Title:
The Gift
Rating:
NC17
Warnings:
Slash/Incest
Pairing:
Jarrod/Heath
Summary:
Tom passed on more than an empire. Darkish.
Disclaimer:
Don’t own em. No copyright infringement intended.
Sitting at dinner,
Jarrod agonized over how to tell Nick he was returning to
Everyone
winced at Nick’s bellow as he waved his fork at Jarrod, “YOU CAN’T JUST LEAVE…”
Nick sat
with his mouth open in mid word and snapped it shut at his mother’s
admonishment. Slamming his fork on the
table he glared at Jarrod, lowering his voice as he spoke, “How can you just up
and leave right in the middle of negotiating a new contract?”
Wiping his
mouth with a napkin, Jarrod answered, “I’ve been here a month, Nick. I need to get back to my office and check in.
I’ll be back tomorrow. I promise.”
Watching
the exchange,
“Thank you,
Mother.” With a sigh of relief and a tinge of embarrassment, Jarrod stood and
gave his mother a silent nod. He knew
she understood despite never having spoken about it and he tried not to hurry
from the room, desperate to get away. Not
bothering to pack, he grabbed his hat and coat on his way through the foyer and
left for town.
By the time
he made
He’d been
sixteen when the problem first manifested. He thought at the time he was going
crazy until his father pulled him aside and explained the whole thing to
him. With patience and understanding his
father made sure he was looked after until he was confident in his own
abilities and control. His father made
very sure he understood what was involved before allowing him to handle it on
his own. From then on, they never spoke
of it again and Jarrod was allowed certain freedoms that most young men only
dreamed of. Tom Barkley had passed on
more than his good looks and charm, and young Jarrod was stuck with the
legacy.
At thirty,
he didn’t even think twice about it any more.
It was a part of who he was and he wasn’t even aware of how much it
affected his day to day interaction with people. Most passed it off as the Barkley charm but
it was so much more for the oldest son. When the moon was at its fullest, that
critical time of the month, Jarrod was forced to sequester himself from others
or find a way to purge the need.
Thankfully he made
He didn’t
like using someone as he did, but he tried to justify it, knowing they would be
left with a feeling of bliss when he was done. It was all a part of the
power. Without a word, he took her hand
and she led him to her room, waiting until the door was closed before asking,
“What’s it gonna be, Mister?”
Jarrod’s
eyes were dark with desire and his fingers shook as he unbuttoned his clothes.
She smiled and did the same and in minutes he was lying on top of her,
thrusting into her in one smooth motion.
It wasn’t long before the first of many orgasms ripped through him. The girl gripped him tightly and followed in
his wake unable to combat the powerful pheromones his body produced. Jarrod remained hard and never stopped
pumping, the primal needs having taken over.
His body peaked again and again and he let it consume him. He’d learned not to fight the lust and he
pounded into the woman over and over until she lay in a daze of pleasure,
letting him satiate his needs. When the
chemicals in his body built to their highest levels, his movements were
desperate and animalistic, but she was beyond caring. Having been caught up in
the maelstrom of his emotions, she shuddered uncontrollably until he finally
slumped to the bed exhausted and fulfilled.
He closed
his eyes, trying to draw in some much needed air. Each month he was victim to
his own desires and his aching muscles trembled from the exertion. He slowly rose from the bed and dropped a
twenty dollar gold piece on the table as he dressed. With only a brief glance at the sleeping
woman, he slipped away, feeling only slightly guilty for using her. He really had no choice, since ignoring it
only made things worse. In his younger
days, he’d fought the urges but that had proved disastrous.
~*~
Three
months later…
It had only
been a month since his arrival at the ranch and Heath was still having trouble
with Nick. The man refused to admit that his father was infallible. The fact
that Heath was living and breathing proof wasn’t enough for the hard headed
rancher. Heath was almost certain that Nick spent his days devising ways to
make his life miserable. The young man
persisted. Up with the sun, he worked hard until breakfast, knowing it
aggravated Nick even more when he showed up to eat, sweat covered and several
hours of work under his belt. This
morning was no exception and he went to breakfast with a smug look on his
face.
