Sneaking Suspicion

[ELI WESLEY]

Eli had done his best in the last couple months to keep Nick’s suspicion off him. There were nights when he simply couldn’t keep up the pretense that he had seen nothing in his lover’s closet. The memory of the blood-stained clothes in his hands was too much for Eli to suppress. It was those nights that he made some excuse not to see Nick. He had to work late or needed to be up early—whatever he could convincingly perpetrate. Thankfully, it wasn’t so often that he felt Nick was onto him. Maybe once every other week, if that often. But even when Nick stayed with him, Eli sometimes woke up with a start, the image of Nick in bloody clothes burned into his eyes. Eli still didn’t know the exact story behind the clothes, though. He was too frightened to look for the answers. Nick would probably catch him if he tried snooping, so the best course of action was to pretend it never happened…and research when he had a few moments at work.

In his research, Eli had come across a handful of articles about a cult in the Louisiana bayou led by a man named Bellefontaine. Nick’s name. There was one picture he stumbled across and from what Eli could tell, there was enough similarities between Bellefontaine and Nick that he was fairly certain they were related. He wasn’t going to speculate how close and to be honest he wasn’t sure he wanted to. What this man did to children in his cult was sickening. Only one woman spoke out against the cult, back when he and Nick had been nearing adolescence. She managed to get a handful of the children out of the cult and into Child Protective Services. Initially, based on her allegations of abuse, all of the children at the compound had been taken into protective custody. Unfortunately, the woman’s accusations couldn’t be proven with enough surety to convince a jury. Some of the children involved had talked to counselors, some were committed to private and intensive treatment, but none of them were willing to testify against the only family they knew. Some were simply too young to be allowed to take on the burden. The more he read into the case, the more Eli wondered if Nick hadn’t been one of those children. Or maybe he knew about it and could settle Eli’s suspicions. It was just a matter of collecting the courage to ask.

He moved the green beans from the stove, letting them hiss in their light coat of oil while he moved to the door. There was Nick, as handsome and put together as ever. Eli smiled easily. Even with what he knew, even with all of the suspicions on his lover’s life that floated through his head daily and disrupted his sleep on occasion, Eli was still smitten with the man. He was cruel in bed frequently, but he could be so sweet and doting as well. Even now, as Nick’s lips captured his in a loving kiss of greeting, Eli’s heart skipped a beat. When Nick pulled away, Eli opened his somewhat dazed eyes and gave his standard, bashful smile. “Hello to you too.” His tone was playful, his deep voice soft as he smiled more. “Dinner’s almost ready.” He leaned in and gave Nick another kiss, his hand resting gently on the other man’s hip. How could he be so head over heels for a man he knew was no good for him? Tearing himself from the kiss, Eli brushed his nose along Nick’s before stepping back towards the kitchen. A warm, crooked smile invited the beautiful man to follow him if he wanted while Eli moved back to the stove. He stirred the mashed potatoes again before moving them from the heat. “Did you do anything interesting today?” he asked conversationally, smiling over at Nick while he opened the oven to retrieve the salmon cooking there. He blocked the image of what Nick could have been doing from entering his mind.

[NICHOLAS BELLEFONTAINE]

Nick almost felt bad for Eli. The other man was casual, and there were times when he though maybe, perhaps, Eli didn't really know anything at all, but there was something off about him. He was starting to lie, making excuses not to see him, excuses that Nick knew weren't true. He could tell in his tone, though Eli was relatively convincing, but more so he was watching his lover. It wasn't someone else, Nick knew that, but by now Eli should be wrapping himself more around Nick instead of pulling away. The other man seemed to enjoy his time with Nick, which lead him to believe it was really one thing; Eli knew. Nick wasn't exactly sure what Eli knew, it could be any number of things, some not even pertaining to him. He considered that Eli may have seen some questionable items in his closet, or perhaps had done some research on his past, or perhaps stumbled upon some other type of incriminating evidence. That last wasn't as likely, considering how careful he was, but with Eli so close to him, he was likely to find a clue or two and considering his line of work, it wouldn't be hard for the other man to start connecting pieces of the puzzle. A late night phone call could have tipped him off.. Or maybe Nick was being paranoid. Maybe there were other things going on with Eli. He'd suppressed the urge to call in some favors and have the other man followed. It wouldn't be hard to do, see what he was doing when he said he was working late. Nick himself could only get so far on an investigation like that without some help. Unless of course he fixed himself some truth serum.. The thought had crossed his mind again and again. It was one of the best options he had of finding out what he wanted on his own without completely ruining the relationship. Torturing information from the other man wasn't an option yet, because there was a good chance that Nick would need to end the other mans life and he wasn't prepared to do that. Not yet. Not until he'd had his fill, and Eli had become very intoxicating.

