” “I don’t have anything.” “I don’t need anything, but your cock inside me, now. Please, Ethan? We don’t have long.” Ethan groaned and pulled him up against him. He kissed his chest, his stomach, his cock. Then he lifted his legs and pressed up inside of him. Hans didn’t think of the pain. In fact, he wasn’t thinking about anything. Ethan was inside of him and he wanted to feel him there forever. Hans. Hans. Do you know I’m inside of your head? I can’t do this. Is it you holding me here, or him? God, someone help me. Ethan looked down at him, his blue eyes strange. “I can’t let you go. At least not until the end, until we’re together again.” 135

DJ Manly “We can stop this. I know what’s coming and maybe—” Ethan put a finger to his lips. “You can’t change the past, Reese. You’re not here to change anything, only to witness and to bring Hans to me.” Reese couldn’t speak. Hans’s emotions were blocking his thoughts and Ethan was ejaculating inside of him. “Hans…oh God…baby… Hans…” Hans gripped Ethan tight. “Don’t pull out of me. Stay there. Stay inside me.” They lay there for awhile, until finally Hans realized he had to let him go. It was suppertime and he needed to be in the kitchen preparing a meal. Ethan’s eyes were open, looking at the ceiling. “When this is all over,” he began, “I want you to leave here. Come with me.” He turned and looked at him. “Will you, will you Hans, come with me?” Hans kissed his mouth gently. “Of course I will.” Ethan smiled and sat up. “Okay.” Hans jumped out of bed. “I got to go cook supper.” “I’ll help you.” “No, Lincoln wouldn’t like that. You better go down there. I’ll see you soon.” Ethan began to put on his clothes. “Do you like roses, Hans?” 136

DJ Manly “I love roses and thanks for the one you left in my room, by the way.” “I plan to leave you a rose every day of your life from now on,” Ethan said. He grabbed his shirt and blew him a kiss before he left the room. After Hans came down the stairs, he went into the dining room. He looked out at the veranda. For a minute, he couldn’t seem to tear his eyes away. He felt such fear and he didn’t know why. Something was gnawing at his gut. He walked over to the window and placed his hand on it, peering out. A shiver ran up his spine. He turned away and went into the kitchen, hurrying as he heard Lincoln’s voice coming from the game room. By seven, dinner was on the table. He’d often been made to help in the kitchen when they were busy so it wasn’t too difficult to whip up some lasagna and garlic bread. The five men helped themselves to several portions of the lasagna and Hans ate in the kitchen although he’d set a place for himself. As he came to pick up the empty plates and offer them storebought cake for dessert, he noticed Lincoln had put several other bottles of liquor on the table and they all sat around drinking. “Ethan, play for us,” Lincoln requested as Hans brought in the cake. 137

DJ Manly They all got up and headed for the ballroom. “Come on, Hans,” Andy threw at him. “Leave all that. Come listen to Ethan play.” Hans nodded. “Okay.” In the ballroom, Ethan picked up a guitar and sat himself on a stool. The other men all perched on the stage, passing around what smelled like pot. Ethan began to play, the music filling the room, turning it into a place of magic. Hans had heard him sing and play the piano. He didn’t know about the guitar. He ran his fingers over the strings and they responded to his every command beautifully. The song he played was a ballad of some kind, possibly some Celtic lullaby. Hans closed his eyes, drifting. Hans, help me save him. His eyes snapped open. You don’t know me, but you will and by that time, you will have lost him. Hans shook himself, not realizing he had sunk to the floor until Ethan put down his guitar and came running over to him. “Are you all right?” He helped him up. “I’m feeling kind of…funny.” “I’ll take him upstairs.” Lincoln moved in front of Ethan and steered Hans up to his room. Once inside the room, Lincoln told him to lie down. “Are you going to hurt Ethan?” Hans sat on the bed. 138

