Chapter Five

 

 

 

“Would you look at this?”

Rion stretched and grinned, partly in reaction to Rex’s delight, partly in relief that their round-the-clock marathon of travel had finally come to an end. The Sidhe stood at the base of his property and gazed up at the croft on the gentle green slope.

It was exactly as they’d left it a century and a half ago. Even the ginger cat looked the same. Had it been caught in the web of magic, or was it a distant descendent of Rex’s old barn cat?

“I suppose we’ll have to see about putting in a road from the highway.” Rex sounded reluctant, and Rion understood why. A century ago this area had been remote and wild. Now it was laced with roadways and towns had sprung up like mushrooms. Above the forest, clouds traveled heavy and wet, ready to shower them with Scotland’s magical rain. This tiny place was a bit of heaven. Magic still lingered on the air.

“Just a track of some sort. Enough to drive up. We don’t really want to advertise that we’re here.”

Rex smiled and his tail stretched over to draw Rion closer. “Eventually this croft will be noticed again. Folks will wonder why they never realized what a lovely old wood grew along this way. The military will be particularly curious.” His voice was sad. Most of Scotland’s old-growth forests had been decimated during the wars of the twentieth century.

Rex’s forest still grew wild and untouched, frozen in time. It was a treasure beyond imagining. Rion wondered how many plants and animals lived here that were now extinct in the outside world.

Rex set down his bags and as Rion watched, the Sidhe breathed in, and became…more. His color intensified, his posture became taut with life. His aura whirled around his body in colors of green and gold and brilliant white light. He dropped the glamour and laughed in sheer delight. He picked up his bags again and started walking.

The croft seemed smaller, and as they passed the barn, Rion trailed his hand over the old pump. The orange cat leaped from a stack of hay that hadn’t decayed in all these years. It was as though they’d been gone a day rather than a century. They passed the old stone water trough and Rex bent slightly, trailing his fingers through the crystal clear water.

They climbed the path to the house and paused at the doorway, pushing the door inward. They hadn’t even locked it when they’d left. The hinges were quiet and well-oiled. The fragrance of lavender drifted out and Rex inhaled deeply. Rion stifled a gasp.

The bottle of oil they’d used the last time they’d made love here was exactly where they’d left it, sitting on the floor next to the bed that was built into the wall. The furniture was still lovely in its rough-hewn fashion, the bed rumpled from the last time they’d risen. They’d been in too much of a hurry to make it up.

“It’s as though we’d just walked out this morning,” Rion breathed. He’d known Rex’s enchantment would keep it hidden, but he hadn’t realized it would be so completely frozen in time. Where was the dust? The cobwebs?

“If you’ll get the fire, Rion, I’ll be gettin’ some water. We can get some porridge started.” Rex’s voice was thick with the emotion of the moment. Rion suspected he needed a few minutes to greet his old home in private.

They’d brought food, but Rex needed this. He needed to reconnect with his past. Rion found tinder and quickly started a small blaze, building it up with bits of dried peat. He went to the kitchen and rummaged around, finding oats, as fresh as if they’d just been delivered from the miller. He set them aside and found vegetables in the root cellar. He put those on the table and set out a still-sharp kitchen knife. Rex could live on oats, but Rion preferred to have other food as well.

The ghillie dubh hadn’t returned yet, so Rion sat on the edge of the bed, remembering the night he’d staggered in so long ago, covered with mud, nearly mute with confusion and fear. He remembered the morning he’d woken with a raging erection. In fear, he’d called Rex, who’d calmly taught him the facts of life.

This was the home of his birth and his childhood. This was where he’d learned to walk and talk as an adult, where he’d learned to love the whimsical man who’d been waiting to rescue him. They’d fled this house because of his fear, and Rex had never questioned him. He’d never resented Rion’s unreasonable panic.

Over a century of running, and he’d been fleeing the woman he’d once loved more than his life. He didn’t remember that time anymore, but the love was still there in his heart. So was the irony of the situation.

Rion rested his head on his knees and let the long pent-up tears flow.

 

* * * *

 

“Fancy meeting you here.”

Noemi wiped the sweat from her forehead and shielded her eyes from the sun. The voice had a thick Scot’s brogue that caused her heart to leap. Up there, at the crest of an old stone barn, she saw the outline of something magical.

“Rex?”

“Aye, lass.”

She swayed in fatigue, wondering if she’d begun to hallucinate. Surely Rex wasn’t sitting on the thatched roof of a barn? Noemi had taken the train west, and gotten off at a small station, switching to a northbound train. She’d had little to eat, and the hike… Well, she’d not expected it to take so long. She was hallucinating.

