by TexasAries

CHAPTER 8: REUNIONS

Ezra and Vin had both felt the warning the wards gave when Buck and JD made their way into the apartment. Vin had then motioned for Ezra to stay and look after the unconscious man while he dealt with the three men in the living room.

Ezra couldn’t help but laugh when they realized that Nathan had fainted at the sight of the future moving by itself; Nathan’s logical and factual brain obviously hadn’t been able to process the impossibility he was seeing and had simply shut down so he didn’t have to witness any more. They’d picked up the unconscious man and dumped him on the couch, figuring he would wake up on his own. They’d then made their way back into the bedroom to be near the man who had bound them together.

Ezra could hear Vin trying to calm Buck down and the worry in Buck’s voice when he asked about him lightened his heart for it showed that the man cared about him. Knowing that Vin would lead the three men back into the bedroom Ezra gently shook Chris awake. "Come on, Chris. Someone is here to see you. Wake up, Chris."

A pair of blue-green eyes looked up, slightly glazed. "Ezra? What is it?"

Ezra helped Chris to sit up so that he could slip in behind him. Settling Chris’ head and back against his body brought a sense of peace and calmness to his being that he had been missing all his life. He gently caressed Chris to comfort him and relieve some of the pained shivers that racked the man’s body.

Both Vin and Ezra had talked while Chris rested and his body adjusted to being the Crow. Each of them realized that nothing could be done until after the Crow’s mission of vengeance had been completed, but with that completion Chris would cross back into the land of the dead and there was the possibility that either they would join him on that journey or that they would be driven insane from the tearing of the bonds. Either way they would not survive long without him.

A pact had been formed between Ezra and Vin not to tell Chris, for if he found out he would not complete his mission and that would result in the death of hundreds. Each man had confided in the other about their people’s prophesies and had realized that they were on the front lines of a battle they could not afford to lose, for if they did evil would have won a major victory and that could not be allowed to happen. What was the cost of two lives compared to the welfare of hundreds or even thousands of others? So it was agreed upon that if they did not die with Chris then they would take each other’s lives before the madness could take over, for in their insanity they could easily destroy what so much had been sacrificed to gain, and this could never be.

Vin straightened up and, looking at Buck and JD said, "Buck, JD…it’s Chris. He came back from the dead but he isn’t the same person…"

Before Vin could even finish Buck, JD and Nathan had pushed their way past him and crowded into the bedroom to look at the man lying cradled in Ezra’s arms.

Buck backed up against the wall and slid down it as shock took over, staring at the form of his oldest friend who was blinking sleepy eyes at him. JD, on the other hand, had a completely different reaction and attacked the man with his fists, angrily snarling at him, "Who are you? How dare you? What the HELL do you want?"

Ezra had expected this reaction from Buck, not JD, but he nevertheless wrapped his body around Chris to protect him from the young man’s rage. Vin and Nathan in the meantime pulled an angry JD away from the two men on the bed while he snarled at Ezra, "This is some con of yours! Get the hell out of here and take that fake with you!"

Vin saw the hurt that struck his green-eyed mate and the wolf in him reacted. Grabbing JD, he threw him into the wall, pinning him there and snarled into his face. Gone was the peaceful and quiet man, in his place stood a man with the golden eyes of a wolf. "You young fool, Ezra isn’t pulling a con; that man is CHRIS DRAVEN!"

JD was so wrapped up in his rage that he ignored the changes in Vin and snarled back, "Chris Draven is dead! No way that’s him."

Buck had recovered somewhat from his shock and, ignoring JD and Vin’s heated exchange, made his way to the bed. Sitting gingerly on the edge of the bed he took a good look at this man that bore a striking resemblance to his dead friend. Licking his bottom lip in nervousness he asked, "Chris ... is ... are you..."

Chris looked at his shocked friend and answered, "Yeah Buck, it’s me. I don’t know how or why, but I’m here."

Needing to make sure that this man was Chris Draven, Buck then asked, "Chris, could I see your arm?"

