Beneath the Neon Moon Read Online Free Page A

what's going on? What they want from us?" He paused. "Not that I want to think about you with those guys, but if there's anything—"
    "Sorry to offend you, man," Zach interrupted, ice in his voice. "This is fucking stupid."
    "No, you're stupid. Or blind, maybe. I'm not offended. I was kind of wishing I'd met you first."
    Zach stared at Mal, taking in the high cheek bones, the eyes tip-tilted like a fox, green-brown, alive. There was no revulsion there, only an openness to being seen that Zach envied, and suddenly he felt that Mal deserved to know whatever it was he could tell him.
    "I just needed to blow off some steam. I went with them. They liked things pretty, uh, rough, but I can handle a little enthusiasm." Zach felt his face redden, but he kept talking. "You talked about the smaller guy being strong, but both of them are powerful. Really in sync, too, like they know each other really well. They didn't threaten me. They didn't do anything at all that made me think twice about being with them. I was pretty drunk, like I said, and I passed out afterwards. I woke up here."
    "You didn't hear any noise this morning before they brought you down here? Because I put up a fight." Mal laughed, short and bitter. "Lasted about two seconds, but still."
    "No," Zach mumbled, rubbing an eye with the heel of his hand. "Been a really shitty week. Month." He sighed. "This is not helping, Mal. Nothing felt off. Nobody acted freaky. It was a pickup, that's all. At least that's all I wanted."
    "Did they talk? What'd they say?" Mal asked hesitantly, as if he knew he was pushing it.
    Something snapped inside Zach. "Yeah. Spread your legs, turn over, you like it like this?" Zach's voice was fast, impatient.
    Mal's mouth fell open. "Shit. Don't do that to me."
    "You wanted to know, didn't you." Zach said it flatly, suddenly enraged and knowing it wasn't at Mal. He didn’t want to talk about his sex life with anyone, even this shaggy-headed motormouth who already made Zach feel easier with him than anybody else had managed in a long time.
    "I didn't. Not the way you make it sound." Mal's voice was soft.
    Zach looked at him sharply. "Yeah. Listen, it's just … I don't talk about this shit, okay? Not anyone else's business." He sighed again, tried to relax. "The dark-haired one's name is Kane, and the bigger guy is Aaron. Not that it helps or anything, but…."
    Mal nodded, then stared at the dirt floor, his face expressionless. He rubbed a finger idly in the dirt.
    "Mal … guess that's short for something?" It was the first thing Zach could think of to break the awkward silence.
    "Yeah. Sometimes my friends call me Malach, too, but it's short for, uh, Malachi."
    Zach eyes went wide. "Do your parents even like you?"
    Mal's eyes shot up to meet Zach's. His brows drew down. "Hey, now."
    "Well, I mean it's a little … unusual."
    "They've always acted like they like me, but there's no possible way they'd lay a name like that on a baby if they really did, so no. They do not. And thanks, I was completely unaware that my name was unusual until you so kindly pointed it out."
    "Listen, bitch, I like odd. I'm odd. It's Biblical. It's great." Zach smiled.
    Mal eyed the smile with suspicion. "Lots more Malachis than what's in the Bible."
    "Like who?"
    "Never mind. Most of them were pretty creepy. Unlike me."
    "Of course."
    "So is Zach short for Zachary or what?"
    "Isaac."
    "Ah. Also Biblical." Mal looked absurdly pleased, as if he felt the playing field were somehow leveled between them.
    "Yeah, but Isaac isn't … embarrassing."
    "You sure about that?" Mal punched him in the shoulder. "Sounds like somebody's grandpa to me."
    Zach grimaced, and Mal smiled at him. It knocked Zach back a little—it was a great smile, complete with dimples.
    The smile disappeared as suddenly as it came. "Damn."
    "What?"
    "Here they come."
    Zach looked at Mal, question in his eyes.
    "Don't you hear them?"
    Zach listened, finally hearing the floor creak close by the stairway.