He arrived at Eli's door, as scheduled, and rapped gently. It took the other man only a moment to let him in, a gentle smile creasing his lips when he'd caught sight of who was at the door. Nick didn't give quite the same greeting, moving in to taste those grinning lips instead of offering his own smile in greeting. He lingered only a moment, but Eli seemed content with the contact, and ever the skeptic, Nick watched for any sort of hesitation. There was none. “Hello to you too.” "It smells nice." He complimented. “Dinner’s almost ready.” Eli leaned in this time, catching his mouth in another kiss. His fingers brushed against Eli's as they rested on his waist, feeling the heat begin to boil in his stomach. He hoped he was being paranoid.. Eli finally pulled away and Nick suppressed his urges, letting the other man slip away back towards the kitchen. It was probably as close to love as Nick might ever feel, that deep seeded need, that want, for another human being. If something happened to Eli though, try as he may, he knew he might not care all that much. It would bother him for a while, but he'd be on to the next within the week. Even now, if he really wanted to leave he could, but why deny himself?

He shut the door behind him, twisting the lock before following Eli further in towards the kitchen. “Did you do anything interesting today?” He came up beside Eli, watching him work casually as he leaned against the counter. "Only think about all th'ways I was gon' make ya'll scream tonight." He answered surprisingly, waiting for the color to creep into Eli's cheeks. The other man didn't leave him wanting and his lip quirked up ever so slightly as the color spread to his ears. "Don' act so su'prised, Eli." He chastised gently, stopping himself from pulling the other man to him. He'd burned too many dinners that way, and he wasn't in the mood for over cooked anything tonight. "An' what abou'chu, hm? Do anythin' noteworthy?" He asked raising a brow.

[ELI WESLEY]

“Only think about all th’ ways I was gon’ make ya’ll scream tonight.” Eli almost dropped the pan of salmon as he pulled it from the oven, giving Nick a bashfully surprised look that distracted him from his task. His cheeks flushed, the color creeping all the way to his ears as a shy breath of a laugh left his lips. He would never get used to Nick’s brazen sexuality, it seemed, which apparently never ceased to amuse his lover. “Don’ act so su’prised, Eli.” With another soft chuckle and a half smile, he set the pan on the stove while the fish sizzled delightfully. “You know I can’t help it,” he answered quietly, hoping the blush would fade away soon. That was more likely since Nick wasn’t pulling him close as he was occasionally wont to do—not that Eli ever objected. Even now he was half-tempted to steal another kiss. The man was addicting.

“An’ what abou’chu, hm? Do anythin’ noteworthy?” Eli made his face remain calm, cover up the fact that he had spent part of the day continuing his research on Nick’s possible past. Instead he smiled a little mischievously. “Besides think of you?” He grinned wider before he shrugged his shoulders and turned off the burner beneath the green beans. “Nothing really noteworthy. Just work. When I wasn’t seeing patients, I was writing progress reports for all of them in the system as well as treatment plans. And I met with a couple new patients today, which is always the most time consuming since I have to build new files in the system for them.” Most people didn’t know how much therapists had to do behind the scenes. It was a lot more than just listening and providing feedback. Even though it had served as a good excuse to avoid his boyfriend, Eli had genuinely stayed late at work the nights he said he had to work late. It wasn’t just because he had work to do, though—it was also a safety measure in case he was being watched. He hated the mistrust he had in Nick, but he couldn’t help it now that he was fairly certain what the man really did for a living. With another shrug of his shoulders, he gave Nick a gentle smile. “The usual boring stuff.”

He moved to dish out equal servings of everything onto the plates left sitting out, starting first with the green beans. “Do you want wine or beer with dinner tonight?” he asked casually. Nick voted for wine, to which Eli agreed and let his boyfriend choose which they would drink from his cabinet. He even took down some wine glasses and took them to the table. Eli always liked when Nick helped him set up for dinner. It made him feel for a few minutes that they were a normal couple. Dishing out the food took a few more minutes and Nick returned in time to grab the silverware while Eli carried their plates to the table. Before they sat down to eat, though, he grabbed Nick’s hand and pulled him in for another kiss. If only it could always feel as good with Nick as it felt to kiss him. He pulled back before they could get too heated, though. That could wait until after dinner. With a smile he took his seat and a sip of his wine. Did it taste a little off? He couldn’t be sure…

[NICHOLAS BELLEFONTAINE]

“Besides think of you?” The mischievous gleam in his lovers eye thrilled him on some level, always liking the way Eli could bring the beast in him out with so little effort. “Nothing really noteworthy. Just work. When I wasn’t seeing patients, I was writing progress reports for all of them in the system as well as treatment plans. And I met with a couple new patients today, which is always the most time consuming since I have to build new files in the system for them.” he hummed a small response, pretending to care for the other mans benefit. He didn't do that for just anybody, but for Eli he could fake interest now and then. “The usual boring stuff.” The usual boring stuff was what kept him coming back to Eli. He liked how vanilla the other man was, how he didn't feel like he needed to try too hard to hide his past because Eli was respectful enough not to probe. Or maybe he was too afraid to. Nick gave him small tidbits, lies mostly, enough for Eli to piece together a vague background. He never offered enough information, not wanting his lies to overlap and cause an inconsistency. That would surely tip Eli off. In the end there was only one way to know what Eli knew. He could simply ask, but who knew what sort of answer he would get in reply. He could torture him, but Nick had already ruled that out. There was one more option, one he wasn't entirely sure of.

