Chapter 18

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Sebastian entered town hall and found the administrator much more frazzled than the last time he'd been there with James.

The man was on the phone, hold music crackling out of the speaker. He held the mouthpiece away from his face as he addressed Sebastian. "Yes?"

"I'm looking for the mayor. I might have an idea about the darkness."

The administrator looked somewhat relieved. "Go ahead, though I'm not sure if she's in her office. Everyone's been all over the place today."

Sebastian thanked him and headed down the hall. Most of the doors were closed, and when he reached the end, so was Eleanor's. He knocked, but there was no answer.

"May I help you?"

Sebastian spun around, coming face to face with William, one of the city councilors. "I was hoping to talk to Eleanor."

"She'll be running around like a headless chicken, I'd wager," William sneered, his nose wrinkling. "You won't find her here."

Sebastian glared. What a rude and condescending thing to say. "I'm sure she's doing everything she can to deal with the darkness."

William shrugged. "You're that Storm boy, aren't you?"

"My name's Sebastian." He gritted his teeth, stomach cramping uncomfortably. "We met at the meeting the other night." He forced himself to hold William's gaze even though he yearned to look at the floor and sink into the wall behind him.

"Do you have some urgent news? I know Eleanor likes having townsfolk stopping by for no reason, but you really shouldn't be here without an appointment."

Sebastian wanted to be anywhere but here. Dealing with this guy was making his heart rate climb. He hated feeling like he didn't belong or wasn't allowed to be in a space others were permitted to occupy unchallenged.

"I saw something odd in town the other night," he muttered.

William narrowed his eyes. "What did you see?"

Sebastian reluctantly described the shade spectacle. Hazel had probably already passed it on to Eleanor when she'd gone to see the mayor after the incident at Parker's, but after what Mila had told him, the event seemed even more significant. He wanted to tell the mayor about possible shade magic.

"I wouldn't worry about it." William rolled his eyes. "Sounds like typical shade nonsense."

"Right." Sebastian looked around the man blocking his escape path. "If you'll excuse me, I'll go."

William moved, and Sebastian didn't hesitate to get out of there. He'd get Hazel to call Eleanor again and pass on what he'd learned from Mila. Hazel and the mayor seemed closer than he'd originally realized. He was sure an extra phone call wouldn't be a big deal.

On his way back down the street, he passed Beth's souvenir shop. Light spilled out the windows and onto the dark sidewalk. Sebastian hadn't ever spoken to Beth in person. He'd first written to the shop about his jam years ago, and Beth's son was the one who'd come out to Storm House to pick it up each season.

Sebastian hesitated. He could walk by and write to Beth later. Or look up the shop's phone number online and call her. But part of him wanted to go in and see if she was around.

Steeling himself, Sebastian opened the shop door. He was nervous even though the shop was clearly empty of customers. Maybe it was leftover discomfort from the run-in with William or the fact that he didn't know what to expect of Beth.

Would she like him or wish he'd kept his distance?

He inched forward. A woman, maybe a decade older than Mila, stood behind the counter, preoccupied with her cell phone.

"Hi." Sebastian cleared his throat. "Um, Beth?"

"Yes?" She looked up.

"It's Sebastian." He raised his hand in an awkward wave. "I make the apricot jam."

"Oh, hello." Beth beamed. "I hope you've got some more ready for me. I've usually heard from you by now." She glanced at a wall calendar tacked next to the register as if she'd had an appointment with Sebastian noted down.

"Yeah, sorry." Sebastian stuffed his hands in the pockets of the leather jacket. "I've got a batch I can bring by before you close."

She clapped her hands together. "Wonderful. The labels are all ready. Hopefully this weird weather—or whatever you want to call it—goes away before all the tourists get scared off. Your jam is always very popular."

"Glad to hear it, but it's probably your spooky packaging that sells it. I love the labels." He smiled, the twisting in his gut almost completely gone.

"Thank you." Beth seemed genuinely pleased he liked how she'd branded the jam. "If you start making other flavors, I'd be very interested."

Sebastian left the shop and headed around the corner to Gray Electrical. While he really liked James's friends, he was glad to have some of his own people too. It felt good to have connections in town even though he hadn't been here in so long. He liked providing jam for the souvenir shop. It made him feel useful and reminded him he had lots to offer, not just to James but to the community.

It all helped Moonlight Falls feel like home in a way it never had before. He wasn't some outsider. He belonged here as much as anyone else.

Sandwiches were waiting at the electrical shop courtesy of Parker, who seemed to have taken over helping Eli check the data he'd entered.

The rest of the day passed as more of the same. Hazel relayed Sebastian's message about potential shade magic to Eleanor, but there was no more news about the darkness and no progress on getting help from outside Moonlight Falls.

