“Fiddle,” he murmured.
A sudden surge startled Devin as it poured through him, into his outstretched arms. He didn’t even have to open his eyes to know it had worked. He opened them anyway, to see his hands shaking against the smooth wood. Beside him, Fintan gave a delighted smile, his face shining.
“An-mhaith, Devin. And since you now have your fiddle, there’s something else I’d like to try. Let’s see if you can conjure the portal, the one you used to bring us to the mortal realm.”
Devin frowned. “What portal?”
“Why, the wave.” Fintan’s soft eyes reassured him. “Play the song you played that day. The one that called the wave to you.”
Obediently, Devin brought the sound of the storm to the forefront of his mind. His fingers flew, and the savage notes tore at him, the same as before, his breath coming out harsh and ragged along with the tune. He heard the roar of the wave as it began to build, rising towards them. At the sight of it, Devin’s nerves failed him. He killed the song, and the wave died with it, as suddenly as it had appeared.
“I’m sorry. It’s that wave. I fucking hate it.” He shuddered.
“Don’t be sorry. You did it,” Fintan said. “And it’s a pleasure to watch you play. Now I see how your hands got to be the way they are. Your fingers leap as if they have a life of their own.”
“My mom had a nickname for me, from when I was small. Damhán Alla. I think it means spider.” Devin gave a brusque smile. “Maybe that’s where it comes from. She taught me to play. This is her fiddle.”
“No doubt your mother was very proud of you.”
Devin’s throat closed over, leaving him struggling to speak. “She shouldn’t have been.”
Fintan’s hands settled on his rigid shoulders, the calm diffusing into Devin’s tight skin. It was all too easy, to give in to it. He wanted Fintan to touch him. Craved it. But he couldn’t be sure if he needed Fintan, or if Fintan was making him believe that he did. Shrugging his shoulders, Devin shook him off.
“I’m sorry, Devin. I didn’t mean to break my promise. I shouldn’t have touched you.”
“That wasn’t you touching me,” Devin said. “That was your magic. Touch me again. This time, just you.”
In response, Fintan reached around him to pluck his fiddle and bow from his hands, bending to place them on the ground beside them. Then his fingers were sliding between Devin’s arms and his sides, finding the softness of his stomach. His fingertips were like feathers tickling Devin’s skin, leaving him squirming in torturous delight. They explored every inch of his chest, leaving a trail of shivering skin behind them. Unbuttoning Devin’s jeans, Fintan’s hand glided under the waistband of his boxers. Warm lips tickled his shoulder and Devin held his breath as Fintan found his cock. He felt himself hardening in the god’s hand.
“Like this?” Fintan said.
“Just like that,” Devin breathed.
“Or like this?” Letting it bounce free, Fintan took Devin’s stiff cock in a firm hold. He began to pull on it with steady strokes, sending Devin arching back against him.
“Or like that.” He surrendered to Fintan’s touch. His nerves were still as tight as a wire, but now it was pleasure instead of pain that was steadily applying the tension. He leaned on Fintan, his knees weak, their shallow breathing the only sound on the quiet clifftop.
“Perhaps like this.” Fintan hand moved harder and faster, as his other hand cupped Devin’s balls and his teeth nipped at his neck.
Devin was beyond answering him. Balls churning and muscles clenching, he came with a sudden choked gasp. Fintan held him easily with one arm as he slumped, aftershocks of pleasure rippling through him. As his breathing steadied, Fintan released him gently.
Averting his eyes, Devin fished a packet of tissues out of his pocket. He offered one shyly to Fintan. When he finally looked the god in the face, he saw it was tense with regret.
“I must apologise. Again. I don’t know what came over me. I am sorry.”
“Don’t be,” Devin said, looking at him steadily. “I’m not.”
Clearing his throat, Fintan turned to look out over the jewel-like water, his eyes thoughtful. “You know, portals aren’t the only way to move between realms. Some, a very few, can reach the Otherworld in their dreams. I’m one of them. And I believe you are too.”
