Scavengers: Collection - Books 1-4 (Zombie Gentlemen) (m/m zombie steampunk erotic romance) (30 page)

“Ah, yes! Ya keep that up!” Ira was rubbing against him frantically, arm hooked over James’ neck to keep him close. His tongue penetrated James’ mouth with the same fierce speed his lover's cock pistoned in and out of his willing body. He felt soft and relaxed inside, his flesh giving no resistance whatsoever.

“So good,” uttered James, as his thrusts became more frenzied. Still, he never stopped pumping Ira’s cock with his hand.

“Ah yes, get it all in!” Ira was ready to burst. “I’m so... fuck, come on, boy!”

“Me? I’m just waiting for you!” James gave him a hoarse laugh and it only took him a few more thrusts to come, deep inside the willing flesh.

Ira smiled, closing his eyes and letting himself go. The molten heat spreading inside his belly had Ira spilling within seconds. Still in the afterglow, he pulled James on top of himself, forcing him to kneel on the desktop, the softening cock slipping out of Ira in the process. The sticky wetness between their bodies reminded Ira how much he enjoyed being dirty and he smiled into James’ sweet-smelling mane.

“Amazing.” James rested his body weight on Ira like he were the most comfortable mattress ever. That thought made Ira grin at the ceiling, surprised by how happy and lighthearted he felt after an act he believed was not in line with his nature.

“Yeah? My boy likes being
the man
?” He chuckled, tenderly kissing James’ jaw. Come was slowly oozing out of his hole, but he didn’t mind it in the slightest.

“Don’t mock me!” James moaned, hugging him hard.

“Nah, I’m ‘appy with that!” Ira gave him a kiss on the cheek.

“Was it good for you?” James was eager to know, nuzzling his nose against the side of Ira's face.

Ira beamed at James, stroking his back with affection. “It felt amazin'.”

“I feel complete.” James sighed, stroking the sides of Ira’s body. “Back to reality now.”

“What, ya want the floggin’ now?” Ira joked, still drunk on the coupling. It was as if everything settled in its rightful place.

James made an amused expression. “The moment we get safely home, love. I’m too tired now.” He finally started moving back to his feet, but Ira stopped him with a strong hug, wanting more of the closeness before it was gone.

“My boy is so decisive.”

“Will you just keep mocking me now to no end?” James laughed and untangled himself from Ira’s arms. He slid from the desk and pulled up his trousers.

“I’d never mock ya." Ira yawned, dazed after his release. He sat on the desk, watching James with interest. It seemed as though proving himself in the male role calmed him down.

“Right, as if I would ever believe that.” James looked as proud as a peacock, even as he buttoned up his shirt.
 It was darling.

“Look at ya!” Ira slid off the desk and pulled him into an embrace. “Like yar a new man!”

James tied his hair back into a neat ponytail. “In a way I am I suppose.” He glanced at Ira’s half naked body. Their eyes met and Ira pulled him close again, unable to keep his hands back.

“Not bad for a first timer, boy.”

“Not bad? Is that all you can say? You seemed more eager than
that
a short while ago.” James laughed, hugging him and using the opportunity to pat Ira's buttocks. Ira chuckled, clenching his ass at the touch.

“I’m just surprised. A bit.”

“With?” James started closing up Ira’s shirt.

“Ah, with yar stamina.” Ira wiggled his eyebrows.

“I had a lot of experience since I met you!”

Ira shook his head and put on his trousers as soon as he cleaned himself off with a napkin he found in his pocket. He suddenly came to a realization. “The sirens are off.”

“That’s right!” James’ smile widened. “Let’s go see what’s happening!”

Ira ran to the window, buttoning his trousers on the way, and lifted one of the blinds to peek outside. He saw bodies, some of them ripped into pieces, but the sight of soldiers methodically piercing head after head with their bayonets made him breathe a sigh of relief.

“Looks well.”

“Are you out of your mind!?” James pulled him away from the window. “Be careful!”

“Why? We’re on the second floor.” Ira frowned at him.

“You never know,” James said after a pause and closed the shutters with a final clank. “I'd rather take no risk.”

Ira snorted. “Worried for yar man, aren’t ya?” he asked, not without pride.

“I am.” James sighed, rubbing his face. “And as far as I can see, it is yet another reason to make fun of me.”

