Hell's Bells

by Lesli Richardson

  Panting in his arms, Jeff’s pulse galloped against Aidan’s flesh. “I love you,” Aidan whispered in Jeff’s hair.

  “I love you too, Aid. Forever.”

  The men drifted to sleep.

  They were a sticky mess an hour later when Aidan awoke first. In sleep they’d rolled onto their sides, Jeff facing him. Aidan carefully climbed out of bed and cleaned himself up, wet a washcloth with warm water, wiped Jeff down.

  Jeff mumbled but didn’t awaken.

  When Aidan slipped back into bed, Jeff tightly snuggled against Aidan.

  Soul mate. The thought both thrilled and terrified Aidan. He did want it, but worse, he didn’t want to make a mistake and hurt Jeff. It didn’t matter how many reassurances he had from all corners, he needed to take it slow.

  Whether he liked it or not, he suspected he’d better have a talk with Ryan.

  Chapter 22

  The next afternoon, Ryan was relaxing with the paper when Aidan appeared in his living room.

  He didn’t look up from his paper. “Yes?”

  After a nervous hesitation, Aidan asked, “Can we talk?”

  “I’m listening.”

  Aidan sat in one of the chairs. “Seriously, Ami. Please?”

  Ryan immediately put the paper down and dropped his detached act. If Aidan was calling him by his old name, he damn sure would listen.

  Aidan nervously twisted his hands in front of him. “I needed to ask you… um… theoretically speaking. Claiming Jeff as my soul mate. What do I do?”

  Ryan smiled, but it was kind, not teasing. He leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “May I be the first to offer my congratulations, by the way? I’ve been meaning to.”

  “I’m not saying it’ll be today or even this year. I haven’t even officially asked him yet. I’m just saying… If I wanted to do it. How do I do it?”

  Ryan looked a little confused. “You deserve happiness, Aidan. You of all people. You’ve more than well earned it. Just live. Enjoy being with him.”

  Aidan lifted his eyes and finally looked at Ryan—Amiago. “Look who’s talking.”

  Ryan shook his head. “Don’t make this about me. I hoped you’d one day find someone. Jeff is very lucky to have you as his soul mate.”

  Aidan blushed. “How lucky? I mean, seriously. What’s coming down the pike?” He held Ryan’s intense green gaze. “I don’t want to bring him into this life just to have some serious shit happen, he loses me and it kills him. I’d rather give him up to someone else than put him through that kind of pain.”

  Ryan frowned, feeling even more confused. “What, exactly, are you asking me to tell you?”

  “Tell me what’s going on.”

  “I don’t know.” Ryan stood and jammed his hands in his pocket. When he walked to the windows, he stared out at the city. “There are rumblings. As best I can tell, we’re years away from major confrontations. There are things stirring that I suspect will be settled sooner rather than later without casualties on our side. This situation with Bera, of course, is one of them.”

  Ryan turned. “If you want me to promise you he won’t ever grieve for you, I can’t. I can’t do that any more than I can promise Kal. You know that. You know what we are and what we do. You’ve fought enough battles over time to understand that I hate to lose, but I can’t always guarantee we’ll win.”

  Aidan threw his head back and ran his hands through his hair. “Jeez, Ami. I don’t know what to do! Tell me what the right thing is. Tell me what I should do.”

  Ryan hesitated, frowned for a second, then carefully eyed him. “You love him. He is the perfect soul mate for you.”

  “Okay, yeah, back to that. How do I make him my soul mate? I mean, I’ve never done this before and you don’t exactly have an employee handbook with the directions in it.”

  Ryan started to say something, then smiled, playfully and without snark. “Same as anyone else. Follow your heart. He must willingly ask, of course, before you do it. And you must want to make him your soul mate. Then you… take him.”

  “So… ah…anatomy doesn’t matter?”

  “Well, to be quite blunt, he could blow you and accomplish the same thing. So no, anatomy doesn’t matter.”

  Aidan reddened. “Okay, all right, Ami—” He froze, then smiled. “I always liked that name better.” His face grew sad. “You changed it when you left.”

