The wind blew over the stones and twisted scrub trees, the sound of it whistling and
screaming like a bird in flight. The land was old, and it told stories to any man who

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would listen. Stories of how the people came and how they went, moving on to a safer
place.

It told of the new men who came and tried to make the land theirs, and of how those men
found it hard to live on the land, as well.

Only the strongest could survive there, only the lizards and coyotes and the soaring
hawks and eagles. And the ravens. Glossy and black and shining under the sun, they
glided on the wind, cawing and calling to each other, as primal as the land itself.

As lonely as the land.

Their home had magic, though, and sooner or later, they knew it would bring them
something special, a prize that they could keep, one that would surpass all others.

So they waited, ever hopeful, together. Circling high in the sky, they waited. Searching
for their treasure.

***

Shiny.

There was something shiny down there. Kasa could see it, sparkling in the late afternoon
sun. The object was small, maybe small enough for him and Kaya to take it on the wind,
if they worked together. Or maybe they could take it on the ground.

They were not that far from home.

He circled, his wings stretched out, the long flight feathers catching the wind, and he
cawed at Kaya. Look. Look at the pretty.

Kaya looked and darted down, spiraling too fast. Always greedy. With people, Kaya was
the cautious one. But with the sparkles, he was always too quick to rush in. When Kasa
settled on the ground, Kaya was already poking at the shiny thing, a pretty piece of metal,
like the jewels their people wore about their necks.

Kasa hopped over and pecked at it, his eye drawn again and again to the silver and stone
sheen of it. He looked at Kaya and Kaya looked at him, and together they tried to lift it,
but it was too heavy. Kaya made a sad sound, poking at it with his beak, and Kasa
preened him for a moment, soothing him.

They both hopped back to stare, and there were more sparkly things a little way over.
Ooooh. Look at that. He left Kaya and went to perch on a boot, staring intently at the
bright little wheel attached to it.

Oh, he could have that, too.

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His claw worried at it, and when Kaya fluttered down beside him, Kasa pecked at his
brother. No. His prize. His.

Kaya squawked, but left him to it, poking his way back to the big, square shiny thing.

There was no way they would get both back home as they were.

They would have to...

The sunlight glinted on something else, too, in the river. Something less shiny, but just as
interesting. Kasa ran at Kaya to keep him away from the sparkly wheel, then fluttered to
the riverbank to look at the man.

The wet man.

Oh. Bare and fine, hair the color of the sun, eyes the color of the sky. Pretty, pretty.

Kaya came and put his head next to Kasa's, and they both stared. Yes. Pretty. Shiny. Very
shiny with the water on his skin.

The man was singing, picking up the water and pouring it over his skin. Over and over
and over.

He and Kaya flew up in a flash of glossy black wings, both of them swooping and
chittering, trying to get the man's attention.

"Oh, look at y'all." The man's voice was deep and warm, full of a husky laughter. He
liked them! So many men tried to scare them away, but this one liked them! This one
laughed at them and watched them and smiled.

Kaya swooped at him, pecking his wing, making him wobble, and he screamed at his
brother, shrill and mocking. Jealous one.

The man headed deeper into the water, that laugh just filling the air. "Y'all be careful,
there'll be feathers flying."

Yes. Kaya's, if his brother was not careful. They swooped and played a bit longer,
admiring the pretty man. Then Kaya dipped one wing, telling him it was time to go. Yes,
go and get the sparkles.

The man was watching them both, sky-eyes twinkling. Well, that was not smart. Making
the man watch when they were going to try and steal his things. He bumped Kaya,
landing them away from the sparkles, on the low branches of a scrub oak.

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It took what seemed all afternoon before the man turned away, began swimming lazily in
the water.

Chittering, he flew right for his little wheel, tugging at the straps that held it to the boot it
went with. He could hear Kaya, struggling with the flat thing, little sounds of effort
pouring out.

"Hey! Hey, y'all!" Uh-oh. The man was splashing.

Kaya cawed for him, taking off, the silly bird, but Kasa wanted the little wheel. He
wanted it badly enough that he thought hard about losing his wings, about becoming a
man like the one chasing them, and suddenly he was big enough to pick up the whole
boot and run.

"Oh, God in Heaven." The man was close, stumbling and reaching and dripping.

Kasa tried to run faster, but his foot caught on something, something cloth, and he fell,
landing hard in the dirt, the air rushing from his lungs. Sometimes he was not so graceful
as man. Flying was much better.

The man was right there, falling too, landing on him with a thud. "Hellsfire! What the
Hell..."

Kaya's scream sounded loud and clear, his brother coming to his rescue, hitting the man
in the back. They knew the white man's words, and Kaya shouted them now. "Let him
go!"

"Whut?" The man was heavy, but not hurting him, more just pushing him down into the
grass.

"Let him go!"

"Off. Off, off, off." Kasa struggled, panic edging in. They had been told of the bad things
that would happen if a white man caught them...

"Shit. Shit. I can't. Tell your boy to get off my back!"

"Kaya! Stop!" He knew it would take long moments for Kaya to calm, but his voice got
through finally, his brother slumping to the ground, panting.

"Easy. Easy. What the Sam Hell is going on here?" The man backed off, fingers wrapped
around the boot.

His own fingers twitched, wanting to reach for the shiny wheel. Kasa looked at it with
genuine longing before nodding to Kaya. As one, they shrank and grew wings, becoming
crows once more and flying into the sky.

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They would just have to leave the pretty things and the pretty man behind.

Even if it made them very sad to do it.

***

Good lord and butter. Cotton reckoned them damned Injuns had slipped something into
his chaw when he went out to trade. Birds turning into nekkid boys and back. Pshaw.

Too much sun.

Too much whiskey.

Too much goddamn time out here in the middle of nowheres away from folks.

He whistled up Bonner, stretching up from the campfire he'd been crouching by. "C'mere,
you foul-tempered nag. I got to get that saddle off you so's I can get me my supper. Birds.
Can you believe that nonsense? Me? Thinking I seen birds?"

Bonner snorted and whinnied, head tossing as the big grey wandered over, nuzzling his
pocket for a bit of something.

"Yeah, yeah. I got carrots still. Just hold up." He tugged off the saddlebags and gave
Bonner a bite, chuckling at the way them big yeller teeth rolled the carrot over and over.

The flutter of wings sounded in the night, just beyond the reach of the light of the fire.
Just behind Bonner's back hooves. His heart started going pitty-pat, pitty-pat and he gave
it a hard lecture. There wasn't no such thing as magic bird-men.

There wasn't.

Even if that crow who came out of the dark and started pecking at the toe of his boot was
the biggest damned blackbird he'd ever seen.

"Good night." He blinked down, just staring. "You know, crows don't come out in the
dark much."

