Chapter Seventeen

CAM SAT AND drank coffee watching everyone else eat toast with preserves, eggs with melted jalapeno cheese, and vegetarian sausage links. He used all his powers of self-control to not throw up. He swallowed several times as bile rose in his throat. Human food had lost all appeal.

Now, raw flesh…bring it on.

Eggs didn’t count.

Blech.

His tummy demanded more sustenance.

Tully hadn’t been able to whip anything up for his specialized palate as he had cleaned them out of anything meat related. So, Cam settled for coffee instead.

The buzzing in his head and constant pounding in his chest determined he didn’t need any more. His wings were on a permanent buzz mode from all the caffeine he’d ingested in the last twelve hours.

“Tully, this is delicious, thank you.” Amna nibbled away at her plate of sautéed veggies, toasted artisan bread, and a raspberry anise jam. Amna was vegan. Even the eggs were off limits. “But, Dev, you still haven’t told me what the hell has happened. You’ve ignored my texts for the last week, and you haven’t been to see Mom and Dad. They are furious, and I continue to have to wear these outfits to appease Mother. I want one day in jeans. Just one day!

“So, care to share with me why it is I sense a darkness looming over this city? My sisters have all encountered some unusual shadow activity. And as much as a hellhound might be fun to play fetch with for a brief bit, it’s not a creature you want around for the long haul.”

“Hellhound, that’s nothing. Tully and I were attacked by a wraith.” Sparks countered Amna’s polite conversation.

Amna’s eyebrows shot up.

“See.” She waved a finger at Sparks. “This is what I’m talking about. For a very long time, Edmonton has not had to put up with such creatures. What has happened to the Guardians?”

“Okay, so…let me get this straight. You didn’t like me associating with Byron Radcliffe and his coven, but now that they are no longer around you want to know what happened?” Dev flushed. Cam had seen the response before when Dev’s sister taunted him. Typical sibling rivalry. But then Amna had grown up with Dev and understood which buttons to push to achieve the highest level of annoyance.

“Dev, oh my God. What do you mean they are no longer around? I didn’t want you getting mixed up with him and his weirdly loyal—what did he call them…Knights? Byron Radcliffe was an arrogant and cocky asshole who did some rather morally questionable things. But the Guardians of the Night Grove have long held the tradition of ensuring the deepest of the darkness stays buried. For that, we were all grateful. Not everything in the Shadow Realm should see the light of day.

“So, I repeat, what happened?”

“Girl, how long can you sit there and eat fake protein? ’Cause this story is twisty and complicated.” Cam clicked his tongue to add emphasis to his statement. His wings folded together as he stared at Amna and mustered up a most serious glare.

“You haven’t changed a single bit, Cam. One would have hoped such a physical transformation would have changed a few other qualities.” Amna jeered.

“Rude,” Cam replied as his tail twitched. He turned to Dev and mouthed, “I never liked her,” as he pointed in Amna’s direction.

Dev rolled his eyes.

“Cam’s right, the situation is sordid, but basically, the Guardians of the Night Grove are no longer. Eddie and Gus, his Knights, are dead. Byron got mauled by his lover, Addas, after he turned into a werewolf, and Byron has spent the last few months in hospital recovering.” Sparks nodded at Dev’s commentary. “We don’t know what happened to Addas, but it’s possible he’s dead.”

“Nope, not dead. Very much alive.” Cam stated matter of factly, although he drew out the “very” for dramatic affect. He took a sip from his mug.

‘Wait, what? How would you know this?” Tully glared at Cam.

“Ah, hello, sleeping with the Edmonton Alpha?”

“No, you’re not—but you want to.” Dev corrected.

“Also rude,” Cam replied, shifting his focus between Amna, Sparks, and Tully, but refused to look at Dev. “So, I came to the city to smooth things over with Everton—we’re going through a little bumpy spot—and while I hung out at the pack house, things happened. Everton got all alpha on me, or tried to, saying it wasn’t safe for me to be at his place because of another alpha wolf in the city…which is why I am here—” Cam returned his focus to Dev, glaring. Hard. “—hiding for my very life.”

“Oh my Gods.” Dev shook his head.

“What? Another alpha? And Addas is alive…how? Wait. Are you saying Addas is the other alpha?” Tully’s face contorted as he strung together the information.

“Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner.” Cam’s sharp pointy teeth presented themselves as he grinned, looking like a serial-killer version of the Cheshire Cat.

“How did this all come about?” Dev squinted at Cam.

