Free Guarding January by Sean Michael

No matter where you go.”
    “It’s going to be ugly.”
    “Yeah, I got that.” He wasn’t going to enjoy it. At all.
    “Just remember the money. They pay for it. It’s just a show. A sick, dirty show.”
    “Is it worth the money?” Rye was thinking more and more that it wasn’t.
    “It’s part of the deal. Appearances. I’ll be all over the Net in the morning.”
    “We live in a crazy world.” He put extra protein powder in the shake, whirred it up, and handed it over. “I expect you to drink it all.”
    “I don’t want to throw up. The fake blood packs are nasty.”
    “Are you expected to drink them?” Please say no. Please say no.
    “No. You bite them and let them drip out of your mouth.”
    Thank God it wasn’t worse than that. “I’ll look into things, see if I can find something less nasty for you to deal with.”
    “At least it doesn’t stain.”
    “I still can’t believe people want crap like that.” He sat next to Jeff and had one of the carrots. “You’ve got an amazing voice when you’re allowed to use it.”
    “It’s the shock value, the gore, the death.” Jeff stirred the shake, stopping when some of the band came in.
    Rye leaned in and spoke so only Jeff could hear him. “Drink it up. We’re not going anywhere until you do.”
    “Are you wearing the black robes today, man? The heavy ones?” Brandy asked Jeff.
    “I don’t know. Maybe the leather.”
    “Leather is better armor,” Rye pointed out.
    “They’ll hold your gut in too.” Brandy smiled at him as Roach snorted.
    “Yeah. He’s huge. Bah.”
    “He’s too fucking skinny,” growled Rye. The last thing Jeff needed was to be told he was overweight, joking or not.
    “Oh, I think he looks good.” That was Scooter. “Just remember to ham it up, lots of writhing and gyrating on the dance floor. It won’t take long.”
    “Oh, LJ doesn’t eat meat.” Rye managed not to smile even when he said it.
    It took a second, and then the band started cackling, pushing and shoving each other.
    Smiling, Rye poked Jeff. “Drink up.”
    “I think I’ll take it upstairs.”
    “Good choice.” Rye gave the guys in the band a nod and followed Jeff upstairs.
    Jeff’s steps slowed, each one heavier than the next. Rye put his arm around Jeff’s waist once they hit the stairs and were alone. “Almost there.”
    “I’m okay. I just… I miss the uppers. I miss the rush.”
    “So you need something else to give you a rush.” Rye had a few ideas on that front, from roller coasters to scary movies to kinky sex.
    Jeff chuckled softly. “What I need is a few minutes of quiet, probably. Janie will be up here soon to get me in costume.”
    “More costumey than what you usually wear?”
    “God, yeah. This requires contacts, teeth, paint, hair.”
    What a zoo. Rye kept his mouth shut, though. He figured Jeff knew well and good how Rye felt about Lord January and all the crap that went along with it.
    Jeff sat in one of the wingback chairs, legs crossed, eyes closed.
    Rye regarded him for a moment, then went to stand behind him, hands dropping to Jeff’s shoulders, and he began to massage. Jeff’s muscles were hard, stiff as rocks. Rye didn’t say anything; he just kept working the tight muscles, fingers digging in. Finally they let go, easing under his touch.
    He kept massaging, keeping them loose, wanting to give Jeff something good to hold on to.
    “Can I have a little of my shake?”
    Rye handed it over, relieved Jeff was having something to eat. Stretching, he moved to sit next to Jeff.
    Jeff sipped, quiet, still. It was a bit like the man was being drained, day-by-day. He’d tried not to interfere too much; he’d tried to let things roll the way they always had. But it wasn’t working. Rye was going to have to start putting his foot down and insisting on stuff like food, like swimming.
    Like sunshine and happiness and backgammon. There was no reason on earth Jeff had to inhabit Lord January