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Within Our Darkest Hours (A story about romance, horror, and the occult)

Chapter 1: Take Five...

The air inside "Side-A Jazz Bar and Lounge" had become a thick greenish gray smoke screen of tobacco and liquor fumes. Patrons sat back in their burgundy colored lounge chairs and on black barstools as the sweet calming melodies of the lead Alto saxophone player onstage began to float through the crowd and into the hearts of the many older patrons. The lanky, bi-speckled, lynx on stage grasped the golden brass horn like a mother would hold a small child in her arms, carefully, delicately playing each note exactly where he wanted it. The smooth swing groove of the ride cymbal dryly tapped out the relaxed tempo of the chart with the lynx beautifully playing out notes of Dave Brubeck's Take Five though the voice of the horn. The smooth over tones of the saxophone, mixed with the piano and drums created the ultimate atmosphere of relaxation, drinking, and satisfaction. It was the prefect song for 10 o'clock in the evening on a Saturday.

Chester Savoi let out a small sigh as he checked his thin black wrist watch hoping that happy hour would hurry up and finish or at least die down slightly. He yawned, louder than he meant to getting a look from an older gentleman slightly down from him at the bar. He blushed and turned the other cheek to the man who returned his gaze to the music. Watching the live band was mesmerizing but it was also possibly too relaxing, he did have a job to attend to. The bar was pretty crowded tonight with furs of every complexion and species and his job was to keep them happy, hydrated and more importantly drunk.

"Eh bartender!" A voice, sharp in pitch rang out in midst of the saxophone solo.

The thirty year old raccoon shifted his gaze from the grooving saxophonist and toward a middle aged brown bear with a crisp twenty dollar bill clasped in a thick paw who took a seat across from him at the counter.

"Yes sir?" he replied in a indifferent pitch.

The bear flashed the twenty again to prove that he wanted a drink.

"Martini on the rock's, heavy on the gin." He said gruffly.

Chet gave him a quiet nod of acceptance and relived him of his money before ducking behind the counter to find the gin, vermouth and olives. He had to squint in the dim yellow lighting to even see the label on the dusty bottles, but to his relief found them and began mixing the drink to the bears specifications: On ice, heavy on the gin.

Passing the drink back to the bear with his change, the raccoon just wanted to let the calming jazz music take him away from this place and back home to his nice soft bed and a warm blanket. Jazz music is one of the few reasons he still liked working at the bar but that was about it. The musty smelling bar was always dark even on sunny days with an ancient dust layer covering almost every window in the joint. That combine with the almost over abundance of old men and alcoholics made for a pretty miserable job as a bar tender.

"Maybe if I were older..." He thought before shaking off the though of working here at age 50.

That really scared him.

Chet let out another muffled sigh as he gazed around the room at the schmoozing furs. They were drinking, and talking and acting generally happy and content with hanging out in a out of date bar in the swamps of Crenshaw, Louisiana. However, he knew that he was not one of them.

Since when did a college education in journalism make you end up in a bar? He pondered.

Adjusting his leaning position so that he was resting now on both elbows, paws interlaced under his scruffy white chin he knew he had brought this job on himself. He knew he let Brian get into his head when the newspaper he was working at was failing back in New York all those years ago. He closed his eyes in thought.

"Just go to bar tending school and get your basic license, I can teach you the rest."

...

"Now don't look at me like that, you know the journalism dream is dead in the water and this is a job that will always be there even when times are tough. Hehe actually it gets more money when times are tough."

...

"Please just do it for us, not for me but for us, we really need the money. I can maybe help you open up your own place one day, just me and you...I promise."

A dense feeling ran down from his chest and into his abdomen. That feeling was all too familiar and he stood up avoiding the thoughts on his mind. He flicked a small tear from the corner of his eye, not even making a face as he masked the pain he held in his heart. He knew why this place felt wrong.

It started the day Chester Savoi left home...

The raccoon huffed out his third and final sigh of the long evening before waiting for the song to end and the applause to begin. As the audience roared with applause and the speckled lynx took a shallow bow with respective company, Chet lit a cigarette under the counter and took a few quick drags shaking off the sorrow that plagued his body. Fairly quickly the cigarette made it's way into one of the many gray plastic ash trays that littered the counter of the bar. Smoking in the bar when your not on break could get him in some serious trouble but he could care less. instead, he just smiled, possibly for the first time tonight.

"Good job kid..." He muttered to the young lynx on stage.