“Do you want wine or beer with dinner tonight?” Nick had been lost in his own mind a moment, looking up at Eli with a distant, vacant sort of look. The light came back to his eyes almost instantly as he croaked "Wine." He knew where Eli kept the bottles and he made his way to the cabinet, toying with the idea of spiking the other mans drink. It wouldn't be difficult. He could do it now.. He always had some serum on him, but never intended to use it on Eli. Did he really want to ruin what they had, though? Ignorance was a nice thing, but if Eli was becoming a liability.. Nick realized that he was becoming too emotionally attached to the other man. If Eli were to die, he might actually care. He wouldn't miss him like others might, and he certainly wouldn't cry, but a void would need to be filled, and the one filling it would certainly need a few days to heal afterwards. It wasn't something he enjoyed thinking about. But a liability was a liability, whether they had smooth tongue and tight asshole or not.

A decision was made and there was no turning back now. Nick got the glasses and proceeded to pull the cork from the bottle with the opener. Before pouring the crimson alcohol, he let a few drops from a small vile drip into his lovers glass, placing the stopper in it and tucking it away before topping the glass off with wine. It was enough to push Eli into admitting the truth without making him sing like a fucking canary at a warning look. The stuff was potent and his intent wasn't to make Eli suspect he was under any kind of an influence, but to merely be confused by his own inability to filter his speech.

Nick placed the glasses down at their seats before returning to the kitchen to fetch the silverware. At this point it was important not to let on, not that he ever would anyway. Nick didn't wear his heart on his sleeve. Hell, some might wonder if he even had a heart. Following his lover back into the dining area, Nick was thrown off by Eli's sudden show of affection. Knowing it could be one of their last moments like this, Nick allowed the other man to adore him one last time. Things were peaceful and calm, the water was still, and on a subconscious level he wondered if Eli had a feeling they might not stay that way for long. Like an animal suddenly aware that there had been a shift in the atmosphere. It was Eli who pulled away, leaving Nick hungry and somewhat unsure. The psychiatrist sparked things inside him that he didn't know he had, which surprised him as much as disturbed him. It wouldn't last forever. It couldn't. Nick faltered a moment, watching Eli take his seat, sliding into his own only once the man had sipped his wine. "Do ya'll want tuh do anythin' b'fore I fuck yer brains out t'night?" He teased as he picked up the silverware he'd only just placed down at his plate, cutting into the salmon. "Uh movie maybe?" He asked raising a brow before slipping a bite of fish into his mouth. The serum would taking affect soon. He might need to test the waters before going into anything heavy. "Or ya'll got anythin' else in mind? Maybe uh deep conv'sation 'bout our feelin's." He taunted almost playfully. As if Nick actually had feelings.

[ELI WESLEY]

"Do ya'll want tuh do anythin' b'fore I fuck yer brains out t'night?" Eli was still thrown by the sudden way Nick could just talk about sex. He would probably always feel his ears burning after Nick teased him like that, though a shy smile creased his lips. "Uh movie maybe?" Eli shrugged and nodded, letting him know that if they were to do anything tonight, a movie would be good. He took another sip of wine and rolled it around on his tongue. What was that after taste? It was one he knew from the past, but he couldn’t place it. Where ever he knew that taste from, it had something to do with his brothers. He could remember them laughing over the dinner table. But why? "Or ya'll got anythin' else in mind? Maybe uh deep conv'sation 'bout our feelin's." Eli gave a chuckle, cutting off a piece of fish with his fork. “Don’t tempt me. There are plenty of things I could ask you about in regards to your feelings that I’ve been wanting to ask.” Eli blinked, a little surprised he’d said so much. He didn’t want to tip Nick off about what he’d been doing for the last several weeks! Still, it was just a little thing. Maybe Nick wouldn’t notice. To distract himself, he took another sip of wine. Again the taste sparked his memory and he shook his head a little. What was it?

That’s when Nick probed for something Eli had wanted to ask. He went with the first thing that came to mind, unable to stop the words before they left his lips. “Well, about your history, for one. There’s so little you tell me and when I try to find out more, I get pushed away. It makes me think there’s something really dark that you’re hiding.” Swallowing hard, he had to will his mouth to stop moving. His eyes nervously came to Nick’s and he could see the analytical gleam in his lover’s eye. Eli knew that look. Nick was testing him somehow. He always watched him so carefully when he set up a challenge for Eli. That look had to be connected to the sudden looseness of his tongue.

