Chapter 4

Four

A few days later, Arawn and Fletcher returned to Georgetown for the long weekend with a packed bag for Bryn. Nelson had loaned Bryn some clothes, but it was a relief to finally have his own things. Fletcher also had a thick stack of records from various law enforcement agencies along the East Coast.

"These are cold cases," Fletcher told them, dropping the folders onto the desk in the study. He had hinted that he had found something concerning so Arawn suggested basketball on the back terrace to keep Everly distracted while Fletcher filled them in. "Mostly Jane Does with unexplained causes of death and no next of kin. I thought some of them might be like Everly," Fletcher explained quietly, earning a heavy sigh from Merlin.

"I've asked around as well and there have been other disappearances. More like Everly."

"Are there many more?" Nelson asked and Merlin nodded.

"There are. It's hard to know how many because they tend to keep to themselves, like our poor Everly, unless they're lucky enough to find friends like us. And those friends have been looking and warning the others. They're vanishing!"

"Damn it!" Nelson whispered as he watched Everly. "That means he's still in danger."

Nox nodded and looked somber. "Poor little guy. He's coming out of his shell and he's so happy now," he said and Merlin hummed sadly.

"I imagine he's waited his whole life just to have a normal relationship."

Bryn thought about the dirty, defeated waif he'd picked up off the pavement and carried back to his place. "He has us now and he's going to be alright. Right? " he asked when Nox and Merlin hesitated.

"If we can get to this one who calls himself Abhartach first," Merlin said. "In the meantime, Everly needs to remain here with us, especially at night, or the sluagh will see him and send for their master."

"What are they, the sluagh?" Nelson asked and Fletcher perked up.

"Oh! I know this one!" he said, looking at Bryn and Merlin for permission. "They're damned souls," he told Nelson excitedly. "I thought it was just an expression, but you can actually sell your soul to a demon and that's what happens, you turn into a sluagh and spend the rest of eternity in the Nothing."

"But Everly was attacked on this side," Nelson pointed out, earning a serious hum from Merlin.

"It's not unheard of to find a stray or two over here. Never so many, though. Sluagh aren't like corvids, despite their appearance and behavior. They're empty, mindless, aimless… For so many to flock together and to attack a fae? That's very dark work and suggests something much more sentient and powerful."

Nox's head cocked and he frowned. "Do you know of anyone strong enough to command that many sluagh?" he asked, but Merlin turned toward the terrace, his eyes narrowing. "Merlin?" Nox gave him a nudge.

"I have a few ideas, but I can't see why anyone, even the darkest witch, would target changelings. They're often too weak to do anyone like us any harm. Look at poor Everly. He had no idea what he was, just that he was a danger to others."

Poor Everly?

Bryn seethed as he watched Everly shoot the ball at the hoop Nelson had put up the evening prior. They had learned a lot about Everly's life before the attack and it was far worse than "poor." Forced into hiding to protect others, Everly's life had shrunk to a cheap efficiency unit overlooking an overpass and various chat rooms on the internet.

After the attack, Everly couldn't risk going out at night, but it was agreed that he needed more sun and that the back terrace was safe as long as he had one of the twins with him. The ball sailed past the hoop, missing it by several feet, but Arawn went after it, cheering encouragingly.

The five of them cringed and hissed as Arawn bounced the ball at Everly and it hit him in the chest. He fumbled to get a hold of it, then hit himself in the chin when he tried to dribble. His rhythm was off and his limbs flailed as he hopped and attempted another shot.

"Bless his heart," Merlin murmured. "And bless that brother of yours, Bryn. He has the patience of a saint."

That got a smirk out of Bryn. "I taught him that," he said, making Fletcher chuckle in agreement.

"No doubt," Merlin replied, giving his head a shake as he turned away from the window. "I can't pass through to the veil and I don't know of any other witches who can," he said thoughtfully, then smiled warmly at Nox. "Except for one."

Nox whistled and nodded. "It's not easy and it's not the kind of magick you can do with a spell or any kind of potion that I know of," he told them, making Bryn pull a face.

"Because you can't learn it. Being in the Nothing is like being in outer space, only astral bodies can withstand and pass through it. You'd have to be a soul, a god, or spectral like me and Arawn. There's no potion that can split a witch's soul from their body and send it back."

