Part 4- Carmine
“FOOLISH…THAT WAS such a mistake,” I mutter to myself. I’m hiking up the smoky mountain alone as the dark blue sky gives way to the morning sun. I’m aware I have some days left to accomplish the mission, but I don’t care, I’m determined to do this now.
And I’m doing it alone. Because I’m a coward.
Growing closer to Kurun is a mistake, a huge breach of protocol, and sleeping in his tent was so foolish.
So what if I slept so well because his scent made me feel at home?
He is not my artifact, he is not an agent, and he has seen too much. All because I’m inept.
It would have been all too easy to take him on this journey, but I’m the agent, not him. So, I got out of there as quietly as I could while he slept. Fortunately, his horse didn’t wake up, and I made my way into the woods at the mountain summit.
I need to forget about a certain warrior prince with pretty, dark brown eyes.
Just because I feel a gravitational pull to his body and soul, does not mean I can get involved with him.
Sure, I’ve heard rumblings of other guys in the Agency hooking up across time, but that can’t happen here.
I already care about Kurun too much to be a one-time hook up.
Even if I asked him to come with me back to the future, history books say that the Kurun the Kickboxing Emperor is an integral ruler of the Xing Dynasty.
He’s not mine to keep.
My scanner dings when I reach the smoky summit.
I wipe my brow of sweat and scrutinize the images on my wrist. Apparently, I’m directly above the artifact.
I make quick work setting up a grappling line, anchoring it to the ground.
Then, with my anti-gravity shoes equipped, I scale down into the smoky pit.
The blazing heat permeates through my clothes, and I know lava awaits me.
“Into a freaking volcano, I go,” I mutter to myself.
Fortunately, I spot my target two minutes later.
I only have to grapple down a few yards where the sphere is on a natural ledge.
Perfect. I reach out and to grab it, but the pit below rumbles and lets out more smoke, obscuring my vision.
I can’t reach it, so I place my feet on the ledge to stabilize. After coughing, I reach again—success!
The Astral Jade Sphere seems less lustrous than it appeared in my intel report, but that could be all the smoke I inhaled. I secure it in my pack, wipe more sweat from my face, then look up. I can’t see much, so I click my heels together, activating my anti-grav. My boots aren’t reacting. Huh.
The pit below me rumbles, and fiery shards of rock shoot up.
Panic rises in my throat, and I pull down on my rope.
It’s secure, so I start to climb the old-fashioned way.
More burning coals fly upward, hitting the rocky wall before me.
I struggle to climb up the rope as the heat crawls under my skin.
Fear rises in me just like the lava that I’m sure is rising after me.
An errant coal hits my arm and I wince. It burns with searing pain up and down my arm, and now I’m using one hand to hold onto my rope.
Without anti-grav, climbing out seems like an impossible task. Am I going to meet my end here?
With one hand grasping the rope and the other burning, I suddenly feel myself rise. Something is pulling me up just as more burning coals fly skyward. I refuse to surrender to gravity and nature, so I use my legs to try to climb up. The rope continues to pull me, faster and faster I go.
A smoky eternity later, my vision is blurred when I make it out of the volcanic pit. A body holds me up by my good arm, and together, we run forward. The ground rumbles as we dash past dark boulders through the smoke. I cough and gasp, but I know I’m leaving the danger behind.
“You are a fool, Carmine Listo,” Kurun says, breathing in rapidly.
We scramble down the mountain. “I know, I know.”
***
When we get to the forest summit of the mountain, we slow our pace.
We reach Kurun’s horse and he lets me go.
I miss the contact, but the searing pain on my right arm overwhelms me more.
Kurun looks at my side in concern. Not only is my right sleeve nearly burnt through, but there’s a severe burn on my deltoid.
“Did you secure the artifact?” he asks.
I nod and pull it out of my knapsack with my good arm. Kurun gingerly moves his hand forward and lightly taps it. I must still have adrenaline through my veins, because the sphere glows in my hand. With the green lights cascading over it, the artifact resembles exactly what I was supposed to find.