Lord have mercy.

Bright eyes stared into his and the feathery lunatic started pecking at the strap to his spur.
Just like that. Poke. Poke.

"You'll mar the leather now. Stop it." He moved back over, starting up some water to
boil.

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The bird followed him, hopping along, squawking like mad. A second crow appeared out
of the dark, too, coming right on up to him.

Okay.

Okay.

He'd be hornswoggled. "I. Y'all aren't. I mean."

Shit, this was plumb loco. Before he could blink and Bonner could snort, one of the
crows shimmered, shivered, feathers growing into fingers. When he opened his amazed
eyes again, there was a naked man in front of him, hair black as coal, eyes wide and
shocked and dark.

"Hey." Lord, his knees went all wobbly and he sorta stumbled. So, either he wasn't loco
or he was serious, long-term, put him away crazy.

"H-hello." Oh, now, listen to that. That voice was rough as a cob, but somehow musical.
He got a tiny smile, and one bare foot reached out to sweep the crow that was still a crow
away from him.

"Hello." He nodded, tipped his hat a little, not knowing exactly where to look because,
damn, he hadn't seen too many folks that was so... bare.

"Kaya is impolite. I am Kasa. Pleased to meet you." So formal, those words, and the kid
looked so pleased to be able to say them, holding out one brown hand to shake.

"I. Howdy. I'm Cotton. Cotton Myer." He reached out and shook, just like this was one of
them fancy dances up at the ranch and he wasn't burning his heels near a camp fire in the
middle of nowhere with a naked bird-man and his feathery-assed... friend?

The one that was still a bird pecked at the human one's tender, bare feet, making a
raucous noise. Rude, indeed. Kasa, that was what he'd said his name was, Kasa frowned
and swatted. "Hush. Bad, Kaya. We wondered if you wanted to make a trade."

"A trade?" Okay. That wasn't exactly what he was expecting, but what the hell. Crazy
was crazy. "Trade what? And y'all want to sit? I got coffee."

That dark head tilted, echoed by the motion of the bird. Like they was one body.
"Coffee?"

"Yeah. It ain't fancy, but it'll be hot."

"Hot." The feller nodded like that decided him. "Yes, I would like coffee."

Kasa sat, crossed legged, right by the fire, the blackbird hopping up on his bare leg.

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"Okay." He dug out two little tin cups, eyes cutting over every now and again. "You. Uh.
You want a blanket or something? For under your backside?"

High cheekbones took on a load of color, the brown skin going deep rose. "Am I rude? I
will cover myself, if you need me to."

"Rude? I. No. I mean. I just. The ground don't bother your butt?" He guessed if it didn't
bother Kasa, it would bother him none.

After all, crazy folks didn't bother with much.

"Oh, it is not so bad." The guy wiggled, looked to ponder a bit. "If you have a blanket I
will take that as well as coffee."

"I do. It's right soft, even." And probably smelled a little like horse, but that oughta be
just fine. He dug out the blanket and handed it and the cup of Joe over. "Here you go."

His Uncle Bridge never told him nothing about bird-men when he headed out West...

"Thank you." Kasa wrapped up in the blanket, under and over, and that made it easier to
look. The coffee got a sniff, sort of suspicious like, and Kasa made a little face. "It smells
like earth."

"Yeah?" He smelled. Smelled like coffee to him. 'Course, if dirt smelled that way, he
wouldn't mind the rain at all.

The bird cawed and dipped its beak into the cup, shaking little drops of liquid all over and
making the best face he'd seen on anything in an age.

That tickled him and he chuckled, shaking his head at the big ole bird. "I don't know if
crows drink coffee..."

Even mostly imaginary probably mirage-y crows.

The blackbird hopped away from the kid, just a few feet, and...well, damn. He blinked.
Another naked boy.

"Hey. Uh. I only got the one blanket..."

"That's all right. We can share. Kaya is my brother."

"Yeah? Y'all... y'all sure look like family." They looked like nothing more than a dream,
all nekkid and fine-skinned and all. Just alike. Twins, maybe. Lord almighty. The newly
human one, Kaya, just nodded at him, looking a sight more skeered than his brother.

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"You... y'all hungry? I got some biscuit, some salt pork..." What did them birds eat?
Corn?

"No. No, we are not hungry." They exchanged a look, two pairs of sloe eyes meeting with
a knowing air. "We have come to trade."

Right. The one had said that before, and he'd heard that Indians liked to trade.

"Trade for what? I can't give my horse up."

"No. No, we have no use for your horse." That was the one who hadn't spoke yet, the
voice rougher, harder. More like the caw of a crow.

"Oh. Okay, what then?" He took another drink before his damn fool mouth got away
from him. In trading, the guy that kept quiet, got the best deal.

"Kaya wants the pretty metal there." The talkier one...Kasa. He pointed at Cotton's waist,
where his belt buckle sat. "I want the wheels on your feet."

"My buckle and spurs?" His hand went to the silver buckle. It was the finest thing he
owned, had been his granddaddy's, onced upon a time.

"Yes. That." Dark eyes smiled into his as the kid grabbed a leather pouch out of nowhere.
"We have many things. All we could carry together."

"Oh. I..." His curiosity caught him there, neck craning to see what the brothers had to
offer.

There was beads and trinkets, a couple of carved figures and what looked to be a twenty
dollar gold piece.

Lord have mercy.

"Y'all... y'all've been busy."

"We find things. Lost things. We do not steal." That was the tough one. The harder one.
Defiant, sorta.

"I ain't calling y'all thieves." He meant that, too. These two just didn't seem like banditos.
Even if they had tried to take off with his stuff early on, he’d bet anything they woulda
brought him somethin’ back.

A sharp sound came from Kasa, some kind of chirping language that he couldn't even
start to grasp. It ruffled Kaya right up, then had him hanging his head.

"Sorry," Kaya said. "I did not mean to snarl."

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"Hey now. I ain't offended or nothin'..." He reached out, patted their joined hands.

Lord, they was warm.

"We are not...much with people." Kasa looked all proud again, like he'd found just the
right words. "You will trade?"

"I. Lord, honey. I'll trade the spurs, easy enough, but my buckle was my granddaddy's..."
Lord knew he couldn't just leave that behind.

"Oh. We do not want to take things important. Family things mean much." They nodded
like two little birds on a fence.

"Yeah. Yeah, it does. My granddaddy wore it when he rode. It's my good luck charm."

"Good luck," one of them said.

"Should always ride with you," the other finished.

It was kinda eerie.

"I hope it does, yeah." His fingers trailed over the buckle again, the smooth metal familiar
as all get out. "Y'all sure you're not hungry?"

