Nick tried to imagine what exactly the short, funny man next to him could do to someone as connected (not to mention psychopathic) as Barnard. “I appreciate that, I really do, but I don’t want you getting into trouble. Especially now that you’ve got By and Aph. I’ll handle Barnard, one way or the other.” He tried a smile. “Besides, orange is not your power color.”
Ian just smirked as he slotted the car into a parking space. “Come on.”
They got out in front of a silvery saltbox building covered with blooming window boxes. A quaint sign hung over the door. “‘The Lady’s Touch’?” Nick read dubiously. “Look, I may be gay, but I’m not that gay.”
Ian frowned at him. “What are you talking about?”
Nick waved at the building. “The salon? Or spa, or whatever it is.”
“It’s a junk shop, you idiot. I just need to get something from the owner.”
The front door opened and a small woman with long curly hair and an outfit that screamed “practicing Wiccan” stepped out with a watering can. “I heard that, tadpole,” she said archly. “And it’s not a junk shop, it’s an antique store.”
“Sorry.” Ian turned to the woman. “Heather, this is my friend Nick. Nick, this is Heather Turnlow.”
“Always nice to meet a friend of Ian’s. And it really is an antique store,” she assured Nick. “Junky antiques, mind you, but antiques.” She gave Ian a long-suffering glare. “I take it you’re finally picking up your band?”
Ian withered a bit. “Yeah, sorry. I’ve been kinda busy these last few days.”
“Plus he got an unexpected guest,” Nick added, indicating identity with a raised hand.
“Hm.” The woman’s full lips twitched at that, and she put the battered old green watering can on the sidewalk next to one of the flower boxes. “I don’t open for another fifteen minutes, but since you’re already here you might as well come in.”
Nick followed Ian and Heather inside, jaw dropping a little when he saw the jam-packed interior. Once, while in England, he had come across a cottage in Sussex that billed itself as an antique store. The tiny building had been crammed to the gills with what looked to be the contents of five different houses.
The Lady’s Touch was cast in the same mold, with rows and rows of mismatched shelving units loaded with framed pictures, bric-a-brac, sports equipment, toys, books, and other items. An array of furniture that ranged from High Victorian to IKEA Special was scattered here and there, much of it holding yet more junk. To top everything off, a green Kelvinator refrigerator had been sandwiched behind the store’s counter, and a small fountain cobbled together from a fiberglass seashell and topped by a chipped statue of a mermaid burbled merrily against one wall.
“Wow,” he murmured.
“I know, right?” Heather said resignedly. “I keep meaning to organize all this stuff, but I just never have the time. If you want to look around, please do.”
With that, she headed to the old glass-topped counter with Ian. Left to his own devices, Nick picked an aisle at random and started wandering down it, studying the various items on the shelves.
As well as the expected bric-a-brac, rustically painted metal crap, and other quasi-collectibles, he also spotted an old Underwood typewriter, a beautiful Wedgwood teapot, and what looked to be a Viking axe of all things. Musing over the logistics of buying the axe and burying it in Barnard’s head, he turned the aisle’s corner and saw a five-foot sapling propped in the next aisle. Someone had trimmed off the roots and branches, turning it into a decent hiking staff, with a thick, greenish-gold cord wrapped loosely around the wooden shaft.
As he got closer, he realized that the cord was actually a snake carved into the wood and painted in realistic colors. He picked up the staff, hefting it experimentally. It was heavier than it looked, and felt surprisingly good in his hand. Plus it’s slightly less conspicuous than an axe.
Turning, he brought it back up to the counter. “Hey, look what I found.”
Ian was fastening a chunky silver bracelet around one wrist. He gave the staff a suspect look. “You planning on hiking while you’re here?”
“Yeah, ha ha. It’s a rod of Asclepius.”
“A what?”
“Asclepius was the Greek god of healing and medicinal arts,” Heather said helpfully. “His rod had a snake wrapped around it as a symbol of rebirth and healing. It’s the traditional symbol of a physician.”
Ian studied the staff. “I thought it was supposed to have two snakes and wings.”
