The Four Horsemen 2 - War (13 page)

War wasn’t ashamed at the noises he made while Russell fucked him. First of all, there wasn’t anyone around to hear them, and secondly, he wanted his lover to know how much he enjoyed their lovemaking.
“War!” Russell shouted as he slammed into War and came, flooding War with hot liquid.
“Yes.” War grunted and came as well, spilling his seed all over his stomach.
Russell collapsed on him and they lay, stuck together by the drying cum on War’s stomach. War closed his eyes and drifted, listening to the sounds of the horses moving around them and Russell’s panting. Soon his own heartbeat evened out and he smoothed his hand down Russell’s back.
“Do we have time for a nap?” Russell questioned quietly.
“Not really. We need to get the herd moving to the night grazing grounds.” War sighed. “We can go to bed early tonight if you want.”
“I’ll be okay. I just like to cuddle after I have sex, and I haven’t had a lot of chances to do that.” Russell nuzzled War’s chin.
“I think we can do that for a little bit.” He gathered his courage. “Russell, I wanted to let you know something.”
Russell stiffened and rose a few inches to look down at him. “That doesn’t sound good.”
He shrugged, uncomfortable with the way Russell was studying him. “I hope it’s good news, but I’m not sure how you’ll feel about it.”
“Just come out and say it before I start to panic.”
A brief snort of laughter escaped from War. Russell wasn’t the type to panic and he doubted Russell would worry about anything War had to say.
“All right. I really like you.”
Russell’s shoulders slumped and he heaved a relieved sigh. “Thank God. I thought you were going to tell me I had to leave or that you were married.”
“Married? Trust me, I wouldn’t have done anything with you if I were married.” War shook his head. “What kind of man do you take me for?”
“I didn’t really think you’d do something like that, but you never know. It was possible.” Russell grinned at him. “I will say I’m falling for you.”
“Seriously?”
Russell pursed his lips for a moment while he thought. “Yes, seriously. I can’t say for sure it’s love, because I’ve never been in love before, but I do care for you. I love the sex, but that’s not all I like. I love talking to you or just riding the horses and not saying a word.”
“Sometimes silence is the best way of telling how well you get along with someone. If you can stand being with the person when it’s quiet, then you might be able to deal with the loud times.” War met Russell’s amused gaze. “Did that make any sort of sense?”
“I got the gist of it.” Russell climbed to his feet and held out a hand to War. “Let’s wash and get dressed. After all the fun, I’m hungry.”
War let Russell pull him up and they headed back into the chilly water. A quick rinse, and they dried before getting dressed. They sat and ate, no words necessary between them. Their feelings were out in the open and they would have to see where it all went from that moment on. Out on the steppes there weren’t any distractions and they only had each other to talk to.
“You remember who you were from before you died?” Russell asked, looking up from the fruit he ate.
War nodded. “Yeah. I never forgot anything about my life. My name was Baqir and I was the chief of the Al Sidah tribe.”
“Did you go back to look in on them when you realised you weren’t really dead?”
“Once. Death told me I wasn’t supposed to have anything to do with my old life. I chose to leave it, so I had no right to go back to it.”
“You know, Death sounds like a bastard,” Russell said.
War thought about Russell’s comment for a moment. Death could be an asshole when he wanted to be, but War always got the feeling it was because Death didn’t want them longing for something they couldn’t have back. Also, it struck War as being part of Death’s personality. The Pale Rider didn’t like to show how much he cared for his fellow Horsemen, probably because, if he did, he could get hurt.
Yet War had a feeling Death had helped Pestilence—or Aldo as he was now known—to find his way back to the mortal world. Maybe their fearless leader understood how they felt, even though he didn’t show it very often.
“I’m sure he has a right to be. I mean no one wants to see him. He’s Death, the guy who will escort you to the gates. How often is he greeted with happiness and joy?” War lifted a shoulder. “Also, I don’t think he regrets whatever he did in the mortal world to earn his position as a Horseman.”
“Do you regret it?” Russell finished his lunch and leant back on his hands, watching the river flow by.
“Yes, I do, and I know for a fact Aldo and Famine both regret how they ended up as one of us.” War paused while he gathered his thoughts, and then continued, “We not only regret our premature deaths, but the circumstances leading up to our deaths. I don’t know what the others did, but I assume it was something that caused them to feel guilty.”
