Out of the Dungeon by SM Johnson Read Free Book Online Page B

put coffee on. He didn't know if Roman would want any,
but Dare would need some to get through his shift at the club.
    Jeff the slave undressed in the foyer the
minute he came in the door, and then submitted himself to Roman's
service with some kind of ritual or ceremony. Sometimes Roman cued
Dare to follow that protocol, but Dare wasn't Jeff and didn't do
the 'slave' routine automatically. Sure, he'd figure out a meal,
would probably even serve it to Roman, but he'd do that for anyone
who's primary partner was hospitalized. It was about being
considerate and kind, not submissive.
    Dare wasn't sure what Roman wanted from him
right now. Their kinky play wasn't continual or ritualistic, it was
just play, practically organized by appointment. Dare didn't feel
like it could be sustained any other way.
    Roman was… Roman. That Dare was allowed to
trace the tattoos that rippled across Roman's skin was an honor.
Being an extra person welcome in Roman's home, his bed, was, Dare
had come to realize, a rare privilege. It felt good, no, great, to
know Roman better than most other people, excepting Jeff. It felt
like an honor, like Dare had been chosen. Singled out. And he had
been. But it wasn't like he could strip off his clothes, drop to
his knees, and take Jeff's place. Dare didn't have what it took for
all of that. Not even close.
    When the delivery boy brought the food, Dare
arranged it in bowls and on plates, and arranged everything on a
tray that he carried to Roman's room. The fresh coffee was poured,
napkins arranged, oyster crackers in a small basket.
    Roman smiled when Dare placed the tray on the
bed. "You don't know how much I was dreading eating alone."
    "Of course I knew. It sucks being helpless
and having to wait. Especially for you."
    "It sucks for everyone, I'm sure," Roman
said. "I just happen to like fixing things."
    "And this isn't in your power to fix."
    "Nope. Jeff's parents offered to come. I told
them there was nothing to do right now."
    "What are you going to do tonight?" Dare
asked.
    "I don't know," Roman said. "I'll visit Jeff
for a few minutes."
    "Maybe you should come to the club after
that. I hate for you to be alone."
    Roman shrugged. "Maybe. Friday night, so I
don't have any appointments. I could amaze my loyal patrons with a
demo, I suppose."
    They showered together, washing one another
with the attention of lovers, then Dare went to work, and Roman
went to the hospital.
     
    * * *
     
     
    Standing outside the ICU doors, Roman wished
this was a nightmare, and that any minute now he'd wake up in his
bed, curled around Jeff.
    He lifted the handset of the telephone on the
wall.
    "Can I help you?" a friendly female voice
answered.
    "Roman, to see Jeff."
    "Oh, good. Come on in."
    He hung up the phone. No one came to get him
this time. Instead, he heard a loud click, and when he pushed the
bar on the door, it opened.
    Just walk through it, he counseled himself. One foot in front of the other. It's not that hard.
    When he reached Jeff's cubicle, he saw that
Jeff was agitated, arms and legs straining against restraints,
trying to lift his shoulders off the bed, trying to twist.
    Zach looked stressed, watching tubes and
monitors, and talking continuously to Jeff in a calm, soft voice.
"Roman's here, Jeff. Everything is going to be okay."
    "What's happening?" Roman asked. Now even
Jeff's feet were tethered by straps attached to the end of the
bed.
    "He's fighting the sedative, and the vent,"
Zach explained. "The doctor came around half an hour ago. If the
vent is a source of anxiety, we'll have to remove it."
    "Is this like… a sign of a head injury?"
Roman knew a guy who'd suffered a traumatic brain injury, so the
thought was chilling. Jeff might never be the same person he'd
been.
    "Not necessarily," Zach said. "It's a sign
that he's fighting the sedative and doesn't like the vent. It
doesn't have to be any more ominous than that. He's restrained,
there's a lot of equipment and strange noise, and I expect