A Total-E-Bound Publication
www.total-e-bound.com
What Remains
ISBN #978-0-85715-595-5
©Copyright Bailey Bradford 2011
Cover Art by Lyn Taylor ©Copyright July 2011
Edited by Claire Siemaszkiewicz
Total-E-Bound Publishing
This is a work of fiction. All characters, places and events are from the author’s imagination
and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, events or
places is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form,
whether by printing, photocopying, scanning or otherwise without the written permission of
the publisher, Total-E-Bound Publishing.
Applications should be addressed in the first instance, in writing, to Total-E-Bound
Publishing. Unauthorised or restricted acts in relation to this publication may result in civil
proceedings and/or criminal prosecution.
The author and illustrator have asserted their respective rights under the Copyright Designs
and Patents Acts 1988 (as amended) to be identified as the author of this book and illustrator
of the artwork.
Published in 2011 by Total-E-Bound Publishing, Think Tank, Ruston Way, Lincoln, LN6 7FL,
United Kingdom.
Warning: This book contains sexually explicit content which is only suitable for mature
readers. This story has been rated Total-e-burning.
Southern Spirits
WHAT REMAINS
Bailey Bradford
Dedication
To my three T-shirt buddies—thanks for being there!
Trademarks Acknowledgement
The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following
wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction:
Miata: Mazda North American Operations
Stetson: Stetson Hats
Google: Google Inc.
WHAT REMAINS
Bailey Bradford
5
Chapter One
Sheriff Laine Stenley stood outside squinting against the bright morning sun. A sharp,
biting wind slapped against him, cold enough to sting his cheeks and have him pulling at his
jacket. He lined up the tab then proceeded to zip the heavy material shut.
Octobers in Texas could be tricky things, weather-wise. One day it would be sunny and
in the seventies, and the next, like today, the temperature dropped so fast and the wind
kicked up and all a person wanted to do was find a warm place to hide away.
If he had a choice, he’d be home in bed with Severo, his partner for over three years.
Just thinking about all that smooth, honey-brown skin pressed against him was enough to
warm Laine more effectively than his jacket had. He closed his eyes and let the memories
from earlier this morning work through him. Sev, smiling, his celadon coloured eyes heavy
lidded with sleep, his full lips stretched in a sultry grin. Flashes of taut, dark nipples and
ridged muscles, silky black hair and nimble fingers, a firm, rounded ass and hard, dripping
cock—everything about Sev still called to him.
There’d been no lessening of the desire between them, no doubting their love or
commitment. The years had sped by so quickly once Sev had come into his life. Laine figured
he’d blink and be standing here, a whole decade gone by, and still he’d feel this all-
encompassing love for his partner.
A little fear niggled at him, telling him things couldn’t go on as they had been. It was
tempting Fate or God or someone way up the food chain, being this happy.
And I’m just a melancholy, moody fool. Laine shook his head and tugged his Stetson lower,
shading his watering eyes. One of these days he was going to break down and buy some
sunglasses before the Texas sun fried his retinas. Sure enough it must have already cooked a
few brain cells, making him all contemplative and, though he hated to admit it, superstitious.
He couldn’t shake the unease caused by his guilt over being happy. And that’s what it was,
Laine knew it. Sev was always on him about feeling responsible for everyone, trying to
convince Laine he wasn’t—but he was, in a way, and his failures cut deep.
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A bright yellow Miata turned in the parking lot, as if summoned by Laine’s thoughts of
guilt and responsibility. He watched as the driver parked. Rich Montoya got out of the
vehicle and Laine waved at him.
“Did you lose your trucker?” Laine called out, smiling slightly at the way Rich lit up
with the mention of his lover.
“Nah, Chris is at the house visiting with his mom and a few of her friends. Coven.
Whatever.” Rich grimaced as he approached, and if Laine wasn’t mistaken, there was a
ruddy flush crawling up the man’s neck.
“Thought you got along with Miriam.”
Rich’s cheeks darkened. “I do,” he said, his shoulders tensed. “It’s just weird, having a
Wiccan High Priestess for a mother-in-law. She and a crew—well, some of her coven, I
mean—just did some extra special blessing thing for us. I figured why argue, it couldn’t hurt
anything.” He shrugged, glancing down as he scraped the toe of his shiny boot over a crack
in the sidewalk. “Chris said she was bringing the High Priest, too. They want to bless the
Hawkins Senior and Youth Centre.”
The way Rich muttered that last bit nearly made Laine chuckle. He swallowed it down,
aware of how uncomfortable Rich was and what the man was asking without saying. “When
do they want to do it? I don’t think Carlin and Virginia will have a problem with it, but I’d
need to clear it with them first.”
Hopefully it wouldn’t be during the ribbon-cutting ceremony or something like that.
McKinton was a great little town, a lot more tolerant than it used to be, but some of the
residents might freak over having a Wiccan High Priestess and High Priest dancing
around—Laine narrowed his eyes at Rich. “They aren’t going to be dancing around naked or
anything like that, are they?”
Rich paled, his normally warm brown skin going an unattractive shade of grey. He
gulped and muttered, “God, I hope not.”
Laine arched a brow at Rich. It was getting harder and harder not to snicker. “Are you
planning on participating in the ceremony?” Laine might just go along to keep an eye on the
whole deal himself instead of assigning a deputy the task. Maybe he’d bring Sev along, too—
Sev would make sure Laine didn’t put his foot in his mouth or tease Rich too much.
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Of course, if there was dancing involved, Sev would probably be right out there in the
middle of it. Especially if it was naked dancing. That didn’t do anything to discourage Laine
from the idea of bringing his partner at all.
“Chris wants us to participate,” Rich said as he canted his head to the side. Sunlight
brought the almost unnoticeable scar running from Rich’s eye to the hinge of his jaw into
silvery relief.
Laine’s gut clenched with guilt—the scar, along with several others on Rich’s body, had
been left there by a man who’d stalked Laine for years. James McAlister was dead now, had
been for years, but the damage the man had done, physically and mentally, still remained—
and not just for Rich, although he’d got the worst of it. Laine pushed his own emotions aside
and gave Rich a sly grin. “Don’t you think maybe you should talk to Miriam first and find
out what she’s planning on doing before you agree?”
Rich snorted and rolled his eyes. “Well, yeah, and I imagine you’re going to want to
talk to her too before giving the all-clear.”
Laine nodded as he tucked his thumbs into his front pants’ pockets. “Definitely. Ask
her if she can stop by my office tomorrow morning since the ribbon-cutting ceremony’s in a
few days.”
“Will do. You got somewhere to be, or were you just out here holding the sidewalk
down?”
“Thought I’d go get a cup of coffee from the café. Doreen’s on vacation and her sister is
filling in. Loretta informed us right off the bat that she was only here in an administrative
sense. Coffee making is not in her job description.”
It wasn’t in Doreen’s, either, but she loved her ‘boys’ at the Sheriff’s Department. She
made coffee for them because she wanted to, and because she used it as a weapon when one
of them irritated her. Piss Doreen off, and it was fend for yourself for coffee. She’d smack
your fingers plumb off your hand if you touched her pot.
Damn, Laine wished she’d come back early from her vacation. Loretta was a sour-faced
woman with an even sourer disposition.
Rich’s laughter was good to hear. It warmed Laine inside to see his friend so happy
after all he’d been through. “Yeah, Matt’s mentioned Loretta. I believe he said something
about spending as much time as possible out of the office.”
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“He’s not the only one,” Laine admitted, his lips twitching as he darted a glance over
his shoulder at the Sheriff’s Department. “He wanted to arm wrestle me to see which one of
us got to go get the coffee. He’s in there pouting right now.” Laine turned back to Rich.
“Were you coming by to see him?” Rich and Matt had been at odds at one time, but they’d
slowly been building a friendship. Laine was relieved—he didn’t want his favourite deputy
and his friend hating each other.
Rich tipped his head down for a moment then looked at Laine. “I actually just came by
to visit either of you. I can’t… I’m a little weirded out by this whole Wiccan thing. Stupid, I
know, considering the whole spirit stuff, but…” He shrugged. “There you go. I can deal with
knowing there’s spirits hanging around, but any religion’s always given me the
heebeejeebies. Stupid, like I said.”
Laine didn’t miss the fact Rich hadn’t said anything about being possessed by James
McAllister’s spirit, not that he blamed him. That was a hell Laine couldn’t imagine, having
the spirit of a psychotic killer, who’d tried to kill you, dwelling in your body. How Rich
hadn’t gone insane before the spirit had been ripped out was beyond Laine’s comprehension.
All he did know was Rich was a stronger man than he could ever be.
“It’s not stupid,” Laine said. He nudged Rich’s arm with his own. “How many wars
have been fought over religion? It’s definitely a touchy subject. People kill each other over it
every day. It’s understandable that it’d make some people uncomfortable.”
When Rich only nodded Laine decided it was time to get off the deep subjects. He
nudged Rich again, playfully but hard enough to make the man take a stumbling step back.
That got him a glare, which was better than the miserable expression Rich had worn a second
ago. “So. You want to come with me to fetch some coffee or go rescue Matt?”
Rich’s smile was one Laine hadn’t seen in a long while, the flirty, heart stopping one
that made most women and men’s knees weak. Laine, however, considered himself Rich-
proof, but he could admit the man was a looker. The scar only added to his attractiveness.
“I’ll bet you five bucks I’ll have Loretta wrapped around my little finger by the time you get
back.”
It was a sucker’s bet, but Laine took it anyway, he was so delighted to see that spark
back in Rich’s eyes. “You’re on.” They shook on it, then Laine headed towards the café,
knowing he’d be five bucks poorer when he got back to the Sheriff’s Department.
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* * * *
Sev chewed his lip as he waited for Laine to get home. All day, he’d felt off in a way he
couldn’t pin down. It wasn’t like he was precognitive or anything—he just communicated
with the dead, if their spirits were still on this plane. Yet he kept feeling an icy tingle down
his spine off and on, and that spot between his shoulder blades itched, like someone was
watching him.
No one was. He was at home, alone. Even the spirits who usually popped in had been
absent today. It happened occasionally. Sev didn’t know where they went or what they were
doing, but it amused him to think of them all being required to attend some spirit behaviour
training course or something like that.
He could easily imagine Conner, Laine’s deceased lover who’d been murdered by
James McAlister, acting the clown in such a setting. In spirit, at least, Conner was a prankster
a lot of the time, but not always. He was the whole reason Sev had come to McKinton, the
reason Sev had even met Laine to begin with. Sev often wondered if Conner had known Sev
and Laine would hook up and fall in love.
Whether he had or not, it didn’t matter. Thanks to Conner, Sev had finally found love,
and faith enough in himself to accept love from someone else. That was one of the reasons
Sev was so fond of Conner. It also didn’t hurt that Conner liked to get Laine’s dander up,
which could be quite entertaining. Laine was a wonderful man, but sometimes he was a little
too intense and needed shaking up. Conner could do it with a flick of Laine’s badge,
knocking the star to the ground, or he’d shove Laine’s hat off. Those were Conner’s
favourites, but he did other things as well.
Sev, however, had his own way of dealing with Laine when his lover started to brood.
Blood rushed to his cock, heating his veins on the way down as he closed his eyes and
pictured Laine naked and spread out, his strong arms stretched above his head, wrists cuffed
to the headboard. His body Sev’s to explore. The trust Laine showed by giving himself over
to Sev.
God! Sev shuddered as his arousal grew. He scrubbed his palm over his erection,
moaning at the rough scrape of denim against sensitive skin. Maybe ditching his underwear
hadn’t been the smartest move. As much as he loved that rough friction against his dick, he
was too close to coming for his peace of mind. Here he’d thought to turn Laine on past all
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reason, be all lubed and ready to go, yet Sev was the one who was almost quivering with
need—and Laine probably wouldn’t even be home for an hour or so.
An hour was more than enough time for him to recover if he jerked off now. In fact, that
would pretty much ensure he lasted longer once he and Laine made love.
Sev didn’t see any reason to resist that bit of logic. He unbuttoned his jeans then slowly
eased the zipper down. Before he could so much as trail his fingers over his aching cock, the
home phone rang.
“Ugh!” Sev gave his erection a stroke that made him shudder. Answer the phone or beat
off? The hard flesh in his hand felt so good—he was already leaking, pre-cum dripping from
his slit onto the floor. Whoever was calling could wait. It wasn’t like it was Laine, who
always called Sev’s cell. It was probably just another telemarketer. Sev moaned softly as he
ran his palm over the crown, gathering the moisture there. He got in a couple of good
strokes, smeared the liquid around for an easier glide.
“Fuck!” His hips bucked, shoving his length through his fist with enough force his balls
slapped the side of his hand. Sev frantically shoved at his jeans, pushing them down one-
handed so he could grab his balls. A sharp tug on his sac sent goose bumps skittering over
his skin. Sev tightened his fist around his dick and pumped harder, moaning again as every
nerve from his balls to his nipples lit up.
He needed more hands, that was all there was to it. His tits ached to be pinched, twisted
to the point of pain. Laine knew just how to do it, making Sev ache with pleasure. Sev settled
for rolling his balls. He squeezed them gently, mindful that he didn’t particularly like things
rough down there. As the answering machine kicked on, Sev delved the tip of his thumbnail
in his slit, barely penetrating the tiny hole. His cock pulsed and his damned nipples burned.
Another stroke, another soft squeeze, and he was teetering on the brink of orgasm.
“Severo, this is Alma, your sister.”
As if he didn’t know who Alma was. Sev’s erection wilted so quickly it left him
breathless and dizzy. No one in his family ever called him. It was always Sev who contacted
them, a pattern they’d fallen into when Sev used to move around from place to place.
“I need to speak to you. We’d…we’d like to come visit, if that’s okay. I hate to leave a
message like this on here, but I didn’t want you to worry it was something bad, you know?”
Sev was too stunned to move. He stood staring at the answering machine as if it were
an alien. It dawned on him he was still holding his dick, which was just gross what with his
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sister’s voice echoing in his ears. Quickly tucking it away, he listened to the rest of her
message. Picking up the phone was out of the question. One hand was coated in a fair
amount of pre-cum and both hands were shaking.
“I know we’ve all been crappy siblings. You’ve always had to come to see us, and…I
just think it’s time for us to start being a family again. So will you call me back and let me
know if you and your”—there was a slight hesitation, then—”boyfriend? Partner? I don’t
mean anything bad, I just don’t know how to refer to Mr Stenley. But will you please call me
back tonight?”
Sev blinked stupidly as Alma said goodbye. What did she mean, it was time for ‘us’ to
start being a family? Sev thought they were family, just a fucked up one. He’d seen his
siblings—some of them, anyway—exactly once since he’d moved to McKinton. That was
when he’d taken a consulting case with San Antonio PD.
He’d figured since he was in San Antonio, he might as well see his brothers and sisters.
Only Alma and Berto had been home when he called. Sev had got to stop in for a short visit
with each of them before the case went ass up and he’d been inundated with spirits trying to
either help or hinder him.
Once he’d managed to pry enough information out of the spirit of one of the killers’
deceased victims, Sev had been physically and mentally exhausted. All he’d wanted was to
return home to Laine, which was what he’d done.
That had been over a year ago. None of his family had ever met Laine, and to be honest,
Sev didn’t think Laine was too keen on meeting them. While he never said it, Sev knew Laine
thought his siblings were jerks or worse for leaving the bulk of the responsibility for their
relationships on Sev’s shoulders.
