Life is a mystery, everyone must stand alone,
I hear you call my name
And it feels like home.

He awoke with a shuddering gasp, breathing heavily as the remnants of the dream fluttered away from him like startled crows. It was the same every night for Josiah, the exact scenario repeating itself over and over again. This hellish dream had been occurring for weeks, chipping away his composure, destroying any peace he’d found in this town he called home. During each hour of the night the recurring image came, an unholy vision of desire that reduced him to a sweating, twisting demon, until he cried out in unfulfilled passion. It was a carnal lust, an exquisite heat that engulfed and saturated him in his troubled repose, and scornfully mocked him with the power of its sin. He was a tormented man, drowning in feelings he didn’t understand, and confused by yearnings he’d never experienced before.

It was pitch black in the tiny partitioned enclosure at the rear of the church, and a heavy stillness embraced the building at this midnight hour. There were no echoes of the commotion that had broken his sleep for the second time that evening, and nothing remained of the nightmare now he was awake. Solitude and quietness reigned. He was utterly alone. Sadly alone, and no one was calling to him.

Josiah pushed himself upright in the large bed, his hand automatically going to his bare groin, although he knew what he would find. This taunting dream always ended the same way, and he didn’t think there would be an exception tonight. He could smell it, could feel the aftershocks deep in his gut after the violent surge of his bestial delivery. His seed had erupted from him as he took the ghostly form of his lover, and his life-giving fluid had spilt over his stomach, leaving a sticky wetness to the rumpled sheets. But his ache was never satisfied, nor was there ever any substance to this powerful act of loving that haunted his rest hours. Rest. That was an insult to the word. There was no tranquillity, no serenity in the arms of torpor. And that was clearly his punishment, his warranted chastisement for having these abnormal urges.

The guilt, the anguish of being unable to act was his constant companion these days. Long, tortured days, when he more often than not found refuge – or at least solace of sorts - in a bottle. He used the liquor as a painkilling draught, to numb his senses, and he couldn’t survive without it. In the interminable waking periods, when everyday life jeered him with its normality and the usual humdrum sounds of town existence buzzed like annoying insects, he drank his fill. Alcohol blunted the pain, had become his mainstay; more so when he heard that quiet, velvety voice attached to the living, breathing and real-life representation of his spectral lover. Yes, he craved whiskey, copious amounts of it, when the cycle continued and those daily encounters revolved around him in a dizzying blur of confused needs. Sexual needs.

However, these particular longings of the flesh were unhealthy, dangerous, and had no place in the eyes of God. And it was the crux of his plight. Josiah had fallen from grace many times in his life, but this was a path that could only end in eternal damnation. Hell’s fiery domain awaited him, of that he was convinced; he would be persecuted, turned to ash and dragged into a chasm from which there was no return.

The only escape was through self-abasement, which was a brutal and humbling punishment. But Josiah needed peace, a recovery, and he was willing - resigned - to do a harsh Penitence to regain his true spirit. Yes, he would turn away from these destructive concepts, and put the balance back in his life. If this failed, Sanchez, one time priest, warrior, sinner, prophet, sometime killer and despairing soul, would be ruined, cast out and swallowed by the molten heat.

Oh, Lord! Swallowed… in heat… drinking at that forbidden fountain of love…. the blazing ecstasy of giving, baring all… taken… taken now…. and in turn taking… taking his lover… taking hard. Sweaty bodies locked together, flesh to flesh, heart to heart, breathy moans combining as both are lost in their frantic lovemaking. His needy cock thrusting in and out, imprisoned in that hot, tight channel and spiralling towards a rapturous conclusion. Hands tenderly stroking, pleasuring his eager partner as whispered words of endearment fall from his lips. Lips that declare love, firmly sealed in unison with their bodies and minds as one, and the ultimate possession of his heart’s desire, as his creamy, white seed is planted. That gorgeous vessel, the enrapt body of his lover, would overflow with the product of Josiah’s amour, and only blissful contentment could follow such an act.

NO!

Josiah groaned at these illicit, tempestuous thoughts, and his hand went to hold his erect shaft. It was starting again, and he was helpless to stop it. He had to have… wanted to feel, taste, explore and suck. No, he would get to his knees, beg in…. in supplication? Prayer? Sweet Jesus, no! Not prayer, not worship. That was an obscenity, especially whilst he thought such sacrilegious things. This had to end, before he was destroyed forever. He wanted to exorcise these salacious ideas, rid himself of….

"Josiah?"

