Date: Mon, 29 Mar 2010 04:34:59 -0600
From: Katya_Dee <concertoind@gmail.com>
Subject: Specter's Gamble - chapter 20

This is a work of fiction; all the resemblances are completely accidental. I
am the one who owns all the ideas and characters in the story. Contains
violence and descriptive sexual scenes between two males. If you are not
supposed to read it, don't do so. Feel free to e-mail me with praises or
insults (former preferred).


- XX -


            Several days later, they came to realize that they were
almost out of money. At first, Desmond just shrugged indifferently.

   "I'll make a trip to the bank," he said, and Gabriel frowned at
that. "What?" Desmond asked, seeing his reaction.

   "Well," Rayhe said slowly. "I am pretty sure the Salamanders know
that we are still in the city... They also know that sooner or later,
we'll need money... There are only four banks around here... Methinks
they will be watching every single one of them."

   Desmond blinked. That was so obvious, he thought with frustration.
He got so caught up in trying to figure out his inner emotional mess
that he failed to even consider something so ridiculously obvious.
"Great," he thought gloomily. "Soon enough I'll manage to screw up
something even simpler! Bloody hell on wheels..."

   "I'll go back to my house," Rayhe was saying meanwhile. "I have
some money in a safe there."

   Now it was Desmond's turn to blink and frown.

   "Right," he said slowly. "Because there is no way in hell for
anyone to even consider the possibility of you coming back there..."

   Gabriel shrugged.

   "It *is* a very stupid move to make," he agreed. "So stupid that
they won't think I would actually do it."

   Desmond shook his head.

   "This is ridiculous," he said.

   "I am not asking you to go with me," Rayhe shrugged again, and
Desmond snorted at that.

   "I am not going to!" he replied. "Unlike you, I have some shreds of
common sense left."

   "If I feel that something is off, I'll leave immediately," Gabriel
said seriously, and Desmond nodded without even a hint of a smile.

   "Yes," he said energetically. "I am aware of your legendary
intuition. I was aware of that ever since you started to look for an
actual duck back in that house..."

   Rayhe rolled his eyes.

   "I'll be fine," he muttered. "Don't worry..."

   "Worry?" Desmond's eyebrows flew up. "Who said anything about me
worrying? I could care less! Hell, if you get yourself killed, it'll
make things a hell of a lot easier for me!"

   "Oh, Specter..." Gabriel sighed and pulled the assassin closer. He
kissed him on the lips gently, almost carefully, and Desmond
involuntarily wrapped both of his arms around Rayhe's neck. "I'll be
fine..." Gabriel muttered into Desmond's mouth several minutes later,
and the assassin opened his eyes.

   "I don't care," he almost said, but at the last second, he changed
his mind and simply nodded instead.

   Rayhe kissed him once more, this time more briefly, and pulled
away. Soon enough he was getting into the car (it was Desmond's car;
it's been sitting by the apartment building ever since Rayhe abducted
the assassin) and driving away. He frowned when he noticed that the
tank was almost empty. "Well," he thought. "I'd better get that
money..."



****



   Gabriel sat in the car for half an hour, frowning thoughtfully,
looking around, trying to figure out if anything looked even remotely
suspicious. His fingers were absent-mindedly beating some bizarre
rhythm on the steering wheel, and Rayhe didn't even notice that.
Finally, he took a deep breath, and got out of the car. He walked
towards the front door of the house slowly, still trying to figure out
if anything was out of order. Everything seemed fine and Gabriel
quickly ran a check on the front door of the house. It seemed to be
magic-free, no spells, not even a shadow of one, and Rayhe took a deep
breath and wrapped his fingers around the doorknob. He half-expected
to be knocked out by something he managed to miss, but nothing
happened. "Just get out of here," his inner voice whispered urgently.
"This is too easy, too normal... Something isn't right. Get out of
here! Go back to him; you know you need him! Go!"