Chris realized that Buck was only making sure that he was who he said he was and nodded his consent. Buck took Chris’ arm and turned it so that an oddly-shaped scar was visible. Buck knew that there was no one who knew about that scar except for Sarah, Chris and himself. The scar had occurred the morning of the murders when Sarah had accidentally burned Chris with her curling iron; the autopsy had included the burn as part of the beating Chris had suffered, so there was no actual record of it except in memories of the three people who had been there when it happened.

Buck’s hand tightened on Chris’ arm as the reality of the proof sank in. Then with a joyful cry of "Chris!" he enfolded his old friend in his arms and shed tears of happiness as both old friends held each other and reaffirmed their bond.

The fight between JD and Vin stopped at Buck’s cry and JD tried to break away from Vin to prevent Buck from believing a lie. "Buck. BUCK! That can’t be Chris. We both saw the bodies. That ain’t Chris."

Buck turned to face his adopted son and friend with a tear-streaked face, "No, JD; this is Chris." Buck turned Chris’ arm so that everyone could see the unusual scar. "See that scar? Know one knew about it except for Sarah, Chris and me. Even the autopsy recorded the burn as part of Chris’ beating so NO ONE else could know."

JD was not convinced, for it was not possible for Chris to be alive. "Buck, the only way that I’ll believe he is Chris is if we do a DNA match."

Nathan was the only one who’d noticed how Vin’s eyes had changed and it scared him. Everything that he’d based his life on, all the logical aspects of his existence were thrown out the window by the appearance of floating furniture, dead men moving and talking and the eyes of his partner changing color. Everything had again started to go black and he’d realized that he was about to faint again when he hear the word DNA.

That simple word allowed Nathan to focus on what was happening and the encroaching blackness receded. Nervously wetting his lips he offered, "JD, I could take some hair and blood from him and have Rain run a comparison. That would help everyone."

Vin was about to protest when Chris cut him off. "Vin, that would be a good

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ * * * * * * * ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

After Nathan had gathered the blood and hair samples from Chris he left to take them to his fiancée Rain in forensics; she would be able to run the tests on the sly so they could keep it a secret. JD had stormed out of the apartment refusing to believe the man in the bed was Chris until the DNA tests were completed, and Buck had followed trying to reason with the young man.

This left Chris with the two strange young men who without question believed him to be who he was. He sensed that these young men were more than what they seemed, and it was confirmed when he watched Vin’s eyes turn from gold back to blue. There was a wildness and untamed beauty within Vin that whispered of deep forests, snowcapped mountains and clear streams teeming with life. Ezra, on the other hand, was warm tropical breezes, exotic vegetation and the sensual pounding of the surf.

Then underneath everything Chris sensed a bond that reached into a place where only Sarah had ever been. No, that wasn’t right; for as he looked into that place he saw that those bonds had always existed but had lain dormant waiting for the right time and circumstance to awaken.

Chris felt his eyes close as his body demanded that he sleep, but he felt safe in the knowledge that both Vin and Ezra would guard him while he rested.

Ezra felt Chris relax into sleep and slipped out from behind him, gently lowering him back onto the mattress. Looking up at Vin, Ezra motioned the other man to follow him out of the bedroom and over to the couch.

Vin caught sight of a bruise forming on Ezra’s cheekbone and stopped the smaller man so that he could see the damage caused by JD’s attack. Ezra winced away in pain from the gentle touch on his cheek, but Vin gently cupped the bruised cheek and allowed a small bit of healing power to erase the mark from his green-eye mate.

Ezra felt the gentle healing that Vin performed and reverently placed a kiss on Vin’s palm in thanks, then closed his eyes and allowed Vin to cradle his cheek in his palm.

Vin moved closer and clasped the beautiful body of his mate against him with his free arm, marveling at how well their bodies molded together, and gently turned Ezra’s beautiful face towards him so that he could claim their first kiss. As their lips touched both men felt their powers sweep over them and ignite in a passionate flame that roared for completion.

Sweeping his mate into his arms, Vin gently lay him on the couch and started to nibble on Ezra bottom lip, wordlessly begging to be allowed in to taste and explore that sweet mouth. Ezra parted his lips in invitation and each man slowly mapped the cavern of the other’s mouth as quick fingers unbuttoned shirts and pants to allow questing hands to touch naked flesh.

