There was no point worrying about how he was going to get Devin out of here when the time came. He didn’t think it would be difficult. Devin didn’t like to be trapped any more than he did. And whichever god he chose to share his bed with, Bren would always be his best friend in the world. If he asked, Devin would come. And if he refused, Bren knew exactly which buttons to push to persuade him.
The thought of coldly manipulating Devin sickened Bren, and for an instant, he wasn’t sure he would be able to go through with it. And if he couldn’t bring himself to do it, all he could do was walk away. It wouldn’t save Devin from what was about to happen to him. But at least Bren wouldn’t have to witness it or be responsible. It gave him the out he was half wishing for.
Let him stay with his gods. Let them be the ones who can’t save him.
No! It has to be you. You started this, and now you have to finish it. To make sure he doesn’t suffer.
Bren shook his thoughts away, removing Devin’s hand gently from his knee.
“Right, I’m off.” As he stood up, he caught Airech’s antagonistic look. Meeting his stare, Bren sensed the god’s barely perceptible incursion into his soul, undetectable to the average mortal. But if there was one thing Bren wasn’t, it was average.
Let him dig—he wouldn’t find the answers he was looking for. Still, the less he sensed, the better. Bren moved swiftly to block him. The satisfaction of swatting Airech’s probing mind away was one reward. Seeing him scowl in annoyed frustration was even better.
“Be careful on your way out. Wouldn’t want you to drown or anything,” Airech said.
Bren pointedly ignored him, turning back to Devin. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” He gave him a parting wink as he left.
“Looks like we’re in for a wild night of Scrabble and Supernatural,” Devin called after him.
As Bren reached the entrance to the tunnel, Fintan appeared, blocking his exit.
“Bren, we would never do anything to harm Devin. You must believe that.”
“I believe in many things that other people won’t accept, wise man. But knowing what I know about you lot, that one is a bit of a stretch.”
Fintan’s expression was grave. “If we were able to trust each other, and share any knowledge we have, I think it would not only be Devin we would be keeping safe.”
Bren snorted. “There you go with your whole world salvation thing again. You’re like a broken record. Though I suspect you don’t even know what a record is.”
Fintan held out a rough square of yellowed paper towards Bren, and after a moment’s hesitation, he took it reluctantly. It was a piece of parchment, with one line written in the exquisite decorative text of a medieval manuscript.
“I apologise for the poor scribing,” Fintan said modestly. “It was done with haste.”
Bren looked at him suspiciously. “What’s this? DIAL-A-GOD?”
“It’s me, the wisest man in Ireland, making a very unwise decision. To trust you,” Fintan said. “If you’re ever ready to make a similarly unwise decision, you now have a way to knock on our door.”
Chapter 21
Devin
Devin leaned back, letting the hot spring soothe his muscles. He could still feel a twinge of stiffness from his long sleep. Not to mention a healthy dose of exhaustion from his last couple of nights with Fintan.
Sleeping wasn’t the only activity that was communal, as Devin had discovered. Across from him in the bubbling pool, the steam teased Airech’s ebony hair into deeper waves over his frowning face. He’d been in a grim mood for the last day or so, his usual audacious charm deserting him.
“Your friend. He’s protective, isn’t he?”
Devin could hear the sharp edge to Airech’s voice as his dark eyes examined him with poorly concealed irritation. Devin wasn’t sure what had put him in such a foul temper. He hadn’t tried to flirt with Devin in hours. Not even in front of Bren, to torment him. He found himself flaring in Bren’s defence.
“He was worried. I’d do the same if I thought he was in trouble.”
“How very chivalrous of you.” Water streamed off Airech as he stood up. Stepping out of the pool, he flung a cloth around his waist, keeping his back to Devin.
“I think it’s called looking out for each other,” Devin said.
Airech snorted. “And the fact he’s in love with you has nothing to do with it.”
For an instant Devin was back on the beach, imagining his lips caressing the nape of Bren’s neck. He gave himself a shake, chasing the image away.
“He’s always been like that. He’s not in love with me.”