DJ Manly “No. Why in the hell would you ask me that?” “I don’t know. It’s like a voice talking to me in my head.” “Get some sleep, fool,” he growled and shut the door behind him. Hans fell asleep for a few hours and then awoke. He got out of bed and left his room, wondering where everyone was. He headed for the pool. The shower room was empty and there was no one swimming tonight. He walked back down the hallway, rubbing his eyes and descended the staircase. The sounds coming from the other room needed no introduction. They were the sounds of men having sex. He swallowed. He didn’t want to see them using Ethan’s body. As he entered the games room, Kevin Silver was coming out. He was snorting something up his nose. Kevin paused when he spotted him and sniffed. “Hans?” He sounded delighted to see him. Hans figured he really had to be high. Silver hated him. “How nice. Come, I’ll set you up.” “I…” He was trying to get a look over Silver’s shoulder, see where Ethan was. Silver pushed him out of the room and took him to the ballroom. “Here.” He picked something up off the windowsill.

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DJ Manly Hans felt strange, standing in front of Kevin Silver, who was completely naked, his long dick semi-erect. Kevin handed him a white pill. “This will put you in the mood.” “What…what is it?” “A little pick me up, that’s all. It will make you horny. Come on, Hans, don’t be such a hick.” Hans took the pill and popped it into his mouth. “I’m not a hick.” Silver laughed hysterically. “Cool, now come on and let’s get down.” It didn’t take long for the pill to take effect. Everything appeared as if he was seeing it though a foggy lens. He made it back to the games room eventually, seeking out Ethan. Naked body parts swam around him. He couldn’t speak. It was as if his tongue weighed three hundred pounds. He bumped into something hard. The pool table. He tried to focus. He saw Ethan. He was on his back, strapped down to the table. Lincoln’s face covered Ethan’s groin. Renaldo stood at the head of the table, his cock resembling a fishing line as he lowered it into Ethan’s open mouth. Hands grabbed him from behind. A cock probed him, a hand shoved his head forward. On his knees, he tried to stand up, but couldn’t. His jaw was pried open, a cock forced inside. He cried out as a cock invaded his ass, fingers clutching his hair and yanking on it as the cock rutted in and 140

DJ Manly out of him. He dug his fingers into the carpet. Then he heard voices arguing, someone yelling, saying his name. He couldn’t see for the tears in his eyes. Ethan. Ethan. When his eyes opened again, he was lying alone on the floor, curled into a little ball. He felt sore all over. “Ethan,” he struggled to his feet and reached out for the wall to steady himself. Silent tears ran down his face as he made his way out of the games room. He was naked, he couldn’t find his clothes and wanted to throw up, his pulse racing as he called out Ethan’s name. Where are you? Are you all right? Ethan? He climbed the stairs, holding onto the rail for support. He was in pain and didn’t want to think about the reason. At the top of the stairs, he stood still. They were probably all in their rooms sleeping. He had no idea what time it was, but it was most likely afternoon. He opened the door to his room and walked in, noticing someone was in his bed. “Ethan,” he said in relief. He walked over to the bed, but when he looked down, it wasn’t Ethan he saw. It was someone he didn’t recognize at first, then he realized that it was him. He was looking at himself. The man lying in his bed was Reese Fuller.

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Chapter Nine

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ans was fading. All that was left was his shadow, going through the motions of what had happened those final days before Ethan’s death. Reese had no control over anything Hans said or did. All he could do was linger there in his mind and observe. He wasn’t sure what would happen when it was all over. Would he be right where he was before Ethan had brought him here? Ethan had told him there was nothing he could do to change things. He was powerless. He was only there to help free him, to bring him together once again with the one Ethan really loved. Hans. Hans woke up with his face stiff with his dried tears. He moaned. His ass was on fire. He went into the bathroom and got a wet cloth to place there. When he took it away, it was stained with blood. He closed his eyes. Fear. Was he bleeding inside? He wrung out the cloth and placed it there again, less blood this time, a lot of it dark, probably already dried. 142