“No, that’s the caduceus, Hermes’s staff,” Nick said. “Doctors have a running joke that if you see the caduceus on a medical company’s logo, you know they’re in it for the money.” He hefted the staff again, admiring it. “This is really gorgeous. Someone put some serious effort into carving the snake—you can even see individual scales. How much do you want for it?” he said to Heather.
She winced. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I was really kind of hoping to sell it to a doctor,” she said apologetically.
“Nick’s a doctor,” Ian said. “Emergency medicine.”
“Really?” The store owner squinted at Nick. He had the strangest feeling that he was being evaluated somehow.
After a long moment she said, “Huh. Well, in that case I’ll take $30 for it.”
“You got a deal,” he said, pulling out his wallet and pulling out three tens. As she rang up the sale, he studied his purchase. He’d never been big on primitive art, but he’d always had a fondness for the story behind the medical symbol. And just holding the staff made him feel better. If nothing else, it would make a pretty good blunt weapon.
“Are we done?” he heard Ian ask.
“Yup,” Heather said, handing over a receipt for Nick to sign. “By the way, I’m still keeping an eye out for that item you’re looking for. No sign of it yet.”
Another slanted look at Nick. “Um, yeah, thanks,” Ian muttered. “Dude, you want to hit Starbucks and pick up some coffee?”
“Are you nuts? They’d throw me out of the doctor’s union if I turned down caffeine.”
****
Heather watched the genially bantering men go, waiting until the door closed behind them before moving out from behind the counter. With each step her appearance changed until the funky antique store owner was gone and a beautiful Nereid stood there, white tunic flowing over her immortal body.
She went to the fountain, touching her fingertips to the surface. “Sister,” she said, “to quote Apollo 13, we have a problem.”
The water’s surface shimmered for a moment, then cleared, showing the face of another beautiful brunette. “Has Thetis returned?” Amphitrite, consort of Poseidon and goddess of the sea, asked.
“Not yet. Which makes me nervous in itself, but I’m not calling you about that. Your son-in-law was just here with a human friend, a physician. He found the Rod.”
Amphitrite’s eyes widened. “Oh, no. Tell me you didn’t just leave it lying about the shop.”
“Ammie, I’d totally forgotten I had it. I almost choked when I saw him with it in his hand.” The Nereid shook her head, long dark hair waving. “But he shouldn’t have been able to see it in the first place, you know that. Unless—”
“He’s the Bearer,” Amphitrite said, rubbing her forehead. “Damn. We really don’t need additional complications right now.”
“I agree, but at least he’s a friend of Ian’s,” Heather said. “I got the impression that he’s staying at Ian’s cottage for awhile.”
“That’s a dreadful idea. Ian needs to work on his new powers,” the sea goddess said in irritation. “He shouldn’t be playing host for human friends right now.”
“Yes, but if Nick is the Bearer, we’ll want to keep an eye on him anyway, right?”
Amphitrite tsked. “You have a point. All right, I’ll have a word with Poseidon. In the meantime, keep an eye out for Thetis.” A brief flash of sorrow flickered across her face. “I doubt she’s going to give up quietly.”<
br />
Heather bowed her head in shared sadness for their lost sister, the First Nereid. “I doubt that very much,” she said. “Take care of yourself, Ammie.”
“You, too, dear heart.”
Heather touched the surface again, and her sister’s face disappeared.
****
Lattes in hand, Nick and Ian wandered around Olympic Beach for a bit, with Ian pointing out some of the places he remembered from his childhood.
“And there,” he said, pointing out a clump of sea oats near the public beach, “is where I kissed a guy for the first time, during a kegger.”
Nick eyed the brush. “A little summer lovin’? Nice.”
“Yeah, until we had to go home, anyway. We’re still friends. He’s married with kids, now.”
“In denial?”
Ian’s mouth quirked. “No. We had a good time, but he was always more into girls.”
“It’s the age for experimentation,” Nick agreed. “So was he your only boyfriend?”
“Nope. I dated a guy in college, and there were a couple of guys before Diana. And no, she wasn’t my only girlfriend, either.”
