by April Kelley
Laith stood and walked over to him. Talli could feel Laith’s body heat even though they weren’t touching. He lifted Talli’s chin with a finger underneath, forcing him to meet his eyes. “Just tell me.”
Talli nodded and took a step away. He folded his hands in front of him and addressed the entire group. If he treated this as another lesson than he would be able to get through it. He took a deep breath, pushing down the panic that still tightened his chest. “A…um…faery, such as myself, knows his or her anam cara by sight.”
Laith wrapped an arm around his waist, pulling him into his side.
“It’s difficult to explain how it feels. I suppose I can liken it to a light that surrounds Laith when I look at him, although that’s not entirely accurate. I’m drawn to him, wanting him near and needing his touch.”
Laith nodded his head. “I don’t see a light or anything, but it’s feels exactly like that for me too.”
Talli looked at him.
He turned back to the group. “Just knowing your anam cara is not enough. A bond must be made that will tie the two souls together forever. In the Otherworld, the two faeries would make love, which would form the bond. A celebration would take place after, usually with a large fire, dancing, music, and friends. It’s quite fun.”
“So we would have to fuck for us to bond? After that, it’s permanent?” Laith said.
“Both of us would have to want the other for the bonding to truly happen. Sex alone will not make the souls bond. Your soul has to want mine.” When Laith didn’t comment on that, Talli said, “I need to make a decision.” Talli moved away from Laith, going back into the bedroom with Kele.
Chapter Seven
“My time is running out,” Talli whispered to Laith, who tightened his arms around him. They sat in a plush chair in the bedroom. Wyatt lay on the bed next to Kele, with an arm around Kele’s middle. “I’m not a strong enough faery to trap the sluagh for any real length of time.”
“You don’t have to do this alone,” Colton said from the foot of the bed.
Sly nodded and would have spoken, but a cough captured his words.
Laith squeezed his hand, but didn’t say anything.
Finally Sly said, “You said you could trap the sluagh, right? At least long enough for your friends to come help us.”
Talli looked over at him and nodded. “I don’t have enough time to do that though. Less than an hour at best.”
“Well, why can’t one of us go get Dasan?”
Talli waved a hand dismissively and lay his head on Laith’s chest. “Humans do not go through the door.”
Wyatt sat up on the bed. It was the first real movement he made in the last few minutes. “Can’t or shouldn’t?”
“What?”
Wyatt sighed. “Is it physically impossible for a human to go through the door?”
“Not that I’m aware of. Your people just don’t come through. Ever.”
“So it won’t kill us?”
“Not any more than it would me.”
“Then one of us will go, while you set the trap.” Wyatt stood after that and looked at Colton and Sly. “Want to draw straws or what?”
“I’m sick. Why do I have to draw?”
“Maybe the healer can cure you of your whining,” Laith said and smirked at him.
Sly held up a middle finger which was something Talli wasn’t familiar with. Not that he knew what drawing straws was either.
Talli sucked in a breath when he figured out what they meant to do. He tried to get off Laith’s lap but he held onto him. “The Otherworld can be very dangerous. It is ignorant to go.” Talli looked at Laith, pleading with his eyes. “Awan might find some humor in a human coming through the door…eventually. Dasan will not. He will not listen to any of you.”
“Rock, paper, scissors?” Colton suggested, completely ignoring every word Talli just said.
“What’s the worst case scenario if one of them does go?” Laith asked, distracting him. When Laith started rubbing his ear, he couldn’t think of anything but the man’s touch.
Talli shut his eyes and tried to concentrate on the question. “Dasan will throw them in the dungeon. He does that a lot.” Talli moved in closer, his hard length pressed against Laith. Laith must be able to feel it. How could he not?
“What’s the dungeon like?” Laith moved his hand lower on Talli’s back until part of his hand was on Talli’s ass.
“Um…” Talli closed his eyes and tried to focus on the question. “It’s..um…unclean and damp. And the beings down there are troubled.” Talli leaned in to the touch on his ear, wanting more. “Anam cara.”