Entering
the dining room, he lost his smile and hesitated before taking his seat. Raw power, longing, and the smell of desire
assaulted his senses. He glanced around nervously. It was still too early and
yet the underlying need was already present.
He looked up and his eyes locked on Jarrod’s. There it was. It was coming from the oldest
son and judging by the look on his face, he knew it too. How could that be? No one had ever
acknowledged the need before. No one knew about the draw or the power behind it
and yet the lawyer knew. He could see it in his eyes; he could smell it in the
air. All doubts vanished when Jarrod
quickly excused himself and left the room.
Heath shook
his head to clear away the last vestiges of need and was able to return to his
breakfast without embarrassing himself.
Unfortunately, it left him thinking about his older brother in ways that
were both disturbing and heady at the same time. He loved this time each month, when the power
took control and let him have what he most desired. Oh he was careful. He
learned early on that carelessness could get you killed. By the time he was twenty, he’d honed his
skills and could easily find what others seemed to offer willingly. He’d tried to placate his needs with women,
since it was far easier to find a brothel to fulfill the desires but that never
quite satisfied the urges and he’d end up in an all night marathon trying to
rid himself of the burning itch inside.
He only
used a woman when he had no choice and that was usually too often to suit
him. Now men, that
was the way to rid the demons. If he was
lucky he could feel the itch begin and with enough time he could find a willing
male that would allow himself to be taken.
It didn’t happen nearly enough and Heath almost moaned at the thought of
having another so close. Yes, the oldest understood. It bothered him only
slightly that it was his brother, but then, when the time came it really didn’t
matter who it was as long as they were willing.
Thing was it did matter and he lived with the guilt of it every time he
had to give into it.
~*~
Jarrod
rushed to the study, flushed and confused. This was wrong, so very wrong, but
he’d felt it as soon as Heath entered the room.
Even now he could feel the pull, feel it in his loins. He wondered if this was how the others felt
when his own need became too strong to control.
Did they really have a conscious say in what was happening or was it an
overpowering lust that he was able to take advantage of? He was shaking as he
made his way to his desk. Sitting down,
he rested his head in his hands and tried to push away the ache.
Something
nagged at him, something important. It lasted several minutes before it came to
him. Audra, Mother, Nick, none of them had ever been affected by his power. Why
would there be a draw if Heath were family?
Heath had felt it too. Jarrod had seen it in his eyes. They could sense
it in the other, something that had never happened to Jarrod before. Even knowing Father suffered as he did, he’d
never felt it in him. Maybe being half
brothers was enough to cause this affect and sharing the same fate of
inheritance had linked them together. The
thought terrified him. Panic forced him
to move, to get out while he still could, before it was too late to stop
it. If he were still close to Heath when
the full moon rose, he wouldn’t be able to leave. Worse, he wouldn’t want to
and that scared him more than anything.
He grabbed
a few things and stuffing them in his briefcase, hurried to find his mother,
hoping he wouldn’t have to explain his sudden need to leave. She seldom questioned his comings and goings
especially around the full moon but that was still a few days away. Leaving his case by the stairs, he hurried to
his room to pack and wait for her to return to her room after breakfast. His mother was more perceptive than he
thought and was waiting on him.
“What is
it, Jarrod?”
He busied
himself packing, “It’s nothing, Mother. I just need to go away for a few days.
I’ll be back for the Sunday social, just like I planned.”
She rose
from her seat and placed a hand on his arm to stop his frantic packing. The trembling under her fingers frightened
her, but she maintained an outward calm. “Jarrod, please tell me what’s wrong.”
Jarrod
shook his head, “I can’t, Mother. Please don’t make me explain. Maybe another time, but not right now. I need to leave.”