But she wasn’t. Rex stood, extended his wings, and glided easily through the air till he landed lightly at her side. “Ah, Anahita. You’re home now.” He wiped a tear trickling down her cheek. “You’ve had us in a world of worry.”

“How’d you know to meet me here?” She looked in wonder at the picturesque little croft. She hadn’t seen a thatched roof in ages. Flowers defied the climate and grew rampantly up the walls of the little house. Outside the barn, pens and green fields were forlorn, empty of the sheep that should be grazing. A cat sat on a fence rail, watching her with an enigmatic gaze that seemed as old as the land.

Something caressed her ankle. Looking down, she saw Rex’s magnificent tail, stroking her with tentative affection. “I sure could have used your company a few days ago. Nearly wore Rion out. I think the single time we had together made me need you more than I ever have, lass. I’m an addict. You’re my drug.”

He held out a hand and she clasped it, feeling strength and power flowing through every cell of his body. He was feeding her, simply by touch. Clearly she was addicted to him as well. She sighed and leaned forward, resting her forehead against his.

“Rion?”

He nodded. “He’s here too. He’s put a brave face on it, always trying to be the strong one. I told him, you know—who you are—but I think he always knew.”

She blinked rapidly, trying to stop the tears. “When I was asleep in the motel, you were in my mind. It was like the warmest dream I’d ever had. But after you left, she came.”

“Carly?”

She nodded.

“She hurt you badly. I’m so sorry, Noemi. So sorry for everything.”

The brilliant smile had left his eyes and in its place were grief and guilt and love so deep she couldn’t fathom it. Then his arms were around her, his body shaking with emotion.

“It wasn’t your fault, Rex. Not at all.”

“I should have known, Noemi. I’ve known Carly all my life and had no idea she was so close to the edge.” He held her at arm’s length, looking down into her face. This time, she wiped the tears from his nut-brown cheeks. She leaned into him, settling a kiss on his smiling lips.

She whispered in his ear, “I have wings, Rex. I don’t know if I can fly, but when Anahita and I came together, my wings returned.”

“Oh, Noemi.” He hugged her tightly. “I can’t wait to see. I can’t wait to fly with you.” He clasped her hand. “We have so much to talk about. But we need to do it together. All of us.”

She nodded, starting the final walk up the hill. Her legs were weary and when Rex scooped her up into his arms, she didn’t protest. When they levitated over the ground, she laughed.

“I’m too heavy for you to carry like this.”

He pressed a kiss on her forehead. “Light as a feather, Noemi.” And in truth, it appeared he had no problem flying her up the gentle slope.

“This is your home?”

“Aye. It’s been too long since I’ve been here. Later, I’ll go to the forest for a time and talk to the trees. They’ve missed me. I need to apologize for leaving.”

She smiled against his throat. She had no doubt that’s exactly what he’d do.

He settled her lightly on the front porch. “It’s a bit old-fashioned. I think Rion will appreciate indoor plumbing…” The door swung open and she was wrapped in magic. It was magic born of great power and even greater love. Rion was seated on the edge of a bed nestled into an alcove in the plastered wall. His eyes were red with tears, strands of hair clung to his cheeks. In a flash, she was at his side.

Looking into his fathomless blue eyes, she remembered everything. She remembered the first time they’d kissed, and the wedding that had been the biggest social event in memory. She remembered Azrael standing with Kokabiel, his ebony hair floating on the light breeze that always drifted through the great halls of the Ministry.

She remembered him. Her husband. God’s Star.

“Kokabiel.” She was on her knees, looking up at the face of the man she’d fallen in love with twice. “I’m here.”

“Noemi.”

She nodded. “Yes.”

“Anahita?”

Hope speared through her heart, hope that he’d remember those same things Anahita had given back to her. Hope died as she gazed into his face.

“I don’t remember.” Worlds of grief lived in those blue eyes. “My first memories… They’re here. In this little house.”

She cupped his face in her hands. “That’s okay, Rion. I’ll remember for both of us. All of it.”

Behind her, Rex moved softly, sitting on the bed next to the angel. He wrapped his arms around broad shoulders, kissing the side of Rion’s neck. “No more tears now. Either of you.”

She sniffed and gave a little laugh, gazing around the homely interior of the croft house. It was quaint and charming, and much, much too small for three.

She looked up into the faces of her men.

“We’re going to need a bigger bed.”

Rion gave a sudden laugh, reaching down to pull her to her feet. When they fell backward into the cavern-like space, she fell squarely in the middle, just as she ought to. Rex’s hand on her thigh was a tickling, tempting reminder of what she needed.

“Are you hungry, lass?”

She sat up, allowing her red-gold glow to fill the tiny space.

“Yes, but food can wait.”