Russell let his head drop back, and with his eyes closed he looked like he was soaking up the sun’s rays. It was a beautiful sight and War’s heart kicked in his chest.
Shit!
He couldn’t be falling in love. Not this soon. He admitted he felt something special for Russell, but was it love?
You’re an idiot.
Death’s voice echoed through his head.
Maybe I am.
He would freely admit to being an idiot.
What makes you call me that?
You’ve loved him since the moment you first laid eyes on him. What’s holding you back from telling him all the deep emotions swirling in your heart?
War rolled his eyes and he must have made some sort of noise because Russell opened one eye and looked at him.
“Yes?”
“Nothing.” War gathered up all the food and stuffed what was left into their saddlebags.
You can’t run from the truth, War, and the truth is staring you in the face.
Since when did you become a matchmaker?
Since I realised the rest of you weren’t happy doing what you’ve been drafted to do.
And you are?

War managed to get two horses out of the herd and saddled while waiting for Death to answer him. He waved Russell over to give him a leg up. Before mounting, Russell brushed a kiss over War’s lips.

Yes, I do like what I do. I carry no guilt for what I did in my mortal life, which makes me different from all of you.
Death had a point and War couldn’t argue with that. He still felt guilty for the battle, but he was starting to see that the whole situation hadn’t been entirely his fault. Maybe it would help him deal with what he did in this life.
And maybe help Russell with his problems. He’s still wrestling with his own form of guilt.
I know and I am working on it.
He didn’t get a response from Death, so War figured that the Horseman had chosen to end the conversation. War didn’t mind. He wanted to enjoy the sound of the wind blowing through the grass and listen to Russell breathing next to him.

Russell fumbled with the blankets covering him. When he crawled out from under them, he scurried a few feet away, and wrapped his arms around his knees. He rested his forehead on his knees, trying to calm his breathing. Sweat beaded on his chest and back, making him clammy and chilled.

Rustling behind him informed him War was awake. He gritted his teeth and clenched his hands. He wished his nightmare hadn’t been bad enough to cause War to wake up. A warm presence settled right behind him and War’s hand landed on his shoulder.

Russell shrugged slightly. He wasn’t falling into a flashback or anything like that, but he wasn’t completely in the here and now.
“You don’t need any of your medicine, do you?”
Shaking his head, he took a deep breath. “No. Just a nightmare.”
War hummed before encircling Russell’s waist and tugging him back against War’s chest. He stretched his legs out on either side of Russell, surrounding him with warmth and caring.
“Was it about the day Jimmy and William were killed?” War murmured in his ear, voice low and non-judgemental.
“Yes, though it morphed into me being stranded on the same ledge as before. Only this time, it wasn’t nearly as big and I had to hold on or else I’d fall. I could hear Jimmy and William yelling for help, but I couldn’t help them. Hell, if I’d let go, I would have fallen myself. Their screams got louder and louder.” He shuddered. “When I looked down, I was hanging above a river of blood.”
War didn’t speak, but just having his arms around him made Russell feel safe, like he would never fall into the abyss again. He rested even more of his weight on War, knowing his lover would be able to handle it.
“I know this all has to do with my survivor’s guilt and being covered with blood and other shit when they died.” Russell turned and pressed his lips to War’s shoulder. “I’m not stupid about the whole psychology behind my mental problems. Yet I can’t stop reliving those moments.”
“We all relive things. I relive the instant my sword stabbed Asad in the throat. The look of shock in his eyes, and standing there as the light drained out of them.”
War spoke in a soft voice, but Russell could hear the sorrow in his words. Why did Russell see the truth about War’s situation and could offer advice on how to fix it? Yet he couldn’t seem to get a handle on his own
“Were you and Jimmy good friends?”
Russell closed his eyes and thought about Jimmy. Were they friends? Yes, in the way that untried boys became friends as they evolved into men. Jimmy was one of the few guys Russell had gone through basic training with and they’d been assigned to the same unit. While they hadn’t known everything about each other, they’d fought next to each other during the time they’d been in Afghanistan.
“I think so. We didn’t hang out a lot off base, but still we talked about our families and stuff. I trusted him to have my back when I needed him. Maybe that’s the issue. When he needed me, I didn’t do anything to help him.”
“Did you know one of the insurgents was going to shoot him?”
“No.” Russell rolled his eyes. “Of course, I had no idea who they were shooting at. Sometimes I think they just fired their guns without aiming, hoping they would hit someone by accident.”
