Reflash Read online

  ~Reflash ~

  Book Ten Sandrine Gasq-Dion ~Dedication ~ To my family , as always Jenjo, Kim Webb-Balan and Jen Fornes My loyal readers at LRO

  Jen of Je n nifer F photography for the picture and the cover art. Theresa Webber for loaning us a third set of eyes My wonderful cover model (You know who you are)

  © Copyright 2012

  This is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or business establishments, events or locales is coincidental. All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. WARNING: This book contains material that maybe offensive to some: Violence, graphic language, homosexual relations, adult situations.

  Reflash: A situation in which a fire,

  thought to be extinguished, resumes burning. CHAPTER ONE 5 CHAPTER TWO 18 CHAPTER THREE 22 CHAPTER FOUR 35 CHAPTER FIVE 43 CHAPTER SIX 57 CHAPTER SEVEN 70 CHAPTER EIGHT 79 CHAPTER NINE 89 CHAPTER TEN 100 EPILOGUE 113

  Chapter One

  “Oh my God! What the hell? How is this stupid thing still alive?” Wesley shook his phone. “It got hit in the head with a rock! Stupid pig! Now it’s laughing at me, just great.” Wesley banged his head on the steering wheel.

  Tucker sipped his coffee and grinned at his partner from the passenger seat of the squad car. They had been in Seattle for almost a month. The change from the Anchorage Police Department to Seattle’s wasn’t difficult ; in fact, it was easier. Their friend Nicholas , a Seattle detective, had talked to his boss and Tucker and Wesley were partnered. Once they’d figured out that their mates were in Washington, it had become a priority to move closer to them . Austin Jacobson was a fireman, and Tucker’s mate. He was also straight, as was Wesley’s mate , Kurt Maguire .

  Tucker snickered. “You do realize how that sounds, right?”

  Wesley looked over at Tucker. “Huh?”

  “Stupid pig?” Tucker raised an eyebrow.

  “It’s ‘Angry Birds ’!” Wesley shoved his phone in Tucker’s face. “I swear I’m angrier than the birds are!”

  “Stop playing that, it’s almost as bad as when you were addicted to ‘Tetris.’ It took forever to get that stupid music out of my head!” Tucker caught sight of a car speeding up the road behind him. “Flash him.”

  Wesley hit the lights as the car flew by them; the brake light s flashed and the car slowed down. Wesley chuckled, looking over at Tucker. “Wonder what they were in a hurry for?”

  Tucker shrugged. “Hot date?”

  “Speeding home to jack off?” Wesley put his phone down and looked over at Tucker. They’d been best friends from the day they met. “When should we call them? How are we going to do this? Kurt’s been out with me twice , maybe , and I don’t know what to do. I want him so much.”

  Tucker ran his hands over his face. “You don’t think I want to call Austin? I’m not sure what to do anymore. Right now we wait and see if the fates throw us together somehow. We’ve gone out with them, played it cool and kept our hands to ourselves. We can’t do much more than that, Wes. They ’re straight for fuck’s sake.”

  Wesley rolled his eyes. “You don’t have to keep reminding me my mate is straight - and almost homophobic. At least Austin’s a little better with you.”

  Tucker sat back and brought up a vision of Austin Jacobson. Six feet of pure muscle, dark hair and light blue eyes. Tucker sighed and pinched his cock. “I can’t even think about him without getting hard.”

  “Kurt’s just …” Wesley sat back, looking at the roof of the squad car. “I mean he’s not mean or anything, he just is kinda standoffish.”

  Tucker was about to open his mouth, when he spotted a car weaving on the road. He smacked Wesley in the shoulder and grinned. “Bets?”

  “Over the limit for sure.” Wesley watched the car pass them, oblivious to the squad car parked right off the side of the road.