That’s when it clicked for Eli. The aftertaste of his wine was due to a potion. A very potent potion that Eli had been a victim to on a couple occasions when he was growing up. His brothers slipped it into his drink over dinner so he would confess to his mom some of the bad things he’d done. It was truth serum and everyone involved got in trouble. He got in trouble for the things he’d done that he confessed to, while his brothers were in even bigger trouble for making the potion and using it on their little brother. His green eyes were wide with recognition and fear. Nick was onto him. And now he was going to know everything that Eli knew. The taller man’s stomach twisted painfully as it fell to the floor. He turned his wide-eyed gaze to Nick, his eyes giving away all of his emotion. There was no hiding it anymore. And it left one big question in his mind. “How did you get truth serum?” All this time, Eli could have been upfront and honest about his magical heritage. Nick might even share that heritage. It was too bad they wouldn’t have a chance to really bond over it. Eli was too full of fear for that.

[NICHOLAS BELLEFONTAINE]

“Don’t tempt me. There are plenty of things I could ask you about in regards to your feelings that I’ve been wanting to ask.” His lip twitched as he gazed at the man across from him. Without taking his eyes off of Eli, he cut a piece of fish off with his fork and brought it to his lips as Eli took another sip of the tainted wine. The serum was working quickly it seemed, unless Eli was suddenly feeling generous with his words this evening. "Tempting you is m'specialty." He all but purred in response, reaching for his own glass. "Why dontchu go on an' ask me somethin'?" He tipped his glass up, draining some of the crimson liquid from his glass. “Well, about your history, for one. There’s so little you tell me and when I try to find out more, I get pushed away. It makes me think there’s something really dark that you’re hiding.” His history. He'd done a piss poor job of painting a childhood for his lover, brushing it off, but he didn't think that he'd led the other on to something dark happening. Then again, Eli was a psychologist. He was trained in looking for small details, and a bedroom sadist was certainly a tip off. Nick had never meant for their relationship to linger as long as it had.

His look was intense as he watched Eli, soaking in his words and trying to frame his next question in such a way that it wouldn't leave the man suspecting he'd done anything to him. What he didn't expect was the sudden shift in Eli's stance. His eyes grew and he looked almost horrified. Nick's own eyes narrowed slightly in a mixture of annoyance and curiosity. Could he know? “How did you get truth serum?” The dark smile grew on his face and a chuckle rumbled at the back of his throat. The heavy accent was surely an indication that Nick wasn't from Scriptor Bay, but that didn't mean his family wasn't. His mother, specifically. "Ya'll should know how very talented I am by now, Mistuh Wesley." He all but cooed across the table. "My momma was from Scriptuh Bay, Eli." He placed his glass down and took another bite of his supper, truly savoring it since it would likely be the last he had prepared by the man across from him. Nick let out a long sigh, not sure if Eli was going to cooperate or not. If he ran, he'd catch him and things would be worse. If he stayed.. there was no telling what might happen tonight. He wished he knew, but the ball had begun rolling and there was no going back now.

"Ya'll seem very int'rested in my past. I thought ya'll weren't gonna analyze me, hmm?" His lips pursed slightly and then he sighed. "Now since th'cats outta th'bag, I might as well lay it all out on th'table for yah. I don' do relationships, Eli. I don' no'mally get close enough tuh people tuh let them in, for their protection as much as mine. But you.. well, this has been uh lil different than what I no'mally do. That's uh compliment." He bowed his head slightly and looked at the glass of wine before sitting up straighter in his seat, gaze back on Eli. "Ya'll've been pretty good at keepin' boundaries, but I'm startin' tuh suspect that yer startin' tuh suspect what's been happenin' b'tween th'lines an' I can't let that happen, so why don' we go ahead an' cut out all th'bullshit, hm? What d'ya'll know about me, baby?"

[ELI WESLEY]

Eli’s fear grew tenfold when he watched the dark smile that grew across Nick’s face, the chuckle his lover emitted twisting in Eli’s stomach. He had seen Nick’s cruelty written on his face before, but this time it sent chills right down to his bones. "Ya'll should know how very talented I am by now, Mistuh Wesley." That he did. Even with all of the suspicions Eli had developed over the past couple months, he never expected this. "My momma was from Scriptuh Bay, Eli." So that was it. Nick was a Geomancer just like him. He wished he had known sooner. It was too late to talk about their shared traits now. Eli feared this was the end. Yet Nick showed no fear or apprehension at all. He was calm, cool, collected. No, not cool…cold. The man let out a heavy sigh while Eli barely breathed. What would become of him?

"Ya'll seem very int'rested in my past. I thought ya'll weren't gonna analyze me, hmm?" He wasn’t trying to analyze him! He was just trying to know him the way lovers knew each other. He loved Nick… "Now since th'cats outta th'bag, I might as well lay it all out on th'table for yah. I don' do relationships, Eli. I don' no'mally get close enough tuh people tuh let them in, for their protection as much as mine. But you…well, this has been uh lil different than what I no'mally do. That's uh compliment." Funny—Eli didn’t feel flattered. But maybe his heart was pounding to fast to let any emotion but fear express itself. Nick sat back in his chair, his icy eyes fixing on the green of Eli’s. "Ya'll've been pretty good at keepin' boundaries, but I'm startin' tuh suspect that yer startin' tuh suspect what's been happenin' b'tween th'lines an' I can't let that happen, so why don' we go ahead an' cut out all th'bullshit, hm? What d'ya'll know about me, baby?" He didn’t want to say. He tried to swallow the words, hold them in, but they were bubbling up of their own accord. The potion pushed speech through his throat against his will. His eyes began to glisten at the injustice of it all.

