Disclaimers: This is a work of fiction. Any similarities between the characters in this story and real people (appearances, names, etc.) are purely coincidental. This story may contain homosexual material, including love and sex, so if material like this is illegal in your region or if it discomforts you, please leave.
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Mark gazed at Ulysses, an almost unnoticeable smile on his lips as he listened to his boyfriend's stories about Lebanon in the sixteenth century. Ulysses' voice was animated, a passion was evident in his words, a light shone in his beautiful brown eyes.
Ulysses stopped talking when he noticed Mark's gaze. His smiled turned shy and he asked, "What?"
Mark lazily shrugged his shoulders and answered, "You're beautiful."
Ulysses' pupils dilated. He inhaled slowly, grabbed his cup of chai and sipped it. Ulysses then reached out and laid his hand over Mark's. Mark turned his hand over and stroked his fingertips up and down Ulysses' wrist.
Ulysses requested, "Tell me about your dad."
"He was a complete angel," Mark began fondly. "He was the high school coach, but also so much more than that. He volunteered more than worked at coaching. He did everything in his power to make sure any kid had what they needed to succeed, be it tutoring, or food, or supplies, or coaching, or a job. His favourite story to tell was of Grace Rivers. She was a cheerleader who had alcoholics for parents. My dad found her a tutor, and had a heart-to-heart with her parents that resulted in them going to AA. Grace graduated med school and is now a successful optometrist. At my dad's funeral, she made a speech."
Smiling fondly, Ulysses stated, "I wish I could have met him."
"He would've loved you," Mark said. "Even more than my mom does. He would have thanked you for treating me with so much kindness and patience."
"I don't think anyone would love me more than your mom," Ulysses said with a smile. "Besides my own mother, of course."
Mark shook his head and assured, "No, my dad would've loved you the most. You are worldly, well-spoken, intelligent, affectionate, truthful, and open. He would've blamed me for a fight that you started."
"I wish I'd met you a year sooner, then."
"I wasn't in the right place for you back then," Mark stated and stroked his fingertips on Ulysses' forearm. "I wasn't mature enough for you. We met at the right time. I will forever be grateful that you came into my life when you did."
"So will I," Ulysses responded softly. "I should get back to the queen. Interrogations, answers are needed, et cetera."
Mark chuckled before he leaned over and kissed Ulysses' cheek. Ulysses sat a couple of fifty dollar bills on the table, rose, and walked toward the restroom. Mark watched as the witch strode off, his chin resting in his palm.
Mark, being the kind, compassionate man, stacked his plate on top of Ulysses. He also put his glass inside of Ulysses', rose, and left the restaurant as well. With one hand high in the air to hail a cab, Mark checked his email.
Ulysses touched his fingertip to the female witch's abdomen. He manipulated some cells in her body that caused some internal lesions. The witch screamed and screamed. A dark purple spot appeared below the witch's ribs that grew and grew. Just as quickly, the internal lesions stitched back together and all discolouration disappeared as if nothing had happened.
"Do you know what happens to the cells in the human body when they've been exposed to torture and pain relentlessly?" Ulysses rhetorically asked the female witch. "They build up a tolerance. They get used to the pain. So do you want to know how I stop that from happening? I destroy those cells and create new ones. You will never stop feeling this pain until you answer my questions."
The witch, hyperventilating, allowed the tears to fall from her eyes. She looked up at the ceiling, waiting. Ulysses pressed his finger between the witch's breasts and sliced her heart in half and immediately healed it. The witch let out blood-curdling screams that made Queen Sofi cringe. Ulysses continued to slice the witch's heart and heal it over and over again. Ulysses then made a dozen incisions inside each of the witch's lungs. Blood pooled inside her lungs and she took deep breaths. She was drowning in her own blood, tears of fear and terror cascading down her face. But she still did not fight or resist.
"No death for you," Ulysses stated with boredom in his face. "I am not done with you. I will prolong your agony, it brings me joy."
Ulysses allowed the witch to continue to gurgle and struggle to breathe for another moment. And then finally he healed her lungs and relocated her blood back to her veins.
While walking with Ulysses back to the observation room, Queen Sofi said, "She is willful."
