Chapter 14

Fourteen

T wo days later, it was agreed that Tony wasn't getting better. He could muster just enough energy to call his mother and put on a brilliant performance for her, but that was it. Everly and Nox had worked together, pouring soup, oatmeal, and tea into him whenever he was conscious. Neither Arawn nor Bryn could find any cause or solution with traditional medicine and Merlin looked frazzled and was cranky when they met in the study to discuss Tony's condition.

Everyone insisted it wasn't Everly's fault, but his guilt and his conscience continued to fester. He was the one who had brought Hugh's evil changeling to Georgetown and there was a reason they called it the anti- Everly . And Everly didn't tell anyone that he'd seen it twice before Tony was attacked. He felt like a monster, sitting next to Bryn on the sofa like a member of the team. He'd made everything worse and Tony was getting weaker by the hour.

"We have to be close, we've tried damn near everything." Merlin glared at the board with all the changelings' names. "I believe this is why Tony was attacked. We followed that miserable little urchin right to Hugh's door so he's created a distraction. Credit where it's due: this is quite a puzzle," he admitted.

The room was quiet until Arawn pushed out an exasperated breath. "This is a completely different kind of…ailment, isn't it? It's not like any sleeping spell or curse I've studied and none of the potions or countercurses we've tried work. But I've run every test I can think of and I can't find a medical explanation either," he said, casting an apologetic glance at Nox.

He waved it off, but his eyes were red from lack of sleep and crying, making Everly want to cry. Any friend of Nox's would have to be a very good and kind person. Nelson said that Tony had been Nox's student and then his TA and when Tony was made an assistant professor, Nox had requested that Tony stay in his department and work with him. It was one of the few times Nox had become personally involved with a student or coworker and the two had become close friends over the years.

"I was able to pull some strings so Tony's schedule is covered for the next two weeks," Nox said in a hoarse rasp, sniffing hard as he studied the board. "I keep buying him time, but what if I can't stop this from taking him?"

"Hush that now!" Merlin ordered with a hard wag of his finger. "Perhaps we have been going about this the wrong way and we need a different type of magick to break this…soul curse the anti-Everly has placed on Tony."

"What do you mean?" Nox asked, suddenly alert.

Merlin went to the board and tapped on the blurry picture of Ronan O'Sullivan. "Something Arawn just said… About how this isn't like a sleeping curse or a spell. Tony can't stop sleeping because he's sick or drained, he's sleeping because he can't wake up. That sounds more like an enchantment, I'd say."

There was an answering gasp from Nox as he snatched the picture off the board. "Sleeping Beauty! The merrow were said to enchant sailors and lull them into crashing their ships. Merrow women would enchant human men and mate with them because merrow men are supposed to be hideous. But if the anti-Everly attacked Ronan, it could attack a human the way a merrow would," he said and cheered loudly as he kissed Merlin's cheek. "That has to be it!"

"I told you, we just need a different type of magick."

"Right…" Nox deflated, groaning at the picture. "How do we get a merrow man to help us?" he asked and there were winces and pained grunts from Arawn and Bryn as they shook their heads cluelessly.

Fletcher raised a hand. "What am I missing? I thought he was a friend of yours, Nox," he said, causing Nox, Merlin, Arawn, and Bryn to burst into laughter.

"Not by a longshot!" Merlin said as he wiped his eyes. "Nox's father, Lucus, had Ronan's approval to harvest honey and pick peaches on Pooles Island. Lucus did the old seal some favor so he wasn't run off the island, but I doubt Ronan said two words to him over the years."

Nox nodded and chuckled fondly. "Surliest man I've ever met. Dad said it was because merrow men are just extremely unpleasant and Ronan had been shunned his whole life for being ugly. I still don't know why you think Ronan will help Tony," he said to Merlin, bringing a wicked grin to the little old man's face.

"Because he'll have to if he finds Tony washed up on his beach," he replied and Nox let out a louder gasp and began to hop excitedly.

"That's brilliant, Merlin! We'll just run Tony out to Pooles Island and dump him on the beach. Ronan will take care of him!"

"Hold on!" Nelson waved, shaking his head. "We can't dump a barely conscious man on the beach and hope someone else will help him."

Nox held up his hands. "And yet, that's exactly what we're going to do. If Ronan knows why we're there, he'll sink our boat and let us drown in Chesapeake Bay for trespassing. But if Tony washes up or he's abandoned at sea, Ronan has to help him. It's an old merrow maritime code or something. Like the twins and chasing souls," he said as he waved at Arawn and Bryn. "They can't leave a soul to waste away in the Nothing. Not if they know about it. And Ronan can't see a ship in distress and not act or ignore a man who's washed up on his beach."

