FicWad

An Iron Grip



Chapter One

Limousine




Black clouds of smoke wafted up into the sky from house in the center of town. Everyone was in a frenzy trying to put it out. There was no fire department in the area, and the one in the next would take an hour to get there. People were coming with buckets and pitchers of water, trying desperately to get the blaze down before it caught on to the neighbouring houses. A couple hoses had even been put into play but it was hopeless. The fire was spreading far faster than they could handle.



Kyrie arrived on the scene after seeing the smoke all the way from work. If someone was injured he could help to the best of his ability. He had taken some emergency medical courses awhile back; first aid and CPR. He figured a person could never be too prepared. As he drove down the street in his truck, he slowed down as he came closer and closer to the area. His heart began to feel as though it would beat right out of his chest. The hands on the steering wheel were becoming white from gripping too hard, but he was too distracted to notice. Before he even reached the actual spot, he stopped the car and leapt out, breaking into a clumsy sprint.



That was his boyfriend's house.



Immediately upon realizing it, Kyrie frantically searched the crowd of spectators for the familiar head of short curly black hair. When he couldn't spot the one he was looking for, the panic began to increase drastically. He stumbled over the curb, ignoring the people shouting at him to stay away from the house.



"Holden," He muttered as he went towards the flames, "Where are you, Holden?!"



"Kyrie!" One of the neighbours shouted at him, and when he decidedly ignored them, they got louder. "Get back here before you get yourself killed!"



It wasn't an option. He glanced back only for a split second before continuing on to the house. There was no going back. Not if Holden was in there. He couldn't possibly let anything bad happen to that man.



They had been a couple for over a year and were just about to move in together. It had been such a big decision and was bound to be a huge step in their relationship. Even that afternoon once he finished work, Kyrie was going to get Holden to take a trip to the city with him so they could buy a ton of new things for their new house. But if Holden was hurt... No. He didn't even want to think about that.



He yelled out in protest as a few of the locals grabbed him. Kyrie, being fairly smaller than average, was easily lifted off his feet by the neighbourhood butcher and quickly carried to a safe distance away from the blaze. His anger boiled. He kicked and struggled to get away as his glare flashed over the people encouraging the butcher. He couldn't understand why they would stop him. Why weren't they helping Holden? What was wrong with them?



"Where is he?" The brunette demanded, his green eyes returning to the house.



All the windows were broken and he could hear even more shattering from within. When the butcher put Kyrie down, all the young brunette could do was stare at the place burning and hope Holden was somewhere safe. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a figure go past the attic window. Kyrie gasped, pushed at the butcher and tried to run again, only to have the others around him hold him back.



"Holden!!" He jerked back and forth, trying to rip himself out of their grasps.



In a moment of fearful determination, he punched the butcher in the jaw and managed to slip away from the others. As he cringed at the pain in his fist, he ran toward the front door only to be tackled down on the front lawn by some of the other neighbours. The heat from the fire blew over them but he it didn't seem like their grip was going to lessen. There were hands on his arms and waist, and one of them was speaking something to him. It was almost insulting and cruel that they would dare tell him to calm down.



"Get out of there, Holden!!" Frustrated and defeated, Kyrie shouted at the house as loud as he possibly could. "Don't do this! Come out!! God damnit!" When the only response was a loud crack and a faint yelp from within, he cried out once more, his voice cracking with a sob half way through, "Holden!!!"




Kyrie woke up with a start and nearly fell right out of the bed. It was that damned dream again. Every now and then that tragic moment would come back to haunt him. It had been a year and a half since that day, but every time he dreamed about it, it only felt worse.


His caramel brown hair was tussled and stuck to his forehead. His body was covered in sweat as his damp cotton PJs clung to him. He gazed over at the window to find the corners trimmed with fresh snow. It was almost Christmas. Shopping was sure to provide some temporary relief, and for that reason, he was grateful for the season. The body sleeping beside him groaned softly and twisted away, pulling the blankets along. Kyrie had to study the form for a few moments to remember who he had brought home this time.


Just another one of his coworkers. It was kind of them to keep him company - and he really appreciated the effort - but they all expected a reward for it and Kyrie always delivered. It wasn't because he wanted to, but because he simply did not want to disappoint anyone, or appear ungrateful. Living like that from day to day was so very lonely. It was painful pretending to be happy in another mans arms when he knew that they were only there for one reason, and it wasn't because they cared.


It didn't take him long to realize that there were tears under his eyes. The grief was sometimes too much to bear that he just couldn't feel anything. He was glad he didn't wake up that other man next to him with his dream. Nobody wanted to know he was still grieving, but with that weakness weighing down on him, he was bound to disturb the random lover if he didn't get away. With that in mind, he carefully brought his legs over the side of the bed, stepping into his slippers and getting up to silently walk across the room. On the way out, he grabbed his blue terry bathrobe off a hook by his bedroom door.


Once he made it all the way outside, he stopped on the front porch to take a nice deep breath. It was nice and calm around 3 am. Everyone was in bed; the whole town was asleep, so there was no traffic to worry about. The night was windless and the snow was still coming down softly in big fluffy flakes. Kyrie could see his breath but it wasn't too cold; just crisp. Truly beautiful weather. He slipped into the robe, barely noticing the snow falling into his slippers. If anything could help clear his head, surely that pure night air was the perfect choice.


But the only thought he could process was of Holden. 'Why did he have to die? Why couldn't I save him? What the hell is wrong with me?' The same questions he asked himself every other night.


It had been so long but it didn't get any easier. The lingering emotions from the dream were still making him so sick with grief that he just couldn't stop the tears from flowing. With everything so quiet like that, sometimes it felt as though he were the last person on Earth. Even with a man inside and such concerned gracious neighbours sleeping nearby, he just felt so utterly and completely alone. He pushed snow off the rail and leaned against it, trying to breathe through the distress.