Laith chuckled. “The look on your face is so sexy.”
Talli opened his eyes and looked up at Laith. Laith smiled at him even as his mouth descended on Talli’s. Their lips pressed together. Laith’s were firm and commanding without being demanding. If there was any doubt in Talli’s mind of his anam cara wanting him, it was removed. One kiss was all it took for Talli to finally understand that Laith was here to help him get Kele well again and it was just a press of the lips too.
When Laith ended the kiss, he rested his forehead on Laith’s chest. “I have to go back, anam cara. For Kele sake.”
“If you go, I go.”
Talli looked up at Laith sharply and saw the determination on his face. Talli shook his head. “You don’t know our ways. Dasan is already going to be so angry. We’ll both be in the dungeon. The things down there moan and scream all the time. They try to touch you through the bars on the door when you pass them. The ones in the big pit are even worse. You have to make the right kind of friends down in the pit and a human can never do that.”
Laith just shrugged. “Either way, you’re getting help, Talli. We need you here. I need you here. So either do it our way or I’m going with you.”
Talli narrowed his eyes. “You distracted me on purpose.” Talli poked him in the chest. “You don’t know what you just did. Dasan isn’t a kind elf. He might have love for Awan, Kele, and I, but that’s where it ends. I’ve seen him throw a servant down in the pit for calling Awan a filthy name. And he watched as the others in the pit tore her to bits.”
“Well, that just made me pee myself a little,” Colton said, breaking into their conversation. Talli had to look around Laith to see him. Colton smirked. “Paper covers rock, so I’m it.”
The more Talli thought about the plan the stupider it seemed. He ran his hands down the sides of his trousers and willed the bile back to his stomach. “By the gods, this is the stupidest thing I have ever let happen. And I have done many stupid things. Kele will tell you when he wakes up.”
Laith squeezed his shoulder. “It’ll be okay.”
“Dasan will lecture me to within an inch of my life and believe me when I tell you that’s worse than the pit. He’ll make me sweep the dungeon for a whole year.”
“Good news is that Colton is going. Not you. So this Dasan prick can’t do jack shit.”
Talli sucked in a breath at Laith’s name calling. He turned to Colton. “Don’t ever. Ever. Talk to him like that. Ever. He will punish you if you do. Better yet just tell him that Kele and I are in trouble and to please come save us. He likes saving people just as much as he likes punishing them. And then don’t say anything else. Also, bow when you see him and don’t look at him until he tells you. And don’t talk back to Awan even if he is an asshole, and he will be. And don’t talk to anyone but Dasan or Awan. Better yet, just tell Awan and have him tell Dasan. Awan will be the most rational of the two. Awan has black hair and black eyes. He wears a long black coat. Find him and talk to him.”
Laith pulled Talli into his arms. “Everything will be okay.”
Talli ignored him, giving Colton instructions instead. “Also, tell him that Dadga must have wanted all this to happen. Tell him that Kele and I found our anam cara in the Upperworld. That will be your proof that Dadga wanted this.” Talli shut his eyes. He shook his head when he opened them again. “Dasan won
’t buy that, although it’s true. Let’s just all pray to Dadga that he gives Dasan a steady head in this whole mess.”
“Stop worrying so much,” Laith said and pushed his face into his wide chest.
“Easy for you to say. You’ve never met Dasan and you don’t understand how angry this will make him. Colton is in danger the second he steps through that door.”
Talli suddenly thought of something. His mother’s medallion. He pulled the leather cord from around his neck and looked at the small medal at the end. There was an etching of Dadga on it. She had given it to him when he was a small boy, before the Great War took her from him. He hadn’t taken it off since that day. He kissed it and handed it to Colton. “Dasan and Awan will both know what this means to me.”
“God, I’m about ready to puke, man. Seriously.” Colton did look a little gray in the face as he took the medallion from him. “How will I know where to find him?”
“Dadga will lead you.”