That didn't make sense to Everly. "I thought the merrow lured sailors toward rocks so they'd crash, so they could mate with them."

"The merrow women ," Merlin clarified and made a sympathetic sound. "The men are so unsightly, the women despise and reject them, choosing to lure and seduce human men instead. It's why the merrow men want nothing to do with human men. But they made a pact with a human king, after he threatened to wipe them out for causing his navy so much trouble. The merrow men do their best to protect human men from their women and aid them if they should become lost at sea or shipwrecked."

"Oh…" Everly felt very sorry for the merrow men. "But you think Ronan O'Sullivan can heal Tony," he said and Nox nodded, laughing as he reached for Merlin. It was the first time he had smiled or truly laughed since they had returned, making Everly already more optimistic.

"I know this is the answer and that Tony will be in good hands. Who's up for a boat ride?" he asked everyone. "That's a trick question. We all have to go. I'm not moving Tony without both hounds but we're not leaving Everly unprotected. It's about an hour-and-a-half to Pooles Island. We leave after dark."

That's how Everly came to be on a boat, heading up the Chesapeake Bay with Bryn, Arawn, Nox, Merlin, and Fletcher. Nelson had stayed behind to watch the Continental and Fletcher's van. And because he didn't enjoy boats. Apparently, Nelson got seasick the last time they had to take one.

Everly had never been on a boat so he was enjoying the experience, despite the overcast night and the cold wind whipping at his face.

"It's a real pea souper!" Nox declared for the fourth time, waving his fist at the night as he steered through the fog. He had borrowed a bay boat from his and Merlin's friend, Clancy, and Everly was enjoying the adventure.

Tony was bundled up in a sleeping bag, wearing layers of thermal underwear and flannel and Nox had given him a flare in case he got tired of waiting to be found. He was sleeping again, with Arawn and Bryn hovering and monitoring his vitals.

"I see it!" Fletcher called from the front of the boat, pointing at a weak beam of light in the fog.

"Cutting our lights," Nox shouted back and turned down the engine so they could sneak up on Pooles Island. They were all dressed in black and Nox had loaned Everly a black beanie to go along with his ensemble. He felt like a commando and grabbed onto the side and Bryn's hand when Nox warned everyone to hold on as he gunned the engine, then cut it.

The boat came to a rough, lurching halt as it ran aground on the island's sandy shore. Everyone but Everly and Merlin sprang into action, with Nox, Arawn, Fletcher, and Bryn quickly hefting Tony's sleeping bag up and over the side of the boat and onto the beach.

"I swear, I wouldn't leave you if I wasn't 100% sure you'd make it, T," Nox said as he bent and kissed Tony's forehead.

"I know. Go!" Tony slurred and pushed him away and Nox signaled for Bryn and Arawn and Fletcher to give him a hand. They counted and pushed with the tide while Merlin steered and they were able to get the boat back into the water and running.

"Hey!" A deep voice boomed, far off in the misty night, and they heard dogs barking as Nox sped away from the island.

Everly squinted through the fog and could just make out Tony's sleeping bag. The shape of a large man was hunkered next to it as several large dogs barked and searched the beach. "Do you think he'll be alright?" Everly asked Bryn loudly over the boat's engine.

He nodded and gathered Everly in his arms so he could talk in his ear. "Some say that sailors started being called ‘salty dogs' long before the US had a navy. They claim it was an old nickname for merrow men who had taken to the ocean as sailors and captains, in boats instead of swimming with their tails. Merrow men never lost their love for the sea and it's always loved them back. They're natural fishermen, sailors, divers, marine biologists… But you can tell they're merrow men if they're cranky bastards and they take your breath away, they're so ugly."

"That's not nice!" Everly scolded, but laughed as he turned and snuggled into Bryn for warmth. "I'm so glad Tony's going to be okay. Maybe Tony and Ronan can be friends."

"Maybe…" Bryn said and spent the rest of the boat ride teasing Everly and keeping him warm.

The mood had changed dramatically by the time they returned to Nox's townhouse. Jeff was waiting to whisk an exhausted Merlin home in the Bentley and Fletcher and Arawn wished everyone a goodnight, declining Nox's offer for a celebratory nightcap.

"We're going to turn in too," Bryn told Nox. "You and Nelson deserve some quiet time."

Nox snorted as he offered Bryn his hand. "Quiet? With two loved-up hellhounds in the house?" he teased and they looked toward the stairs when they heard an ecstatic cry. "Sounds like Fletcher's already celebrating," he said, making Everly giggle as Bryn shook Nox's hand.