The need to feel Vin’s skin against his own drove Ezra to take control of their kiss. Leaning forward so that he started to push Vin towards the floor. Ezra slipped from the couch to blanket the semi-nude body of the man that completed him. Vin then rolled them over so that he was on top and pulled back to look at the flushed face of his mate, thanking every deity for the gift of his love. He then set out to worship the deities that had helped create this special man on the alter of Ezra’s body. Unwrapping his precious gift from the gods, he whispered words that were more like prayers of love over and over to the man who held his heart.

Vin reverently caressed the golden skin, watching as the coiled muscles shifted underneath, drinking in and savoring the texture and taste that was uniquely Ezra as he licked, kissed and suckled his way down the slender neck to tease first the right and then the left nipple, wringing whimpers of delight and pleasure from Ezra. He mapped Ezra’s body as he would a new place in the wilderness, first learning the lay of the land by gently caressing the contours of Ezra’s body, then going in for a closer examination and noting every valley and hill that would cause Ezra to whimper, purr and howl with pleasure. Vin was unmerciful in his need to show his love to his mate and drove Ezra to the heights of passion, then calmed him before repeating it over and over until Ezra was keening his need for completion. Finally the inferno within Vin demanded that he quench its burning with the ambrosial essence of Ezra’s seed. And as they climaxed Ezra and Vin’s minds and hearts merged for an instant and they saw everything that made the other man who he was, every memory, every desire and wish, every hurt that each had experienced in their lives.

Vin was the first to recover and used the blanket that had covered Nathan to wrap around he and his lover’s nakedness. He then used a small corner of it to clean both of them up before cuddling his exhausted mate into his arms, and both Vin and Ezra drifted off to sleep.

CHAPTER 9: INTRODUCTIONS

Vin met Nathan at the station house as their shift started, both men too busy with their case loads to really discuss what had happened early that morning at Heaven’s Gate.

In the light of day Nathan had tried to come up with a reasonable explanation as to last evening;s events and only three possible answers had occurred to him. The first was that he’d been drugged, but re-examining the evening he’d found his memories unclouded and those drugs that caused hallucinations would have left his mind in a fog. So that possibility was wiped out.

The second was that he was going crazy, but he didn’t have any of the symptoms that normally came with a delusional condition and his last physical exam would have found some trace of a truly severe chemical imbalance. On top of that he just didn’t feel crazy and he’d had no episodes previously or since. So that was a second possibility discounted.

The last remaining possibility was the hardest for him to accept, for that meant that everything that he thought had happened last night actually had. That scared him so much that he’d spent the morning trying to avoid his partner, the same man that he’d worked with for the past three years of his life and who’d saved his ass more times than he could count. The man who had displayed abilities that other people didn’t have.

Then there was the fact that his partner was bi … gay … whatever and was involved with Ezra - and if Vin’s behavior this morning was anything to go by he’d gotten lucky last night. Nathan had been afraid that Vin had somehow been druged and was about to be taken advantage of when he’d seen the instant attraction between his partner and Ezra. Now in the clear light of day he remembered how the two men had seemed to dance around one another since they’d first met. It was like something he’d read concerning the mating rituals of porcupines; both men had quills that they used to protect their battered hearts from others, and it took a great deal of time and trust before they would allow anyone past those defenses for fear of being hurt. He’d just have to see how the two men acted around each other and make it clear that if Ezra were to hurt Vin then Nathan would retaliate.

That of course brought up the whole issue of how he treated Ezra. Nathan was an intelligent man and he realized that he’d made a big mistake in his original assessment of Ezra. He’d been so sure that the man was up to no good just because Ezra reminded him of the spoiled rich white kids that used to pick on him as a child, but in his own way Nathan had been even worse than those children because as an adult he should have known better. Looking back on the times Ezra had helped them with the Draven case, Nathan had come to respect Ezra’s quick mind and his ability to see a new angles on clues that they had overlooked. Nathan just hoped that Ezra would give him a second chance to become friends.