The ex-preacher knelt higher in the bed, snatching the sheet around him to preserve his modesty as the shadowy silhouette of someone appeared in the doorway. Not just anyone either. He instantly recognised the hat, the buckskin jacket, knew that easy slouch as the figure lounged against the wooden screen marking the perimeter of his sleeping quarters. Temptation had arrived in the form of Vin Tanner. Even as Josiah breathed that magical name to himself, his cock engorged to a greater thickness and his balls tightened painfully. The extraordinary voice of his would-be lover tore away any lucidity left to him after his disturbed sleep, and made him visibly wince. That soft, evocative drawl imparted such emotion, and now snared the spellbound Sanchez, capturing him in its sweetness. The object of his desires was here, and he was doomed.

Staring through the inky darkness, Josiah saw movement when Vin stepped into the sleeping enclosure, and his mouth went dry, his upper body chilling as all his inner warmth went south. It pooled in his loins, the scorching ache in his balls suddenly re-igniting from the other’s unexpected presence. Silence hung like a thick, choking fog in the air, and the ex-preacher was rooted to the spot. Nothing was said, but Sanchez knew he was finished, his body would betray him, his immoral thoughts heard. And his heart sank – a heart that was pounding like a drum.

Vin came nearer to the bed, and for one terrifying moment, the grey-haired peacekeeper thought his friend and colleague of several years, fellow law enforcer, would draw his gun and shoot him. God knows, Josiah certainly deserved to receive a bullet from this young man’s hand. It would be a fitting and fair justice against his inner treachery - a permanent solution to this never-ending misery.

Neither man spoke, but as the tracker got closer he smiled, that warm gesture conveying an understanding and a puissant knowledge that was as ancient as the Earth itself. Kneeling amongst the tangled bedding, Josiah doubted whether he could find anything to say to Vin. Couldn’t even get up the nerve to question the younger man and ask his reason for being here at such a late hour.

Or was the ex-preacher dreaming? Had he unknowingly returned to sleep’s murky seas, riding a crested wave that would eventually hit a beach to disperse in the sands of nothingness? Maybe during his agonised ravings, he’d drifted off again. Or perhaps he’d never woken. That must be the answer, Josiah reasoned. So, trapped in his dream-like state, would this delectable, and oh-so desirable, visitation be the instrument of his excommunication, or the beginning of his salvation? He had no idea. The ex-preacher was mute, struck dumb, and afraid to do anything that might break the spell that had transported this apparition to his beckoning bed. His… bed? Beckoning? Coming to his bed? What was he assuming? Or was he just hoping?

As this mind-blowing notion assaulted Josiah, Vin climbed onto the bed, and crawled over to the older man. His jacket had somehow vanished, and the tracker’s boots, socks, hat and gun belt had also gone. Before anything else registered in Josiah’s chaotic mind, the Texan was in front of the stupefied ex-preacher, on his knees and almost level with the other’s face. Vin’s blue eyes glittered with a feral light, which was paradoxical to the other things Josiah saw. The tracker seemed to glow with energy, and the barriers had been lowered as he showed his friend many different facets to his complex character. There was confidence, a look of mild curiosity, wisdom, compassion, innocence, comradeship, trust, but most of all – hunger.

"You called. I heard yer voice, so I came," Vin murmured, his tone holding more than a hint of promise.

I hear your voice; it's like an angel sighing,
I have no choice, I hear your voice.

The other’s soft, husky voice was nearly Josiah’s undoing. To his ears, it sounded like the voice of an Angel. The older man’s breath hitched – it was almost a shaky sob - and his shoulders slumped slightly, although his piercing gaze never left Vin’s features. He couldn’t have what he wanted, had no right to ask, nor accept if such a gift was presented to him. This was an abomination, and he would be a wrongdoer for doing such perverse things in the house of God. Could he ever be forgiven? Could he live knowing he’d sinned. Would he survive if he didn’t sin? It was a conundrum, but the dilemma was snatched from Josiah as Vin inched closer. The tracker’s lips suddenly brushed the other man’s; a soft, fleeting kiss that was akin to Paradise. How could this be so wrong?

-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-

Josiah melted into the Texan’s touch, his hands coming up with a will of their own, to pull Vin to him. He couldn’t quite believe what was happening. This was an element to his hallucination that he’d not had before, but the big peacekeeper wasn’t about to turn away from such enticement. Perhaps Vin was an Angel, sent by the Almighty to lead him back to righteousness. He certainly tasted angelic, like honey slathered on warm, freshly baked bread. The tracker smelled scrumptious too, with a hint of horse, leather and whiskey hanging on his breath, and Josiah wanted to savour every piece of the man’s aroma. The older peacekeeper lingered over those silky lips, licking and tracing a line along the lower one, sighing when he felt Vin’s mouth part and his tongue slipped out to gently lap Josiah’s.