*

Closing time was always the best part of his job and Chet was all too eager to get home once the bar was locked up. He always preformed the same routine when he wanted to lock up the bar: flip the stools, clean the counters, count up the days pay and liquor levels and finally, close the metal gate across the windows and entrance. Today was no different than any other day of the week, except maybe the heavy rain. Chet gazed across the dimly lit waterfront that the bar was located on. It was not a strange phenomenon that rain come to Louisiana so often; the state was located on the water and was below sea level. However, tonight it was the sky that was strange and mesmerizing to the raccoon. The normal black storm clouds that lingered over head spoke in bellowing streams of highly charged electrons. Lightning flashes of dark blue streaked across the night sky over the Teche river, illuminating the parallel islands white walled mansions and giving a clear view of the withering steel cables of the San Alester river bridge. Just the fact that Chet could even see the bridge at this time at night was...odd. The streets of Crenshaw were only lit by gas lamps, old school reminders of the town's beginnings in the late 1700's. These dim gas lamps gave only the necessary amount of light needed to see what was a couple feet in front of you, or the street car tracks that carved neat metal lines in the road. Chet could feel his fur become heavy the moment he stepped out from under the awning after locking the door. This was turning into a raging torrent of a storm fast.

He shuddered in cold spring rain as he began to walk down the sidewalk and toward the lonely English Green Saturn in the empty parking lot at the end of the block. The rain came in horizontal sheets as the wind of the storm picked up and pounded Chet's grey and black cheek fur. He pulled his black visor-beanie down over his brow keeping the ice water from blinding him, while simultaneously zipping up his dark grey hoodie, the hod over his hat already. Walking blindly towards his car was not what he had in mind today, especially when it was 3am and pitch black outside. After passing many red brick buildings and store fronts, Chet's paws rested on the hood of Saturn. He reached into his now completely soaked jacket pocket and retrieved his keys to unlock the car. With just a few turns of his hand, he was already on his way back to his condo on the far side of town.

"What a shitty night outside, I can't see a damn thing on these roads." He mumbled out loud.

The raccoon kept driving down the long and twisty back woods road towards his home. Trees covered in spanish moss draped over the road blocking out mass amounts of rain water and wind making a hauntingly quiet silence. Chet hated the silent ride back towards his house, especially on nights like this. The road reminded him of something straight out of a horror movie. It was pretty by day but a nightmarish paradise for the fears of the mind at night.

BRRRRRRRR!

"Fuck!" The raccoon squealed as he nearly jumped out of his own skin slowing the car down rather quickly for a road like this.

BRRR! BRRRRR!

Chet reached over the steering wheel and picked up the madly vibrating cellphone, the small blue screen brightly glowing with caller ID.

Dabney Lowsley

"Dammit Dabbs..." He rubbed his temples in frustration, heart now pounding in his ears from the mental scare.

Who calls someone at three in the morning, this better be really important.

"Hello?" He answered voice slightly shaky.

There was a moment of silence before a muffled breath and an answer were heard on the other line.

"Ello sunshine!" The suave chutney accent of the English cat rang loudly in the sleepy raccoons ears.

"*sigh* Why is it that you need to call me at three in the morning after I JUST get out of work?"

The raccoon ears flicking back and forth in agitation.

"Awww...don't be like that Chester, you know it only means that I love you." The cat mused.

Chet snickered.

"Yeah right...you love my dick much more than I think you love me." The cell phone now trapped between Chet's shoulder and his fuzzy grey and black ear.

The snow leopard scoffed loudly into the phone

"Ouch...that hurts you know...I'm not that shallow...well maybe I am but...I was giving you a call to see if maybe you wanted to stay at my place for the night. You know, and let me prove to you just how much I really do love...well your happy parts."

Chet could feel the crimson begin to burn in his cheeks accompanied by sweat beads forming at his brow ridge.

Chet swallowed hard.

"Do you really want to right now? It's late and you and me aren't really well...you know...together anymore."

"That didn't stop you the last time." Dabbs retorted quickly making Chet pause in embarrassment. Dabbs was right about that last part, but how much more could Chet do this before he crawled back to the guy. He sighed into the phone.

" Dabbs you can't just keep using me as a booty call, i'm not with you anymore remember? That means no sex right?"

The leopard chuckled quietly into the phone receiver.

"Not always Chet, not always. Besides, I know you really want to, I can tell by the way your voice is shaking now, by your ragged breaths into the phone receiver." He spoke in a low voice.

Chet pulled his maw away from the phone and held his breath attempting to slow his heart rate down. Even if they were through, the thought of the sexy cat made Chet's heart rate increase and blood flow into an area he would rather not think about at the moment.

A meek "yes" was all he could reply into the phone, knowing the cat still had his heart by tiny strings.