“Trust the mythical god in the sky. Good advice,” Colton said with no small amount of sarcasm.
Wyatt smacked him in the back of the head. “You’re talking to a fucking faery.”
Laith nodded. “Yeah, at this point, I don’t think any of us should doubt Dadga’s existence.”
Talli watched as Colton put the medal in his pocket. He walked over to Wyatt and gave him a hug. “Just in case I don’t make it back or whatever.”
When Colton pulled away, Talli put a hand on his arm to get his attention. “We’ll come after you if you don’t come through the door at Imbolc. I’ll find a witch by then and have her open the door. I’ll make it happen somehow. We’ll wait until mid-day and if you don’t come through, I’ll go in. You have my word.”
Colton hugged him and then Laith. “Take care of the farm.”
“By the gods, this is a stupid idea.” The cool air kicked up suddenly and rustled through the branches of the trees. It also caused ripples to form across the surface of the water.
“Yeah well, it’s our best option. And besides, I get to see a place no human has ever been to before, which is a bucket list item. Although, when I wrote that one down, I kinda thought outer space would be my only option. Boy, was I wrong.”
Talli chuckled for the first time sense the sluagh had hurt Kele.
Colton smiled. “See, the world isn’t ending. Everything will be okay.” Colton hugged Sly, who looked about ready to fall over. “Jerk off session in the shower when I get back?”
“If I’m not still contagious and can breathe through my nose, I’ll even suck you off.”
“Deal. Here’s hoping I’m back in a few minutes.”
Talli started shaking his head. It was very unlikely that Dasan would give in that quickly. “Tell Dasan Kele’s hurt. Say that too him. He’ll come straight away. If he believes you, which I doubt. But tell him that, okay?”
“Okay.”
He turned to Laith. “I want a full detailed report of what sex is like with Talli when I get back. I feel I’ve earned it.”
Laith chuckled and said, “Fuck you, man.”
Colton looked at everyone one last time and then stepped through the door. As soon as he did the all turned and began walking down the path.
Talli moved around the cornfield as if he didn’t have a care in the world. Laith was in front of him, looking around as if waiting for a fight, which they were. Talli reached up, putting a hand in the center of Laith’s back, getting his attention. “I know you’re scared. It’ll be okay. We’ll trap him.”
He kept his other hand at his side, secretly letting the mineral out as Laith lead them in a wide circle. They were near the forest, which was a strategic move on Talli’s part because he’d still be able to fix most of the field if he trapped the sluagh’s soul in a spot that didn’t compromise the farming. Plus Awan could use the forest to his advantage when he finally came and fought the sluagh for them.
“I’m not scared.” Laith huffed out a breath.
“You shouldn’t lie.”
Laith turned just enough to take his hand. He pulled Talli next to him. “That thing freaks me out.”
Talli leaned into Laith. “He’ll not hurt us for long.” Talli could feel the sluagh near them. The tension inside him built by slow degrees. “The circle is complete,” he whispered to Laith.
“Now what do we do.”
“Stay outside of the circle while I invoke the spell.” If he still remembered it. It had been a long time sense he’s learned the spell and he’s never used it. Pooka weren’t meant to trap sluagh’s. The only reason he even knew the spell was because Awan insisted on him and Kele learning it as a way to protect themselves if need be. Talli just never thought he’d have to use it. The fact that Awan was right meant there would be several I-told-you-sos headed his way as soon as Awan came to save them.
Talli closed his eyes and started the spell, which was basically a prayer to Dadga to keep them from the restless dead. He just had to make sure he believed what he was praying and that wasn’t a problem at all. He certainly wanted the sluagh trapped, there was no doubt about that.
Laith stiffened and squeezed his hand, which told Talli that the sluagh was near. Talli opened his eyes and watched as the black shadowy figure came closer. “Get off my land or your human will die, pooka.”
Talli’s heart raced and tightened all at the same time. Still he didn’t stop chanting, not even when the sluagh came racing toward him. Laith pushed him behind his back. His body stiffened as he geared up for a fight. Talli looked at it from around Laith’s shoulder, repeating the spell just to be sure he had it down. He’d repeat it a thousand times if it actually worked.