Nodding his
head, Jarrod finished packing, doing his best to control the shaking in his
hands. Grabbing his bag, he turned to
leave but stopped to embrace her. He kissed her forehead and whispered, “Thank
you, Mother.”
~*~
Watching
him leave, she worried over his sudden departure. It was still too early and yet
she saw the look in his eyes, the look that haunted her every full moon. It was the same look Tom used to get. He’d kept it from her at first, but that
became impossible shortly after their marriage.
Through desperate tears he told her about it and begged her not to leave
him. He told her of the obsessive need that consumed him until he was powerless
to stop it. At first he tried to stay
away when it happened, locking himself in the farthest line shack to keep from
straying or using her in such a manner.
When that didn’t work, he realized he had to tell her the truth or risk
losing her.
She loved
him with all her heart and willingly allowed for his ‘gift’, as he called it.
That first time was beyond anything she could have imagined, and she secretly
lived for it each month. Over time, she
learned more. She saw the subtle power it had on others and sometimes it scared
her how easily Tom could draw people into his circle. Then as the children got
older she saw the same in Jarrod.
Neither used it for evil gains and for that she was thankful. Still, it was awkward to speak of with Jarrod
about it. She had experienced the pull
first hand and knew more than anyone just how hard it was to resist the need
that consumed them.
She only
hoped that whatever was bothering Jarrod he would discuss it with her. If it concerned his gift, it would be awkward
but she was determined to help if she could. There was no point dwelling on it.
Jarrod would return when he could and they would discuss it then. Putting it
out of her mind, she busied herself picking up his room.
Jarrod
didn’t return as promised. Instead he sent a telegram saying he had some
unexpected business to attend to and would come home as soon as it was
completed. A month later he finally worked up the nerve to return. In his absence, Nick and Heath had worked out
their differences and seemed to be getting along wonderfully. Jarrod did his
best to welcome Heath, but kept his distance, still unsure of himself or his
new brother.
~*~
It was
still a day before he had to leave and Jarrod was lying in bed, tossing and
turning as he tried to get comfortable.
He’d been unsettled all day and tried to ignore what it meant. This was
his home and he was not going to be pushed away every month because of some
unforgiving urge. His thoughts were
suddenly interrupted by the turn of his door handle and he sat up quickly,
eyeing it cautiously. His heart was
racing with more than fear and he waited, knowing before it opened who it
was. When he entered the room and shut
the door behind him, Jarrod broke the silence, “What do you want?”
Heath
smiled in the darkness, “I want you.”
“Get out!”
“Quiet now
or the others will hear. You wouldn’t want that would you? Do they know the
truth, big brother? Do they know about the need? Do they know how hard it makes
you, how irresistible it makes you?”
Heath was kneeling on the bed, creeping towards Jarrod who was pressed
into the headboard, trying to put some distance between them.
There was
panic in Jarrod’s voice as he pleaded with him, “Don’t do this, Heath. Please.
It doesn’t have to be like this. I’ll leave tonight, right now.”
Heath was
visible in the moonlight that came through the window and shook his head as he
whispered, “I’m not going to do anything you don’t want, but you want this
don’t you. Even this early you can feel it can’t you?”
Jarrod was
sweating, terrified to move. “No, Heath, please go away. You can’t do this. I’m
your brother for godssake.”
“Bet you’ve
never been with a man when it hits have you. Never felt the raw power from
taking it that way. It stops the itch, big brother. Better than any woman can.”
Jarrod’s breath hitched and Heath pulled away, alarmed to feel a pull from
Jarrod that hadn’t been there before. Oh sure, he’d felt Jarrod but he’d been
the one in control, now something had shifted and he was no longer so sure of
himself. He hedged his bet, hoping he
could still make this work and not just for himself. “Stay around tomorrow night. Let me show you
how good it can be.”
Fists
clenched tight, Jarrod hissed, “Get out, now!”
