The Carnivorous Vegan

12814 University Club Dr #102
Tampa, FL 33612

Publisher's Note

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

The publisher has no control over and does not assume responsibility for any third-party websites or their content. The uploading and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law.

Copyright © 2013 by K.A. Merikan
All rights reserved.

STRMNP0000012

Cover art by Dare Empire eMedia Productions

"Stop right there! You! Yes, you by that bin! What do you think you're doing?"

Aiden hoped that he managed to hide in the shadows, avoiding the harsh beam of light, but it looked like he had failed. Even worse, his long dreadlocks got caught in the hinges of the bin, and if he pulled any farther, it would leave bald spots on the side of his head.

"Damn," he muttered and dropped the bag of freshly gathered produce. Some people called what he was doing 'freeganism', but that was just a lame, hipster term for it. He liked to call himself a 'gatherer'. Aiden was afraid that he might have just met a 'hunter'. A hunter who was about to enter the final stage of the chase.

"Stay right there!" The stampeding footsteps echoed between the rubbish containers at the rear door of the supermarket, the bright torch light hovering all over Aiden like a pesky fly.

"Oh, come on, mate." Aiden squinted and tried to pull out his dreadlocks. He really did feel like a fox, crushed in one of those inhumane traps. He couldn't help but feel sorry for the cauliflowers rolling around by his feet. They were perfectly good to eat, and now, he was second-wasting them. Aiden frowned when one of the pieces disappeared under a black shoe with a crunch, something he could see in detail in the white light of the now-unmoving torch.

"Look at me." The guard stopped close enough for Aiden to smell his cologne. It was bitter and musky with a hint of spice.

Aiden raised his hands in a gesture of peace. "Hey, it's not like I'm armed or anything." He squinted again, trying to see the guy, but all he could make out was his height and size. Being six feet tall, Aiden was still shorter than him. The guard had a slight Eastern European accent and was broader in the shoulders than Aiden. He huffed, switching off the torch.

"I am arresting you for stealing from this property." A large hand fell on Aiden's arm, squeezing it with an air of authority.

There was no use in struggling with his hair caught in the bloody bin hinges, so Aiden leaned against the bin. "Oh, really?"

In the glow of the streetlights, he could finally get a look at the guard's face. It was always good to look into the predator's eyes.

Ha. He even had the square jaw and strong brow line of a hunter.

The guard pouted and cocked his eyebrow, studying Aiden as if he were some kind of freak of nature. The stud in Aiden's nose probably wasn't helping him look like a 'decent citizen', either. Now that Aiden's eyes got used to the dark again, he recognized that the predator's short-cropped hair had to be one of those washed-out colours, maybe dirty blond. Come to think of it, the guard was rather handsome, in a
predatory
kind of way.

"Yes, really."

"It's the bins, mate. Seriously, can't you give it a rest?" Aiden sighed, taking a quick glance at the guy from head to toe. He was dressed in a black set of trousers and shirt, with the store logo and "Security" printed below his left shoulder in bright yellow lettering.

"I'm not saying it makes sense, but it still is stealing!" huffed the guard, pulling Aiden toward the entrance. "You're coming with me."

"Ay! Wait! My hair's stuck." Aiden grabbed him by his arm and pulled back. "Where's your name tag, anyway?" He poked the guard's chest.
Nice and firm.
Getting into a friendly conversation was the best way out of most problems with the law.

"It's here." The guard showed him a laminated card with his photograph and personal data.

"Pavel Kost... How do you say your last name, Pavel?" Aiden gave him his door-to-door salesman smile.

The guard frowned, but answered with something that sounded like "Kostshishevsky", only harsher. He crooked his head, watching Aiden's struggle with the bin. "Do you need a knife?"

"No!" Aiden's eyes widened. "How about some help here, huh? Where's that last name from? Russian? Polish?" He tried to make conversation, even with the threat of his precious dreads being cut off. Of course, someone with short hair would never understand.

Pavel sighed and pointed the torch at the bin hinges. "It's Polish. I can't believe you can't hear the difference in accent," he muttered absentmindedly, picking at the tangle of hair.

"Oh, yeah? You so smart?" Aiden turned his head, looking at Pavel's face from just inches away. "I'm mixed-race you know. Go on, have a look. Where was my Nan from?" He knew it wasn't obvious, but would hopefully get Pavel interested. His dark, thick hair and the cool, olive tint to his skin would have him thinking. Armenian was no one's first guess. The look Pavel gave him was obviously meant as a quick glance, but it lingered just for a second too long.