"Kaya is always hungry." Smiling, Kasa opened the blanket, and his twin curled up under
it with him, like two peas in a pod.

"Well, then. Let's rustle up a bit of grub, huh?" The way they looked together made stuff
tingle that shouldn't oughta be tingling.

"Rustle?" They said that together, tilting their heads so that they clunked together, then
chittering at each other.

"Uh-huh. In the saddle bags. I got food." He started hunting through the bags, finding
biscuits and salt pork.

"We like food." Lord, it was odd to hear that from two mouths, all in tune, like a choir at
church.

"Well, I reckon you'd starve iff'n you didn't." He bent near the fire, setting it up to warm
up his little footed skillet.

When he stood up and glanced over he saw identical expressions again, this time with the
twins leaning on each other and staring. Hard. With hot, dark eyes.

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His cheeks lit up on fire and his johnson? Woke up and started throbbing hard in his kit.

"We would not want to starve," one said. The other nodded, looking fit to eat him up, not
his biscuits.

"No. No, starving don't sound fun." He kept looking himself, wanting to see under that
blanket again, even though he knew it was wrong.

"No. We have more food. At our home." Kasa. The more open one. He was the one who
said that. Despite Kaya elbowing him in the ribs.

"Yeah? Where do y'all live?" The salt pork started sizzlin', smelling good.

"Near."

"How would you say? As the crow flies?"

They started laughing, just cackling, and it had him grinning like a fool. He got plumb
tickled, hooting a little as he fixed up three biscuits, lickety-split.

Both of them moved at the same time, standing and letting the blanket drop to the ground.
They came right on over, sniffing the air.

"That..."

"...Smells good."

"Uh... uh-huh." Look at them - dark curls and fine, heavy cocks below. They was fine.

They both smiled at him, one open and friendly, one more mysterious, somehow. More
I've got a secret. Lord, they were sweet looking creatures.

"Here. Here, there's one for each of us." His voice was damn near a croak itself. Lord,
listen to him being a pervert over a couple of... magical man-birds.

"Thank you." Kasa took one of the biscuits and started nibbling right away, humming a
little. Kaya was slower, sniffing at it first.

"Y'all are welcome." He ate a few bites, watching them eat, move. Hell, he was just
watching.

They shared a few nibbles, licking each others' fingers, which made things down south
take even more of an interest. Lord, he was gonna have to go away from the fire tonight
and abuse himself a little.

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Like they'd heard his thoughts, they moved closer, one to either side of him. One pork
greasy hand landed on his chest, the bold one, Kasa, touching him. "We have pretty
stones, too. At home. To trade."

A low groan slipped out of him, his muscles going all tight. "Yeah? I... I wouldn't mind
seeing that."

He wouldn't mind that one little bit.

"We could take you there." He felt Kaya's breath on his shoulder, his throat. Heavens
above, these two were like warm honey, flowing right over him.

"I. Yeah. Yeah. I'll go." He found himself leaning, wanting something he shouldn't
oughta want.

"Will you go now?" That hand moved down to rest over his belly, fingers spreading out
to touch places he'd not been touched in a long while.

"Yes..." His chin ducked, hat brim hiding his face. Lord have mercy, he was gonna just
turn to stone. "Lemme drown the fire."

"Oh, yes..."

"...Never let one go here."

"No. That wouldn't work a bit." He managed to step back, his heart beating like
Comanche drums in his chest. "Just gimme a second."

"We can do that," they said together, both of them staring at him like hungry coyotes
while he worked.

It wasn't nothing like anything he'd ever felt before, not really. He'd been stared at when
he was in town by folks, but they was scairt. These two? They weren't scairt of him one
little bit.

As soon as he had put out the fire and packed up they surrounded him again, arms linking
with his. They chattered softly, babbling in their own language, touching him like it was
their god given right.

He didn't know what to do, beyond pack Bonner up and grab the reins. "Y'all want to
ride?"

"Will you carry our trades on your horse? Then we can fly!" Kasa bounced, and wasn't
that warm and fine against his side.

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"Sure, darlin'." Fly. He hadn't lost his mind. Goddamn. He swung up in the saddle,
opening up a saddle bag for them to drop their little bag into. It sure seemed it, still. Kaya
dropped the baubles into his saddlebag, touched his leg high up on his thigh, then sprang
into the air. It was like Kaya shrank and grew wings all at the same time, sending a rush
of air over him as those feathers swept the air.

Kasa laughed out loud and clapped. "Follow us!" he said, before doing the same trick,
coming to light on his saddle horn for the barest moment.

Good lord.

***

They flew and flew, up high, then down low, both of them reeling and swooping, playing
with the man. Not that they wouldn't take him right to their home. They would. They just
wanted to play. The man was Cotton. Kasa thought that was a fine name. Even in his bird
voice he could almost say it, and he cawed it over and over as he flew. Such a pretty man.
Even Kaya said so.

They needed their most special trades for Cotton. They needed the blue stones the men
called turquoise that would match the stones in the Gran Daddy Luck Buckle, and the
pretty bits of metal and maybe some of their best feathers.

Kaya finally called that he was getting tired. Silly brother. Silly bird. Kasa let the wind
take him for a moment before spiralling down to flash right in front of Cotton's eyes,
showing off his wide wings.

They were close to home, now. It was time for the man to walk.

Kaya chittered at him, landing on the ground, his claws turning to feet just as he landed
so he stood as a human.

The Cotton-man stared at them, just looking and admiring their fineness. "Y'all are
something else..."

Kasa smiled as he thought man thoughts and landed, too. Walking was not as fun as
flying. But he would do it for the Cotton. "Here. You must leave the horse and walk."

"He'll be safe out here? Y'all don't have too many wolves?"

"None will harm him," Kaya said. Just what he was thinking. No one would dare.

"Okay, then." Cotton grabbed the bags from the horse, gave them both a smile. "Lead the
way."

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They bounced off each other when they both tried to lead the way, and Kaya tried to peck
at him, forgetting he had a man nose now. They clunked heads and he cursed in their own
tongue, hitting Kaya hard.

"Easy, y'all." Warm, callused hands landed on their shoulders, easing them apart.

They turned to him, both of them sliding their arms around him in thanks. Oh. He felt
good. Warm and strong. Kasa made a low noise of pleasure, one that Kaya echoed.

Those hands moved on them, holding them both, fingers wide on their backs. "Oh, look
at y'all."

He nuzzled at Cotton's chin, feeling rough whiskers over the skin. "We are looking at
you."

"Yeah. Yeah, I guess you are." Cotton shivered, the scent of desire strong on the air,
musky and male.

"Come," Kaya said, tugging.

"Yes." Kasa nodded, leading Cotton up through the rocks on the narrow path to their little
cave.