The sound of a car slowly crawling along managed to grab his attention. He looked over to the snow-covered street to see a black limousine approaching. That was really a strange sight. A limo during the day in tourist season would be an oddity in the small town of Quartz Falls, let alone 3 a.m in the dead of winter. Why drive a flashy car around when no one would see it anyway? But maybe it was just someone's relative from the city. Who knew what went through city people's heads?


The limo slowed to a stop and the back door opened. It just sat there and nothing happened for a good minute before a patent leather boot stepped out. The tall lean body of what looked like a very rich man stood up out of the limo soon after. Curly black hair spilled down over velvet-clad shoulders, making him look very elegant and classy in a strangely masculine way. For some reason he looked familiar. Maybe it was still part of the dream but the man looked an awful lot like Holden.


"Excuse me." The stranger started a casual stroll toward the brunette, regarding the robe and PJs with a subtle amused smirk. "I'm looking for Kyrie Kaltenbach."


Kyrie blinked at the man with disbelief. "That... That's me. But this isn't exactly an ideal time for visitors. Would it be too much to wait until morning?"


"I would prefer not to have spectators. I tend to attract a lot of attention, especially with this car, but my Sedan is in the shop so I didn't have much of a choice. You're awake anyway, which is rather convenient for me, so... Why do you look so troubled? Have you been crying?"


With a sheepish smile, Kyrie pulled his robe closed. He felt increasingly uncomfortable and nervous under that man's gaze. It was too strange. What were the odds a man that looked like Holden would be searching for him at 3 a.m, just when he woke up and went to get some air? It couldn't be a coincidence. "Oh, I had a nightmare. It's really nothing at all though. More importantly, is there something I can help you with?"


"My name is Evander Ironside. I'm Holden's brother." The man paused as if for effect, but when all he received in response was a suspicious frown, he decidedly continued. "I know he hadn't ever mentioned having a brother, but that's because I told him not to. For awhile there I didn't want my name attached to that idiot. Maybe it was cruel of me, but that's how it was... I came here to meet you for two reasons. One: because I have a hard time believing anyone short of a dim-witted chimpanzee with some sort of mother hen complex could ever fall in actual love with that dolt. Two: because I have a surprise for you... Though I am pleased to see you don't look like a dim-witted chimp. You actually are rather appealing."


"... Thanks, I think..."


The man who called himself Holden's brother laughed. His laugh was light and at a polite volume, but there was a layer of cruel mocking beneath it. "Oh you sweet, sweet boy. Don't thank me. That appeal of yours is going to be your undoing. Even if you aren't dim-witted, you must be a fool. You didn't know a thing about your own boyfriend, and how long were you together? I mean, he wasn't exactly the smartest guy on the planet. Most people can figure him out immediately."


"Look..." Kyrie shook his head, trying to make it clear that he was not in the mood for this kind of discussion. That man was nothing short of insulting and he didn't trust him for a second. "I don't know what you're after, but I'm not interested in any surprise you would have. There's an inn nearby, so why don't you check in for the night and then be on your way."


"Not interested? Hmm... Not even if I said my brother is still alive?"


Kyrie's eyes widened and his brows furrowed as he blinked at Evander through freshly forming tears. After a moment he pouted slightly and averted his eyes. "If you think that's funny, you are a very insensitive and rude man. Please leave."


Evander stepped up onto the porch, closing in on the brunette. Violet eyes gazed out inquisitively from under the black locks. Even as Kyrie nervously backed away, the strange man only appeared more amused. He stopped, and there they stood, assessing each other, one arrogant and the other timid. It was clear that the man had caught his target at a vulnerable time. Those big saucer-shaped green eyes reflected pain, confusion and mourning; all of it only proving to intrigue the stranger further.


"I'll prove it." A scheming grin slowly crept upon Evander's face. "Come with me and I'll take you to him."


"Please, Mr... Ironside. Please just go. I'm tired, I'm cold, and I really don't want to deal with something like this right now. It's too much stress, and it just hurts that someone I don't even know could do something so mean to me without any reason or cause."


Evander appeared to consider that. His violet eyes darkened in an instant and all humour was wiped away. The atmosphere on that snowy porch suddenly became ominous and foreboding. "It's unfortunate you think I'm lying. I do not lie. That would be too far below me. Now I will give you two choices. Either you do this the easy way and come with me, or we do it the hard way. Which will it be?"


There was hesitation and obvious fear. Kyrie stared at the man as if he were looking down the barrel of a gun. But instead of responding with words, he sprang for the front door without any warning, and struggled with the cold knob. He glanced back nervously and twisted at the doorknob even harder as he saw the stranger take something out of a pocket... a rag and a small bottle. Calmly, the man coated the rag and then started toward the brunette.


"I see you've chosen the hard way. That's too bad. But I suppose this way we won't have to worry about awkward silences on the trip back."


Evander grabbed Kyrie by the waist just as the small guy was trying to make a break for it off the porch. He sighed with annoyance as the brunette tried to struggle, kick and pull at the arm holding him. When the rag was held over the small mouth, slowly the struggling lessened little by little and they began to lower to the ground. Kyrie went down on his hands and knees and Evander pressed safely to his back where he could hold him still. And soon the delicate body went limp.


Taking the rag away, and tossing it into the bushes beneath the rail, Evander smirked to himself and hoisted the unconscious boy up into his arms. As he started a careful walk back to the limo, his violet eyes regarded his captive with contempt. "My sweet darling... I'll make you regret the day you ever laid eyes on my brother."


TBC... ... ...