“The guys had seen another wolf in the vicinity, and there were these pheromones floating around that were apparently from another alpha—I think—I don’t know, there were a lot of werewolf words. Anyway, Josip inadvertently came across the scent again in another part of the city and snapped pictures of Addas. At first the other wolves weren’t sure but the size alone of the beast. I mean, my Everton is just as big, if not bigger, but, well, after spending some time in your ex-high priest’s dungeon, I think I know Addas when I see him.”

“So, Addas is alive.”

“Oh yeah, and bloodlusted right out. Dead bodies everywhere. No one’s safe. And the full moon is in a couple of days. Danger. Beware. All that stuff,” Cam added while finishing the last sip of his coffee. He looked forlornly at the bottom of the mug.

“Do you want more, Cam?” Tully asked.

“Don’t you think you’ve had enough?” Dev shot Cam a disgruntled look.

“No! How dare you?” Cam gave Dev the side-eye, then grinned and nodded vigorously at Tully. But the twitchy smile garnered a shocked grimace from Tully, as Cam brought a hand up and covered his sharp jack-o’-lantern-like teeth. Admittedly, the teeth were disconcerting. He concentrated on a plot he had contrived to get Everton naked and glamoured his teeth, reverting them to a human form. Remembering Dev had been nasty to him, he turned and scowled at Dev, again.

“You two are friends, right?” Sparks asked, looking concerned. Cam couldn’t blame him, what with being slightly strung out, and a flesh-eating Eldritch fae. If you weren’t used to fairies, the sight of one might be unsettling.

“The best. He’s like my brother.” Dev smiled. “Getting each other’s goat, though, we live for that shit. Don’t we, Cam.”

Cam affirmed Dev’s statement with another round of vigorous head bobbing.

“I’d never have guessed.” Sparks raised his eyebrows.

“Well, this makes for an interesting turn of events. Addas is alive, Byron doesn’t know it, there are dark things creeping into our once-protected city, and we’ve been tasked to take over and ensure Edmonton’s safety,” Dev said.

“I’m sorry, who tasked you? I mean, that’s kind of the reason I’m here.” Amna wiped her mouth with her napkin, set the cloth down, then glared at her brother. “I knew you had connections to Byron, so I thought I would come over and see if you’d ask the Guardians what has happened. But I see there’s more to the story, and you’ve managed to get yourself neck-deep into all of this. So, who exactly stipulated you take over?”

“Everybody,” Sparks, Tully, and Dev uttered in unison. The three exchanged glances between themselves, then laughed.

“I don’t know if I’ll get used to three of you.” Amna’s brows furrowed while Dev snickered. “It’s not funny, Dev. This is dangerous. I can sense creepy-crawly energy, and the shadows are moving. I’ve had gooseflesh for over a week. I’m so nervous and high-strung I haven’t slept in three nights. The nightmares are horrific. Something is going to happen, and soon, if whatever the Guardians did to protect this city isn’t put back in place.”

“Well, that’s probably not going to happen anytime soon either.” Cam cocked an eyebrow at Amna. “The big orb Byron used to store the throttled energy from the ley lines went kaboom. Byron made Addas connect the globe directly to the ley line so he’d have enough energy to use in casting the healing spell to cure Addas’s werewolf infection. Shit went sideways and everything blew up.”

“We need a new globe?” Dev’s eyes were wide.

“Uncle Bart said Byron had stolen the idea from the coven in Montreal who utilized something similar,” Tully explained. “So that tells me we need to go to Byron’s house and search through the Guardian’s stuff to find contacts to the coven in Montreal. And maybe there’s documentation on how to build a new globe. While we’re over there, we might as well retrieve our personal things.”

“Byron’s discharge is slated to happen soon,” Sparks added.

“Maybe we should go right after breakfast?” Tully suggested. “Can you guys come?”

“I can’t. I have some calls to make about a case for work. Which reminds me…” Dev turned to Sparks. “Do you know if your brother is around today? I need to chat with him.”

“Should be. He rarely leaves his basement with all his dead things.”

“Lovely image.”

“He likes bones. He keeps them down in the cellar where the temperatures are cooler, and he has a lovely layer of graveyard dirt to lie them on. He’s an unusual one.”

“I hope he has some answers for me.” Dev frowned.

“Well”—Tully put his mitt on Dev’s shoulder—“Sparks, can you come with me?”

“I can. We’ll have to be quick. I have a night shift I’m covering at the hospital tonight, and I need time to sleep before.” Sparks threw Tully a wink.