Devin followed Airech out of the pool, rubbing himself down quickly and slipping on his boxers. Airech didn’t even try and watch, more proof that he was far from his usual self.
“Someone should tell that to his soul, because it’s saying something very different.” Airech stormed out of the anteroom into the main cavern, leaving Devin trailing after him.
“You read souls?”
Every time Devin thought he had a handle on the whole immortal thing, someone tossed him a new piece of mind-blowing information, almost as an afterthought. Fintan, sitting by the fire, frowned at Airech, his face grave.
“That is totally unreasonable behaviour, as you are aware.”
Airech crossed his arms. “It was necessary. There’s something familiar about him. I was curious.”
“And was it as we suspected?” Fintan asked.
No, that’s the thing.” Airech looked puzzled. “He’s telling the truth. His soul is mortal. The only strange thing was how little of it I could read. It was like a one-track mind, nothing but Devin, Devin, Devin. A bit like listening to you talk in your sleep,” he added, some of his sharp wit returning. “It was a quick in and out, though. I didn’t have time for a proper poke around.”
Devin, cringing, turned to Fintan. “Are you not disturbed by this conversation?”
Ignore him,” Fintan replied. “He’s in bad humour. His sense of pride is extremely compromised because I was the first one you chose.”
“It wasn’t a competition,” Airech snapped. “I wasn’t even trying to seduce him. He told me not to. And then you two go sneaking off to the Otherworld in your dreams—”
“I’m right here. And I think it’s usually me who decides who I sleep with.” It was Devin’s turn to cross his arms.
Airech’s laugh was hollow and mocking. “I love you sweet little mortals and your delusions about how much control you have over anything.”
“I’m sorry if it pisses you off that I’m with Fintan. But I’ve made my choice. So you need to get over it.” This wasn’t a conversation Devin had even needed to have, before now. That’s what happened when you avoided all relationships like they were a virulent strain of Ebola.
“I don’t understand why you have to choose at all,” Airech said. “That’s not how it works for us. We’re not under some primitive mortal moral code. We live by Brehon Law, the ancient law of Ireland. You wouldn’t be betraying anyone by sleeping with me. Or Cap. Ask Fintan, if you don’t believe me.” Airech looked towards Fintan, who gave Devin a small nod. “You can take any of us as lovers, as long as we’re in agreement. And why wouldn’t we be, when we’re always together? To sleep with one of us is the same as sleeping with all of us.”
“I’m sure it’s not,” Devin said. “One is your everyday garden-variety sex and the other is an orgy.”
“You know what I’m mean.” Airech flicked his hair impatiently. “Are you saying you don’t want to sleep with me? I mean, based on attraction alone, and taking away your bizarre mortal ideas about what qualifies as commitment.”
Devin’s cheeks burned. “I’m not saying that. Of course I’m attracted to all of you. But I thought Fintan was probably the one who needed me the most.”
“Ah, it was a pity fuck.” Airech’s face lit up. “That makes sense. And here I was thinking my powers were leaving me.”
“It was no su
ch thing,” Devin fumed. “Fintan, that wasn’t—”
“Oh, pay no attention to him. I stopped listening to him three decades ago. And now I must do a perimeter check of the portal gate.” Fintan walked towards the passage, leaving Devin with a smirking Airech.
“That was a horrible thing to say.” Devin glared. “You are a terrible person. And don’t even think about poking around in my soul, while we’re at it.”
“You know that’s not where I want to poke around,” Airech sniggered.
“I saw that coming.”
“Then why did you say it?”
Devin stood considering Airech. He was without a doubt one of the most annoying people Devin had ever met—vain, cocky, arrogant, exasperating, smug… seductive, sensuous, kissable…
Airech grabbed him by the arm. “I say, let’s get it over with. Let’s do it. Then you’ll see it’s no big deal and the sky won’t fall in. Not even in here.”
“You think I’m going to sleep with you, just like that?”
“Yes, I do. And so does Fintan. Why else do you think he left? ‘A perimeter check of the portal gate.’ For the love of Lugh.”