DJ Manly When the door burst open to his room, Hans hastily pulled up his pants. It was Lincoln. “We’re hungry,” he grunted, “and the bathrooms need cleaning, as well as the shower room.” Hans nodded miserably. “So, how did you like it last night?” “Fine,” he lied. “It was great.” “Good. After you make us some food and clean up, pick up the games room. There’s stuff all over the place. It’s hot out, we’ll be up on the roof. Bring the food up there.” He left. Hans breathed a sigh of relief. He went downstairs and started making sandwiches. He mixed up a pitcher of margaritas as well and brought them up to the roof on a tray. Kevin, Andy and Renaldo were all lying on loungers, naked. Lincoln was in the pool. Only Ethan was missing. Hans put the tray down on the table. “Hey, kid,” Kevin called out, “come over here will you?” “I…I can’t, I forgot…” Kevin stroked his cock deliberately. “Come on, I said now.” Andy reached over and punched him. “Cut him some slack.” “I need my cock sucked and he’s a good little cock sucker, isn’t he Andy?” 143

DJ Manly Andy appeared to be embarrassed. “He’s had a lot of practice, right, Lincoln?” Renaldo chuckled, calling out to him. Lincoln came to the edge of the pool. “Not enough I’m afraid. Come on, Hans, go to it.” “Leave him alone,” a voice hissed. Hans turned around to see Ethan walk in wearing a white pair of swimming trunks. They contrasted with his honey-bronzed skin, turning all the men’s attention on him. “Baby,” Kevin whined, “who will entertain me if he doesn’t? Got an alternative suggestion?” Ethan pulled his shorts down and threw them aside. Strolling completely naked around the pool, he climbed up on the diving board and dove in. He came up out of the water, shaking his long dark hair, smiling at the men who were all in various states of drooling. “Who’s going to join me?” Hans stood there, shaking, realizing what Ethan had just done for him. There were no words. Reese realized Ethan was Hans’s hero, his everything, his entire world. And when he died, everything died with him for Hans. That’s why he’d stayed on and for some reason, Lincoln had found it in his heart to allow him to. He was never going to leave the Escape, just like Ethan never did. Hans left the roof. He didn’t need to watch the others jump into that pool and devour the man he 144

DJ Manly loved. He went into the kitchen, placed his head on the stainless steel counter and sobbed. Wiping his face, he told himself he had to get out of here, tell someone what was going on. Reese knew whatever Hans was about to do, didn’t work. He wished he could have saved him the effort. Hans searched for the key to Lincoln’s vehicle. It was usually stashed behind the desk. It was gone. Hans banged his fist on the desk. He could start walking. It would take him three hours to get to town. He had no choice. He ran to the front door and threw it open. The sky appeared ominous again, as if it would open up and swallow him up. He didn’t care. He started walking. When he got to the gate, he turned around and saw the headlights of Lincoln’s car. He pressed in the code wrong twice, then got it to open. He began to run, almost falling in the mud, Lincoln following close behind. Lincoln was laughing when he pulled up beside him. “Where are you going, Hans?” Hans slowed his pace. He couldn’t outrun a car. He stopped, his chest heaving. “Let us go,” he pleaded. “Let Ethan and I go.” “Ethan is free to go anytime.” He put on the brake. “In fact, he’ll be leaving soon with Renaldo to do a concert in London.”

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DJ Manly “I don’t believe you. You won’t let him leave here. You won’t let me leave either because you know I’ll tell someone.” “Tell someone what, that you participated in some consensual sex, took some drugs?” “I…” “I, I, I,” he mocked. “About the photographs you took of him, the letters. He’s never seen those crazy letters you wrote.” “You’re the one who is obsessed with him, Hans, as if he could ever see anything in a little nobody like you. Ethan needs a real man. One who can give him what he needs in bed, take him in hand.” “Yeah, like you took me at fourteen?” Lincoln’s face grew dark. “Don’t you be saying things like that!” “It’s the truth.” “I didn’t do anything to you that you didn’t want doing, you ungrateful little bastard, get your ass in here.” Hans hesitated. “Hans! Now!” What choice did he have? He slowly walked around the vehicle and got into the passenger seat. “Be a good boy, and do as I asked you to do.”