War snorted. “They aren’t quite as well trained as you were. Do you see what I was getting at, though? You had no way of knowing Jimmy was going to be shot. If you did, I’m sure you would have done something to help him. Also, you didn’t know the medic was going to be hit as well. Did you know the medic’s name?”
Russell shook his head. “He joined our unit while I was in the hospital, and I never could remember his name. Does that make me a bad person?”
“No, Russell. It doesn’t make you a bad person for not remembering his name. You remember what he looks like, right? Because you dream about him every night and it’s like you’ve memorised every aspect of his face.”
“You’re right. The worst part is looking into his eyes and seeing the shock as the bullet hit. Then watching his head explode and cover me with blood and brain matter. I couldn’t seem to clean my hands and face enough after that. The doctors said it was one of the repetitive things I did while I was catatonic. I continually washed my hands.”
He held them up to the moonlight and turned them back and forth.
“There are times when I still see blood and sand on them, even though I know they’re clean.”
War took his hands in his and squeezed them. “I’m here to remind you, their blood isn’t on your hands. You were a victim as much as they were. Russell, there wasn’t anything you could have done to save them. I could give you platitudes and tell you it was their time to go. Destiny had chosen the heat of battle for their lives to end.”
Russell pushed out of War’s arms and turned to face him. “Do you really believe that?”
“I told you I could tell you that, but I won’t. At least, I won’t mean it when I say it. I don’t know why people die when they do. Death tells me there is a plan for the world. Fate, destiny, or whatever you want to call it, has been plotted out for some purpose. For good or evil, I have no idea, but it must have something to do with the balance of the world. As Horsemen, we are concerned with making sure neither side gets out of hand.”
“I don’t understand how war and disease help keep things even.” Russell had the odd feeling of being stupid, like he was missing a very obvious point.
War grimaced. “Neither do I, but Death assures me we’re helping. Maybe it has to do with keeping the populations from exploding. I really don’t know, and since Death is the only one I can ask I have to go on what he says.”
“I have the feeling Death doesn’t tell you everything he knows,” Russell said.
“You’re right. He doesn’t, and it’s really weird because he is the youngest of us in terms of years as Horseman.” War gazed off into the distance while he thought.
“Who’s the oldest out of you four?”
“Well, Pestilence doesn’t count because he’s new. We got a new comrade when Aldo fell in love and became mortal again.” War scrunched his nose. “I think Famine is the oldest of us now, though he can’t be much older than me. I think we came from around the same period. I’m not sure what he did to get drafted as a Horseman. We don’t talk about our former lives; makes it easier to accept the new one.”
“Where do the others live?” Russell probably shouldn’t be asking questions, but his curiosity was demanding answers and War seemed willing to spill them.
War gathered Russell back into his arms, and they sat on the small hill, overlooking the herd. Russell stifled a contented sigh. How could just sitting in the dark, wrapped in another person’s arms, feel so much like home? Who would have thought he’d find a place he loved by travelling to the other side of the world?
“Aldo used to live deep in the jungle of the Amazon. He saw fewer people than I did.” War laughed. “Now he lives in Boston because his partner is a professor at Harvard. I’m not sure if Famine has a home. He tends to wander the countries of Africa, spreading his awful power over many groups. I think he’s originally from that particular continent anyway. Death is the only one of the current Horsemen who lives anywhere near people. He lives in Paris.”
Russell made a soft noise. “Is Death French?”
The movement behind Russell suggested War had shrugged.
“I’m not sure. He doesn’t have much of an accent, but that doesn’t mean anything. He’s been Death since the seventeen hundreds, so he’s had time to lose it if he wanted to. Death does seem more at home among mortals than we do.”
One of the horses whinnied and Russell watched as the dogs stood, shook off the dew, and circled the herd, checking the perimeter for danger. They didn’t bark so he relaxed a little. There wasn’t much out there for them to worry about, but it paid to stay alert.
“Having a couple more sets of eyes and three good noses are some of the reasons why I use the dogs. They stay alert, even if I doze off,” War explained.
“You used the word ‘alive’ a few minutes ago. Why? It’s not like you aren’t alive right now,” Russell pointed out.
“For us, being alive is different from what we are now. Being alive was back when we were mortal.” War hesitated for a second before continuing, “We’re immortal now. We can’t die or be killed, though that seems a little odd, doesn’t it? Why should we worry about being killed? For the most part, people don’t see us. We pass through the world unnoticed.”