Vin was holding onto his friend, relaxing into his lover and exhaling ecstatically as their kiss continued and deepened. There was no shyness, no hesitation, no guilt or uncertainty – there was just acceptance, inflamed by a strong need. The tracker finally broke away, but he guided the other man’s hand to his torso.

"It don’t seem fair that yer ahead of me, Josiah. Reckon I need to lose m’clothes," Vin remarked casually.

"Lose… your clothes? Vin, why… why did you come here?"

The Texan smiled as the other man asked the question. "’Cause I hear yer anguish - all the time. I feel the hurt inside ya, gnawin’ at yer soul, an’ it wounds me real bad. But I know I can make the pain go away. I’m yer healer, Josiah, and I’m waitin’ t’give you m’best medicine."

"Vin… I don’t know…. We shouldn’t… This isn’t…"

The protests were forced from Sanchez, and he cursed himself for acting like a foolish coward. How pathetic was he? This wasn’t reality, it couldn’t possibly be. So why did he still resist? Josiah could cherish that beautiful incarnation with his entire being, could share a special moment in this abstract time, and be satisfied with a solitary coupling. This was his redemption, his chance to recant, to purge himself and move on. God had banished Adam and Eve for less, but he would start his penance tomorrow, and do whatever it took to return to the fold. Vin had to be his saviour! Why else would he be here? His imaginary lover was showing him the way, and like a starving man at a banquet, Sanchez willingly went to feast.

With his back resting against the headboard, Josiah pulled Vin onto his lap and quickly unclipped the man’s suspenders, before his fingers found the shirt buttons. One hand worked at unfastening the garment, as his other carefully dug into Tanner’s long hair to guide his partner’s face towards him. Their lips met again, a firmer more erotic enjoining now, although still chaste and feather-light despite the ravenous intensity. Josiah had at last found smooth flesh under the clothing, a lean hard torso that was well-muscled, pliable, but not too malleable. A light covering of soft downy hair clung to the defined chest, with a greater smattering clustered around the Texan’s nipples. Sanchez groaned as his large hands skimmed over one of those pebble-like nubs, but his lips smiled around the lingering kiss when he heard his lover humming with mutual arousal.

They parted, both breathless from the sultry kiss, and Josiah unhurriedly eased the shirt off Vin’s shoulders. The garment hit the floor with a quiet swish, and without taking his eyes from the younger man’s face, the ex-preacher began working at the fly buttons on his friend’s pants.

Vin wore no underwear, and Josiah sucked in a ragged breath when his warm hands brushed the other’s bulging cock. Sweet Lord above! His friend was so handsome, his young flesh virile and definitely ready to please and be pleased in return. The tracker’s hips lifted of their own accord when Sanchez tugged at the clinging material, and he grinned at the older man as Josiah slid the pants down his legs.

The big peacekeeper moaned in sensuous need, when Vin perched astride his lover’s thighs and his rigid cock began sparring and batting against Josiah’s. With Tanner’s legs wrapped tightly around his waist, the ex-preacher relaxed back, drinking in every drop of the other’s essence. They were eye-level with one another, and had been stripped of all inhibitions, comfortable in their togetherness. There was no need for conversation and, apart from the pair’s even, shallow breathing, plus the occasional rapturous sigh, the church was relatively hushed as they carried on with their lovemaking.

Josiah’s hands and mouth roved constantly, slowly mapping and committing to memory every inch of skin, contour, each individual hair, blemish, muscle, battle scar and curve of bone his questing touches found. He nibbled the zenith of those strong shoulders, and then suckled long and hard at Vin’s arched neck, leaving the bruising red mark of his love on the other’s throat. The tracker’s breath quickened at that, and his fingers kneaded into his partner’s broad back as he showed his approval.

The pace was still deliciously unhurried, but once the former preacher had explored as much of his friend’s body as he could in this seated position, he gathered the younger man into his arms. He marvelled at the simplistic novelty of this action, amazed at how right it felt. Never had a dream seemed so real, so vibrant, intimate and perfectly synchronised. Josiah murmured a few affectionate words of encouragement into his phantom lover’s ear, before easing him down onto the bed and gently spreading the man’s lithe limbs.

