C&C would be helpful in the planning of future updates and stories.

<Part 1>

    The city was alight. Hundreds of bulbs lit in hundreds of windows. It was beautiful to some, he supposed, but to him, it was a prison. A lifestyle which trapped him as sure as any bars could. He was a mercenary, this was a job. A job that had lasted a very long time. Politics and assassination attempts, and the newest addition to his own personal Hell. Bolt Crank.

    Hard had hired the explorer/mercinary once to save a village from destruction. He hadn't know until the very last moment if the tall, silent man was on his side or not. That was just his way. Bolt did everything for the right reasons, but his people skills were less than up to par. He said what had to be said. Hard grinned self mockingly, //bet he's a screamer in bed though. Not that I'll ever find out, but I can just imagine.//

    "Mercinary!"

    "My name is Hard."

    "There's been another attempt! Raffin almost got him this time."

    "You know for sure now that it is Raffin?"

    "Well it's obvious!"

    "Oh?"

    "Come on they want to talk to you."

    He nodded and followed the grunt into the meeting room. He already knew what they would say. Bolt had been hired by Grant's camp. To protect the president. Bolt. The worlds best mercinary. He listened entently to what his employer was saying to him, but his heart was fluttering around his chest like it would burst free. When Bolt had told him to have payment next time they met, he never imagined they would really meet again. It had killed him when the blond man hadn't turned around as he called for him. And he couldn't just run after him for no reason but to be near him. Bolt didn't swing that way. He'd even told a man so once before. People were still talking about the heroic deeds he'd accomplished in 'that' kingdom. Slaying a demon, finding a princess, gods the man was a knight in a dust covered, military green trench coat.

    "And what knight would look twice at a man like me."

    "What was that?"

    He looked up, shocked that he'd spoken aloud. "Nothing Sharif, I. . . nothing."

    The senator waited until the other men had left the room and then walked up behind the mercinary he'd come to call a friend. "Hard, who wouldn't look twice? A man? Is someone that you know working this assignment as well?"

    "Bolt Crank." His arms were crossed before him and he shivered as he said the name.

    "You know each other?"

    "Yes."

    The man came in front of him and smiled, "You know, I have hired mercinaries as bodyguards before. They all called me sir."

    The dark lashed eyes followed him and he waited for more information before speaking.

    "You are a very kind person. Of all of them I get the feeling that you actually care about more than your fee. If you need someone to listen to you, I would like to be counted among your freinds."

    "Thank you. Sharif. Maybe someday."

    "But not today."

    "No."

    "All right. Get some rest Hard. We have a long day ahead of us."

_________________________

    //I really should have gotten some rest like Sharif told me to. Oh God I hope he's okay.// He jumped in his vehical and hit the gas pedal with all he had. To an untrained eye there was nothing to follow, but he could se the quick flashes of dark against the city lights before the suit Raffin wore could adjust. He shot from the car window and swerved onto the side of the road when the shadow fell through a skylight.

    "Raffin!" His eyes widened and he ducked behind a statue as the hail of bullets wizzed by his head. //Shit.//

    When he pulled ou from his safety to return fire there were more men there. "Shit!" He ducked behind another statue. //A cathedral. Had to be a cathedral. How dramatic. A shoot out in a church.//

    Just before Hard reached for another clip the door opened again. //Surrounded. I'm surrounded.// And he began to raise his gun in one last attempt to take out at least this assassin.

    Bolt walked in calm as he pleased and stood only inches away from the man then lift his gun into the darkness over his shoulder and began to fire.

    //He's so close!// Hard breathed in the scent of metal and gunpowder and sun light. If he leaned just a little bit forward it would be an embrace. This was nice. So very nice. And then Bolt took a step back and the illusion was broken. Hard gathered himself, "What is this?"

    Bolt didn't show any surprise, although with those damn glasses he couldn't read him very well. "Just what it looks like."

    "So you 'are' with him."

    "There's another one."

    That threw Hard for a loop. He hadn't been talking about work. Cursing his wandering mind he faced the other man and stood tall, "Another."