Heath
slipped of the bed and drifted towards the door, “Nobody has to know. I don’t
like usin’ them any more than you do, but what other
choice do I have. You can make that choice, Jarrod.”
Jarrod
watched him leave, letting out the breath he hadn’t
realized he’d been holding. He took several sharp breaths before curling up on
the bed, wishing Heath had never come to the ranch. He knew he wouldn’t be able to leave
tomorrow, because despite his fear, Heath had struck a nerve that he didn’t
know existed. He’d never considered
being with a man, the thought nauseated him, but still he wanted it. Wanted it more than anything he’d ever wanted
before.
~*~
As
nightfall came the following evening, Jarrod rode out of the yard, knowing that
Heath would follow. They’d avoided each
other all day and Heath had left him alone, keeping his own distance, but
Jarrod could feel his presence as surely as if he were with him. The burn was
growing and he only made it another mile before he had to stop, his knees
buckling as he tied off Jingo. Before
his knees hit the ground, Heath was behind him, holding him up. Jarrod wanted to bolt, but Heath’s strong
arms held him in place and it felt good, better than anything had in a long
time. Hands fumbled with buttons and they were both naked in no time, neither
sure how it happened, the need too strong to question anything.
Jarrod
could feel the blood surge in his veins, more powerful than ever before and he
fed off of Heath’s reaction to it. They
fell to the grass, rolling and groping for each other until Jarrod had Heath on
his hands and knees, poised to enter him. Heath pushed back, letting Jarrod
know he wanted it. Out of his mind with
desire, Jarrod entered Heath in one powerful thrust, surprised by the tightness
and warmth that enveloped him. Heath’s
voice harsh and needy as he pleaded, “Yes, oh god Jarrod, move!”
Gasping for
air, Jarrod was so hard he knew he wouldn’t last, but oh god how he wanted this
feeling to go on forever. Nothing had
prepared him for the exhilaration he was experiencing. The power he felt was all consuming and he
pounded into Heath, thrilled when he slammed back into each thrust, taking it
willingly. “Harder, Jarrod. Don’t stop!”
Grabbing
Heath’s hips, Jarrod pulled back until only they thick head of his pulsing
shaft was still inside then he slammed into in his ass as hard as he could.
Heath was pushed into the ground and he screamed, “Again!” He was practically
crying for release and Jarrod pulled out only to pound into him as hard and as
fast as he could. Each thrust grew with
an intensity he thought impossible and Heath whimpered each time he pulled
away, crying for him to do more. It was
too much and his thrusts lost their rhythm, turning erratic as his need for
completion overtook him.
Gripping
Heath tightly, he forced himself as deeply as he could and howled as his world
exploded. His body spasmed
uncontrollably and he jerked with each powerful jet that spewed into Heath’s
ass. When he thought it couldn’t get any
better, Heath’s muscles clenched around him and his orgasm built again,
heightening his pleasure. He couldn’t
breath, he couldn’t move. He was helpless as flashes of almost painful ecstasy
coursed through him. Heath writhed beneath him, drawing it out until Jarrod had
no more and sank to the ground.
He lay
gasping for precious air when Heath rolled him to his back and lay on top of
him, his weight holding him down. Heath
was still hard, or hard again, Jarrod wasn’t sure. He didn’t care and he
grabbed for Heath’s ass, holding him tight as they slid against each other.
Jarrod was instantly hard and his fingers dug into Heath’s ass willing him
closer with each thrust. He opened his
legs, giving Heath more room, and found himself practically begging Heath
inside of him when the blonde lifted his knees, opening him further.
Heath hesitated only a second, taking Jarrod’ dark look as
permission. He positioned himself at Jarrod’s tight pucker and pushed, willing
it to open and let him in. It was a
smooth penetration and Jarrod bucked against him, impaling himself as he did so.