“Ya bein’ so serious. Stop it.” Ira pressed a chaste kiss to James’ cheek. This new development in their relationship made him feel even closer to James, though he still hoped they would stick to the old arrangement more often than not.

James looked up at Ira and shook his head. “I don’t know. It’s just that I feel constantly responsible for everyone. It is not an easy thing.”

Noticing the distant look in James’ eyes, Ira poked him with the side of his head to lighten the mood. “It’ll be allright.”

“I wish the world was more peaceful.” James slowly wrapped his arms around Ira’s neck.

“What counts is our peace. Ours. Katherines--” Ira trailed off, playing with a strand of fine hair which curled right beside his partner’s ear.

“I have to make her happy somehow.” James furrowed his eyebrows.

Ira sighed, gently stroking his arm. “Since ya love her.”

“Not helping there, big guy!” James laughed and hit Ira’s arm with his fist.

“What can I do? It’s a simple thing.” Ira looked around in search of some brandy. He developed a taste for it since he moved into the Hurst apartment.

“I don’t know. I’m just useless at these things. I could barely talk to her about it today. I think she deserves someone who will make her as happy as you make me.” James looked into the mirror, making sure that his clothes were presentable.

Ira raised an eyebrow at him. “We might... look for a new servant,” he suggested. “I could help ya.”

“No no! It has to be someone exquisite. She likes to read a lot. A teacher maybe.”

“Can be, yeah.” Ira got lost in thought. “And I can check if they’re good men,” he said, very serious. “We can’t afford ‘er heart bein’ broken.”

“Or some kind of leech. How will you check them?” James walked up to Ira and closed up his belt for him.

“I have m’ways--” Ira trailed off with a self-satisfied smile. He wasn't willing to share
all
of his methods. Being the righteous person that he was, James could be disgusted by some of them.

“Ira ‘the Shark’ Russel?” James snorted and pulled him towards the door.

“Somethin’ along those lines!” Ira dashed to the door, intending to open it for James, but it wouldn’t budge.

James grinned, pulling out the key and gave Ira a cheeky slap on the buttocks, before opening the door.

“Ah yes, mock me, m’lord!” Ira bowed so deep he almost touched the floor with the top of his head.

“Eye for an eye.” James had a beautiful smile. Ira felt this pressing urge to kiss him each time he saw it. And he did so once more before they exited into the corridor.

“Tough bastard.”

James straightened up, as they walked down the passage towards a raising roar of male voices.

“What is it?” Ira gave him a sideways glance.

“It’s probably the Lords. It sounds like someone is giving a speech.”

“...will be no forgiveness for those who drown our beloved city in anarchy!”

“Is that... Barnett?” James furrowed his brow and they sped up to finally stop in the side door of Westminster Hall, behind a solid wall of male backs. Judging from their tasteful, yet fine clothes, Ira assumed they had to be members of the parliament... or other important people. He was not particularly interested in politics. He looked up, focusing on the impressive chamber. Great metal arches supported the old wooden ceiling. Further on, up the stairs and on a massive copper pedestal, stood Lord Barnett, whom Ira knew from countless caricatures and from James’ stories. He was delivering a speech that engaged the whole chamber in a stunned silence.

Ira walked in right after James, his eyes fixed on the thin man in black. His long, prematurely gray hair made his pale face seem bland. He looked much less charismatic than in the newspapers, but Ira would still recognize him from the crook of his nose and deep lines of grief which made him look much older than his 35 years, especially since the gray goatee and long moustache he wore had been long out of fashion. The perfectly cut black suit though, revealed an energetic, young body.

“We all know where they came from! We need to ban those people from London once and for all!”

“Since when is he against the Johners?” James gave Ira a confused look.

“The government
will
take a stand and I will personally lobby for de-legalizing their existence!” Barnett opened his mouth to continue but a storm of cheering and clapping rendered him mute.

Ira leaned closer to his lover, feeling an unpleasant coolness deep in his gut. “Since he needs to pretend he does.”

“It is a very sudden change of heart,” James said in a sour voice as Barnett started talking again.

*

30 September, 1893

James dried his forehead with a handkerchief for the hundredth time this afternoon. Or thousandth, he’d lost count. He was in the garden on the rooftop of their building. The space was divided into small plots so that each apartment owner had a green spot to call their own. Katherine had theirs surrounded by a wooden pergola, now flooded by sweet smelling grape vines and roses. The wooden construction protected the plot from excessive sunlight, with thick wooden beams hovering above a white metal bench James sat on next to his wife. She tended to her little garden on her own, working both on the health of her plants and presentation. Instead of using wooden crates like some of their neighbors, Katherine kept her greens in big, ceramic pots that she could move into their apartment for decoration.