"No," Merlin confirmed. "That's what is particularly confounding about this ‘Abhartach.' The first Abhartach was a witch who made himself into a vampire who fed on blood and souls, but he couldn't pass through the veil, as far as I can recall."

"Could he have come back as a demon?" Nox asked but Merlin shook his head.

"No. He forfeited his soul to become Abhartach and many of us have made the pilgrimage to see his grave. There is no doubting an old evil is still resting there, but it is petrified and has no strength. He would not be able to see both sides."

"Okay… We're looking for victims like Everly and someone who can pass through the Nothing," Bryn summarized as he opened the first folder and looked at the window when Nelson groaned. Everly had tripped and scuffed his chin on the pavement.

"I know you're going to take this wrong but try not to anyway," Nox whispered at Bryn. "Have you found anything he can actually…do?"

Bryn's face fell and he blinked at Nox, reminding himself to behave because he was a guest in Nox's home and the slum god had proven useful. "It's hard to be good at anything when you've never had a normal encounter with another person in your entire life."

"Sure," Nox agreed readily before holding up a finger. "But it's also because he's a fae and fae aren't really good at…anything," he added gently, mouthing an apology.

"Except mischief and fucking," Merlin countered and Nox hummed and pointed.

"That's true. But changelings are even less…functional. Sorry," he whispered and winced at Bryn. "There's a reason why the fae don't keep them. Too much fae to be a functional human. Too much human to be good at being fae."

"Not to say that he can't learn!" Merlin said quickly when he caught the flaring of Bryn's nostrils. "And there have been clever changelings or changelings who grew quite powerful. It's just very rare," he said softly and grunted sympathetically when Everly tried to catch the ball and punched himself in the face. "Oh, dear. I think his nose is bleeding."

"I'll get some frozen peas and paper towels," Nelson said, shaking his head as he left them.

"I'll go too," Fletcher said.

Merlin waved them off, brightening as he swung back to Bryn. "Is he any good at fu—" he started but Nox's hand slapped over his mouth.

"We're trying to make friends," Nox scolded and gave Bryn a weary look. "Why don't you get started on lunch, Merlin?" he suggested with a hard shove, sending the old man scuffling sideways toward the door. "Anywho…" He widened his eyes at Bryn. "What were you doing at Sheila Forsythe's that night? You don't work in New Jersey," he said, catching Bryn off guard.

"I thought you'd forgotten about that."

"My first spectral hound?" He shook his head. "I had other matters to attend to at the time, but I was hoping to run into you again. I can't believe Bixby never said anything."

"That he was onto you?" Bryn asked, laughing when Nox nodded. "Everyone in the occult world knows who you and Merlin are. We didn't know what you really were before, just that you were more than some famous witch dick. But Fletcher saw your Netflix thing and Arawn told him everything else about you and Merlin."

"He wanted to meet us in New Castle," Nox realized.

Bryn shrugged. "It wasn't exactly the sort of thing you hand off to the Roanoke field office. He asked me to keep an eye on you two and be ready to help if you needed it."

"Thanks," Nox said and gave Bryn's shoulder a playful punch. "And thanks for taking care of Nelson. I owe you one."

"We're even," Bryn said flatly. "It wasn't that hard to steal a uniform and blend in. Sheila put on a hell of a show and I wanted a closer look at you and your lovesick sidekick."

A soft laugh huffed from Nox as he studied Bryn. "We disappointed you, somehow."

"Not that night. I thought that monster got what he had coming to him."

"It came after I…changed," Nox guessed with a knowing hum. "Why haven't I fixed the world? Why aren't we hunting ?" He gave Bryn's shoulder an urgent shake, mocking him and striking his temper.

"Now that you mention it, why aren't we hunting ?" he whispered back in the same dramatic tone. "Do you know how long I've been waiting for one of you to come back and lead us?"

"A while?" Nox offered, leaning toward Bryn. "I've been alive for less than thirty years. Do you remember how stupid you were at thirty?"

Bryn drew back. "Okay… But?—"

"No!" Nox wagged a finger at him. "That's too big of a thing for you to but . No one at that age should have that kind of power. Not when the consequences of their mistakes could bring about the end of the world."