  “My father selected it. I asked him to pick something. Anything. I didn’t care.”

  “Why?”

  Ryan turned to the windows. “It was too painful a reminder,” he softly said.

  Aidan stood and walked over to him. “Why couldn’t you have told me? About who Abby had been?”

  Ryan shook his head. “You’re too close to Will. It doesn’t matter anymore, does it? He and I have mended fences, as it were. Please, let’s let the past stay undisturbed.” He looked at Aidan. “I’m sorry I couldn’t protect Chloe. I swore to you when I took her that I would protect her with my life, and I failed. I’m so sorry.”

  Aidan’s eyes widened in surprise. They had never, not once, talked about this after Chloe’s death. Aidan and Will were too busy keeping Ryan alive. Later, they were too busy living. “Hey, dude, no! Don’t think like that! You nearly died.” He pulled Ryan to him and hugged him, his soul brother.

  His sister’s husband.

  Ryan tightly hugged him back. Aidan sensed Ryan crying but didn’t acknowledge it. “We nearly lost you, Ami. I’ve never, ever blamed you for her death. That bastard would have taken her and crossed with her if she hadn’t fought back. You did all you could. I never should have left her alone when she told me she’d seen that guy hanging around town and asking about her. If it was anyone’s fault, it was mine. I just wish I’d been able to take a whack at him myself.”

  After a few moments, the men broke apart. Ryan turned and wiped his face on his sleeve. “Thank you.”

  “Yeah.” Aidan uncomfortably shifted on his feet, wanting to redirect the conversation. “Brothers?”

  Ryan nodded. “Brothers.”

  Aidan patted him on the shoulder. “Promise me one thing?”

  “Anything.”

  “Don’t go siccing a wraith on Jeff.”

  Ryan laughed, loud and hardy. “Well, you already took that option off the table, didn’t you now?” He turned back to Aidan, smiling and leaving Aidan wondering if Ryan knew more than he was letting on. “I swear I will stand back and let nature take its course. Just remember he is mortal. Don’t make the mistake of waiting too long.”

  “You understand why I want to wait.”

  Another amused laugh from Ryan. “Of course I do. I respect and commend you for your caution. I think it’s safe to say, however, that he loves you and won’t change his mind.”

  Aidan remembered the night with Jeff’s parents in Ohio. “I had to mojo Jeff’s sister at dinner. Fucking quicksand, that woman is. You know the type I mean?” Ryan nodded. “This was after the wedding, while we were still up there. Wiped me out, totally. Just holding Jeff’s hand made me feel like I was recharging.” He studied his hand. “Jeff said he didn’t feel tired though. So it’s not like I was sucking his energy dry.” He looked at Ryan. “Is that a good sign?”

  Ryan broadly smiled. That was starting to worry Aidan. Usually Ryan only smiled like that when he knew something you didn’t and it amused the home out of him. “It certainly is. If that happened, then rest assured he is meant to be with you. He’s already strengthening you.”

  “I… That won’t hurt him? Doing stuff like that?”

  “If it didn’t hurt him that night, it won’t hurt him in the future. It’s time you seize the day, Aidan.”

  “Yeah, but can I take care of him?”

  Ryan’s gaze softened. “You of all people do not need to question yourself in that regard. Do you honestly believe I would have let you take a soul mate if I didn’t think you capable of protecting and loving him properly?”

  “Thanks, Ami.”

&nbs
p; Ryan nodded. “Anything else?”

  “No. I’ll leave you alone.” With one last hug, Aidan returned home.

  Ryan tried to read his paper, but with his heart marginally lighter he found it impossible to concentrate. Inside all the eons of pain constantly consuming him, he’d found a little peace.

  He had his brothers back. With both Will and Aidan’s happiness cemented, he didn’t dare say anything that would taint or shadow it. He especially wanted Aidan to have happiness, the man deserved it after so many long, lonely years. He felt it best he didn’t tell Aidan that Kal knew the Chloe-Abby connection. He wanted Aidan steering clear of all those topics as much as possible with Kal. No reason to increase her risk of putting the pieces together.

