Chapter Two:

Chapter Two:

"Apooooooooooollo!"

The fifteen year old would have groaned aloud if he weren't trying so desperately to hide from a horde of sex crazed females. Hiding behind the garbage can outside of the cafeteria wasn't one of his better plans, but it would do for the moment. Noting the emptiness of the hall, he dashed towards the school's front entrance. The sunshine through the clouded glass called to him. So close…almost there…

Rough hands pulled him into an empty classroom.

Damn. So close.

"Hey Jeffrey," Apollo muttered, smiling tightly as he was manhandled against the wall.

"Apollo…why do you keep fighting it?" the jock asked him, running his hands up and down the smaller boy's arms.

"Fighting what?"

"The attraction between us."

Apollo rolled his eyes. "You've been watching your girlfriend's soaps again, haven't you."

"Why you gotta bring her up? She means nothing…not like you." He licked the shell of his ear. Spit dribbled down the side of his throat.

"Oh, gross. Let me go. Before someone comes in."

"Come on. You know you wanna."

That was the worst of it. Apollo kind of did.

It started with puberty. The day his baby fat started disappearing. All the kids at the foster home started to stare, whispered and giggled when he asked what was wrong. People on the streets he passed everyday going to school would no longer smile at him. They leered. As he got older, it became clearer what had been going on. What they wanted from him. He could Sense it; the energy. The closer he got to someone, the more he could Feel the desire.

He was a teenager. Of course he'd taken advantage of it.

At first.

He'd gone out with Sally for almost two months before he noticed a change in her appearance. Gauntness to her cheeks. A dullness of her skin. When asked, she smiled his concern away. But that same night as they lay down to have some fun, Apollo placed a hand on her breast; and saw blood vessels rise around his fingers. Felt energy racing up his arm and spreading through his body. He groaned from the feel of it. He'd never felt so good. He kissed her hungrily, but pulled back when she wilted beneath him.

His touch stole life.

Apollo refused all advances after that. He tried to shy away from accidental touches as he walked in crowds. He refused to have sex.

His body only craved it more.

So he stood there within Jeffrey's arms, breathing in the desire, sucking up the energy like the deprived sponge that he was. Just a few minutes couldn't hurt, right? He already felt so much better…

Jeffrey fumbled a hand into the front of Apollo's pants.

Apollo promptly kneed him. So much for that. He cursed as the horde took up the chase. Surely once he was outside he would be free? Oh, look, still chasing. Wait was that a cab?!

He dove into the yellow bucket and slammed the door shut, locking it. "Go" he breathed, eyes closing and head tilted back in relief. The car didn't move. "Uh…please go?" he tried again.

"The Poisonberry; 27th and Sunrise."

The teenager slammed himself against the door, hands clawing at metal and eyes wide. There was a man sitting next to him. In a locked car. Please, somebody save his ass!

"Calm down, Apollo. I'm not about to attack you."

Oh that made him feel so much better. Was he some type of stalker? "How do you know my name?"

The stranger threw him a lopsided grin. "You tutor at the elementary school across the street, right?"

Well, he had, until he couldn't keep his grades up. He had sacrificed too many afternoon lessons to escape from the masses for that. "Yeah."

"You tutored some children last year. One of them was named Trucy."

Apollo let out a breath. "Oh; you must be Trucy's dad. Sorry for being so jumpy, Mr. Wright," he apologized, laughing in embarrassment.

"Phoenix."

They shook hands. "Apollo Justice. So…thanks for…cause, uh…they…" he trailed off. How do you explain that everyone found you irresistible and wouldn't keep their hands off you? It sounded conceited even in his own mind. Besides, just about now, whoever he was talking to would reach out and try to

Wait.

Why wasn't Mr. Wright trying to get into his pants?

"Don't worry kid. I'm not going to ravage you here in the taxi."

His eyebrow twitched. "Why's that?"

Another crooked smile. "Not enough room."

"Driver, if you could pull over"

"Calm down. Can't you take a joke? Relax. We're almost there."

"Almost where? I didn't run away from a group of hormone-driven teenagers to be an easy lay for some scruffy old guy."

The taxi driver snorted.

"Laugh it up… see if you get paid today." He crossed his arms and pouted. "Why does everyone say I'm old? I wasn't old last year…was I Mike?"

"It's the whiskers, Mr. Wright." He wiggles blunt fingers in front of his own chin. "I told you last time to shave."

"Yeah, yeah…"

Apollo didn't know if he should feel better or worse. In one hand, Mr. Wright had now proven that he knew other members of society; most members of society were decent people. Or they had been before his voice dropped. But on the other hand…he knew the driver. If he really wanted to assault him, the other guy would probably just pull over and wait till he was done. Damn it!

"There you go Mr. Wright. That'll be 17.90."

"Put it on Poisonberry's tab, Mike."

"Yeah, yeah…say hi to Trucy for me," he grunted. "Hey. Kid."

Apollo jerked in his seat. "Huh?"

"You listen to what Mr. Wright has to say. There ain't nobody better than Mr. Wright and his friends from Poisonberry. Understand?"

"Er…"

"Understand!?"

"YES SIR!" Apollo shouted at attention. The older man laughed in his face. The teenager wilted. "You're alright, kid. You're alright…" Mike pulled away from the curb.

Said kid stared after the cab, mouth open and eyes glazed. It was a conspiracy.

"Come on." A heavy hand dropped on the boys shoulder. "Time to meet the family."

"What are you talking about? What's…why did you bring me here?" Apollo's shoulders drooped. He was tired. And lonely. And cold. He didn't want to play games anymore.

Phoenix held out his hand. "I know you're feeling drained. Here. You'll feel better."

"NO." He shook his head and backed away. "No, you don't understand. I can't"

"You won't hurt me, Apollo. You can't drain me like you can everyone else." Phoenix stepped closer. "Take my hand."

He knew. He knew. How maybe…maybe he could just…for a second? No, he promised, he promised himself he wouldn't hurt anyone else ever.

Phoenix grabbed the hand he hadn't known was reaching.

He did feel better. "How?"

The older man smiled. It looked real. "They're waiting to meet you. Let's go."