"Why would I care? I'm still calling the police."

Aiden sighed in relief when he felt the last of his dreads yanked out from between the hinges. "Look, I really can't get into trouble with the police right now. Can't we work something out?"

Pavel groaned, closing the container, and took hold of Aiden's shoulder once more. "I can hardly imagine you bribing me if you need to steal food from the rubbish."

"I've got other things I can trade..." Aiden knew it was a thin line to cross, but he was sure Pavel gave him a longer look than a Kinsey '0' would. "I could show you how a guy gives head. No one would have to know." He kept his eyes on his captor's, hoping it would hypnotise him. His experience with straight boys told him many were up for experiments as long as the deed stayed a secret. It wasn't desperation that drove Aiden, though. He wouldn't mind sucking the guy off one bit. He might as well kill two birds with one stone.

The hand on his shoulder tightened, and Pavel switched off the torch. All they could hear was the distant hum of a nearby highway, and when Aiden started anticipating the chirp of cicadas in the background, Pavel cleared his throat.

"I do know how men give head."

Oh. Ker-ching!

"Do you?" Aiden's grin instantly widened, and he took his time to look from Pavel's broad shoulders all the way to his groin. No detail was revealed in the dark, though, with the black trousers looking like a solid mass.
Oh, well. Good things come to those who wait.

"You can't bribe me. Let's go." Pavel's breath came out raspy enough for Aiden to chuckle. Their eyes met for a second before the guard broke the contact, gently tugging him towards the door.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Are you a flowers-and-dinner kind of guy?" Aiden snorted. For the time being, he decided to follow, but he would fight tooth and nail not to get into the building.

The scowl on Pavel's face was hard to decipher. Was he weighing his options?

"I'm the 'whatever' kind of guy, not that it matters."

"Why doesn't it?" Aiden swallowed. The closer they were getting to the back door, the more set on making a run for it he was. He couldn't afford to get in trouble again.

"I don't need some thief to suck me to get head." Pavel gritted his teeth hard enough for him to hear, and the grip he had on Aiden's arm tightened, as if he anticipated a struggle for escape.

"It's not stealing if it's in the rubbish. Seriously!" Aiden yanked his arm back as soon as they reached the thick, metal door. He was
not
getting pulled into the lion's den!

The streetlights melted into a bright line, and he was slammed into the steel wall with Pavel's tense arms holding him in place. "I know karate, so don't even try!"

Aiden whimpered in shock. "Oy! Is that 'reasonable force'!? I know my rights!" This was not going as planned.

Pavel narrowed his eyes, swallowing. "It is, because you were trying to run."

"Oh, yeah? What if I try to blow you against your will?" Aiden couldn't help a laugh and reached out to squeeze Pavel's groin. And just like that, the hands were gone and the guard pulled back, dodging the attack. Pavel's shoulders rose and fell with each deep breath he took.

"Go." He bit his lip and moved his torch against the service belt, cursing beneath his breath when it wouldn't fall in place.

Aiden took a quick two steps away, but looked back at Pavel in surprise. "Huh?"

Pavel pressed his lips into a thin line when he finally managed to attach the torch to his belt. "I'm not doing shit like that. If that's how bad you want to go, then go."

Aiden paced in place for a moment. "Am I ugly or something?" He knew he wasn't. He was tall, slim but wide shouldered, and had a cool nose piercing. What else did the guy want?

The line between Pavel's brows deepened. "What? Since when does that matter? I won't call the police, okay? You don't have to drop your pants!"

"Uhm... can I at least take my broccoli?" Aiden made a move toward the bins.

Pavel's body slouched as he gave him a helpless once-over. "Yeah, fine. Whatever."

As Aiden was picking up his vegetables, he couldn't stop looking back to the security guard. He was usually able to pick up any guy for a hook-up, unless he was in a committed relationship. Maybe it would take another pass?

"Can I have that cucumber, too?" he asked casually, standing up and pointing to Pavel's crotch.

The guard let out a pained hiss and rustled the short hair at the back of his head. "Is that some slang I don't know?"

"Yeah, it's slang for 'can I have that cock you have in your pants'?" Aiden rolled his eyes but took a step closer, no longer a gatherer. He was the predator now. Like a racoon: only a part-time hunter that enjoyed scavenging the bins.

Pavel's mouth opened. "You
want
it?" he asked with obvious disbelief.