"Yes what?" The cat asked suavely.

Chet swallowed.

"Yes I still want you Dabbs, and yes I would love to come over right now but that does not mean I forgive you, nor does it mean we are back together do you understand?"

Chet imagined the cat smiling widely on the other line and it made his stomach uneasy.

"Alright love, when should I expect you?"

There was a muted paused between the two males in which only the pattering of rain hitting the car windshield could be heard along with the distant roll of thunder. After a few more seconds, Chet responded.

"Ok...I'll be over in twenty minutes." he grunted before adding, "But your supplying the condom."

The leopard snickered into the phone again before throwing sexual innuendo onto his voice,

"I'll be waiting with open arms love."

There was a sharp click and the line went dead...

*

The English green Saturn rolled to an easy stop in front of a large brick clad apartment complex. Chet pulled the car under one of the streets many gas lamps and killed the engine before stepping out into the still pouring rain. After a few quick steps, Chet was under the cement awing of the building ringing the buzzer that he rang, many time before. Many of those time were at a very late hour. After a few rings from the receiver, the all to happy English voice chimed through the speaker.

"Come on up love!"

Dabbs you eager devil...

Chet chuckled to himself as the metal gate on the front door unlock with a loud *clank* and the soaking wet male began to make his way up to his best friend and ironically ex-boyfriend's third floor apartment.

The front door was all ready open by the time Chet reached the top of the flight of stairs, huffing a little from the brisk pace he took getting up here. As the door fame became closer to the raccoon, the strong smell of vanilla incense penetrated his nostrils flooding his brain with a soothing feeling.

He reads me like book, sneaky cat...

Vanilla was a personal favorite of Chet's and he knew that a surprise was going to be in store when he made his approach through the faded white door frame and into the candle lit burgundy living room.

And what a surprise did he find.

A musky smelling white and grey furred snow leopard laid sprawled out naked on the couch. His black spots reflecting the candle light making them glow with a slight sheen. Chet's maw dropped open slightly as he just stared at the naked figure on the couch. He was one sexy cat, but Chet already knew that.

Dabbs purred with approval as Chet leaned against the door frame smirking.

"Are you going to just stare or are you going to come in and...touch."

Chet blushed as he closed the door behind him.

"I didn't know this was the please touch museum." he retorted cleverly.

There was a moment of dead silence where the couple just exchanged looks, a "Whut?" look coming from the big cat while the raccoon just sheepishly let his ears fall to his head.

why did I say that!? Damn brain, think before you...

The cat stood up now smiling wide, tail thrashing around behind him in excitement. He quickly traversed the short distance between the two and place a warm paw upon the raccoons cheek.

Chet's features eased up as brought his left paw up and placed his hand over top of the warm snow leopards. The cat smiled.

"Your a bloody du-fuss you know that?"

Chet had no time to let that statement sink in as the cat pressed his warm, soft lips onto his own. The sensation that he was all too familiar with rushed over him like the dark clouds that blanketed the old mariner city outside. It was massive, it was heavy, but it was in his chest.

It was the feeling guilt and warmth, loving warmth mixed with guilt. It was a storm raging inside his body not just outside.

The feeling spread all over his body as Chet began to make out with the cat. Dabbs, began to pull down the raccoons jeans as he slumped backward onto the couch cradling the fuzzy gray sack in his hand. He gave a light squeeze causing Chet to moan, and he sheath to stir. The crown of his soft pink penis began to emerge out of hiding, flooding the cats nostrils with male pheromones and sweaty stench. Chet could feel the cats hot erection lifting up into his taint as the raccoon sat on top of the big cat, face burrowed in his chest. The fine barbs messaged his underside sending shivers up his spine, the heat making his own erection that much harder. The raccoon began to grind his own veiny erection into the soft, white belly fur of the leopard as the two furs locked muzzles again only pulling off to answer each other with grunts, or for air. The big cat reached over towards the small end table by the couch in which a tiny bottle of KY lube and a condom sat, awaiting it's master's use. Now grasped firmly in his paws the cat broke off the kissing and gave the raccoon's penis a light squeeze arousing a slight "murrr" of pleasure from his maw.

Chet knew exactly what Dabbs wanted.

"The usual?" Beamed Chet, all to eager to satisfy his throbbing appendage, the pleasurable feelings rushing throughout his body.

The big cat murred with compliance as he tore the condom open with his teeth, before unrolling it onto his own slightly leaky appendage. Dabbs took a graceful amount of warming lube from the container and smeared it over his first two paw pad rubbing it together to warm it up. Chet climbed off the big cat and assumed the downward dog position as the cat kneeled behind him while spreading his soft, gray cheeks apart with his left paw. Ever so gingerly, Dabbs ran his lubed up paw around the tight, pink hole that was Chet's anus.

