El Muerte

By Debel

The desert nights were filled with waking dreams and the days with nightmares. This existence which Antonio O'Bannon found himself in had been going on for a very long time. Longer than he cared to specifically recall. There was only the moment of the kill when he truly knew he was alive. All the time between was simply the burning length of one cigarette after the other.

Dragging the smoke deeply into his lungs he flicked the butt away from him and walked across the street to the meeting place. A place that was suitably dark and anonymous. Just one more bar in a small town full of bars. He nodded to the bartender who knew him as El Muerte, but that was all he gave of himself, just the name that meant death. Those who were interested in El Muerte's particular skills made their way here to meet with him and discuss the business of death. He did not take all the jobs offered to him. There were certain things even he would not do and he only took the most dangerous and intriguing ones. The ones that would pay a fortune for the risks that he would take and the impressive number of dead bodies his reputation was based upon. He sat at his usual table in the far corner of the small room, his back against the wall, lit another cigarette and waited.

David James Addison noted the entrance of the striking man and knew at once who he had to be. There could be no doubt about it. It was the man they called El Muerte and the man he had come here to hire, but he continued to nurse his warm beer and watch the man from his perch at the end of the bar. He prided himself on his judgment of people and he wanted time to study this man who seemed more myth than reality.

The man was not as he had expected at all. He didn't know what he had expected, but certainly not this, this man who had the face of an angel. There was a careless vulnerability about him as if he could be easily hurt and he wasn't going to do anything to stop it. David watched as the long fingers brought the cigarette up to the full lips and noted how the beautiful eyes narrowed against the smoke as they stared at something only they could see.

David's heart began to beat faster at that moment and his fingertips went numb where they were wrapped around his mug. He swallowed a large mouthful of warm beer, stood up and started to make his way toward this mythical killing machine in the jeans, T-shirt and leather jacket.

Antonio didn't change his expression or position as he lounged in his chair, teetering on the back legs with his back braced against the rough, wood-paneled wall as he watched the tall Norte Americano take his seat across from him. He had noticed the man upon entering the bar; he stood out like a pampered pooch in the midst of an alley full of mutts. A good-looking pampered pooch Antonio decided as he took in more details of the man's appearance.

He was definitely uncomfortable, but that was to be expected from someone like him in a place like this. And he was beginning to squirm under Antonio's silent scrutiny. The man's discomfort brought out Antonio's lopsided grin as he took his own good time taking in everything about this man that was willing to pay a great deal of money for his services. There was quite a lot to take in, well over six foot, blonde and blue-eyed and solid, looked like he had played sports in some ivy-league school, but not football, no, more the tennis player or swimmer's body. Normally, he wasn't attracted to blondes, but this one had a very nice face. Very open and sincere and stalwart, Antonio thought. Yeah, that was it. The guy seemed like a real stalwart type. Someone you could depend on in a tight spot. Someone that wouldn't let you down when you needed them the most.

David's discomfort level was increasing by the second as he endured the level gaze that was assessing him so coldly. He wondered what the final verdict would be after those unbelievable eyes, as he had decided they were at close range, those truly remarkable eyes, had finished with him.

He cleared his throat and stretched out his hand, thankfully it was steady, and managed to produce a voice which belied the inner turmoil he was feeling. "The name's David Addison. You must be the man I've come all this way to meet, El Muerte."

The front legs of Antonio's chair made a loud thump as they hit the wood floor. He ignored the hand as he leaned forward on his elbows, the lips slightly parted as he let the smoke drift slowly out before saying, "I don't shake till the deal's done."

David's blue eyes stared into the dark ones as he withdrew his empty hand. He shrugged and began to explain the need which had brought him there until Antonio interrupted him.

"There's a pool table in the back. You play?" He didn't wait for David's answer and the other man had no choice but to follow him into another small room containing a pool table and a bare light bulb dangling from the center of the ceiling.

David stood quietly, stick in hand, and watched El Muerte move around the table, eyeing the balls scattered on the green surface. He moved easily, with an athlete's body and David had the feeling he had never made an ungraceful move in his life. There was something about the boy still very much with him; although, David thought he was closer in age to himself. The shoulder length hair captured in a ponytail matched the gleam of the leather jacket under the light.

El Muerte continued to move slowly about the table until he came to where David stood and as he brushed close behind him David heard the rustle of the jacket and felt the other man's shoulder against his for a moment. All of his senses suddenly became heightened and he felt himself beginning to sweat as he rubbed his forehead. He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment and tried desperately not to think about the stirrings in his groin. But it had been a long time since he had been with anyone, not since Tom had left and now he found himself in an increasingly claustrophobic space with the personification of sex itself standing not two feet away.