Sometimes Sev agreed, but he reminded himself his brothers and sisters hadn’t, for a
long period of time, known where Sev was going to be from one day to the next. That was
why Sev was the one to instigate phone calls and such.
The fact he’d been in the same place for over three years now and his siblings hadn’t
bothered to alter their established pattern wasn’t good, but it wasn’t entirely their fault,
either. Sev hadn’t asked them to visit more than a couple of times. He understood they had
their own lives, their own families to take care of.
And he understood, all the way down to his still bruised heart, that his brothers and
sisters also had their parents to consider.
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Sev didn’t. With his clean hand, he touched the silver necklace he always wore. It was a
gift his grandmother had given him years ago, when he’d been a terrified, emotionally
damaged kid. An abandoned kid.
Once his parents had him committed as a child, preferring to believe he was mentally ill
instead of psychic, they’d disowned him. If it hadn’t been for his grandmother getting him
out of that place, he’d probably still be there. Or he’d be dead.
Being gay only compounded his parents’ dislike of him. Really, Sev was amazed any of
his siblings talked to him, what with the vitriol he was sure they heard spewed about him.
Not to mention, his parents were wealthy now, his father having inherited all of
Grandmother’s estate when she passed. As much as she loved Sev and despised what her
son- and daughter-in-law had done, she had still been very traditional.
It wasn’t difficult for Sev to picture his father using money to control his family. In fact,
it was likely. There wasn’t anything he could do about it, though. He wasn’t rich, and even if
he was, he wouldn’t try to buy his family. Sev did miss them, though. Not his parents—what
they’d done to him had cut too deep, but he would like to have something more with his
siblings, if possible.
He was almost afraid to hope for it, though. Sev sighed and moved over to the couch
where he dropped down bonelessly into the plush cushions. The weird feeling he’d had off
and on all day returned and he squirmed deeper into the couch, shifting some of the throw
pillows around until he felt sufficiently comfortable.
The pressing need to touch Laine, feel his thick cock spearing into him, had lessened
somewhat to a slow simmer in Sev’s veins. They wouldn’t be having sex the instant Laine
walked in the door, not now. That was definitely a bummer, but it didn’t seem right to jump
the man then shatter that lovely afterglow by bringing up Alma’s phone call.
Not that Laine would object to her and her family coming out, he wasn’t that sort of
man. But he would be wary, and Sev couldn’t blame him. He was more than a little wary
himself.
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Chapter Two
All he could figure was, word of Loretta’s refusal to make coffee had spread like
wildfire. By the time Laine pulled into the long driveway of the home he and Sev had bought
together, he was damn near jittery from all the caffeine.
There’d been half a dozen people who stopped in to drop off steaming cups of coffee,
and Zeke and Brendan had brought two big thermoses of the stuff. Laine couldn’t see letting
such an offering go to waste, and the consequences of that, besides feeling like he was hyped
up on meth, was that he’d pissed more today than he possibly ever had in his life.
Not that he was the only one. It’d got so ridiculous the he and Matt started tagging each
other, like some warped wrestling team, each time they passed one another coming and
going from the restroom.
The good part of all this caffeine-induced energy, however, was how he planned to
burn it off—deep inside Sev’s tight little ass. The way he was feeling right now, he’d be able
to go at least a couple of rounds before he crashed and slept like the dead.
Except, some of them didn’t really ‘sleep’, did they? No, they hung around and in some
cases, scared the shit out of the living.
Laine tossed his hat in the passenger seat, knowing the Stetson was going to be in the
way shortly, then he parked the truck and shut it off. He was unbuckled and out the door a
second or two later, anticipation ratcheting up the edginess brought on by the caffeine. He
didn’t slow down to admire the pretty landscaped yard like he usually did. The yard was
Sev’s domain; Laine had learnt not to so much as pluck up a weed—or what he’d thought
was a weed. It was sometimes hard to tell, and it sure wasn’t worth getting his ass chewed
out.
He took the three porch steps in a sprint and in one long stride he was at the door and
sliding his key into the first lock. Before he had the key twisted around he heard the sounds
of the deadbolts being unlocked. As soon as the last one tumbled open Laine was inside the
house, his hands on that smooth, warm skin he’d fantasised about all day long.
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Sev grunted when his back hit the wall. Laine took advantage of his parted lips and
whatever Sev was trying to say was lost under the crush of Laine’s mouth. Laine didn’t care
about finesse—he only sought to lose himself in this one man.
The first sweep of his tongue over Sev’s made them both moan, then Sev was holding
onto his shoulders, grinding that sexy muscled body against Laine’s. Laine slid his hands
down and cupped the firm swells of Sev’s ass, first holding him still so Laine could thrust
and rub his groin against Sev until he was on the verge of coming. The way Sev was
trembling and whimpering, Laine knew he wasn’t the only one fixing to go off.
Releasing Sev’s sweet ass was hard, but necessary for what Laine wanted. He shoved
his hands between them and started pulling at the button and zipper on Sev’s jeans. Sev gave
an alarmed squeak, his pale eyes shooting wide open as he turned his head aside only
enough to separate their mouths. He grabbed Laine’s wrists, pressing them against his
erection even as he tried to hold them still.
Laine wanted to growl, but Sev smiled so seductively he couldn’t find the breath to
push the sound out with. Then Sev compounded his lust, the constriction in his chest.
“Careful, no underwear.”
“Fuck,” Laine drawled, turning the word into two syllables. He jerked his wrists free
and tucked one hand into Sev’s jeans. It was a tight squeeze, what with the way Sev liked to
wear his jeans so tight it made Laine’s nuts ache in sympathy. And the way Sev was
squirming around wasn’t helping. Laine thought he’d lose his damned mind before he
managed to cover most of Sev’s cock.
Once that was done, Laine popped the button free and unzipped Sev’s pants. Sev
whipped his shirt off while Laine pulled those tight jeans down Sev’s leanly muscled thighs.
Sev finished taking his jeans off, wriggling his hips, making his fat cock bounce and Laine’s
knees weak. Sometimes he had trouble believing Sev was all his, from the soft soles of his
delicate feet to the top of his silky black hair.
Laine took a few seconds to just ogle the man, drinking in the sight of all that smooth
skin with its light smattering of hair. Sev even kept his bush trimmed down, unlike Laine’s
own wiry nest of curls. Laine dragged his gaze up and noticed the erect copper nipples
topping Sev’s heaving chest. Now, those he couldn’t resist.
Dipping his head, he bit at one, foregoing a softer touch, knowing what Sev needed,
what he needed. He clamped his teeth around the nub and pulled back, using his thumb and
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forefinger to do the same to the other tit. Sev’s back bowed and he keened, his hands fisting
in Laine’s hair and tugging until Laine’s scalp stung.
Laine released Sev’s nipples then immediately latched on again. He trailed his other
hand down Sev’s ass, his fingers buried deep in the man’s crack. As soon as he felt the first
bit of slick moisture under his fingertips what little control he’d hung on to snapped. Laine
knew good and well what that meant. His man was already lubed up and ready to go.
Laine didn’t do more than open his pants and shove them and his boxers down enough
to free his cock and balls. He gave Sev’s nipple one last suck and pinch then he was lifting
and Sev was practically climbing him. Laine fisted the base of his cock and braced Sev’s
lower back with his other arm as Sev wound his legs around Laine’s waist. His heart
pounded in his chest as hard as he was going to be pounding in Sev’s ass.
“Now, now, now, now!”
At Sev’s shouted demand, Laine plunged into his lover’s hole. Sev howled and
slammed down, using his arms around Laine’s neck and his strong legs around Laine’s waist
for leverage. Bright white streaks exploded behind Laine’s eyelids as his dick was enveloped
in gripping heat. A groan was torn from him as Sev’s channel rippled around his length,
massaging it so tightly he couldn’t move.
Sev’s answering groan caused his whole body to vibrate. Laine’s eyes rolled back as he
ground deeper into Sev’s ass. “Move,” Sev panted, his fingers clenching, the tips digging
bruisingly against Laine’s shoulders.
Laine leant forward, using his weight to pin Sev firmly to the wall, then he canted his
hips and lifted Sev until only the tip of his cock was imbedded in Sev’s hole. With the flared
underside of the crown tugging against the inside of Sev’s rim, Laine could feel each pulsing
of that ring of muscles around his dick. He snarled as he rammed back in, shoving Sev down
hard enough to knock the breath from both of them.
And Laine didn’t let up, driven by Sev’s whimpers and curses and the spiking arousal
that swelled unbearably in him. He couldn’t think of anything but the exquisite pleasure of
fucking Sev, the feel of the man’s body sucking him in, clenching and strangling his cock.
Laine grunted and bit the sensitive skin under Sev’s ear. Sev bucked and writhed
against him, spurring him on, his heels digging into Laine’s ass. He dragged his teeth down
Sev’s neck, scraping and nipping as he went, then sucked hard on the join of shoulder and
neck.
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Sev’s scream rattled Laine’s eardrums, sweet music that fired his blood. His dick
swelled inside Sev as came, spurting cum between their stomachs. Sev’s ass tightened
impossibly more, encasing Laine’s shaft in the tightest, hottest vise.
Laine couldn’t shout, couldn’t even moan as his climax slammed into him, sending jets
of spunk pouring into Sev’s ass. He bit down unthinkingly, in the grips of an orgasm so
intense his head swam. Sev’s voice was muffled by the roar of blood in Laine’s ears, the
pounding of it in his temples and behind his eyes as he emptied himself into his lover.
The last little shot of cum trickled from his dick then Laine’s legs must have turned to
jelly because he was falling, sliding down, squashing Sev between himself and the wall until
Laine’s knees hit the floor.
Slowly, Laine became aware of the growing pain in his knees and the metallic taste of
blood on his tongue. He cracked open his eyes and blinked until he could see Sev’s loopy
grin.
“That was so fuckin’ hot,” Sev said, the words slurred as if he’d just woke—or been
fucked stupid, much like Laine felt.
Laine grunted, the lethargy that replaced his spastic energy quickly trying to pull him
into sleep. He came to with a jerk of his head that made his teeth snap together. Pain flared in
his jaws as he pried his eyes open. “Wha?” Surely Sev didn’t expect him to move.
Sev looked at him, an earnest and slightly worried expression on his handsome face.
“We need to talk. Alma called.”
Well, that was like being dunked in a pool of ice water. He was going to need some
more coffee.
* * * *
Sev was back to gnawing on his lip as he watched Laine from across the kitchen table.
The man was not happy, not anywhere near the happy universe, for that matter, but he
hadn’t said no. Sev didn’t expect Laine would, but Laine wouldn’t be eager to have Alma
and her family visit. It wasn’t that Laine didn’t want Sev to have contact with his family—he
just wouldn’t want Sev hurt by them again.
Well, Sev wasn’t exactly eager to experience that, either. He planned to keep his sister at
an emotionally safe distance, at least until he found out whether she was sincere or not.
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“They’re not staying here,” Laine said, then added, “right?”
Sev nearly snickered at the grudging tone carried in that one word. If Laine hadn’t just
fucked him through the wall, Sev might have teased him, let him worry for a moment or two,
but he was feeling way too sated despite his familial concerns.
“She didn’t say, but I’ll make sure they know I’ve booked them a couple of rooms at the
motel.” Sev scrunched his eyebrows together. Alma and her husband Roger had three kids.
“Or one room. Whatever, I don’t know if they want their kids in a separate room or not.”
Laine sat back in his chair, pushing against the table and groaning through a stretch. He
canted his head and popped his neck, something that made Sev cringe every time Laine did
it. “How old are the kids?”
“Ah.” Sev tapped his chin as he tried to remember. “I think the oldest is about sixteen.
Alma had Rogelio when she was twenty, so yeah, that’s about right. The youngest just
started school, kindergarten, so he’s probably five. Adela is in the middle there, she’s
eleven.”
After seeming to consider it for a couple of minutes, Laine finally shrugged. “Well, I
don’t know. Not like I know anything about kids. You better ask her when you call her back
and find out when they’ll be coming to McKinton.”
Sev stood up then darted around the table, unable to keep from chuckling.
“I get the message loud and clear, Laine,” Sev said, nuzzling Laine’s cheek. “You don’t want
them staying here. Neither do I. Then I wouldn’t be able to do this.” He cupped his lover’s
package, grinning when Laine humped into his hand. Laine’s cock was hard as steel—the
man was ready to go again.
A few minutes later, when Laine had him bent over the table, his ass spread as Laine
rimmed him to the point of insanity, Sev’s last rational thought was that he was one very,
very lucky man.
* * * *
Something woke Laine in the middle of the night. He came to with a whole-body jerk
that left him gasping for breath as he lurched into a sitting position. Sev grumbled beside
him, patting at Laine’s thigh clumsily.
“S’wrong?”
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“I don’t know,” Laine muttered, catching Sev’s hand in his. “Must have had one of
those nightmares you don’t remember. I just woke up borderline panicking.”
“Yeah?” Sev sounded more alert and he was scooting around so Laine reached over and
turned on the lamp. The low-wattage bulb still seemed way too bright for his sleep-darkened
vision, and bright spots danced before his eyes. Laine scrubbed one-handedly at his eyes,
which didn’t do anything but make more dots appear, although at least they were different
colours.
“I’ve had a weird feeling all day,” Sev said from beside him. He leaned his dark head
on Laine’s shoulder. Sev’s warm moist breath wafted over Laine’s chest, teasing at one
nipple. “It always makes me feel off when Conner is too busy to give me crap.”
Laine suspected that, like him, Sev worried Conner had gone on to wherever it was
spirits went if they weren’t staying around after their bodies died. As odd as it may have
seemed to anyone other than Sev, Conner, Laine’s deceased lover, was a part of their bent
little family. It was his spirit that had brought Sev and Laine together, and really, they
couldn’t imagine not having the playful spirit around.
Frowning, Laine ran the prior day’s events through his mind. “You know, I’d have
thought Conner get a kick out of showing up at the Sheriff’s Department and messing with
Loretta. She’s just the sort of uptight person he’d enjoy tormenting. You know, hide her pens,
restart her computer—goose her just to piss her off.” Laine could picture it all perfectly, right
up to Conner grabbing Loretta’s ass. He shut that image down before it could fully form. “I
wonder where he goes when he isn’t around?”
“Wish I knew.” Sev sighed and burrowed closer to Laine. “Maybe he spends time with
other spirits. For all we know, he has a boyfriend or something.”
The idea made Laine’s stomach flutter and his chest ache. He hadn’t considered that
particular possibility. He wasn’t sure he cared to. Stupid, he knew, considering how much he
loved Sev. It was just his own ego acting up. Well, he’d stuff it back down to where it
belonged. If Conner could find someone in the spirit world, why shouldn’t he? Laine
couldn’t imagine being alone for eternity—the three-plus years after Conner’s death up until
Sev had come into Laine’s life had been pure hell.
“Maybe,” he allowed, surprised to find himself hoping Conner wasn’t always alone. He
was also a little relieved that he wasn’t such a selfish asshole. Some of the tension from the
sudden startling wakening drained from him and he nuzzled Sev’s hair, drawing in the spicy
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scent of the man. “I kept feeling a little…I don’t know, off maybe, too. All those little hairs on
the back of my neck were having a field day, vibrating off and on. Couldn’t find a reason for
it at first, then I blamed the coffee.”
Sev snorted and nipped at his pec. “Well, if too much coffee is what made you fuck my
brains out twice in one night, I will personally see to it you have a few pots of the stuff every
damn day.”