The big peacekeeper could feel Vin’s eyes on him, languidly slitted, watching, taking in every nuance and caress that Josiah bestowed upon him. That almost predatory look filled the ex-preacher with love, showered him with harmony and contentment, and he drew strength from that blatant affirmation of channelled want.

The younger man sighed happily, smiling goofily when the other reached out to tenderly push away a stray lock of hair from Vin’s forehead. The moon had chosen this moment to put in an appearance through the high window. A light of pure white bathed the former bounty hunter’s naked form, creating an otherworldly nimbus around him, which added to the mystical imagery. The iridescent light cast shadows over the irregular angles of Vin’s hips, ribs and collarbone, and Josiah couldn’t stop the gasp of delight at this Heaven-sent miracle. He felt overwhelmed by emotions as he gazed at the wonderful body before him. This was exactly what he wanted, and any remaining doubts or thoughts of Biblical sin fled his mind. The fire was alight in his belly, and Josiah's cock was throbbing once more, tingling with a very human need; although he was determined to make this dream last as long as possible.

"Are you jes’ gonna stare all night, or are ya takin’ what I’m offerin’?" Vin asked in a faintly amused tone.

Josiah blinked rapidly, privately thinking that he must have gone mad. “Patience, Brother. First, I need something from that drawer beside you,” he replied after a while.

Tanner twisted his head around and, seeing his friend’s brief nod of encouragement, he opened the top drawer in the chest. He straightaway found a small tin, saying nothing as he placed it on the bed next to his leg.

"We won’t have any regrets will we?" Josiah wanted to know.

The ex-preacher felt stupid asking the question – or maybe he was insane. How could a man who wasn’t actually here in the physical sense, have regrets? Was Josiah getting cold feet, or was the dream about to end, halting at the same juncture it always did, leaving him bewildered and bereft once again.

"Not from where I’m layin’," Vin replied. He licked his lips, an indication that he was ready.

Sanchez reached for Vin’s hand, and gently kissed the calloused palm. It was confirmation, permission given and accepted for what was about to occur. In the younger man’s frank gaze, he discerned utmost trust, a steadfast honesty in his bedmate, and realised Vin spoke the truth. Josiah could also sense the impatience in his partner, as he waited to be consumed by his lover. So who was he to disappoint?

"Good. I just wanted to be certain before we went any further," the ex-preacher eventually responded.

"I’m certain, but I ain’t ever done this afore. Leastways, not wit’ a man," the tracker whispered.

There was a shy sweetness to Vin’s last sentence that propelled a surge of love, honour and pride directly to Josiah’s heart. He had created this idyllic situation in his mind, and had provided himself with an untouched, unspoilt, virgin lover. The tracker was supine on Josiah’s altar, waiting to be worshipped, eager to be baptised, initiated, whilst obviously desperate to provide succour for his colleague’s suffering. The older man smiled, suddenly surprised by the flush staining his friend’s cheeks. Did non-corporeal beings suffer from the same feelings, fears and emotions as the living? That was a bizarre idea to Josiah, and one he wasn’t keen to pursue – heck, he wasn’t that courageous! However, he didn’t want to chase away this phantasm, or alarm the Vin-like manifestation.

"There’s not… too much difference and I’ll take it mighty slow…. when we… pleasure one another. We’ll both learn as we go along."

As he spoke, Josiah trailed the forefinger of each hand down Vin’s legs, stopping when he got to the slender ankles. He took one of the tracker’s feet in his palms, kneading and rubbing with strong, deliberate strokes at the sole for a few moments. This dream was just getting better. He’d fantasised about doing this to Vin for so long, and now it was happening.

Lifting the appendage up, he drew his fingertips across the top of Vin’s toes, and then followed it up with his tongue, working across the skin until it was thoroughly damp. That quickly ended when the ex-preacher shoved the big toe fully into his mouth. He started to suck and lick it, but then got some momentum going and drew it in and out, back and forth, whilst he constantly teased it with his tongue. Vin cried out in wild abandonment, his back arching as his nerve endings came alive, and he breathlessly fell into this magnificent form of torturous delight.