Antonio noted the other man's discomfort. As he shrugged out of his own jacket he said casually, "It's hot in here. Take off your jacket. Relax, man."

David gratefully took off the light sports coat he was wearing and then his gaze locked on El Muerte's body as he leaned over the table to make his shot. The T-shirt was tight, revealing lean muscles and the jeans outlined one of the most spectacular asses he had ever had the pleasure of seeing. David moaned to himself and fought to control his growing erection. He didn't want El Muerte to suddenly look up and see him like this. This was supposed to be a business transaction and all he could think about was what it would be like to fuck this guy.

Antonio made his shot and then let out an expletive in Spanish. He stood aside to let David take his place at the table and watched quietly as the other man blew an easy shot.

Antonio shook his head and stepped close to David as he slapped his shoulder. The other man gave a startled jerk and Antonio looked at him closely as he said, "Loosen up, man! What are you so tight about?"

David avoided looking him directly in the eyes and mumbled something about the long trip tiring him out. Antonio continued to stare at him and then seemed to make a decision. He went to the door of the room, closed and locked it. David watched as he did this, a fear suddenly instilled in him, after all he was alone in this room in some god-forsaken place with a man who had reportedly killed a great many people. All of whom it had been said deserved killing, but there was a lot about this El Muerte that he didn't know.

He waited as El Muerte came to stand in front of him, then the man simply reached up and brought David's face down to his. David's first thought was that the lips felt as good as they looked and then he was caught up in the heat of the kiss. Antonio pressed his body against David's and the other man hung onto him as if he were drowning.

When they broke apart Antonio held David's eyes as he moved to sit on the edge of the table, his legs wide-spread as he pulled David in close for another kiss. David felt the man's hands under his shirt, roaming over his back. David's hands found themselves traveling over the jean-covered muscles of El Muerte's thighs then across the bulging front of those jeans. He could hear a moan coming from deep in the smaller man's throat. David gathered the beautiful ass he had admired so recently in his hands and ground himself against the other man.

Antonio broke the kiss, both men gasping for breath, and pulled his T-shirt over his head in one movement and started pulling at David's belt as the other man struggled out of his sweater. David could feel the strong muscles of the man's thighs as they griped his hips but the tugging on his belt and the front of his pants nearly upset his balance and it struck him as funny. He hadn't felt like this in years, not since he was a kid had he felt this desperate desire to be out of his clothes; he couldn't get out of them fast enough and he couldn't get El Muerte out of his fast enough, but they couldn't seem to let go of each other long enough to do it; it was making them both clumsy. He started to laugh.

El Muerte stopped what he was doing and glanced up at him, his eyes wide and hot with desire and then he smiled, too, like a young kid himself. David stopped laughing then. He couldn't laugh with the breath caught in his throat. He had never seen such a beautiful smile on anyone's face. It completely transformed El Muerte into a devilish but amazingly innocent boy, but there was something missing. There was something in the eyes that didn't quite surrender to the laughter.

Antonio pushed David away and eased off the table, still grinning. "Do your own pants and I'll do mine. Just get out of them quick, will you?"

David was only too happy to oblige. Brief seconds later both men were naked. David took in the view and let out a low whistle of admiration. The guy was really gorgeous. It was a shame he had to wear clothes at all.

Antonio laughed at the whistle as he quickly knelt and retrieved something from a pocket of his jeans then returned to his seat on the edge of the table. He looked at David directly, in open admiration, and David found himself blushing.

"So, are you just going to stand there looking or are you going to fuck me?" He leaned backwards with his hands on the table behind him. "You're damaging my ego. I normally don't have to ask a guy that question."

At El Muerte's words and provocative look, David's erection hardened even more and there was no doubt in anyone's mind what he was going to do.

Antonio watched the blonde man approach and liked what he saw. The guy had a great body and his cock was long and slender, just like him. Antonio reached out and pulled him between his legs once again and opened his mouth to another deep kiss from David, who seemed starved for him. It was an emotion Antonio was familiar with. Antonio's hands were busy stroking the long cock before he encased it with the condom he had retrieved.

David felt Antonio's hands on him and pulled back slightly so he could ask, "Is this something you do a lot? Casual sex, I mean? With men, a lot, here like this?"

Antonio produced the lopsided grin as he answered with a shrug, "Sure, I've had a lot of men. Not necessarily here, but yeah, it's been casual." He dropped the smile and looked directly into David's eyes as he added, "I like it that way. There a problem with that?"

