The Magic Inside Him: Chapter 1
The Magic Inside Him
Foreword
Marcus is a good wolf and a hard worker. When he sets his mind to something, he devotes everything he has to it until the job is done. It sometimes gets him into trouble, but he's just stubborn like that. I guess it's a wolf thing. We've been friends for a long time and have always given each other support when we needed it. He's helped me through some tough decisions in my life, and I am forever indebted to him. Just recently, though, Marcus went through an experience that completely altered him. I don't want to give away too many details, but I was there when he needed me. Still, I just can't help but feel I wasn't enough.
Marcus joined the Royal Spy Academy when he was just 16 years old and was at the top of his class when he finished four short years later. As all spies in training are required to do, Marcus had to pick a profession to keep him occupied when he was not on an assignment and to act as a cover when he was in the field. He chose to study psychiatry and earned his degree while at the Academy. He started work right away and proved to be even better in the field as both a spy and a doctor. I could probably write books about all the adventures he's been on, but I'm sure you've heard enough spy stories for now.
Our country is a collection of individual states united under a constitutional monarchy, so cleverly named the Kingdom of United States. We have the best technology, the best medicine, and the best economy on our side of the world. You name it, we have it. The only problem is, our view of how society should operate is still in the middle ages. I'm sure you already know what I'm talking about. While we've started moving in the right direction in more recent years, many people are still homophobic. Fursons of all ages are afraid to come out and be who they truly are. Some are afraid of ridicule, others are afraid of their parents, and some are afraid they might lose their job.
This subject may seem a bit cliché, but I think it's still very important. Many of us struggle with our sexuality and toiling with the complexities of coming out. Some find it easier than others, but for all of us it's still nice to know that there are other people out there going through the same thing.
If you're still reading, then great! You've made it to the end of my monologue. Our story starts with Marcus flying to a doctors convention he attends every year with a group of his friends. It took a great deal of effort on my part to convince Marcus to let me tell this story, so I hope you can benefit from it in some way.
Sincerely,
A Friend
Chapter 1
Marcus leafed indifferently through a magazine as a flight attendant walked around asking for drink orders. He didn't like flying, but had gotten used to it over the years. Nearly every mission he was assigned to involved flying in something.
The flight attendant wasn't in a hurry, and took her time as she made her way down the aisle. Just as she was about to turn to Marcus and ask him what he would like to drink, a heavyset wolf with a graying muzzle pushed past and sat down in the seat next to him. In all the shuffling, the flight attendant skipped Marcus and went on to the next person.
Marcus was extremely annoyed and was about to say something when the wolf extended his paw in front of him.
"Mr. St. Clair? I'm Hyde Schorf. I have a package for you," he said enthusiastically.
Marcus took his paw and shook it. He could tell the wolf was excited, and even though he had made him miss the drinks, he didn't want to ruin his fun.
"Marcus St. Clair, His Majesty's Intelligence," he replied.
The wolf pulled out a large, thick envelope with CLASSIFIED stamped in red on the front, and passed it to Marcus.
"This is everything His Highness asked for," he said.
"Very good Mr. Schorf. You can rest easy now. This package is in good paws," Marcus said with an assuring smile.
He took out his phone and locked on to the tracking device inside the envelope. This would allow him to know the exact location of the envelope at any given time. If the package was lost or stolen, Marcus could detonate the device from his phone.
He stood up and grabbed his bag, placing the envelope safely inside. As he sat back down, he noticed the wolf was still sitting next to him.
"So you're a real life spy," he said with the same wide smile on his muzzle.
"Yes Mr. Schorf," he replied. Marcus had completed drop off assignments many times before. Rarely, if ever, did the deliverer stay to chat.
"Have you - "
"Mr. Schorf, when the Prince sent you instructions on delivering the package, did he not discuss procedure with you?"
The smile disappeared from the wolf's face. "Yes, I'm sorry. I just don't get much excitement these days and to be able to meet a spy in the Royal Intelligence Agency is really cool. I apologize if I let myself get carried away."
Marcus felt sorry for the wolf and placed a paw on his shoulder. He forgets not everyone is as professional as he is. "Don't worry about it. You've done a great job so far. I think His Highness will be pleased."
Mr. Schorf smiled and thanked Marcus for the kind words. They shook paws once more and Mr. Schorf left to return to his original seat.
Marcus relaxed in his seat and turned his attention to the white field of clouds passing underneath him. He had just come off of an assignment in the Bahamas. The Royal Government believed a small group of locals were conducting an illegal arms trade operation and sent him in to investigate.
He loved working in tropical climates. The weather was always beautiful and the local males never passed up a chance to make love in the cool afternoon sand.