Laine laughed as he slid down and rolled Sev under him. “That was all you,” he
informed his lover, feeling himself pulled into the welling need in Sev’s eyes. “I can prove it,
even. No coffee in hours, and”—he thrust his hard cock against Sev’s warm thigh—“I’m
thinking we can make it at least three times in less than six hours.”
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Chapter Three
With his sister arriving tomorrow, Sev was already thrumming with nerves. The
anxious call from Zeke Mathers asking him to come out to Zeke and Brendan’s place didn’t
help any. Sev hadn’t felt quite normal since a few days ago—the day Alma had called. While
he could attribute part of his unease to that, the majority of it was related to something else
entirely.
Three days, and no Conner. Four, actually, counting the day Alma called. Laine hadn’t
caught so much as a hint of the spirit, either, and between the two of them, they were more
than a little worried. Conner had never disappeared like this. And maybe Sev should have
wished Conner on to the great beyond, whatever the fuck that was, but the truth was, he
couldn’t. He missed the damned spirit too much.
As he waited for Zeke and Brendan to arrive—maybe one day he’d get his licence—Sev
paced the length of the living room and back, turning the puzzle of Conner’s disappearance
over and over in his mind. He realised with a start that he hadn’t had any contact with
spirits, not for days now. That wasn’t unusual, depending on where he was and who was
dead—with the exception of Conner, of course. But there were a few spirits here in McKinton
he was used to, and he hadn’t heard from or felt any of them.
Not Stefan, the sweet, innocent spirit of Darren Brown’s brother. Not Mrs Hawkins,
who in life had got her kicks out of greeting unsuspecting deputies in sheer lingerie. Even
Zeke’s momma, who sometimes popped in and offered comfort when Sev was upset…
“Ugh!” Sev rubbed his forehead. If he kept frowning like this he’d either end up with an
ugly wrinkle there or his head would shoot off his shoulders since frowning for very long
tended to give him a headache. His mind veered right back to the fact he hadn’t detected any
otherwordly presence in days and the sound of Zeke’s worried voice as he asked if Sev had a
few minutes to spare.
He considered calling Carlin or asking Laine to talk to Matt, Carlin’s partner, and see if
they’d had any contact with Mrs Hawkins’ spirit. Or he could go to the diner, see if Darren
was working…
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Or, he could start by seeing what Zeke wanted since the rumble of a diesel engine
outside meant the man was here. That’d probably be the smart thing to do.
Sev grabbed the house keys off the stand in the hallway and darted out the door. He
made sure he locked every lock, not wanting to catch a lecture about it if Laine got home
before him, then Sev turned and bounded down the steps, waving at Zeke and Brendan.
Brendan opened the passenger side door and scooted over to the middle. Sev greeted
both men, noting the tight lines of strain around Zeke’s mouth. Brendan didn’t look much
better, but at least he managed to smile at Sev once he climbed in the truck.
“What’s wrong?” Sev asked even as he reached for his seatbelt. “You two look worried.
Eva didn’t get out of prison, did she?”
Zeke shook his head and Brendan cursed. “No, that bitch is going to be there a long
time after what she did to Zeke.”
Sev flicked a glance at Zeke to see if he was going to get pissed over Brendan calling
Zeke’s sister a bitch, but he didn’t even flinch. Good. Maybe he’s got over feeling guilty about her
being locked up for trying to kill him. Twice. One thing Sev could say about his own sisters, at
least none of them had tried to do him in.
Eva had run Zeke over on Main Street in downtown McKinton in front of at least a
dozen witnesses. Then the psycho had been astounded when she’d actually been arrested
and tried for attempted murder. She and her husband had both been tried actually, and
found guilty.
It didn’t seem wise to comment on the whole matter, though, so Sev merely nodded
and snapped on his seatbelt. The ride to Zeke and Brendan’s ranch wasn’t entirely
comfortable. It wasn’t that the two men were quiet, or angry. Sev thought it was something
else, and his concern that he knew what it was grew with each mile they drove.
By the time they arrived and Zeke parked the truck, Sev was as tightly wound up as his
two friends. “Are y’all going to tell me what’s going on now?” He unbuckled and opened the
door, all the while watching the other two men.
Zeke scowled as he shut the truck off. Brendan slumped in his seat. “Can you…can you
see if you can feel her?”
Sev knew immediately who Brendan was talking about. Apparently Conner wasn’t the
only spirit who’d gone missing, and the realisation settled like ice along Sev’s spine. “How
long since y’all have felt her presence?”
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Zeke turned pain-filled eyes towards him. “I—we—haven’t felt Mama or smelt her
scent for four days.”
The confirmation of Sev’s suspicions were like a kick to the balls. He nearly fell out of
the truck, his legs felt so weak. Communing with spirits had been a part of his life, a big part
of his life, for well over twenty years. He’d first encountered one when he was seven. He
couldn’t imagine not being able to do so any more, even if he had spent several years
fervently wishing his freakish ability would disappear.
Except it wasn’t just him, was it? Sev steadied himself on the outside door handle for a
moment, waiting until Brendan got out before slamming it shut. Zeke and Brendan couldn’t
do what he did, but they did know spirits existed. They’d interacted with Zeke’s mama for
years. Now they couldn’t find her, so maybe the problem wasn’t that Sev had lost his psychic
skill—maybe something else was going on.
Like someone’s abducting spirits? It was a ludicrous idea, but the only one Sev could come
up with as he followed his friends inside the house. He didn’t imagine there was some big
otherworldly convention being held in the great beyond. Or Vegas.
Sev knew as soon as he stepped in the house that Zeke’s mother wasn’t there. He didn’t
have a way of seeking out spirits, usually they came to him. It would start as a low buzzing
in his brain, as if a single bee had been caged in his skull. The more intensely a spirit tried to
contact him, the louder and stronger the buzz, until sometimes it felt like he had a whole hive
in his head.
There were some exceptions with spirits he was more familiar with, but those he could
actually sense, like when you caught a whiff of someone’s cologne or perfume and you knew
right away who it was. Not that it was always an olfactory experience—it was more a
recognition of a familiar presence.
He hadn’t felt anything like it in four days. The complete lack of any contact with the
dead left him feeling bereft and uncomfortable in his own skin. The ability was now so
ingrained in him, Sev didn’t know what he’d do if it ceased to exist.
Zeke and Brendan’s hopeful gazes were like weights on his shoulders. He didn’t want
to disappoint these men. “Maybe, if I can walk around the house…”
Zeke nodded, the hope draining from his green eyes. “Yeah, sure. Wherever you need
to go.”
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Sev was relieved his friends didn’t follow him. He walked from room to room, fingers
rolling the necklace around his neck as he silently prayed for help—from his grandmother,
from God, from whatever deity existed. If any such being did exist, he or she didn’t bother
answering him. Or else, this is the answer. The spirits, at least two of them, are gone. Fuck!
His usual optimism ebbed as he stepped into the living room and looked at Zeke and
Brendan sitting on the couch. It didn’t matter how much he didn’t want to, Sev was fixing to
hurt them. His throat tightened against admitting he’d found nothing. By the time he’d
cleared his throat enough to speak, he knew Zeke and Brendan already figured out the bad
news.
It wouldn’t make them feel any better, but at least they would know they weren’t alone
in their loss. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s going on, but Conner’s gone missing, too.”
“What?” Zeke and Brendan frowned at him, both snapped out the same one-word
question.
Reminding himself these two were some of his closest friends, and that they must be as
freaked out as he was, Sev ignored their sharp tones, concentrating instead on the fear
creeping into their expressions.
He walked over and sat on the couch beside Brendan. Turning to put his back against
the armrest, Sev then pulled one leg up and tucked it under his butt, angling himself so he
could see both men. “We haven’t seen or felt Conner’s presence in days. Four days, just like
y’all with Zeke’s mom. I thought it was maybe just Conner, but I haven’t felt anything.
Nothing.” And it scared the shit out of him. Sev glanced down and found a string on the
inseam of his jeans to pluck at. Letting his friends know how much this whole thing shook
him wouldn’t help Zeke or Brendan at all.
“So what do we do?”
Sev looked up at Brendan’s answer, hoping his expression projected a confidence he
didn’t feel. “I was wondering if y’all had time to take me to town. I thought maybe I’d stop
and see Darren, at the café or at the Hawkins’ place. Or Matt—that might be better, actually.”
If he had any luck at all, Laine would be in. The man was Sev’s rock, and right now he
needed him. Just speaking to Laine, seeing his eyes light up with joy because Sev was there,
would go a long way towards calming some of the fear bubbling inside him.
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Half an hour later, Sev was resigned to dealing with it on his own for a while longer.
Neither Laine nor Matt were in, and as much as Sev tried he couldn’t charm their location
out of the battleaxe filling in for Doreen.
“That woman’s just harsh,” Brendan muttered as the loaded back into the truck. “I bet
she makes babies cry and kicks every puppy and kitten she sees.”
Despite the gloom permeating Sev’s mood he chuckled. “I don’t know about that. Laine
said Rich bet him five bucks he’d have Loretta eating out of the palm of his hand by the time
Laine went and got coffee. Laine was grumbling about his wallet being five bucks lighter.”
Brendan snorted as he glared at the building. “Yeah, but that’s Rich. He could charm a
habit off a nun.”
“The hell would he want to do that for?” Zeke asked, but the upward curl of his lips
made it clear he was joking. “Wish I had a bit of his charm. I just don’t have the patience for
people like that. Spent too many years keeping to myself, I guess.”
“Yeah, it was ingrained by the time I met you,” Brendan said, “but I think that’s part of
your charm.”
Sev had seen that sappy lovey-dovey look on Zeke’s face before, but it always made
him grin. Zeke reminded him of Laine a lot—both men liked to growl but inside they were
just giant mushy teddy bears.
Zeke cleared his throat and went back to looking serious. “Do you want to try Darren
and Lee?”
“Sure, but let me call them first.” Sev called and arranged to meet Darren and Lee at
their home, which was also the Hawkins’ Senior and Youth Centre. Darren had started out as
a waiter at Virginia’s Café. Virginia, his boss and Mrs Hawkins’ nephew, Carlin, decided to
go invest in the place and turn the deceased widow’s home into something the community
could benefit from. They’d encouraged Darren to take some classes so he could work there in
the centre.
Darren’s partner, Lee, worked there as well as head of maintenance. It was Stefan, the
spirit of Lee’s younger brother, who Sev wanted to ask about. Sev had a really bad feeling he
knew the answer already. Darren had sounded nervous at first then eager to talk to him.
Sev texted Laine on the drive to the Hawkins’ place. As succinctly as possible, he told
him what he’d discovered and where he was going as well as why. Laine hadn’t replied by
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the time they arrived to talk to Darren and Lee, so Sev tucked his phone in his shirt pocket
once he got out of the truck. He called out a greeting to Darren and Lee.
Both men were sitting on the porch swing, each with their arms slung over the back of
it. They made a striking couple, Darren with his lithe, youthful beauty and Lee, brawny and
masculine despite the long blond hair flowing over his shoulders.
Zeke and Brendan trailed behind Sev. Sev avoided the ramp and took the steps instead.
Darren and Lee stood and walked over as Sev stepped onto the porch.
“Severo, Zeke, Brendan.” Lee shook each of their hands. “Would y’all like to come
inside for some tea or coffee?”
The weather had turned warm, or at least warmer than that frigid spell they’d had a
few days ago. “Tea would be awesome,” Sev said as he shook Darren’s hand.
They went inside after Darren finished greeting Zeke and Brendan. Sev was stunned by
the transformation to Mrs Hawkins’ house. It didn’t look like a home anymore, at least not
inside. The wooden floors gleamed, the warm honey colour lighting up the room. What used
to be a living room was now some sort of lobby, Sev guessed, with a dozen or so plush
looking chairs covered in a red and striped pattern.
The walls were a soothing cream colour. Vibrant prints framed in aged wood adorned
the walls. Two bookshelves were tastefully stocked with a mixture of books, pamphlets and
knick knacks. A large desk sat close to the back wall, the top immaculate except for the
computer monitor and keyboard on the gleaming surface.
“Y’all have done an amazing job,” Sev said as he took in the room. “This looks
professional but not stuffy, you know?”
“Lee did the carpentry. Virginia let me decorate.”
The pride in Darren’s voice was impossible to miss. So was the tender look Lee gave his
lover. Darren blushed, and Sev was surprised, pleasantly so, that the shy younger man was
crawling a little further out of his shell.
“Anything?”
Sev bit back a surprised yelp upon hearing Zeke’s deep voice so close to his ear. He
hadn’t even realised the man was that close. Now he no longer needed a cane, Zeke moved
quietly—too quietly, Sev decided, casting his friend a baleful look. He shook his head then
faced forward again as he followed Darren and Lee into a hallway. Like the front room, this
one was tastefully decorated as well.
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“We figured we’d give y’all a quick tour,” Lee said when they stopped in front of a
door. “This is the rec room.” Lee crossed his arms and looked at Sev. “Actually, that’s not the
entire story. We were kind of hoping maybe you could find Stefan and Mrs Hawkins.
They’ve been gone for—”
“Four days,” Zeke muttered before Sev could. “Same with Mama and Conner,
according to Sev. Where the fuck did they go?”
Lee blanched and reached for Darren, as if needing support—or comfort. Probably
both. Lee tucked Darren’s head against his shoulder as both of them looked at Sev with
fearful expressions. “Is… You don’t know where they are? If they’re okay or if they p-passed
on?”
Sev hadn’t ever heard that nervous stutter from Lee before. It just didn’t seem right,
didn’t fit with the image of the big tough former Army Ranger. He wished he could say
something to make it all better, but lying would only make everything worse.
“No. I haven’t felt a single presence for several days.”
* * * *
After one more stop—one Sev had dreaded so much he almost didn’t ask Zeke to take
him there—Sev’s hopes were all but demolished. Any hospital was hell on him. There were
so many spirits in them, and they would swamp Sev, buzzing in his brain until he wanted to
scream.
But he’d rather have felt that than nothing. Abso-frigging-lutely nothing. It had so
unsettled him that he’d practically ran down one hall after another, drawing more than one
odd look from various members of the hospital staff. He’d been desperate to find just one
spirit, just one. Sev didn’t get so much as a quiet hum in his brain, much less the usual
cacophony.
“I don’t understand,” he said over and over, stunned stupid by the experience. “Last
time I was here I could hardly stand it. There were spirits everywhere, clamouring for
attention. Something bad has happened,” he blurted before he thought better of it. “Conner,
Stefan, Mrs Hawkins, your mama,” Sev said with a tip of his chin towards Zeke. “They
wouldn’t just all up and leave, not like this. They wouldn’t abandon us.”
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“No, they sure wouldn’t,” Zeke grumbled as he hooked an arm around Sev’s waist.
Brendan was on Sev’s other side, his arm linked with Sev’s.
Sev hadn’t even realised he’d been stumbling along or that he’d needed assistance. He
was so out of sorts, so on the verge of full-scale panic that he could barely concentrate to
speak.
“Come on, get in.” Brendan opened the truck door and gave Sev’s butt a nudge. Sev
climbed into the truck. His chest felt tight, his heart beating so fast he was dizzy. Sev reached
up and felt for his necklace. The silver chain was warm from his skin, and it immediately
started to soothe him as it so often did.
Rolling the necklace between his fingers, Sev closed his eyes and concentrated on
calming down. He was vaguely aware of Brendan’s arm pressing against his chest as his
friend grabbed his seat belt.
Zeke and Brendan were blessedly quiet on the drive, giving Sev the time he needed to
pull himself together. When he finally felt like he wouldn’t lose it, he opened his eyes and
discovered they were almost back to his friends’ ranch.