“A few weeks ago, I overheard a conversation you had in the middle of the night. I didn’t hear all of it, but you were talking about a job and getting rid of evidence. The next morning I really went into your closet to find my spare clothes, but instead I stumbled on a bag of your clothes covered in blood. I put the pieces together and figured out that you…you hurt and kill people for a living.” He swallowed hard, but he couldn’t stop the flow of words. A helpless tear spilled onto his cheek, hating how he couldn’t control his mouth. “I tried to look past it, but it terrified me. That’s why I’ve been working late sometimes.” Could he leave it at that? No…no the confession had to be complete. Nick had asked what he knew about him and he couldn’t disobey the power of the potion. “Well…that and…I’ve been trying to find out more about you. I looked into religious compounds in Louisiana because you said you grew up in one. There was one I came across that had a leader named Bellefontaine. I couldn’t find much, but I did find a picture of him. He looks like you. I figured you were related somehow. But I also read about child abuse cases from several years ago involving this cult. We would have been kids. There weren’t many details, but what they did talk about…it was awful.” He was managing to hold his tears back, but they still swam before his eyes as he looked at Nick’s cruel face. Eli had never seen so much anger on anyone’s face before. “You were one of the children, weren’t you?” He shook his head gently. “I’m not trying to shrink you, Nick. I just…I wanted to know you. Really know you. Like a boyfriend should. I’m sorry I was so secretive.” Even now he was apologizing. This man could kill him, probably would by the end of the night, and yet he felt the need to apologize for not being honest with a consummate liar. How ironic.

[NICHOLAS BELLEFONTAINE]

Nick could see him trying to fight it, the pain and fear in his eyes as he attempted to keep the secrets he'd held at bay. Nick knew that look all too well; his victims wore it often. It really was a shame he couldn't muster even an ounce of empathy towards the one human he'd become somewhat attached to. It was hard to feel bad for Eli when he'd brought this on himself. Nick refused to take any blame for this, though one might argue it really was all his doing.

“A few weeks ago, I overheard a conversation you had in the middle of the night. I didn’t hear all of it, but you were talking about a job and getting rid of evidence. The next morning I really went into your closet to find my spare clothes, but instead I stumbled on a bag of your clothes covered in blood. I put the pieces together and figured out that you…you hurt and kill people for a living.” Eli's tears did nothing to sway his annoyance. The other man knew better than to sneak around in places he didn't belong, but Nick sat patiently, allowing the truth to seep in. “I tried to look past it, but it terrified me. That’s why I’ve been working late sometimes. Well…that and…I’ve been trying to find out more about you.” Putting two and two together was one thing, but trying to google him was another. "I looked into religious compounds in Louisiana because you said you grew up in one. There was one I came across that had a leader named Bellefontaine. I couldn’t find much, but I did find a picture of him. He looks like you." The seed of anger and hatred bubbled inside of him, and the beast in his belly stirred. One thing Nick didn't like was reminders of his past, and all it did was want to give those probing a taste of what he'd been through to serve as a lesson for treading through waters that ought not to be tread through. You don't wade into the swamp unless you want to lose your legs to the crocodiles.

"I figured you were related somehow. But I also read about child abuse cases from several years ago involving this cult. We would have been kids. There weren’t many details, but what they did talk about…it was awful.” Nick stayed stone faced as the truth spilled from his lovers lips. Did he feel bad that Nick was a part of it? He'd been poor babied before, until people realized what he'd done to the children in that cult. Of course he'd been forced to do it, but that didn't mean a part of him didn't begin to like it at least on some level. It had shaped who he was, more for worse than for better. “You were one of the children, weren’t you? I’m not trying to shrink you, Nick. I just…I wanted to know you. Really know you. Like a boyfriend should. I’m sorry I was so secretive.” It was clear Eli was afraid of Nick's wrath, and rightfully so, but with the truth serum and his inability to lie he could see that there was more to the investigation than those who had done so in the past. Yes, there was curiosity, a dangerous amount of it, but it came from a good place in Eli. He wanted to be closer, the poor fool. Nick realized he'd done that to him. He'd encouraged the relationship by spending so much time with the other man, by pretending to enjoy him on a level he wasn't quite capable of. It was fun to pretend, but in the end it was just that; pretending. He could never give Eli what he desired in a relationship because he simply was incapable of it, but selfishness allowed the other man to stay because a part of Nick did enjoy his counterpart. He enjoyed being doted on, enjoyed how easily Eli gave in to his animalistic desires and never outwardly complained. In fact, he was pretty sure the shrink enjoyed being roughed up.

