There was no high like the high of performing in front of a crowd. Raiden unbuttoned his shirt, lost in the moment. He felt it drain out of him—the energy, the wantonness. The audience felt it, too. He was inside their minds, possessing and controlling them. With a demonic glint in his eye, he slowly removed his shirt. Shrieks of approval met his ears. Savoring the power of the moment, he dropped his tunic to the ground and went into the bridge of “Your Name.” He danced and sang his ass off.
“We exchanged smiles. You bought me a drink.” He blew a kiss in between breaths. “We exchanged lies. I never stopped to think.” Teasing the crowd, he caressed his pecs. “Now it’s the present, but I’m still back then.” He licked his lips. “My hands can’t forget the soft feel of your skin.” Belting out the chorus, he thrust his pelvis and sank to his knees.
The rhythm of Yoshi’s urgent drums meshed with Kai’s fiery guitar. Taro’s driving bassline supported the song’s groove. Raiden arched his back and did his trademark falsetto on the last note. The crowd went wild. He had them in the palm of his hand. There was no other feeling in the world like it. The orchestra swelled with the cries of the crowd. Raiden stared at them, deliberately meeting their eyes, holding their rapturous expressions in the front of his mind as his mouth opened and the music spilled forth, mellifluous and buoyant, angelic and strong. His face was flushed from the stage lights and the audience’s excitement. Kai’s guitar screeched in the background, but it was a musical sort of screech, one that only the most seasoned and gifted of guitarists could pull off without offending the ears.
Raiden pumped his hips in time to each note, turned on from the high of his craft. Joy and adrenaline sizzled from his toes to the top of his head, igniting him with the unique electricity he only felt when on stage—and when he was with Naomi. Though he could not see his love, he knew she was there, beaming in the crowd, calling his name in her sexy contralto, clasping her delicate-boned hands across her full breasts, loving pride written all over her beautiful face.
Right before the encore, Raiden swigged from a bottle of water backstage and scanned the crowd from the wings. Almost immediately, his gaze fell upon a striking, fair-skinned, raven-haired man positioned on the sidelines. With one long, impeccably manicured finger, the man beckoned him. A secretive, inviting smile graced his lips, but failed to touch his eyes. Raiden shivered and looked away. He habitually received admiring glances from men, but this stranger’s attention felt different.
Something stirred within him.
* * *
It happened in the dressing room, shortly after his jetlagged bandmembers and exhausted staff bid him goodnight.
Raiden—alone, still sweaty, and high off the rush of his performance—punched the air in celebration. Never before had the band played so well. The audience ranked in the top three of all time. Even more special, Naomi was there. He grinned, thinking of the attention she would lavish on him later. Despite their earlier tryst, his body was impatient. It told him an alternate story—a darker tale. He could still feel the burn of the black-haired man’s eyes on him. It was all too obvious what his intentions were. He laughed aloud. Though he could admit to being bi-curious, that was as far as his interest in men went.
But you saw him watching you, and it turned you on.
Sometimes I get turned on when I’m performing. No big deal. It doesn’t mean anything.
Now you’re just lying to yourself.
A knock at the door startled Raiden out of his inner battle of words.
“Come in!” he shouted.
Naomi was supposed to meet him for dessert at Astoria, but perhaps she had decided to wait for him here instead. That way, they could go to the pastry shop together. Raiden’s grin widened, then abruptly froze when he opened the dressing room door. It was the pale stranger from earlier. He held a bouquet of white lilies.
“Raiden-san!” The man had a friendly British accent. “It’s a complete pleasure to meet you.” He offered Raiden a handshake.
Warily, Raiden returned the greeting.
“This was my first time seeing you perform live. You were fantastic!” The man brandished the bouquet. “For you.”
Stunned, Raiden accepted it, though he thought white lilies were a rather odd choice for a congratulatory floral arrangement.
“Thank you. I appreciate the compliment, um . . . I’m sorry. I didn’t get your name.”
His name, or at least the one he gave Raiden, was Justus. Tall and austerely handsome, he was thrilling to look at. The man could have been anywhere from thirty-five to fifty. He carried himself like a dancer, light on his feet, at times seeming to glide across the floor. His dark hair fell to his shoulders in glossy waves. Raiden observed his cruel mouth, curved jaw, and regal nose. Long, black lashes framed his unusual amber eyes—by far his most striking feature. They glowed.
If Raiden were honest with himself, he could admit that Justus was extremely attractive. There was something dangerous and masculine about him, but his looks were almost feminine. He inhaled. Justus wore no cologne, but his natural scent was as charismatic as the man himself. Raiden was not sure why he felt such a powerful desire to remain in Justus’ presence, but the heavy attraction between them was tangible and undeniable. It worried him.
“Justus, I’m always happy to meet my fans. However, I’m afraid I’m very busy. I need to get changed, showered, and spiffed up.”
Justus narrowed his eyes. “Big plans?”
Raiden smiled apologetically. “I’m supposed to meet my fiancée to celebrate the first night of the tour.”
“Oh, well that’s wonderful. I hope all goes according to plan.”
Raiden frowned. “Why wouldn’t it?”
Justus took a step forward and leaned into Raiden’s personal space. “Plans can always change.” He licked his lips.
Raiden wrestled with temptation and curiosity. He did not know what he wanted, but he felt a strong impulse to try something new. Though he loved Naomi, in this moment, his thoughts could not have been further from her. After all, judging from past relationships, fidelity had never been his strong suit.
“I can’t. I’m not—” Raiden faltered, at a loss for the appropriate words. He felt himself drawing closer, inclining his head, waiting for—
Looking into his eyes, Justus grabbed his cock through his pants. “You can, love. You are. And you will.”
He gasped as he felt Justus tugging down his zipper. Everything was happening too fast. When the stranger showed his teeth, Raiden saw a flash of miniature knives.
Justus’ growling mouth made its way to Raiden’s jugular. “This won’t hurt for long.” He bit down hard. At the same time, he started to stroke Raiden’s erection.
Raiden screamed. The dueling perceptions of pleasure and pain were taking him over the edge.
Might as well enjoy it, the stranger’s voice told him, as Justus continued to suck his blood and fist his cock. You’re being fucked and killed at the same time.
The darkness came soon after he did; and he welcomed it with open arms.
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