“You seem tired, darling.” Katherine plucked a berry from a tiny pot placed on the table in front of her.

“Do I?” James blinked, looking back at her with a smile.

“Oh yes.” Katherine laughed, pushing the fruit right between his lips with a content smile. “I know you have a lot on your mind with the new laws... but don’t you think you might be working a little too much?” she inquired, looking at him with an honesty they could not afford before the conversation they had on the day of the ‘Johner Treason’, as the press called it. As much as James didn’t like it, it seemed that Lord Barnett, a former Johner supporter, was now set on a path towards being Prime Minister in the future. The powerful speech he gave that day made people believe that he truly changed his opinion about Isaac Bell's cult. Lords and Ministers were drawn to his charismatic persona and the press fell for his charm, covering his dramatic life story. Barnett only fell for the Johner lies because he lost his family to the Plague, they said, but eventually, he picked himself up and decided to work in politics for the greater good. At least that was the official story.

“Maybe.” James wrinkled his nose. “Do you mean I look bad?”

“Ah, not exactly,” Katherine corrected him; the small lines around her eyes made her look like a kitten. “Just all this plotting to draw people away from Barnett, it takes its toll on you.”

James bit his lip. “That’s not very helpful, darling. Telling me I look tired.”

“Why? Are you visiting your lady friend?” Katherine asked. She got accustomed to James having a lover much quicker than he expected and never acted like she were displeased about it.

“Oh, don’t say that!” He swallowed, the topic making him uncomfortable. Wives shouldn’t be so accepting of their husband’s affairs.

“Why?” Katherine stroked his hair, just like she used to when they were children. Before the idea to marry her even came to James’ mind.

“It’s embarrassing. With you being my wife." He took her hand and gently brushed his lips over the top of it.

“I am your friend first,” she told him with a small smile.

“Well, I have a surprise for you.” James cleared his throat, deciding to change the topic as fast as possible. “It will arrive very soon.”

That got her interested. “A surprise? What is it?” Katherine grabbed his arm, but before James could make up an answer, they heard male voices nearby.

“You will see for yourself.” He smiled and leaned back in the bench.

Katherine pouted at him, but as they saw two shadows moving along the pergola, she made sure her lavender dress looked immaculate.

“Is that you, Ira?” asked James.

“It is me, sir.” Ira appeared from behind the thick vines dressed in a pair of trousers with suspenders and a fitted shirt that was open enough to reveal some of his chest hair. The outfit was only semi-proper, but since Katherine didn’t mind, James didn’t even more so.

Ira nodded at Katherine first, before sending James a broad grin. “Your guest has arrived, sir.”

“Oh! My
guest
!” James emphasized, looking at Katherine. “Invite him in, please!”

“Yes, sir.” Ira retreated from their sight to peek behind the wooden construction.

“You may enter now,” he told the guest as if he were a butler inviting them into the Hurst drawing room. Katherine chuckled, amused by the display, but the smile froze on her face when she saw another man entering their tiny garden.

James smirked, satisfied with the effect of his surprise. He still had doubts if they had made the right decision in hiring a teacher for Katherine. He and Ira held interviews with potential employees last week. There was a French piano teacher, a literature teacher and a singing coach whom James considered most appropriate, but Ira insisted he wouldn’t do the trick.

And there was this one. An Italian language teacher. James was most skeptical when he first saw the tall, nonchalant Florentian, but Ira privately checked out his credentials and convinced James that the teacher would be to Katherine’s liking. It seemed Ira had been right.

What stood out the most was the man’s broad smile, bright enough to reach a pair of dark, hypnotizing eyes. He had dimples James heard women adored in men and a mass of thick, dark curls falling down to his shoulders. The teacher’s skin tan contrasted with the colors he chose for his outfit - a well cut brown suit, complemented by a purple cravat and vest. The effect was a look that was stylish, but almost as nonchalant as Ira's, albeit much less rugged.

James stood up to greet him. “This is signor Luigi Santori,” he told his wife. “Signor, my wife Katherine.”

