Free Hearts Under Fire by Kelly Wyre and HJ Raine Page A

IDs, and signatures.” She pushed a pad of paper toward Clark.
    “Rose,” Clark said, handing over his cell phone and ID. “You look lovely as always.”
    “And you look suitably hot for a guy,” Rose retorted.
    “Have I told you that you’d make a great gay man lately?” Clark asked, shrugging out of his duster and handing it over. Rose took it with a giggle, and Clark bent to sign both himself and Daniel into Break.
    “Not in the last week, Sir, no.”
    Daniel fished his cell phone from his coat pocket, handing that to her before taking off his coat and laying it on the counter. He then dug in his back pocket for his wallet.
    “Which ID?” Daniel asked.
    “Your license or other form of identification,” Rose said, smiling at Daniel as he handed it over. “I check it against my List of Important Personages, you see.”
    Clark started to laugh, but cut off abruptly. Daniel looked up and found Clark staring. A vest framed Clark’s chest, the pants revealing more of his sculpted musculature than they hid. The gleam of chain wrapped about Clark’s waist, the buckles and straps, and the wide wrist cuff -- no, watchband -- made Daniel want to howl in frustration.
    Why in the world does everything he have on make me just want to truss him and eat him?
    Daniel gritted his teeth, smiled at the girl, and took back his ID when she was done.
    Clark turned to wink at Rose, amiable persona back in place. “Might there be a certain gray-eyed demi-monarch roaming about?”
    Rose rolled her eyes. “Oh yes. He’s inside talking to Garreth.”
    “Naturally,” Clark said, as he pushed away from the counter and kept his distance from Daniel. Clark’s smile was easy and the tilt of his head casual.
    “Let me introduce you to Lucian, if you don’t mind,” Clark said. “Then you’ll be rid of me for the evening.”
    “I’d be pleased to meet him.” Daniel counted it a minor victory that he could say it evenly. “And if you don’t mind, I’d like it if you gave me a tour of the place? I don’t know where I can go and where I shouldn’t.”
    “No problem,” Clark said immediately. “Any restricted area will require a pass key. The private rooms, for example -- we call them the Crypts. They’re all off the ‘combs.” Clark began to walk toward the doors leading into Break. “Right this way, sir,” he said playfully.
    Daniel let Clark take two steps before him so he could hide his reaction to that ‘sir,’ and then followed Clark. The lights were low in the club. Daniel saw several main play areas on either side of a large runway. Each play area was marked off by a different type of flooring, plastic or carpet. High tables flanked the runway, and there was plenty of seating everywhere.
    Along the left wall was a lounge area with low chairs, benches, and more equipment. The entire back wall was padded, with silver rings set into it for easy use. The bar was across the room from the Bliss entrance, and a DJ’s booth sat in the back left corner next to the bar. It was still early, so the club wasn’t terribly crowded, but people sat in the lounge and two men occupied one play area on the far side of the room.
    “They’re all stages,” Daniel said softly, letting some of his trepidation show. “So many people can watch at the same time. Are there any rules of conduct for the audience?”
    Clark took a tiny step toward Daniel. “Standard rules apply,” Clark replied. “No touching unless invited, no interfering with ongoing play unless given permission. To use the equipment, generally one just needs to claim it. There’s plenty to go around. But if it’s crowded, you can always check with one of the hosts -- over there?” Clark pointed at the man in the priest-like robes. “They monitor the room, keep equipment waiting lists if necessary, and can answer any questions.”
    Clark paused to wave at someone and then cleared his throat. “Basically, stick to always asking before you do anything, and