In the moonlight, Josiah could see the young man’s cock trembling amongst the thatch of dark pubic hair, and noticed with a grunt of satisfaction the wetness welling at the pink, flared slit. He gazed, smiling with adoration at his surprisingly vocal bed-mate. The ex-preacher was experienced in the ways of love, and was delighted at how receptive and unguarded Vin was in the throes of passion. It was gratifying to feel his lover quiver, and to hear him giggle, when Josiah’s moustache tickled highly sensitised skin. Every little rub, stroke and suck he expertly tendered, elicited throaty growls and moans from the younger man, and Vin fondled his own raised nipples in tandem with Josiah’s motions. That clinched it. This beguiling body couldn’t possibly belong to the wary, shy, non-communicative tracker who rarely took off his hat or jacket, let alone strip naked. The Vin Tanner he knew couldn’t behave in this fashion, even if his life depended on it.

The older peacekeeper was enjoying himself immensely, but Josiah slowed his ministrations, not wanting to push Vin over the edge in this early foreplay. He caught a grasping hand, when the Texan made a grab for his own erection. "Oh, no you don’t!" he admonished, pushing the tracker’s arm away so he couldn’t relieve himself. "This is my dream, my call and all of your pleasuring is mine. I have to do this for you, Vin."

Lowering the foot, he walked his fingers to the top of Vin’s thigh, his lips dropping kisses on one leg as he crawled towards his ultimate goal. His hands hovered in the crease of the tracker’s leg, and his thumbs came out to swirl lazy circles around his companion’s hair-coated balls. They were hard, and the small nodules inside were like two diamonds, compacted but swollen with their need for expulsion. Unable to resist, Josiah cupped the sac in his hand and gently squeezed. Vin whimpered at the touch, squirming and thrusting his hips upward to increase and prolong the sensation. His eyes were wide, nearly all pupil, and they silently beseeched the older man for completion.

Josiah saw the weeping crystals of cum, tiny pearl-drops of juice that slowly tracked sideways down the taut crown of his partner’s cock. He captured the moisture with his fingertip, spreading it over the bulbous head. Placing his finger in his mouth, the older man closed his eyes, relishing the flavour as he greedily swallowed the first morsel from his friend. Spurred on by this, he bent down and took the full length of Vin’s cock into his mouth. It was warm, the ridged skin silkily smooth, but firm, crammed full with his young lover’s desire and expectations. Josiah began pumping that eager shaft, the musky saltiness of pre-cum registering on his taste buds, and he constantly swallowed the heady mixture of Vin’s juices and his own saliva.

The sighing moans coming from his partner made him goose-pimply, but it wasn’t too difficult to curb his own body’s response to the sound. Josiah had already had sexual freedom twice this evening, although the unconscious fumbling in his sleep had been far from satisfactory. Revering his ghostly lover’s form like this was much more rewarding - and simply divine. Tilting his head back slightly and relaxing his throat, Josiah took Vin’s entire cock into his mouth, whilst the tip of his tongue jabbed lightly at his partner’s perineum. This action quickly triggered Vin’s orgasm, his eyes closing and his ragged yell filling Josiah’s ears as his seed flooded the older man’s mouth.

Vin’s release was a delicacy, a sweetmeat, to the famished man and Josiah gulped down the warm liquid, sucking harder as his hand pulsed at the other’s balls to eke every drop of semen from his friend. Allowing the flaccid member to fall from his mouth, the big peacekeeper crawled up beside his friend, and wrapped the other in a powerful embrace. The tracker immediately sought out his partner’s mouth, licking the remaining droplets of his own juice from Josiah’s lips.

"Are you okay?" the ex-preacher asked, when Vin relaxed in his arms with a quiet sigh.

"More’ n’ that! I felt like I was flyin’! I was an eagle gliding above a snowy mountain, using the breeze t’take me to a faraway place."

"You’re a wild, free spirit, my son…. and a joy to this old man."

"Yer not that old!" Vin contradicted heatedly.

"No, maybe you have a point. Right now I’m holding someone who’s far older, certainly wiser and better than any man I’ve ever met."

"I ain’t wise or nuthin’, Josiah. But I can be better if you want me to be."

Vin’s raspy voice was quietly seductive, and he reached for Josiah’s cock, which was trapped between him and the sheet. The older man adjusted his legs a little, allowing his young lover to coax his now drooping manhood to firmness. It didn’t take much effort and a low growl rumbled deep in Josiah’s chest as Vin massaged the balls that were hardening under his fingertips. Josiah shifted on the mattress, rolling the tracker onto his back, before covering the man’s body with his own. He carefully kept the majority of his weight off Vin, as he renewed his lovemaking.

Only a few minutes had passed before Vin was moaning and panting from the wonderful sensations battering his body. Josiah had never known anyone so sensitive to a touch, or kiss, and he just couldn’t get enough of this ripe form beneath him. His hands played with the tracker’s long hair, his fingers carding through the long curls, until he swore he heard Vin purr. This made Josiah’s cock leap, and his lover felt it, because Vin’s hips began to thrust, the regularity and strength increasing as his excitement escalated.

