“It’s Devin,” he said desperately. “He’s gone.”
Airech jumped up, peering into the distance. “How could we not have sensed him?”
Fintan met Cap’s eyes, which were still slightly dazed, his pupils wide. “We were a little preoccupied.”
“How much do you think he heard?” Airech asked. “How much do you think he saw?”
Dismay flooded Fintan. He tried to keep his head above it long enough to answer. “I fear, too much of both.”
Chapter 25
Devin
Devin heard Bren before he saw him. The wind snatched notes from his harp, carrying them to Devin as he stood in the car park leaning against the side of his van. The haunting echo almost made him jump back in and drive. He wanted to escape, to get as far away as he could from this new reality where Bren was playing without him. Or he wasn’t playing with Bren. Both were equally true, and both ate away at his heart.
“Where the hell have you been?” Emer loomed up beside him, making him jump.
“Give a man a heart attack, why don’t you?”
He scowled, but Emer seemed to take no notice. She was all business, as usual.
“Are you coming back to use your pitch again or not? Lorcan’s been asking is he can move to your spot.”
“Lorcan?”
“The one with the donkey who plays the tin whistle. I mean, Lorcan plays the tin whistle. Not the donkey.”
Devin had only been gone a few weeks, but somehow in that time, the world had stopped making sense.
“Why would we give up our pitch?”
“Your pitch. Today’s Bren’s last day. Sure, you must have known that? I thought the two of ye didn’t breathe without consulting each other.”
“What do you mean, his last day?” Devin asked, bewildered.
Emer looked defensive, almost guilty. “The council asked me to shut him down because he’s been busking without a licence. I let him get away with it as long as I could.”
“We are licensed. You know that.” Devin tried to sound calm and reasonable, but acid seeped through into his tone. He might be the one hanging out with supernatural beings, but right now Emer seemed to have less of a grip on reality than he did.
“The licence is in your name, Devin,” Emer explained. “Tom arranged for your mom’s licence to be granted to you, after her… accident. You have to play with Bren, or he can’t play at all.”
“Could you not ask the council to give him one?” he demanded. “He’s only been playing here for seven years, for feck’s sake.”
“Steady on!” She threw up her hands. “Do you not think I didn’t offer? I’d twist any arm for him, no question. But he told me he was packing it in, anyway. Now, if you’re finished yelling at me, I’ve things to do. Let me know what’s going on when you’ve worked it out yourself.” Her back stiff with annoyance, she strode off towards the centre.
Devin slowly walked the familiar path to the rocky platform that was their pitch. This late in the day it was almost deserted. Bren was facing away from him, plucking out a song on his harp as he looked towards the ocean, the sun disappearing into the pink-tinged water. That very same song had been playing on the car radio the night they met. Devin didn’t think it was a coincidence. Watching soundlessly, he waited for Bren to finish, his thoughts tumbling over each other.
The whole drive over, Devin hadn’t been able to get that day at the beach out of his mind. He’d dodged his feelings for Bren, only to be crash tackled by his attraction to Fintan and Airech. And Cap, though he didn’t know it at the time. It was like he was trapped in emotional quicksand—the more he struggled, the deeper he sank.
And with his gods came the added complication of evil bat-wing spirits trying to wipe him off the face of the earth. Not to mention a deer for a mother. His life would have been a hell of a lot easier if he’d been brave enough to reach for Bren the moment his heart had told him to. But that might have meant a life without his storm boys, and he didn’t want that, either. Seeing them together, succumbing to their feelings for each other, had only crystallised his feelings for them.
The song seemed to take on his sadness, the last notes weeping into the air. He walked over, laying a tentative hand on Bren’s shoulder. Bren turned around slowly, not looking surprised at all, as if he’d anticipated Devin’s touch. He didn’t seem any different, with the same dark red hair, lanky body and flashing grin.
“It’s been a while, Dev.” He spoke lightly, without a hint of reproach. “Tell me, have you come back? Or have you come back to tell me you’re not coming back? Or maybe you’ve been having too much fun coming, to come back?”
