Mirage

Chapter Two

        Evening was beginning to fall as he reached his little hideout in The Mills. The Mills was a sprawling refugee camp thousands of feet in the air, a collection of homes in the skyscrapers around him. It was one of the many places Laehlian refugees were sent after fleeing their native country. It wasn't a bad place to live and it certainly was a luxury compared to what the refugees had back in Laehlay.

       Due to The Treaty of Public Order; an accord set forth by King Aldrer, the ruling monarch and dictator of Laehlay, any Laehlian refugees had to be sent back to Laehlay if they were caught in another kingdom. Part of the stipulations meant escapees couldn't be legally recognized as citizens or residents of another country, usually because most escapee's were former slaves and considered 'stole property' under the Treaty. 

     Of course, the neighboring kingdoms and empires usually refused to report any escapees. Emperor Sabium, bless his conniving heart, had found a way around the The Treaty of Public Order through legal loopholes and had established refugee camps across his kingdom. They were places to rehabilitate the escaped slaves and eventually integrate them into the Feinnral Kingdom. 

      While living smack dab in the middle of skyscrapers wasn't the most convenient, it was safer than living at the very top where the chances of being discovered by a passing Laehlian satellite were greater. 

      Ryder slipped onto the awning and gave a small wave to a man leaning against the wall. Whisper was wearing his usual clothing, ripped baggy jeans and a green hoodie. His silver hair fell across an angular face, hiding brilliant yellow eyes. A cigarette hung between thin, cruel lips. 

     "Tsk~ I heard an Officer spotted you today." Whisper said, his tone condescending and cold. He took a final drag of his cigarette then dropped it to the awning and put it out with his boot as he exhaled a stream of smoke towards the sky. Then he extended a slender hand. 

      Ryder snorted softly, rolling his eyes before handing over the cash from today's round of pickpocketing in silence. Whisper grinned, revealing razor sharp teeth. He quickly counted the bills before making a satisfied hum in the back of his throat. He took a step towards Ryder, his gaze raking the other man like he was mentally undressing him before handing the cash back. 

      Ryder exhaled softly then moved to step past Whisper. Ryder was short, standing at five feet five inches tall  and Whisper was a good head taller than him. Ryder's heart leapt to his throat and unease rushed through him as Whisper's hand closed around his wrist. 

     "Stay the night with me, love." Whisper's voice had gone unusually quiet, devoid of its usual coldness. It was sickly sweet and gentle like silk. Whisper's breath brushed Ryder's ear before warm lips found the soft spot just underneath Ryder's ear. 

     "No." Ryder managed to get the word out, his neon pink eyes going a little wide. His heart had all but leaped from his chest at the suggestion. Whisper's grip tightened and a hateful look marred his face. His lips twisted into a dangerous scowl and his eyes gleamed with that cruel light. 

    "Come now, Ryder. I'm the leader of The Crows. I take what I want." Whisper growled softly, his voice sickeningly gently. Despite his silent threat he let go of Ryder's wrist. Ryder should have turned and kicked Whisper off the awning and he certainly was debating it as he turned to face the taller and slightly older man. 

     "Just because you control most of The Needles doesn't mean you get to sleep with me. Fuck off." Ryder retorted, crossing his arms. He was the only person who had any sort of leeway to talk back to Whisper like this. He'd seen the man brutally murder people for less. Whisper sucked in a deep breath, his brilliant yellow eyes piercing and a little feral as he glared at Ryder. Then his face shifted from anger into an obsessive, hungry look.

     "Mmm~ We've done this little dance before. You'll end up crawling back." Whisper gloated, his eyes alight at the thought. Then he stepped forward and grabbed Ryder by the front of his hoodie and kissed him. 

    Before Ryder could process the unwanted advances Whisper's hand was locked tightly around his throat. The other man's lips were gentle even as his hand tightened dangerously around his throat. Ryder managed a single gasp of air, Whisper's air, before the other man deepened the kiss with an amused chuckle. Ryder hated the way excitement and nerves rushed through him, causing him to shudder as his vision began to blur. 

      "Maybe i'll kill you for the lack of respect and defile your corpse once i'm done strangling you." Whisper hissed, pulling away long enough to murmur the hateful little words in Ryder's ear. The blood was rushing to Ryder's head and his face beginning to turn purple from lack of air. He tried to speak but nothing came out except a strangled noise. 

    "What was that?" Whisper asked with a gleeful chuckle. His eyes were alight with a psychotic gleam, glowing yellow in the fading light. Ryder reached for the other man's wrist, his hand clawing at the exposed skin in an attempt to get the other man to release him. 

       "Mm~" Whisper let out a groan of satisfaction as he gazed at Ryder. Then he let out a small sigh as he released Ryder, who was now blue and a dark shade of purple in the face. Ryder stumbled backwards, sucking in deep breaths of air as he glared at Whisper. The other man seem unbothered, a small sadistic smirk tugging at his lips. Whisper clearly had a bulge in his pants. 

    "You....fucking....." Ryder wheezed, his words coming out in a jumbled, raspy mess. He was blinking back the black spots in his vision, his eyes wet with unshed tears. The anger rushed through him like a tidal wave and his fists clenched. I'll tackle you off the edge and we'll both fall to our deaths.   

     Ryder sucked in another deep breath of air then shook his head like a dog shaking water off. Whisper was watching Ryder in silence, that amused expression plastered to his face. He would have punched the other man in the face hadn't the exhaustion hit him. It had been a long day and the adrenaline was starting to wear off. 

         "Have a good night! Sleep well, darling." Whisper said, rather gleefully. Ryder mumbled obscenities as he turned and stumbled away from the man. That soft chuckle followed him inside and he slammed the door shut with a low groan.