Please work.
The sluagh didn’t even know it entered the circle when it crossed over because it slammed against it just inches from where Laith stood. The sluagh screamed, his mouth was just a black hole that was barely visible. It wouldn’t have been if they were farther away. It slammed against the side of the circle again, which made Laith flinch and grab a hold of Talli’s arm.
“I’m going to take a step back, honey.” Laith’s warning gave Talli time to move as well, although Laith’s grip on his arm didn’t allow him to go very far.
Laith moved and then turned, drawing Talli to him the instant they were facing each other. “Fuck. That was scary.” Laith let him go just as quickly and stated pulling Talli along toward the house.
“I have to finish the field,” Talli protested.
“The fields can wait. Right now, I need to make sure you’re okay.”
Talli didn’t understand Laith quite as well as he had thought. “I’m fine.” Considering the sluagh never got near him and Laith stayed between him and the sluagh the entire time, he wasn’t sure why Laith was acting as if the sluagh ripped him to shreds. “What’s wrong? Why are you like this?” Talli tried to pull his hand away but Laith held it firmly.
Laith turned so suddenly Talli blinked at him in surprise, stopping in his tracks.
“That’s not normal. None of this is normal. I’m just a farmer that has no knowledge of anything but how to work the land. I don’t know how to deal with any of this.” Laith let go of his hand and ran his fingers through his hair in a nervous gesture. “In less than one day, you have turned my life upside down.” Laith chuckled to himself and the hysterical sound made Talli stiffened. He tried to look away but something in Laith’s gaze told him not too. “And you want to know the most fucked up thing about it. I’m actually glad. Before today, the best thing I had going for me was this farm and I was failing miserably at it. At least now, I know it wasn’t my fault. I don’t know if you know this but my brother, Sly, and Colton are all I have for family. My parents don’t want shit to do with Wyatt and me because we’re gay.”
Talli put a hand on Laith’s shoulders. “Family is what you make it. You did well.” Talli nodded his head. “Truly.”
Talli wanted to ask what gay meant but didn’t want to change the subject. Laith needed Talli to liste
n to him, so that’s what Talli would do. The questions could come later.
Laith smiled and drew him in for a hug. “That’s exactly what I was trying to say. Wyatt blames me for everything. Always has and now I finally did something right. I found you.”
Talli closed his eyes. “Does this mean you want to complete the soul bond?”
“Yeah.”
Chapter Eight
Laith pulled him through the house, past the living room where Sly was still laying on the lounger, blowing his nose and coughing. “Where’s the fire? Sheesh, slow down Laith, before you make Talli fall on his face.”
“Can’t talk now. Going to have sex. We’ll be out of our room in a few days. Tell us if Kele wakes up or if more bad shit happens,” Laith yelled out at him.
Sly chuckled, which just made the heat rise in Talli’s cheeks even more. “Aye, aye captain.”
“Laith, why did you say that?”
“What? They’re gonna hear us anyway. This is an old farm house and the walls are thin.”
“Oh. Laith, that is still not…oh no.” Talli followed Laith up a flight of stairs and to a door on the right.
Laith had his hand on the knob. He turned to Talli. “Sorry about the mess. Little pissed off at Wyatt this morning before I got ready for my day, so shit is everywhere.” Was that a blush on Laith’s face?
Talli smiled. “I’m sure I won’t even notice.”
Laith grinned. “Oh, yeah, and why is that?”
“Because you’ll be kissing the life out of me, of course.”
Laith wrapped his arms around Talli. “Challenge accepted.”
Laith let go of him long enough to push open the door and then began kissing him. This time Laith took his mouth as if they were already making love. There was no gentle swell in that direction, rather it was like slamming against a wall of lust and Talli loved it.
He wrapped his arms around Laith’s neck, gripping the nape and hanging on for the ride Laith was giving him.