Airech sauntered over to their sleeping platform and stripped back a thick bear hide to uncover Cap, dozing.
“Cap! Get up. Find something else to do. Devin and I have some unfinished business.”
Being half-asleep didn’t impede Cap’s ability to glower. He turned over on to his other side and curl up again, or at least as much a colossal horse shifter god could.
“Cap, if you don’t get up, we’re going to fuck right in front of you. Or on top of you. Actually, that won’t work. He’d probably love the idea.”
As Airech seethed with frustration, Devin walked over and sat beside Cap, patting him on the hip. Cap opened one wary eye.
“Cap, do you think you could leave Airech and me alone for a while? There are some things we need to get sorted.” Cap regarded Devin seriously for a moment, his stubbled jaw clenched. His hand snapped out towards Devin, but before he had a chance to flinch he felt Cap’s gentle pat on his head. Cap jumped up and headed for the cave entrance, throwing an aggrieved look at Airech on the way out.
“So,” Airech said.
“So.”
“How do you want to do this?”
Airech seemed unusually stricken with performance anxiety, and Devin couldn’t help smiling a little at his discomfort. It somehow made him more human. If you ignored the obvious fact he was a devastatingly gorgeous god. “How do you want to do it? This was all your idea.”
“I know. But I feel a little awkward, all of a sudden.”
Devin thought for a moment, before dropping his boxers to the floor. He nodded his head at Airech. “You too.”
Airech’s eyes roamed over his body, and then he obeyed, flinging the cloth from around his waist as Devin jumped onto the furs. He sat there, looking at Airech. His body was harder than Fintan’s, with more definition to his chest and stomach. His arms were lean and muscled, his thighs and legs long and toned. He had less hair on his body than Devin had imagined, considering his mop of dark locks. It was fine, silky-looking and jet black, showing off his long cock to perfection.
He was like a stunning work of art, that portrait you couldn’t walk past. The one that had you circling the floor, trying to view it from every possible angle. Suddenly, Devin felt intimidated, not sure how to deal with this sort of perfection. Or maybe it was just that Airech’s attack of nerves was contagious.
“Come on over here.” Debbie sprawled back and Airech sat down beside him.
“Lie on your back,” Devin commanded him. He did as he was told, and Devin rested his head on Airech’s smooth chest, listening to his heartbeat.
“Cuddling. The new fucking. Now with added conversation,” Devin said in his best movie trailer voice.
Airech put one of his hands up to the curve of Devin’s jaw, stroking it. He felt the god’s deep sigh tickling him.
“What did you do, in the Otherworld?” Devin asked. “Fintan said something about you taking souls.”
Running a hand over Devin’s hair, Airech left a lingering kiss at the top of his head. “I was the Dark Bringer. I steered the barge of Donn, the Dark One, collecting souls and taking them to Tech Duinn. That’s the gate to the afterlife of the Milesians.”
“Is it like heaven, or more like hell?”
“A bit of both.” Airech chuckled. “I collect souls. I don’t judge them. Our afterlife is more… morally ambivalent. A bit like me, I suppose. As my friend Oscar Wilde once said, it’s absurd to divide people into good and bad. People are either charming or tedious.”
“So, you were Death?” Devin’s body tingled, his fear and fascination combining.
“No. I didn’t cause death. I may have… er… encouraged it a little. The window to a human soul opens a certain number of times, all pre-destined. If it happens at the same instant they face some sort of mortal danger, that’s when they’ll die. But sometimes they need a little push in the right direction.”
“Then how do you explain disasters and wars and things? When loads of people are killed, all at the same time?”
“You are an inquisitive little human, aren’t you?” Airech teased. “An act of great evil or violence can blow a soul window open. Just like an explosion shatters a window made of glass.”
“But how do you take a soul?” Devin propped himself up on an elbow, facing Airech. “Could you take mine?”
“It’d be much easier than taking your heart,” Airech said softly. In one movement, he pushed Devin down and rolled on top of him so their faces were almost touching. Feeling Airech’s firm body pressed against him, Devin found it hard to breathe. And not because of the weight of it.