"Painfully so," Ulysses agreed. "In my six centuries walking this earth I have never met a more stubborn person. My patience is not limitless, Sofi, I am nearly at the point of murder."
Queen Sofi nodded her head slowly while walking with Ulysses, and responded, "It has been five days of torture. I am impressed that your mother hasn't intervened as of yet."
"She will break," Ulysses stated. "Soon. I just need to replenish my core."
"I'm afraid that will have to wait," Queen Sofi said. "I am asking you to help repair damages done to Rudalea."
Shocked, Ulysses asked, "The school was attacked?"
"Just this morning," the queen answered. "No casualties. These mercenaries are sending me a message by trying to destroy the magic school. Please help them."
"Anything for my queen," Ulysses vowed and then teleported.
Ulysses found himself standing outside of a glass building in rural Austria. Much of the glass walls were broken and cracked, fires were being put out, smoke rose into the sky.
"Ulysses," he was greeted by a female voice. "Thank you so much for joining us. I cannot express how much I appreciate your help."
"Gianna," Ulysses greeted back and the two witches grasped each other's elbows. "So glad that you were not harmed. Not surprised, but still happy."
"The wards performed immaculately," Gianna stated. "We got the warning pulse when the mercenaries got fifteen kilometres out. Because of your power we were able to evacuate every student while the mercenaries fought to get through your barriers. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for creating these wards. God knows what would have happened had we not had your protection."
"My love for you, your fellow teachers, and this school knows no bounds. Now let us finish repairing the building. When that is done, I will create even better and stronger wards."
Ulysses walked up to an exterior wall. He placed his palms on some glass still attached to the building, felt for the missing glass, and mentally looked for the missing pieces. In a matter of milliseconds, that glass wall was fully repaired, bearing no cracks or scratches. Within two minutes three more teachers of the school teleported back in and helped repair each and every glass wall. So Ulysses created huge barriers on every square centimetre of every wall.
All fifteen teachers met Ulysses at the main entrance when the repairs and fortifications were completed. Every one of them stepped up to Ulysses and grabbed him into a hug.
"Wonderful to see you all again," Ulysses said to the group. "I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your diligence today, for protecting your students and your school. You fought valiantly and with courage. Because of your skill and intelligence, not one life was lost today. Not one student was caused harm. You are incredible human beings.
"Now we need to created more security barriers. I would like to create the first one twenty kilometres out that will deliver to you a pulse indicating threats. Another barrier eighteen kilometres out will deliver electric shocks to any intruders. The third and final barrier will paralyze the nervous system of the intruders.
"Now, Rudalea has been in existence for nearly four hundred years and today was its first attack. I do not anticipate another attack any time soon. But we cannot take any chances. We cannot afford to. The well-being of every student is our responsibility. So let's keep them safe and healthy."Mark awoke at six-thirty in the morning. He turned onto his back and stretched with a very verbal yawn. He grabbed his phone off the nightstand and opened the Instagram application. He double-tapped a few posts to Like them, and then opened the Snapchat application.
"Hi, mom," Mark greeted when he accepted a phone call from her. "Good morning."
"Good morning, my boy," Jeanette Lillico greeted her son. "Sounds like I just woke you up."
"No, no," Mark quickly rebutted. "I've been up, like, three minutes. I was just scrolling through Instagram. How are you doing, momma?"
"Doing fine," Mrs. Lillico answered. "I just came in from a morning speed walk with the girls. Beautiful weather."
"Oh, good. How's Mrs. Ulch doing?"
"She's well. I'll tell her you asked, she'll love that. She has fully recovered from her hip surgery, enjoying mobility again."
"Good, I was worried about her. Did you get the parcel that I sent?"
"Just yesterday afternoon. Thank you for the tea leaves and decanter. Absolutely stunning."
"I saw the tea leaves at a flea market and fell in love with the scent. Have you had a cup yet?"
"I'm on my second right now," Mrs. Lillico responded. "The best earl grey I've ever had. Your father would've worshipped this tea more than God."
Smiling devilishly, Mark asked, "Who is God?"
"Har har," Mrs. Lillico said with laughter. "How are you, son?"
"I'm fine," Mark answered. "Covid is keeping Uly so busy, I miss him. Covid has also caused some clients to go bankrupt so business is slowing. Evelyn is working incredibly hard to land more clients, create more projects, and budget more. So I'm not worried about my job, I'm just tired."