The assignment was quick and easy, so Marcus wasn't able to stay long. He didn't mind though, because that meant he was able to return to his second favorite line of work: his cover. He had recently made a crucial breakthrough on his studies of memory and its connections to the body's different senses. His breakthrough would allow anyone with memory deficiencies or suffering from any form of memory loss to recall any piece of information in their mind by using one of the five major senses. This year he was pretty much guaranteed an award at the National Association of Doctors Symposium.
He and his friends always attended the event, if not just to watch all the haughty doctors walk around and make themselves look important.
As the smooth clouds continued to rush by underneath him, Marcus thought about how glad he was going to be to see his friends again. His busy schedule didn't allow him to spend much time with them. As a matter of fact, he couldn't remember the last time he saw them. Surely he had seen them since last year's convention.
He chuckled to himself as he realized the irony of not remembering the last time he saw his friends. He let the thought pass through his mind and readied himself as he felt the plane begin its descent.
He thought it would take a while for the plane to land and find its gate with as busy as LAX usually was, but he was surprised to find it didn't take long at all. He collected his bags and left the airport, trying his best to hurry so he could grab a coffee before meeting his friends. Yes, the café they usually met at served coffee, but Marcus never liked it. He would rather just stop by Starbucks and grab his standard favorite, where he new they would make it the same at least most of the time.
Seeing he still had time to stop by the hotel and drop off his bags, he decided to check in and spruce up before heading over to the coffee shop.
Once in his room, he tossed his suitcase on the bed and carefully opened it up. He stopped and looked at the large, brown envelop marked "CLASSIFIED" in the inside pocket. He was still waiting for the text to tell him where to meet the Prince, but figured they'd send it to him once the ceremony was over.
He grabbed some cinnamon and sage powder and a brush from his suitcase and headed to the bathroom. He stopped and smiled at his reflection in the mirror. His bright blue eyes sparkled behind his tan and white muzzle, his sharp, white teeth gleaming inside a confident grin. He took the powder and sprinkled it on his brush before taking it and softly brushing the bluish grey fur on his ears and the top of his head. He then straightened the soft fur on his muzzle and widened his smile as he adjusted his light blue tie. He had worn one of his standard black suits that was perfectly tailored to fit the curves of his muscular frame. He had grown accustomed to wearing them on assignments.
Making sure not a single hair was out of place, Marcus gave himself a wink and headed out onto the busy streets of downtown LA. As he approached the coffee shop, the charming wolf eyed his reflection in the glass once more to make sure everything was in order, his white teeth sparkling as he smiled and winked at his reflection. He adjusted the platinum watch on his wrist and opened the door with the ring of a bell, walking casually into the shop. His confidence surrounded him and he could immediately sense people admiring his perfect form when he walked in, something he took special care to make happen.
He smiled and looked up toward the counter, stopping suddenly as his eyes met those of a handsome, well-built coyote who was preparing coffees behind the counter. They both froze and stared at each other, Marcus becoming lost in the coyote's inviting amber eyes until the bell on the door rang and snapped him back into the coffee shop. He quickly looked away and made sure his mouth wasn't hanging open as he hurried to get in line behind the counter. It didn't help that the stirring in his sheath had already started pushing against his pants either.
As he made sure no one's attention was brought to the bulge in his lower half, he played the recent occurrence back in his head. Strange, he thought, how that coyote had stopped him. Usually guys were awing over him, not the other way around. Of course he was attractive, but something just seemed to click when their eyes locked that made him feel strange on the inside like nothing he'd ever felt before. He decided to dismiss the thought as he noticed it was his turn to order. He walked up to the register and gave the girl his signature smile, knowing already exactly what he wanted.
"I'll have a double shot caramel espresso with whipped cream," he said taking out his black leather wallet.
"That will be $5.52 sir," she said and then turned to make sure one of the baristas heard the order.
The coyote had heard him and was writing on a cup as he watched Marcus take out his card. Marcus pretended not to notice the coyote watching him as he focused on paying. The cashier soon handed him back his card, and he slipped it back into his wallet behind a picture in the left fold. The picture was of Prince Hallen, a strong, young, dashing jackal with a smile that could melt anyone's heart. Marcus considered him the perfect role model. They had been friends for a long time and always looked out for each other.
As the young wolf placed the wallet back in his pocket he walked to the end of the counter, waiting for his coffee as the cashier served the next customer. He wanted to steal a glance at the coyote but was afraid he might see him, so he decided not to. Instead, he pulled out his phone and pretended to be doing something important on it, trying his best to act natural.
Suddenly Marcus was startled by a voice, though he didn't show it visibly. He had been trained to remain still in situations that would make most people jump.
"One double shot espresso for the cutie," Marcus had heard the voice say. The voice sounded smooth and warm, much like that of a lover in bed after a passionate round of lovemaking.
Marcus looked up slowly, placed his phone back in his pocket, and saw the handsome coyote smiling back at him, his coffee held securely in his dark brown paw.