Nick held up a hand. “No criticism from here. Considering what floats my boat, I’m in no position to throw bi stones.” He kicked at a clump of sand. “Do the guys know about Diana?”
Pain crossed his friend’s face, sharp and quick. “Yeah. They’re okay with it.”
“You don’t sound like it’s okay?”
“It’s not them.” Ian blew out a harsh breath. “I found out Diana was having an affair the summer before she died.”
“What?” Stunned, Nick staggered to a halt. “That’s bullshit. She loved you.”
“That’s what I thought. But I have proof. She came down here and spent a week with someone at the cottage.” Ian waved at the wave-capped water. “She lied to me, told me she had to help out her cousin. I don’t know if it was just a fling or something more. And I still don’t know how to feel about that. I didn’t think we had any problems, but obviously I was wrong.”
Nick shook his head. “Look, I don’t know what she was thinking, but I do know she loved you,” he said firmly. “I used to see the way she looked at you, like you were the only other person in the world. I’d kill or die to have someone look at me like that. If she did fool around, it had to be a one-time thing.”
“Was it?” Ian said bleakly. “Maybe this was just the only time I found out about. There were times I went on business trips, or she went out of town with her friends. What if she was with him then?”
Nick wanted to say he couldn’t see Diana doing that, but the fact that she had cheated on Ian at least once made it pointless. “Sometimes people do stupid shit, and they regret the hell out of it later,” he said gently. “Trust me, I know.”
“Yeah. I just wish I knew why she did it.” Ian sighed. “I don’t even know who the guy was.”
“It doesn’t matter. Look, you only know of one time for sure. And you’re the one she came home to, right?”
The other man nodded.
“All right, then. She loved you. You know that, I know that. Yes, she made a mistake. But you shouldn’t ignore ten damn good years for one mistake. My advice is, forgive her for being human and focus on the good times you had.” Nick paused. “And tell By and Aph that if they cheat on you, you’ll roast their balls over an open fire.”
Ian grinned faintly. “That may have been mentioned, yeah.”
“Good. Okay, enough with the dispensing of wisdom. Let’s get back to the cottage before Norma decides to get creative with your couch cushions.”
Nick wanted to laugh at the look of dismay on his friend’s face. “I thought she wasn’t wrecking furniture anymore,” Ian said.
“She’s not wrecking my furniture anymore,” Nick pointed out. “I can’t guarantee yours.”
“Shit. Let’s go.”
****
Stripped down to a t-shirt and cargo shorts, Nick lay on a lounger behind the cottage, enjoying the late afternoon warmth. Despite the clear skies overhead, he could see lavender and blue smudges gathering near the horizon, a bed of storm clouds running ahead of the oncoming twilight.
As it turned out, Norma had been dozing on the intact couch when they got back, much to both his and Ian’s relief. But the terrier woke up happily at their return, bouncing up for head scratches and attention. Nick decided to take her out to the beach for a walk and some splashing in the waves.
After a half hour of communing with nature, his city girl decided she’d had enough for the day and herded him back to Ian’s place, submitting to a brief rinse at the outdoor shower and shaking off the excess water in an impressive shimmy. On the cottage porch she curled up at the feet of a busily typing Ian while Nick smeared on sunblock and headed back to the lounger, letting the balmy air lure him into a doze.
He woke up when he heard voices. Opening one eye, he saw the twins walking up from the water in matching swim trunks. “I really don’t like these,” he heard Bythos mutter to Aphros, sliding a thumb under his waistband and adjusting it.
“I know, but it’s just—hello, Nick. Having a good day?” Aphros said brightly.
He rubbed his eyes. “Yeah, thanks. You guys going for a swim?”
“Just had one. By has some more work to do, and I’m going in to get dinner started. Hello, love,” he said as Ian rushed out from the porch. “Hope you’re hungry.”
Ian stopped and stared at his boyfriends. “I, um, yeah. Nice suits.”
Bythos rolled his eyes while Aphros just winked. “Anything for you, agapetos.”
The twins ambled into the cottage, leaving Ian frowning after them. “Agapetos?” Nick asked.
