Blood & Milk (14 page)

He laughed. “You always have questions when you be frowning.”

I smiled at that. “Would you tell me honestly, does it bother you that you are here when the other men are over there?” I nodded toward the group of warriors and elders.

“You ask this before.”

“I did.”

“So it bother you?”

“Not for me, but for you. You deserve to be with them.”

He chuckled and shook his head. “I am at peace with where I am, Heath Crowley.”

I smiled at how he said my name. Not only did he say my full name, but he only ever called me that when we were alone. In front of anyone else, he used my Maasai name, Alé.

“Hey, what’s your last name?” I asked. “Do you have a family name?”

“Yes,” he said, as he bit into some meat. “We take father’s family name.”

“And what is yours?”

“Nkorisa.”

“Damu Nkorisa?” I asked, just to be certain I had it right.

He nodded slowly and looked to where the children were playing soccer. He smiled wistfully as they laughed.

“Damu Nkorisa,” I repeated his full name. “I like how that sounds.”

He turned his gaze to me. He never spoke but there was something in his eyes, a depth, an emotion that gave me butterflies.

It wasn’t a reaction I was expecting, and I was grateful for the distraction when all the women stood up. I looked over and saw why. Kijani was on his way over. It must have been something special if the warrior leader approached. Amali stepped forward―she was, for all intents and purposes, Kijani’s mother. The woman who had taken both Kijani and Damu in as her own―and he bowed his head to her before they had a quiet conversation while everyone watched on.

I had to admit, I admired the way all Maasai men, even in such a patriarchal society, respected their mothers. It was the mother who they came to for advice, it was the mother’s approval they sought for many things. Even though Kijani was basically the second in charge of all his people, only after his father, the witchdoctor chief Kasisi, Kijani still sought counsel from his mum.

Kijani and Amali turned and walked away to speak in private, looking back at the men and women in turn.

“What’s going on?” I whispered to Damu.

“I not know. I have guess,” he answered, a slight smile on his face.

Before he could finish, Kijani and Amali returned to the group of women, and Amali said, “Razina.”

Razina, the woman Kijani had bought here seeking refuge, was clearly surprised and nervous, but stepped forward. She was a pretty woman, with high cheekbones and delicate features, though it was hard to tell because she kept her head down, subservient at all times.

“
En-k
ɨ́
r
ɨ́
nâ
,” Amali said.

Why would she be asking for a bracelet?

When Razina dutifully produced a white beaded bracelet from her wrist, about two inches wide, and held it atop her hand, I realised what I witnessing.

A Maasai courting.

Without a word, Kijani took the bracelet and walked away. Okay, so that was weird, and kinda cute. Some of the women giggled, hiding their smiles with their hands and crowding around a blushing Razina, yet Amali didn’t seem too amused.

“Why is Amali not happy?” I whispered to Damu.

Damu was obviously amused by what we just saw, his playful smile gave him away. “Maasai man not choose bride. Father choose bride for him. It is the way. Kasisi not want Razina for Kijani’s bride.”

“Why not?”

“She has no cattle. No wealth.”

I took a deep breath and bit my tongue. “But Kijani wants her?”

“It seem so, yes.” Damu’s smile got wider. “What you see just now, not usual what happens. Kijani just made stand for bride.”

I glanced over at Kasisi and saw that he didn’t look terribly impressed. But Kijani looked back at Razina, then ducked his head and was promptly heckled by some guys in his age-set. It was funny to watch.

The ceremony continued until dusk. We took our turns drinking the goat’s blood, the metallic liquid had almost congealed by then, and although it nearly made me vomit, I wouldn’t disrespect them.

Afterwards we cleaned up, and I saw Damu taking something into his hut. I didn’t give it another thought until we’d both gone inside after dark. There was no soup tonight, as we’d eaten our fill of meat and cabbage, but Damu stoked the fire anyway. The nights were still cold, and the small mudbrick stove provided a welcome warmth and light inside the otherwise darkened hut. It was then I noticed the cabbage leaf near our bucket of water. It had something on it.

“What’s that for?” I asked, pointing to the mystery leaf.

Damu mumbled something and stoked the fire with vigour instead of answering.

Okay then.

“Damu?”

He wouldn’t look at me, but at least he answered. “It is fat from the meat.”

Well, that was strange… “Is it for eating?”

He paused for a moment, then shook his head, but didn’t say anything else.

I scooted over and picked it up. I was closer to the fire now, and I could see his face more clearly. The fat was more what I would call grease. It was smeared and white. It was clean. Had he got this before the meat was cooked? “Damu?”

He spoke to the fire, still unwilling to look at me. “It is for you. I not know the word. Slick?”

Slick. Slick…?
Oh my God
. I whispered, “Is this for sex?”

He seemed to shrink in on himself, embarrassed. “You said…” He shook his head. “Burn in fire if you not want it. I collect this because you talked of it, and there is no meat now until next moon.”

He collected it for me, because I’d told him anal sex was better with some kind of lube, and he didn’t want me to wait another month. “Damu, look at me?” I waited for his eyes to meet mine. He was so horribly embarrassed. “Thank you. You are a very kind and generous man, Damu Nkorisa. It means a lot to me that you thought of me, and I am grateful.”

He blinked a few times before a shy smile pulled at his lips. “You like it?”

Well, I never thought I’d like to use goat fat as a lube before, that was certain. But, whatever worked. “Yes. But just so you know, you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. Please tell me you understand that?”

He nodded. “Yes.” He still looked uncertain though, like he didn’t understand my meaning. I tried to think of how to word it so he’d understand, but without using the words
fucking
and
anal sex
.

“Damu, what we’ve been doing together makes me very happy. I don’t need this”—I held up the Maasai-style lube—“to be with you. If you want to use this on me
that way
, I’m happy. If you don’t want to, I’m still happy. Okay?”