   Gabriel shook his head stubbornly. He came here to get his money
out of his own goddamn house and he is going to do it! He expected the
door to be unlocked, and when it was indeed, he just nodded to
himself. He walked inside, listening intently, even smelling the air.
Everything seemed to be fine; nothing was out of order; the only
heartbeat in the house belonged to him. "I guess I was right," Gabriel
thought with amusement. "They *did* discard this move as an overly
stupid one..."

   He made his way into his bedroom where he kept the safe. He was
dialing the combination on the lock when someone behind him said in a
low purring voice:

   "Hello, master Rayhe..."

   Gabriel froze. Slowly, very slowly, he turned around and stared at
a blond man with delicate (almost feminine) facial features. He seemed
to be in his early thirties; his hair was rather long, falling around
his perfectly shaped face in soft waves of luminous beauty; his mouth
was full and sensual, smiling slightly at Rayhe; his eyes were big and
almond-shaped; they were color of very soft lilac. They were also very
calculating, cold, and unforgiving. The man kept smiling at Gabriel,
his hands connected at fingertips, his gaze steady and slightly
amused, as if he couldn't believe that Rayhe actually showed up, which
was probably the case.

   "Julian..." Gabriel said slowly, one of his fingers twitching ever
so slightly.

   "Oh," Julian said in a soft warning voice. "I wouldn't do that if I
were you, master Rayhe... See, I am aware of the fact that you only
need to move your finger to cast a spell. Impressive, really," he
nodded. "But I have a couple of Aces of my own up my sleeve... And I
regret to inform you, but..." he let out a small sigh. "There is
something I will be able to do before you finish your spell..." he
smiled again without baring his teeth. "You look doubtful," he
murmured. "And your hand didn't quite relax yet... Allow me to
demonstrate..."

   His eyes narrowed just a little while he was talking, and suddenly,
a bolt of pain erupted in Gabriel's body. It felt like he was being
stretched on the rack even though he stood completely still. In fact,
he couldn't move even when he tried. Neither was he able to produce a
single sound. It felt as if he was frozen in one particular moment of
pain. Julian cocked his head slightly to the right.

   "This is just the beginning," he said with mild interest, watching
Rayhe's eyes darken from pain he couldn't even scream about. "See, I
can turn it up a notch..." He didn't move, nor did he make any sound,
but the pain increased dramatically. "Yes," Julian nodded after
involuntary tear crawled down to Gabriel's cheek. "I am not really
into magic," he looked at his fingernails with bored expression. "This
is the only spell I know. But it is quite handy, no?" He glanced at
Rayhe. "I can make it even stronger... I am not going to, however. Not
yet," he added and closed his eyes for a second.

   The pain was gone immediately and Gabriel could move again. He
swayed on his feet and grabbed the top of the metal safe to keep
himself from falling. His breathing was coming out in short raspy
gasps.

   "Now," Julian said after Rayhe seemed to be coherent again. "Sit
down, would you? Please," he added with the same gentle smile. "There
is something I need to discuss with you."

   Gabriel slowly walked towards one of the armchairs and sat (or
rather fell) down in it. He believed Julian when he said he could make
the pain even worse; when it came to threats, the Salamanders family
always fulfilled their promises.

   Julian looked at him thoughtfully above his fingertips for almost a
full minute. Finally, he let out a small sigh.

   "I will be honest with you, master Rayhe," he said in the same slow
purring voice. "I am not interested in you a single bit. However, I am
aware of the fact that you and Specter became quite close during the
past month or so... Now, Specter..." he closed his eyes briefly. "I am
quite interested in him," he finished. "So here is the deal..." he
pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his pockets in a slow, almost lazy
gesture. "I want Specter. I want him dead. And I want you to deliver
him to me."

   Gabriel let out short laughter.