Vin knew that his partner was trying to work out and accept what had happened early that morning so he gave Nathan his space. He also knew that the best way to help his partner was to keep everything normal so Vin had tried to concentrate on the cases they were currently assigned but he’d found himself being distracted by memories of two pairs of eyes, one green and the other blue-green, and of the loving good morning he’d received from his new lover.

Ezra arrived while Nathan was on the phone with Rain arranging to meet her for lunch to discuss the results of the DNA test she had performed. Many of the detectives had noticed the beautiful, well-dressed man as he entered their department. He was wearing a simple pair of gray silk pants and a black ribbed knit shirt that hugged the contours of his broad shoulders, muscular chest and slim waist. The breadth of his forehead, his strong chin and refined features spoke of breeding and intelligence, while his large, cat-like green eyes twinkling with mischief, tousled auburn hair and sensual smile gave the impression that he had just arrived straight from a session of lovemaking. Simply put, he was sex on two legs.

Ezra paused to watch as his lover and his partner worked together in harmony before dragging both them out to lunch. Even though his relationship with Nathan had been rocky Ezra still respected the man’s character and abilities as a detective and hoped that they could put aside their differences and work together, not in the least because Ezra and Vin had recognized that morning that Nathan, Buck and JD played an important role in both of their prophecies.

Vin, sensing someone watching him, looked up into Ezra’s eyes and again their connection ignited and the air seemed to sizzle around the two of them. Suddenly dinner with Nathan and Rain took a back burner; all Vin wanted to do tonight was take his beautiful warlock home and make love slowly and tenderly for the rest of his life. Seeing a similar flame in his lover’s green eyes made him step forward ready to whisk his love away…only to be stopped by Captain Royal, who intercepted Ezra as he moved to meet Vin.

Captain Royal had seen the sexy young man when he walked in the door and had recognized him as the lead singer of The Witching Hour; Heaven’s Gate had become a popular hangout for off-duty cops, which allowed Royal to keep an eye on Tanner and Jackson without arousing suspicion. From the first time he’d seen this vision on stage he had wanted to meet him but never could get near because of Jackson and Tanner. Now was his chance to meet the man of his lust-filled dreams without his the two officers being able to interfere.

Intercepting Ezra as he moved to join his friends, Royal said smoothly, "I believe you are Ezra Standish of The Witching Hour, I have been wanting to meet you for a very long time. My name if Guy Royal, Captain Guy Royal."

Ezra looked up at the man who had invaded his personal space. He knew perfectly well who Royal was; Ezra had become very suspicious of the captain and his involvement with the Draven murders when he’d started to pressure Vin and Nathan to close the case. Ezra hadn’t voiced his suspicions because he’d had no proof, but now a strong premonition was warning him to tell both Vin and Nathan. And he NEVER ignored those warnings, for they had been right every time he’d had one of them.

Guy Royal was a tall, well built man who took care of both his body and appearance. His white-blond hair was carefully combed and styled, his attire was not off the rack but expensive tailored clothing that he should not have been able to afford on his salary, and his body language spoke of strength and haughty confidence. He was handsome and intelligent and would have seemed to be pleasant company, but there was also an air of arrogance and selfishness about the man that set the singer’s teeth on edge and his ice blue eyes raked over Ezra’s body with undisguised lust.

Figuring it would be best to play along, Ezra hid his strong dislike of the man and replied pleasantly, "It’s a pleasure to meet you, Captain Royal. Vin and Nathan have spoken about you a great deal."

Ezra’s suspicions were confirmed when he saw a tiny flame of hate appear in Royal’s eyes. "Yes, I forgot that you are acquainted with Detectives Tanner and Jackson. Well since you are here on a social visit …" Royal paused as if to give Ezra the opening of saying otherwise before continuing. "I will let you go. I hope this will not be your last visit to our department, and next time I hope you will allow me to take you for coffee."

Ezra had no intention of ever having coffee or anything else with the man before him, but he also knew the illusion of civility must be maintained. "It would be a pleasure, Guy. Until next time, then."