"Thanks. You work pretty fast," he said coolly.
"Only when I need to," responded the coyote with a quick wink.
Marcus's heart raced as he realized what the coyote meant but recovered quickly.
"Clever," he said taking his coffee.
The coyote smiled wider and pointed to the coffee.
"You know you can tell a lot about someone by the way they order their coffee."
"Oh? And what does my coffee say about me?" Marcus was curious and decided to play along.
"Double shot means you're strong, and don't mind it rough sometimes. The caramel means despite your strength, you can still be sweet and tender. And the whipped cream...well, that means you like to have fun. Perhaps even revealing a naughty side under that tough exterior," the coyote explained with another wink.
Marcus could feel his sheath push against his boxers once again but never faltered. "I'm not sure if that was a description of my personality or rather how I perform in bed, either way though I must admit that's an interesting theory."
The coyote smiled brightly and looked Marcus over, finally pointing to his suit. "Those are some fancy digs. Do you always dress this nicely?"
Marcus looked down at his coffee and then back up to the coyote. "Only when I need to."
Marcus could tell by the coyote's reaction that he had delivered his charm perfectly, but before he could say anything else the girl at the cash register interrupted.
"Hey Romeo, how about you stop flirting and start making some coffees?"
The coyote sighed and looked back at Marcus, his ears still tall and firm. "Have a nice day, cutie. It was a pleasure meeting you."
"The pleasure was all mine." With another wink and a flash of his bright teeth, Marcus turned and made his exit, his heart still pounding inside his chest.
The moment was over as fast as it had come, leaving Marcus to sort out the details in his mind. He decided to cut through the park on his way to the café, just to think things over. Already Marcus could tell the lush greenery in the city park seemed greener, and the deep blue sky seemed brighter. The warming sensation that started in his chest when he first saw the coyote had begun to spread through his entire body. He let out a sigh as he walked along the path, oblivious to the world around him.
Marcus had devoted his life to being a spy in His Majesty's Intelligence Agency. And although he was only 25, he had already completed more successful missions than most spies do in a lifetime. Marcus loved this life. He traveled around the world and met all sorts of people. He could change his identity and become a completely new person. The charm and allure of being a spy brought him any man he desired to sleep with. But that was it; the one thing about being a spy that had always eaten away at Marcus in the darkest most forgotten recess in his mind. No relationships, no boyfriends, no mates. If the agency ever found out that he was gay, Marcus would be blackballed and dismissed from the agency with negative marks. The thought always made Marcus cringe and only pushed him deeper into the closet.
But unknown to Marcus, something had happened when he locked eyes with the coyote. That dark recess in his mind had opened up, and was now receiving direct signals from his heart. As the warmth grew inside him, he couldn't stop thinking about the coyote. His smile was warm and inviting, his amber eyes soft and full of life. Marcus played with each thought in his mind and nearly skipped through the park as he became more excited.
He soon reached the park exit and approached a trash can to throw away his empty coffee cup. Just before he discarded the cup, he saw the word "Cutie" written in marker on the side of the cup with an arrow pointing to the bottom. He smiled as he thought about the handsome coyote and turned the cup over to see what the flirtatious dog had left for him. His ears perked up and his smile froze as he a saw ten digit number written on the bottom of the cup.
"His phone number?" he thought.
Marcus knew he hadn't much time until he was supposed to meet his friends, but he struggled with what he should do. Normally, he wouldn't let something like this distract him. He ran into guys all the time on the various missions he was assigned to, but he never let them get in the way. There was something about this coyote though, something different. He finally decided to take the number and save it in his phone, just in case he wanted to contact him later. He threw away the cup and hurried off to the café.
As he walked across the street, Marcus could see one of his friends sitting at a table outside. It was Hayden, a handsome young cheetah and practicing Andrologist. Marcus always respected him for being so comfortable and open about his sexuality.
As Marcus walked over, Hayden stood up and hugged him.
"Hey Marc! Have a good flight?" Marcus could tell he was excited to see him.
"Yes, it was nice and relaxing actually," Marcus said with a smile as they sat down. He noticed Hayden was looking at him with a strange smile, but decided to ignore him.
"Where are Alaric and Jane?" Marcus was surprised that the doberman and golden retriever were not there.
"Alaric called this morning and said he wasn't going to be able to make it this year. The poor dog," responded Hayden. "He just hasn't been the same since he and Vince broke it off."
Marcus remembered how close Alaric and his boyfriend had been. Although he acted tough and promised everyone he was all right, Marcus knew that Alaric was still hurting badly on the inside.
"That's a shame," he said. "I'll have to visit him the next time I'm in Chicago. How about Jane?"
"She was called in for some sort of emergency. She said she'd see us at the convention."