   "I am sorry," he said in a low voice. "This..." he glanced around
the room. "Just doesn't make sense... What is all this
cloak-and-dagger crap? You are waiting for me here without even
knowing if I am going to show up... Then you tell me that you want
Specter?" he narrowed his eyes. "Why wouldn't you simply follow me and
see where I go? This way, you could get both of us..."

   Julian dragged on his cigarette leisurely.

   "I *knew* you would show up eventually," he said with a small
smile. "I anticipated it. The idea of following you has occurred to
me, yes," he nodded. "I discarded it almost immediately. See..." he
waved his hand in the air, trying to dissolve a small cloud of smoke
above his head. "I know all about Specter's famous intuition. That
intuition of his cost me one of my best men..." his eyes darkened
slightly. "It was his mistake entirely, of course... He shouldn't have
been so foolish to go there by himself without even telling me...
What's done is done, however..." he dragged on his cigarette again. "I
do not have any intention or desire to lose any more of my men to him.
Therefore, I want you to deliver him to me," he smiled. "Because from
what I've gathered, Specter has managed to make a crucial mistake..."
he fell silent, as if waiting for Gabriel ask him an inevitable
question.

   Gabriel gritted his teeth.

   "What mistake would that be?" he asked tightly, and Julian gave him
a small nod, as if letting him know that he appreciates Gabriel's
effort to support the conversation.

   "He became attached to you," he murmured.

   Rayhe let out disbelieving laughter.

   "You are out of your mind," he said finally.

   "I don't think so," Julian smiled again. "See, if Specter really
was worrying just about him being captured by us..." he shrugged. "He
would simply disappear. He has done it before on numerous occasions.
This time, however, he stuck around. That means there was a reason to
make him stay..." he looked at Rayhe silently, and this time Gabriel
didn't say anything. Julian let out a small sigh. "You," he finished.
"See, Specter is not one of those who'd just stick around for good
sex... There had to be another reason, a reason that would outweigh
his common sense and self-preservation... The only explanation is..."
he shrugged. "He let himself to get attached to you. That..." he said
pointedly. "...was his crucial mistake. Trust doesn't get you too far
if you do what he does. I have been trying to get my hands on him for
a long time..." Julian said thoughtfully. "And right now, I have a
perfect shot..."

   "Screw yourself," Gabriel said tightly and was about to get up when
Julian spoke again.

   "Maybe another time. Think about this, however... You don't really
expect me to let you go after you decline my offer, do you? If you say
`no'..." Julian dragged on his diminishing cigarette once more. "I
would be forced to make you stay..." he gave Rayhe yet another smile.
"And please believe me..." he looked at Gabriel seriously. "You are
not going to enjoy it if I in fact, do make you stay... If you choose
a `Yes' option, however..." Another shrug. "I will make sure you get
your clean slate. Nobody," he said heavily. "Nobody in my family, no
matter how much they hate you right now... Nobody in my family would
do *anything*to you. You would have my word."

   Rayhe stared at his hands for a long while.

   "Why *don't* you want me?" he asked finally in a low voice. "I am
the one who placed the hit on your Uncle..."

   Here he was interrupted by Julian's soft laughter.

   "I see..." he said finally. "You think that this has something to
do with my Uncle..." he looked at Rayhe steadily. "I don't give a damn
about my Uncle..." he said slowly, and Gabriel blinked. " In fact,"
Julian shrugged. "I was quite surprised the old bastard stayed alive
for as long as he did..." He dropped his almost-finished cigarette on
the carpet and immediately smashed the heel of his boot onto it. "I
mean..." Another shrug. "I was seriously considering wasting the son
of a bitch myself, *before* he died, thanks to you... Inheritance and
other things..." Julian looked at his hands. "You did me a favor,
really. This is why I am willing to give you a clean slate and make
sure that nobody from my family bothers you ever again. I am quite
good when it comes to persuading people," he smiled gently. "Even my
relatives," he added.

   He got up and slowly walked towards the bookcase, studying the
volumes on the shelves, his arms behind his back.

