Brothers in Blood by David Stuart Davies Page B

Laurence, but looked much younger. He imagined that she saw this night and its forthcoming events as the start of a wonderful friendship between the two of them, the bud of a passionate romance which would blossom over the coming weeks. Instead of what it really was, for Laurence at least, a convenient fuck handed to him on a plate.
    ‘Would you like some wine?’ Sue Ling asked, after she had turned on two table lamps and the electric glow fire.
    ‘I’d prefer to kiss your breasts,’ Laurence replied casually, tossing his jacket on to a wicker chair.
    Without a word, she pulled off her T-shirt. ‘Your wish is my command, Sir Andrew.’
    Laurence grinned. ‘You are quite beautiful, aren’t you?’
    He meant it. There was something very attractive about her small frame and smooth features with that broad smile and ingenuous almond-shaped eyes. He kissed her firmly on the lips while his hands cupped her breasts and gently massaged them. She responded with a sigh, moulding herself into his tall frame.
    As she slipped out of her jeans revealing her smooth, pert backside, Laurence experienced a strange stabbing pain in his head and he suddenly felt nauseous. He closed his eyes and a violent flashing image filled his vision. An image torn from Alex’s letter; vivid, graphic, greatly unsettling. Violent male sex – brutal bestiality. It was like a fierce light being shone in his eyes. He winced and found himself shuddering involuntarily.
    Sue Ling noticed his odd behaviour. She ran her cool hand over his brow. ‘You OK, Laurence?’ she asked.
    He nodded and added a weak smile as an afterthought. Despite her naked presence, he felt his ardour waning. His mind had been overtaken by the image, like a scrap of film on a loop juddering uncompromisingly in his head. This was so unlike him and anger mixed with his concern, further diluting his passion.
    ‘Come to bed. Make love to me,’ Sue Ling said, leading him to the tiny single bed in the far corner of the room. A sandy-haired teddy bear with a red bow-tie sat on the pillows, its glassy eyes gazing out at them with enigmatic stillness. Carefully Sue Ling lifted the bear from the bed and placed him on the laundry basket.
    As soon as Laurence was on the bed, kissing and caressing Sue Ling, he knew the adventure was doomed. That image with its ferocity and blood had stayed with him and dominated his emotions. Nothing stirred below. Even when she gently massaged his penis it refused to respond. She kissed the head gently before placing her mouth over it. But nothing happened. Laurence’s emotions shifted from dismay to annoyance and then to humiliation. This had never happened before. He had never even contemplated such a situation. As a rule he could achieve an erection as quickly and as easily as snapping his fingers.
    But not tonight.
    ‘I’m sorry, I must have had too much to drink,’ he mumbled softly, well aware that this was a pathetic excuse.
    Sue Ling was obviously disappointed. ‘Maybe later, eh? Perhaps you are too tense. Shall we have coffee?’
    Laurence shook his head. ‘Some other time. I think I’d better go.’ He had got up from the bed and began scrabbling about for his clothes. My God, he thought, I’ve become a character in some cheap farce. A fucking vicar will come in at any moment without any trousers.
    ‘Oh, don’t leave, Laurence. We can just sleep together. It doesn’t matter. You might feel better in the morning.’
    Feel better. It sounded like he had a bloody illness. A disease. He had been affected with the can’t-get-it-up virus. He glanced at the narrow single bed. He didn’t fancy spending the night on that and anyway he wanted to escape, to be alone to wallow in his own shame. He was terrified. He had experienced the ultimate male failure. He knew that he may well have started a cycle of impotence that might be difficult to break. He had read all about this in various magazines. Once you fail to perform, the fear and apprehension