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DJ Manly Twenty minutes later, Hans was scrubbing down the shower, fighting back the tears. How had it come to this? He didn’t even hear Ethan come in to the shower room. “Why so glum?” Ethan asked. Hans glanced up at him from where he was kneeling, cleaning the scum off the floor. “I’m scared. I don’t think we’re ever getting out of here.” Ethan dragged him to his feet and took him into his arms. “Come on, baby. Don’t say that. I’m doing a big concert soon. I want you in the front row.” He kissed him tenderly on the mouth. “I want you, period,” he moaned against him. “I want you, too,” Hans whispered, “but…I don’t think I can, I mean…” “They hurt you last night, didn’t they? I told them to stop, but I…” “Shush, it’s okay,” Hans replied. “Let me fuck you, okay?” Ethan smiled. “Okay.” He backed up and stripped off his shorts and t-shirt, kicked off his sandals then he took off Hans clothes as well. Ethan ran his hands down over Hans’s rib cage, his kissed his chest, knelt down and gently took his cock into his mouth. Hans reached out for the wall, his chest heaving, his heart slamming in his chest. “I love

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DJ Manly you, Ethan,” he chocked. “I love you more than I ever knew was possible to love a man.” Ethan sucked his cock slowly, up and down and around with his tongue. Hans moaned. Ethan came off his cock and got to his feet. He placed his hands on the wall and spread his legs. “Fuck me, Hans. Do it. Make me yours.” Hans’s hands moved over his back, his ass, his entire body trembling, anticipating being inside of him again. He licked his lips, reached around to fondle his cock, his balls. He bent down and opened his ass, touching his anus with his tongue, moving it in a circle, dipping the tip inside of him. Ethan groaned, moved his ass forward. “Um, yeah, that’s nice, take me. Take me.” Hans seized his hips and drilled his cock up inside of him, lust taking him, shutting down all thoughts. He pumped into him. Their bodies moved together in heat and need, their voices moaning in union as Hans ejaculated inside him, his grateful tears wetting Ethan’s broad back. Hans’s hand jerked Ethan’s cock to orgasm as well and Ethan came with satisfied groans, which echoed in the empty shower room. “I love you,” Ethan mouthed into the cement wall. “Promise me you’ll never leave here without me.” “I love you, too, Ethan, and I promise you on my heart that I won’t ever leave here unless it’s with you. You believe me, don’t you?” 148

DJ Manly “Yes.” He nodded. “I do. I do.” As they dressed, Ethan smiled at him. “It won’t be long,” he assured him. “Another two days.” Hans nodded. “I’ll tough it until then. Does Renaldo know I’m coming with you?” “He doesn’t have to. When the time comes, I’ll tell him. He won’t be able to refuse.” It was late before Hans finished all the cleaning. By that time, Lincoln informed him they were hungry again and he went into the kitchen to make pasta for dinner. At ten o’clock, the men sat around the table eating pasta and discussing Ethan’s career. Hans sat at the table with them tonight, wanting to stay near Ethan. He wasn’t intending to let him out of his sight until they left this place together. Lincoln was acting strange during dinner, drinking too much and glaring over at Hans. Hans wasn’t sure what he’d done this time and had no intention of asking. He picked up the dishes when it was time, happy to be alone in the kitchen. As he was cleaning up the dishes, he heard someone say, “Reese?” He dropped the dish in the sink and turned around. “Samuel?” Samuel was standing there in the kitchen, a few feet away. “Don’t go away this time?” “This time? Did you see me before?” 149

DJ Manly “Yes. You call to me in the night and I see just your shadow sometimes. The doctor thinks I’m crazy?” “Doctor?” “You’re in the hospital, in a coma. You hit your head outside on the veranda. Where are you?” “I’m there in the past. I can’t get out. I’m in…Samuel? Samuel?” Samuel was gone. Hit my head? My God, was he a ghost? He went back to washing the dishes, then happened to glance at the calendar on the far wall. He froze. Today was August third. Ethan died on August third. He put the wet dish aside and ran out into the dining room. Ethan and Renaldo were standing outside on the veranda. The rest of them were sitting at the table drinking. “What is it, Hans?” Lincoln asked. “Why you standing there with a face like a cat’s ass?” “I’ve finished the dishes and—a” “You’ve finished a lot of things,” he slammed his glass down. The other two men eyed him curiously. “If you think, you’ll ever take him away from me, you’re mistaken.” He stood. “I’ll kill you first.” Hans took a breath. He glanced at Ethan and Renaldo, who were deep in conversation on the veranda. Renaldo was flailing his arms.