Cam groaned and rolled his eyes.

He smelled sex on them. Sparks wore bags under his eyes, as did Tully and Dev. But they all sported afterglow grins too. Cam cocked an eyebrow at all three of the guys, knowing full well what had transpired last night.

 

“I DON’T KNOW, Sparks, I remember there being more stuff here.”

Sparks scanned one end of the room, standing in front of a wall full of scrolls while Tully picked through a bookshelf in Byron’s study—the exact room where he’d been locked in with Dev while Dev had attempted to find the trigger to release his power.

Sparks had listened to Tully tell the tale on the ride over. All the details including the blowjob leading up to the magic siphoning incident. Given what Sparks had been treated to earlier that morning, Tully’s story tracked. His new lover had an unusually dexterous tongue.

Between the two of them, there were a couple of boxes they had filled with ceremonial robes, workbooks belonging to the guys, and the odd tome or scroll referencing energy tapping, redirecting of ley lines, and harvesting supernatural power. There wasn’t nearly as much material as Sparks had hoped, but enough to perhaps get them started.

Tully moved over to Byron’s desk and rifled through drawers. “Byron had to have had a journal, or phone book—something about the Montreal coven.”

“Don’t you think his contacts are all stored on his cell like everyone else? Or his laptop? And I don’t know about you, but the only phone book I’ve ever seen had been stashed in a drawer at my parents’ place. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone use one.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. I wonder…maybe Uncle Bart has connections to the coven. I’ll have to go ask him. I have other things to talk to him about. Namely, the house and its mysterious ability to renovate itself.”

“Oh yeah. Weird,” Sparks replied quietly as his tummy dropped. The last couple of days had been a bit tumultuous.

“Okay, speak. You’ve been off, and you never get that quiet.” Tully stopped perusing papers he’d found and put his hands on his hips, the muscles in his forearms rippling as his grip tightened.

“It’s so fast, Tully, and I feel guilty.”

“Why?” Tully’s jaw dropped.

“You guys are so perfect for each other, and then I’m feeling all lonely and dumb by myself, so I go cast a stupid spell and land up between you two. That’s why. Both of you have been awesome but come on…you’re still getting used to your own relationship. I go rogue with the hocus pocus and the Horned One decrees us a throuple. I mean…really?” Sparks flushed as he spoke, but the rising doubt bubbled over as the words fell out of his mouth.

“Look, I get it. Dev and I haven’t had a chance to talk yet, but we will. I can guarantee you if there is any issue, Dev will voice his concerns, and in a nice way. He’s a good man.” Tully moved in front of the desk toward Sparks.

“You are two of the most incredible guys I know. I don’t think I measure up in that equation. And I am seriously worried about doing anything that might compromise our friendship. Don’t get me wrong, last night was bloody amazing, but—” Tully took two steps and closed the distance between him and Sparks.

Tully grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him in, squeezing the air right out of him.

“Not another word.”

Sparks struggled to breathe.

“You are more than worthy, firstly. And secondly, I have reservations too.”

“What?” Sparks pulled away.

“I do. Why wouldn’t I? You’re right—one night having some sexy fun with a friend, not a big deal…but Cernunnos basically wed us out in the witch grove. He clearly wants all of us together. And the house? Like, what the fuck? I’m worried this instant melding of the minds thing is going to cause problems down the road. But…” Tully pulled away and stared Sparks in the eyes. “I’m willing to let go of my concerns and insecurities and try. There’s obviously a reason, and truthfully, out of all the other guys, I can’t think of a single one I’d rather have join us.”

Sparks broke the gaze and stared at his feet.

“You’re too good to me. You always have been. Dev barely knows me.”

“But he will, give him a chance. I know he’ll come to love you as much as he does me and vice versa. You and I already have coven history together. We get along great; I don’t think taking our connection to a more intimate level is going to change how we feel about each other. If anything, we might cement our bond more. I mean, we did get pretty sticky.”

They both chuckled.

“I’m overthinking this, aren’t I?” Sparks bit the inside of his cheek, feeling foolish, and as insecure as a teenager. He should grow up, take the decree from the Horned One, and play it through.

“No more than I am.”

“Really?” Sparks’s mouth twitched upward in a half grin.

“Really.” Tully leaned forward and gave Sparks a peck on the lips.

Sparks relaxed. Tully had a more sensible way of looking at life.

“I did have a lot of fun last night. And I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to replaying some of our antics throughout breakfast. Especially the thing you do with your tongue.”

Tully laughed.

“You want me to do it again?”

