“I didn’t know anything about you. I wouldn’t be able to offer you the things a fated-mate would normally gain from bonding. Watching you grow old and die would devastate me if I weren’t already dying myself. More than that, watching you grow to hate yourself as you saw your youth fade and became feeble, while I still looked like I do now… I… I thought it was better for you to just stay away from me.”
“Then Cillian saw us together and I knew he’d go after you like he did Aidan. I can’t let anyone else die because of their connection to me. I know everyone thinks I’m just obsessed with revenge against Cillian, but I need to know before I die that he can’t hurt anyone else ever again. Do you understand?” He tugged on Noah’s hand.
Noah looked down at Laoch’s hopeful expression, then up at the ceiling. He sighed and squeezed Laoch’s hand, sitting back down and leaning against his side. Laoch draped his arm around Noah and they sat in silence, staring into the fire once more.
*****
After another day of rest, TJ pulled up stakes and the team pushed on to the research center. The snow had finally let up and they made better time. Three days later they finally spotted the pass. They shucked their snow gear and Tristan created a glamour that looked like Laoch in slacks and a long cardigan with a turtleneck and heavy framed glasses. TJ couldn’t stop the laugh that bubble out of him when he saw the outfit Tiger had described to Tristan.
Even in ‘nerdy’ clothes he still looked like a model. “Can’t you ugly yourself up a little?” Tiger asked him. Tristan looked confused.
“I thought you wanted me to look like Laoch,” he said. “Laoch is not ugly. Fae are not ugly. Have you ever seen an ugly Fae?” He gave Tiger an offended look.
Tiger sighed. “There is just no way to make these guys look common,” he complained to Remi.
“Hey, he just has to reasonably pass for Laoch’s brother. If Lucius doesn’t buy it, we’ll just say they had different mothers. The important thing is to just bluff our way in without stirring up suspicion.”
“True,” he said. “Well, are we all ready to go? Let’s get this show started.” They headed through the pass, knowing the watchers were already passing the word throughout the valley that strangers had entered their territory.
By the time they reached the research compound, Lucius was waiting on the front porch. When he saw Tae and Tony in the group, he rushed down the steps and threw his arms around Tae and side-hugged Tony. He hadn’t seen them since the wedding he’d hosted months earlier. Tae was a member of the native community in the valley and had been his assistant before he moved to Aurora with Tony.
“It’s so good to see you! How are my little lovebirds?” he asked.
We are well Doctor Lucius! Look, I got my tattoo!” He pulled away from Tony so that Lucius could see the matching tattoo he and Tony had gotten together from a tattoo artist in Aurora. He’d taken to wearing human clothes in Aurora, but now that they were back in his home territory, he’d switched back to his ornate loin cloth so everyone could see his mated tattoo.
He and Tony had fallen in love when TJ’s team had come to the valley looking for Tiger, but because they weren’t both Corvan natives Tae would never get a real mate-mark. Native mating had similarities to Fae mates but there were differences.
Tony had shown the artist a sketch that Tae had doodled, and the man had turned the tribal pattern into beautiful matching tattoos for the two of them. Tae was overjoyed.
“Very nice,” Lucius said, grinning at them.
He turned to the rest of the team, shaking hands with the ones he knew and being introduced to Little Wolf, Eoin, and Tristan. “Come inside everyone. I had food and drink laid out for you in the dining hall. I’m sure you’re tired and hungry.”
“I’m disappointed that Max didn’t come with you this time Captain.” He and Max, TJ’s lover, were old friends and TJ was just as happy that Max wasn’t available. Lucius was way too touchy-feely with Max in TJ’s opinion.
“Unfortunately, he’s on call at the hospital this month,” TJ said. “We brought Wolf this time. He’s a Ranger and a medic.”
“Ah, interesting!” His green eyes connected with Little Wolf’s ice blue gaze and he licked his lips. Wolf eyed Lucius like he was a lambchop.
“So, what brings you boys to my humble establishment this time?” Lucius inquired.
TJ spoke up, gesturing toward Tristan. “Tristan here is Professor Laoch’s brother. It seems he’s gone missing and we’re providing him escort while he tries to locate him. Has he been through here lately?”