Once he’d received that promise from Ezra the captain moved out the way so that the young singer could go meet his friends. Royal watched the impressive view as Ezra glided towards Tanner and thought of what he would like to do to that tempting piece of flesh before turning away.

But Royal hadn’t turned away fast enough for Vin to miss the lustful gaze the other man had for his mate. He was torn between beating the crap out of Royal or making a very public claim of Ezra for all to see, but since here in the station he could do neither instead he though up a little surprise for his captain to teach him to not to poach on Vin’s property.

Ezra had seen the little flash of possessiveness and then the mischievous light that appeared in his lover’s eyes. He almost felt sorry for Royal, but he wasn’t going to do anything to discourage Vin from whatever he had planned and even hoped that maybe Vin would allow him to participate.

When Nathan heard Vin growl he’d looked up and seen the exchange between Ezra and Royal. All the other detectives except for he and Vin thought that their captain was a great guy, but there was something distinctively rotten about Royal that Nathan couldn’t explain. Simply put, Nathan really didn’t like the man and avoided Royal’s company whenever he could.

Then Nathan watched as Ezra and Vin greeted each other and relaxed somewhat, for Ezra was obviously as much in love with Vin as Vin was with him. They made a good-looking couple and Nathan was happy that his partner now had someone.

Vin leaned against his desk as he looked at his sexy mate and in a husky voice asked, "What are you doing here? How’s … our visitor doing today?"

Ezra grinned as he replied, "Our visitor is doing much better and Buck wanted some time with him, so I thought I’d ask two friends to go to lunch with me." Then Ezra turned his head to look at Nathan and asked him, "Nathan, my friend, where would you like to go to dinner?"

Vin was proud of Ezra for making the friendly overture to Nathan and watched as relief flooded Nathan’s face. Good; both men were willing to try to change and start a friendship with each other.

Nathan smiled in return. "Well, Rain just called and we’ve made plans to meet at Café Wells for lunch, but how would you two like to come with us?" A wicked twinkle lit his eyes. "Unless of course you two have a … how would you say it … a little private tête-à-tête planned?"

Ezra simply laughed at Nathan’s teasing and answered, "We would love to have lunch with you and Rain." Then seeing Vin blush he couldn’t resist adding, "I have plans for later this evening and Vin will need all the nutrition he can to survive them."

Both Ezra and Nathan laughed as Vin blushed even more.

CHAPTER 10: EZRA'S SONG VIN POV

Ezra was on stage performing his last set when I walked into the club after work and as soon as I saw him all other thoughts went out the door. He was wearing leather pants that for the life of me I couldn’t figure out how he’d gotten into them, it was almost as if they were painted on. A soft green silk shirt that clung to his hot, sweaty body, made his eyes sparkle like the emerald studs currently adoring his ears. His hair was tousled and clung to his face and neck in damp curls and his body swayed seductively to the music as he sang. All I wanted to do was go up there and take my tempting mate into my arms and haul him off to bed.

Jessie handed me a beer as I headed to my favorite corner to watch Ezra perform and I saw that it was already occupied. Chris was leaning against the wall watching Ezra with a frightening intensity, which he turned on me as I came closer. Those green-blue eyes captured and held me until his presence and Ezra’s voice were the only things in my world.

He’d lifted his hand as if he were about to touch me when Ezra’s song ended and the spell that it had cast over us broke. I was the first to recover and I told him, "Tonight we’ll show you what evidence we have gathered, and maybe with your help we can piece together who did this to you."

I kept my expression open and friendly, letting him set the pace. His eyes were still searching my face as he tried to understand what was happening between us and he replied, "Sounds good … Cowboy." Then turning back to the stage, as Ezra was about to start another song, he said, "He’s very good. He should have been snatched up by some record company by now."

I nodded my head; I’d wondered the same thing myself a time or two. I have seen record company execs trying to recruit Ezra before, but he’d always said he wasn’t interested. You couldn’t say the same for the rest of the band members, though, because he’d had to replace about six of them lost to better offers since The Witching Hour had started to play here.

