m-m

There__ risk inherent in most things that matter.

I stared at the spot where [the ghost of] Warwick's nephew had warned me never to tell anyone what I could do, and then I slid my hand into Jacob's and pulled him close. He slipped his other arm around me and held me. I kissed him, and tried to clear my mind of everything but him and me. I looked deep into his eyes, and tried to determine if I was ready to let him in on the one thing I'd been carrying with me since my first round of psychic testing. He started back at me like a man who'd fallen for me, hard. And that part inside, the one that usually tells me to run, or to shut up, or to play along and myself invisible and hopefully whatever I'm dealing with will just go away? That part of me said, /Yes. Tell him./"I've got more talent than everyone on their payroll put together," I said. Jacob squeezed me tighter. His eyes never moved from mine. "I'm so far beyond level five it's not even funny

The tiny focal points of pain still glowed on his nerve endings, like stars coming into view one by one in a dark, bare sky. One by one__n the middle of his buttock, just below his collarbone, on the inside of his thigh__ore stars came into focus, each glowing brightly at first before settling into the same intensity as the ones before, slowly forming a constellation.

He hesitates, then says, "You don't think Otter... gets offended by what I say?" He begins to speak faster. "I mean, I don't care who Otter sleeps with. I don't care that he's a fa- gay. I don't care that he's gay. Why would I ?" He grins thinly. "He's my brother. You don't turn away from someone like him just because he likes sick instead if the good stuff.

Creed scowls. "Hardly. All he does now is mope like a goddamn teenage girl. Anytime I'm home, he's in his room with the door locked. I'm telling you guys, he got worked over really bad in San Diego. I thought the whole point of having a gay brother was that they were supposed to be all cool and shit. I got a defective gay.

But my point is, homosexual is genetic. __ay_ is a choice. __ay_ is the admitting to yourself that you are not only homosexual, but you embrace it. You find joy in it. You__e thankful for it!

You ain't never going to get rich that way, Johnson. And there's money in that dick. Lots of money.

Jules rested the violin and bow on the case and sat down next to Jason. He hesitated for a moment, watching the older man with uncomfortable intensity, then reached for Jason and brushed a single tear from his cheek. For Jason, the touch was electric, and his physical response unexpected.__ach always touches my soul,_ Jules half whispered. His fingers still rested against Jason__ cheek. __e must have known great love, and great pain, to write something so powerful._ Jason realized that his own pain must be showing on his face, because Jules, too, looked sad."I__e never been religious,_ Jules said, his eyes never leaving Jason__, __ut I played this piece in a tiny church once. It was like God was there with me, speaking through me.__hen Jason remained silent, Jules leaned forward and kissed him lightly on the lips. At a loss to explain the intense emotional and sexual response of his own body and equally unable to stop himself, Jasonreached for Jules and returned the kiss. The younger man__ lips tasted of wine and musk, and Jason realized that he was hungry for more.

Be careful of him Dai, whether you agree with me or not that boy is a time bomb just waiting to explode, and when he does he__ going hit everyone in his way including you . . . or especially you.-- Benjirou Uie warning Dai about Kane from "Game Boys

...leaning down for a quick peck on Jeff's lips, and then he starts squirming and rearranging and manhandling until somehow they end up with Dan in the middle, Jeff stretched out on his left side, Evan on his right. Dan isn't really sure how that happened, and he's not at all confident that it's a good idea.

When have I ever given him the impression that I was okay with him just stopping by whenever he wanted to use my body as an organic garbage disposal?

Is talking the only thing you can do with your mouth?"Seven flicked a look up. "No.""Good.

It never was about the musician or the instrument - it was about the laser notes in a hall of mirrors, the music itself. It was going to change the world for the better and it has. Maybe not as fast or as much as we wanted, but it has and it still will. Whether your name is Mozart, or Django Reinhardt, or Robert Johnson, or Jimi Hendrix, or whoever is next; who you are doesn't matter so long as you can open that conduit and let the music come through. It is the burning edge, whatever it sounds like and whoever is playing it. It is the noisy, messy, silly, invincible voice of life that comes through the LP on the turn-table, the transistor radio, or the Bose in your new Lexus that makes you want to get up out of whatever you are stuck in and dance. It is Dionysus and the Maenads all over again. No one can control it and I pity whoever tries. I am old now and only a house cat sunning herself in the window - but I was a tigress once, and I remember. I still remember.

My latest battle had nothing to do with The Company, the rebels, or any other faction. It was out-and-out warfare between my head and my heart. Keeping it cool during daylight, versus nighttime, when I unleashed my passion for him. ... Turned out the Wilderness was a lot more hostile than me.

You__e an assignment, not an assignation. Soon as I get your pretty boy ass through the Wilderness and deliver you to the Outpost, you__e no more than a stain to spit-shine off my boots.

So damn pigheaded. I__e studied you, not to report you, Caspar, but because I want a relationship with you.

For the first time I had the best of both worlds--a mission to live for and a man to love.

It doesn__ matter where I am, or who I__ with . . . God, Caspar. I__e dreamed about being with you.