"That's quite uh accusation." He countered, neither admitting or denying it. Nick leaned back in his chair a little, simply watching Eli and trying to keep his cool. There were too many directions he could take this and he didn't know which to choose. This situation was far too complicated. Eli's sister knew they were dating and he could quickly become a suspect if Eli went missing, so killing him wasn't an option. Not tonight, anyway. Admitting anything was highly out of the question, not about his profession anyway. His youth, that was something different, but his career, he would need to convince Eli he was wrong. He could always threaten him.. threats were magnificent things.

"Ya'll think me capable've takin' uh life?" He actually laughed at Eli's answer, amused. Nick pushed his chair back and stood up, slowly making his way next to Eli. He kicked the other mans chair out, turning it and leaning down, grabbing the back of the chair next to Eli's shoulders and bringing his face close. Eli's cheeks were damp and the perspiration was starting to make his forehead shine. He saw the fear in those hazel eyes he'd come to adore. Nick had always found Eli's boyish looks attractive, strangely more so now with the fear in his eyes. "Whatchu wanna know baby? How m'daddy fucked me?" His voice was a husky growl, his faces inches from the other mans. "How he wanted me tuh be his successor an' made me fuck everyone smaller than me, hm?" His eyes narrowed slightly, that strange anger flaring hot in his stomach, tensing his muscles and making his arms taut. "Or maybe yer more intuhrested in th'sacrifices?" He cocked a brow, leaning in closer as his fists tightened around the back of the chair, his knuckles white. Nick slid his nose across Eli's cheek before nipping the lobe of his ear. "Want me tuh show you, baby?" He kissed Eli's neck, feeling his lovers heart race through the sensitive flesh. It was oddly seductive. He pulled back enough to glare into his lovers eyes. "Cause yah don' just go an' dig up ole skeletons 'less yer willin' tuh pay th'consequences." He warned.

[ELI WESLEY]

Nick looked calm as he sat back in his chair, but Eli could see the malicious glint in his eye. He knew the other man was seething. Eli’s heart was hammering at his chest to the point where he believed it might break through. It would make killing him much easier for Nick. "That's quite uh accusation." He wasn’t admitting or denying the truth of it, though. That always made it clear to Eli that he was right. Nick killed people for a living after experiencing an abusive childhood. It made sense, if such things could make any sense. Eli certainly never understood why some people thrived on hurting others. "Ya'll think me capable've takin' uh life?" He couldn’t hold his answer in as his big green eyes gleamed with fresh tears. “I don’t want to think it, but I do,” he admitted quietly. The laugh Nick gave sent shivers down his spine. He was so handsome as he stood and made his way to Eli’s chair—handsome and terrifying. Eli gasped as his chair was kicked out, his eyes full of fear as he was spun around and trapped by Nick’s hands grasping the back of his chair. Tears leaked down his cheeks again as that handsome face leaned in close to his. Why had he ever trusted this man? He knew how dangerous he was…he oozed danger. How could Eli have ever thought he could be changed?

"Whatchu wanna know baby? How m'daddy fucked me?" His eyebrows were now not only furrowed with fear but with horror. Of course things like that happened all the time. Eli had met with several people who suffered sexual abuse at the hands of family members. That didn’t make it any easier to hear. "How he wanted me tuh be his successor an' made me fuck everyone smaller than me, hm?" His brow furrowed deeper. Good God…how young had those children been? How young had Nick been? He could see the anger flaring hot in his eyes and Eli feared what Nick would do to him. "Or maybe yer more intuhrested in th'sacrifices?" Eli gulped. He had killed when he was young…that’s why he could do it now. Did he enjoy any of it? A part of him must have if he could do it more than once…Nick leaned so close, Eli thought he might kiss him. Instead, the man brushed his nose across Eli’s cheek. For the first time, Eli didn’t blush at that action. He simply gulped and gazed at the ceiling past Nick’s shoulder. How many victims had done the same? "Want me tuh show you, baby?" The usually exciting feel of Nick’s teeth on his ear and lips on his neck left Eli feeling cold and anxious. Nick’s icy eyes glaring at him encouraged the same feeling as the other man pulled back enough to gaze into his green eyes. "Cause yah don' just go an' dig up ole skeletons 'less yer willin' tuh pay th'consequences." Eli gulped. He knew he would scream before the night was done.

“Please…” he whispered, his eyes full of fear and pleading. “I’m sorry, Nick. I only did it because I love you.” Tears dripped onto his cheeks again, knowing his words would do him no good. The man he loved was going to toss him aside like a used rag. If he was very, very lucky, that was all he would do. Unfortunately, Eli had always considered himself rather unlucky in love. Nick was an example of that. He knew Nick didn’t love him, but he had loved him anyway, hoping that one day his love would be returned. Now he saw how impossible that hope was. “Will you kill me?” He dreaded the answer and yet he couldn’t avoid asking the question. If he was to die, he wanted to know. He needed to prepare himself for the end. Mary would know who to look for…but his poor mother and father. And his brothers. And Mary. She wouldn’t rest until she had tracked down Nick and either killed him herself or had made sure he was safely behind bars. That thought depressed him even more than the thought of his own death. He knew Mary stood no chance against Nick. His parents would have to place their beloved daughter in a grave right beside their middle child. What did the future hold for the Wesley’s?