"Ohhhhhh god that feels great.." Chet elicited in sheer satisfaction.

The leopard smirked as he still teased Chet's anus with his finger pads. Suddenly, he retracted his fingers before pulling both cheeks apart with his paws and bending his face down. The next thing that Chet felt was an immense amount of pleasure in the form of a warm tongue that traveled up his anus. This sent a feeling of warmth and pleasure up around his body making him moan in pleasure and bliss. The sensation of light bristles of the cats tongue gliding over the raccoons second opening was causing both furs members to start leaking pre cum in vast amounts. Chet dug his claws into the carpet and arced his spine in a downward flexing motion.

"Quit teasing me already and mount me Dabbs!" Chet begged in sexual bliss, the strong smell of cat and raccoon musk filling the room to capacity.

The cat silently obey and with out warning shoved his tip of his penis into Chet's second hole with slight gliding force. Chet gasped at the sudden pain that filled his rectum. As Dabbs made his way in he could feel every single hot inch of leopard cock working its way up into his insides. It wasn't until he could feel the cats, fuzzy, white balls against the back of his taint that he knew he was all the in.

"Ready love?" Dabbs asked whimsically.

The raccoon let out a long deep breath before adjusting his front paws in the carpet and cracking a smile.

"All good, fire away captain!" He sung, he cock giving another hard twitch.

Dabbs let out a hearty tenor chuckle before starting to slowly buck his hips back and forth.

"Alright sailor, this is your captain speaking...prepare to fire cannon 1!" He put on his best British navy captain voice in joking manor.

Before Chet could even laugh he was feeling a rush of mesmerizing pleasure as the big cat screwed his insides. Each thrust of Dabbs hips made the raccoon wish that the pleasure would never stop. He liked being here, in this position, and...he would never turn down an offer for some company with his favorite snow leopard, even if his mind told him no, his heart screamed yes.

He was still madly, stupidly in love with the big cat.

The thrusting and panting and moaning only continued for about four minutes. Within that time, Dabbs was already giving a reach around to Chet, rubbing his hand smoothly over the raccoons cock pinching the tip slightly with his thumb paw. The raccoon was leaking heavier and heavier amounts of pre until...

"Uhhh...god I think i'm going to...oh man I'm going to..."

The biggest wave of pleasure the raccoon had experienced of the night now hit him as he emptied the contents of his penis into Dabbs' outstretched paw.

The cat thrust his penis back and forth now faster and harder as his orgasm became all to much for him to control. Release was shortly followed.

"UUUGGHHHHH!" Dabbs moaned as he emptied his seed into Chet's rectum still staying however within the confines of the special feline condom. Chet felt his arms grow weak from the leopards full weight now pressing down on his back and the two collapsed onto the living room floor where this same ritual had happened many times.

* Ten minutes later and the two furs were sitting side by side on the large jade green sofa wrapped in matching pink bathrobes. On the plasma screen in the corner of the room, the sly wolf Dexter Morgan was cutting up some snuff tape rapist and stuffing him into black Hefty bags to be thrown into the gulf stream. Chet leaned up against the robe clad leopard who was in turn leaning against the arm rest of the couch. Dabbs ran his slender paws through Chet's messy short dark gray head fur, the warmth of his finger tips radiating into his scalp. Chet really did like these moments with the English cat. Dabbs had always been there for him, ever since he fled New York City to come back home, and Dabbs was the only face he still found true comfort in even if he was his ex and just wanted sex out of him. He let out a big sigh as Chet pulled off the big cat and sat up, twiddling his thumbs.

Some things still hurt however, even years after they are done with. It had been three years since they broke up.

The mood lost its easiness and the snow leopard immediately knew that something was wrong. He sat up right on the couch and stared at the raccoon with his piercing emerald eyes.

"What's wrong love?" Dabbs spoke softly in a caring tone.

The raccoon sniffled before looking up at the leopard with his own amber eyes.

"I-It's just..." He swallow hard, "I just keep thinking about how I got here... and about us..."

The leopard frowned as the memories of three years came rushing back like an old film reel. All the arguments and the fighting and the escape...it was... a lot to remember, and maybe too painful.

Dabbs cleared his throat, "Look...what I did three years ago was really, really stupid of me...and I'm so, so sorry I hurt you like that." He paused to breath. "Justin's no longer part of my life...you know that Chet." He took Chet's chin in his paw. "...And that's why were not together right now...because you know I'm not a one fur type of person."