Lucius eyed Tristan who just stared back at him. “Ah, yes, I see the resemblance. No, I’m sorry but I haven’t seen him since you boys left. He’s surely not in the valley or I would have heard from the watchers, but I suppose he could have become stranded in the snow beyond the valley. Holy shite! I hope that’s not the case! He’s always seemed so confidant and capable! Oh, my!”
“Well, he’s never had any problems with traveling alone till now. You could be right about the snow, but he’s probably just holed up somewhere, waiting out the storms. Don’t worry too much. If we can impose on you for shelter for a few days, we’ll scout around for signs of him. Maybe take advantage of the thermal pools after freezing our asses off in the snow.” TJ had seen the look that passed between Wolf and Lucius. Keeping Lucius occupied while they looked around wouldn’t be difficult.
“Certainly. The guest rooms you stayed in last time are still available. Make yourselves at home. I have some things to attend to, but I’ll see you boys at dinner.” He wandered away, talking to himself and fretting over Laoch’s disappearance.
While the rest of the team took all the gear to their suite and settled in, Tiger and Remi snuck out and headed to the waterfall. Tiger stripped off his jacket, shirt, boots, and socks since he didn’t see the point in getting things any wetter than necessary.
He handed them to Remi. “You stay here and keep an eye out while I go check out the cave,” he told Remi. Remi stashed everything in the bushes in case someone showed up, then went over to one of the thermal pools and sat on the log they’d used on their last trip there. He thought back to how they’d sat there, holding hands as they waited nervously to find out if Tiger had been cured of the throwback virus. Just thinking about it set his nerves on edge again.
Tiger worked his way along the ledge behind the waterfall, to the cave he’d stayed in while hiding from Remi and TJ. This time he was prepared for the inky darkness with a trail light. He padded through the cave on bare feet.
Taking the branch that led further back into the larger section, his heart sped up when he saw light up ahead. He ran forward, stopping when he reached the opening into the cave where the campfire was. He gasped loudly. “Oh, my god!” Backing up quickly, he ran back to the entrance and clambered out from behind the waterfall, slipping and sliding.
He ran over to where Remi was seated and threw himself onto the log next to him, burying his face against Remi’s shoulder. “Oh my god! Oh my God! Oh my god!”
“Tigger? What’s wrong?” He grabbed hold of Tiger’s shoulders and pushed him back to get eye contact. “Are they there? Are… are they dead!?” Tiger shook his head.
“No! They’re alive!”
“Well… that’s good! Right?” Remi scrunched up his eyebrows at a loss to understand Tiger’s hysterics.
“They’re both naked… and Noah was sucking Laoch’s dick! I can’t ever unsee that! Oh my god!”
Remi just stared at Tiger for a few seconds, then laughter poured out of him as he fell off the log backwards. Tiger leaned over, glaring at him as he rolled around on the ground. “It’s not funny! He’s my cousin and my mentor! And Noah’s my teammate. It’s like incest!”
Remi just roared. “Stop! Stop! Oh, babe…” Noah’s head popped out at the edge of the waterfall. His face was beet red. Looking around to be sure no one else was out there, he stepped out clad only in his cargo pants and approached.
When he go
t close, he stopped, one hand shoved into a pocket, and stood rubbing the back of his neck, looking off to the side. “Hey. Um… “
Tiger held a hand up, silencing him as Remi finally quieted and lay there watching.
Tiger glared at Noah but spoke quietly. “Are you both okay?”
“Laoch is still healing, but yes.”
“You were attacked by Cillian?”
“Yes, and two others.”
“I assume you’re still here because he hasn’t been able to cast a portal.”
“Yes.”
“All right. Stay put for now. Lucius thinks we’re here to find Laoch because he’s gotten lost up here. We have Tristan with us, posing as the brother who’s been looking for him. We’ll be back later to get you two out of the valley, then you can come back through the pass. The brothers meet, hug it out, and we’re out of here. Can he walk?”
“Yes. Look…”
Tiger held the hand up again. “We shall never… ever… speak of this, understand?”