Kurun gasps and steps back, holding his hip. Before I can ask, my right arm begins to tingle. In a moment, the searing pain dissipates. I watch in shock as the fabric sutures itself, and I know my deltoid is free of the burn.
Somehow the Astral Jade Sphere…healed me?
The mountain rumbles, drawing our attention once more. “Come,” Kurun says, mounting his horse. “We must take leave.”
He holds his hand out to me, and, without second-guessing it, I hop on. As usual, following him is against all the rules, and yet, it feels so right on an instinctual level.
We don’t talk much, and I drift in and out as we ride.
Kurun’s strong arms around me make me feel safer than all the future tech I’ve ever trained with.
An hour later, we’re at what I presume to be the Xing Imperial City.
I cover my face, but none of the guards seem to bat an eye.
Kurun barks orders, and we make our way through the first wall, but we don’t walk toward the massive palace in the center of the city.
Instead, we ride towards what appear to be wooden houses attached to the walls.
“This is the stable area,” Kurun explains, reading my mind.
Guards flank the wooden buildings, and they bow and let us through without trouble.
We make it to the enclosed barn housing at least ten other horses.
Hay is scattered along the ground, and I don’t miss the scent of animal excrement.
“I stay above in the lofts regularly,” he says. I guess this is where we stop.
We dismount and the prince helps me off. “I need to tend to Liberty,” he says, brushing the horse’s mane. “Give me a few minutes?”
“Of course,” I reply. When he leaves with his steed, I study my scanner, only to have the images not appear.
One of the corners of my device is melted, so I know more than a few flecks of magma burned my gear.
They can afford to send me back in time but they can’t make my scanner fireproof?
Typical bureaucracy. Hopefully another agent can pick me up.
And yet, why am I not panicking? Being stuck in the past should increase my anxiety, and yet, I don’t find myself in a rush to go home. When Kurun returns, his long dark hair seems to sway in slow motion as he approaches me. Oh that’s why.
“I have instructed the servants to prepare water and supplies for my arrival,” he says with a relaxed smile. “Let us go upstairs to retire to my bed chamber.”
My mouth goes dry at the thought of seeing his bed. This is so wrong, yet my body is on autopilot as I nod and follow him up.
The area above the stables is like a little apartment.
Silk and other fabrics adorn all the surfaces.
I notice desks with scrolls as well as swords, shields, bows, and arrows strewn about.
Multiple wooden buckets are off to one wall, with white cloths hanging on the edge of each.
There are several chairs as well as a larger mattress in a corner near the window.
It’s like a little bachelor pad, and it’s evident that Kurun’s servants have kept it stocked with tea, water, and fresh clothes.
The earthy scent up here is much more aromatic than downstairs near the horses.
Learning more about Kurun’s world is fascinating.
“Come,” Kurun instructs, pointing to a red fabric chair. I sit down and he brings over a chair and a basin. “Let me inspect your wounds.”
His body is so close to mine, making my pulse rise.
Today was filled with so much danger that my energy is drained.
I no longer have the will to fight this beautiful man.
He helps me pry off my shirt, and the cool air touches my bare chest. His hungry gaze tracks up and down my body, and a flattering chill goes down my spine.
We have to stay in shape for our job, but I hope he likes hairless guys.
I grin and say, “My wounds are fine, Kurun.” I move my right arm forward. “See?”
“Astounding,” he says.
“And you?” I ask with what I hope is a flirty tone.
He seems to understand, because after a moment, he takes off his top. Lust overwhelms me as I gaze at the man before me. I thought the way he wielded his sword was sexy, but that’s nothing compared to his chiseled torso. This ancient Chinese warrior prince is a testament to abdominals.
“I, too, am fine,” he says. His dark eyes seem to shine with intrigue. After a moment, he reaches into the basin and takes out a cloth. “But now we should both clean up.”
He hands me a soaked towel and I nod. As Kurun turns away and he wipes his face of soot and sweat, I’m transfixed by the way his back muscles move. I’m also grateful that he not only saved me, twice, but is now taking care of me.
We quietly clean up, occasionally glancing at the other person.