“Basically, it’s all in the eyes. If I thought you were dying, I’d look deeply into your soul, like this.” Airech’s eyes, fringed with long lashes, stared into Devin’s stormy ones, causing the bottom to drop out of his stomach. “And I’d give your soul a little nudge, see if it’s ready to leave the mortal world. And if it’s ready, it’ll reach for me. Some need more nudging than others.”
Devin’s broke away, stretching up to kiss Airech on his right temple, inhaling the divine scent of his silky black hair.
“When a soul taker harvests a soul, they duplicate that person’s knowledge and disperse it into the world,” Airech said. “If someone sees their life flash before their eyes, it’s probably an overeager soul taker riffling through their head. Other than that, our methods all differ. For instance, when I take a soul, I bring the body with it. And when we arrive in Tech Duinn, I bind them together, so that person becomes immortal. But not every soul taker is like me. You’ve seen some of them already.”
Devin felt a chill douse him like a bucket of water. “The Sluagh?”
“Yes, they’re the most ruthless.” Airech shuddered. “But those angels of death are almost the worst.”
“Angels? Aren’t they the good guys?”
“The good guys?” Airech’s mouth twisted. “Please. Their methods are really fucked up.”
“Tell me.”
“Firstly, they leave the bodies—they’re not interested in making anyone immortal. And before they take your soul to heaven, they harvest your memories and only put the good ones back. That’s literally what their heaven is. Only good memories. They leave all the bad memories behind, to wander the earth. It’s barbaric. I don’t know about you, but I like remembering the bad stuff too.”
“I feel the same way. I wish I could remember what happened to me.” Devin snuggled against Airech’s smooth skin, trying to ignore the prickling of his scalp.
“But that’s not the worst of it. Those bad memories, those restless spirits of the dead. Eventually, they became the Sluagh.” Airech gave a rueful smile. “When your time comes, you’d better hope I get to you first. That’s if I ever get to be the Dark Bringer again.”
“You compete with each other for souls?”
“Sometimes.
It depends on the person. If they truly have faith in the ancient gods, I can make a claim for them, even if they also believe in Heaven and Hell. But there aren’t many left, who remember the old ways. If there’s any darkness in a soul, that’s when Lucifer’s black feather brigade come swooping in. And the Sluagh like the innocent ones. The purer, the better.”
Grazing his lips along Airech’s neck, Devin took a deep breath, once again inhaling his sweet scent. “You can definitely take mine.”
“I’d rather you take me.” Airech’s face was suddenly serious as he caught Devin’s eyes. “Whenever you’re ready.”
Devin’s cock was way ahead of him, reacting to Airech’s words long before he was able to respond. “You want me to fuck you? Or do you want to fuck me?”
“I’m versatile. So, gentleman’s choice. Meaning you. I’m no gentleman.” Airech smirked.
Lacing his fingers in Airech’s black waves, Devin pulled him closer. He didn’t expect his answering kiss to be so be loving and heartfelt, so full of tenderness. He was a walking contradiction, slowly revealing himself with each new revelation. Almost like a treasure hunt, each clue leading Devin closer to the real Airech. The thought aroused him as much as his kisses did.
Ramping up the intensity, he kissed Airech with wild abandon and he responded with the same fervour, pausing mid-kiss to pull Devin’s bottom lip in between his teeth, nipping it softly.
Devin grabbed Airech by the arms and flipped them both over, so the god was underneath him. Sitting up and taking him by the waist, he rolled him onto his stomach and lifted his hips until he was kneeling with his back arched, his face down and his arms braced on the bed.
Gently spreading Airech’s cheeks, Devin caressed him with his tongue. He felt the god’s moan vibrate through his body as he teased him open, driving his tongue deeper. He reached around to take Airech’s hard cock in his hand.
He lost sense of his surroundings, only aware of his hand on Airech’s throbbing length and his tongue flicking and plunging. His own cock was aching. There was something about the swaggering god prone underneath him, opening himself up willingly to Devin, that made him quiver with barely controlled longing.
Storm Boys Page 13