Cotton picked his way through, boots clicking on the stones.

The entrance would be hard to find from below, but they knew the way, and before long
they slipped inside, their little house dug right into ground and rock. They couldn't live in
the sky.

"Oh, goodness. Look at this!" Cotton sounded pleased, happy to see their little house.

They had a fine home, filled with all of their things. A nest, just for them. There were
shiny metal parts and sparkly rocks and feathers and bits of cloth and leather. They had
nothing like what Cotton called his spurs, though.

"Y'all got yourselves some stuff." Cotton took his hat off, hand smoothing out his hair.

"Told you," Kaya said, twirling around.

"We have good things to trade." He smiled, stroking the hat with his fingers.

"You do." Cotton let him take the hat, let him touch it, inside and out.

He even sniffed it before Kaya took it away, glaring at him. "He needs a hat. His head
will burn. We will only want the spurs."

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"I don't want my damned fool head to burn, that's for sure." Those pretty eyes seemed to
shine in the moonlight, just a little. "I might get addlepated."

"No. No addling." They pulled him to their bed, which was a pile of blankets and other
soft things they had traded for, and sat him down.

The Cotton-man stared up at them, smiling at them, his fingers sliding over their
blankets. They both cuddled close, one on either side. Kasa stared around at Kaya. "You
should get the stones and shiny metal."

Kaya stuck his tongue out. "No. I am warm. You do it."

Those rough hands began stroking them again, warming them, smoothing over their skin.

Kasa melted against the Cotton's side, smiling, his hand reaching out to play with the
buttons on Cotton's shirt. They were not shiny, but they were smooth and cool. His
fingers liked the feel of them.

He could see the way Cotton's shaft jerked and filled, trapped in the heavy cloth that hid
it.

So pretty.

Kaya surprised them both by touching, hand sliding over Cotton's hip and around to the
hard bits, pressing down. Kasa moaned, the sight of his shy brother's fingers testing the
Cotton-man making him hard. The Cotton-man grunted, pushing up toward the touch
with a shudder.

"Look, Kasa. Look how sweet." Kaya grinned, leaning in and kissing the side of Cotton's
mouth, daring him to take the other side.

So he did.

The sound their kiss drew from Cotton vibrated inside him. He had never heard need
sound so... big. So lonely. They had been lonely, but they had each other. Cotton seemed
to have no one, and it made him sad. Made him want to give pleasure. Together they
pushed, easing Cotton down so they could cover him, kissing in earnest now. Salt. Cotton
tasted like salt and sun and Kasa made a low noise, the feel of skin all around him
making him so happy.

"This can't be real..." Cotton moaned, hands cupping their heads, drawing them close so
the kiss could go deeper.

Oh. It was so. Kasa chittered at Kaya, low in his throat, and got an answering sound,
agreeing. Then they set out to prove that they were as real as anything Cotton had ever
seen, their tongues coming out to taste. Cotton made a sound, almost as if the man was

A Torquere Press Birthstone - 14

answering him, speaking to them. It made Kasa want more of those noises, of those
sounds.

Kaya did too, he thought. He'd never seen his brother so fascinated with anyone. Except
for him. Kaya was opening Cotton's clothes, giving them skin to tease. Cotton's skin was
scarred and multicolored - pink nipples, tanned arms, pale belly, white scars. He was like
all of their favorite things wrapped up in one. While Kaya traced each scar, Kasa made
right for that white belly, nuzzling against it, breathing Cotton's scent.

Those hands tangled in his hair and the most shocked sounds floated up in to the air.
"Y'all..."

That voice was like warm honey, right from the tree. He and Kaya liked that. They
certainly did. So of course they liked it when Cotton called to them. That fascinating,
special buckle was smooth and warm to his fingers, the shaft beneath it throbbing and
even hotter.

Kaya slapped his hand away for a moment, hissing about the pretty shiny thing, but Kasa
reminded him they could not have it. They could have Cotton, though.

Cotton was a better prize, male and strong, wanting them. "It's okay, pretty birds. Don't
bicker."

Kasa laughed, a long, happy trill. "There is enough of you for both of us, yes? You are
much prettier than the blue stones."

"I reckon..." Cotton offered over a grin. "Though I ain't pretty, honey. I'm an old
cowboy."

"Not old," Kaya said, sounding very firm.

"Not at all." Now, if he could just remember how that buckle opened. He'd seen Cotton
put it on. He tugged and pulled and. Oh. Oh, just like so. He crowed as the buckle came
free, the leather belt loosening.

Chortling, Kaya pulled the cloth under the buckle apart, delving in with one hand. Kasa
watched, wanting to see, wanting to feel, too. Cotton's flesh was swollen, full and heavy,
the shaft red and hard and wet-tipped. Kaya started stroking, pulling at it, and oh...the
scent was too good to resist. Leaning down, Kasa put his cheek to Cotton's thigh,
breathing deep.

Their new treasure - for he was a treasure, to be shared between them - shivered, shifted
on the blankets. Impatient Kaya finally let go to pull all the cloth away, leaving Cotton
bare as a newborn. Then they could both touch anywhere they wanted, from Cotton's
nose to his toes, and everywhere in between. Cotton had hair leading to his heavy shaft,
gold curls growing wild and thick above it. So unlike his brother. Neither of them had

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much hair anywhere but down there, and that wasn't so much. Kasa combed his fingers
through, testing the springy texture.

That earned him a chuckle, Cotton's tan skin going a warm rose.

Kaya's hand joined his, both of them touching, both of them stroking and teasing. Their
fingers joined for a moment, Kaya squeezing his hand, letting him know he wasn't alone
in this.

"Y'all... this is good?" Cotton's hands stroked his hair, brushed over Kaya's.

"Very, very good," Kaya said, smiling up at Cotton.

"Yes, good." Loving how dark Kaya's skin looked against Cotton's pale belly, Kasa
licked some at Cotton's skin, tasting salt.

"Hell, yeah. So fine." Cotton's cock jerked and bobbed, knocking at Cotton's belly.

His nose tickled and twitched when he buried it in Cotton's curls, and Kaya laughed as he
twitched and almost sneezed. No sneezing.

"Oh, my stars..." Cotton leaned back, body arching up in a bow. It brought Cotton's shaft
right to his lips, and Kasa kissed it, licked it, murmuring to Kaya about how he should
try. Cotton started making the best sounds - shocked and wild, deep and needy, matching
the motions of the long, lean body. Kaya worked down to help, touching and licking,
finally settling on pulling Cotton's legs up to nuzzle the heavy balls in their sac. Kasa had
never seen anything so pretty. Not even the spurs.

The soft skin wrinkled, drawing up tight, moving with each tiny touch, every single
breath.

"Kasa. Look. See how good."