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DJ Manly Hans made a dash for the door. He pulled it open and ran outside to Ethan. “Ethan, listen, we got to…get off the veranda!” Lincoln was there, too, Anthony Page and Kevin Silver following behind him, curiously. Hans backed up as Lincoln approached. Ethan reached out to him, perplexed. “What’s going on?” He drew Hans up against him protectively. “This is between Hans and, I,” Lincoln warned. “Stay out of it, Ethan.” “I’m afraid I can’t do that,” Ethan told him. “Although all these little games were fun for a time, I think some people began taking them a bit too seriously.” He glanced at all of them. “By all of you. I love Hans. He loves me. And when we leave here, he’s coming with me.” Ethan glanced at Renaldo. “That’s the end of it. Either he comes with us or I don’t do the show.” “Ethan,” Renaldo began, “it’s not good for your image. The girls and the…” “You’re not going anywhere with him.” Lincoln reached out to Hans. “Get the fuck away from him.” He pulled Hans away from Ethan and grabbed him around the neck, propelling him toward the railing. “I’ll kill you,” he cried out. “I’ll kill you.” “No,” Ethan cried out, jumping on Lincoln and trying to pull him off. “Stop it, fucking stop it. Get off him. Get off him, Lincoln.” 151

DJ Manly Lincoln took one hand off Hans. It was enough for Hans to scramble away from the railing. He shoved Ethan away hard and Ethan fell back on the railing. “No!” Renaldo cried out. He reached for Ethan. There was the sound of wood cracking. Reese, finally removed from Hans’s body, stood outside of him, watching the scene unfold like the movie of the week. Hans huddled against the glass door, rubbing his throat, trying to gain his breath. He saw Ethan fall, Renaldo reaching for him, losing his footing and falling over at the same time. Page and Silver ran to the railing while Lincoln placed his hands in his hair. “No…God…Ethan!” he howled. Hans was in shock. Ethan was gone. His world had come to an end. He could hardly breathe. In fact, he didn’t care if he did or not anymore. Lincoln was out of his mind. Kevin Silver tried to calm him, telling him not to do anything rash. “This could ruin us all,” Silver kept saying over and over. No one moved off the veranda. Hans sat in the corner, his hands over his face, sobbing quietly. Anthony Page just stood there, motionless, like he was in a state of shock, staring down over the

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DJ Manly side. “Maybe they’re still alive,” he muttered, not believing his own words. Hans pulled his face out of his hands and screamed at the top of his lungs. “You killed the man I love!” He stood up and glared at Lincoln with such hate, Reese didn’t recognize him anymore. Hans rushed at Lincoln, pounding at him with his fists as Kevin and Anthony pulled Hans off him and got him inside. Inside, Hans went crazy. “We need to call someone, call the police. You’ll pay for this.” He pointed at Lincoln. “I’ll kill you,” he threatened as Silver and Page blocked his path. Lincoln moaned and sunk to the floor. Hans turned and ran out the door. A while later, Reese spied Hans crawling across the rocks by the water, calling out Ethan’s name over and over. Anthony gave Kevin a look. “He could fall in, kill himself down there. I’ll go and get him.” “Talk to him, Anthony,” Kevin insisted to Lincoln who was huddled on the floor. “We need to get our story right before anyone is called.” Anthony nodded and ran for the door. Hours later, Anthony brought Hans back to the house. Lincoln had passed out from drinking by then. Only Kevin Silver paced the dining room.