“Yes. No. I don’t know. Does that cover it? Because I think you lost me about halfway through.” Devin hesitated. “I came to ask you something. And now Emer is talking rubbish about you quitting. So that makes another something I have to ask you about.”
Bren slipped the cover on his harp. Folding up his stool, he handed it to Devin, and together they started walking to Bren’s car.
“When have you ever known Emer to be wrong?” Bren slowed and looked at Devin, shifting the harp to his other side, so it wasn’t between them. “I’m not busking anymore because I’m leaving. I have to go away.”
“You’re what?! When?”
“Tomorrow.”
Crashing disbelief disorientated Devin, almost making him stumble.
“Not because of me?”
Bren snorted. “Glad to see you still think everything revolves around you. No. Something’s come up. Something to do with… with my life from before. I have to go back. It was always going to happen. I’ve been expecting this for a long time.”
Whirling in front of Bren, Devin stopped him in his tracks. “This is the first I’m hearing about it.”
“I was going to tell you when I knew for certain. You haven’t exactly been around lately.”
Devin wasn’t really sure when Bren had become the zen master of guilt-tripping. He sighed, his restless fingers raking his hair. His life was like a Chinese puzzle, with too many different pieces and only one way of fitting them together. He’d always been hopeless at puzzles, and this one had pieces that talked back and got jealous if he picked up one of the other pieces.
“I wouldn’t have stayed away so long if I’d known. We can still have some time together. Can you not delay it? For a small while—”
Bren shook his head sadly.
“So that’s it? What about me? Were you even going to say goodbye?” Devin’s voice cracked, an echo of the tearing deep in his chest.
“I’ll come see you before I leave tomorrow,” Bren said, his voice equally shaky. “I’ve one or two things belonging to you. I need to give them back.”
“I don’t want you to go.” Devin put a pleading hand on his arm, but Bren shook it away. “I thought you’d be waiting for me when I came home. The same as always.”
“Yeah, well, I didn’t want you to get stolen away by the supernatural squad, but shit happens.”
He moved off again, Devin trailing him, until they reached Bren’s car. Devin loaded the stool into the boot and paced in agitated circles while Bren settled his harp carefully onto the back seat. It was all so familiar and normal, and his mind refused to file the memory under ‘last time’.
“Are you sure you’re not leaving because of Fintan and the others? If you have a problem with it, if there’s anything you want to say to me, you can say it, you know?”
“Define ‘it’ for me,” Bren said carefully, straightening up.
“I mean, my relationship with the three of them.”
“It’s the three of them, now?” Bren’s smile was uneven. “You always did have a problem making up your mind. I guess you’re their responsibility from here on in, and I wish them luck. They’ll need it.”
Devin bristled. “I’ve always wondered who died and made you my keeper,” he said. “That’s the difference between you and them. They’re not always trying to protect me from everyt
hing.”
Bren slammed the door shut with more force than was strictly necessary. “That’s because they don’t know you the way I do.”
“You mean, they don’t know what’s wrong with me?” A wave of despair swept Devin, making him shiver. “There is something, isn’t there? I heard Airech say it. And he thinks you know what it is.”
Bren’s eyes blazed, warming Devin, burning through his dismay. “There’s not a thing wrong with you, Dev,” he said hoarsely. “Not to me.”
Yanking his door open, Bren swung himself into the driver’s seat. Devin’s panicked urgency lent him a burst of brutal strength. Reaching forward, he hauled Bren bodily out of the car. He flung his arms around him, leaning in and nuzzling Bren’s straight nose with his freckled one.
“Don’t go yet, okay?” he murmured. “Don’t go at all. Whatever it is that’s making you leave, we’ll sort it out.”
Clutching his shoulders, Bren forced him back. His stare was so intense and searching Devin could almost feel it tracing his face. The Look. Bren had always been able to see right through him, to know what he was thinking. For countless minutes they stood, gazing at each other.