“Zeke and I didn’t think you should be alone.”
When Sev glowered at Brendan the man only arched a sandy brown eyebrow. “You’ve
been kind of out of it for a while, and frankly, you scared the hell out of us at the hospital.”
Sev sighed and gave up on being irritated. “Yeah well, I scared the hell out of myself,
too. I don’t…” He looked out the passenger window, unable to deal with the sympathy in
Brendan’s eyes. “I don’t know what to do. This ability to commune with spirits has been with
me most of my life. Even if the problem isn’t me, which I don’t think it is since everyone
seems to be missing their spirits, regardless, it feels like the biggest part of me is gone.”
He didn’t know what he’d do if it turned out he was wrong and he really couldn’t
interact with the dead like he had all these years. If someone or something had eradicated—
Sev’s mind skittered away from that train of thought. No matter how downtrodden he might
feel right now, he wouldn’t give up hope that Conner and the other spirits would return. He
couldn’t.
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Chapter Four
Laine did his best not to let Sev know how worried he was but his lover was one of the
most observant people Laine had ever met, and he knew Laine better than anyone else ever
had. Sometimes he suspected Sev knew him better than he knew himself.
“I could call Alma, tell her something’s come up,” Sev offered after recounting the
details of his day. “It wouldn’t be a lie, and I’m not sure I’m up to having them visit right
now.”
As badly as Laine wanted to jump on that offer, he didn’t. Laine hated to admit it, but
maybe having some family down would help Sev in ways Laine couldn’t. Distract him, at the
very least. Sev wore a pinched expression that sat unnaturally on his normally cheerful face.
Nothing Laine had said yet had wiped that look away.
“No, it wouldn’t be right to cancel on her at the last minute.” He bit back a sigh at the
lost opportunity to avoid what he fully expected to be an uncomfortable week spent around
Sev’s family. “And anyway, it won’t make a difference if they don’t come. Something has
happened to the spirits in McKinton.” He gave Sev a determined look, knowing he would do
whatever it took not to let the man down. “We’ll figure out what happened and how to right
it. We’ll get them all back.”
Sev relaxed a little and rested his head on Laine’s shoulder. It felt good, so Laine
decided it’d only get better if he stretched out on the couch under Sev’s sexy body. He
resituated them both then groaned as he closed his eyes. “Chris’s mom is a trip. She damn
near talked my ear off when I went out there to talk to her about that ceremony they’ll be
doing in a couple of nights. You are coming with me, right?”
“Like I’d miss a bunch of skyclad people dancing around under the moonlight.” Sev
snorted. “Not gonna happen. Of course I’m going.”
“Skyclad?” Laine twitched, afraid he knew what that meant. Sev confirmed it.
“Yeah, you know, naked? Dressed in the sky or something like that. I’m not sure of the
technical definition, but it does mean bare-ass naked.”
Laine’s eyes popped open. He glared into Sev’s pale eyes. “Oh no. No, no, no. There’s
not going to be any of that naked dancing stuff. I made that perfectly clear to Miriam and
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that High Priest fellow, Vincent. They agreed to keep their clothes on and light any fires in
proper fire-safe containers. When they’re done the place will look like they were never there.
Chris promised he’d see to it.”
“Aw, you just took all the fun out of it, but I still want to go.” Sev propped himself up
on Laine’s chest. For the first time in a good hour, Laine saw a hint of Sev’s usual optimism.
“Hey, maybe we can ask Miriam about the spirits. Chris and Rich probably aren’t aware of
what’s going on since they don’t have any hanging around them. Did you mention anything
about this to them?”
Laine knew he was giving his lover an ‘Are you serious?’ look. He wasn’t exactly the
most talkative man on the planet.
“Right,” Sev said, laughing softly as he shook his head.
That little bit of laughter was enough to warm Laine through to his marrow. He cupped
Sev’s angular chin and looked into his pretty pale eyes. Laine’s cock started to fill, pressing
uncomfortably against the inseam of his pants. “You know, we might be pretty busy while
your sister’s here.”
This time Sev’s laughter was louder as he dipped his head and kissed Laine’s palm. He
licked up to the pad of Laine’s thumb then sucked the digit in his mouth. Laine’s eyes nearly
crossed when Sev sucked, his tongue swirling and flicking just like Sev did when he sucked
Laine’s dick.
Sev pulled off with a lewd slurp the leered at him. “Like you need to bother thinking up
an excuse to get me naked.” He bit the tip of Laine’s thumb then waggled his dark eyebrows.
“And there will still be lots of sex while my sister’s in town. She isn’t going to be spending
every minute with me.”
“What else is she going to be doing? It’s not like there’s a lot to see here.”
“Oh, I don’t know.” Sev gnawed on his bottom lip for a moment then shrugged. “The
Senior and Youth Centre will be open in another two days. She can take the kids there. And
they’ll probably want to spend a day in Dallas or Fort Worth, or maybe both.”
“I would think so. They’re going to be bored out of their minds if they spend a whole
week here.” An idea occurred to him. “Hey, if they do go to Dallas, you could go with them
and have your visit with Carlin’s dad.” Sev had been visiting Mr Douglas in the Alzheimer’s
care facility weekly for a while now. At first Sev had been trying to help the man with an
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ability much like his, but Mr Douglas’s health had deteriorated quickly. Sev said he hadn’t
had even a hint of lucidity from the man in months.
Neither had Carlin. Laine couldn’t imagine Carlin’s pain. Watching his father die a little
more each visit had to be tearing the guy apart. Laine’s parents had died when he was in the
Houston Police Academy. His father had suffered a heart attack while trying to land his
beloved twin engine plane. He and Laine’s mother had died instantly upon impact. It had
been a horrible shock, but he thought it would have been even worse to watch his parents
suffer the way Mr Douglas was.
“It’d save me from having to take the bus since if Carlin isn’t going to be visiting him
that day, so maybe.” Sev narrowed his eyes. “You were quiet there for a bit. Where’d you
go?”
Laine considered distracting Sev in a manner that would make them both happily
boneless, but that would just delay this conversation. Sev wouldn’t let it drop, and it wasn’t
that Laine minded talking to him, he just really wanted to make the most of tonight since he
had a feeling Sev’s visitors would be more of an imposition than Sev thought. Laine kept
envisioning Alma—in his mind’s eyes she was a sterner and feminine version of Sev—and
her husband and kids all camping out at the house. It made him want to shudder.
When Sev poked him in the ribs Laine yelped and scowled at the man. Sev merely
raised his brows and started tapping his fingers on Laine’s collarbone. Any chance he’d had
of getting laid first was well and gone.
“I was just thinking about my folks and Mr Douglas. How even though I lost both of
my parents at the same time and in such an unexpected manner, it had to be easier on them,
and me, than watching them slowly die a little each day.”
Sev’s fingers stilled, his gaze going distant as if he peered inside himself. “Yeah, it is
hard. Mr Douglas isn’t even my dad and it hurts, watching Alzheimer’s eat away at him. I
can’t imagine how Carlin must feel. I suppose quick would be better.” Sev sighed and looked
at Laine. “What really sucks is that you and Carlin had parents who loved y’all, and they
died way too soon, or, in Mr Douglas’s case… Well, you know what I mean. My parents
aren’t nearly so nice, aren’t anywhere near nice, and they’ll probably outlive all of us just to
gloat about it. Not that I wish them dead or anything. Just funny how Fate seems to cut the
strings on the good ones sooner than the others.”
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“Not always,” Laine argued. “You and me are a couple of the good ones and we aren’t
going anywhere for a long time. Even when we do, I’m sure we’ll be together even then.”
Laine believed it with every fibre of his being. They might be separated briefly by death if
one died before the other, but they both knew there were spirits, that it was possible to
remain behind on some level after the body died. The how if it wasn’t clear, but Laine didn’t
doubt for one second he and Sev would figure it out, not as strongly as they loved each other.
Sev’s frown sent a shard of spiky pain straight through Laine’s heart. “What’s wrong,
sweetheart?” Laine asked, cradling Sev to his chest. He buried his hands in the silky black
hair, drawing comfort from the warmth of it against his skin as well as the feel of Sev’s body
on his.
“What if all the spirits are gone, Laine? What does that mean for us? I don’t ever want
to lose you, not in death or any other way. I don’t know where the others go when they die,
the ones that don’t linger. They could just cease existing, or maybe they’re reincarnated—”
Laine refused to even consider any of those scenarios. He tugged gently on Sev’s hair
until those pretty eyes met his. “Hey. Nothing—nothing—is going to keep us from being
together, okay? We aren’t going to just disappear. Whatever happens, we’ll find each other,
even if we end up back here as…” Laine searched his mind for something ridiculous,
anything to replace Sev’s frown with the smile he loved so much. “Even if we come back as a
couple of ants, or…or platypuses, we’ll be together. I promise.” Somehow, he’d make sure of
it. Sev was imprinted into his very DNA. If there was such a thing as reincarnation, Laine
would spend his next life looking for Sev, and he’d damn well find him.
Sev’s lips curled up and the corners of his eyes crinkled. “Gay ants? Gay platypuses?
Really?”
Laine strove for his most serious tone. “Who said anything about being gay? Maybe
you’ll be the little woman and I’ll be the big strong man—hey!” He yelped as a tiny bit of
pain spread from his chest outward. “You pinched me,” Laine grumbled, hoping Sev didn’t
notice the effect that bite of pain had on him.
Sev’s wicked smile dashed Laine’s hope. “And you liked it,” Sev purred, reaching
between them to palm Laine’s cock. “A lot, judging by how fast you got it up.”
Sev sounded so smug Laine was tempted to paddle him, or… Sev’s teasing expression
changed, turned to something darker, demanding. “So you think I’d be the ‘little woman,’
hm?” He pinched Laine’s cockhead hard through the layers of clothes.
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A streak of fire burned down from the tip of Laine’s dick to his asshole. He clenched his
butt cheeks as that whole area tingled with anticipation. His heart hammered in his chest as
trepidation bloomed like a morning glory. Maybe teasing Sev like that had been a little…too
much.
Sev gave him a heated look then nodded. “That’s right, baby. You’re in for it now. You
just threw down the gauntlet, so to speak, and challenged my manhood.” He wiggled his
hips, rubbing his erection against Laine’s hip. “So now I’m going to have to prove just how
much of a man I am. You know, all that machismo bullshit.” Sev smiled wickedly as Laine
shuddered. “Oh yeah. Next time you want me to fuck you, just ask. You don’t have to goad
me into it.”
Was that what he’d done? Laine thought about it while Sev continued grinding against
him. Yeah, it was. Sev had topped exactly twice, and he’d been so nervous when he’d done it
Laine hadn’t pushed for more.
Plus, he was a little worried about how much he liked feeling Sev pounding into his ass.
Laine tended to think, at least when Sev was fucking him, that he might just prefer to bottom
the majority of the time. Then he’d come out of that well-fucked bliss and panic at the
thought of never being in Sev’s sweet ass again. He knew it didn’t have to be one way or the
other, but still, it kind of kept Laine from initiating a change in their love-making.
Except he obviously had tonight. Laine locked stares with Sev and pulled up his most
commanding tone. “So prove how much of a man you are already.”
Sev’s nostrils flared, a small thing that Laine found incredibly sexy. “Don’t expect me to
go easy on you, Laine. I’m kind of on edge here.”
Even though he couldn’t quite snuff out a trickle of fear, Laine nodded. “I don’t want
easy. Just don’t do any permanent damage down there.”
Sev rolled off him and onto his feet in one graceful movement. He stared down at Laine
with a fierce look in his eyes, exuding a confidence that nearly made Laine cream his pants.
“I wouldn’t hurt you, ever. But you will feel me for days.” He held out his hand. “But we
need to be in the bedroom. Can’t fuck you into the mattress otherwise.”
Need coiled in Laine’s groin and spread up to his stomach. He took Sev’s hand and let
his lover help him up. The walk to the bedroom took twice as long as it should have with
both of them groping each other and pulling off clothes. By the time Laine tumbled down
onto the bed he was utterly naked in more ways than one.
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The previous two times Sev had taken him Laine had been on his back, but tonight he
wanted, needed, more. He rolled to his stomach and rose up on his knees. “Come on,” he
ordered, dropping his shoulders and spreading his legs. His cock brushed over the blanket. It
felt so good but wasn’t nearly enough friction so Laine arched his back and rubbed his dick
against the nubby material.
“You want this bad, don’t you?”
Laine turned his head and grinned at the sight of Sev holding his cock at the base,
waving the wet-tipped length back and forth. There were no signs of nervousness in the man,
just that same confidence Laine had noted in the living room.
That didn’t, however, mean Laine was giving up control. Bottoming didn’t mean being
passive, not in his book. He reached back and pulled one cheek aside, knowing he was
exposing more than just a hole. “Almost as bad as you want this.”
Sev groaned and let go of his dick. Laine watched him as he grabbed the lube. He
hadn’t realised until this moment how bad Sev needed this. The vanishing spirits had shaken
Sev up, shaken them both up. This promised to be a very pleasurable diversion that would
help them let go of that particular worry for a while.
Laine brushed his fingers over his pucker then pressed lightly against the tight ring.
“Stop that,” Sev snapped, shooting him grin. “That’s mine, and I have the lube.” Sev
held up the bottle in one hand while pushing Laine’s eager fingers away with the other.
Laine settled his forearm back under his head while Sev crawled onto the bed. He
closed his eyes, expecting to hear the snap of the lube cap and was startled when Sev
grabbed his ass and pried his cheeks apart. Laine’s breath stuttered from his lungs in a series
of whimpers as Sev lapped at his hole.
“Love this, love you,” Sev mumbled from behind him. Laine opened his mouth to
respond and ended up groaning when Sev licked down to his balls and sucked them into his
hot mouth.
“Shit! Suck them harder!” Laine half shouted the demand, his diaphragm clenching as
pleasure enveloped him. Each sucking tug on his balls pulled at Laine’s insides, tightening
everything from his toes to his skull. He moaned and dug his fingers into the blanket, trying
to keep himself from floating away.
Sev’s tongue swirled over his nuts then pressed firmly between them. It took all of
Laine’s strength not to buck, not to howl, as his blood roared in his ears.
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Sev gave his balls another mind-boggling suck then he nipped his way back to Laine’s
hole. Laine writhed shamelessly, curses wrung from his lips as Sev ate his ass. When Sev
scraped his teeth over that delicate tissue, Laine started begging mindlessly. Sev continued
tormenting him, ignoring Laine’s pleas.
“God damn it,” Laine found the strength to rasp, “get something bigger in there
already!”
Sev chuckled darkly, the sound low and rough. It sent shivers down Laine’s spine and
made his ass clench with anticipation. “I’m getting there. Just had to make up for you saying
you wanted me in your ass almost as bad as I want my dick inside you.”
“Fucking smart ass,” Laine muttered, much to Sev’s amusement since it sent the man
into a fit of laughter. Laine was ready to snarl by the time Sev slipped one finger inside his
hole. He shoved back into the penetration, demanding more. Sev’s tongue had stretched him
some already—Laine didn’t need to be babied along in this right now. “Sev…” he growled,
only to hiss as a second digit joined the first.
“What?” Sev crooned, twisting those fingers inside him. A lightning zing of pleasure
shot out from Laine’s gland. Laine panted and canted his hips, spreading his ass hungrily.
“Oh yeah, feels good, doesn’t it? Always drives me out of my mind when you touch me right
there.” Sev added slight pressure to Laine’s prostate, enough to make him gasp. “Feels even
better when you’re fucking me, though. Then I’m full and getting to experience this.”