“It’s Greek. Means beloved.” Still distracted, he turned and peered at the horizon. “We’re getting some rain later on. Feels like a mid-sized thunderstorm.”
Before Nick could ask how weather could feel mid-sized, Ian added, “How are you doing?”
“Hella relaxed. I even fell asleep for a bit.” He touched the shallow rise under his t-shirt where the gauze was. “And this isn’t hurting anymore. I’ll give Barnard this much, he knew what he was doing.”
Ian scowled. “You need to see a plastic surgeon. You can’t wear that fucker’s initial like some kind of brand.”
Nick gave a half-shrug. “There’s nothing a plastic surgeon can do about them. The incisions are too fine for any sort of scar revision. I’m a doctor, I should know.”
“Fuck.”
“Yeah. But it could be worse. The bastard could have finished writing his name.”
“Gentlemen?”
The two of them turned to see Aphros leaning out the porch door. “Dinner will be ready in thirty minutes,” the redhead announced. “Steak, baked potatoes, and salad sound good?”
“Sounds fantastic,” Nick said sincerely. “If you ever get tired of short stuff over here, I’ll be happy to marry you.”
Aphros beamed at him and the mock-glaring Ian. “I’ll keep that in mind. Love, would you mind setting the table?”
“Can’t say no, now, can I?” Shaking his head at Nick, Ian headed back to the cottage, grabbing Aphros and kissing him soundly at the door. “Anything else I can do to make you happy, gorgeous?”
Nick watched as Aphros slipped a hand around Ian’s hip, cupping his ass and squeezing it. “Oh, I can think of a few things,” he said with a grin. “But we can talk about them later. Set the table first.”
“Yes, dear.”
Nick made a whip-cracking noise, snickering when Ian shot him the finger.
“You’re just jealous,” Ian catcalled.
“Damn skippy. Now go set the table, dear.”
****
Nick was shooed out to the living room post-dinner with Bythos while Aphros and Ian did the cooking cleanup. Overhead, the threatened storms had finally shown up as the sun set. A heavy rain beat down on the windows, intermittently lit by lightning.
“Ian said that you and Aph work for your
dad doing pollution remediation?” Nick said, taking one of the armchairs. “That’s got to keep you busy, especially these days.”
“Yes, it does,” Bythos said, stretching out in the other chair with a contented noise. “I’m afraid I can’t go into much detail about what we do—non-disclosure agreements and all that. But one of our seawater filtration projects is turning out to be very successful.”
“That’s great. Any plans to try it out in the Gulf of Mexico?”
Bythos smiled a bit. “Funny you should mention that. That happens to be one of our test sites.”
“Good,” Nick said. “I grew up north of Houston, used to go down to Galveston all the time. I know Texas didn’t get hammered nearly as badly as Alabama and Louisiana, but we still had tar balls and other crap washing up on the beaches.” He felt glum when he remembered the stories of the oil spill’s effect on his childhood playground. “And that was just the surface. I’m guessing things went all to hell under the water.”
“Pretty much, yes,” Bythos said grimly. “But we’re hoping to remedy that situation in the coming years. In fact, Aph and I were planning to head out to our test site in a couple of days. I’m sorry we have to do it just as you’ve arrived, but—”
“No, it’s cool,” Nick said, holding up a hand. “I already told Ian I don’t want to cramp his writing schedule, and I’m definitely not going to bitch about you going off to work, especially on something this important.” He frowned. “Speaking of which, I wanted to apologize for just showing up out of the blue like that. If I’d known what was going on, I would’ve gotten a hotel room somewhere.”
Bythos gave him a thoughtful look, grey eyes narrowed. “I hope this doesn’t upset you, but Ian said that you were involved with someone abusive who may try to injure you again. Is that correct?”
A flare of anger boiled up, then sank down again just as quickly. Of course he told them—I didn’t tell him to keep it to himself. “Yeah, pretty much.” He slumped lower in the chair. “I didn’t mean to bring any of this to your door. If you want me to leave, I will.”
Olympic Cove 2-Breaker Zone Page 4