I turned to watch my lover and realized that he was watching both Chris and myself with desire and need clear in the depths of his beautiful eyes. Then he started to sing to us:

Eyes are the windows to the soul To which all mysteries unfold Stories and secrets untold When I look in your eyes I lose all control

I was drowning in those green eyes and I didn’t care, all I wanted and desired was the love that filled his gaze, the promise of eternity I saw offered there.

Outside Your House, Peek through your window I see through everything you hide No surprise, there’s no use wearing a disguise I touch your hand, you pull away I feel the passion, why do you play this masquerade Can’t you see, you can’t escape your destiny

That was for Chris, and I could feel him struggle not to understand what Ezra was offering. I wanted to reach out and pull Chris’ body towards me but I couldn’t; all I could do was lean against him, adding my presence to the spell Ezra was weaving.

Why do you have to play the games you play Is the truth a heavy price to pay And your eyes don’t lie what they’re telling me No you eyes don’t lie – any fool could see

Ezra started to sway with the music, and it was as if no one else existed in the room but us. Slowly he unbuttoned his sweat-soaked shirt, exposing more and more of that beautiful chest as his eyelids lowered seductively over passionate green flames. His hands started to caress his body and I found myself hard from the pure unadulterated sensuality that was rolling off him in waves as he incited and bewitched us with raw desire.

I hear a voice outside my doorway Could it be you there in the Dark Even Now, I know that you can feel the spark So step inside into my life into a new world And take a tour of all my thoughts Why resist, you know this feeling can’t be fought I’d never lie to you or lead you astray You’d better listen to the words they say Cause my eyes don’t lie – what they’re telling you No my eyes don’t lie --- whatcha gonna do

His shirt was finally open and hanging loose around his hips, and a flash of metal that caught my attention as he rolled his stomach and chest made me breathless with desire. I realized that small silver hoops pierced my lover’s nipples – nipple rings – and all I wanted to do at that moment was take this bewitching nymph and ravish him on the spot.

Why do you have to play the games you play Is the truth a heavy price to pay I’d never lie to you or lead you astray Y’u’d better listen the words they say 'Cause my eyes don’t lie – what they’re telling you No my eyes don’t lie – whatcha gonna do 'Cause your eyes don’t lie – what they’re telling me No Your eyes don’t line – and fool could see

He ran his hands from his jaw down his slender neck and across his perfectly sculptured chest to play fleetingly with the nipple rings before going lower to accentuate the seductive roll of his pelvis. His eyes never left ours even after the music stopped.

CHAPTER 11: THE CROW EMERGES

After the club closed the six men remained to go over the information that they had been gathering for the past year. Chris sat and listened as each man gave a detailed account of their various leads and suspicions regarding his and Sarah’s murders while JD sat in stunned silence trying to absorb the fact that Chris had indeed returned from the dead.

The DNA report had shown a 99.999 percent match with one Christian Draven. As a cop, JD knew that with that high of a percentage it could only be Chris…and now he was faced with having to apologize to both Ezra and Chris for his behavior that morning and he didn’t know how to do it.

Deciding that he owed Ezra the bigger apology, he finally asked to speak to the southerner in private. JD could feel Vin’s eyes on him as he led Ezra to a private corner so that he could make his peace. "Ez, I’m really sorry for calling you a liar and accusing you of pulling something. I should know better, but ..."

Ezra placed a gentle hand on JD’s shoulder and said, "That’s okay, JD. You were in shock and just acted before thinking. Now you know better. Friends?"

"Friends." The two men shook hands and grinned at one another.

Ezra had decided that some facts needed to be aired if they were to help Chris solve his and Sarah’s murder, and he thought now would be as good a time as any. "Mr. Dunne, I think I need to disclose some information. Why don’t you return to our friends while I retrieve something from my room?"

JD looked curiously at Ezra but replied, "Sure, Ez. Anything I can help you with?"

Smiling at the young man’s obvious attempt at postponing his apology to Chris, Ezra replied. "No, JD, but thanks. Why don’t you have a little talk with Chris?"

JD cringed as he was caught trying to avoid the task. "Yeah, I guess I’d better apologize. I just hope that Chris can forgive me."

Ezra tried to convey his support to the young man with a gentle pat on his shoulder. "He will, JD. He will."