"Fine," Bryn conceded. "I wouldn't have wanted that kind of power when I was your age?—"

"You want it now?" Nox reached for Bryn's face. "I think that you could survive the download."

"What? No!" Bryn pushed his hands away. "I don't want it."

"Then, don't tell me how to use it," Nox returned sharply, his light, laughing mood slipping as he stared Bryn down. "There are consequences to everything, soul catcher. Don't you think I would have ended suffering and given the world peace if I had the power?"

"You could try, at least," Bryn snapped back. "Who are you helping, preaching about the past to a bunch of rich brats and making documentaries? Why save a few people and put away a handful of monsters with the FBI when we could be clearing this place of demons?"

"Come on, Bryn!" Arawn groaned from the back door as he held it open. Nelson guided Everly through the study, the bag of frozen peas and wads of paper towel pressed to his upturned face.

"Is it supposed to hurt?" Everly mumbled from beneath the compress in his soft monotone. It took a little getting used to, but Bryn found the slower cadence and low murmur soothing.

"Sometimes," Nelson replied with a concerned look at Nox but he held up his hands.

"Good thing it doesn't?" he guessed, causing Arawn to snort.

"Let's get you cleaned up," he offered and followed Everly and Nelson into the foyer and up the stairs.

"I'll hang out," Fletcher said as he dropped onto the arm of the sofa, hugging his chest and staring Bryn down, silently lecturing him for offending their host again.

"We're fine." Nox waved it off. "I'd rather clear the air and make peace now. Everly's back on his feet and we have important work to do. A grudge will make our tasks heavier. You want to know why I haven't started a Hunt?"

Bryn nodded. "The Beltway is teeming with demons and dark witches. There's far too many for me and Arawn to fight, but you could raise the Hunt again and we could do a lot of good around here."

"If that's what you want," Nox said with an easy shrug and looked at Fletcher. "Are you ready to say goodbye to Arawn and Bryn?"

"That's not fair," Bryn ground out. "The Hunt can be whatever you want it to be. There's no guarantee we won't be back."

Nox nodded quickly and waved his arms at the door. "Alright! Let's suit up and hit the road!" he shouted, whistling and clapping his hands. He galloped into the foyer, then circled around and back into the study, giving his invisible reins a hard tug and halting in front of Bryn. "You don't happen to know how to gather a mystical horde, do you?" he asked and Bryn clenched his jaw, fuming as he shook his head. Nox made a worried sound before waving it off. "No big deal, I'm sure. But you know how to avoid leading us into the End of Times, right? I assume you and Arawn will be at the front."

"You've made your point," Bryn said stiffly, causing Fletcher to push out a hard snort.

"Are you finally listening, though? Your brother and I both told you," he sighed at Bryn, another jab at his pride.

Nox held up a hand before Bryn could take a swipe at him. "You don't know what I've done. You only hear what I say in interviews and what's whispered about me because that's how I want it ," he explained slowly. "It would be the end of peace if I were to proclaim my godliness. Do you think the Christians are going to say ‘Aw, shucks! The grift is up!' and go away quietly? You think the Jews and the Muslims are going to give up Yahweh and Allah and love me ?"

"No, not you. You're a kid who acts like a clown," Bryn said, sneering and storming past an exasperated Fletcher on his way out.

"Why are you and Nox fighting?" Everly asked in his light, flat tone and startling Bryn when they nearly collided in the foyer. His big, dark, unblinking gaze darted between Bryn's and the study as he searched for clues.

"Shhh!" Bryn cupped his cheek and ducked so he could trap Everly's attention. "Everything's fine. How's your face?" He tilted it back, clicking his teeth at the trace of dried blood smeared beneath Everly's nose and the scab already forming on his chin.

"I can't feel it," Everly informed Bryn, his shoulder bouncing an awkward beat later. "And it'll probably all be gone by morning."

"Good!" Bryn replied brightly, not wanting to upset Everly by pointing out that "normal" people didn't heal like that. "Is this your first bloody nose?"

"Yes! None of my foster parents let me do anything , they were so afraid something would happen to me or I would get taken. And I've spent the rest of my life hiding from just about everything!"