“Right here?”

Tully laughed. “Maybe later. Right now, we need to find anything else we possibly can so we can take over the Guardians’ ley line throttling. I think we’ve managed to collect anything personal, and the guys’ robes and workbooks.”

“You’re awesome; you know that, right?”

“As are you.” Tully winked at Sparks, then released him. “I wonder if there’s anything here on alpha werewolves. I have to admit I know shit about them, other than Byron always said how horrible they were.”

“Yeah, I don’t understand the animosity. Everton seems like a nice guy.”

“A nice guy who’ll rip you apart if given the chance.”

“Fair, but I don’t think he would.”

“Can you believe Addas is still alive? I mean, who would have imagined the triple combo of witch, werewolf, and fae would have saved him.” Sparks continued his scan of the wall in front of him.

“I know. And I’m surprised there’s so little written about hybrids. I mean, I have fae in me—we know my ancestors are the result of a dalliance with the fae. That’s how I’m able to charm people so well.”

“Oh my Gods, I completely forgot about your additional talent. Have you been charming me all this time?”

Tully laughed again. “No, I wouldn’t charm you unless you agreed to it, or in an emergency. But just so you know…” Tully grabbed Sparks’s hand and rubbed the back with his thumb.

Sparks melted into Tully’s magical touch. His fingers pressed into the plump meat of Sparks’s palm, his thumb rubbing circles into the back, and Sparks relaxed.

“See?” Tully cocked an eyebrow, then immediately stopped.

Sparks shook his head. “That’s insanely awesome. But if you wouldn’t mind moving your thumbs to my shoulders and releasing some of the tension there, I’d be eternally grateful.”

Tully burst out laughing, slapping Sparks on the back. “Tonight, after your shift, if you want, you come over to the house… I mean…our house…and I’ll get the massage oils out. I’ll fix you up.”

“Sounds amazing.”

“So…” A familiar voice startled them from behind. Sparks and Tully flipped around to find Byron standing at the entrance to his study. “Addas is alive? And you two are doing what, exactly? Stealing?”

“Oh, shit,” Sparks whispered.

“Hey, Byron. Not stealing. Taking things that belong to us, and any coven documentation related to the ley line stuff you used to do. We’ve been given a mandate.”

“I see.” Byron tossed a large, fist-sized, amber rock into the air, then caught it. “How exactly do you know about Addas?”

“That is complicated, but the werewolf pack you had us all hunting down are not a bad bunch of guys. They’ve passed along info to us, indirectly, and we know Addas is, in fact, alive. He’s also an alpha.”

“Good. You can take me to him.”

“Ah, I don’t know. We’re, what? Two days away from the full moon? Besides, his exact location is a mystery to me, but the pack knows.” Sparks said.

“You have two choices. One, you can take me to Addas—I don’t care how you get the information on his whereabouts—or two, you can stay right here in my study until you agree to do the first option.” Byron tossed the rock into the air again.

“Crap.” Tully eyed the amber as Byron juggled it.

“What?” Sparks glanced over at Tully with alarm and panic.

“I recognize the rock—Dev played with the stone the last time we were in here.”

“That’s right. You always were a clever boy.” The rock flipped up into the air again.

“Byron, we don’t know where Addas is—and with the full moon so close, do you think tracking Addas down is smart? Why don’t we wait until after the moon cycle?”

“I haven’t seen my lover in several months, and I need him. So, again, take me to him or you’ll stay here.”

“But Byron—” Tully lifted a hand up in defiance.

Tully’s uncooperative response set Byron off. Sparks saw months of pain, guilt, and anger ripple across their ex-high priest’s face and morph into rage. It made him feel bad for the man.

Until the amber rock came hurtling toward them.

“It’s a soul trap. Sparks, jump!” Tully threw himself in the opposite direction from where Bryon had aimed the amber stone. Sparks attempted to follow Tully’s lead, but neither of them was fast enough.

As the amber hit the wooden floorboards, it shattered into several pieces, releasing a yellow glow saturating the space around Sparks and Tully.

 

SUSPENDED IN MID-AIR, the boys floated and bobbed in the dense buttery glow. The shocked expression frozen on their faces made Byron’s heart happier. But nothing would make him feel right about anything until he wrapped his arms around Addas, then dropped to the man’s feet and begged for his forgiveness.

He only hoped Addas would still have him.

Reaching into his coat’s pocket, Byron pulled out his cell phone, found the phone number he wanted, and punched the Call button.

Addas and he would be together again soon enough.