Lannor didn’t know what to make of Tyler as he climbed onto the pillow. As his paws sank in to the soft cotton fabric, Lannor knew it would not suit. His acceptance of sleeping in his feline form was torture enough, making that experience comfortable went against the punishment he sort. The rustling of the newspaper drew Lannor’s attention as he climbed back onto the bed.

“I’m heading back downstairs to read the newspapers. You can do as you please.”

Tyler stood, the newspaper under his arm, as he reached for the magazine on the bed and removed the plastic wrap around it. Lannor considered joining Tyler. Only when Tyler placed the magazine on the bedside table did he decide he’d take the chance to read it while Tyler was downstairs. If he were like every other man who lived there, Lannor suspected Tyler would be awhile reading the newspaper.

Not until Lannor heard the sound of water running followed by the kettle being boiled, did he transform. Quietly, he walked to the door and listened. When the sound of rustling paper echoed up the stairwell Lannor returned to the room. With another glance towards the door and confident he’d knew when Tyler approached the bedroom, Lannor picked up the magazine.

On the edge of the bed, Lannor stared at the cover. The image of a naked man, looking over his shoulder, took Lannor by surprise. Headlines around the image read, Sex at work. Places you haven’t considered trying yet and Massages for Sexual Pleasure. Lannor found his mouth dry and his heart racing. Familiar with magazines designed to arouse couples Lannor found himself confused as to why Tyler would purchase one.

A cautious warning alarmed in Lannor’s mind as he hesitantly turned the cover. Small block images outlining the contents of the magazine did more than shock Lannor. Images of the male anatomy immediately put Lannor on edge. The next page advertised lotions and a message from the editor. Lannor read the message and found the words by the editor thought provoking. The manner in which he promoted the magazine left Lannor sceptical but hopeful.

However, the next page had Lannor drop the magazine, then fumble it as not to alert Tyler before it hit the floor. The pages sprawled open showed two men. One, naked from the waist down, shirt half open and tie lopsided, lay with his back against a desk, legs spread and his head rolled back. The second man, naked from the waist up with pants lowered at the front, pushed against the man on the desk, both rubbed against the other.

Lannor could not drag his eyes away from the magazine. A lascivious shudder ran down his spine towards his groin. Even without a woman in the image, Lannor found his body aroused. If he were honest with himself, the forced abstinence left Lannor craving sexual pleasure of any kind. He flicked through several more pages. The magazine was by men for men and as Lannor read the articles, another side to life opened before his eyes. It wasn’t that these types of relationships were unknown to him; it was only Lannor had never experienced one. The endless availability of women on Yoorana meant Lannor never had to seek pleasure with a man.

In the kitchen, Tyler boiled the kettle and made himself a cup of tea before he sat down to read the paper. The weather outside was gusty, and the sun shone through the kitchen window bathing Tyler in the late afternoon sun. It would grow cold again in a few hours and Tyler would prepare soup for dinner after reading the paper. As he reached the society pages at the back of the paper, he almost skipped them. There was a dread those pages would contain photos and articles about his friends if not his family.

With his cup in hand, Tyler drank the last of the tea and as he turned the page over he lowered the cup to the table. However, he paused before doing so as the headlines on the page caught Tyler’s attention.

Tragic death of society’s most loved son.

The death of Tyler Williamson is without a doubt a tragedy that will long be felt within the society for all who knew him. His parents, Douglas and Cherie Williamson, say the lost of their son has left them with little to look forward too. They intend on returning to Mr Williamson’s home in Canada after the funeral service, being held today at 1pm at St Francis Catholic Church.

Tyler couldn’t read anymore. He was dead! But that was impossible. The photo of Tyler’s parents stared up him and Tyler read further. A boating accident it read, the body not found. Tyler didn’t realise he was crying until the first tears hit the paper. With the cup still in his hand, Tyler placed it on the table but missed and it fell to the tiled floor and smashed to pieces. The sound echoed around the house as Tyler began hyperventilating. The newspaper blurred, his vision became marred by the flood of tears.