"I hope so, Ez."

Ezra watched as the young man made his way back to his friends, and then he went to retrieve his badge from its hiding spot.

The men stopped talking when JD came back and stood over their table. Buck looked up in puzzlement at his friend and asked "Something you want, JD?"

Clearing his throat JD replied, "Yeah Buck, there’s something I need to do."

A knowing light came into Buck’s eyes as JD looked right at Chris and said, "Chris, I’m sorry ... I’m sorry that I didn’t believe ..."

Chris had gotten up as JD started his apology to go over to stand with the young man. Placing his hand on the JD’s shoulder, Chris interrupted him. "That’s okay, JD. HELL, I wouldn’t have believed it myself." Then, holding out his hand he asked, "Friends?"

JD gladly took his friend’s hand and replied, "Friends!" Then he grabbed the man who was his second big brother and hugged him, relishing the feel of Chris in his arms and thanking the God that allowed him to be able to do this once again.

A quiet cough interrupted the two men and everyone turned to Ezra, who was holding a bundle of leather clothing and two other objects, which he placed on the table. Their eyes widened as they saw the holstered gun and a badge wallet. Ezra handed Chris the leather duster and pants, ignoring the other two objects. "Chris, I think you’d better put these on. You will find that they will protect you far better than what you have on now." Chris simply raised his eyebrow at the black leather attire but made no comment.

JD picked up the badge wallet and opened it to see Ezra’s CIA ID and badge. He turned shocked eyes to his friend and passed the wallet to Nathan, "Ezra, you’re CIA? How? Why?"

The five men watched, worried, as Ezra’s face paled and his eyes went flat and empty. In a voice devoid of any expression he said, "I’m on extended medical leave from the CIA after the last case I worked on ... didn’t turn out too well."

Chris and Vin took in Ezra’s haunted look and quickly moved to comfort and support him. Chris didn’t have the faintest clue as to what had happened, but he knew that look; he had seen it on POW’s that had been broken. A fury went through him that someone had hurt this man so and he felt something inside him stir and awaken.

Vin, in the meantime, had pulled up a chair and directed Ezra to sit and then squatted down beside him so that he could watch Ezra’s face. Rage roared through Vin as he remembered exactly what happened to his heart and he wanted to tear the offenders from limb from limb. Keeping the rage to himself, Vin offered comfort to his hurting mate through a gentle touch on his leg and a soft caress to the hand he was holding.

Ezra and Vin both felt the awaking of the Crow and turned to watch as it emerged. Chris had lowered his face to try to keep his anger in place, but with the awaking of the revenging angel he looked up again; gone were Chris’ blue-green eyes, instead burning black eyes stared out of a crazed harlequin face. His skin was pasty white, his lips and eyes stained black, and gray horizontal tear streaks were painted down his cheeks. An aura of rage sizzled around the figure and the other three men hastily backed away from it.

The Crow looked at the two men who had not fled from it and started to circle them only to stop once it was between the two groups of men. Ezra and Vin allowed their shields to drop and the Crow saw its brother spirits of Wolf and Cougar. It crouched down and with a gentle touch on Ezra’s leg asked, "What hurt you, little one?"

Ezra’s eyes reflect the remembered pain and torment that he had experienced and he replied, "They’re all dead, either at their own hands or by the men sent to rescue me." Ezra paused as if to steady himself mentally before continuing his southern accent deepening as his distress grew. "My cover was blown by a traitor within the CIA. The Ali Gebar decided to teach the US a lesson … and used me to do it. They … they tortured me for five days … videotaped the whole thing." Ezra closed his eyes, trying to relax and not give into the panic attack that was closing in on him, but the memories of being tied down, beaten, burned, cut and raped came back along with all the pain. He also remembered someone tried to rob him of his magic through the haze of pain and blood, and a tiny whimper escaped him.

The Crow plucked the distressed man from the chair to tuck against his chest. When Nathan step forward to see if he could help the Crow simply snarled at him. The only one he allowed near them both was Tanner, who was ignoring everyone but the man who was caught reliving the pain and humiliations of his memories.