  “Let’s do it.” Tucker strapped in and Wesley started the car. The lights flashed to life and the siren blared. The car was still weaving in and out of both lanes and Wesley got right up on its back end. The driver finally pulled over to the side and Tucker got out. He walked to the driver’s side and shined his flashlight in the car. The driver still had the window rolled up and Tucker knocked on it with the flashlight, making the motion with his hand to roll the window down. The window lowered slowly and Tucker got a good look at the occupant. Cute kid, maybe nineteen or twenty, was looking at him with red, glazed eyes. He smelled like a whiskey mill.

  “License and registration, please.”

  Tucker had to hold in a laugh as the kid almost fell off the seat onto the floorboard when he reached for the glove compartment. He sat up shakily and handed the information over. Tucker looked at the driver’s license with a frown. Will Cooper was twenty -one; had just turned twenty

  -one, as a matter of fact, at midnight.

  “Will, could you do me a favor and step out of the vehicle, please?” Tucker stepped away from the side of the car. He motioned Wesley over. Will, or William, stepped out of the car and almost fell over. Tucker heard Wesley snickering on his way to the car . “You wouldn’t have been drinking tonight, Will, now would you?” Tucker asked. Will’s glazed eyes looked at Tucker.

  “God, you’re smokin’ hot,” William said.

  Standing with his arms crossed, Wesley chuckled as he look ed over the younger man. Tucker handed him the kid’s ID.

  “Well, happy birthday, Will. Say, why don’t you do us a favor and stand over here on the yellow line?”

  “Wow.” William licked his lips, looking at Wesley. “This is like a total fantasy of mine.”

  “Is that right?” Tucker arched a brow.

  “Having two cops do me on a squad car,” William stumbled to the yellow line.

  Wesley looked over at Tucker and tilted his head. He smiled when Tucker shook his head no. Wesley sighed and threw his hands up in the air. “Okay, William. Stand on one foot.” Wesley covered his mouth as William stood on the line, one foot up. “Now, put both your arms out to your side.” Wesley waited for William to comply, then gave him more instruction. “Now, take your finger and put it on your nose.”

  “Jump up and down at the same time,” Tucker added. William promptly fell over and moaned. Tucker walked over to him and smiled. “Sorry bud, you get to spend the night in jail.”

  “Fuck,” Will slurred . “Can I at least get my fantasy? Maybe avoid a cell?”

  “Will, are you a virgin?” Tucker asked.

  “Tucker!” Wesley whispered.

  “What? He’s not going to remember this anyway.” Tucker looked at Will trying to stand up on the yellow line again. “Will?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Virgin?”

  “Pfft…no.”

  “Not much of a bribe then, huh?” Tucker chuckled.

  “Jesus, Tucker! I’ll call the tow,” Wesley laughed, walking back to the squad car.

  Tucker helped William up, walking him toward the car. “What were you thinking? Drinking and driving?”

  William sagged in Tucker’s grip. “I told my parents I was gay - THAT was fun –and my boyfriend broke up with me today.” William looked up at the officer currently holding him up. “Aren’t you going to cuff me? Read me my Melinda rights?”

  “It’s Miranda, and I don’t think you’re running off anywhere; I doubt you’ll remember your rights but I’ll read them to you.” Tucker helped William into the car after he’d read him his rights. He leaned over and pulled William’s startled face up. “Don’t let it get you down ; I’m sure there’s another guy out there perfect for you and your parents will eventually get over it.”

  “I need coffee,” William whimpered .

  “Well, I’m going to give you a breathalyzer before I
allow you to drink coffee,” Tucker smiled.

  “I’m drunk, I admit it,” William sighed, and promptly passed out on the back seat.

  “Well, that was fun.” Wesley looked at the time. “Only four more hours to go!”

  “Why did we take this shift again?” Tucker pulled the seatbelt over his lap, clicking it into place.

  “We love the night life?” Wesley chuckled, and pulled onto the road.

  “I love the night life, I like to boogieee!” Tucker sang, looking out the window. After being in Seattle for over a month, he missed Austin even more . They hadn’t called or spoken to each other since the Fourth of July; it’d been almost a year. Tucker closed his eyes; he wa nted his mate. The sad part was he didn’t think his mate would ever want him.