    Bolt nodded and started to go.

    "Wait!" He swore under his breath, why would he tall Bolt to wait. He had no reason but. . . "What about your payment? For that last job?"

    "Stay alive and give it to me after this one."

    //I want to give it to you right now.// He thought heatedly, //right here on the floor, I would ride you like. . . shit! Not again! Shit Shit SHIT!// He closed his eyes tight and shook his head to clear it, then looked up again. Bolt's glasses had slipped down his nose and those golden, cat like eyes were leaking emotion like drowning pools. The care and fear and love and happiness in those eyes was overwhelming. "I'll do my best."

    Bolt blinked as if he'd been in deep thought and nodded.

    "Where are you staying?"

    "With the president's head bodyguard."

    "Oh." He was sure he looked calm and collected. He usually did. Even when his mind and heart were racing. "Can I give you a lift?"

    Bolt popped a screw into his mouth and crunched down on it with a sound like thick snow being packed then smiled, a real smile.

    They walked out to the hover car and Hard waited for Bolt to get inside before he did himself. Then shot back into traffic. There was nothing more they could do at the church.

    "This is one big mess, isn't it Bolt. I hate politics, they're always dirty."

    Bolt was eating parts again but unlike when others spoke, the mercinary was looking right at him. The glasses had slipped down again and Hard was working to keep his eyes on the road.

    "You have beautiful eyes."  //Shit! Did I just say that out loud?!//

    Bolt smiled that real and confusing smile and swallowed the bolt he'd been chewing. "Thank you."

    ". . ."

    "You have beautiful eyes as well."

    Hard almost went off the road. "That's the longest sentance I've ever heard you say when something didn't need to be said."

    "That did."

    "I thought you didn't swing that way. That's what rumors said." He wanted to slam his head into a wall and shut himself up. //I can't beleive I'm saying this!//

    He grinned this time, "I don't swing toward slobbering bullys."

    The black haired mercinary felt his heart speed, "But men?"

    "Can be very nice."

    He could feel his mask slip away. To hell with calm. "uh. . . I. . . w. . . where do we turn to g. . ."

    "Here. First house."

    "Shit!" He spun the wheel around, almost missing the road then almost missing the driveway. "A little more warning would be nice!"

    "I'm going to kiss you."

    "What?!"

    "Consider that your warning."

    And then came absolute bliss. Hard and strong arms wrapped around his waist, lips so firm, the scent that was Bolt Crank waffing over him. "Mmmm!" He opened his mouth to the questing tongue and melted into the man he'd admired for so very long. Bolt was possessing him, devouring him, making him his and only his and Hard couldn't make himself fight it. It was so good, felt so very right.

    He unbuckled his seat belt with some difficulty and slid into the taller man's lap, straddling the growing hardness there. Hard chuckled into their kiss and then purred when Bolt slid his large, magical hands beneith his shirt to stroke his cool skin.

    "You're cold."

    Hard gasped at the warm, rough voice //Oh what that voice does to me!// and wriggled upon the hard lap so the bulge of Bolt's erection was pressing into his jeans nicely. "Warming up."

    "It isn't safe to do this here."

    "Fuck safe."

    Bolt grinned but pulled away.

    "What. . ."

    "Come inside.  My host is gone for the night."

    "Bolt." Hard was coming down from his Bolt induced high. "I have to check on Sharif. . . he was. . ."

    "I know."

    "Oh." He nodded and fought the urge to run back into Bolt's arms. "Maybe when this is over?"

    The blond nodded, "No guarantee either of us will live, but if we do. . ."

    "Yeah." The black haired mercenary forced himself to behave. "If we do."

    Bolt pressed something into his palm and kissed him once more, a short and sweet gesture then walked into the house.

    Hard opened his palm and stared at the ring resting there. A small silver promise set with an amber stone the same color as Bolt's eyes. "I'll treasure it." He whispered, "Just like I've come to treasure you." Then he got into hsi hover car and pulled away from the warmth Bolt gave to him. Time to get back to reality. Sharif needed to be guarded, the killer needed to be found.
 

~tbc~