“If you mean that, then come back home. Tomorrow,” Bren said. “Just until we work out where we go from here. If your storm boys truly care about you, they’ll understand.”
Devin couldn’t speak. He nodded his agreement. He felt almost suffocated by the aching need to touch his lips to Bren’s. And he wasn’t going to make the same mistake a third time. To fight his feelings or chase them away with some smart arse remark. He kissed Bren, small soft kisses at first, barely tasting him, pulling away and then coming back again. He increased the pressure, pressing harder until he felt Bren open up and respond, kissing him back.
His tongue slid inside Bren’s mouth. Gliding his hands down to his perfect arse, he cupped it firmly and felt Bren’s cock hard against his. But for now, all he wanted was for them to kiss without stopping, like two teenagers at the back of the disco. The sloppiest, clumsiest, most careless kisses they could manage, making up for all those times they had to pretend they didn’t want to.
Chapter 26
Devin
Cap thundered off the main road and into the clifftop carpark, Airech straddling him with his natural regal grace. Swooping past them, Fintan shifted back into his human form mid-air, landing lightly next to Devin. Without warning, Cap followed suit, sending Airech tumbling to the unforgiving tarmac.
Airech glared up at Cap. “It’s not that I don’t appreciate the ride. But I wouldn’t mind some kind of signal before you shift next time, big guy.”
Grasping the waist of Airech’s jeans, Cap yanked him off the ground and brushed him down clumsily, somehow leaving him even more dishevelled.
“Thanks,” Airech said, deadpan. Devin, already strangely drunk with elation, couldn’t help laughing at his disgruntled face.
“Devin.” Fintan took his arm. “Thank the gods we found you.”
“I kissed Bren.” It was only when he heard the shock in his voice that Devin realised he still didn’t quite believe it. If anything, the three gods looked much less surprised than he was by his revelation.
Airech’s keen eyes searched his. “And did you like it?” His tone was icy.
Fintan frowned. “Airech! That is none of your concern.”
“I apologise unreservedly,” Airech said with exaggerated politeness. “So, did you?”
“Airech!”
Devin put up a hand to placate Fintan. “It’s fine. Yes, Airech. Yes, I did. It was incredible, thanks for asking. Anything else you want to know? Our honeymoon plans? What we’re going to name our pet pug? Or maybe we’ll get a cat. I prefer cats.”
“You’re the one who blurted it out.” Airech looked injured, and Devin couldn’t blame him. He’d shared the news in a burst of giddy happiness, not thinking about the consequences.
Sobering himself, he studied Fintan’s expression. It was pinched and grave, and Cap glowered at him, like the old days. His eyes fell, his bubble of bliss disintegrating into vapour.
“And are you planning to pursue it further?” Fintan asked hesitantly.
“I told him I’d go back home tomorrow, to discuss it.”
Devin could understand why someone as protective as Bren might find it hard to accept him being close to anyone else. He’d never imagined these gods being quite so upset. His storm boys had seemed to embrace the concept, so far. And they’d also come around to the idea of embracing each other, if what he’d witnessed a few short hours ago was any indication.
“I didn’t realise it would upset you. I thought because ye had an open relationship—”
Airech eyes flashed. “Our relationship is the very opposite of open. It’s locked up, throw away the key closed. We’re chained to each other, and we gave up everything to be together. When you came along, that sacrifice finally seemed worthwhile, and now you’re telling us we’re not enough?”
“It’s not that we’re not… happy for you,” Fintan broke in, his face carefully guarded. Cap gave a violent snort, making it clear he wasn’t including himself in the congratulations. “It’s only that it… complicates matters for us. We had hoped you would join us permanently. But we can’t have divided loyalties in our band, Devin. Not if we’re going to defeat the coming evil.”
“But the Sluagh, it’s me they’re after! You need me, don’t you?” Devin asked. “Though you don’t know why.”
