Zack and the Dark Shaft (9 page)

Zack and the Dark Shaft

65

Otherwise healthy, Zack had all the classic signs of crack addiction—rapid weight loss, dark circles under the eyes and, sometimes, ashen skin tone. He knew from the last several nights that Zack didn’t get enough sleep, and certainly not restful sleep. This alone could have been behind the dark circles, even the weight loss.

Whatever was going on, Quincy decided he was going to put a stop to it, even if he had to stage a one-man intervention.

* * * *

When Zack opened the door, Quincy held up a picnic basket filled to the brim with a little bit of everything he thought a growing boy needed to put on weight and stay healthy.

Zack gestured at the picnic basket. “What’s all this?” He stepped aside to let Quincy into his loft.

Quincy peered at him, noticing his sculpted features looked a tad sharper, more pronounced, just this side of gaunt. Not much better or worse than he’d looked yesterday. He guessed that was a good sign. “We’re going on a picnic.”

Zack chuckled. “Can you be anymore corny? Or obvious?”

“It’s called being spontaneous and romantic. You should try it sometime, you ingrate.”

Zack slid his arms around Quincy and nuzzled his chest. “I appreciate the thought.” He pulled back to look Quincy in the eyes.

Quincy melted from the sincere intensity he saw glowing from the depths of those well-loved, blue eyes, but he wasn’t going to be swayed from what he wanted to do.

“I appreciate
you,
Quincy.”

Quincy put down his booty to lift Zack into his arms. Zack automatically wrapped his legs around Quincy’s waist and his arms around Quincy’s neck.

“How did you get to be so irresistible?”

“Am I?’

66

Gracie C. McKeever

“You know you are.” Quincy pecked his nose and ran his thumb from Zack’s forehead to his chin, tracing the bones before shuddering. “You need to eat more.”

“If I eat anymore than you and my mother insist on feeding me, I’ll explode.”

“You should see a doctor.”

“We’ve had this discussion already. And I told you, the doctor said I’m fine and that the weight loss isn’t anything to be alarmed about.”

“Because he doesn’t know what’s causing it,” Quincy grumbled.

“He doesn’t need to because I…I know what’s causing it.”

“Care to enlighten
me
?”

“Not yet.”

“What is it you’re trying so hard not to tell me?”

Zack unwrapped and lowered his legs, signaling that he wanted to be put down.

Quincy acquiesced and let Zack slide down his body back to the floor, but didn’t release him, instead pulled him close and held on. He stared down at Zack’s face. The kid was skin and bones, his striking cheekbones more defined than usual beneath the thick, feathered lashes.

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you, Quincy.”

“Don’t be so sure of that.” He cupped Zack’s face and pulled him close.

“You’re not alone so don’t ever feel you can’t come to me with your troubles. I’m a good listener with a strong shoulder. That’s what partners are for.”

Zack fisted the front of Quincy’s cream polo shirt in both hands and buried his face against Quincy’s chest. “Damn, you make it so hard to keep a secret.”

“That’s the idea.” Quincy put a hand under Zack’s chin to lift his head.

“Hey, I’ve shared more with you in the last week than I ever have with lovers I’ve been with for months and years. There’s nothing you can’t share with me.”

“I wish that were true.”

“Zack—”

Zack and the Dark Shaft

67

“Listen, let’s get a move on enjoying the feast for a small army that I’m sure you’ve packed, okay?”

“Okay.” Quincy nodded and lifted his basket. “But this isn’t over.”

* * * *

They spent the rest of the afternoon playing and eating in Central Park.

The day was sunny and pleasant, perfect for outdoor activities of all kinds and they partook in as many as they could except the one Quincy really wanted to partake in with Zack. But he guessed he could save something for later.

He smiled at the thought now while he watched Zack make a diving catch for the Frisbee that he had just thrown a good foot over Zack’s head.

Thin and all, he still looked edible, the muscles beneath his creamy skin flexing as shirtless Zack glided through the air, fully extended, arms reaching for the plastic orange disk.

He landed on the grass of the Great Lawn with the Frisbee clutched in both hands, bounded to his feet and trotted back to where Quincy was standing beneath a tall oak.