How good, how hot, how sweet. Such a wonderful feast. Kasa licked harder, his tongue
sliding against Kaya's when his brother moved up to kiss him over Cotton's flesh.

"Y'all..." Cotton sounded like he'd found the finest treasure ever.

Kasa tilted his head to smile up at Cotton. "You taste good. We might have to keep you."

The man laughed, the sound warm and husky. "And what would you do with me?"

"What we're doing now."

"And we would feed you," Kaya added, before lowering his mouth all the way down
Cotton's shaft.

A Torquere Press Birthstone - 16

From Cotton's cry, Kasa didn't believe the cowboy was concerned about food. Neither
was he, though. He was more interested in fighting Kaya for that sweet flesh, sucking
hard when Kaya had to come up for air.

Swollen and wet, salty and male - Cotton's cock was a feast, all by itself. Kasa loved it
with his tongue, needing more, needing to hear Cotton make more noise. He almost
sounded like Kaya did...

Cotton jerked, called out from them in sounds he almost understood, could almost hear.
He and Kaya worked harder, giving Cotton more pleasure, demanding that he give them
everything he had. They needed to see and taste and smell him when he spent. Kasa
began to believe Cotton was more like them than he seemed, with the deep cries, the
harsh caws and calls as Cotton's shaft swelled, the tip going impossibly red just before
the seed pulsed from it.

Oh...Yes. He and Kaya fought to taste it, not arguing really, just both wanting it. So salty,
like a summer in the desert.

Cotton's muscles jerked and shivered for them, the man all melted in the blankets, all
soft.

Kaya went to kiss Cotton, the wet sound their mouths made unbearably exciting. Kasa let
his mouth trail from Cotton's hip to Kaya's, the texture of their skin so different. One of
Cotton's hands landed on his head, fingers tracing his ear, his lips as he tasted his Kaya.

He kissed Cotton's fingers, then Kaya's hip, making happy little noises of his own. Kaya
knew. Kaya understood, shifting his hips to let Kasa have his shaft.

"Oh, that's... I got to see that." Kaya shifted a bit, Cotton's eyes burning down at them.

Kasa smiled up at Cotton before sucking Kaya in, letting his tongue flick out to lick the
shaft. Oh, that taste he knew. That taste was his own, something he reveled in as often as
he could.

Kaya groaned and twisted as Cotton's fingers slid up his brother's belly and chest, going
to draw lazy circles around Kaya's tight little nipples. He'd never been able to watch from
this angle before. Never been able to see someone pleasuring Kaya. He thought he might
explode, it was so fine. Cotton's lips were on Kaya's shoulder, teeth testing the skin, but
not hurting. Those eyes, though, they stared down at him.

He gave Kaya the same pleasure they'd given Cotton, listening to his brother moan,
watching the dark hands so like his clutch at Cotton's back. The man's hands slid down,
pushing over Kaya's belly, framing the hard prick, cupping Kaya's sacs.

A Torquere Press Birthstone - 17

He moaned, the sight too much. Too good. The sounds that came from Kaya's throat were
his, but he found that he didn't mind sharing. He could feel Cotton's fingers moving,
rolling, making Kaya's pleasure all that much bigger.

When Kaya shot, his cry was that of a hunting bird of prey, loud and strong and almost
strident. But so beautiful.

"Oh, good lord. Y'all are something special." Cotton moaned the words against Kaya's
skin, eyes burning down at him.

Kasa stood, kissing Cotton, then his Kaya, his shaft thumping and burning. He moved his
hips, pure abandon taking him, working toward his pleasure. Cotton's fingers found him
first, the rough touch dragging all along his shaft and making him go up on tiptoe. Kaya's
hand joined in, not fighting Cotton, just helping, and Kasa yelled at the top of his lungs,
his seed shooting out of him. Oh. Bliss.

Warm lips brushed his belly, the hair above Cotton's lips tickling and teasing his skin.

He murmured to Kaya, petting Cotton's hip. "Thank you.'

"I... thank y'all. I never... Y'all just. Damn."

Kaya smiled, moving to loop an arm around him, and they both gave Cotton a kiss, sweet
and open mouthed and wet.

"Stay with us a bit?" Kaya asked.

"I..." Cotton settled between them, his tanned skin sliding and rubbing with their own. "I
never knew nothin' like this before."

"Then let us love you a while," Kaya said.

“Yes. Let us.”

They would keep their Cotton, at least for a little while. He made a fine addition to their
nest.

***

When he woke, the heat surprised him, confuddled him a little. Why on earth was he?
Oh. Oh.

Cotton looked down at where his fingers were tangled in two fine heads of hair.
Goddamn.

Just.

A Torquere Press Birthstone - 18

Goddamn.

They'd turned him inside out and upside down and damn if he didn't want to do it all over
again. Right now.

Those two looked so fine though, sleeping away, so he glanced around their little... what?
Hogan? Something. Built right into the red earth, with stone on two sides and adobe on
the rest.

Every surface, every wall, it was all crammed with stuff. Feathers and bits of red string,
blankets from Indian traders, and pieces of leather from saddles and boots. There were
jangly things and sparkling things and little bits of animal bone made into pretty carvings.
It was a riot of color and shine, even in the gloom of the cool room.

They had piled like things together, once. He could see the pattern. But then it looked like
it all got too big, and started to just spill about. It made him grin like a new born fool, to
see all the pretty things, lined up and jumbled up and cared for. Birds.

They were birds.

Good lord.

The quiet one, the one whose hair felt like his momma's old heavy satin dress, shifted
against him, murmuring, one hand going to his twin's arm to stroke. Then those dark eyes
blinked open, and the sweet thing smiled at him. "Cotton- man."

"Yeah. Hey there." He grinned down, fingers reaching down to stroke the thin cheek.

"Hello." Kaya blinked, slow and easy, nestling right into his palm. "You are warm. It is
good."

"Yeah. I'm plenty warm." He smoothed down Kaya's hair, just sort of touching and all.

Long eyelashes brushed his hand, when Kaya turned into his touch again, looking for all
the word like a puppy wanting scritches. Oh, this one was a lover when his brother wasn't
talking for him.

"Pretty thing." He hummed and kept touching, kept up with the petting, just feeling like
this whole thing was a dream.

"Pretty, Cotton." Kaya moved, sliding up his body, sorta bouncing off Kasa, who
murmured querulously.

"Shh. Easy now." He reached down, drawing Kaya up with one hand, petting Kasa with
the other. If this whole damned thing was a dream, he wasn't waking up, no way.

A Torquere Press Birthstone - 19

"Mmm." Kasa settled right back down, but Kaya surged right up to kiss him, lips hot and
swollen on his. He could remember that mouth somewhere else. Hoo yeah.