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DJ Manly “He’s exhausted,” Anthony referred to Hans, “but he’s calmer. We’ll talk about this in the morning.” “Did you see anything?” “No, the bodies must have been washed away by the water.” Everyone was gone and Reese stood on the veranda. He looked down at the rocks. It was night, the stars sparkling in the sky. His eyes blurred with tears. “There was nothing you could do,” the voice informed him. Reese gasped, turned around. Ethan stood there, his silhouette shimmering in the darkened dining room. “I told you, Reese, you can’t change the past.” “Why are you still here?” “I was waiting for Hans. Only Hans can set me free.” “It was Lincoln, wasn’t it, keeping you here?” He nodded. “When Hans passed over, Lincoln left here. He fears Hans and knows he can’t fight what Hans and I feel for one another.” He turned. Hans walked toward him. He was young again, the way he was twenty years ago. He looked at Ethan and smiled, then looked at Reese. “Thank you.” He bowed his head. “We’ve been waiting for you to come.” 154

DJ Manly “You knew I’d come here?” “Ethan knew.” “Why didn’t you go to the police, tell them what Lincoln had done?” Reese asked. “To protect Ethan’s name. After it happened, Ethan appeared to me. He told me to let it go. If there was a real investigation and everything was revealed, his family would be disgraced. The small legacy he’d left with his career would be mired in scandal.” “So, you made a deal with Lincoln.” Hans nodded. “I told him he was to ensure I could stay here for life. I had no intention of leaving here until Ethan and I could be reunited. Lincoln agreed, relieved, as they all were I would keep the secret. When Lincoln died, however, he encountered Ethan, who stayed to be with me, so when my time came, we’d be together again. It was only by sharing the secret, telling the truth, we could break his hold on Ethan.” Hans reached for Ethan’s hand. “I’ll never see you again, will I?” Reese asked Ethan. “Yes, you will,” Ethan replied. “You’ll see me whenever you look into Samuel’s eyes. Go now, he’s waiting for you.” The two shadows moved together, merged and were gone.

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DJ Manly Reese opened his eyes. And there looking down at him were Ethan’s beautiful blue eyes. “Reese?” Samuel smiled. “Thank God. Are you okay?” Reese reached up and put his arms around Samuel’s neck. He held him close for a long time, then released him. “I am now.” He smiled. Samuel stroked his hair. “The doctors thought you weren’t going to come out it. I was going out of my mind.” “Samuel, when I get out of the hospital, we need to contact Andy Page and Kevin Silver.” “Why?” “I have to tell them I know what happened. I owe it to Ethan and Hans.” “Why Hans?” Reese closed his eyes, fighting the tears. “We’ll talk about it later, okay?” Samuel nodded. “I’ll get the doctor.” Reese kept his eyes closed for a while, listening to Samuel’s footsteps as he walked out the hospital room. Hans and Ethan were together forever. That was a good thing, but grown men getting away with murder was something else. Lincoln Pierce was dead and in his own way, he’d paid for what he’d done. But Anthony Page and Kevin Silver had gotten away with it all. No one could deny Ethan Woods was a bad boy, free with his sexuality and knowing just how 156

DJ Manly to use it, but he didn’t deserve to die. He was perhaps so blinded by fame, he’d let his life get completely out of hand, willing to do anything to be a star. But the young man he ended up giving his heart to didn’t know anything about stardom. Hans could do nothing to further his career. All Ethan had to gain from Hans was his heart. Ethan gave his life for that love and in exchange, Hans, refused to leave him. “Thank you,” he whispered, opening his eyes. “Thank you for sharing that with me, Ethan. I won’t ever forget it. And I’ll make sure the world doesn’t forget you either.” He glanced toward the window and, lying on the nightstand, was a perfect red rose.

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About the Author I write not only for my own pleasure, but for the pleasure of my readers. I can’t remember a time in my life when I haven’t written and told stories. When I’m not writing, I’m dreaming about writing, doing something wild and adventurous, or trying to make the world a better and more open minded place to live in. I adore beautiful men, and I know I’m not alone in this! Eroticism between consenting adults, in all its many forms is the icing on the cake of life! D. J.’s website is located at: www.djmanlyfiction.com