“Understood.”
“Go.” Tiger pointed to the waterfall and Noah walked dejectedly back, disappearing behind the downpour.
Remi got up and sat down next to Tiger. His lips twitched, an off-color joke begging to come out, but he remembered what Tiger had done to the Fae in the forest and he thought better of it.
“We should probably get back to the suite and let everyone know we found them,” he suggested, putting an arm around Tiger’s shoulders and pulling him in tight. He fetched Tiger’s things from the bushes and Tiger got dressed, but as they headed back to the compound, Remi had a thought.
“Do you think they…. I mean who would’ve topped? Surely, Laoch…” Remi wondered, but his mouth snapped shut when Tiger’s head swiveled slowly toward him, reminding him again of the way he’d looked at him with those eerie silver eyes in the forest after totally obliterating two people.
“Never mind,” he muttered.
Chapter 19
“How did he take it,” Laoch asked, when a drenched Noah reappeared. “You’re still alive so I’m guessing it wasn’t too bad.”
“Easy for you to say. He was so pissed he said, ‘we shall never, ever speak of this’, after asking a few ‘yes’ and ‘no’ questions.” Using air quotes, Noah tried to imitate the tone of voice Tiger had used, causing Laoch to snicker. “He didn’t want to hear what I had to say. Apparently, they figured out that we portaled in, so they gave Lucius some story about you being lost and brought in Tristan to play your dear worried brother. He said they’d get us out tonight so we can enter legitimately through the pass.”
“Ah. Knowing Tristan, that means my father’s aware of what happened. He’s probably had an army out looking for us. I’m relieved that they finally figured out where we went. Tiger’s a clever boy. I never expected to get stuck here, but I knew if anyone could figure it out it would be him.”
“Maybe we can milk this for a few more days.” Noah gave him a sly look. He was afraid that once they left the valley, Tiger would do his best to keep them separated. Laoch was starting to come around to Noah’s way of thinking. He hadn’t used the “L” word yet, but there was definitely more than sex going on between them.
“You would risk being caught in the act again by my cousin?” He sighed. “I suppose we should get dressed. We wouldn’t want to shock anyone else’s delicate sensibilities when they come to get us. Also, it will be freezing when we portal out of here into the snow field. I hope they thought to bring us some snow gear.”
When Tiger and Tristan returned after dark, Wolf was with them. He insisted on checking Laoch’s condition before letting Tristan take him through the portal. “I brought you guys snow gear, since you were supposed to be lost like a couple of newbs, stumbling around out there in a blizzard. Be sure to roll around and get filthy and frosty. Try to look pathetic when you knock on the front door.” Tiger’s snark made it obvious he’d not yet forgiven them.
Tristan dropped his glamour. “Laoch, your beloved brother Tristan has been looking for you for weeks so be sure to put on a good show you two. Remember, you’ve been freezing your nuts off, not lounging around in a nice warm cave.”
Tiger turned to Wolf. “So, how’s he doing? Is he good to go?” His snotty tone eased off as he inquired about Laoch’s condition. He could see that Laoch looked more haggard than he had the last time he’d seen him in Aurora. How much was due to the wound and how much was from his prior condition he didn’t know. He wasn’t going to send Laoch out if he wasn’t in good enough shape to make it back through the pass, even if he did have Noah to help him. He’d just have Tristan take them directly back to Aurora and tell Lucius they were going to continue the search elsewhere.
Tiger and TJ had planned on all of them returning to Aurora by portal anyway once they left through the pass, but he wanted to give Laoch more time to heal before putting him in Cillian’s path again. Normally, being Fae, he’d be healed by now, but with his failing health, his healing rate was more at a human level. Laoch needed to be able to defend himself and not have to rely on others to protect him. He was a proud man and he had a promise to keep.
“He’ll be okay,” Wolf replied. “The shoulder still needs to heal, but there’s no signs of fever or infection. His lungs are clear.”