Cotton moaned, tongue pushing into Kasa's lips, johnson filling up. Kaya knew. Bless his
little blackbird heart. That slim hand reached down and cupped Cotton's prick, pushing
and pulling. He groaned, lips wrapping around Kaya's tongue, drawing the wild flavor
into him.

"Greedy Kaya." The other one was awake now, and stroking Kaya's back, Cotton's thigh.
The touch almost felt like feathers, so soft and warm.

"There's 'nough of all of us to share." And share. And share. Lord have mercy.

"There is," Kasa agreed, kissing his cheek. "Good morning."

"Mornin'." He turned his head, tongue just touching those warm, soft lips.

Kaya pushed into the kiss, and lord have mercy, it was just a sweet, sweet thing. Like a
warm morning dream. But the feel of skin and hair and them wet mouths was very real.
He was beginning to think he'd kicked the bucket - got bit by a rattler or somethin' and
was in Heaven. They sort of closed around him, wrapping him up in them like a blanket,
and god, he could smell himself on their skin.

He took his time, kissing here and licking there and touching? Lord, he got to touch and
touch. Those little birds preened for him, letting him pet and kiss anywhere he wanted.
And they touched each other, too, fascinating his eyes with the way the moved together.
He'd heard tell of them magics the Indians had, the way they make a man see things that
no one'd ever seen before. He reckoned this was like that.

Whatever it was, he'd take it and be a happy man, especially when Kaya licked down his
throat and Kasa's mouth moved to his ear. Hungry little things. Kasa started making
sounds that were almost - almost, mind you - words. Promises. Things that made him
shudder, bone-deep. Kaya stayed quiet, but it was Kaya's hands that made the moves that
had him shaking even harder, sliding down his belly to cup his prick in hot palms.

Cotton turned his head, his lips meeting Kasa's as Kaya encouraged him to spread like
butter under a hot knife. His balls pressed up under the pressure of Kaya's hand, right up
against the base of his shaft. Kasa took the kiss deep at the same time, making him moan,
his body bucking like a bronco's.

Lord, these two. Everything went wild inside him again, just like last night, just like his
blood was on fire from a strong whiskey.

They moved around him, trading places so Kaya could kiss and Kasa could touch, and
he'd swear there wasn't one part of him that didn't get explored. Kaya moaned and Kasa

A Torquere Press Birthstone - 20

babbled, and the sounds and smells made him dizzy. Everything blurred some, his hands
finding flesh no matter where or what or who he touched. He felt the touch to his prick
like a lightning strike, though. That stood out hard, because someone's thumb had found
the slit at the tip and pressed good and hard. He made a sound like a bark, his hips
punching the air.

"Pretty, Cotton."

"We want to feel you."

"Inside," they finished together, and Lord, that thought all but made his head fly off.

He couldn't say a goddamn word, but he sure nodded and spread himself wide.

Kasa slipped between his legs and Kaya knelt by his hip, and two pairs of slim hands
found his privates, cupping his prick, his balls. Then sliding down beneath. Lord have
mercy on him, he was gonna burn alive. His thighs felt rock hard, the muscles shaking.

Kasa moved down, knees down by his ankles, and bent, setting his mouth where no one

ever had before. Christ on a crutch. The sound that tore out of him damn near hurt him.
The whole world sorta went tight and dim, every bit of his skin burning.

When Kasa had got him good and wet, Kaya pushed one finger against him. Into him.
Inside him. His body went so tight that his backbone felt like it was going to snap in two.
In him.

Kaya moaned, the sound shockingly loud from his quiet little bird. "Cotton-man. So hot."

"Hot. Yeah." Hot. Full. Maddening.

"I want to feel." A second finger slid into him, but it wasn't Kaya's. Kasa had pushed
right in beside, opening him up so much he thought he might split.

"Oh..." He twisted, toes curling. "So full. Y'all."

"So sweet."

"So warm and soft."

"Ours."

The last word came out together, both of them bending to lick at his shaft, their fingers
moving in and out.

A Torquere Press Birthstone - 21

"Uh. Uh-huh." He could do that. He could be theirs, lord knew weren't nobody else lying
in wait for him. They took turns sucking him in deep, mouths wet and hot, the pleasure so
intense he could just let his hips ride it out like a balky mule.

He threw himself into the sensations, his cries pouring out of him, just like his seed did.

Kaya moved up to kiss him, hand slipping away from him, that mouth tasting like him for
all the world. Kasa, though, he stayed where he was.

"Kaya. I could... while you...with me."

He was sorta thinking that might be English. Maybe. "Anything."

They smiled at each other, sharing a sweet kiss. Then Kasa moved between his legs,
pushing up so the head of that sweet, slender prick pushed against him. There. And Kaya
moved behind Kasa, staring at him over his twin's shoulder.

He groaned, body stretching, spreading as Kasa pressed in and in and in. Kasa moaned
for him, body shuddering, and he realized that...Oh, good lord. Kaya was in. In Kasa.
With them. Pushing Kasa into him.

He groaned, knees drawing up, trying to make more room inside him.

"Oh. Cotton. Kaya. Feel." Damned if Kasa didn't grab his brother's hand and pull it
around until Kaya could feel where Kasa's prick filled him.

His body tightened, silly cock fighting to come back to life again, to spring back and
shoot.

They moved, Kaya into Kasa, Kasa into him. It went on and on, both of them chattering
words he couldn't understand, but knew the meaning of anyway. The sun streamed in,
light catching on the jewels and gems, the baubles all around. It sorta dazed him, really,
made him dizzy like he'd been hexed. Blessed. Something. Maybe he was. But he
damned sure didn't mind, not when they looked like that above him, all flushed, dark bird
eyes glittering. They touched him like he was the finest treasure they had. Like he was
everything they needed to feather their nest.

"Y'all..." He smiled, hand reaching up to cup Kasa's face. "Yours."

Yes, silly as it seemed, he was. Their own.

They came for him, one into him, and one into the other, making it all seem complete,
making it all seem right. He could see in their eyes that he'd never be lonely. Alone.

Hell, in their eyes, he right seemed to shine.

A Torquere Press Birthstone - 22

***

Kaya woke him before the dawn, nudging him and pulling at him. Kasa blinked, trying
to get the sleep sand out of his eyes. He would have rolled right back into sleep, warm
and happy against the Cotton-man, but Kaya pushed at him again, chittering, and Kasa
realized his brother had changed. Gone to bird.

Crawling out of their warm nest, Kasa went with Kaya into the early morning sky, his
body shrinking as he sprouted wings and a tail.

They flew together, high and low, letting the wind carry them. It had been too long, Kaya
told him, too long since they had flown.

It hadn't, really. But that meant his twin was worried about something.