“Sev, sweetheart, fuck me now or I’ll throw you on your back and do it myself!” Laine
was borderline frantic to feel Sev pounding into him, and if he was interested in playing
around back there some more, he’d just have to get with the new plan.
“You don’t know what it does to me to hear you so needy,” Sev said over the gurgle of
more lube being poured out. “Makes me feel like a god, like the luckiest man who ever lived,
knowing it’s me you need.”
Apparently Sev had got past his nerves, and Laine couldn’t be happier. Well, he could,
if Sev would just hurry the fuck up. Before Laine could snap out another demand, Sev settled
between his legs and pushed down on the small of Laine’s back.
“A little lower, okay?”
Laine slid his knees further apart. He was a good foot taller than his lover, something
that led them to some creative contortionism at times. His inner thigh muscles burned with
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strain when Sev patted his hip. “That’s good, perfect. God.” Laine heard Sev’s breath rattle
free. “I want you so fuckin’ bad I’m afraid I’ll just shove right in!”
As good as that sounded, Laine figured it would probably hurt more than he’d be able
to handle with any sort of dignity. He bit his lip to keep from saying so, though. He trusted
Sev to take care of him.
Sev ran his thumbs down Laine’s crack then parted his cheeks. “You open so
beautifully for me, Laine. Why don’t we do this more often?”
Laine guessed Sev didn’t expect an answer since the next thing he knew there was a
broad blunt wet cock prodding at his back door. Laine kept his breathing steady, his body
relaxed as Sev began penetrating him.
Despite the stretching, it burned slightly as his hole gave, opening for Sev’s dick. Laine
couldn’t stop it when something like a sob slipped past his lips—it just felt so damned good!
He’d been a flaming fool to deny him and Sev this on a more regular basis.
Sev stopped with just his cockhead lodged inside. His hands opened and closed on
Laine’s hips, gripping and releasing, a sure sign he was struggling to keep in control of his
body’s demands. “Laine, I don’t know…”
Laine didn’t like hearing Sev worrying now, not when he’d been so confident seconds
ago. And he wanted more, wanted to feel Sev’s dick lodged so deep inside him he could taste
it. That was worth what would be, hopefully, a little pain.
Teeth gritted, Laine shoved his whole body back. Sev’s garbled shout was drowned out
by Laine’s louder one. Pleasure-pain flashed hot through his rectum as Sev’s cock sank in to
the hilt. Laine gasped, his throat raw and aching, competing with his ass for which hurt
worse. As the ache ebbed, giving way to the exquisite sensation of fullness in his channel,
Laine moaned and pressed back harder.
“Fuuuck!” Sev dropped over him, gripping Laine’s shoulder in one hand and planting
the other above one of Laine’s arm. “Christ, it’s like having my dick wrapped in the
smoothest, tightest satiny heat!”
Laine thought all those adjectives were just fucking great, but… “Move!”
Sev huffed a breathy laugh and bit the back of his neck. “Whatever you want, baby.” He
pushed back up but kept his hand on Laine’s shoulder. His other went to Laine’s hip, then
Sev began fucking him hard and deep just like Laine needed him to do.
“Yes,” Sev hissed as his balls slapped against Laine’s. “You feel so fucking good!”
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Sev’s words only added fuel to the flames of arousal burning through Laine’s core. He
pushed back into each forceful thrust, revelling in the sensation of Sev’s thick cock filling
him. Laine rocked forward then slammed back, chasing the climax tingling in his balls.
“Mmm, God, Laine,” Sev moaned. He moved, did something Laine couldn’t see, not
with his eyes squinched shut. The next inward stroke brought the tip of Sev’s cock over
Laine’s gland. Laine’s moan was torn from him, searing a path from his gut to his lips as
nerve endings shot to life in his ass. The tingling in his balls spread to his dick, and up over
his hole and ass, settling at the base of his spine.
Sev kept his cock angled just so, each thrust milking Laine’s gland, setting his mind
spinning as the tingling sensation crawled up his spine. The repeated brushing of his prostate
made the fucking one long, sweet climax. Near-constant ecstasy was riding him, a low sweet
hum that was escalating to a full-scale chorus.
Laine jerked one arm from under his head and reached for his dick. He didn’t start off
gentle, not when his skin kept pricking with the promise of release. As Sev fucked him with
all the force of a wild thing in rut, Laine jerked his cock, matching the rough thrusts that
ploughed his ass.
Sev’s hips snapped faster, harder. His moans and curses mixed with Laine’s in the air.
Laine inhaled and let the scents of sex and sweat fill him. Sev’s rhythm stuttered, became
more of a frantic attempt to bury his dick all the way to Laine’s chest. Laine flicked his thumb
over his glans then slammed his hips back hard as he delved the tip of his nail into his slit.
A white-hot ball of ecstasy burst inside him as his balls drew tight. Sev’s shout was cut
short as he rammed in one last time. The first jet of cum spewing into his ass sent Laine into
orbit. He couldn’t do more than keen as spunk poured from his dick. Each pulsing release
from Sev’s shaft was followed by an answering one from Laine’s. Sev whimpered when one
last weak spurt trickled into Laine. He ground against Laine’s butt, the sharp blades of his
hips likely bruising Laine’s flesh.
Laine didn’t give a damn. He wanted Sev’s marks, inside and out. A warm tickly trail of
cum leaked from his hole as Sev carefully pulled his softening cock free. Laine shifted,
intending to swipe at the stuff but remembered his hand was covered in it as well. He wiped
it on the blanket then started to reach for his inner thigh before he started squirming—it felt
like a spider or some other creepy crawly making a path through his leg hair.
“Nuh uh,” Sev scolded in a rough voice. “I’ll get it.”
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Laine pulled his hand back, then Sev threw his already sex-fried brain into a state of
total confusion.
“Mmm,” Sev hummed against his skin. He lapped up the trickling cum, then licked the
trail it had left.
Laine didn’t know whether to be horrified or horny when Sev’s tongue slicked over his
asshole. “Sev?” If his voice quivered, well, who could blame him? He didn’t know what to
make of this at all.
“It’s all right,” Sev said before driving a startled grunt from Laine by shoving his
tongue inside Laine’s opening. All Laine could think was, oh my god, that’s…so nasty it’s
fucking making me hard again! And he decided he must have liked it more than not, what with
the way he was pushing his butt up in a silent plea for more.
A lewd, and likely exaggerated, slurp from behind him had Laine opening his eyes and
trying to crane his head around to see what Sev was doing. He finally gave up and flopped
onto his side, his chest heaving as he looked at a very self-satisfied Sev.
Sev swiped a hand over his mouth but the smirk he’d been wearing stayed in place.
“Always wanted to try that, but considering I don’t top, or didn’t until recently…” He
shrugged, his cheeks darkening.
Laine furrowed his brow as a question prodded at him. “Is that…do you want me to do
that? Because I don’t know if I can.” It kind of made him feel queasy even if his dick did
seem to like the idea.
“No, I don’t ever want you to do something that you don’t want.” But Sev averted his
gaze. “It didn’t, um, I didn’t gross you out or anything, did I?”
As tempting as it was to lie, Laine wouldn’t, not to Sev. “Once my mind slammed back
down to Earth, kind of, but…” Laine swallowed his embarrassment and pushed aside his
prudish side which, luckily, didn’t come out very often. “I liked it. Just didn’t expect it, you
know?”
Sev looked at him, studied Laine for a second or two, then beamed at Laine. “So, you
wanna kiss me?” He puckered his lips and made smacking noises.
Laine wrinkled his nose. “Sure—right after you brush your teeth and gargle.”
Sev’s laughter chased off the last of the worry in his pale eyes. It also made Laine’s chest
swell with the strength of his love for Sev.
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It didn’t, however, make him any more amiable to a kiss just then. That would wait
until Sev’s bathroom jaunt was over, then he’d go about showing Sev just how much his sexy
little ass was loved.
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Chapter Five
The weather had done another one-eighty by morning. The grass and truck windows
were edged in glistening white frost, adding a layer of beauty to McKinton Sev had seldom
seen. Not that he thought the town was horrifically ugly or anything. It was just a quaint
little town, full of more good people than bad. But the summers were brutally hot, and they
seared their miserably hellacious temperatures and droughts into Sev’s brain so that he was
always startled to find winter approaching.
Sev watched people walking past the big window of Virginia’s Café. He swallowed his
last sip of coffee and waved away the waitress when she would have approached with an
offer to refill his cup. A glance at his phone showed it to be almost noon. Probably time for
him to head back to the Sheriff’s Department since that’s where he’d told Alma to meet them.
He’d wanted his sister to meet Laine right off the bat, so he could judge her reaction to their
relationship. Sure she knew about it, said she was okay with Sev being gay, but he couldn’t
forget that not once when he called her had she ever asked to speak to his lover.
Laine hadn’t exactly asked to talk to her, either, but that was different. Sev was the one
putting forth the effort at building a relationship with his family. It was him who called, so in
his opinion the least Alma and the rest of his siblings could do was ask to be introduced to
Laine, even if it was over the phone.
But they hadn’t. When he thought about it, he wasn’t even sure any of them had ever
asked after Laine’s wellbeing. Sev usually just started talking about Laine and their life
together early on in the call, unwilling, he admitted, to give them a chance to enquire about
his lover because he was afraid they wouldn’t.
That’s just a little messed up. He needed to stop that. It would hurt if what remained of
his family didn’t truly accept him, and Laine, but it would be best to know. Self-deception
was a dangerous thing, and Sev didn’t have any intention of letting it continue. With that
decision made, he scooted out of the booth and dug a couple of bucks out of his pocket. After
leaving them on the table he headed to the register to pay his bill and pick up the cups of
coffee for Laine and Matt.
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Hopefully Matt would be back when Sev returned. He had yet to have the opportunity
to talk to his friend about Mrs Hawkins’ spirit. Matt had taken the day off to pick Carlin up
from the airport—which was why Laine couldn’t take the day off—but he’d promised Laine
he’d stop by on the way home. Sev didn’t imagine Matt or Carlin would be eager to talk for
long, what with Carlin having been gone for over two weeks for some trial up in New York.
Carlin was a civil rights attorney, and a good one, judging by the number of cases he had
even though he lived in McKinton.
“Got your coffee all ready to go,” Virginia said as she met him at the register. Sev
grinned at the woman, he couldn’t help it. If nothing else her bright green metallic eye
shadow made him happy, though he couldn’t begin to fathom why.
“Thanks,” Sev said as he pulled out his wallet. “I bet your making the mortgage on this
place in coffee sales to the Sheriff’s Department since Doreen’s been on vacation.”
Virginia snickered as she set the drink tray on the counter. “Don’t have a mortgage on
the place, but yeah, I’ve been running through several more pots of coffee a day. I don’t
know what Doreen was thinking, having Loretta fill in for her.”
Sev snorted as he looked at Virginia through his lashes. “You don’t?”
“You do?” Virginia’s drawn on eyebrows rocketed up near her hairline.
“Sure.” At least, he was pretty certain he did, what with Doreen being somewhat
devious even if she did love them. “Just think how glad everyone’s going to be when she gets
back. I bet Laine even tries to get her a raise.”
Virginia cackled as she plucked Sev’s ticket off an upside down nail sticking up from a
small piece of two-by-four. “I bet you’re right. Doreen’s a smart woman, she just made sure
she’s going to be treated like a queen for a long time.”
“As if she’d tolerate being treated any differently,” Sev sniffed, then laughed and
ruined his attempt at sounding haughty. “Doreen is all that and a box of chocolates, too,
though. Everyone at the Sheriff’s Department would be lost without her, kinda like they are
now.” It didn’t hurt to exaggerate a little, not when he knew Virginia would be passing along
every bit of this to Doreen just as soon as Doreen got back from vacation.
Besides, while the deputies and Laine weren’t exactly lost, they sure as hell weren’t
happy with Loretta being there. Sev didn’t blame him. The woman looked at him like he was
something she scraped out from under her long fake nails.
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Sev finished settling his bill then picked up the cardboard drink holder and told
Virginia goodbye. The tinkling of the bells that hung on the doorknob was drowned out by a
gust of icy wind. Sev scrambled to keep from dropping the coffee as his fingers began to go
numb from the cold wind. He’d just managed to get the thing braced against his chest and
walked a whole two steps when a car horn blared behind him.
“Shit! Shit!” Sev shouted as his heart tried its damndest to leap up his throat. Even
though he was on the sidewalk, this was just about the same place where Laine had told him
Zeke had been run over. It was a good thing he had a strong bladder. “Shit!”
As much as he wanted to shake his burning hand, he’d kept from dropping the coffee
and he didn’t want to drop it now after having scorched some skin trying to save the drinks.
Instead he carefully turned halfway around, a reprimand on his tongue. It died when he saw
his sister’s smiling face through the passenger window of a silver minivan.
The window lowered and Sev stared into a pair of eyes as light as his own. Alma’s
smile flipped to a frown as she looked at him. The wind gusted over him, cold seeping in
intensely here and there. Sev glanced down and saw he’d splashed coffee on his jeans.
“Oh!”
He looked back up at Alma’s exclamation. “Hey, sis.” Sev nodded at Roger in the
driver’s seat. “Roger.” His nephews and niece weren’t in the van. “Where’s the kids?” Sev
had been looking forward to seeing them at least as much as he had his sister. Probably even
more. He loved kids.
Alma opened the van door and stepped out. She planted one hand on a hip and pointed
a finger from her other hand at him. “Severo, you think we want to scare the poor man to
death? You told me he’s a quiet man, that he didn’t have anyone for years. And, Roger
pointed out, Mr Stenley probably doesn’t think much of us. We haven’t been the best family,
I’ll take the blame for most of it, but that’s all changing now.” Alma took the cardboard
holder from him. “Now, get in the van and get out of this cold weather, and tell me and
Roger what we can do to not screw up meeting your man.”
This wasn’t anything like the greeting he’d been expecting, and for the first time since
telling Alma it would be fine to visit, Sev thought this whole thing might turn out okay.
There was still the matter of the spirits, though. They had to find out where their friendly
spirits had gone and bring them back.
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Right now, however, he needed to get in the van. Sev got in, trying to avoid a scattering
of pillows and toys. He eyeballed the nearest seat, trying to figure out what kind of stain that
was. It looked…wet. And gross.
“Ah, you might not want to sit there.”
Sev craned his neck and saw Roger watching him in the rear view mirror. “Do I want to
know?”
Roger’s eyes crinkled as he said, “No, probably not. I did try to scrub it out real quick
but…”
“But it wouldn’t be there in the first place if Adela had taken that Dramamine like she
told us she did.” Alma huffed and got in the van. “That girl. She doesn’t want to do it, she
just won’t, and damn the consequences. We are going to have so much trouble with her in a
few more years.”
It sounded that way to Sev, though he hoped Alma and Roger were exaggerating.
Otherwise, Adela was in for a rough life until she learned she couldn’t just do what she
wanted. If she learned that. Some people never did.
Sev sat in the seat behind Roger. He buckled up and leaned over to poke his brother-in-
law’s shoulder. The guy had always seemed the good natured sort to Sev. “Really, a
minivan? Did the person who sold you this take your balls as a down payment?”
“Severo!” Alma scolded then snickered with Roger. “I’ll have you know Roger is still
intact!”
“Barely,” Roger retorted as he drove towards the Sheriff’s Department. “I did have to
give up my man card for it.”
“Man card.” Alma huffed and shook her head. “It’s just a vehicle, for heaven’s sake!”