  Although Ryan had to admit he’d nearly let another cat out of the bag during their talk. He’d been so distracted managing the situation with Bera, the wedding plans, and Kal’s grief, that he’d totally overlooked the truth of the situation between Aidan and Jeff. That Aidan was, as usual, endearingly clueless.

  You’re slipping, Ausar. You should have recognized that a lot sooner.

  He wondered how long it would take Aidan to figure it out. Not that it would hurt anything to let him stay in the dark a while longer.

  He laughed. It would be pretty damn funny, although Aidan might not find it so amusing when he realized it.

  Ryan’s only remaining regret was he could never confess to Aidan the one last bittersweet fact that would have totally crushed Aidan’s heart. The news he and Chloe had planned to happily share with Aidan upon his return home that evening, before their world was destroyed.

  It was bad enough Aidan lost his sister. He didn’t need to know she’d been pregnant when she died.

  * * * *

  Kal taped the box shut and wrote on the outside. Office supplies.

  Aidan walked in, dressed in shorts and a T-shirt. “How you doing, sweet cheeks?”

  She looked up at him from where she knelt on the floor. “I think I’m done.” She waved at the boxes surrounding her. “You can do this room next.”

  Will walked in. He was also dressed casually. “We ready?”

  Aidan handed him a box and grabbed one himself. “Yep.” Both men disappeared.

  Jeff walked in a moment later. “I thought Aid and Will were here?”

  Kal grinned. “They were. They’ll be right back.”

  He shook his head. “Never knew moving could be so easy.”

  “Doing it demon style,” Kal joked.

  They both laughed.

  “You’re next, you know,” Jeff said.

  “Yeah, but I don’t have furniture to move, just clothes and a few odds and ends. I’m almost totally moved in with Will anyway.”

  Ryan appeared. For once, he wore jeans and a T-shirt. “Right. Purs and Gery rearranged the living room. Aidan says he needs your opinion, Jeff.”

  Jeff smiled. “Okay.” He closed his eyes as Ryan sent him along to Aidan’s house.

  That left the two of them alone in what was soon to become Jeff’s former home office.

  Kal smiled at Ryan.

  “And what is that cheeky grin about, love?” he playfully asked.

  “I told you so.”

  “Told me what?”

  She held out her hand for him to help her to her feet. “I told you I would get the three of you back together.”

  Kal wished she’d kept her mouth shut when the flicker of a frown crossed Ryan’s face. “Yes, love, you were right.” He arched an eyebrow at her. “But we are perfectly clear on one particular point, are we not?”

  “Yes. I understand.” She wouldn’t breach his trust. If he didn’t want Aidan and Will to know Abby had been Chloe, she would keep that secret.

  She was simply tickled to death the three were back on good terms. It was nice having Ryan a part of their life, dropping into the office just to chat or joining them for dinner. She no longer felt guilty being friendly with him around the other guys. Purs and Gery had reluctantly dropped their grudges now that Aidan and Will had made up with him. He’d even mentioned possibly taking an apartment in Tampa.

  For some reason, that thrilled Kal in a way she didn’t think she wanted to understand.

  Aidan felt like her big brother. Purs and Gery were friends, even closer than that, but not like Aidan. With Aidan’s growing relationship with Jeff, he felt like a brother to her too, now.

  But Ryan…

  She didn’t understand it. She wouldn’t question it. Will had assured her he was okay with her being friends with Ryan, that he completely trusted him and her. She idly twisted her wedding and engagement rings on her left hand before she reached up and started playing with the amulet around her neck.

  “What are you thinking, love?” Ryan asked.

  She shook her head to clear it. “Life goes on, right?”

  “Right.” He picked up a box full of office supplies. “Life goes on, as it should.” He disappeared, leaving Kal alone with her thoughts.

  Chapter 23

  Life settled down over the next few days. One evening, Ryan felt an incessant tapping against his mind. It wouldn’t let up, increasing until he finally relented. After grabbing his sword and standing ready, he slid the barrier open enough the presence could come through.

  The Selkie froze when she saw Ryan’s upraised sword. She ducked her head and held up her arm in supplication. “I’m unarmed. I just need to talk to you.”