Josiah pushed himself upright so he was kneeling between Vin’s thighs. It acted as a silent signal to the quivering Texan. His long legs came out and he laced them around Josiah’s hips, his ass butting up to, and then rocking against the other man’s trim stomach.

"Jos…iah! I want you… Oh, shit! Don’t leave me like this! Give me… yer lovin’… everythin’… afore I die or… or shoot ya or somethin’!" Vin gasped, his fists bunching in the sheet. His body plainly shrieked for more, and his tightly clenched ass lifted from the mattress as he tried to get better leverage.

Reaching for the tin, Josiah scooped out some grease and smoothed it over the fingers on his left hand, before applying a liberal amount to his stiff manhood. His cock jumped as he fondled it, and his balls were afire and hurting, almost bursting, from the pressure building within them. Finishing with the emollient, he doggedly kept a control on his own sexual feelings. This was a ‘one time only’ deal, and he wanted to revel in this pleasure, to temporarily break the bonds that respectable society, and his Faith, imposed upon him.

As if in a trance, Josiah’s lubricated finger found its way to the puckered opening, the digit easily slipping inside to be instantly encompassed by the Texan’s internal muscles. The older peacekeeper was a well endowed man, and he didn’t want to cause his friend any discomfort or… or what? Did an apparition feel pain? It made no odds - he wouldn’t penetrate fully until he was sure Tanner was ready to take him. Looking at the relaxed, ecstatic expression playing across Vin’s sweat-coated face, he pushed a second finger in with the first. Getting no resistance, he gently vibrated them as he slid the two fingers in and out, instinctively matching the rhythm with the younger man’s breathing.

The stimulating twitches were bringing the tracker to a rapid arousal, and he shuddered, howling like a banshee, when Josiah added a third finger and slowly went deeper. He kept going with his movement for a while, even when he wriggled closer and stole hard, bruising kisses from his love. This young man had breached all of Josiah’s defences with his sweet allure, and he couldn't get enough of Vin. Perhaps the Devil would call him to task after this blasphemy, but Sanchez was past caring now. This was worth banishment in Purgatory!

"Ah, damn! J’siah… you gotta… take me. I cain’t hold on…. please… finish this," Vin whispered, but the soft voice was stolen by another guttural howl.

There was a compulsion for Josiah to move faster now, in case the dream ended prematurely. Knowing his lover was prepared for him, he shifted in the bed until his leaking shaft was lined up with Vin’s ass cheeks. The tracker’s legs were clamped tightly around his friend’s torso, but Josiah managed to manoeuvre a pillow under the small of Vin’s back for additional support. Taking a quick gulp of air, the older man slowly and gently pushed his penis into that incredibly hot strait, delighting in the enticing pressure that was exerted on his rock-hard cock. Glancing down, Sanchez felt a wave of awe wash over him as half his length disappeared into Vin’s ass. He felt privileged, humbled by the gift his virgin lover was giving him, and a single tear trickled down his cheek. The ex-preacher felt a pang of sorrow, almost like he had to mourn the ruination of something so pure and chaste. No, this was just a dream, the little voice in Josiah’s head chided. The real Vin Tanner would be unchanged, unaffected by this illusory deflowering.

"Ohhhh….! Jeez… umm… J'siah... ahhh...! Fucking hell!"

Josiah suddenly froze, his concern evident, as he saw the agony etched on his friend’s sweat-slicked features. "Easy there, son. I promise you, the pain will soon pass," he soothed, moving closer into Vin’s tense body.

The tracker’s chin dipped briefly in a nod, and Josiah was relieved to see a game smile curve Vin’s slightly parted lips. The older peacekeeper studied the other, seeing no further distress as the man got accustomed to the cock plundering his back passage. Vin’s chest rose and fell steadily and, although he grimaced and gulped in some air when his friend penetrated deeper, he made no sound. Josiah took it steady, fearful of tearing the tracker internally. It felt like his cock was held in a searing vice, and he yearned to move, longed to make this man his before he woke up again. Another minute passed, and Josiah’s own breath caught in his throat when he felt Tanner’s balls tap against his skin, and knew without looking that his lover now sheathed his full length. Vin suddenly panted, wincing and mouthing words his brain clearly wouldn’t provide and his tongue couldn’t utter, as Josiah’s large penis inexorably stretched his innards.