"So enjoy your day off," Mrs. Lillico commanded. "Lay in bed, order in, read a book, and ignore every chore you had in mind. Rest."
"Aye aye, cap'n," Mark replied with laughter. "I love you, momma."
"I love you, too, Mark. Thanks again for the tea. Give my best to Uly."
"I will. Bye, momma."
Mark continued to lie in bed, enjoying the comfortable warmth under his thick blanket. He opened the YouTube application on his phone and watched a video about a couple going for a hike in the Yosemite. After that video ended, he watched another video about a professional chef teaching a celebrity to cook and prepare a dish through verbal instruction only.
While Mark was watching a YouTube video on the latest technological devices, he heard a foot land on his floor. He looked to his right and was met with the sight of Ulysses watching him. They offered each other a small smile filled with affection and adoration.
"Hi," Mark said softly and paid his phone down on his chest.
Ulysses replied with equal tenderness, "Good morning, my love."
Mark reached out and grabbed Ulysses' hand, and asked, "How are you?"
"I am well," Ulysses answered while stroking his thumb across the back of Mark's hand. "Had a good morning at work, and wanted to come cook lunch for you."
"Thank you. I can come help."
"No, no," Ulysses quickly said and knelt down beside the bed. "Just lie down, relax. You have been working incredibly hard this past month without a single day off. I will cook, you watch your silly videos."
Mark laughed and smacked Ulysses' thigh. Ulysses teleported out of the bedroom, so Mark went back to watching YouTube videos. Mark laughed nonstop at a video about escalator pranks, and teared up at a video about army personnel reuniting with their families.
"Je vous offre un croque madame," Ulysses' voice stated. (I present to you a croque madame.)
Mark quickly sat up and stated, "It smells amazing, baby."
As he sat on the bed, Ulysses asked, "Did you even eat breakfast?"
"No. I've been awake three hours and haven't consumed a single thing."
Fighting off laughter, Ulysses asked, "You even brush your teeth?"
"Mm-mm," Mark responded with a shake of his head.
"You are filthy," Ulysses stated with a small laugh.
Smiling devilishly, Mark said, "Give me a kiss and see just how filthy."
Ulysses laughed and said, "Just eat. What would you like to drink?"
"Mmmmm. Maybe... a glass of orange juice please, my kind man."
Ulysses teleported a couple of glasses of OJ in on the nightstand, and took a bite of his own sandwich. He stated, "Damn do I make a delicious sandwich."
After he swallowed his own bite of his sandwich, Mark responded, "Could use a little more bechamel."
Ulysses scoffed and lightly smacked Mark's chest. As the two men ate, they spoke of Mark's conversation with his mother, about Ulysses' morning at work, and Mark's plans for the rest of the day.
"Are you really going to spend the whole day in bed?" Ulysses asked affectionately. "I think that's a great plan, you deserve a break. I have to get back to the office, the witch we caught is still not talking. I am this close to breaking her."
"I know you can do it," Mark stated and kissed Ulysses' temple. "You are the most intelligent, patient, resourceful person I know."
Pressing his temple more firmly against Mark's face, Ulysses replied, "Thank you, Markus. I love you so much."
Mark puckered his lips to press another kiss to Ulysses' temple, and then responded, "I love you more."
Ulysses teleported back to the palace. His mother was leaning against Queen Sofi's desk drinking desperately from a reusable water bottle. Queen Sofi was sitting in her chair with her head resting in her palm.
With fatigue, Kiri stated, "That woman is stubborn. My core is nearly depleted."
"I will resume the interrogation," Ulysses said and kissed his mother's cheek. "Go home, Ama, rest."
Kiri smiled and said, "Olie bika akeu diga."
Queen Sofi shook her head and commented, "No matter how long I've been listening to you two speak this dead language, I will never understand a single word."
"I will be back by the end of day," Ulysses bid the two ladies adieu.
Ulysses exited the queen's chambers and strode down the corridors. He made his way to interrogation room six, and gave a nod in greeting to any person he passed. When he entered the interrogation room he found the criminal witch still restrained on the bed, asleep. He struck her across the face with force. The woman screamed behind her gag as she woke.