Devin wished he could feel more surprised. It might have reassured him he wasn’t totally losing his mind. But the dreams during his sleep-walking had always seemed so vivid, so difficult to shake the next day. Now they made sense.
“I heard you playing your fiddle in the Otherworld. That’s how I first knew you were here.”
Devin felt himself sinking into confusion, trying to make sense of Fintan’s words. In his dreams, he didn’t remember playing, but he knew who had. He was about to tell Fintan about his mother when he realised how ridiculous it sounded, and how impossible it was.
“Was it this song?” he asked. Rescuing his fiddle from the ground, he settled it on his shoulder and began to play again. His mother’s song for his father was a ferocious, wailing lament, and it shattered the peace around them. Fintan cocked his head, listening, and nodded. Devin played on, lost in his thoughts, the familiar sorrow washing through him.
Shadows crept across Fintan’s face, and Devin realised the light was dimming. He looked up quickly. A black cloud seeped across the sun, slowly but relentlessly, like tar being poured. As Devin watched, something broke away from it and plunged to the clifftop, landing not far from them.
Standing facing them was a man, though Devin would have used that term loosely. No men he knew had giant bat wings folded behind their back. Devin had seen many strange things in a very short time, but this topped them all.
The bat man’s eyes were as dark as ink and they sparkled with evil intent. The sort of eyes that liked to witness total mayhem for the sheer exhilaration of it. His face was pale against his jet black hair, so black it made Airech’s look almost faded by comparison. He stood with his legs wide, his arms crossed, his full red mouth twisted in a sneer.
“Fintan, Fintan. You left your back door open. How careless of you.”
His voice was surprisingly pleasant, warm and rich. It chilled Devin to the bone.
“Azazel. Zaz. What do you want?” Fintan faced the creature calmly.
“Don’t you mean, who?” He lifted up a powerful arm and signalled into the sky. The cloud began to dive, a solid stream of darkness swooping towards them, carrying a pungent smell of evil with it.
“Devin, run!”
Grabbing him roughly, Fintan pulled him towards the portal. Devin took off, slipping and sliding, running uphill in the dim light, trying not to knock himself or his fiddle against the walls. Behind him, he heard Fintan frantically murmuring an incantation and a thousand clicks of stone on stone as the rocks scattered back to fill the space. Then Fintan’s rapid footsteps were beating a steady rhythm behind him, much more sure-footed than his own.
“What are they?” he shouted.
“The Sluagh,” Fintan gasped. “Don’t talk, run.”
Chapter 14
Devin
“Wait!” Fintan spun around, frowning in concentration.
Devin skidded to a halt. “What is it?”
Fintan pointed back towards the portal, where a faint light shone. And there could only be one source, this deep in the earth.
“They’re breaking through,” he said. “I have to stop them. Go back to the cavern and stay there!” Fintan raced back down the passage, his feet loud on the rock.
Climbing up through the dank tunnel, his ears ringing, Devin searched anxiously for the opening. His heart leapt when he saw the soft starlight. Bounding through the doorway, he wove through the stalagmites and burst into the cavern, making Airech and Cap jump to their feet in alarm. Devin’s fiddle clattered onto a bench and he struggled to catch his breath.
“Big bats!” He wracked his brain, to remember what Fintan had called them. “Slu..
Sluagh!”
Airech and Cap were moving before he’d forced the final tortured words out of his dry throat. Devin wasn’t immortal, but he wasn’t a coward either. He hurried after them, despite Fintan’s instructions.
As he ran, he rubbed his arms convulsively, his skin crawling. “But what are they? These Sluagh?” He could hear the horror creeping into his voice as he shouted towards Airech.
“They’re the spirits of restless dead,” Airech said breathlessly. “And they’re so bent on destruction they aren’t welcome anywhere. Not in the mortal realm or any of our immortal ones. Not in any of the netherworlds. Not even in hell itself.”
“They’re too evil for hell?” Devin’s eyes widened.
Airech nodded.
“That’s pretty fucking evil.”
“I couldn’t have put it better myself.”