"We'll do our best to keep it down. Thanks for putting up with us."

"Any time and thanks for helping with Tony. He's family too, even if he doesn't totally understand what that means or involves."

"See you two in the morning," Nelson said as he clasped Bryn's hand. Then, he gave Everly's shoulder a firm squeeze, like he was one of the guys now too. "Thanks for helping me guard the place while they were gone."

"I was happy to!" Everly offered Nox a high five and let Bryn throw him over his shoulder. "I like being part of the team," he said, waving back at them as Bryn headed up the stairs.

"We wouldn't be a team if it wasn't for you," Bryn informed Everly.

"Really?" His feet kicked, he was so happy. "I've never been on a team before but our team is the best!"

"I don't know about that…" Bryn chuckled as the bedroom door shut behind them and Everly was set down on his feet. "But we're better because we have you." He gathered Everly's face in his hands and kissed him tenderly. "I spent so many years running to Annwn and back, but I found my own heaven here."

"You're my Heaven." Everly was grateful to the universe and all the gods for sending Bryn to protect him. "I died and you were there when I woke up and you turned me into an angel."

"Ev!" Bryn swore as he rushed Everly backwards and they fell onto the bed. "You're my angel. Forever," he said roughly, shoving and ripping their clothes out of the way so he could touch Everly.

His large, strong hands gripped, scratched, and pulled as they rolled and writhed and Everly felt like he could fly. He was so warm and happy and light, he would have floated to the ceiling if Bryn wasn't holding onto him.

Everly sighed, swooning as he was rolled onto his stomach and Bryn parted his thighs. Lush heat washed over his hole and his eyes crossed as Bryn's tongue swirled and thrust, winding him tighter and tighter until Everly thought he'd explode. Two fingers curled into Everly's ass and he did, cum spilling from the end of his hard-on as Bryn lapped up every drop.

Once he had stopped giggling and twitching, Everly was helped up and onto his knees, facing the headboard. "Take me for a ride, Ev," Bryn rumbled in his ear, sending goosebumps rushing down his spine. Bryn sat on his heels and guided Everly back until he was impaled on thick, throbbing heat. "Get to bouncing," he said with a playful slap to Everly's bottom.

"Again!" Everly liked the bright stinging on his cheek and the way the clap! echoed in the quiet room. And he loved how full he felt and the tingling friction in his passage as he slid back and forth. They were already so wet and hot but Everly wanted more.

"Like this?" Bryn asked.

There was another sharp clap as Bryn slapped Everly's bottom and he nodded quickly, bracing his hands on the bed in front of him and bouncing faster. "Again!" he begged, thrilling at the slickness leaking from his hole and onto his sac. He was stretched so tight around Bryn's shaft, he felt every slide and every burst of wet heat between them.

"Fuck! You feel so good, Ev!" Bryn said through clenched teeth and sat back, his hips bucking in time with the rise and fall of Everly's ass.

"Yes! I feel so good!" he agreed, breathless and almost delirious as his nerves flickered and pleasure swirled in his groin.

"Touch yourself. Come for me," Bryn ordered raggedly and Everly nodded as he gave his cock a few strokes and let go. He wanted to come quickly so he could watch and taste Bryn.

He came again a moment later, a rush of hot, dazzling joy that had him sobbing Bryn's name. Everly slid free and turned on shaking arms and legs, still tingling as he opened wide and swallowed every inch of Bryn he could manage.

"Yes!" Bryn's fingers tangled in Everly's hair and cupped his cheek. "Oh, Ev! Please! I'm gonna—!" He tried to pull back just as cum erupted all over Everly's tongue. Everly grabbed the base as it swelled and sucked with feral abandon, causing Bryn to thrash and whimper. "Fuck, Ev! Fuuuuuck!" he howled, his head snapping back as he shivered through another tremor and Everly was treated to one more tart burst of cum. "Fuck!" Bryn laughed breathlessly as he fell forward, pulling Everly with him and to the pillows. "You okay?" he asked, nuzzling the corner of Everly's neck.

"I'm okay! Want to do it again?"

Bryn shushed loudly and shook his head, the arm around Everly growing heavier. "I've barely closed my eyes since we got back. Don't wake me until sunrise unless it's an emergency, Ev."

"Got it!" Everly vowed and snuggled up to Bryn, prepared to guard him while he slept for once. "It's my turn," he whispered, then yawned and rubbed his eyes as the lids grew heavier. "Gonna watch…" Everly smothered another yawn, smiling drowsily. "...over you now."