When they finally landed, Kaya perching on the bleached bones of a horse, the saddle
leather cracked and worn, Kasa changed back to his man right away. So they could talk.
They needed to talk.

Kaya landed at his feet, flapping his wings and pecking at Kasa's toes.

"What is it, you silly bird?" Kasa asked, and Kaya changed, sitting on the ground, arms
and legs crossed.

"If we keep him..."

"Yes?" Kasa sighed. He knew now what Kaya was fretting about. "We get to keep his
buckle and spurs."

"That is not funny."

"I know." Kasa sighed again, reaching out to touch his Kaya, running his fingers over one
bony knee. "But what will it harm? He likes us."

Cotton seemed content to stay with them, loving with them, laughing as they tended
beans and squash and calling himself a farmer.

"But he..."

"No. We are not hurting him."

"But what if there is someone he loves?"

Yes, what if there was. A brother or a sister, or...

A Torquere Press Birthstone - 23

"We will ask him. We want him to stay." He looked into Kaya's eyes. "Don't we? Don't
you?"

"Yes, brother." Kaya murmured it low in his throat, like a call in the night. "I love him
almost as I do you. But the time is slipping away, faster and faster. He should know."

"Then we will give him the choice." Neither of them had ever thought that it would come
to this with their Cotton-man when they first found him at the river, but now they knew.
They wanted more than his shiny metal and stones.

Kaya nodded, and that was that. His brother's mind was settled, and by that, so was
Kasa's. It was time to fly back to their Cotton and wake him and tell him. Give him his
choice. Let him come back before his world had disappeared altogether.

Cotton was just stirring when they returned, swooping into their little cave, landing by
Cotton's legs so they could start to preen him.

"My pretty birds. Y'all been out seeing the world?" Their man smiled for them, happy
and laughing, face less lined now than it had been when they'd found him.

Kasa spent a few moments preening Cotton's hair while Kaya strutted about, cawing.
They would both avoid it if they could, he knew, so Kasa finally summoned up his man
form and moved to sit next to Cotton's hip.

"Good morning, our Cotton-man."

"Mornin', honey." Cotton's arm slid around his hip, tugged him closer. "Y'all have a good
wander?"

"We did." Snuggling in, Kasa bent to give a kiss, wanting to connect, to touch. Cotton's
tongue pressed right into his lips, the touch lazy and slow, easy. One of Cotton's hands
stretched out, reaching for Kaya.

Kaya took that hand, Kasa could see it out of the corner of his eye. Suddenly Kaya was
there, in the kiss, loving both of them. It eased him to the bone. There was no tension in
their Cotton-man. No worry.

Nothing but care and desire and need for them. Kaya sighed against them, a happy sound,
not a frightened one. Cotton eased them back into the nest of blankets and soft pillows,
the scents there strong, necessary and familiar as flying. They all tumbled together,
rolling a little, laughing together. He and Kaya always laughed, but with Cotton it was
like they were more, bigger, happier.

They had to keep him.

A Torquere Press Birthstone - 24

Cotton's fingers found one spot after another on him, the touches making him shudder
before they shifted to do the same to Kaya.

"Cotton-man. We need you."

"I'm y'all's. I ain't going nowhere." Cotton met Kaya's eyes first, then his. "Just like y'all
are mine."

The touching was sweet, hot, like a summer day in the sun, but Kaya was making those
noises again, serious ones, and Kasa sat back, smiling down at Cotton.

"Then we have something we must tell you."

"So? Tell me." There wasn't a bit of worry in those clear eyes, at least not until Cotton
tilted his head. "Y'all are okay, aren't you? Happy?"

"Very!"

Kaya nodded. "Very, Cotton-love. But we want to make sure you are. Do you..." Kaya
paused, looking at him pleadingly.

"Will someone miss you if you stay with us? Will someone lose what we gain?"

"Someone? You mean like a wife?" Cotton laughed, shook his head. "Only one that'd
miss me is old Bonner and that nag ran off on me forever ago."

"Your family? They are gone?" They had to be sure. Kaya made an urgent little noise and
curled against Cotton's side, waiting, eyes huge.

"My momma got took by the ague, honey. Fever burned her up. I got a sister somewhere,
but she went east when Momma died. I'm just me."

Kasa bounced, his smile stretching his cheeks. "Then we will keep you and love you and
you will be part of us."

Kaya just crowed, the cawing sound one of complete agreement.

"Well, okay then." Cotton looked confused, but those strong hands dragged them in
close, hands keeping them there.

How could he explain to Cotton what they were? What would happen if the man stayed?
But Cotton was meant for them, happy with them. Looking younger and healthier. How
could they let him go?

"Come on, y'all. You're both all fluttery. 'Fess up to me so's we can make it good again."

A Torquere Press Birthstone - 25

"We're not..."

"Like other men."

They were talking, weaving words seamlessly through from one to the other, he and
Kaya. But Cotton could follow where they led now.

"You may have noticed," Kasa said, smiling and cupping Cotton's cheek.

Cotton's laugh warmed them both. "I did, right from the first. I'm real smart that way."

Kaya snorted and rolled his eyes. "If you stay with us, you will be different, too. Though
you may never get wings," Kaya added, rather sadly.

"Different? Different how?"

They both titled their heads, trying to put it into words. Finally, Kasa simply spread his
hands. "Ours. Out of time."

"Out of..." Their Cotton tilted his head, watched them. "I get to stay with y'all? Here?"

"Yes!" Kasa nodded, so proud of his smart man.

"But you cannot go back to the white man's world," Kaya added, watching Cotton
closely, stroking all of the fine skin he could reach.

"Oh." Cotton took a moment, then that smile broke out. "I got y'all. We got food. We got
enough to keep us busy. What do all do I need out there?"

They both threw themselves at him, tumbling him to the blanket, laughing and kissing
him madly. Theirs. Their own Cotton. And now they would show him how they loved
him. Cotton gasped and twisted, chuckling as they grabbed him, pinched and licked and
dragged their fingers over his skin.

Kaya found Cotton's nipples, sucking and licking one before moving to the other. Kasa
started higher, just under Cotton's ear, nuzzling in to smell and taste.

"My pretty birds..." Cotton's hand was on his shaft, thumb sliding up to spread the liquid
at the tip.

"Our Cotton-man."

"Ours." Kaya sounded so fierce. Kasa loved his twin even more for how he loved their
man. So deep, his brother's love. So wide. Like their sky.

A Torquere Press Birthstone - 26

"Y'all's. I swear it. I ain't leaving. I won't." Cotton dragged Kaya up, kissed his twin good
and hard. That was what they needed to hear, for then they stopped talking, just kissing
Cotton. Kasa pushed in, tasting his twin, his man, the touch all but burning.