The ex-preacher crooned out a few words of sympathy as Vin tossed his head from side to side. He hadn’t expected to feel such fear and worry for a person constructed from his own slumbering imagination. But it was far too late to worry about that. Trying to stave off the cessation of his dream, Josiah kept stock-still, although he couldn’t prevent the tiny motions as his groin muscles contracted, causing his cock to flex inside his lover. Vin groaned loudly yet again, and the older man automatically stroked the tracker’s thigh as more tremors shook his lean frame. Sanchez was on the verge of pulling out, ending this pillaging onslaught, when something incredible happened.

"JO…. SIAH!"

There was no mistaking Vin’s reaction now, or the exultation painted on his face. The scream of triumph said it all, and Josiah knew he’d reached that special place in a man, that mystical spot that is inexplicable and indescribable. Mindful of the damage he could do his friend – even accidentally – the ex-preacher began moving slowly to be sure the other could take him. That solicitous concession was very soon resolved by the fully aroused tracker.

Several curses and Indian oaths fell from between Vin’s clenched teeth as he pleaded and cried out for more, and he pushed down to emphasise his need. Josiah was only too happy to oblige his lover’s loud demands. He increased the rhythm, his long, sure thrusts picking up speed and momentum as the tracker squealed and writhed in unrestrained pleasure. Josiah slammed in and out, ransacking Vin’s nubile body, and groaning at the heat fermenting within his own distended balls. Every time he hit his lover’s hidden gland, the young man cried out Josiah’s name, and Vin’s hand worked in conjunction as he masturbated his own rampant cock. Perspiration flowed like a river from both labouring men, and flesh slapped against flesh as they gloried in their coupling.

Josiah’s body was begging for climax now, for absolution of this lovemaking, and he couldn’t deny it any longer. Taking Vin’s blood-engorged penis out of his hand, he began to stroke it in tempo with his own feverish drives. The lubricant still coating Josiah's fingers added to the rubbing sensation, and it didn’t take long to bring his sexually primed partner to orgasm. A jet of semen spurted into the air, spraying onto Josiah’s chest and belly, which sparked the big man’s own forceful discharge. He flung his head back, but still probed ever deeper with his exploding manhood, subconsciously marking his lover as his in a primeval ritual of ownership. The older man's chant had started when Vin came, and Josiah continued to mumble the mantra of thanks in an Indian dialect, as the last of his scalding seed filled his friend’s bowels.

Sweat poured down Vin’s face, mingling with the tears he’d shed and, as Josiah slowly pulled out of his partner’s ravished body, the tracker groped for a washcloth he’d seen earlier on the side chest. He silently handed it to Sanchez, before collapsing in a limp pile on the mattress. The Texan looked sated, replete, but he appeared to be totally drained of strength. The older man was exhausted too, but he spent the next few minutes gently cleaning the pair of them, wiping away sweat and semen, until only a sticky residue was left on their skin.

It astonished him that the fantasy, the dream, still continued, but Josiah gave a philosophical sigh and got comfortable next to the drowsy tracker. The young man would vanish soon, disappear in the same way that morning mist did, so the ex-preacher wanted to cherish this moment for all time.

"Vin, you have just made me the happiest man in the world," Josiah whispered in the other’s ear.

"Hmm? J’siah… you gave me such… love… it was somethin’… real… an’ special," Vin answered around a wide yawn. He’d spooned up to his lover - his back to the other’s chest - snuggling into those brawny arms and sighing contentedly, as he got comfortable. The young peacekeeper was already half asleep, although he smiled and wriggled closer when he felt the other's light kisses raining on his hair.

Josiah was totally at peace and, as he felt Vin relax completely in his embrace, he closed his own eyes and waited for morning to arrive.

-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-

It was the heat of the sun’s rays that eventually woke Sanchez, and he squinted at the brightness that illuminated his sleeping quarters and the rest of the church. Memory came back to him with a painful rush, and he sat up, at once aware that he was alone in the bed. This confirmed the supposition he’d made during his fractured night’s rest; the ardent lovemaking session with Vin had been no more than a wondrous dream. That thought actually comforted the ex-preacher, and he drew extra easement when he realised he’d thought of the long-haired Texan without getting a hard-on. His heart hadn’t leapt into his mouth either. That boded well for their future relationship, which was a relief. All was as it should be, and nothing had outwardly changed between him and Vin. That was bearable and something he could cope with.

