Phoenix Rising Read Online Free PDF Page A

anyway.”
He shook the blond hair back from his face and laughed, revealing straight white teeth. “Playing hard to get?”
Artemis stuck a hand between the man’s legs and gently squeezed. “Want me to?”
They left a couple minutes later.
“
W
HAT ’ S your name again?” Artemis asked, kneeling over
    him as he ripped the condom open with his teeth. Had he even asked? The man had a nice ass, and it looked particularly attractive from this angle, jutting up in the air in front of his erection, the hole shiny with lube and ready for Artemis.
    His head buried in a pillow, he mumbled, “Dan. Just how drunk are you?”
Not drunk at all , Artemis thought as he guided his cock into Dan’s ass, and when was the last time I did that ? I’m missing all the fun stuff in life lately.
He’d chosen Dan because he had blond hair and a mouth that reminded him of Talis. Yes, he could be that shallow sometimes. They were in Dan’s bedroom, which was moderately neat, and Artemis wasn’t wasting any time.
Dan groaned and made noises as Artemis thrust into him, his knees bouncing a little on the mattress. Sweat broke out on Dan’s back as he quivered beneath Artemis. The light outside shone through the window blinds, striping their moving bodies dark, light, dark, light.
The scotch and late hour had slowed Artemis down. Hard, yes; on the verge of coming, no. “Talk to me,” he urged, still pounding into Dan. “Say something.”
“I… love your… cock.”
“Yeah, that’s good. More….” Artemis moved faster, felt the burn start, noticed Dan was jerking himself, bit his lip, closed his eyes, and came. A few seconds later, still mouthing obscenities, so did Dan.
Gulping for air, muscles twitching, he grasped the condom at the base as he withdrew. Dan fell flat on the bed, right on the wet spot. Artemis stripped off the latex sheath, tied it off, and pitched it into the basket beside the nightstand. “Very nice. Thanks.” Sliding off the bed, breathing almost normally, he reached for his pants.
“Going already?” Dan sounded disappointed.
“I have to work tomorrow.” The zipper sounded loud in the silent room. Artemis sat on the bed to pull on socks and shoes.
“I’d like to see you again,” Dan offered hesitantly, reaching out to touch him lightly on the hip.
“Keep an eye open for me.” Artemis stood, patting his pockets to make sure he had his wallet and keys. “See ya around, Dan.”
He was out the door in seconds, letting it bang shut behind him, walking home as fast as he could, hands shoved deep in his pockets. It was a humid summer night. The city buzzed around him, still awake.
Why the hell did I do that? He was a nice guy and I used him.
He was under stress. Richard had left him. And even though he knew it was wrong, he wanted Talis more than he’d wanted anyone in a long time. Dan just hadn’t measured up, not to Richard, not to Talis.
Back in his apartment, he stripped and showered for the second time that evening before crawling into bed and finally falling asleep.

Chapter Five Talis
I was involved, deeply involved, in a deception… I have deceived my friends, and I had millions of them.
—Charles Van Doren
    T
ALIS was enjoying breakfast Friday morning at the table near the sunny window when Ammon appeared and set a stack of paper at his elbow. He raised his eyes, asking the question silently.
    “What I have thus far discovered about Detective Gregory,” he said. “Some I found online, other things I paid for.”
    Talis nodded. It was only money. He finished his goat cheese and herb omelet and fresh-squeezed orange juice before wiping his fingers on a napkin and picking up the papers. He paged through slowly, reading here and there, before moving to the couch in the sitting room to go through the information more thoroughly.
    Half an hour later, he knew a great deal more about the detective, but this did not quell his anxiety. He had very little time to woo the man, and it wasn’t as if he