David shook his head and answered with a simple, "No. No problem." But David found there was a problem. He suddenly felt unreasoning jealousy for all the men who had possessed this body no matter how briefly. It troubled him until his mind was filled once again with the feel of El Muerte's body in his hands.

David knelt and took him into his mouth, savoring the taste of him, his hands full of the soft flesh of his buttocks, pulling him forward. He heard the man gasp and felt the tug of his hands in his hair. He pulled away and gently kissed the inside of each thigh then stood and pushed against the other man's chest so that he lay with his back on the table top, his arms spread wide. David paused and looked at the man who lay so easily before him; so vulnerable at this moment. He couldn't quite take it in, that he was really here about to make love to this beautiful guy. And that was what he wanted to do. He didn't just want to fuck him; he wanted to make love to him. What he saw in the guy's eyes made his heart ache. He could see pain floating behind the desire, behind the long lashes that seemed to hide so much and David found he wanted to make the pain go away.

He bent forward, bringing the man's legs with him till they were tight against his chest, his hands on either side of the beautiful face and kissed him deeply as he pushed into him slowly, taking his time till he was completely in and completely in possession of the man beneath him. He felt such a flush of power, then he started to pump into him, holding the hips firmly as he got his rhythm and watched in pleasure as El Muerte's torso writhed and then he arched his back, moaning and pushing himself deeper into David's thrusts till David felt himself on the verge of coming. He released one hand to pump on Antonio's erection in time to his thrusts and then he felt the intense relief of his own orgasm, a relief mixed with satisfaction that they had achieved it together.

David gently lowered the beautiful legs and collapsed on top of the warm body beneath him. He felt arms come up and encircle his waist as he sighed and closed his eyes and wished for sleep. He had never felt so content. He murmured through a brain that was already half-asleep, "I don't even know your proper name. Surely they didn't name you El Muerte on the day of your birth?"

His body moved slightly as Antonio chuckled, "It's Antonio Louis Poncela O'Bannon. Now you know everything about me. Happy?"

David murmured, "Delirious."

"Good. Now get off me. We've got business to discuss." Antonio's gentle touch as he tried to push him up belied the brusque words. He suddenly felt vulnerable. He had never given his name to any of the others and he was mystified as to why he had given it to this one.

David couldn't help stealing a quick kiss before he relented and removed himself reluctantly from the vicinity of the beautiful body.

They got dressed a little more slowly than they had gotten out of their clothes. David's hungry eyes stealing glances at skin that was too quickly being covered. He sighed with regret as they stood before each other, completely clothed once again.

David felt a difference in Antonio as if he had put on more than just the covering of his clothes. He was all efficiency as he leaned against the table and lit a cigarette. Then he turned his disconcertingly direct stare on David and asked, "Who is it exactly that you want taken care of?"

David felt uncertain now that the time had finally arrived to explain why he had need of this hired killer who looked like an angel.

"It's not exactly that I want someone 'taken care of'. It might come to that, but I'd really prefer that it didn't. It's my family, you see. Someone in my family wants me dead. I need to stay alive long enough to find out who it is."

Antonio shook his head and started to stand up. "I'm no bodyguard."

David moved to block his way. "Please," he said. He looked down into the long-lashed eyes and searched for that look he had seen such a short time ago, but he couldn't seem to find it. "They tell me you were one of the best a few years ago. Antonio, I won't last 24 hours if I go back home."

"Then don't go back." El Muerte replied.

David swallowed and fought the rising tide of desperation that threatened to engulf him. For some reason he desperately needed this particular man to agree to help him. He forced his voice into a reasonable calm. "I have to. My father's dying. I have to be with him. Please, Antonio, I'm begging you. If it's money..."

Antonio shoved him aside and walked to the door and unlocked it, but he turned around and stared hard at David. "If I do this...and it's just a maybe...you have to promise me, swear to me, that you'll do exactly as I say, no questions. Understood?"

David nodded and said with real gratitude in his voice, "I promise, swear to God, Antonio. Anything you say."

Antonio turned and started to walk rapidly down the hallway back to the main room. David heard him toss over his shoulder, "You got a car?"

"Yeah, a rental. It's parked out front," David called after him.

"Well, if it's still there you can drive us to the airport and fill me in on the details on the way," Antonio said as he moved further away.

David stood in the middle of the hallway, watching the most spectacular ass he had ever seen disappearing from view, then he made a mad dash to catch up as he realized what Antonio had just said. Relief and excitement flooding through him.