He smiled, more relaxed now. “Yes.”

I put the cabbage leaf back near the bucket. “Are you tired? I am tired,” I told him and scooted back over to the thin mattress.

He loaded up the fire and seemed to hesitate. He glanced quickly at me, then back to the fire.

“Damu?” I asked quietly. “Did you want to try it?”

He shot me a look, and even by the flickering light of the fire, I could see the hesitation in his face. He pretended something about the stove was fascinating. “I uh… I not…”

“Damu,” I said, this time with a smile on my face. His awkwardness was rather adorable. “Bring it over.”

He quickly grabbed the cabbage leaf and scooted over to the bed, making me laugh. He obviously wanted to try it, very much. I sat up on the mattress and patted the spot beside me, urging him to move closer. Once he was right beside me, I said, “Damu, if you want something, don’t ever be embarrassed or ashamed to tell me. If you want it, ask me. We’re in this together, okay?” I took the leaf from him and lay it on the ground near our bed, then manoeuvred my legs around him. I pulled him down with me as I lay back, and he came willingly.

We were still fully clothed, but his weight on me was welcome. His scent filling my senses, his hardening erection pressed into my groin, and his lips were barely an inch from mine. I put my hand to his face, and lifting my head a little, I kissed him softly. I knew he was too incredibly shy and inexperienced to tell me exactly what he wanted to do, so I thought I’d help him out.

“Can I tell you what I want?” I asked.

He nodded, then leaned down for another kiss. He was clearly into kissing… When I pulled my mouth away for a breath, I said, “What I want, is for us to be naked. I want to feel you against me―all of you―and I want you between my legs just like you are now. I want you to kiss me, taste me with your tongue.”

He shuddered but remained silent.

“I want your hands all over me, but most all Damu, I want you inside me.”

He gasped and froze. “I want too. But I not know how.”

I cradled his face in my hands. “I will show you.”

He nodded again. “I want, but I am also nerves and scared.”

I traced my fingers over his eyebrow and down his cheek. “It’s okay to be scared, and nervous.” I kissed him. “I’ll talk you through it, and you can stop any time you want, okay?”

He nodded again, but this time he chuckled. “I’m certain I not stop. Not want to stop.”

I kissed him with smiling lips. “I’m certain you won’t want to stop either. It will feel really good. Now, Damu?”

“Yes?”

“Undress me. Take my clothes off, and I’ll show you how to get my body ready for you.”

He’d helped me undress before, though this was different. We both knew what this meant, where this was headed, and my cock filled with anticipation. When we were both naked and Damu had covered us with our shukas, he lay beside me. I took the cabbage leaf and laid it on my chest for easy access. I was oddly reminded of that godawful novelty bacon scented lube and bit back a laugh as I realised just how absurd this Maasai kind of personal lubricant was.

“Okay,” I whispered in the dark. “Did you want to touch my arse, or do you want me to do it?”

It took him a second to gather his thoughts and possibly his courage. “I want to do it. To do it for you.”

I couldn’t help it. I just had to kiss him for saying that. Then I took his left hand and scooped a generous amount of the lard onto his fingers, and holding his hand in mine, I guided him toward my arse.

“You need to spread it around and inside me.” I held his fingers and directed his actions, showing him where I needed it, how much pressure to apply, and how slow to do it. And my God, the slick feeling… “Oh, Damu,” I whispered, my voice strained. “That feels really good. Now push inside me. One finger first.” I piloted his index finger, slipping the tip into my arsehole up to the knuckle. “Oh yeah, just like that.”

Soon we added a second finger, and I was pushing back against him, rolling my hips and imagining what was to come. “Now use the same amount and rub it over you.”

He froze and I wasn’t sure if what I’d said got mangled in translation.

“Let me do that for you,” I said, swiping my finger through the makeshift lube and coating his cock with it.

“Ah, that is good.” He bucked his hips forward into my fist. “So good.”

“Are you ready?” I asked, letting go of his hard on. “Because I am.”

He nodded again and I moved the cabbage leaf to the side. “On top of me, Damu,” I said to him. “Get between my legs.” He quickly did as I asked, and I could feel his long erection pressing down against my balls. “Oh God, you feel good,” I whispered to him. He pressed his hips into mine and his steel-hard dick rubbed against me. My whole body ached with the need of it.

I brought my knees up toward my chest and Damu leaned back on his knees, giving me some room. “I need, Heath Crowley,” he rasped out, taking his erection in his hand and pumping it. “I need and I want, too much.”

I reached down and slid my hand over his and together we lined the blunt head of his cock at my hole. I felt a hunger, a need, to have him inside me. “Push in, slowly. Nice and slow.” My voice was strangled, desperate. “Damu, I need you.”

He pushed forward, slowly breaching the tight ring of muscle, and he fell forward onto one arm. His eyes were wide and his lips parted as he entered me.

I burned with the stretch of him, and I buzzed. Like a junkie taking a hit, he was my high, he was everything. In that moment, he was all there was. He sunk inside me, slowly and surely, he filled me.

He gasped back a breath, and the look on his face was one of complete wonder with a hint of panic, and I was reminded that this was his first time. I put my hand to his face, swiping my thumb over his cheek, reassuring him. “Damu, so good. You feel so good.”

He pulled out a little, only to push back in. He bit out a groan. “What is this?” he whined against my lips. His voice was tight and strained. “What is this dream?”

I smiled at him and leaned forward so I could kiss him. “This is no dream. This is perfect.”

He thrust a little harder, causing me to moan and writhe. He was fully seated inside me now. Every inch of him was filling me completely, and yet I still wanted more. I put my hands to his face and brought our mouths together, knowing it would bring him undone.