Sev grinned as Roger and Alma bickered playfully back and forth. Roger seemed like a
perfect match for Alma, both in personality and in looks. Alma was about an inch shorter
than Sev, a little stocky though he’d never say so. He wasn’t stupid. She looked like an older,
feminine version of him, really.
Roger was an attractive man, his black hair streaked with white and large down-turned
brown eyes that made you want to pet his head and tell him everything would be okay.
From what Sev knew of him, he had an easy going personality. He’d be one of the guys
everyone liked. Sev wondered if his parents liked Roger.
“Anywhere in particular I should park?”
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“As long as you don’t take one of the numbered slots, you’re good,” Sev told Roger.
“And if y’all are done picking at each other, the only advice I have for y’all in regards to
meeting Laine is just be yourselves, be honest. The man can spot deception from a mile
away.” Sev thought of one more thing as he was getting out of the van. “And don’t call him
Mr Stenley. It drives me nuts. Don’t know why, but it does. So Laine’ll do, since we’re all
family.” He looked at Alma and Roger when he said that last bit, wanting to gauge their
reactions.
Roger nodded but Alma frowned at him when she handed over the drink holder. “But
he might prefer us to call him Mr Stenley. Maybe he’d rather keep some distance between
us.”
Sev thought Laine might. Not the whole Mr Stenley crap, but keep some distance?
Probably. This would be kind of a shock to Laine’s system, if it all worked out. Laine was an
only child, so to suddenly find himself with a herd of in-laws who treated him like a
brother—Sev hoped his family would do that—as well as with several nieces and nephews
might just scare the beejeezus out of the man.
But Sev still wasn’t having any of the Mr stuff. “Call him Sheriff, then. Lots of people
do, but he’s generally reserved and using his name will draw him out whether he realises it
or not. You know, establish a bond to build on and all that.” Sev didn’t know that for sure. It
wasn’t like he’d ever gone to college and got a psych degree, but it sounded good. “I doubt
he’s going to be calling y’all Mr and Mrs Martinez.”
Turning around, he hissed as a gust of stinging wind kicked up. Sev paused for a
moment, feeling a bit hinky, as if something was off. When he couldn’t figure out what, he
put it down to his imagination then shrugged and led the way towards the Sheriff’s
Department.
* * * *
Laine sat at Doreen’s desk, grateful as hell Loretta had decided to leave for lunch today
instead of eating in the break room. Lord knew he needed a break from her. The woman had
been plumb surly all morning and Laine was about fed up with it. He didn’t know what bug
had crawled up her butt and died, but she could either extricate it along with her snarky
attitude or she could just stay gone. Surely he could get someone else to work the desk, even
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if all they did was answer the phone and greet people. Maybe Rich, if Laine begged him
enough.
Or perhaps he wouldn’t have to beg, what with Miriam and her coven being down for a
visit. Rich might appreciate a valid excuse to escape for eight hours.
Laine drummed his fingers on the desk. It was too quiet, had been, in the way he was
thinking, for days. Who knew he’d miss Conner’s pranks so much? Laine snorted. What he
wouldn’t give now to have his hat knocked off by that ghostly hand, or for the papers on
Loretta’s desk to fly up in the air in a whirlwind of Conner’s making.
Where is he? Where are all of them? Laine’s thoughts centred in a moment of clarity. Five
days ago, all this weird stuff had begun. The spirits of McKinton had disappeared without a
warning. The only other unusual thing he could think of that had happened besides that five
days ago was Miriam and some of her coven had arrived. He heard Rich’s voice in his head,
telling Laine about a blessing ceremony Miriam had done.
The fine hairs on his arms prickled with an electrical current of unease. She’d know
how to get rid of spirits, wouldn’t she? And considering her son’s partner had been the
victim of two malevolent spirits, maybe she’d think getting rid of all the spirits here would be
a good thing.
It made sense. It also scared the crap out of him, because if she had sent them away,
Laine wasn’t sure they could be brought back. The dull ache in Laine’s chest grew to a
breath-stealing intensity. Sending spirits along to wherever was all well and good if they
wanted to go, but Conner wouldn’t have.
After what Conner had suffered during the last hours of his life—restrained and
tortured to death—the idea of him being forced to leave the Earthly plane was too much.
Laine drew in a shaky breath and rubbed at his stinging eyes. He didn’t have any proof, but
he felt the truth of the situation all the way to his bones.
Someone had sent the spirits away, and if it wasn’t Miriam, maybe she could tell him
who would have the power to do such a thing. Or maybe Chris could, what with him
reading auras and such. Laine wasn’t sure how that worked, but he knew Chris could do it.
One last swipe at his eyes and another long breath and Laine had himself back under
control. He’d find a way to fix this. First thing to do was to talk to Miriam, something he
wanted to do in person, but he needed to make sure she was at Chris and Rich’s. She and the
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people who came with her were all staying there, although all of the other coven members
were in tents whereas Charlene was staying in the house. Looked like a damn campsite.
Laine reached for the phone just as the door swung open. Sev smiled at him and Laine
spotted the two people behind him. Laine stood and rounded the desk as Sev, another man,
and a woman who could only be Sev’s sister entered the building.
“They got in a few minutes early,” Sev said. “Scared me half to death when I was
outside of the café trying to keep the wind from dumping your coffee.”
Laine nodded then held out his hand. Roger and Alma could decide who shook it first.
“Laine Stenley.” He thought about adding, ‘Sev’s partner,’ but they knew that, and besides,
he wanted to see how they reacted to him.
Roger smiled easily and shook Laine’s hand with a decently strong grip. “Roger
Martinez, and this lovely lady is my wife, Alma.”
Laine looked at Alma as he shook her hand. She appeared to be a little nervous, but he
didn’t see even a hint of disgust in her pale eyes. Laine was glad—she looked so much like
Sev he wasn’t sure he could hold a grudge against her. Then he realised he’d been doing
exactly that towards all of Sev’s family for years now.
Well, he’d let it go in this case, unless Alma turned out to be something other than what
she seemed—a caring, nervous sister who maybe knew she’d made mistakes where her
younger brother was concerned.
Laine looked past the trio in front of him. He spotted a silver minivan in the parking lot.
“Y’all lose the kids?”
“They didn’t want to scare you off,” Sev said, winking at him. “It seems all the times I
told them what a calm, quiet man you were, Alma here took that to mean you had a delicate
disposition—”
“Severo!” Alma’s face flamed as she popped her brother on the arm. “I did not! Adela
smelt like puke and needed to shower, and…” Alma looked at him unflinchingly. “I thought,
well, Roger and I thought you might be angry with us. We know we haven’t been the family
we should, but please believe me, we would like to change that, if you’ll give us a chance.”
“Even if I had been angry, I wouldn’t have said anything rude in front of your kids,”
Laine pointed out, only a little irked that Alma and Roger would think different. It wasn’t as
if they knew him, after all. “And, yeah, I think Sev deserves better than what he’s got from
his family, but—” He held up a hand when Sev started to speak. “I know the family
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dynamics are kind of…” He couldn’t think of a polite way to dig himself out of the corner
he’d stupidly shoved himself into.
Roger’s eyes lit with amusement. “Screwed up? Yeah, you could say that. But we’re not
really involved in those parts of the dynamics, as you called them, any more. Maybe
eventually Sev and Alma’s other siblings will get tired of catering to their parents’ demands.
One can only hope, because it’s a shitty way to live.”
Sev asked the question Laine was wondering. “What happened? And what are you
saying, that our parents wouldn’t let y’all have anything to do with us?”
Roger looked at Alma, as did Sev and Laine. Her face tinted again. “Well, something
like that. They didn’t know you kept in touch with us or the rest of our brothers and sister.
Then Rogelio said something a few months ago—you remember, you talked to him on the
phone for a long time? He thinks you hung the moon, Sev. Anyway, we were at Mama and
Papa’s for dinner, and Rogelio made a comment about watching some show about ghosts.
That set Mama and Papa off.” Alma darted an apologetic look at Sev. “Rogelio got mad and
started defending you. They kind of went nuts.”
Roger shook his head. “There wasn’t no ‘kind of’ to it. Your mother can screech like a
damned banshee. But what it came down to was a big family meeting where everyone was
told in no uncertain terms were they to have any contact with you. To do so would mean
being cut from the will, and anyone receiving any financial help before then would be on
their own.”
Laine kept his expression bland even though he felt like driving to San Antonio and
kicking Sev’s parents’ asses. And the rest of Sev’s siblings, too, if they were stupid enough to
allow themselves to be manipulated.
“I’m sorry,” Sev whispered brokenly.
Laine forgot about his anger and took the drink holder from his partner. He handed it
off to either Alma or roger, Laine didn’t pay attention who took it. “You’ve got no reason to
be apologising,” Laine said clearly as he pulled Sev into his arms. “It’s not your fault your
parents are the way they are.”
Alma stepped behind Sev and placed a hand on his shoulders. Her cheeks were
streaked with tears. “No, baby brother, it isn’t. They’re hateful people, and they won’t ever
change. That isn’t your fault. I’m just sorry we put up with it for so long.”
“Why did you?” Laine thought he knew, but he wanted to hear it.
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“Who doesn’t want their parents’ approval?” Alma said, confirming his suspicions.
“We were raised up to believe certain things, behave certain ways. It was always easier to go
along. Having children of our own…well, I don’t want them to grow up like we did. I just
hope it’s not too late, that they haven’t been exposed to so much hatred that it’s become a
part of them, or will in the future.”
“It hasn’t with Rogelio,” Sev mumbled against Laine’s chest. “He wouldn’t have talked
to me as long as he did or defended me if he wasn’t a good kid.”
Alma’s watery smile quivered. “I told you, he practically idolises you. He went online
and printed out everything he could find about your work with police departments. He has
them all in an album he keeps on his dresser. When he told Mama and Papa that I thought
they were going to have a stroke.”
“He brought it with him,” Roger added. “That boy was not happy being left at the
motel, but we needed him there since Adela and Martin are too young to be left alone. We
were hoping maybe we could all go get lunch, although I’m not sure, with Adela…”
The door opened and Loretta came in, her usual scowl gone. She looked at Laine and
Sev then blinked as if unsure she was seeing the two of them. Whether it was because of the
embrace or something else, Laine didn’t know. He couldn’t figure the woman out. She darted
a glance at Roger and Alma before returning her attention to Laine. “Could I speak to you in
your office?” she asked, and Laine nodded as he grudgingly released Sev.
“All right.” He excused himself and patted Sev’s shoulder when the man looked at him
and arched a brow. Laine shrugged; he didn’t know what was going on either. He gestured
for Loretta to precede him then followed her into his office. Once she’d taken a seat, he sat
behind his desk, the springs in the chair groaning and reminding him he needed to buy a
replacement soon. One of these days he’d come in and plop down and end up on the floor.
Laine scooted the chair a few inches away from the desk and tried to look as attentive as
possible. “What can I help you with? Are there supplies that—”
Loretta hugged and flapped a hand towards him. “Nothing like that. This job just isn’t
working for me. I don’t know why Doreen thought it would, because it seems obvious to me
our personalities clash.”
Laine’s stomach tingled as he realised what Loretta was getting at. He sat back and
steepled his fingers under his chin as he considered the woman for a few seconds. “Is it
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because of me and Sev? Did you decide to quit when you walked in and saw us together?” It
didn’t make sense to him, because it wasn’t like them being gay was a secret.
“No,” Loretta said slowly, as if she was speaking to someone slow on the uptake. She
leant back, mimicking his pose as she tucked her fingers under her chin. “I told you, we just
don’t click or whatever you want to call it. I know you’re aware of it, and surely I’m not the
first person you’ve met who ruffles your feathers. You certainly aren’t the first who ruffled
mine.”
Laine bit back a comment about how that didn’t surprise him, as Loretta seemed rather
unpleasant to him. Maybe she wasn’t like that with everyone, he didn’t know. “It has
happened on occasion,” Laine conceded. “Usually there’s a reason for it, though.”
Loretta sniffed and dropped her hands to her lap as she sat up straighter. “Well, I don’t
always have a reason. Sometimes I just get these feelings about people, and I trust them. I
knew when I walked in here the first time this probably wouldn’t work, but thought I should
give it a try. Maybe if the people here behaved with a bit more decorum, acted more like
serious minded servants of the law. But no,” she said with what sounded like a tinge of
disgust in her voice. “This place is like a madhouse. Your employees treat you more like a
friend than a boss, and you let them. And hugging your partner, that’s unprofessional. It
wouldn’t matter if it was a woman, either. There’s a time and a place for it, and neither of
those are when you’re working and here in this office. Doreen’s been too lax, letting such
behaviour occur during work hours.”
Laine knew his mouth was gaping as he tried to wrap his mind around Loretta’s way of
thinking. He just couldn’t do it. What’d she think, that they were all supposed to be stern-
faced and stoic? Did she believe the only way to be professional was to make sure there
wasn’t a bit of levity at work? Judging by the way she always seemed to be scowling, except
during this conversation, he was inclined to believe that was the case.
“Anyway, this just isn’t working for me,” Loretta said before Laine could figure out
what, if anything, he should be saying. She flicked at something on her sleeve then nodded
once before rising. “I just think everyone here should conduct themselves with more
decorum. As that isn’t going to happen, and I am simply not happy here, it’s best I leave.
Normally I’d give notice, being a professional myself, but it seems silly to do so, all things
considered.”
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Laine was still trying to process the way Loretta phrased her resignation—he was pretty
sure the last time he’d heard anyone use the terms ‘conduct’ and ‘decorum’, he’d probably
been a kid listening to his grandma go on about ‘young people nowadays’. Somehow he
found himself standing and shaking Loretta’s hand, then the woman left the office and Laine
shook his head. About all he’d got out of that was Loretta thought Laine and his deputies
were unprofessional—unprofessional enough that she didn’t feel the need to give any notice,
and he was now in need of another temporary receptionist.
He heard Loretta’s voice droning on, and the rumbling sound of Sev’s reply although
he couldn’t make out the words. Worried there’d be some sort of confrontation, Laine
quickly headed back to where he’d left the others.
Alma was staring at the door with her eyebrows arched just like Sev did when he was
puzzled or amused. “Well, she was…something else.”
“I’d say you’re well rid of her,” Roger added to his wife’s commentary. “She made sure
to inform us how unprofessional you and everyone else working here was.”
Laine looked at Sev, halfway expecting the man to be fuming. Instead Sev was shaking
his head and frowning slightly. “She must be very unhappy, poor woman.”
Laine wasn’t the only one who goggled at Sev. “What?” Sev asked, his eyebrows arched
high and his hands raised in front of him. “Would any of you like to be that miserable? I
mean, what a horrible way to spend your life. I feel sorry for her.” He sighed and pointed to
the empty desk. “Guess this means you can’t go to lunch with us.”
Laine remembered his fears about having Sev’s family camped out at their place. That
didn’t seem so terrible now, though he still would rather they spend their nights at the motel.
But having them to dinner wouldn’t be so bad.
“Why don’t y’all go on and we’ll all have dinner at the house tonight? We can do pizza
if you don’t want to cook, I’ll grab it on my way in.”
Sev’s face lit up with a grin so big Laine didn’t see how anyone could resist smiling
back. “That’d be great! I can cook—”
“Can I?” Alma asked, looking from Sev to Laine. “I’d like to make dinner, if you
wouldn’t mind.” Then she grinned, looking so much like Sev Laine’s heart lurched. “I’ll even
make coffee and bring you a cup or two.”
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Laine chuckled, the tension from the confrontation with Loretta gone. “Well, how could
I say no to an offer like that?”