  ~~ “Fuck! It’s hot as hell!” Austin swore his skin was melting. The fire was raging in the small apartment complex they’d been called to and three hours later they were still trying to put it out. Kurt was in front of him, leading them out. They’d gotten everyone out of the building, including two pet rats. Austin had sent them out with Preston; he wasn’t a huge fan of rodents.

  “Where the fuck is probie?” Kurt kicked the door open and walked out into a rain of water and smoke. “He’s out! I made him leave.”

  “Jesus Christ!” Austin tore his mask off. “What the hell?” Austin walked over to the rig. He grabbed a bottle of water and poured it down his face. He took a deep breath of semi-clean air and coughed. Kurt smacked him on the back and Austin glanced at him sideways. Kurt leaned up against the rig, taking in deep breaths. “What happened in there?” Austin asked.

  “He froze, that’s what happened.” Kurt drank half a bottle of water before continuing . “The sight of that old lady freaked him out. He thought she was dead.”

  “She’s burned badly,” Austin nodded. “That’s a sight even I’m not used to yet, but he can’t freeze up like that!” Austin stripped out of his turnouts and pulled his sweat soaked T-shirt over his head. The new guy, or probie as he was called, was almost twenty -three and still green around the gills when it came to death. As a firefighter, it was something you had to see now and then and Austin didn’t think he’d ever get used to it. It didn’t mean he couldn’t do his job, though. Probie, Dean Anderson was his real name, had been at the house for six months and it had been Austin’s profound pleasure to inflict on him what he himself had endured during his probie stage. “I’m so ready to go home,” Austin said.

  “Three off, what do you want to do?” Kurt asked.

  “Sleep,” Austin chuckled, dragging his

  fingers through his dirty hair.

  “Yeah? Me, too, except we have to clean

  this week.” Kurt removed his own turnouts and

  wiped the sweat from his brow with his forearm.

  “Your turn to clean the toilet.”

  “Whatever.” Austin leaned against the

  truck, closing his eyes. He and Kurt had moved

  in together not long after Kurt had come to the

  firehouse. They were both neat freaks and the

  situation had worked out well for them. They took turns driving to work and traded off buying the groceries. They got along well, too. Both from small towns in anti-gayish communities,

  they had a lot in common.

  Austin brought up a vision of Tucker at

  the thought of gays; it’d been happening a lot

  lately. He hadn’t heard from him in months.

  After the Fourth of July on the Sound, Tucker

  and Wesley had gone back to work in Anchorage. Austin smiled to himself; Tucker had been

  every bit the gentleman whenever they’d gone

  somewhere together. Never trying to touch him,

  always staying a few feet away when they

  walked. And Tucker had the most beautiful eyes

  - hazel, but gold seemed to flare out through the

  iris, making them mesmerizing.

  “Where’d you go?” Kurt asked, noticing

  Austin’s smile.

  “Um, nowhere,” Austin straightened up. Kurt narrowed his eyes. “The bullshit flag

  just went up. Spill it, Jacobson. I know what

  you’ve been thinking about lately.”

  Austin swallowed hard. “You do?” “Yes, I do. You’re trying to think of how

  many ways you can tell Nina ‘no’ before she actually believes you,” Kurt laughed.

  Austin relaxed and grinned. “She’s an animal! We went out one time and her hands were

  down my pants within the first two seconds. I

  swear she sucked the skin right off my prick!” “Oh, you poor thing!” Kurt rolled his

  eyes.

  Kurt threw his gear in the rig and turned

  to look at his roommate. He actually liked Austin

  a lot; they had so much in common it was ridiculous. They were close in age as well; Austin was

  twenty-four and he was twenty-six. They ate the

  same food, drank the same beer and watched the

  same shows. Austin was the roommate heaven

  sent. He’d met Austin’s mother one time when

  she came to visit. Austin’s mother was a lot like

  his own mother, the Sunday churchgoing, Bible

  thumping, gays-are-an-abomination kind. Kurt

  had never been so happy to see that woman pack up and leave. No wonder Austin left home as fast as he could; it was the same reason he himself

  had.

