Luis rolled his eyes. “You're only horny because you're in your underwear. Maybe later, when we go back to the cabin and Jase is there.” He was hoping Jase would remember more about his past by the time they returned. He was counting on it, so Jase could figure out a way for them to get out of this mess and home in time for Thanksgiving. If they didn't get home in time, it would devastate everyone.
Hood grabbed Luis's hand and shoved it between his legs. Luis's eyes opened wider when he felt Hood's erection busting through his boxer shorts. Luis laughed and stroked Hood a few times, then said, “You'd better calm down and start thinking about something else.” He stroked him again. “This is obscene, you pervert. And it's not going to happen.”
When Luis and Hood caught up with the others, they reached a point in the road where they could see the main house on the compound. From what Luis saw, it was a classic, two-story white farmhouse that had a steep roof, a wraparound porch, no shutters, and a large red barn to the right. It looked amazingly well kept, too. Luis had been expecting to see a dilapidated old wreck of a house, with broken windows and holes in the roof.
Beth Anne pointed to a small sign in the road that read, “Carousel,” in faded red script. The sign had an arrow that pointed toward a narrower road on the right. “Hey, I want to see the carousel. Let's go down this road first.”
Luis wasn't fond of the dark road they were on now. A chill passed through his body when he thought about going down the smaller road.
Hood said, “It's too dark. There's probably nothing down there anyway. It's been years since anyone's been here.”
Beth Anne stomped her right foot. She grabbed Blaze by the arm. “I want to see it. If you guys won't come with us, we'll just go by ourselves.”
Blaze's eyes opened wider, as if she wanted to think that through a little more.
“Why do you always have to be such a pain in the ass, Beth Anne?” Hood asked. He was gesturing with his hands. Luis noticed he'd lost his erection, thankfully. “There's nothing down that road. It's a waste of time and I'm not going.”
“Why do you guys always get to make the rules?” she said. She stomped her foot again and folded her arms. “And you don't know for sure there's nothing down there. I want to see at least one fun thing this week, for a change.”
“You already saw two big fun things with Micky and Macky Sheltenfester,” Hood said. “Wasn't that enough fun for you?”
Beth Anne walked up to Hood and got right in his face. She glared at him and shouted, “Fuck you, asshole. I'm not talking about dick.”
“No, fuck you, Beth Anne.” He went right back at her, shoulder to shoulder.
Matthias ran his palm through his hair. He turned to Hood and said, “Look, I'll take them down the road a little and we'll see if there's anything there. You and Luis go up to the house and wait for us there.”
Hood, who seemed willing to do anything to shut Beth Anne up by then, took one of the flashlights from Blaze and waited with Luis until the others disappeared down the narrow dirt path. When they were out of sight, Hood put his arm around Luis and said, “I hope they don't get lost. This place is starting to freak me out a little.”
Luis wished he hadn't said that. He was counting on Hood to be the strong one, now that Matthias was gone. “Let's go up to the house and see what's there, then let's get the hell back to the car.” Luis believed in the supernatural. He believed in ghosts, vampires, werewolves, zombies, and witches. He even believed in fairies sometimes. When his mind started racing with these thoughts, he couldn't think straight.
On the way to the house, Hood kept his arm around Luis. This time Luis didn't pull away from him. Luis even put his arm around Hood's waist and leaned into his side. When they'd first started out, it had seemed so exciting. But now that they were in the woods, far from where they'd parked, and every sound and movement made the short hairs on the back of Luis's neck stand up. He wished Beth Anne hadn't wanted to separate. They should have stuck together.
When they reached the front porch of the old white farmhouse, Luis glanced up at the front door and said, “It's very well kept for an abandoned house.” Everything was painted white: the siding, the trim, and the entire porch. Even the rocking chairs and benches were white. Though they hadn't been freshly painted, and it was very dark, Luis looked hard and he didn't see a chip, crack, or flaw anywhere in sight. “I hope no one's living here. I'd be mortified.”
A bird flew out of a branch and Luis jumped into Hood's arms. The sudden sound had caught him off guard and he moved with instinct. He wished Jase was there, or Cory and Gage. Though Luis and Gage were identical on the outside, Gage was far more aggressive than Luis, and wasn't afraid of anything. Gage, with his streetwise attitude, would have clenched his fists and squared his shoulders, hoping for trouble.
Hood put his arms around Luis and rested his hands on the small of Luis's back. “Calm down,” he said. “It was just a bird. Let's go up and sit down on a bench while we're waiting for them to return.” He took Luis by the hand, led him up the porch stairs, and guided him to a bench for two next to the front door.
Luis noticed the front door of the house was ajar. He almost suggested they go inside and check the house out, but then decided it was best to wait for Matthias and the girls to return.
Hood sat down first. He spread his legs and pulled Luis down on his lap before Luis had a chance to refuse. Luis tried to get up. “Let go of me. I don't want to sit on your lap.” He knew if he sat on Hood's lap Hood would become aroused again, and Luis didn't want to tease him or lead him on. But more than that, Luis wasn't aroused himself. He was too worried about getting caught trespassing, or running into a Pennsylvania Dutch ghost, to care about sex.
Hood held Luis tightly and refused to let him get up. “Just sit on my lap for a minute or two,” he said. Then he slid his hand down Luis's pants again.
Luis took a deep breath and sighed. He knew that no matter how hard he tried, Hood was stronger and he'd never break free. “I'm not in the mood and you know I'd never do anything without Jase. Please stop. I'm serious. You're starting to freak me out now more than this fucked-up place.”
When Hood heard Luis's serious tone, he pulled his hand out of Luis's pants and reached for Luis's hand. “I'm sorry. I was just joking around. I really didn't see how frightened you are.”
Luis slid off Hood's lap and sat beside him on the bench. But he didn't release Hood's hand. He held it tighter and said, “I know you were joking. It's okay. You're a really nice guy, too. I'm just trying not to freak out now. I want to go back to the car. Let's go wait for them in the road. I've had enough excitement for one night.” He'd lost track of time. He knew Jase must have been wondering where they all were by now.