The teacher shook James’ hand politely, but his gaze shifted to Katherine as soon as it was acceptable. “Sir, your wife is a perfect example of an English rose,” he told James with a heavy accent, moving to stand in front of Katherine. He gently took her hand and bowed to kiss it.

James cleared his throat, watching the interaction. “Dear,
this
is my surprise. You were so engaged in that Casanova book, I thought maybe you would enjoy learning the Italian language.”

Katherine’s eyes moved between him and the handsome foreigner, a heavy blush staining her cheeks. She seemed disoriented.

“That’s--” she trailed off, but the teacher wouldn’t let her slip through his fingers.

“What an extraordinary taste you have, my lady!” he said with encouragement.

“Ah, James, that is a lovely surprise!” She gasped, averting her eyes from the man in front of her, as he finally let go of her hand. “You are most considerate, darling.” The gleam in her eyes assured James she was most content with his gift.

James’ smile widened. Seeing her happy made his heart pump with satisfaction. “It was Ira’s idea, as well!”

Katherine blinked. “It was?”

“Signor Santori already claimed his new lodgings, sir,” Ira said, but James knew it was meant for Katherine’s ears.

“Unless that does not please you of course,” James told his wife, who blinked, looking at him as if he woke her up from a slumber.

“Oh, no, I do not mind!” Her face became even redder. She must have realized that she seemed a little too eager than what was considered to be acceptable. “I mean, I do want to learn Italian fast. It will be convenient.”

“I will make sure that you do, madam.” Signor Santori nodded at her with a cocky smile. “I am at your service.”

“Sir.” This time it was Ira snatching James out of his thoughts.

“Yes?” James shifted his gaze, still unsure if this Santori would prove to be a good companion for his wife. They had to keep a close eye on him, although Ira promised he would personally take care of this matter.

“I was thinking Lady Katherine might want to have her first lesson now, while we play a party of backgammon, as we planned,” Ira proposed, making a blatant street reference to homosexual encounters.

James paused for a moment, paralyzed with the thought that someone else could understand it. “Ah... y-yes. Would you like that my dove?”

Katherine beamed at him, drawing back her shoulders, which made her round breasts stand out even more. “Of course, darling! I’m very excited about this. I hope signor Santori doesn’t mind to start right away?” She looked up at her new tutor and he nodded with a broad smile, darting a look at James.

“It’s a teacher’s pleasure to have such an eager student.”

James furrowed his eyebrows, but before he would open his mouth, Ira discreetly pulled at his sleeve. “I shall see you both at dinner then.”

“Enjoy your game, James!” said Katherine, her attention already fixed on the handsome man who sat down on the bench next to her.

“Let the doves getta know each other,” Ira whispered into James’ ear as soon as they left the Hurst plot.

James pouted, but followed his lover towards the door leading out from the rooftop. “I am really not sure if it’s a good idea.”

“And yar sayin' it ‘cause?” Ira raised his eyebrows at him, stopping by the copper-covered lift he requested with a push of a button.

“I don’t want her to get hurt.” It seemed unavoidable if all Italians were like this Casanova.

Ira shook his head. “I’ve got this.”

James looked at him and finally let himself smile. He wished he could kiss Ira, but the opening doors to the lift cooled his ardour. He could not possibly do that in front of a young attendant.

“I think she will like the classes, sir. Your wife most likes reading,” he said in an attempt at an elegant accent.

James just shook his head. “I hope so. She’s such a bright woman. I would not like her to feel bored.”

“I am sure she will not be.”

The lift stopped at their floor and they exited into the corridor.

“So... Backgammon?” James looked away, wetting his lips in anticipation.

“That yar favorite game, ain’t it?” Ira's innocent question sent James' nerve endings into a frenzy. Even the clothes on his skin felt like caressing fingers.

“I can’t really think of one more amusing.” James winked at him as they entered the apartment.

“But ya still gotta learn some tricks.” Ira gave him a long look.

“Do I?” James stroked his arm as they went through the corridors. The servants were having dinner in the kitchen at this point, so they could afford the small risk of touching.

“I think so. It will be like goin’ back to Eton--” Ira trailed off, his fingers gently moving over James’ buttocks.

Those words made James’ heart skip a beat and he looked up into Ira’s eyes. “Am I also getting a new teacher?”

His lover gave him a self-satisfied smile; his eyelids only halfway open as he pushed on the door to his bedroom. “One that’s very good at handlin’ a paddle.”

Scavengers: September – End