His eagerness to trust and his purity was tearing Bryn to shreds. He would rip the arms off of any man who hurt Everly but Bryn wasn't sure how much longer he could be trusted with the sweet young halfling. "We're doing our best to find the asshole who's hunting you, so you won't have to hide anymore," Bryn said as he stepped around Everly and jogged up the stairs.

"That's the thing!" Everly took off after Bryn. "I don't feel like I'm— Oh—!" he cried when his foot missed the third step and he slipped, clipping his chin on one of the corners.

"For the love of—!" Bryn groaned as he stepped down and around so he could help Everly up. "Are you okay?" He eased an arm around Everly and did a quick scan of the foyer and the hallway above them. They were alone, curiously enough, but Bryn couldn't believe that anyone could be that clumsy.

Everly laughed it off, grabbing hold of the banister. "I'm fine!" he insisted, beaming up at Bryn with his big black eyes. They took some getting used to as well, but the more Bryn looked at them, the more color and life he saw inside of Everly. "I was going to say that I don't feel like I'm hiding anymore. I've never felt this safe and I don't care if I can't go anywhere, I have friends now and you all make me feel free." They reached the gallery and Everly laughed as he went to skip over the top step.

"Careful!" Bryn caught Everly when his foot missed again. "I'd swear someone keeps yanking the rug or kicking your foot, but you're a walking disaster, Ev."

"I don't mean to be, but my limbs don't always do what I tell them to do," he complained.

"That just means I need to stick a little closer, is all." Bryn slid an arm around his waist as they rounded the corner, intending a one-armed hug but Everly stepped into him.

"I don't care if I get a bloody nose or scrape up my chin or get a black eye, as long as you don't mind. I like it here and I like it when you're close." He braced a hand on Bryn's chest, over his heart, and rose on his toes.

"Damn it." Despite his haggard growl, Bryn cradled Everly's face like it was made of glass. "Why the hell would I mind?" He didn't give Everly a chance to answer, covering his lips for a tender, yet thorough kiss. The heady bliss of softly sweet lips as crisp as spring rain sealed Bryn's fate and bonded it to Everly's. He had a vision of their naked bodies, slick and intertwined, and it was both a promise and a warning. Bryn swore as he set Everly away from him. "Not that close."

"Wait!" Everly hopped excitedly, tugging at the front Bryn's shirt. "No one's ever done that!"

Bryn frowned. "Done what? I was going to take a quick shower and run an errand with Fletcher."

"You turned me down! That's twice now!" He sounded excited but it still nagged at Bryn's conscience, because something in his gut roared that he belonged, deep, deep, deep inside of Everly.

"Don't say it like that," Bryn begged, pushing his luck and pecking at Everly's lips. "Fuck, you're sweet, Ev." He wasn't sure how a person could be succulent, but Everly was as sweet as honey, dewy and soft, as Bryn kissed him again. "Okay!" he said when he finally raised his head and set Everly back against the wall. "Remember what Nox said?" he asked, earning a wide-eyed nod from Everly.

"I don't want to turn into an incubus."

"That's right," Bryn said with a tap of his brow as he turned on a heel and marched to his room.

He didn't risk looking back, afraid that Everly had just jinxed them. Bryn's imagination had already supplied the visuals and it was best for both of them if he took his ass straight into a cold shower.

That was exactly his intention as Bryn hurried past the bed and into the bathroom. He tossed his shirt at the hamper before reaching into the shower and cranking the cold faucet all the way around. Bryn turned and shouted, recoiling when he found himself face-to-face with Everly.

"What are you doing?" Bryn grabbed Everly's elbow and rushed him out of the bathroom.

"I like being close to you and I want to watch."

"Ev!" Bryn's hands dragged down his face as he begged for patience. "I'm trying but you are not making it easy."

"But—"

"No." Bryn shook his head before Everly could say he liked being easy. "Go wait downstairs with Nox or see if Merlin needs help in the kitchen."

"Okay."

Everly's lower lip pushed out as he shuffled off. He was adorable and Bryn was tempted to call him back, smiling as he closed and locked the bathroom door behind him. "I'll give Everly one thing: I'm not mad about Nox being a smartass anymore."