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Chapter Six
There were too many things Laine had to do to spend the day sitting behind a desk,
especially one that wasn’t his. He picked up the phone and called Rich, who said he’d be
more than happy to help out for a few days. That settled, Laine leant back in Doreen’s chair
and contemplated the missing spirits. He hoped having his family here would help distract
Sev a little from the whole issue, but Laine knew it wouldn’t, not for long at least.
Communicating with the dead was an integral part of Sev—it’d shaped him into the
man he was now. It had to feel like he was missing a limb or two with that ability now
useless. Of course, it would probably work just fine somewhere else. Laine suspected this
was an isolated thing, occurring only here in McKinton. If not, surely there’d be stories of
others… He should check that out.
Laine was elbow-deep in Google links when Matt and Carlin arrived. He hadn’t found
anything useful, just confirmed what he’d already known. There were a lot of weird people
in the world. He closed the page and pushed out of the chair, a smile teasing his lips. “Matt,
Carlin. You win your case?”
Carlin’s smile would have put a model’s to shame. “Of course. Hopefully the lower
courts will never do something so stupid as to bulldoze over a woman’s rights like they did
Mrs Odon’s. If nothing else, they should think twice before forcing hospitalisation and tests
on a woman just because she asks her doctor for a second opinion. Maybe they’ll think four
million times, once for every dollar the state has to pay Mrs Odon.”
Matt beamed at his lover. “Yeah, and she gets all of it since Carlin took this case pro
bono.”
“Wasn’t like we needed the money, and what happened to Mrs Odon was just so
wrong.” Carlin shrugged, his gaze dropping to the floor.
Laine was impressed. He knew Carlin was a good man, but to give up a chunk of
money the size he must have… That put Carlin in a whole higher class of good. “I bet Mrs
Hawkins is very proud of you,” Laine said, referring to Carlin’s deceased aunt.
Matt and Carlin looked at each other then at Laine. “We figured out on the way in from
the airport, neither of us has felt her for days.” Matt slipped his hand in Carlin’s and tugged
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the man closer to his side. “I thought she was hanging around New York keeping an eye on
Carlin, and he thought she was here. Turns out we were both wrong. We thought we’d talk
to Severo, if we could.”
“About that…”
By the time Laine had explained that all the spirits had vanished and what his theory on
the why of that was, Matt was ready to storm Rich’s place and demand to speak to Miriam.
“Let Laine handle it for now,” Carlin said. He patted Matt’s chest when the man
grumbled. “You’re too emotional right now, and I’m exhausted. I’m sure Laine will tell us
what he finds out.”
“I will,” Laine promised, then proceeded to encourage the men to leave as politely as he
could. With Matt being so upset about the spirits, Laine didn’t know that him running into
Rich would be a good thing at this time. Not that he thought Matt would do anything stupid,
but Laine hadn’t had the chance to talk to Rich about what was going on, and he’d rather do
it himself calmly. He breathed a small sigh of relief once Matt and Carlin were gone then sat
down and waited for Rich to get there.
* * * *
Rich had called ahead and told Chris what was going on, and while Chris agreed
banishing spirits was something his mother could do, he also had Rich inform Laine it wasn’t
something Miriam would do without forewarning or a good reason. All Laine could do was
take Chris’s word for it until he talked to Miriam and could decide for himself.
Chris also didn’t think anyone else in the coven would have done such a thing, not even
the High Priest, whom he didn’t sound too fond of. According to him, the man’s aura was
pretty pure, although it swirled with lusty colours when he was around Miriam. Laine had
told Chris to pull on his big boy pants and deal with it. Chris’s response was less polite, but it
had made Laine laugh.
He wasn’t surprised to see Miriam and Chris both waiting for him once he found a
place to park around the tents. Unless he was mistaken, there were more now than there had
been the last time he’d stopped by. Made him wonder just how big the blessing ceremony for
Hawkins’ Senior and Youth Centre was going to be. If it went by participant body count, it
ought to be the most blessed place in the world.
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“Come on inside before the tea gets cold,” Miriam called out to him as Laine strode
towards them.
That wasn’t really an incentive for him to hurry. He liked his tea iced and sweet enough
to cause cavities.
“It’s a special mix I made just for you,” Miriam crooned. Laine was pretty sure she was
teasing him, what with the way she waggled her eyebrows and such. He hadn’t had a
problem with Miriam—she seemed like a decent person, and just because Laine didn’t share
her religious beliefs didn’t mean she was weird.
For all he knew, Wicca could be The Way. If so, he’d just stay off trail. Religion wasn’t
his thing, although he couldn’t say whether or not there was some sort of god. Laine didn’t
dwell on it much, choosing to believe each person was responsible for their own lives for the
most part.
The bangles on Miriam’s wrists jangled as she gestured at him to hurry up. She was
grinning, obviously enjoying poking at him. He gave her a narrow-eyed look because he
knew she’d get a kick out of it. Miriam laughed and tucked a long strand of blonde hair
behind her ear. “Oh, come on, I know you’re happy to see me.”
Laine glanced at Chris, who shook his head. The man hadn’t filled his mother in on the
reason for Laine’s visit. Did he wait so Laine could see Miriam’s reaction?
“Quit thinking so hard,” Chris told him when Laine stopped in front of them. “I figured
you should explain everything to Miriam since you’re involved.”
Miriam’s smile dimmed as she looked at Laine. “What’s going on? Is someone
protesting the blessing? I know how people can be about Wicca. They think we’re all witches
brewing cauldrons of cute little animals or casting evil spells. Ignorant idiots.”
Laine had kind of thought that way himself until he’d met Miriam and started doing a
little research. “There might be some people who aren’t happy with it, but in general, the
people of McKinton aren’t ignorant idiots.”
Miriam looked contrite. “Oh. Well, I shouldn’t generalise like that. Sorry. That made me
the ignorant one.” She rolled her eyes then turned and started walking to the front door.
“You’d think I’d have learned to be more tolerant and less judgmental…”
Laine greeted Chris, his eyes drawn, as usual, to the labret piercing on the man’s chin.
Every time he saw the dangling silver jewellery, he thought of Sev mentioning he’d like a
Prince Albert piercing. Laine thought that had to hurt like hell, but he’d told Sev if he really
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wanted one to go for it. The fact that Sev hadn’t yet got his dick pierced made Laine think
Sev had decided against it after all. He didn’t know whether to be relieved or disappointed.
Once inside the house, they sat in the living room, Laine in a leather recliner and Chris
and Miriam across from him on the couch. Laine ignored the steaming cup of tea as he
explained to Miriam why he was here. Miriam was silent except for an occasional hum here
and there, and the clanking of her bracelets when she took a drink of her tea.
“You think I did this, sent them away?” Miriam asked, giving Laine a hard look. Laine
felt about an inch tall under that look. “You do. Why would I do something like that? They
weren’t hurting anything. It was obvious they were loved.”
“I’m sorry,” Laine said, “it’s just…the timing of it coincides with your arrival. I don’t
have any other ideas, and…it just feels wrong, having Conner and the others gone. It’s like a
part of me is missing, and it’s even worse for Sev. He used to be able to interact with Conner
and the other missing spirits. I know he has to feel like a vital part of himself is missing along
with them.”
Miriam seemed mollified as she leant forward and braced her elbows on her knees. “I
can understand that, and I agree the timing probably isn’t coincidental. Maybe the spirits
weren’t happy with us arriving. I won’t lie, there’s more than me here who could cast a spell
to vanquish them.”
Laine shook his head. “No, I don’t think that’s it. I don’t know how to describe it except
to say I can feel that they’re gone. Not hiding out somewhere, but gone.” He was close to
begging but his pride was nothing compared to the weight of his loss. Not only his, but Sev
and everyone else who had a deceased loved one they were used to having in their lives.
“Miriam, please, is there anything you can do to fix this? Conner, Stefan, Mrs Hawkins,
Mrs Mathers—they’re all part of our lives. We love them just as much now as we did when
they were alive—maybe even more since they did whatever they had to in order to remain
here. Losing them again like this…” Laine’s voice hitched as a hot ball of grief burned in his
belly. “I can’t tell you how much it hurts. Conner was my lover when he was alive, and I
didn’t, I didn’t love him enough to let anyone know about him. Now in death he’s one of the
dearest people, to me and Sev both, and neither of us will let him be taken from us without a
fight. And we won’t stop fighting.”
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“I wouldn’t expect you to,” Miriam told him. “You carry your guilt over his death with
you, you know. It wasn’t your fault. Coming out and showing the world he was your lover
wouldn’t have saved him. James McAlister still would have taken him from you.”
So Conner had been destined to die simply for being Laine’s lover. How the hell was he
not supposed to feel guilty for that?
“Laine, Conner made the choice to be with you,” Chris pointed out. “I doubt you
twisted his arm. The blame for his death is and will always be on James McAlister’s soul, not
yours, not Conner’s, only McAlister’s. You have to learn to let the guilt go.”
“What the fuck do you know about it?” Laine snapped in a rare fit of temper. These
past few days had worn him down to a nub. Laine regretted the outburst even as it left his
lips. He sagged into the chair and dropped his head in his hands. “I’m sorry, Chris, Miriam. I
just…I don’t know. I don’t know what to do, but getting nasty with either of you isn’t it. I’m
sorry. There was no excuse for that.”
“It’s all right,” Chris said from beside him. Laine peeked out through his fingers. He
hadn’t even heard the big guy move. The chair groaned as Chris sat on the padded armrest
and slung an arm over Laine’s shoulders. “You’re right, to a point. I don’t know much about
it, except what I see in your aura. Guilt. See that a lot, but the rest of it’s all good, dude. And I
kind of know you. You wouldn’t have done anything to endanger anyone, much less
someone you loved. So, I know you didn’t—endanger Conner, that is. And I know James
McAlister was a psychopathic bastard who killed several gay men besides Conner. Would
you blame the lovers of his other victims for their deaths?”
“No,” Laine drew the word out as what Chris said penetrated through the hard shell of
guilt he’d carried for years. “No, I wouldn’t, but…”
But why was he fighting letting that guilt go? Laine dropped his hands to his lap and
looked up at Chris. Damn guy was huge. Chris looked at him expectantly. “No. It wasn’t
their fault any more than it was the victims’.”
A weight Laine had carried around inside since Conner’s death began to lessen.
“It wasn’t your fault,” Chris murmured, “what happened to Zeke wasn’t your fault
either, neither was McAlister’s spirit tormenting Rich.”
That was a bit much, Laine thought. If he had only kept Zeke’s sister locked up she
wouldn’t have nearly killed him out on Main Street. He didn’t know what he could have
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done to protect Rich, short of never calling the man and asking him for information on Sev
when he first came to town. But still—
“Eva would have found a way to hurt Zeke,” Chris continued, bulldozing over Laine’s
internal arguments. “Her husband was in that car. It’s likely he would have gone after Zeke.
And you don’t have the ability to control spirits, you couldn’t have stopped McAlister from
going after Rich. Even Miriam didn’t know it was possible for a spirit to latch on to someone
and inhabit part of their soul. That’s some scary shit, Laine. How could you have stopped
that?”
“You couldn’t have,” Miriam said.
God, he was being tag-teamed by a pair of people determined to make him see past his
failures, or what he’d thought of as his failures. Laine couldn’t even be mad about it because,
for whatever reason, what they were saying was actually getting through to him.
This wasn’t the first time someone had told him he wasn’t responsible for Conner’s
death or any of the other horrible things that had happened since then. But this was the first
time he was actually beginning to believe it. He wished like hell Sev was here, though. Laine
could have used those strong lean arms around him.
It might have been better that Sev wasn’t there. Laine was afraid he’d have completely
broken down in the man’s arms. Sev seeing him so vulnerable was one thing—Laine didn’t
want there to be anyone other than his partner around to witness it if it did happen. He
concentrated on calming his breathing, which had become shaky and harsh. His shoulders
relaxed under Chris’s arms, and as Laine exhaled slowly, he realised he felt less burdened
than he could remember feeling in years.
Sure, he was still worried about Conner as well as the other spirits—that concern hadn’t
lessened. But the sometimes almost overwhelming feelings of guilt and failure, those weren’t
nearly as strong as they had been. They weren’t gone entirely, but Laine thought they might
just be easier to bear now. And maybe, eventually, he could learn to let the rest of it go. He
was almost feeling like he had himself pulled together when Miriam spoke.
“I’m going to make you some more tea, and this time I want you to drink it.”
Laine couldn’t help but wrinkle his nose at her. “Do I have to?”
Miriam nodded. “Yup, you sure do, but I’ll be nice and add some sugar and milk, will
that make it more palatable?”
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“I have no idea.” Laine always avoided hot teas except when not drinking it would hurt
someone’s feelings. “Guess I’ll try it and find out.”
“Good.” Miriam patted his hand. “I’ll fix your tea then we’ll figure out a plan for
finding out what’s happened to the spirits of McKinton.”
* * * *
The plan, as it turned out, wasn’t all that complicated—not the first part, anyway.
Miriam called her coven together then told them what had been done to the spirits. From
their higher positions on the porch, they had a good view of the coven.
As Miriam talked, Chris studied auras and Laine studied faces. When he looked at the
High Priest, he didn’t need Chris’s ability. He could easily see the desire in the man’s
expression as he watched Miriam. Wonder what Miriam thinks about it? As sharp as the woman
is, she has to be aware of it.
Laine muttered to Chris, “You know, I never thought about using you as a human lie
detector before.”
“It doesn’t exactly work that way,” Chris murmured back, “not everyone feels like
they’re lying when they are. It’s all in how they perceive themselves and their truths—”
“Guys, I’m talking here,” Miriam scolded.
Laine and Chris obediently shut up. By the time Miriam finished, Laine had studied
each of the twenty-two people gathered in front of them. He hadn’t seen anyone wearing a
sign that said ‘I did it’, not that he’d expected to, but he also hadn’t seen anyone who looked
nervous or guilty.
“Anything?” he asked Chris, who was still studying the crowd.
“No, but like I said, that doesn’t mean anything. Someone could have done something
and really not think there was anything wrong with it.” He shrugged. “I wish I could have
been more helpful.”
Vincent, the High Priest, came up onto the porch and offered Laine his hand. “Sheriff,
we’ll do what we can to fix this. I have no doubt we can make it right, we just need a little
time. We’ll have to make sure, of course, that it was a spell that banished the spirits and it
wasn’t simply their time to pass on.”
“It wasn’t,” Laine bit out. He refused to believe otherwise. “Surely you see how
suspicious it is that every single spirit in this town is gone, not just the ones people are
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familiar with, but all of them. Sev even went to the hospital, a place he usually can’t stand for
long because of all the spirit activity, and he didn’t find a single presence there. Are you
really going to tell me that’s a natural occurrence?”
“N-no,” Vincent sputtered, backing away from a finger Laine hadn’t even realised he
was jabbing at the man. “No, of course not. I just mean we have to make sure it was an act of
magic, n-not some…something else.”
“What else would it be?” Laine snapped. “You think they all went to the Bahamas
together?”
“I’m sure that’s not what Vincent thinks,” Miriam said from behind Laine. “Quit
scaring the poor man, would you, before he falls off the porch.”
Laine glared at Vincent but stepped back. Then he glared at Chris since the man was
snickering. “I fail to see anything amusing about any of this.” Laine winced at sounding like
an uptight prick, but damn it, he wanted all of the spirits back where they belonged.
Chris quit snickering. “The only thing amusing was watching Vincent here try not to
piss his pants. Sorry.”