They’d had turkey-and-Swiss sandwiches and iced green tea beneath the same tree a couple of hours earlier, and Quincy intended for them to eat at least once more before he took Zack out on the lake to cap off the day.

Quincy laughed and caught Zack against him with one arm when the other man moved to tackle him. “Ready for a break?”

“Let me guess. To eat again?”

“Don’t tell me you haven’t worked up an appetite with all the running and catching.”

“I have.” Zack licked his lips and took the large bottled water Quincy offered him.

Quincy leaned in to nibble the other man’s full lips before Zack could lift the bottle to his mouth. Zack’s lips were so juicy and inviting he couldn’t help himself. “Do you know how much I want to get you back to your house so I can ravish you?”

68

Gracie C. McKeever

“No. How much?”

Quincy wrapped both arms around him in a loose hug and pressed his lower body against Zack just enough so that the other man could feel the erection pulsing behind his zipper. “This much.”

“Well, we’re just going to have to cool you off until we get back to my place then.” Zack moved out of his grasp so fast Quincy had no time to protest before the other man dumped half the bottle of water over Quincy’s head.

Quincy shook his head, sputtering while Zack eased behind the tree. “You little shit!”

“Now Quince, I was just doing my part to help a brother out.”

“And I just want to show my gratitude for your thoughtfulness…” Quincy took off after him, not surprised with the speed that Zack circled the tree to duck him.

After several circuits around the large trunk, Zack finally lost his footing in the damp grass, crashing to the ground and cracking up by the time Quincy made it over to him.

“I guess you’re okay since you’re laughing so hard.”

“I’m fine, especially when I remember the look on your face at your dousing.”

“Ha-ha, I’ll show you dousing, smart-ass.” Quincy wrestled the bottle from him, surprised there was still water in it after all of Zack’s running, and dumped the rest of the bottle over Zack’s head while the other man chuckled and sent up half-hearted objections.

Panting, Zack leaned up on an elbow and grinned at Quincy sprawled beside him. “So that’s how you show your gratitude?”

“Just one of the ways.”

“I can’t wait to see the other ways.” Zack bent his head to kiss Quincy’s nose, but Quincy tilted up his face to catch Zack’s mouth with his. He thrust in his tongue, breathless as Zack met it with his and reached between them to grasp Quincy’s aching cock.

At this rate, Quincy would need a swim in the lake to cool off instead of just rowing around it in a boat. “You about ready to make that move?”

“Ready when you are.”

Zack and the Dark Shaft

69

Quincy stood up and reached down a hand for Zack. Zack took it and let Quincy pull him to his feet. He almost slipped and said something about Zack’s light weight, but didn’t want to ruin the day and push the other man back into his shell.

Zack helped Quincy repack the rest of their meal and get rid of their refuse in the nearby receptacles.

Quincy decided they could eat on the lake once he took them to the Loeb Boathouse several blocks away and rented a rowboat. He’d briefly played with the idea of taking a gondola ride, but wanted Zack to himself.

A half-an-hour later they were settled in the middle of the lake full of Quincy’s homemade fried chicken, three-cheese-macaroni, more green iced tea, and lazing under the early evening sun spilling down from the clear blue, Manhattan skyline.

Zack reclined with one knee hooked over the side of the boat, swirling the cool lake water with his bare toes and looking like a contemporary Huck Finn.

Quincy admired his relaxed, half-naked state and licked his lips when he imagined Zack’s warm chest pressed against his.

Zack kicked water in his direction, most of it hitting Quincy squarely in the face.

Quincy spluttered. “You are just determined to keep me wet today aren’t you?”

“Wet and hard, yeah.”

Quincy cupped some water with one hand and got Zack back.

Before long they were engaged in a full-fledged water fight, enough water in the bottom of the boat to make it look like they had sprung a leak.

Laughing, Quincy finally wrestled Zack to the seat of the boat, pouring water over the other man’s head from his fishing hat. “Give up, smarty?”

“I give! I give!” Zack gasped.