Scrambling out of bed, Josiah padded over to the window and peered outside. He could see a stagecoach going along the town’s main thoroughfare. Shit! That was the two o’clock stage coming in! He’d slept the morning and most of the afternoon away, although it suddenly occurred to him that his slumber had been solid, deep and devoid of all nightmares. Evidently, that final dream had broken the pattern he’d existed with for so long. Josiah felt freed, liberated, like a heavy weight had lifted from his soul. He felt refreshed, cleansed and purified after the ephemeral and nocturnal lovemaking with his other-worldly bed-mate.

What he needed to do now, was clean the outward signs and the odour of sex from his physical form. He smelled of sweat and semen – his own obviously – and wanted to scrub away all trace of his solo passion. It didn’t take long to organise his clothing and wash-kit, and within a few minutes Josiah was entering the bath-house. The building was empty, as he expected it would be at this time of the day, so he left his money on the manager’s desk and readied a bath.

Josiah leaned back in the warm, soapy water, humming a few bars of ‘Jerusalem’ to himself as he enjoyed his bath. He couldn’t see the front door from where he was, but he wasn’t alarmed when he heard the bell jangle as someone came into the steam-filled building. It was probably the proprietor coming back from a liquid lunch at the saloon.

"Howdy, J’siah."

The ex-preacher sat bolt upright in the bath, stunned by the sudden appearance of Vin Tanner. No, he definitely wasn’t dreaming now! What was the man doing here? Josiah's confusion must have shown, because Vin immediately started to explain to his friend.

"I’s jes’ got back from patrol. That orn’ry, miserable, hunk of glue-bait I ride tossed me in a mud-hole. Ez said I smell like an abby… abbor… abbat… aw, hell! A slaughter-house! He ain’t usually that fussy, but even Chris wrinkled his nose and backed away from me. So I thought I’d best get me a bath," the younger man said conversationally.

Josiah had noticed how stiffly the other man walked, and couldn’t help frowning as he wondered at the cause. "Are you hurt, Brother Vin?"

Vin had shrugged out of his jacket, and was sitting down to unlace his boots. "Nah… well, a few scrapes an’ bruises on m'legs mebbe, but m’pride’s hurting more ‘n’ anythin’. I's gonna shoot that damned mule one day!" he grumbled of his irascible gelding.

The ex-preacher relaxed back again. He was relieved and reassured that he appeared to have no problems with the tracker’s presence. ‘Thank you Lord, things are looking up for me it seems.’ Picking up the bar of soap, he began to lather his arms and shoulders, paying no attention to the man across the room. The thud of Vin’s boots hitting the floor made Josiah briefly glance up, but he soon returned to his ablutions. A clink of metal as the tracker’s gun belt was hung on the hook above his tub, distracted him again, and the ex-preacher idly watched Vin whilst he unfastened his bandanna.

Everything was forgotten, his mind went blank and time seemed to stand still, when Josiah’s eyes were suddenly drawn like magnets to Vin’s neck. On the young man’s throat was a reddish-black bruise in the shape of a mouth. A love bite that looked fairly raw and recently done – as recent as last night. A lover's brand, located in precisely the same spot that Josiah had marked his dream bed partner. The big peacekeeper couldn’t help it; his cock suddenly came erect, its head breaking water, whilst his balls hardened at the exquisite memory. This was a mistake… it had to be! Vin must have been with a woman. At that thought, Josiah felt a twinge of jealousy ripple through him, and his jaw dropped open as that notion scratched at his addled brain. The soap fell from his lax fingers, making a small plop as it fell into the water.

"Shall I find yer soap, Josiah?"

Wearing nothing but a smile, Vin had suddenly appeared beside the ex-preacher’s tub, his blue eyes twinkling mischievously as he asked the question. Squatting down next to his shocked-looking friend, he leaned over and planted a lingering kiss on Josiah’s still wide open mouth.

"I jes’ wanted t’be sure you remembered what that felt like," Vin whispered, as he ended the intense kiss.

Josiah finally found his tongue, and his hand reached out to caress the younger man’s whiskery cheek. "I do. But I’d really like another reminder," he murmured.

Before Vin could react, he was grabbed by the neck and hauled, with a splash, into his lover’s bathtub. Josiah grinned as his partner yelped, but that was soon quashed and his struggles ceased when the big man began laying fervent, desperately hot kisses on his heart’s desire. The dream had become reality, and he would follow that quiet, drawling voice beyond the stars if he had to. But first, Sanchez had some more exploring to do, discoveries to make and much loving to share with Vin – and Paradise could go to Hell!