  “Talk about what, Cyadna?”

  “There’s some really bad shit in the works you need to know about, Ausar.”

  “Why would you want to tell me? You’re from Tavares. Isn’t this a little odd?”

  “Because it involves me and my people. Look, there’s a bunch of us that are perfectly happy with the status quo. There’s a real shithead, Boorman, who’s got his eyes set on bigger better things.”

  “Let him try.”

  “That’s just the point, he is trying. He wants to take over Tavares.”

  “No offense, but how is that my concern?”

  “You’d better make it your concern. Apparently there are plans in the works to take over Earth, too. He’s using one of your demons to do it.”

  Ryan hoped he concealed his shock. “Who?”

  “Bera.”

  Ryan lowered his sword and indicated the Selkie could take a seat. In this form she looked like a slight, middle-aged woman. She could be a librarian if it wasn’t for the ornate Tavarian robes she wore. While Ryan wasn’t surprised to discover Bera’s involvement, it chilled him to think he’d literally slept with the enemy.

  When Cyadna finished her story, Ryan nodded, reeling. It was far worse than he’d suspected. “What do you want in return?” he asked, barely able to speak. The truth behind Abby’s death stunned him, rocked him far more than he ever imagined it would.

  “Protection. I know you can’t guarantee it to the whole joint over there, but there’s about two thousand of my kind who are kind of caught in the crossfire. The colony here, they’re well-established. Some of them still have kin, can cross back and forth like I can. Once the shit hits the fan on Tavares, we’d like a safe haven.”

  “I won’t be able to offer you an armed guard. I’ll have my hands full if he tries to bring his fight here to Earth.”

  “If you let us cross, we’ll do the rest. We don’t need a babysitter, just a place to escape to. He won’t have the manpower to chase us down over here once he goes after the Council. Not with the kin combined. If we stay there, we’ll be sitting ducks because he can hunt us down. We’re allied with the Council and if it goes down, we’re dead. For obvious reasons, we don’t want to ally ourselves with the asshole. Over there he’s a lot more powerful than us. At least here we’ve got a fighting chance against him.”

  “So that works the same as it does for us, your powers are different here than there?”

  She nodded. “Yeah. We’re actually more powerful here than at home, believe it or not. Him and his kind aren’t, they l
ose powers. I know you guys lose a little of your skills when you cross over to some of the other realms, but we’re the exact opposite when we come on-Earth. That’s why so many of us settled here.”

  Ryan sat back and considered it. “How do I know I don’t have to worry about you turning around and taking us on?”

  “We could have tried that whenever we wanted in the past. Hades and The Firm always left us alone, we left humans alone. If you’ll look at the history, plenty of Selkies have gotten screwed, blued, and tattooed by humans.”

  She had a valid point. “True.” He didn’t want to agree too quickly. “No migration until something happens. I’d be willing to bet Boorman will have his ear to the ground. A mass exodus of your kind will tip him off. You’ll have to wait until he starts something and is otherwise occupied.”

  “Agreed. We don’t want to leave if we don’t have to.” Ryan extended his hand and she shook it. “If it gets to that point, if he tries to cross on-Earth to fight you, we will stand our ground beside you, Ausar. Our Clan and kin have sworn loyalty to Hades and the other Dodeks, and we will abide by that.”

  “I would damn sure hope so.”

  She returned home through the barrier. He closed it, stunned, shaken.

  Enraged at himself and beyond any describable anger at Bera’s actions. If Ryan ever got hold of her, it would be no exaggeration to say he’d remove her head with his bare hands.

  He’d fucking done it. His emotions had dulled his senses, allowing him to not only miss what was right beneath his nose, but tacitly helping it along.

  Shit.

  He didn’t know this Boorman character, although he had heard rumors of him, didn’t have any idea why he would want bring his shit over to Earth. And using Bera of all operatives?

  At least it proved the man couldn’t be very bright.

  Ryan planned.

  * * * *

  It took several hours for Ryan to calm down long enough he could speak without screaming, and for his hands to stop trembling with anger.