   "I want Specter for entirely different reasons," he muttered,
looking at the books. "Those reasons have nothing to do with the
family affairs."

   "What reasons would that be?" Gabriel asked dryly, and Julian
glanced at him thoughtfully, as if considering whether to tell him
something or not.

   "He killed my mate," he said finally with the same gentle smile as
before, and Rayhe blinked in disbelief. Julian nodded. "Yes, I know
it's difficult to believe but I did have a mate. Vivienne..." he said
in a softer voice. "Ever since that happened I am a different man, so
to speak... Of course," he hemmed. "Specter was merely a tool; he
didn't do it out of his own wish, but it doesn't matter..."

   "Do you know who ordered the hit?" Rayhe asked quietly.

   "Yes," Julian answered absent-mindedly. "She is long gone. I took
care of that... She told me that she hired Specter," he added. "And
yes," he answered Rayhe's unasked question. "She was telling the
truth. Certain levels of pain can turn even a pathological liar into a
blatantly honest person. For the past five years, I wanted nothing
more than to get my hands on Specter... This is what I want you to
do..."

   Rayhe interrupted him with laughter.

   "I don't care about your motives," he said in a low voice. "I am
not a traitor... This conversation is over," he started getting up
when Julian shoved him back into that chair.

   "Sit," he said shortly, his voice far from gentle now. "I
understand your hesitation..."

   "Hesitation?" Rayhe repeated incredulously. "That was not..."

   "Do not interrupt me," Julian said quietly, his eyes slightly
narrowed. "As I was saying, I understand your hesitation. This is far
from a noble act, and you are a noble person, master Rayhe. Noble and
proud. However, right now, you have to put that aside for your own
survival sake. Survival and well-being. Noble acts of self-sacrificing
are great when it comes to selling tear-squeezing romance novels,
however, it is nothing but fiction. When it comes to reality, survival
instinct is stronger than pride... Stronger by far, master Rayhe.
Believe me, if I start persuading you in my own way, you will be
begging me to let you give me Specter in less than an hour. You will
be begging me to let you kill him yourself... When I'll let you to
beg, that is."

   Julian paused ant took another cigarette out of the pack.

   "See," he continued after he lit it up. "I am one of those
individuals who enjoy pain. Different kinds of pain. I enjoy
inflicting it, and I enjoy receiving it..." he pressed the burning tip
of his cigarette on the inside of his own wrist.

   Rayhe winced when the blond closed his eyes and threw his head back.

   "Mmm..." Julian said finally and opened his eyes. "Feels
exquisite," he took a drag on the cigarette. "Feel free to tell me to
go screw myself again, master Rayhe. I have to warn you however, that
if you do in fact say so, I'll take it as a `No.' In that case..." he
shrugged. "The next hour or so is going to be quite unpleasant for
you. I would love to give you time to think, but I am afraid I cannot
afford such luxury; therefore, I need an answer now. Yes or no, master
Rayhe?"

   Gabriel stared at him without blinking. His first instinct was to
tell Salamander exactly that – *"Go screw yourself." *He restrained
himself, however. He knew that if he says that, he'd end up enduring a
hell of a lot of pain. "No," he almost said, but bit his tongue at the
last minute. He is not a traitor, he thought furiously when he caught
himself actually c*onsidering* Salamander's deal. What is wrong with
him? He was actually thinking of succumbing and delivering Desmond to
Salamander? What is wrong with him?!

   Julian waited patiently, his expression indifferent. "Clean slate,"
Rayhe thought in spite of himself. Clean slate would mean no more
hiding; no more worrying about someone finding out about his deal with
Specter; no more being afraid... Gabriel closed his eyes, hating
himself more and more with each second. He shouldn't even think about
it; he shouldn't come anywhere close to*considering* it; he
shouldn't... Yet, here he was, doing exactly that. Considering.