Kurun insists on taking the used water buckets and leaving for a few minutes.
Once I’m alone, I take out the sphere and scrutinize it.
It no longer glows, and I try to use it to fix my wrist scanner.
“Come on,” I mutter. I tap the artifact to my wrist, but nothing happens.
I swear it sutured my fabric, so why not metal?
Kurun returns with what appear to be sticks of meat on a plate. “Dinner, Carmine Listo,” he says with a smile. He sits next to me and offers me one, but I shake my head. “You need to eat to regain your strength.”
I snicker. “Actually, no. Remember, my future tech allows me to not need it for a few days.”
“Really?”
“Yes, and it’s just Carmine, please.” I nod and glance at the smoky meat between us. “But…I suppose I could partake in one.”
Kurun and I spend several minutes eating barbecued chicken on a stick.
It tastes so flavorful and almost as delicious as the chef-prepared meals we have at the Agency.
Better than the food is the company of this amazing man.
He tells me about his favorite foods and growing up here by the stables to escape the boring life of being a royal son.
I never get bored of his words. I am getting dangerously close to feeling content in his presence.
He seems like more than a friend to me, and I want to share more meals with him in the future. Could we even have a future?
The sun has set by the time we finish eating.
Darkness fills this princely apartment, and I watch as he lights some candles with a flint.
“I was so concerned when you were gone,” he says.
Kurun cleans up and places the leftovers in another basin.
I watch as he goes through the bedtime motions, cleaning his face and mouth.
I stare at those perfect muscles in the candlelight as he changes into silky green-and-pink robes, presumably sleeping clothes.
“It filled me with such fear and dread.”
The shame fills my throat. “I…apologize, Kurun. It was my mission, and I felt I had to go it alone.”
He motions for me to sit on the bed with him, and I follow.
At this point I know he means me no harm, but the longer I spend in his kingdom, the more I risk altering history.
And worse, the more I fear losing him. We study each other for a moment, and his eyes dart to my mouth.
I want to kiss him so badly, breaking both our hearts in the process.
“You are not alone in the Xing Empire. You have my protection.”
I nod and smile. “I know,” I murmur. “I’ve never…needed someone’s help so often, so quickly before.”
He bows, then stands up. “Consider it my altruistic duty to you, Carmine. Whatever you need, I will grant you. But for now, we should sleep.” He takes out the rope tie from his head, letting his dark hair completely flow out.
My mouth goes dry again as this regal warrior moves a wood-and-paper partition close to the mattress.
“You can take the bed, I will grant you your privacy. I can sleep on the floor”
“Oh, no, you don’t—”
“I insist,” he says, taking off his robe. I spot a flash of those muscles again before he strolls behind the partition wearing only a beige loincloth. In moments, the candle is off, and only the night sky illuminates the apartment.
I strip down to my boxers and lie back. It’s fortunate that my language tech allows me a proximity, because I don’t want to sleep with any gear on.
I want to still be able to talk to this prince in case he wants…
something from me tonight. The rustling sounds of Kurun making a floor-bed fill my ears.
After a minute, he quiets down. Through the partition, I can hear him breathing.
I close my eyes and try to memorize his heartbeat.
Everything about Kurun is astounding. So what if I have to go back to the future? My scanner isn’t working, so the Agency might pick me up at any time. I need to live in the present, this present, Kurun’s time. I need to cherish the moment and follow this connection.
History loses information all the time. Dictators have always scrubbed the truth about gay guys. What’s one more illicit affair?
My pulse rises with anticipation and desire. I dart out of bed and amble past the partition. In the dark, I can barely make out that lithe perfect body lying on several silk sheets.
But Kurun can see me. He sits up just as I kneel beside him. “Carmine. What is the matter?”
I don’t respond. Instead, I lean closer, feeling the warmth of his skin wash over me.
Gradually, I move my face closer to his.
Time seems to slow down as my mouth encroaches his.
I can feel his breath, but I need him to cross this line.
An eternity passes before he threads his fingers through my hair, pulling me in.
I’m kissing this ancient Chinese warrior prince. Breaking the rules never felt so good.