Sebastian, Eli, and Parker returned to Storm House that evening to collect the last few hours of data. The trip went as the last one had. The shades were curious but kept their distance, only getting territorial when the three of them got too close to the fuel cell.

"I'm going to try and run some analysis soon," Eli said once they were back in the car. "Hopefully, after I've typed this up, there will be enough information on the veins' energy flow to start getting a picture of what's happening."

"You're telling me we have another fun night of typing ahead of us?" Parker teased as he pulled onto the road, leaving Storm House behind.

"There's no way around it." Eli reached over to rest his hand on Parker's thigh. His voice dropped to a purr. "But I promise I'll make it worth your while."

Parker chuckled. His eyes caught Sebastian's in the rearview mirror. "I'll drop you at home then? Doesn't sound like tonight is a good night to have you over."

Sebastian snorted. No, it didn't, but he liked that Parker's comment implied he might invite Sebastian over some other time outside of the group's Sunday dinner. "Can you take me over to James's house instead?"

Parker smiled. "Sure thing."

Sebastian's heart fluttered for some reason. He shouldn't feel giddy getting to see James again. They'd been together all day and had only spent a single night apart in weeks. Still, he arrived at James's place full of silly butterflies.

Maybe this was what people felt like when they were happy. Sebastian decided not to fight it now that he was embracing good things.

James greeted him at the door, pulling him inside and kissing him like they'd been parted for months. Sebastian's heart thudded as James's tongue slid over his. He'd never been so in sync with anyone, especially not with the desperate side of himself.

The front door fell closed with a click. James pressed Sebastian against the wall, and Sebastian dug his fingers into James's hips, pulling him as close as possible.

"We need to kiss more during the day," he said when James released him.

"Agreed." James leaned forward, recapturing his mouth.

Sebastian ran his hands along the waistband of James's jeans until he came to the button. He popped it, then slid the zipper down. James groaned as Sebastian slid his hand into James's underwear. He palmed James's hardening cock, running his thumb up the underside and over the tip.

"I've changed my mind," Sebastian breathed against James's lips. "We need to have more sex during the day. Kissing isn't enough."

"You're a deviant," James huffed as he thrust into Sebastian's fist.

"And you fucking love it." Sebastian pulled James's lower lip between his teeth and squeezed his cock, eliciting a small gasp of pleasure.

James sunk his hands into Sebastian's curls, their foreheads pressed together. "Yes, I do."

Sebastian gave him one more rough kiss, then dropped to his knees. He felt so fucking good right now. He loved every second with James and wanted to show it, to seize everything being with James offered him. He could be his ridiculous, imperfect self with James. He could be sweet and doting or filthy and outrageous, anything , and James would accept him.

Right now, he wanted to pamper James and get lost in how much he loved having sex with him.

Sebastian pulled James's jeans and boxer briefs down, freeing his dick. Sebastian looked up as he grabbed hold of the hard length and guided it to his lips. James's mouth dropped open, letting out a low moan as Sebastian teased his cockhead, licking his slit and swirling his tongue around the tip. He loved James watching him. It made him ache to see lust and affection shaping James's usually controlled features.

"You're so good at that, sweetheart. Fuck." James ran his hands through Sebastian's hair, gathering the loose curls into a firm hold.

Sebastian glowed with the praise. He sucked James into his mouth as James tightened his grip on his hair. He loved the consuming feeling of connection he got when James's cock was in his mouth, filled and held in place, and undeniably wanted.

Sebastian bobbed on James's cock, keeping his eyes focused upward so he wouldn't miss James's reactions. He needed every shred of James's pleasure, and Sebastian knew he could have it. He believed he was worthy of it. He sucked James's cock like he had every right to all the good feelings James gave him.

Sebastian hollowed his cheeks. James made an obscene noise, and Sebastian would have given him the most devilish grin if his mouth hadn't been so full .

"Gonna make me come if you keep doing that," James warned.

Sebastian doubled down, James's cock heavy against his tongue. He wanted to take him all the way in, truly let giving head consume him. He let go of the base of James's cock and pushed forward, taking him into the back of his throat.

"Oh shit." James's grip on his hair tightened.

Sebastian groaned. His own cock throbbed, but he didn't take his eyes off James, just slid up and down James's length, taking him as far in as he could.

James moaned. "Fuck, Sebastian. Feels so good. Like you were made for it."

Yes . Sebastian needed more. He took James deeper as one of his hands dropped from James's thigh to rub his aching dick through his jeans.

"You like that? Being made for me?" James stroked Sebastian's cheek with a thumb, making Sebastian whimper.

Yes, he loved the idea of being made for James. The thought had his own orgasm crashing into him. He spilled into his pants with a few rough strokes of his hand.

"Oh shit." James thrust into Sebastian's mouth as he watched Sebastian come. It was as consuming as Sebastian wanted it to be. Pleasure soared through him as James's dick pulsed and hot cum flooded his mouth.