The going was faster downhill. They quickly reached the portal entrance where Fintan was standing, his deep chant reverberating off the walls and his arms trembling with effort. Each individual stone quivered, and some fell to the ground as Fintan fought desperately to hold them in place. Every time he managed to repair a breach, another chink opened.
“Fintan, stand aside,” Airech said hurriedly. With a savage shout, he flung his hand towards the vibrating rocks. They exploded backwards into the Otherworld, and Devin heard piercing squeals as they found their marks. Raising both hands, Airech began to sing. He walked slowly through the cleared entrance, picking his way across the rubble. Fintan followed, Cap and Devin behind him.
The sky in front of Airech’s outstretched hands began to undulate, taking on an opaque quality. A roiling mass of black flew against it furiously like a trapped wasp charging a windowpane. Airech’s song grew louder, and his chanted words grabbed Devin’s attention, the blood draining from his face.
“What’s that Airech’s singing?”
“It’s Rosceanna. Battle magic,” Fintan replied. “I thought I told you to stay in the cavern?”
“What, and miss all the excitement?” Devin smiled shakily. A thundercloud of evil charged towards him, slamming into Airech’s magic with a dull thud before it could reach him, its grinning face inches from his own. Cap gave a threatening rumble.
“Is that a forcefield?”
“It’s a counter-spell. But Airech can only cast it as far as he can see, and he can’t hold it indefinitely. Go back through the portal. I’ll try and close it behind you,” Fintan ordered Devin.
“And leave all of ye here? No!”
Airech stopped singing. “The portal gate is too far gone, anyway. There’s no telling where it’ll bring him now, if he goes back through it.”
“It’s damaged from your excessive show of force,” Fintan said severely.
“I think you’ll find the Sluagh crippled it before I did.”
Fintan shook his head, frustration clear on his face. “I’ll need to fetch stronger magic to repair it.”
“Go get your magic, old man. I’ll hold them back from the portal as long as I can,” Airech said calmly. “Just get Devin out of here.” The air around them started to flicker, becoming less obscured, and he immediately took up his chant again.
Fintan turned to Cap. “What’s the closest portal to the mortal realm from here? The dolmen, Poll na Brón?”
Cap nodded.
“Travel there as fast as you can, Capall Donnrua. Get Devin home safely. We’ll meet you there.” Glancing at Devin, the god gave another nod.
Fintan spun back to Airech. “Once Cap is safely away, I’ll collect some stronger magic to repair the portal gate. I will return.” He clasped Airech’s shoulder. “As soon as we’re ready, swing your shield so it’s parallel to the ground, between us and the Sluagh. Only long enough for us to get clear. Don’t endanger the portal. Or yourself.”
Mid-song, Airech bent his head in agreement.
Fintan’s soft eyes shone, washing Devin with calm. “Stay safe, fragile human. There’s something I must ask of you. Please don’t take leave of your senses.”
“What?” Devin asked, frowning.
“Airech. What am I trying to convey here?”
Airech stopped mid-chant. “Tell him not to freak out,” he advised, before beginning his song again.
Fintan turned to Devin once more.
“Devin, don’t freak out.”
In front of Devin’s startled eyes, Fintan disappeared. The place where he’d been standing rippled and out of the disturbance burst a hawk. It flew up and circled, separated from the Sluagh by Airech’s pulsating shield.
Airech’s song died.
“Anois, Cap!” he shouted.
Devin jumped as the air around Cap distorted like warped glass and the horse from the beach appeared, tossing his head.
“Hurry, get on!” Airech pushed Devin.
“I thought you said he was dangerous?”
“Only in the water. Now go!”
Devin didn’t need to be screamed at twice, scrambling onto Cap’s smooth back, his hide warm between Devin’s thighs. Once again, Airech’s song rose in the air. Lowering his arms, the god stretched them out in front of his chest. The haze shifted, the air near the ground clearing.
Cap rocketed off, his hooves clattering with enough sound to wake the dead. Or draw the dead to them. His back was so broad that even though he was rollicking along at great speed, Devin felt secure. He glanced up, feeling a terrible weight move through his limbs as if his heart was pumping poison, foul and viscous, through his veins.