Fintan hesitated. “We believe you’re tied in some important way to what’s about to happen. Yes. But we can’t make you stay, not if your heart is no longer with us.”
Devin felt stung. How could Fintan even question Devin’s heart, when it’d spent the last few weeks beating so close to his own?
“So, you’re willing to share me with each other, but not with anybody else?”
“Please don’t speak as if you’re our plaything,” Fintan said quietly, sounding wounded.
“What about Airech?” Devin argued. “He’s had plenty of relationships outside your band.”
“I think calling them relationships is giving them quite a bit too much significance.” Fintan managed to look slightly bemused. “They would never have compromised him.”
“Anyway, I don’t do that anymore,” Airech said. “I haven’t since I met you. There hasn’t been anyone for any of us but you.” Beside him, Cap glared in agreement.
Devin shot Airech a look. “That’s not actually true though, is it? By the way, Bren doesn’t know what’s wrong with me. I asked him.”
Fintan gave an awkward cough. “Don’t trouble yourself about anything you may have overheard. And as for what you saw—you have our word it will never happen again.”
“You don’t understand. I want it to happen again. Again and again. I loved seeing you together.” Devin felt giddy and sick, choking on his frustration. “If we’re all a part of this band, isn’t it okay for ye to be with each other, as well as with me?”
“We didn’t get involved with you because we think you belong in our band, Devin. It’s because of our… feelings for you.” Fintan’s gentle face flushed red.
“And you have feelings for each other! It doesn’t exactly take supernatural powers to work that out.”
“Don’t make things more difficult, fierce one,” Fintan persisted, his tone severe. “There are more important things we need to address. I told you, what you saw was a lapse of judgement. A mistake.”
Devin turned to Airech and Cap, appealing to them with hopeful eyes.
“And what about the two of you? Do you think it was a mistake?”
He saw Airech hesitate, studying him, his face unusually serious. His dark eyes moved away, seeking out Cap and Fintan, before coming back to Devin. Suddenly, he grinned.
“Speak for yourself, old man.” Airech winked at Devin. “I for one thoroughly enjoyed it. And you did too, big guy.”
Cap gave an impatient huff which could have been a vote for either side.
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“It reminded me of a threesome I had in the fifth century,” Airech added. “That was one wild night. Me and two…” he trailed off, and Devin saw the shock seeping onto his face.
“Airech? What is it?” Fintan asked.
“It’s Bren,” Airech said. “I know where I’ve seen him before.”
Chapter 27
Bren
Bren didn’t remember much of the drive home. He was too busy reliving the hour before it, savouring every last delicious detail. He ran his finger over his lips, hardly able to believe Devin had kissed them. Lifting up his shirt, he brought it to his face, inhaling the faint trace of Devin’s body on his, comforting and thrilling all at the same time.
He felt ridiculous and giddy, like some character in a film, dancing in the street after his first date. Then he was laughing out loud. That’s exactly what it had been. His first date. As a human, anyway.
When Bren read Devin’s soul the morning after the storm, he wasn’t prepared for the feelings he found there. Or for the response from his own heart. That’s when he realised he’d fallen in love with Devin, in one stroke undoing all his years of caution and vigilance. Not that it mattered. Whatever his feelings, Devin was on loan, not part of his permanent collection, and that had always been the score. Until Dev kissed him.
It had been Bren’s duty to resist, to push him away. But instead, he’d said ‘Fuck it’, and the satisfaction of doing that was almost as exciting as what had happened between them. So he’d kissed Dev back. The cliff hadn’t collapsed, the earth was still turning. Even with the collective knowledge of humankind at his disposal, he’d never seen things as clearly as he did now. Including, hopefully, a way out of the disaster he set in motion seven years ago.
His mind started working furiously, considering the possibilities, as he came through the front door and sank down on to the sofa. It was strange to think that he was walking back into this room a completely different person, when nothing else had changed. He expected the whole world to be transformed, somehow. But there was the same battered coffee table, same pile of books, same stereo, same angel lurking in the corner…
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