[NICHOLAS BELLEFONTAINE]

“Please…” The look of terror in his lovers eyes did nothing short of please him. There was no sympathy, though a part of Nick wished he could feel it. Even for someone he cared about on some level it was hard to find any real compassion. If anything, it aroused him. “I’m sorry, Nick. I only did it because I love you.” The problem with truth serum was the words pouring out of the victims mouth were undoubtedly true. Eli loved him, and it was a true shame. Of course he had done nothing but encourage those feelings, even going so far as returning the sentiment, but the words were dead. They had meant nothing to him.

“Will you kill me?” Nick raised a brow. He would have liked to. Just imagining the light going out in Eli's eyes while being mercilessly fucked gave him a full on woody, but alas there were too many arrows pointing at him and if he were to be placed under the microscope he would be found out for sure. He was sick and twisted, but he wasn't entirely stupid. Though some might debate his intelligence with getting so deeply involved with someone, especially someone whose job it was to figure out how people tick. He'd been a fool and he was the first to admit it. He'd made too many mistakes, but that didn't mean he blamed Eli any less for his transgressions. He'd snuck around behind his back and snooped, then kept his findings from him.

"Hush, now." He cooed, the glint in his eyes dark though his voice bordered on tender. "I nevuh said nothin' 'bout killin' nobody." Though his words were meant to ease the slightly taller mans fears, there was a clear threat between the lines. Nick truly had said nothing about murder. He didn't even necessarily imply it. Neither did he completely deny the allegation. A smile creased his lips as his head cocked gently to the side, gazing into the other mans eyes, their faces so close. "But maybe ya'll need tuh learn uh lesson in respectin' people's privacy, hm?" A brow cocked as though he were talking down to a child. He ran a hand through Eli's hair gently, watching the way the strands parted as his fingers drove through it. When his hand reached the back of his head, he grasped a handful of hair and stood upright, pulling Eli to his feet. "Gettup." He growled, half pushing, half dragging Eli to the bedroom despite his protests. He'd fling him over his shoulder if he had to, or worse knock him out. It wouldn't be the first time, and certainly not the last time he'd be in that position. "Now don' you go makin' this harder than it needs tuh be, yah hear?" His words mirrored that of his fathers when he was a boy, that strange dark feeling coming over him as he sunk into a bad place in his mind. Oh how he'd struggled.. he made it as difficult as possible for his father when he was small. The older her got, the more he accepted his fate and by the time he was removed from the situation he had learned to crave all the negative attention.

Once he'd gotten Eli in the bedroom he slammed the door shut, shoving the other man at the bed. "Ya'll got thirty seconds tuh strip or I'ma do it for yah, an' trust me baby.. if I have tuh do it, yer gon'be uh lot worse for it." He had never looked forward to harming someone this much. Maybe it was because on some level he did actually care for Eli, which made it all the more satisfying. Nick undid his belt and slowly pulled it free from his waist, though it was the only thing to come off. He folded the leather strip in his hand, watching Eli with sharp eyes. Part of him hoped Eli would fight a little, just to give him the excuse to use brute force, but it wasn't necessary. If Eli was so curious about who he was, Nick would be happy to show him, starting from the beginning. A few lashes would be a nice start.

[ELI WESLEY]

“Hush, now. I nevuh said nothin’ ‘bout killin’ nobody.” Perhaps he hadn’t, but Eli could see the dark glint in Nick’s icy eyes as they bore into his. No matter how smooth and quiet his raspy voice was, Eli would not be comforted until this was all over. Would it end with him being lowered six feet into the ground inside a pine box? That’s all he wanted to know. Silently he prayed to any god that would listen to keep him alive, if only for his family’s sake. Nick was so close, their eyes locked, but Eli’s heart didn’t pound from desire now—it was from indescribable fear. How could he have been so dumb in falling for this man? “But maybe ya’ll need tuh learn uh lesson in respectin’ people’s privacy, hm?” He gulped, not liking the threat in his tone. One of the hands he had loved until now buried through his thick, dark hair. Was Nick going to kiss him? No. That hand grabbed a fistful of his short hair and he sucked in a breath as he was dragged to his feet. “Gettup.” Tears dripped down Eli’s cheeks as Nick half dragged and half pushed him down the hallway towards his bedroom. That’s when the possibilities of what would happen began to really sink in. Until now, he had never really considered the possibility that he could be raped. “Nick, please. I’m truly, truly sorry. You don’t have to hurt me to make your point.” Nick tugged on his hair and Eli bit back his gasp of pain. “Now don’ you go makin’ this harder than it needs tuh be, yah hear?” Eli’s blood turned cold in his veins. How hard was this going to be? What was in store for him? Torture, rape…death…his legs weighed a ton each and they were only getting heavier as they drew closer to his room.