Vin moved so that he was as close to Ezra as possible. Trapping Ezra between the Crow’s and his own body, he used their bond to reach the panicking man before he went into shock. He cupped that beautiful face in his hands and whispered, "Baby, come back to me. You’re safe here. No one’s going to hurt you. Come back."

Ezra's beautiful, pain-filled eyes opened to look deep into his mate’s, gathering courage and support from Vin. He straightened in the Crow’s embrace but did not pull away from either man and allowed his breathing to become calm and even. Smiling slightly at Vin he said, "Thank you, darlin'. Ah’m all right now."

When the Crow had emerged Nathan, Buck, and JD had scrambled as far from it as possible, then stood and watched as Vin lovingly comforted the distressed man. JD and Buck tried to grasp what their eyes were telling them, that two of their friends were obviously in a sexual relationship with each other, but that was taking a back burner to the presence of the creature. All three of them knew in some strange way that this thing was still Chris but that he had been transformed somehow.

Both Buck and Nathan had seen similar reactions in vets who had endured extreme torture and knew that Ezra must have undergone something terrible to have that same reaction. They had feared that Ezra would go into shock from reliving the terrible memory, but had relaxed when Vin seemed to have pulled him from the brink.

"My God, Ezra!" The voice didn’t come from any of the men in the room. The Crow shoved Ezra into Vin’s arms and turned to face the large man standing not three feet from them.

He was an older man in his forties with a powerful build that would give any or all them trouble if he could. His salt and pepper hair was as long as Vin’s and his features rugged instead of handsome, but there was something about the man that made him resemble a lion.

A very angry and protective lion.

He advanced towards the Crow and growled out. "What THE HELL are you doing to my SON?"

The Crow crouched as the man started toward him, but when the stranger growled his question the Crow turned his head to check Ezra’s response.

Ezra had recognized Josiah’s voice and told the Crow. "Josiah is my mentor. I asked him here so that he could explain to you about who and what you are." Then turning to Josiah an exasperated Ezra continued, "Josiah, how many times do I have to tell you I’m not your son?"

The Crow had stepped aside as Josiah knelt down beside Ezra and cupped his face with his large hand. "Ezra, I really am your father."

Disbelief and hope dashed across Ezra’s face. In a voice just above a whisper and filled with the same two emotions, he said, "It’s not possible. Maude … Maude told me that you were taken away … to be studied. The government … took you away … she had to hide me. Told me … I would be next … if I tried to find you."

Josiah enfolded his son in his arms and held him., "No son, she lied to you. She took you from school to get back at me. She wanted to hurt me, and the only way she could do that was to take you away."

Ezra drew back from Josiah and asked, "But why didn’t you tell me sooner?"

Josiah smiled at his son. "You’d been hurt, and I wasn’t sure if you’d even want me back in your life - I wasn’t sure what your mother had told you. I figured that to be your friend was all that I could ask for."

Ezra clasped his father close to him and said, "To know the man that helped me for years, the man I respect and love like a father is my real father…my prayers have been granted, Father."

The other five men in the room backed off a piece as father and son reunited. The older man sat holding his son on the floor as close as he could be without being in his father’s lap. They held each other with death-like grips as though fearing that they would soon be separated again, tears of joy falling down both their faces.

Vin smiled as he watched his mate’s young heart being healed and thought that by the look of things it would be awhile before they would be ready to continue, so he was surprised when Ezra raised his head and motioned Vin to come over.

Ezra gently pushed Josiah away so that he could get his attention. "Josiah, Father, I want you to meet someone." Ezra grabbed Vin’s hand and pulled him down so that both Vin and Josiah were at eye level. "Father, this is Vin, my lover, my friend, and my mate."

Vin tensed, not sure what type of reaction Josiah would display, and readied himself to protect both of them. But Josiah simply looked at Vin and then reached over to him, extending his hand in friendship. Vin blinked and clasped the hand of his lover’s father, and Josiah yanked Vin close and hugged him. "Ezra told me all about you, boy. Welcome to the family." Then dropping his voice so that only Vin could hear him he said, "You take good care of him. If you don’t you … you’ll have me to worry about."

Continue