Through the distorted sky, Devin could see the Sluagh circling above them, sweeping across the ragged wind-tossed clouds. The full horror of what he saw almost made his heart stop completely. Men and women with large bat-like wings, so many of them that the vibrations of their flapping rebounded all around him. As Cap bolted over the ground, they reached the edges of Airech’s magic, and then it was behind them.
The man with coal-dark eyes hovered high above them, looking smugly amused. Devin froze like a startled rabbit. Charging through the sky, Fintan struck the demon’s face, raking it with his talons. Cap made a noise deep in his throat, a chant that vibrated through both their bodies, enfolding Devin in a heavy weight, like a warm blanket. They swerved sharply, changing direction, weaving back and forth.
The Sluagh began to retrace the ground, moving in ever-widening arcs, while Cap carried Devin further away from them with every second. It took a while for Devin to realize that whatever Cap had done, it had made them invisible. As they dashed along in the early morning, Devin looked back one last time to see Fintan diving, scattering the Sluagh across the sky.
Chapter 15
Cap
Cap picked his way nimbly through the limestone, searching out the stretches of grass where his progress was muffled and less likely to bring a swarm of Sluagh down on their heads. The sudden sound of a hoof ringing on the rock was the only thing that might give them away. Otherwise, they were sheltered by his magic with the féth fíada, the cloak of invisibility.
Devin sat firm on his back, occasionally running a hand along his neck, making his skin ripple. Cap didn’t like being petted, but he tolerated Devin’s touch. He could even see himself getting to like it. Maybe one day.
Cap couldn’t help thinking of his lost friend Rón every time he looked at Devin. It wasn’t because they looked similar, although there was some truth in that. It was Devin’s way of being, the fingers trailing through his hair and the shrugs and the guarded expression, even in his sleep. When Cap first saw him standing in the storm, for one heartbeat he even thought it was Rón. But Rón was gone, and he wasn’t coming back.
Before Cap and Rón had found each other, they both had no one. Cap’s had seen all his foal brothers perish at the place they now called Aill na Searrach. Rón was never meant to live at all. A cursed child born from two warring tribes, he was thrown into a whirlpool soon after his birth. Taking pity on him, a witch had enchanted him into a shapeshifting seal, the very first selkie.
&nbs
p; They met in the stormy ocean, and over the centuries their friendship somehow survived the fathomless and shifting tides of the Otherworld. After Rón disappeared, Cap had nothing left. He decided to remain in his foal form, and that’s how he had stayed for one thousand years. That’s what he would still be if he hadn’t been called to fight the approaching evil.
All those centuries as an animal had turned him into a brute. He had become an aughisky, a demon water horse, a killer of men. He knew nothing about human affection, or trust, or love. He hated to be touched. And now a man’s arms were wrapped around his neck, and Cap was bringing him to safety.
Chapter 16
Bren
“He followed me home. Can I keep him?”
Bren started, almost falling off the sofa. He’d finally managed to doze off after spending the night walking the floor, waiting for Devin to appear. Scattered mugs with the dregs of every drink their kitchen had to offer, starting with tea and ending in whiskey, documented his descent from mild worry to full-on panic.
With bleary eyes, he watched Devin strolling in as if disappearing off the face of the planet on a two-mile walk to the village wasn’t even worth mentioning. Not only that, but he’d brought Mr Dark and Stormy with him, owner of the furrowed brow, who’d been one degree below stalking them at the visitor centre café. His presence would have been unsettling even if Bren wasn’t fully aware he was some sort of supernatural being.
“Where did you disappear to? Who’s this?”
He eyed up the impressive wall of muscle standing uncomfortably close to Devin, who didn’t seem to mind.
“This is Cap. Don’t worry, you don’t have to try and make conversation with him. He takes strong and silent to a whole new level.”
“Hi, Cap.” Bren gave him the briefest nod he could manage without coming across as rude. Cap, who looked like someone who came across as rude all the time, didn’t seem to take offence.
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