Gasping
sharply, Jarrod grabbed for his own aching erection and pumped into his hand as
Heath pounded his ass. When Heath hit
his prostate, Jarrod came hard and fast, but never stopping in his pursuit for
more. He begged Heath to go faster, do it harder until he was doubled over,
Heath’s hands gripping his thighs as he thrust into him over and over. Jarrod’s hand worked his aching length and
each time he came, Heath came too filling his ass with load after load of his
essence. He’d never known that being stretched and filled could be so
satisfying and he was unknowingly crying by the time Heath finished and
collapsed beside him.
Jarrod lay
in a heap, Heath’s seed running out his ass, but he didn’t care. He had never felt such raw power in all his
life and he understood what Heath meant when he said that a man was different. There was no holding back, no concern for the
other, just primal animal lust that needed fulfilling. Heath sat up beside Jarrod and asked quietly,
almost afraid of the answer, “Are you alright?”
He
hesitated a minute, trying to find an answer, and realized he was alright.
There was no pain, no remorse and no overwhelming need
any more. He sat up, unashamed of his nakedness. “I’m fine.” Pausing he looked
at Heath, “I feel better than I’ve felt in years.”
Heath
nodded, “Yeah, me too. Makes you wonder, don’t it?”
Jarrod
stood and began dressing, handing Heath clothes as he found them, “About what?”
Neither of them seemed surprised by the newfound ease between them, it just
was.
“I ain’t never
been with someone like me. Maybe it’s supposed to be this way.”
Shrugging,
Jarrod spoke, “Father never really said much about it. He said it ran in the
family, had for generations.”
“Do the
others know?”
“Mother
knows but she doesn’t talk about it. I
suspect Father had to tell her.”
Heath
laughed, “I’ll bet that was awkward. I ain’t never told a soul, not even Mama. Scared me half ta death the first time. Reckon I kinda figured out the best way to get rid of it after
that.”
Jarrod
clapped him on the back. “I have to admit you were right, little brother.”
“You okay
with this, Jarrod? I mean really. I don’t want to cause no trouble for you.”
“I’d be
lying if I said it wasn’t a little unnerving but yes, I’m okay with it. Now
that the need is gone, I don’t feel any undue attraction for you or anything. I
won’t be askin’ for your hand in marriage if that is
what is worrying you.”
Heath
flashed him a lopsided smile. “No offense, but I like ‘em
a little bustier if ya know what I mean.”
Jarrod
laughed, “I know exactly what you mean.”
It was surprising really, if he thought about it. He had never had such a powerful release of
emotion in all his life but he wasn’t thinking about re-experiencing it, nor
did he think beyond it. He felt closer
to Heath, but it was such a comfortable feeling that he felt as if he’d known
him all his life. What they shared
wasn’t unnatural or dirty, it just was. For some inexplicable reason, he could
live with that. He knew without a doubt that while something had changed
between them it was for the better and they would meet up when the need came
again. Until that time they were suddenly free of the guilt that had plagued
them for years and could live a reasonably normal existence for once. It was a great weight off their shoulders and
that alone was enough to justify their actions.
The
conversation back to the ranch ranged from Nick to the next rodeo and they
parted ways in the foyer, saying goodnight as if it were any other day. As Jarrod mounted the stairs, he realized
this was the first time he’d made it to bed before morning on the night of a
full moon. He was tired, but fulfilled
and he smiled as he closed the door to his room and fell into bed.
Seeing the
smoothness of Jarrod’s features and the relaxed way he held himself as he’d
gone to bed made her rethink her ideals. Tom, Jarrod and now Heath were quite
literally, a different breed of man, born to a gift that only they could
understand. Who was she to question or condemn that which only they could know. She loved them
all unconditionally and would protect their secret as long as it continued to
bless the family line. For blessed it
was. Her Tom had built an empire in the West, Jarrod
was a powerful lawyer with dreams for greatness, and Heath, who knew what he
was capable of if he set his mind to it.
Perhaps it
was this gift that kept her from caring about the ramifications, but she found
it really didn’t matter as long as her sons were happy and could find peace
within themselves.