Chet felt his heart sink into his stomach. This wasn't new news. Dabbs had told him on a night like this years ago that they could only be friends with benefits because he would just end up hurting him again. It was always the same fucking speech.

At least he values friendship...sort of...

Chet shook his head dislodging the paw on his chin. It wasn't about friendship, or how many guys he even slept with. No matter how much "friends" they were...he still felt SOMETHING for him...and he was sure it was love, their old love from years ago.

He had to speak his mind.

"Dabbs, I know how much you care for me and...I know we have been through a lot together, but I will always still have feelings for you...even if you did cheat on me when we were a couple."

Chet could see how much those last few words stung by the look on Dabbs' face; a curling of his lower lip and crinkling of his furry brow. It was a minute before the silence was broken again.

"Your right... but no matter how much I care for you too, I'll just never be the person you thought I was when we hooked up and... I don't want to be the next Brian in you life."

Chet's ears flipped down in hurt as he thought of more memories. Brian...that sexy, lovable, talented fox who...

Chet lifted a paw toward his right cheek where a long thin line of furless skin ran on a jagged angle down his cheek.

...who was an alcoholic, abusive son of a bitch. New York City was the last time he ever saw him. The hurt was more than just mental in that relationship.

The leopard noticed the petite gray paw pads gingerly reach up for the scar and he quickly took both Chet's paws in his.

"Chet...I care for ya dearly as a friend and as a lover...if you ever have any kind of problem, name it and I will help you solve it, but the sex between us...it's just sex...good, fun and nothing more. I wish it could be more but I just...don't trust myself." His ears folded down as the words trailed off and left him speechless.

Chet's ringed fluffy tail slumped flat on the floor followed by his ears. Being crushed by your ex was never fun but...this was probably the third time this conversation has happened. He wrinkled his brow in frustration before easing up and looking Dabbs square in the eyes.

"But I still love you...don't you still love me?"

... ... ...

"Yes...but I shouldn't..."

Chet felt sick to his stomach.

"So you won't change?"

"I can't change, will not and cannot are two very different things love."

Chet looked down at the floor.

"So you keep calling me over for late night sex just to tell me your going to be sleeping with more people than just me?"

"I work in a gay bar hun, it's what I do."

Chet glared at Dabbs suddenly in anger.

"So that's your excuse for being an asshole? I met you in that fucking bar for gods sake!"

Dabbs sighed and scratched his head.

"I'm sorry Chet it's just something I can't help. I don't want you to love me like that because of what has already transpired between us. If you love me like a fuck buddy it would be in all our best interests. I still love you and care for your well ebing and i would love to be with you again but...I just...can't."

Chet slumped back onto the couch and pulled his tail in close to his chest like a long fluffy Teddy bear.

" Can Iask you a favor then?"

The cat slouched back, a sad look still in his eyes.

"Anything sunshine."

Chet smiled at his pet name...it was self given by dabbs because...he was always soooo happy. Sarcasm was very much Dabbs' thing. He swallowed quietly before speaking,

"Can you...can you help me find a date? I mean a really good guy?"

The leopards eyes softened and snorted lightly before forcing a smile.

"Anything for you sunshine. I take you down to the club tomorrow after your done work. No late shift correct?"

The raccoon nodded mutely.

"Just til nine." He chimed in softly.

"Great, we'll get you a great date for sure." Dabbs spoke through pained eyes.

Chet looked into the big cats eyes and had to avert his gaze. There was always something about the hollowness of his eyes when they talked about other men that made Dabbs seem...unnerving.

*

Laying in bed next to a warm leopard did not help him mentally as he prepared his mind for tomorrow evening. "Woodies" gay bar, both the only dance joint and gay bar in the entire town, was also the job site of the very sexy cat sleeping next to him. he owned the building for starters and many nights of Chet's have been spent just sitting at the bar talking to the cat as he worked, staring at his hot ass and drunken sexual suggestions. However, his thoughts had always drifted back to their relationship in the end. How much he loved him deep down...how strong their love was when they met back in Lafayette.

Lafayette...home. I haven't been back in years since moving to New York. Haha and to think that I fell in love with the person I'm in bed with now there. Until my parents found out and I had to move here.

Chet rubbed some beads of sweat off his forehead before adjusting position.

And once we broke up...I fell for another loser...and crawled right back here to this one. But this one...he's not a loser...he's just something else.

Chet scratched his groin before shifting his position into a cuddling position, wrapping his arms lightly around the sleeping cat.

...And Dabbs' soft fur absorbed Chet's quiet tears without stirring the English cat.