Had his parents fabricated his death, and if so, why? Did they despise him that much they would rather him dead? And where did that leave Tyler now? His chest hurt, and he buckled over in the chair, hand over his mouth afraid he would vomit. Then Tyler felt warm hands on his shoulder. Panic set in and Tyler pushed out of the seat, away from the intruder but fell on the floor, shards of crockery embedding themselves into his arms. Tyler scrambled to turn around to face his attacker when he came face to face with the most beautiful man he had ever seen and all thought left him.

The tall dark haired man with bright green eyes stared down at Tyler. A look of concern touched his face as Tyler stared in astonishment as a realisation hit him. He was dead! There could be only one reason for this magnificent man before Tyler – he was an angel come to take him away. The angel reached out and cupped Tyler’s face. Sensations intensified until Tyler’s body tensed and all the tension in his muscles gave way. Confusion touched the outer rim of Tyler’s mind before darkness engulfed him.

Lannor stared down at Tyler now unconscious in his arms. What happened? Lannor did not understand. Upon finding Tyler near hysterical in the kitchen, Lannor didn’t think twice about helping him. Not that Lannor had a choice in the matter. When he heard the glass fall and the sounds of distress from the kitchen, Lannor fled the bedroom and rushed to the kitchen all consideration to transforming gone. Had Tyler not been in any trouble Lannor would have to explain why he was there and convince Tyler who he was. But that was not the case.

As Lannor’s emotions were on a high from reading the magazine, when Lannor touched Tyler the transfer of pleasure took Lannor by surprise. Not being able to do so previously, Lannor transferred too much pleasure rendering Tyler unconscious. Thus Lannor was no longer sexually frustrated but a quick glance down at Tyler showed the sexual connection had left its mark. How Lannor would explain he wasn’t sure.

Gently, Lannor lifted Tyler and carried him upstairs. In the bedroom, Lannor lay Tyler on the bed and stared down at him. Lannor should clean Tyler up but glancing the magazine abandoned on the floor, Lannor backed away and left the bedroom. Back downstairs, Lannor cleaned up the broken cup before sitting at the table the headlines drawing his attention. The image of Tyler with his parents stared up at him but it was Tyler’s mother that drew Lannor’s attention. Almost the splitting image of Elizabeth, the painful clenching of Lannor’s heart reminded him of what he missed. Lannor lowered his eyes distracted by the memories of Elizabeth before he returned to the article and read.

Lannor never read anything as devious as the article about Tyler’s death. The fabrication of the circumstances left Lannor angry. No wonder Tyler reacted as he did. It was pointless keeping the article; it would only upset Tyler and so Lannor took the newspaper upstairs and used it to start the fire. As the flames flickered questions swelled around Lannor’s mind. Why had Tyler come to the house? Why did his parents think he was dead? And what would happen now Lannor exposed his true form to Tyler?

Shadows bled across the bedroom floor as darkness grew outside. Lannor closed the bedroom door to keep the warmth in and sat on the chair in front of the fire. The crackling of burning wood echoed around the room as the clear night sky allowed the new moon to flood the room. Lannor glanced at Tyler still asleep. It was unlikely he’d wake soon. Still on top of the cover’s, Lannor approached the bed to stare down at him.

Guilt hovered over Lannor as Tyler’s stained pants still appeared slightly damp. The only thing Lannor knew he had to do was change Tyler. Yet Lannor procrastinated for another hour before finding the courage to do so. As quickly as he could, Lannor stripped Tyler, placed him in his pyjamas and put him under the covers. The experience was near as bad as Lannor anticipated, and it didn’t help images from the magazine hovered on the surface of his mind while Tyler was naked.

Lannor attempted to think of something else and with Tyler tucked under the covers, Lannor returned to the seat and waited.