They exited the cave and pulled on the snow gear that Tiger had left in the trees nearby. “Tris will drop you in the tree line a couple of miles from the pass, so the watchers won’t see the portal. Are you sure you can make it that far? If you get in trouble, use the comms I stuck in the pockets of your jackets. I won’t be able to reply but I’ll click two for affirmative. We’ll find an excuse to come get you.” He looked worried. His temper had eased off somewhat after Laoch had let him know briefly how badly he was injured and how Noah had cared for him. Knowing that Laoch probably would have died if not for Noah had redeemed his teammate somewhat in Tiger’s eyes.
Tristan cast the portal and Noah and Laoch stepped through into freezing cold darkness, landing in snow up to their thighs. They wallowed in the snow till they thought they probably looked sufficiently bedraggled to have been lost in a blizzard and found some mud to rub on for added effect. They started to make their way toward the pass when Laoch heard voices deeper in the forest.
He signaled Noah and the two of them squirmed their way closer, following the voices to a campsite where about a dozen Fae soldiers were laughing and sharing a meal around a roaring fire. After assessing the situation and looking for Cillian among the group, they quietly backed off and hurried back the way they had come. Laoch cut two branches off a small sapling and they brushed out their tracks as they worked upslope to the pass. Once there, they stopped to rest and catch their breath.
Noah looked at Laoch, squinting in the dark. Fortunately, there were no moons to betray their passage. “You think it’s Cillian?” he asked.
“I didn’t see him, but he could have been in one of the tents. They are undoubtedly his men though. They must have followed your team here. We have a big problem. There are too many Fae for our small group to fight. At least they don’t look like they have any intention of attacking tonight, but we need to get to TJ and Tiger… let them know about this. That many Fae could destroy everyone at the compound. We need to come up with a different plan. They may not be sure we’re here, but they will tear this place apart looking for us, regardless of whether we stay or leave. We can’t just abandon these people.”
“Yeah,” Noah agreed. “This could all blow up in our faces. If we have an outright battle here in front of everyone our efforts to remain hidden will be for nothing. But… if the Fae have a policy of keeping everything secret, wouldn’t they hide their abilities in front of witnesses?”
Laoch looked tense. “They could just kill all the witnesses. Depends on who we’re dealing with. All Fae are sworn to protect our secrets and not to kill other species, but as long as it doesn’t get back to the courts they may not care. These are renegades. We don’t know what the
y’re likely to do… but I do know what Cillian is capable of doing. He has little regard for humans. He thinks humans should be ruled by the Fae. That’s the crux of the battles between the courts and the rebels. Cillian only uses human soldiers because he considers them disposable tools.”
Noah glanced back down at the forest; the campfire now hidden by the trees. “Fuck! Come on!” He pulled Laoch up and headed down into the valley.
They spotted the research compound half an hour after the watchers had alerted everyone that two strangers had entered the valley. They were met halfway to the compound by their team who went out to make sure the ‘strangers’ were not a threat.
“What took you so long?!” Tiger hissed at Laoch. “Never mind. We’re being watched so make a big fuss Tris and hug your prodigal brother so we can get you back inside a nice warm building.” He looked over Laoch and Noah, nodding his approval. “Good job… you look like crap. Lucius should be convinced you idiots were lost for a while.”
Tristan stiffly hugged Laoch. “Fae do not make a big fuss. We are reserved.” Laoch snickered and returned Tristan’s hug.
Being the good host that he was, Lucius had hot food and drinks waiting for the travelers when the team returned. Shocked but happy to learn that they were the lost men TJ and his team had come in search of, he had quite a few questions for Laoch, who masterfully sidestepped anything incriminating or that made him look like a total idiot (he did have his pride after all).
Noah, being somewhat less the center of attention, managed to catch TJ’s eye and let him know that they needed to have a serious talk once the reunion was over with.
Finally, bellies full and exhausted, they all headed off to their respective rooms. Once inside the team’s suite, everyone gathered in the common room and grabbed seats. TJ looked at Noah and nodded.
“First, we want to thank you all for coming to get us. I think we were both getting pretty fed up with a diet of rabbits and fruit. Oh! Almost forgot!” He got up and walked over to TJ. Latching onto TJ’s hair, he kissed him square on the lips.
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