“If that’s true, then why did I see you?”
“Hmmm…good question. You shouldn’t have been able to. Oh, you were seriously injured, and probably close to dying. You said you saw Death before I showed up.”
“Yeah. He told me to hang on because help was coming.”
The noise War made sounded like exasperation. “He’s a sneaky bastard. He never told me he talked to you on the ledge before I found you. I happened to be in the area because he told me I needed to be there. “
“So Death is a matchmaker, huh? Who would have thought that?”
Russell laughed and War joined in.
“’A hopeless romantic’ isn’t the first thought that pops into my head when I see Death,” War admitted.
“I bet.”
Their conversation drifted into casual chatter about silly things, and questions to get to know each other like favourite colours and songs. War impressed Russell by being rather current on his music choices. Russell was shocked when War admitted he hadn’t been to a movie in a long time.
“When was the last time you saw a movie in the theatre?”
War narrowed his gaze while he tried to remember. “I think it was
The Godfather
.”
Russell shook his head in surprise. “You’re kidding me? It’s been thirty-nine years since you’ve gone to the movies? I think that might be a record.”
“I don’t think so. I think Famine has me beat. I don’t think he’s ever seen a movie. They didn’t exist when he was alive, and he spends most of his time in third-world countries. And thank you for making me feel like a freak.”
Russell turned in War’s arms and wrapped his own around War’s neck. He brought their lips together in a gentle kiss. He nibbled on War’s bottom lip, catching it between his teeth and tugging on it lightly before letting it go and leaning back.
“I’m sorry. I’ve just never met anyone who hasn’t seen recent movies. Of course, I’ve never met a man like you before, and I guess I shouldn’t be surprised by anything you have or haven’t done.”
“I’m experienced enough in one thing to keep you happy.” War wiggled his eyebrows and Russell laughed.
“Yes, you do keep me happy.” He pushed to his feet and held out his hand to War. “Let’s go back to bed and see just how happy you can make me.”
War let Russell haul him to his feet and they wandered back to the blankets. Russell stood while War shook them out.
“Have to make sure no creatures crawled in to get warm.”
“Yeah. Nothing kills the mood faster than getting bit by a snake or spider.”
They slipped into the makeshift bed and turned towards each other, coming together with easy desire, touching in all the right spots to build their pleasure. When War sank into his ass, Russell inhaled deeply, staring up into his lover’s black eyes and seeing all his emotions reflected back at him.
Rocking in unison, Russell and War chased each other up along the path of lust and need until the pleasure swelled to the point of pain. Russell grunted as the bubble burst and his climax overwhelmed him, causing stars to blur his vision. War threw back his head and shouted his joy to the night sky, filling Russell with his hot cum.
Both men trembled as the aftershocks of their mutual climax faded away. War kept his body braced above Russell, but Russell wanted him pressed tight to him. He embraced War, tugging to bring the man down on top of him.
“I don’t want to crush you,” War protested.
“I’m not fragile, you idiot. I’ll be fine. I can toss you off if you get too heavy.” Russell encouraged War to lie on him.
War rolled so they were lying on their sides, but still touching. Russell moaned as War’s limp cock slid from him.
“We should probably clean up before we fall back asleep,” War suggested.
Russell didn’t reply, his eyes closed as he breathed in War’s scent, a familiar mixture of sweat and horse. He never thought he’d like that, but it had become his favourite smell in the entire world, even more comforting than the smell of grass on a warm summer breeze.
He mumbled in protest as War left his side. Russell listened to him walking to the small pool of water they were camped next to and dipping the bucket into it. He must have drifted off because he jumped when War swiped Russell’s thighs with a cold, wet cloth. He didn’t fight as War rolled him around, cleaning him quickly.
Sighing, he snuggled back into War’s arms when the man returned to their blankets. He kissed War’s chest.
“Thank you,” Russell whispered.
“For what?”
“For staying up with me and loving me until I was too tired to think about my nightmare.”
War nuzzled his face into Russell’s. “It wasn’t a hardship, sweetheart. Any time you can’t sleep, wake me up. I’ll listen to you, or talk to you, or just fuck you until you can rest in my arms.”
Russell started to say something, but a yawn interrupted him and he found he didn’t really have the energy to finish the conversation. With War beside him, Russell didn’t worry about bloody dreams or a guilty conscience waking him up.