"There will be no reprieve for--"
One of the walls of the interrogation was blown away, debris flying everywhere, and Ulysses went flying to the ground. He quickly got back up on his feet and walked over the the destroyed wall. He peered in and found wall after wall destroyed, and was also met with the sight of the mysterious witch dressed head to toe in grey striding toward him. The witch swept his arm and Ulysses was hit hard by an invisible force that knocked him off his feet. Ulysses sat up and flung lightning out his hand. The figure did nothing but continue to stride toward the interrogation room, but the streaks of lightning disappeared into an invisible barrier.
"Damn it!" Ulysses shouted.
Ulysses jumped up to his feet and telepathically grabbed onto the walls around the figure. He pulled hard and pieces of concrete flung to the figure. At the very last second, the figure teleported.
"Thank you, my king," the prisoner witch said with relief.
Ulysses quickly turned around but couldn't do a thing because the two mysterious witches were already in the middle of a teleportation, and were gone a fraction of a second later.
"FUCK!"
Mark opened his apartment door, grabbed the brown paper bag, and called out to the food delivery courier, "Thank you!"
Mark excitedly kicked the door shut and turned around. He screamed in terror and he dropped his bag of food.
"You bitch!" Mark said with laughter. "You scared me. And you made me drop my takeout! This is Juanita's!"
Mark, laughing, crouched down and opened the paper bag. The first thing he pulled out of the bag was a paper cup that was empty and the lid was not attached. Still laughing, Mark quickly grabbed the bag and ran it dripping to the garbage bin.
"I'm so sorry, my love," Ulysses said with remorse. "I know Juanita's is your favourite. Let me go telepo-"
"It's fine," Mark said and leaned his chest against Ulysses'. "Let's just order again."
Ulysses kissed the top of Mark's head and replied, "I'm not hungry. Like I was saying, I can teleport to Juanita's and get you more food."
"Let's just relax," Mark appeased. "I can order in. You and I should just lie down and breathe. It sounds like you had a horrible day at work."
Ulysses wrapped his arms around Mark's back and confirmed, "It was a disaster. The witch that was arrested escaped. She had the help of the mysterious masked witch. He blew me out of the water. I stood no chance."
"Whoa," Mark said in awe. "This guy sounds powerful."
"He is the most powerful witch I have ever encountered. And that scares me. What makes me even more fearful is the fact that he toys with me. He almost never attacks me. He just defends himself, like he's reminding me that I am trying my best and it's still not enough."
"You are not only powerful," Mark began and kissed Ulysses' neck, "but also intelligent and innovative. I am sure you will find a way to beat this bitch's ass."
Ulysses laughed and replied, "Thank you, Mark. Those words bring me courage and joy."
Mark grabbed Ulysses' hand and led him upstairs and into the bedroom. Mark sat and leaned his back against the headboard of his bed. He opened his legs and Ulysses sat between them. When Ulysses leaned against Mark, Mark held Ulysses close. As he placed another food delivery order on his phone, Mark stroked his other hand across Ulysses' chest and kissed the side of his face.
"What am I going to do?" Ulysses asked with defeat in his voice. "This witch is so calm in the most terrifying way. No matter what I've done, it has not even given him a scratch or a tear in his clothing. He seems uncaring and unmoved by any action I take."
"I will tell you what you are going to do," Mark answered and kissed Ulysses' temple. "You are going to continue to give every attack they initiate your best defense. You will try your best to thwart their advances. You are going to stop whomever you can, anyway you can, whenever you can. I have the utmost faith in you."
Ulysses grabbed onto Mark's forearm and stroked it while confessing, "You know exactly what to say to make me feel encouraged and optimistic. Thank you."
Mark pressed another kiss to Ulysses' temple but kept his lips to Ulysses' skin for a few long, sweet moments.
I hope that you are enjoying this series so far. I have been working on this series for about two years, it is so new to me. Listed below are my other works of fiction if you are interested.
Car Radio
Connected
Do Not Go Gentle
Near Wild Heaven
The Other Half of Me Unknown
A Quick Fall
Some You Give Away
Somewhere a Clock is Ticking
Strawberry Wine
Tearing Me Apart
You Call It Madness
You Don't Mean to Hurt Me