  Kurt looked at himself in the rig’s shiny

  bumper. He was pretty good looking he supposed. He wasn’t as hot as Wesley Foster,

  though. Kurt cringed. And there he went again.

  He’d found himself thinking more and more

  about Wesley over the last few months - the way

  he smiled, the waves in his beautiful mahoganycolored hair and the eyes… Kurt almost sighed;

  Wesley had the most beautiful eyes. A cognaccolored brown with hints of amber flecks. Just

  beautiful. Kurt could see Wesley’s face as if he

  were standing right next to him. Wesley was

  taller than him as well, at least six foot two and

  muscles that seemed to come out from all

  directions.

  Kurt looked at himself again; pale blue

  eyes looked back from a face that looked tired

  and weary. This was the third suspicious-looking

  fire in three months’ time and they’d been working extra shifts trying to keep up with the ones that popped up in between. Kurt caught the reflection of Chief Webber standing behind him

  and straightened up.

  “Maguire.”

  “Yes, sir?” Kurt said.

  “You and Jacobson pack it in; we’re

  heading back to the house. I don’t want to see

  you two, at all, for three days.”

  “Sir?”

  “You look like shit.”

  Kurt managed a half-smile. “Thanks,

  Chief.”

  By the time they got back to the firehouse, it was almost six in the morning. Kurt

  took a quick shower and waited for Austin to get

  his shit before they both headed out to the parking lot. Slipping into Austin’s gold Excursion,

  Kurt looked over at his roommate. “Club this

  weekend?”

  “One night only. I want to go camping.”

  Austin started the truck.

  “Again with the camping? I fish, I don’t

  camp,” Kurt said.

  “Camping and fishing then; stop being a

  big baby,” Austin chuckled, pulling out of the

  parking lot.

  “I am not a big baby,” Kurt crossed his

  arms and pursed his lips.

  “Friday night club with the guys, then

  camping. No excuses this time!” Austin playfully

  punched Kurt in the shoulder.
>
  “Is it gay or straight week?” Kurt

  chuckled.

  Austin tilted his head in thought. “I forgot, but who cares?”

  “Not me, I’ve been there so many times,

  the gay guys know I’m straight and they ward off

  the ones who don’t.”

  “At least you got some tips on how to

  dress better,” Austin laughed.

  Kurt looked down at his jeans. He had to

  admit - when Cole and Chaz had taken him shopping he had looked damn good. He’d gotten some clothing he’d never thought he’d wear, but looking at himself in the mirror, he realized he liked the loo k . And it had actually gotten him a ton of dates. The firefighter status got him laid all

  the time; the clothes were an added bonus. “True,” Kurt nodded. “I see Chaz got you

  into Hollister as well.”

  “He did. Damn that store is dark as hell!”

  Austin said.

  “They don’t want you to be able to see

  the price tags,” Kurt laughed. “Cole got me all

  Bananad.”

  “Huh?” Austin looked over at Kurt. “Dolce and Bananad.”

  Austin almost threw up he was laughing

  so hard. As it was, he pulled over until he could

  regain his breath. “That’s Dolce and Gabbana.” “Whatever!” Kurt sighed, exasperated. “I

  never wear that stuff, but damn if my ass isn’t

  juicy in those jeans.”

  Austin held his gut as the laughter kept

  coming. “Stop! I have to get us home.”

  “You wanna wear my bananas Friday?”

  Kurt cracked up.

  “Shup,” Austin laughed.

  Pulling up to their condo, Kurt spotted a

  very familiar looking Chevy truck. He let out a

  loud, exasperated sigh. “Oh, shit.”

  “What’s up?” Austin pulled into their

  parking space.

  “My dad is here.” Kurt exited the vehicle.

  The door on the Chevy passenger side opened

  and Kurt smiled. His younger brother, Kory, got

  out smiling wide.

  “Nugget!” Kurt opened his arms. “Asshole!” Kory ran into Kurt’s arms,

  hugging him tightly.

  Kurt hugged his brother. “God, you got

  huge!” Kurt looked up, seeing his father with his