Jane was a Pediatrician and a few years older than Marcus and Hayden. Her kind and gentle nature made her a favorite among little pups and cubs.
The waiter soon came and took their orders, finishing with Marcus. He left them some water and hurried off to check on another table as Marcus looked back over at his friend. Hayden was smiling at him again, and although he ignored it the first time, it started to get on his nerves.
"What?" he finally asked.
"What's his name?" asked Hayden.
"Whose name?" Marcus started to become more annoyed.
"You're practically glowing, Marc, and I know you don't get that from flying into LAX. You must have met someone."
Marcus froze as he realized Hayden had figured him out. Normally he was so good at hiding his emotions. How could he have let his guard down so easily?
"I ran into a guy at the coffee shop." There was no point in lying. Hayden would see right through it. "He was pretty hot."
"Pretty hot, huh?" Hayden smiled. "You two have plans later?"
"No. We only talked briefly after he fixed my coffee."
"Oh, so he was the barista. Did you get his name?"
Marcus just now realized that he didn't know the coyote's name. He quickly searched his memory to see if the coyote was wearing a nametag. He remembered looking at the coyote's chest and admiring how his large pecs pushed out at the top of his apron, but did not see a name.
"No, but he did give me his number." Marcus had no idea why he added that last part. He regretted it instantly, knowing Hayden was only going to push further.
"That's great Marc! That means he's interested. You should give him a call." Hayden could hardly stay in his chair from excitement.
"I don't think so, Hayden. He was really flirtatious. Probably just after my tail. For all I know, he could be some deranged murderer looking for his next victim." Marcus knew this wasn't true, but a part of him still just wanted to forget the coyote and move on with his fake, heterosexual life.
Hayden rolled his eyes and looked back at Marcus. "Come on Marcus. You are both a spy and a psychiatrist. Both jobs require you to analyze people without knowing anything about them. Do you really think this guy is a murderer?"
Marcus let out a deep sigh and thought about the coyote's kind and inviting amber eyes, the smile on his face one of pure excitement from meeting someone who was just as interested in him as he was with him. He wasn't flirting with the wolf to score another tail, he was begging for his attention. He wanted the wolf to look past the countertop, past all the coffee and noisy customers, ignore the entire city and just stop to notice him.
Marcus sat still for a moment as his mind flooded with want for the coyote. For once, he wasn't focused on satisfying his sexual desires with the buffest guy at the bar, or the hottest servant at one of the many palaces he visited. He wanted to be with the coyote, to hold him, to kiss him, to feel his warmth, to once more look into his deep eyes and completely loose himself inside the warm smile he instantly pined for the first time he saw him.
He opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out. Finally, he managed to speak. "If the agency ever found out...found out that I'd fallen for another guy, they'd..." He trailed off as his mind began to wonder back to the consequences of coming out and being who he really was.
"Marcus, I know we live in a country that has a really hard time accepting homosexuality. But, the world is changing and so is this country. Things are getting easier for us, maybe not quickly, but gradually. You should not deny yourself happiness for a career. There are other opportunities out there for you."
Deep down, Marcus knew his friend was right, but his mind wouldn't stop convincing him that he would be an outcast, without a career and without any purpose, if he followed his desires.
"Being a royal spy has been the greatest thing that has ever happened to me, Hayden. I just don't know if I'm ready to lose that."
Hayden leaned back in his chair and shook his head. "One day you won't have your career anymore Marc. You'll be old and retired. And what will you have to show for it? A few good stories? A couple of medals? Will you have a wife? None of this will bring you true happiness. You may be able to mask your true feelings Marcus, but they will eat away at you on the inside. And one day, far from now, you will find yourself alone. Is it worth it?"
Marcus knew Hayden was thinking about his own experience in college. Hayden's boyfriend had been heavily closeted, just like Marcus, because he was afraid that the other guys on the football team would look at him differently and he'd get kicked off the team. He chose to break it off with his boyfriend to pursue his career in football instead, a decision that left Hayden broken and alone.
"I know Hayden, but its my decision to make," he said looking down at the table.
Hayden reached across the table and rubbed Marcus's soft white paw. "Whatever that decision may be, I will always be here for you. Please remember that."
Marcus smiled and looked up at his friend. "Thanks Hayden. I will."
Marcus and Hayden spent the rest of the day roaming the city and catching up on old times. Marcus felt guilty for neglecting his best friend, and did his best to focus on him instead of the coyote. They went down to The Boardwalk and grabbed an ice cream as they talked about the past year. Marcus found out that Hayden was dating again, but hadn't found anything serious yet. He then told Hayden about his trip to the Bahamas (without revealing any classified details) and that he was supposed to meet the Prince after the convention to deliver some important papers. At the end of the day, they caught a movie and bid each other farewell with Hayden reminding Marcus once more that he should give the coyote a call.