  * "No. Go screw yourself until you choke on your own dick. My answer
is no and I will see you in hell..."*

   "What do you want me to do?" he asked instead and closed his eyes,
hatred and disgust with himself overwhelming him.

   Julian looked at him intently.

   "Don't even think about trying to trick me," he said quietly. "It
will never work, believe me."

   "What do you want me to do?" Rayhe repeated through his clenched teeth.

   Salamander looked at him thoughtfully for several long minutes, and
finally, he nodded slowly.

   "I want you to get him to your father's old house in three days,"
he said. "The same house you brought LeVoughn-Senior to..."

   Rayhe's eyes flew wide open at that. Julian gave him a small smile.

   "The minute I found out about his demise, I knew it had something
to do with you," he nodded. "I checked out all of the estate that used
to belong to your farther. The house behind old Plaza turned out to be
the one."

   He shrugged.

   "LeVoughn was a self-centered, arrogant idiot," he continued. "If
he had any brain in that thick skull of his, he would know that it was
a trap the minute you offered it to him. He should've let me know...
If he did, we wouldn't have this conversation right now..." he let out
a small sigh. "The fat moron should've stuck to the plan but he did
not..." he shrugged once more. He smiled at Rayhe's expression. "Yes,
master Rayhe. The plan. You didn't think that LeVoughn would actually
come up with something like that on his own, did you? I knew about the
money transfer for a long time, master Rayhe. I was trying to figure
out how to put this information to good use, and I did," he smiled
again. "Anyway, back to what I need you to do..."

   Gabriel dug his fingernails into his own palms. It hurt but he didn't care.

  * "He came back for you... If not for him, you'd be dead right
now... He avenged Sheila! He means something to you! More than
something, you traitorous fuck! If Salamander is right, and if he
really let himself to get attached to you... Goddammit, Rayhe! It took
Salamander less than an hour to turn you into a traitorous, cowardly
piece of shit! And why? Because you are afraid of pain? Or because you
want your `clean slate'? Or both? You are pathetic..."*

   "Bring him to that house in three days," Julian was saying
meanwhile. "I don't care what excuse you are going to use, but it
better be a good one, and he'd better believe you. Once he is inside,
give him this..."

   He handed Gabriel a small vial that contained clear liquid inside.

   "Mix it into his drink. He'll be out in less than ten minutes. I
will take care of the rest..."

   Rayhe slowly took the vial and stared at it blindly.

   "Since he apparently means something to you," Salamander said in a
soft voice. "I will go as far as giving you my word that I am not
going to lay a finger on him. I am not going to make him suffer. I
simply want to kill him, that's all. After everything is taken care
of, you will get your clean slate and never hear from me or any other
member of my family for as long as you shall live. I would also offer
you money, but..." he shrugged. "I have a feeling you won't accept
it."

   Gabriel looked at him with dark, quiet hatred and Julian nodded, as
if confirming something he already knew.

   "If he is not at that house at eight o'clock on Friday night, you
will be very sorry, master Rayhe," Salamander said and walked out of
the room.

   Rayhe sat in that chair for the next hour, staring at the vial that
he still held in his hand. Finally, he got up slowly and walked
towards the safe. He took all the money that was inside, and soon
enough, he was driving back to Desmond's apartment.

   "I don't believe it," the assassin said seriously when Rayhe walked
through the front door. "It worked?!"

   Gabriel grinned.

   "Told you so," he nodded. "I even refilled your tank; it was almost empty."

   "Huh," Desmond said thoughtfully. "I can't believe it actually
worked..." he muttered.

   Rayhe shrugged.

   "As I said, this move was beyond stupid," he said. "They never even
considered it."

   "It's a miracle," Desmond said as seriously as before. "Let's go
eat something, I am hungry."

   They went outside and Rayhe felt as if he had a lead bar in his
left pocket; that vial was getting heavier and heavier with every step
that he took.