“Good. Now, c’mere.” Quincy pulled him to a sitting position, dragging him onto his lap and planting a big wet one on his lips. Not able to get enough, he added tongue, tangling with Zack’s and alternately pulling back to nibble and suck on the other man’s lips.

70

Gracie C. McKeever

Quincy briefly opened his eyes to look at Zack and got an unpleasant surprise when he caught Zara’s face superimposed over her brother’s. “What the—”

Zack’s eyes drifted open and he stared at Quincy, his own glance confused and hazy with lust. “What’s wrong, big handsome?”

There was that nickname again, the one only Zara used. He hadn’t heard Zack use it again since the opening…until now. “I’m not sure.” Quincy gaped.

Zara’s face still in front of him, plain as day like it was sharing space with Zack’s.

When Zack’s face moved, Zara’s face moved a second after it, like she was…chasing Zack.

What would she do when she caught him?

He squeezed his eyes and shook his head before opening his eyes to stare at Zack again.

“Quincy, what is it?” Zack palmed Quincy’s face, brow furrowing with concern but the face was finally all his.

Quincy knew he’d never say anything to Zack but wondered now if Zack’s physical condition of late, his ‘secret,’ had anything to do with what he had just seen.

Was it possible that Zara’s spirit lived in and drained Zack?

Zack and the Dark Shaft

71

What had Quincy seen when he looked at him on the boat the other day?

The question made Zack reluctant to look in the mirror this morning before he got into the shower and prepared for work.

Did Quincy’s reaction have anything to do with Zara? Had Quincy
seen
her? Felt her?

She’d been so low-key the last few days, Zack wondered if she was still around, still with him, in his body.

He hesitated on the threshold of the bathroom now, putting off his morning ritual of staring in the mirror in disbelief and getting on the scale with dread. He’d never had a problem with his weight one way or the other until a week ago, thus the need for a scale always peripheral to Zack.

Since Zara’s arrival, it had become a daily tool to monitor the effect his sister’s influence and presence was having on his body.

Zack tapped the bottom corner of the scale with his bare foot then stepped on when the zeroes appeared. He squeezed his eyes tight for a few seconds before opening them to look at the digital readout.

One-forty. Damn, he’d lost ten pounds in a little less than a week without even trying, that is if you didn’t consider constant strife with your twin trying.

If he didn’t know about Zara and the struggles he’d been enduring to stay in control of his own body, he would have put the weight loss down to an illness or some other mystery. Not only did he know about Zara, his doctor said all his tests were within healthy limits. The man didn’t seem overly concerned with the weight loss since Zack was still within ‘normal’ ranges, with a healthy body mass index for his age and body type.

72

Gracie C. McKeever

Zack laughed at the idea of ‘normal.’ His life had ceased to be normal almost two weeks ago when he started hearing his sister’s voice in his head.

He’d been putting it off, but he supposed the next doctor he needed to see was a psychiatrist, despite knowing this wouldn’t help.

The only thing that would help him was getting rid of Zara.

No response, no reaction.
Was
she gone?

Zack stepped over to the bathroom mirror over the sink and stared at his reflection as if seeing it for the first time.

He turned his face this way and that, couldn’t remember his features being so angular before, or him being so skinny since he’d been a lanky teen fifteen years ago. The dark circles were still under his eyes, but he hadn’t had much sleep, even without Quincy staying over to keep him up into the wee hours with fantastic and heated sex.

He did look like shit, and wondered why Quincy even bothered to stay with him under the circumstances.

Because he loves you.

Zack cringed at the familiar voice, heart pounding with growing anguish.

He hated feeling so negative about his own flesh and blood, or what used to be his flesh and blood, and forced himself to look into the mirror where Zara’s reflection stared back at him.

Why don’t you feel the same way about Quincy as he feels about you?

“I do feel the same way.”

Then why don’t you tell him?

“You know why.”

Don’t blame me for your cowardice.

“I’m a coward because I don’t want to drag the man into my nightmare?”

Are you calling me a nightmare?

“If the shoe fits.”

Zack saw it coming before he felt Zara’s fist land squarely in his gut. He doubled over, gasping for breath and clutching his middle with both hands.

Zack and the Dark Shaft

73

Zack! I’m sorry!