The door slammed shut behind them as Eli was shoved and stumbled towards his bed. His hands braced against the bedspread and he felt sick to his stomach. “Ya’ll got thirty seconds tuh strip or I’ma do it for yah, an’ trust me baby…if I have tuh do it, yer gon’be uh lot worse for it.” Eli’s eyes were huge and pleading as he watched Nick give his orders. At the promise of more pain than he would already get, Eli quickly began to take his clothes off. It didn’t matter how many times Nick had reveled in his naked body before—Eli was still uncomfortable and felt very vulnerable as he stripped now. He kept his back to Nick, fresh tears pooling in his eyes as one by one he dropped his clothes. There was a clinking and a hiss before Eli glanced over his shoulder and noticed that Nick was undressing too. No…he was just taking off his belt. The thick leather was bunched into Nick’s hand and Eli knew what was coming. His father had never used a belt on him or his siblings. He shook at the thought of the pain he was about to feel. Was there hope that he could still talk himself out of this?

“Is there anything I could say to make you stop? It hurts enough that I’ve lost you.” His voice was soft and sad, a touch of pleading there even though it was becoming increasingly clear that he would not escape this punishment. Nick confirmed that with his next words and Eli hung his head with his tears. Why? Why did this have to happen to him? Why was he so gullible? He saw the danger in Nick from the night he met him. If only he’d known what this would come to. Of course, he didn’t fully understand what it had come to until there was a loud snap and a searing pain in his back. It drew a cry of pain from Eli as he straightened and flexed his arms back. The next lash followed in the burning wake of the first, the slap of leather on skin precluding the second of his cries. After that, the lashes came one right after the other, bringing Eli to his knees from the pain in his back as he clutched desperately at the sheets covering the end of his bed. Tears streamed down his cheeks but he couldn’t make any sound from between his gritted teeth as the burning pain all blurred into one fire on his pale, muscular back. He wouldn’t be surprised if blood was beginning to peek from beneath the lashes. How long would he be whipped like this?

[NICHOLAS BELLEFONTAINE]

Nick valued intelligence in another human being, which the stripping Eli was showing a sudden abundance of.  It was something Nick enjoyed in a person he willingly spent time with which was unfortunate considering it was the simple minded who were better suited for his company.  He should have known Eli would eventually put the puzzle pieces together.  He'd been sloppy, and it was Eli who would pay the consequences.  Still, had the other man simply accepted things without pushing he wouldn't be where he was now.

“Is there anything I could say to make you stop? It hurts enough that I’ve lost you.” There was a part of Nick that wished he could muster up the sympathy required in moments like this.  He'd had plenty of therapy, he understood social cues, and he knew how he was supposed to respond in situations like this.  People showed mercy.  It was that simple.  Good people who functioned well in society showed mercy upon their fellow man.  But where had Nick's mercy been? Who had dared show him an ounce of kindness in his moment of need? Others sat by idly and watched him suffer, watching him make others suffer, and said nothing.  Worse even; they'd encouraged it.  Forced it. Praised and rewarded it.  The tears in Eli's eyes meant nothing to him.  He would enjoy making him suffer.  He would enjoy it more than a person should considering their relationship.

"Jus' relax an' think've this as uh learnin' opportunity." He offered.  Perhaps this could help Eli in the field the next time he came across an abuse victim.  Hoe better he would be able to relate with his own experience.  He wasted no more time, pulling the belt back and whipping it forward.  The sound of leather cracking through the air and landing against flesh made him instantly hard.  It wasn't intentional.  His body had been trained for it. Whippings and sexual stimulation had gone hand in hand, it was an unfortunate side effect of his abuse, and it was unfortunate for Eli as the beast raged within his assailant.  The first few sliced through the air somewhat slowly, but the more control Nick lost, the quicker the blows landed.

It was the sight of the blood that finally made him slow down, his own body quaking gently, his muscles taught with the aggression he felt.  How long had he gone for? How many lashes had landed upon Eli's back?  Nick had to force himself to stop, literally dropping the belt to keep it from continuing to fly against the back of his victim.  He unclenched his jaw and took deep breaths trying to keep himself together.  He didn't want to permanently disfigure Eli.  Not badly, anyway.  The welts would be there for a long time.  They might scar for life, but a simple shirt would hide it.  He wished he were sorry.  "Gettup." He snarled to Eli, still standing close to him.  "Turn around." He then commanded.

Eli's face was moist, his eyes red and puffy with the tears he'd shed, and still Nick felt nothing.  His face was stoic as he gazed upon his lover, unyielding. "Now jerk off." He demanded in a low growl, his muscles still taut.  "Jerk off till yah cum."