Sebastian swallowed, bobbing on James until he'd sucked everything he could out of him. He pulled off reluctantly, wanting to stay connected and keep the taste of James from fading.

Why couldn't James be his whole world? It felt so fucking good. Sebastian had been so lonely for so long. He wanted to fill himself with James and cling until he forgot he'd ever been alone.

James took a few unsteady breaths and pulled Sebastian up. It seemed James didn't want to let go either. Without speaking, he reached for Sebastian's jeans, undoing them and pulling them down. He peeled back Sebastian's ruined underwear to reveal his soft, sticky cock. James dragged his fingers through the cum cooling against Sebastian's skin. Sebastian shivered, moaning as James brought his fingers to his mouth.

"It's so hot seeing you make a mess of yourself for me." James licked his fingers, and Sebastian's cheeks burned. "It's like just knowing you're mine gets you off."

Sebastian made a desperate sound. "Knowing I'm yours is all I need, James."

James shook his head. "All you need, huh? Didn't I say you deserved to be spoiled?" Sebastian nodded, and James knelt before him. "That's right. Now, can I clean you up?"

Sebastian's eyes widened. He nodded again, words failing him. James leaned forward, and Sebastian had to bite back a whimper as James ran his tongue over his sensitive cock.

James licked him delicately, moving to kiss and swirl his tongue over the crease between Sebastian's groin and thigh when Sebastian's cock became too tender. He cleaned the cum from his skin before burying his nose against it and breathing in. Eventually, he made his way back to Sebastian's dick and cleaned that too, like he was worshipping it. It wasn't just sexy. It was…more.

Sebastian felt exposed, vulnerable, and so pampered as James's soft ministrations tickled and teased him, each gentle caress perfect and loving.

When he was done, James kissed the head of Sebastian's cock and righted his clothes, then stood and did up his own jeans. He ran a hand through Sebastian's hair. "You probably still want to change before dinner."

He said it so matter-of-fact, as if he hadn't just given Sebastian an unfathomable gift. Like it was normal to be so treasured.

Sebastian scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah, my boxers are a bit sticky."

James grinned. "Come on. You can borrow some of my clothes. "

Sebastian followed James upstairs. He hoped he'd made James feel as treasured as he did right now.

He perched on James's bed as James dug around in his drawers and closet. Instead of handing him the pile of clothes as Sebastian expected, James set everything on the bed and pulled Sebastian's shirt over his head.

James kissed the freckles cascading over Sebastian's shoulders, lingering on the bite marks at the crook of his neck. His lips were as delicate as they'd been on his cock.

Sebastian sighed. It felt so good.

James continued to take care of him, handing Sebastian a T-shirt and helping him out of his jeans and underwear. He caressed Sebastian's skin as he went, tracing the shape of his hips, kneading his thighs and calf muscles.

Sebastian had never felt so cared for.

James watched as Sebastian pulled on the borrowed boxer briefs and a pair of sweats. His gaze didn't feel sexual. His expression wasn't lust-laden like it had been earlier. It seemed more proud, if anything. Which Sebastian didn't quite understand.

"I like seeing you in my clothes." James reached out to adjust the collar of the T-shirt Sebastian was wearing.

"Ah." Sebastian smiled, getting it now. "You like staking your claim."

James shrugged. "Yeah. I like being able to see that I'm the one you trust to take care of you. I've never been into it before, but I'm dying to cover your neck in hickeys for everyone to see."

Sebastian touched the hidden bite marks. "There's a horny animal trapped inside you, James."

He snorted. "What a romantic way to put it." He shook his head. "See, this is why I hold back. When I don't, I turn into a caveman."

"No. I think when you're in, you're all in. That's all. It's not a bad thing." Sebastian pulled James into a kiss. "I need to be claimed as much as you need to mark me. I promise. "

James wrapped his arms around Sebastian. "Man, I like hearing that. I've never felt this strongly about anyone. It's kind of terrifying, but you get me, and that makes it so much easier. It's like you knew this need was inside me and pulled it out into the open. Being with you feels so right."

"I know, it really does." Sebastian wrapped his arms around James's neck. "We're basically perfect for each other. And I couldn't be happier that I'm bringing out the horny caveman in you. He's hot."

"Oh my god." James rolled his eyes, but his smile didn't dim in the slightest.

"None of that." Sebastian kissed him on the nose. "This might be my proudest moment: getting the guy who used to blush at the word dildo to say he wants to cover me in marks so everyone knows how thoroughly he's satisfied me."

James went bright red. "When you put it like that?—"

"It's exactly how you put it. And I love it. I love being yours. It makes me happier than I thought possible." Sebastian released James, taking in the soft smile and affectionate shine in his eyes. Sebastian kissed his nose once more. "Now, let's go make dinner. I need to feed you."