They rolled on the bedding, rubbing away. Cotton's mouth was on his nipple, on Kaya's
jaw. Their hands moved together, his and Kaya's finding Cotton's shaft and tugging,
teasing his balls. Their man was wet for them, hot and hard. Ready.

"Please. Y'all. I got a powerful need."

"We do..."

"Too."

"Kaya. Make me wet."

His twin knew what he meant, moving to put that hot, wet mouth against his backside,
making him ready to take Cotton in.

Cotton made the finest noises, praising him, praising Kasa, calling them beautiful and
wanton, perfect and fine. When he climbed atop Cotton's body and took that shaft deep
within him, the words became rough noises, sounding almost like the cry of a bird. He
and Kaya both answered, loud and strong.

Cotton's shoulders left the bedding, hands tugging him down as that hungry mouth
crashed against his own. Such heat, hidden in their Cotton-man. Such need. He'd needed
them to find him. That was the only answer. Kasa kissed him right back, even as Kaya
moved around to bend to Kasa's shaft, pushing between them to fit.

"Y'all." Cotton leaned back, giving Kaya room, sharing the pleasure between them.

They gave and took, Kasa sliding down on Cotton's prick, feeling his body open to take it
all. When Kaya licked and sucked at him, he threw back his head to cry his pleasure to
the world.

"That's it. Just so. My pretty birds." Cotton's hands looked almost pale in Kaya's dark
hair, those bright eyes capturing him.

Kaya smiled up, looking so happy, and Kasa moved faster, starting to babble. He hoped
in Cotton's language. Ours and yes and more and harder...

Of course, it didn't matter, not a bit. Cotton and Kaya heard him, answered him in two
voices and he understood it all.

A Torquere Press Birthstone - 27

When he spent himself it was like watching new stars explode into the night sky. It was
like flying, swooping on the wind. He fed himself to Kaya and took Cotton deep within,
and he had never been happier.

Cotton's chest was warm and soft under him, Kaya happy and quiet beside him, their
home all around him.

They had made themselves a fair trade.

***

He’d stumbled over the bones of an ancient nag about an hour ago and him and Frank
had started digging, started searching to see if there was something worth saving,
something one of them could use in their latest installment.

It still sort of stunned Billy a little – that him and Frank were making a name for
themselves, were actually about to break into the art world. Hell, today it was the foyer in
the American Bank building in Phoenix. Tomorrow? Maybe Chicago. LA. New York.

Southwest stuff was hot right now.

So were gay couples.

It was a win-fucking-win situation.

“Babe, look at this. There’s fucking saddlebags!” Frank’s dark eyes just shone, the sweat
beading up on the tanned face as a pair of leather saddlebags came up out of the sand.

“Look at that…” How had no one found them before? This was getting close to desert,
but it wasn’t really. He didn’t get it. People had to have been exploring up here, camped.

Too weird.

“There’s an old knife, what looks like it might have been a shirt, once.” The dusty,
mostly faded into dust things were pulled out. They saved what they could – buttons and
flatware, a bent coffee cup. Packing them away in the bags.

“Oh, babe, we’re going to be able to do something fucking great with…” Frank stopped,
tilted his head. “What’s that over there?”

Something was glinting in the sand, something shiny and bright and just catching the sun.
Billy headed over, eyes caught. It looked like jewelry or something. Maybe part of the
tack? Maybe a tin can?

He knelt down, lifted the belt buckle off the ground. Jesus, it was pretty. All shiny and
fine.

A Torquere Press Birthstone - 28

Frank’s heat pressed right up against his back, long fingers tracing the braided edge of the
silver buckle. “Man, look at that handiwork. It’s got to be a hundred years old.”

“No, it can’t be. Turquoise wouldn’t hold up out here; it’s a soft stone…” God, it was in
pristine condition. Perfect. “And the silver isn’t marred, isn’t oxided. Isn’t.” He sighed,
shrugged, just kept touching. “It doesn’t matter; it’ll fit in with the rest of the…”

A shadow passed overhead, a loud cry just splitting the air.

“What the fuck?” Frank grabbed his hand, eyes searching the sky.

”A bird, I guess?”

The words had just left his mouth when the biggest duo of ravens he’d ever seen landed
in the dust in front of him.

Frank made a strangled sound. “Yeah. Yeah, I guess.”

The birds cawed and fluttered, bright eyes staring at the shiny buckle in his hand. “Man,
they look like they’re…”

“Yeah, yeah they do.” Frank’s hand was warm on his side. “Put the buckle down, babe.”

“What? Are you crazy? This thing could be worth…” Silly boy.

One of the birds spread its wings, beak wide open.

“Babe, those things look serious. Put the buckle down.”

“I’m just supposed to.” He looked over at Frank, jumping back when the bird flew up,
snatched the buckle right out of his fingers.

Frank’s eyes were huge. “Uh-huh. You’re just supposed to. Let them have it.”

The big birds stood and postured, wings fluttering and sharp beaks flashing in the
sunlight. Billy and Frank just stood there, staring, until they turned as one, flying off,
buckle held tight in one’s claws. The harsh sun made them seem to shimmer, to almost
glow for a second before they simply disappeared.

They watched the sky, searching for those birds, both just staring into the sun like the
biggest idiots on earth. Billy shook his head, grinned over at Frank. “The weirdest shit
happens out here in the boonies, huh?”

Frank didn’t smile, but he got a nod. “Yeah, yeah, babe, I guess…”

A Torquere Press Birthstone - 29

A soft chuckle interrupted him, a laugh that just made him shiver.

“Y’all did find it. So good to me.”

“Yes.”

“We are.”

He looked around, heart pounding in his chest. There wasn’t anyone. Anywhere. What
the hell? “Frank?”

Frank was already moving, grabbing their bags and heading for the Jeep. “We’re leaving,
babe.”

“What?”

“Now.”

“But.”

“Now.”

He could swear that he heard laughter, swirling around him, making all the little hairs on
his arms stand up on end.

“Yeah. Yeah, okay. Now.”

Goddamn deserts. What the hell did they want to stay out here with the lizards for
anyway?

A Torquere Press Birthstone - 30

Birthstones: A Fair Trade

Copyright © 2006 by BA Tortuga

All rights reserved. No part of this eBook may be used or reproduced in any manner
whatsoever without written permission except in case of brief quotations embodied in
critical articles or reviews. For information address Torquere Press, PO Box 2545, Round
Rock, TX 78680

Printed in the United States of America.

Torquere Press electronic edition / December 2006

Torquere Press eBooks are published by Torquere Press, PO Box 2545, Round Rock, TX
78680.

www.torquerepress.com

A Torquere Press Birthstone - 31