Vincent sputtered for a few seconds until Miriam sent him inside. She turned to Laine
and pointed one red-tipped finger at him even though her lips were twitching against a
smile. “It’s not going to help at all if you scare off my High Priest. We need him to help us,
not pack up and head for the hill ‘cause he’s scared you’re going to bite his head off, okay?”
“Yes, ma’am.” Laine knew better than to let his temper get the best of him, yet twice in
as many hours he’d lost it. He’d better get his shit together before he did anything else
stupid. “I’ll apologise—”
Miriam waved off the offer. “Nah, just let him be. He was kind of a twit about it. Of
course it’s magic, we just need to find out what kind, and whether it was someone from this
coven or not. As Chris said, he could have missed something, or there could be people
missing. I didn’t check to see who all arrived today or how many there were now total.”
“Twenty-two,” Chris answered before Laine could. “I don’t know how many there’s
supposed to be, but that’s how many were here.”
Miriam nodded. She frowned as she looked out at the tents. “I’ll have Vincent go
around and do a head count in a few minutes. After that, he and I will start doing our thing
to find out what kind of magic was used, white, black, something else entirely…”
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And why that sent a chill down Laine’s spine, he didn’t know. It lodged there at the
base, though, and stayed with him the entire drive home.
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Chapter Seven
“…and this one, what’d you do on it?”
Sev looked at the inch-and-a-half-long article in Rogelio’s album and wished he could
groan without hurting the kid’s feelings. Rogelio really did have an album that contained, as
far as Sev could tell, every single mention of Sev on the Internet—which wasn’t much—as
well as the cases where he’d been able to fly under the media’s radar.
He figured Alma must have helped Rogelio even though she hadn’t said so. She knew
what cases he’d worked on because he’d always called to let her and his other siblings know
where he was.
“Rogelio, stop pestering Severo. I’m sure he doesn’t want to go over all that horrible
stuff,” Alma scolded as she walked into the living room.
Alma was right—he hated going over ‘all that horrible stuff’. Murders were not
something he cared to recount. It was bad enough he could still remember clearly the faces of
each victim he’d ever seen a photo of. Talking about their deaths was well beyond
unpleasant.
“Sorry, Uncle Sev,” Rogelio mumbled. “You could have told me to stop. I wouldn’t
have gotten mad.”
Sev smiled at his nephew. Rogelio looked enough like him that he could easily pass for
Sev’s little brother. Rogelio had the same shaped face, right down to the pointy chin. The
only glaring difference was his eyes, which were brown like his father’s rather than the pale
green of Sev and Alma’s.
“It’s okay, I don’t mind…” Rogelio arched one fine black eyebrow. “Much,” Sev added.
“I don’t like talking about the crimes, the victims, but I have enjoyed spending time with
you.”
Rogelio’s grin about melted Sev’s heart. “Cool. We can do something else, maybe—”
Alma brushed her hand over her son’s head. “Maybe you should let your Uncle Sev
spend some time with Adela and Martin, too.”
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The younger two kids looked up at him from where they were sitting on the floor
playing their handheld games. Sev didn’t think either of them looked eager to spend time
with him.
“Grandpa says he’s a bad man,” Martin said, glaring at Sev. “He said you’re going to—
”
“Martin Eduardo Martinez! You watch your mouth, young man!”
Martin cringed at his mother’s reprimand but he didn’t look any less angry to Sev. “But
Grandpa says—”
“Your grandpa says a lot of mean things that aren’t true,” Roger said as he got up from
his chair. He walked over and sat on the floor between his youngest children. “You heard
him say I wasn’t good enough for your mom. Do you believe that, too?”
Martin looked at his dad and shook his head so hard Sev was surprised it didn’t come
right off his thin little neck. “No, but—”
“No ‘buts’,” Roger said gently, “Grandpa is a bitter, angry man. Your grandma is a
bitter, angry woman. They say a lot of mean things, but you need to get to know your uncles
on your own and form your own opinions, you and Adela both. Do you think your mom and
I would hang around with bad people?”
“Y’all hung around Grandma and Grandpa,” Rogelio said bitterly.
Sev leaned over and whispered, “You’re not helping!”
Roger’s lips quirked as he glanced at Sev, then his expression turned serious when he
looked at his youngest son. “Rogelio’s right, we did, and that’s how we learned that hanging
around with people like your grandparents wasn’t a good thing. They don’t like their own son
because he can do something they don’t understand. Do you think that’s right, for a parent to
treat their own child like that?”
“And ‘cause he’s gay,” Adela piped in, “they were yelling about that, too, and in school
the nuns say—”
“What do they know?” Alma put a hand on Sev’s shoulder. “They just repeat what
someone else said, they don’t think for themselves. And we told you, you, Martin, and
Rogelio will not be going back to that private school! Your grandparent’s won’t be paying for
it anymore, and we can’t afford it—and your father and I don’t care for a lot of what they are
teaching you.”
“Thank God,” Rogelio muttered. “I hated that stupid place.”
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“What’s gay?” Martin asked. “Why would it make you go to Hell if it’s not bad?”
Sev stood up slowly and patted Alma’s hand, still on his shoulder. “I think I’ll let you
and Roger talk to your kids about this. I’ll just…” He gestured towards the front door. “Go
water the plants, it’s about that time. I also need to see how much damage the frost did.”
“I’ll come with you,” Rogelio volunteered, bounding off the couch. “I already know all
this stuff anyways. It’s just that Grandma and Grandpa have their claws sunk into Adela and
Martin more than they ever did me.”
Sev cast a glance over his shoulder at Alma. “Well, if it’s okay?”
Alma’s expression shifted into one of concern but she nodded. “Yes, I think…I think
Rogelio wanted to talk to you alone anyway.”
“Mom!” Rogelio yelped.
Sev’s head swivelled around at Rogelio’s indignant exclamation. The younger man’s
cheeks were darkly flushed and his eyes were nearly bugging out of their sockets. Hm. What’s
this? Maybe there’s more to the whole story than what Alma’s told me.
“Come on, let’s go check the gardens.” Sev caught Rogelio’s elbow and tugged. They
grabbed their jackets and went outside.
When they were far enough away from the house that Sev was sure they couldn’t be
heard, Sev stopped and turned to his nephew. Rogelio’s cheeks were still ruddy, though Sev
didn’t know if it was from embarrassment or the wind that slapped at them both.
Rogelio huffed and dragged his gaze up from the ground to meet Sev’s. He shrugged
and his cheeks went darker.
Sev watched the boy fidget with his hands before he tucked them in his back pockets.
When it seemed Rogelio wasn’t going to speak, Sev figured he’d have to get this
conversation started.
“Do you want me to guess the reason for that back there with your mom?” He kind of
hoped Rogelio would say no, because if Sev did guess and was wrong, this could go badly.
Rogelio shrugged and went back to studying the ground.
Great. Where’d the talkative kid from a few minutes ago go? “Are you sure you want me to
guess? I mean, I will if I have to, but if I do and I’m wrong, you can’t get mad at me, because
that just isn’t fair, not when it’s obvious”—maybe—“there’s something you want to tell me
but are too scared to. That’s a lot of pressure on me, Rogelio.” Sev cracked a grin that had no
effect he could see on his nephew.
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“Look, it’s already making me babble. I don’t want to screw this up, not when for the
first time in my life, or at least since I became psychic, I have a chance to have a family again.
I don’t want to blow that.”
Rogelio glanced back up at him but only for a second before muttering, “I won’t get
mad.”
Well, that’s helpful! Sev touched the necklace his grandmother had given him. He caught
it between his fingers then tipped Rogelio’s chin up with his other hand. Anguished brown
eyes met his, and Sev knew he was right. His heart broke for the kid. It had to have been hell
being around Sev’s parents—and the private school, too.
Sev looked intently in those eyes and hoped Rogelio could see how sincere he was,
would know he had Sev on his side. “If you can’t even say it, Rogelio, then you won’t be able
to accept it. That’s a hard way to live.”
Rogelio’s eyes filled. The younger man swiped at the tears that spilled down his cheeks.
He swallowed so loudly it made Sev’s throat ache with sympathy. He sobbed and Sev
thought, fuck it! He pulled his nephew to him and held him, each shudder and sob that shook
the boy’s thin body hurting Sev deep inside.
“I take it your parents know?” he asked when he thought Rogelio was calming down.
“Yeah,” Rogelio croaked, his voice as raw as Sev’s emotions, “they know I’m—I’m
gay.”
Alma was going to have to explain how they knew when Rogelio could hardly even say
the word. Or maybe not.
“T-they… Mom got on my laptop to check some stuff, she said. I forgot I had some p-
pages up…”
Sev’s eyebrows tried to crawl to the top of his head as his stomach plummeted to his
ankles. “Porn? Oh my god, Rogelio, don’t look at that shit!” Whoops. Get your mouth under
control! “That stuff isn’t real. I mean it is, but it isn’t like real sex with—” Shut up, shut up, shut
up! Sev would have slapped himself upside the head if he hadn’t been hugging his still
sobbing nephew.
Except, that didn’t sound like crying. He peered into Rogelio’s face and found the little
shit laughing at him! Sev did his best to look stern. “It’s not funny. That sh—stuff will rot
your brain and totally screw up your expectations!”
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Rogelio chortled for a few seconds then slapped Sev on the back before putting a few
inches between them. “I know that stuff is just acting—bad acting at that.” His cheeky grin
was a big improvement over the mulish attitude or the crying jag, but Sev wasn’t happy
knowing his nephew had already been trolling porn. Like you didn’t at that age! It’s just a lot
easier for Rogelio now with the Internet.
“Anyway, that wasn’t what she found. And I don’t look at it much.” Rogelio shrugged
when Sev gave him a doubtful look. “I don’t. It kind of grossed me out. Well, it was hot at
first, until I started finding stuff like fist—”
Sev thought his eyes were going to bug out of his head. “Stop! I don’t want to know!”
He took a slightly shaky breath then rethought what he’d just said. Someone has to be there for
Rogelio. Oh shit. “Ugh!” Sev scrubbed at his forehead. “What I mean is, if you have questions,
legitimate questions, I will, of course, do my best to answer them. But I won’t go into stuff
that’s inappropriate just so you can get your jollies, and I will not talk about mine and Laine’s
personal life.”
“Ugh back! I don’t want to know what you and your boyfriend—”
“Partner,” Sev bit out. “You would have a boyfriend. I, as an adult gay man in a
committed relationship, have a partner.”
“Okay, partner. I don’t want to know about what y’all do, and I already know most of
that stuff anyways. I don’t need sex ed, Uncle Sev, I just…” Rogelio sighed and rubbed his
forehead in a gesture so familiar Sev couldn’t help but smile. “There were some places I
would go online, chat rooms for kids who were trying to figure out who they were, you
know?”
Sev barely stopped himself from starting in on Rogelio about that. Chat rooms were
bastions of perverts looking for naïve boys and girls, weren’t they?
“They were run or recommended by very well-known Gay Support groups, so don’t
look at me like that. There were moderators in each room and no exchange of personal
information with other chatters, no personal IM’ing. It was safe, and I needed…I needed the
help.”
“Okay, I can understand that,” Sev admitted. “I grew up in that family, too, at least
until your great-grandma rescued me.” He nudged Rogelio playfully in the ribs. Even
through the jacket the boy felt bony. “You know your grandparents—my parents—had me
committed to a mental institution when I was years younger than you?”
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Rogelio’s eyes widened dramatically. “No? You knew you were gay that far back?”
Sev couldn’t hold back a bitter laugh. “No, but I was psychic that far back, and even
when I proved it by talking to the spirits of people they’d known who’d passed away, told
them things no one but they and those people would know, they still didn’t believe me.”
“I bet they did,” Rogelio argued. “I bet that’s why they had you committed. You
probably scared the crap out of them and they were terrified of what else you might find out.
Maybe they murdered someone or sold drugs, or—”
“I think they’re just narrow-minded and can’t accept anyone different from them,” Sev
said before Rogelio could go on. The kid sounded way too excited by the idea of his
grandparents being criminals. “Anyway, they took me to a few shrinks, then had me
committed. Your great grandma had all the money back then. She told my parents to get me
out or she’d cut them free. They did, and Grandma—my grandma—forgave them enough to
let my old man inherit everything.”
Rogelio spluttered for a solid minute before getting his tongue to work. “But that’s crap!
Why would she do that after what they did?”
Sev couldn’t deny he’d been hurt by it. He didn’t care about the money, but he’d have
liked to have something other than just this necklace and his memories of his grandmother.
“She was old-fashioned. Well, in some ways. She didn’t like me being gay, but she didn’t
turn away from me because of it. My dad was her son, the first born and all of that, and other
than the exceptions she made for me, Grandma was pretty traditional. Plus, it wasn’t like I
was going to have kids to pass the money along to, right?”
“That doesn’t matter!” Rogelio practically shouted. “How could she…” Rogelio trailed
off at the sound of an approaching vehicle.
Sev grinned, happy to his soul to hear Laine approaching. He knew every click and
growl of that engine. He turned and stood beside Rogelio to watch as Laine drove down the
drive. Sev hooked his arm through his nephew’s. “Come on. I want you to meet my partner.”
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Chapter Eight
“Mm, Chiles Renellos,” Sev purred, making the dish Alma set on the table sound like a
pleasurable sexual experience.
Laine took a whiff and thought his partner might just be right. The spicy scent went
straight to Laine’s rumbling stomach. He might have been embarrassed if he had been the
only one whose stomach was demanding food. Alma set down a bowl of Spanish rice.
Adela, who kept looking at Laine as if he might bite no matter how friendly he tried to
look, carried a tortilla warmer to the table. Along with the frijoles, tortilla soup, chips con
queso and guacamole, Laine figured his and Sev’s table had never held such a mouth-
watering meal.
“Are we going to say Grace?” Martin asked. Laine got a bad feeling in the pit of his
stomach.
Sure enough, Alma nodded at him. “I think either your Uncle Laine or Uncle Sev
should say Grace since this is their home.”
Don’t do it, don’t—Sev grinned. “Laine, would you mind?”
He’d show Sev just how much he minded, later. Feeling like a hypocrite, and trying not
to be one, Laine dipped his head, closed his eyes and folded his hands on the table. That was
as good as it was going to get. Then he just got the whole prayer thing over as quickly as
possible.
“Please bless this food and thank you for our guests. Amen.” It was good enough for
him. He opened his eyes and peered down the length of the table. Sev was laughing quietly,
the shit, and Rogelio was, too. That kid looked at Laine with a little too much interest. Laine
was sure it was just a kiddy crush, but… Well he wasn’t used to anyone but Sev looking at
him like that.
Roger was trying to smother a snicker, and Alma was busy explaining to Adela and
Martin that, no, Grace did not have to take five minutes.
Laine shrugged and started fixing his plate. The others soon followed suit. Laine tried a
spoonful of the tortilla soup. The spicy blend hit his tongue and Laine moaned.
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Cilantro, some kind of peppers, garlic, tomatoes and several other flavours melded
together in what he knew had to be ambrosia. He quickly spooned up some more, making
sure he got a strip of fried corn tortilla. Alma beamed at him from her seat and Laine beamed
right back.
“Alma, this is the best tortilla soup I’ve ever had.” Then he didn’t speak again, not
much at least, until he’d stuffed himself with the feast she’d prepared.
Leaning back in his chair, Laine groaned and wondered if he could get away with
popping the button of his pants. He rubbed his stomach and noticed the other men looking
similarly sated.
“That was way better than pizza,” Sev muttered, drooping in his seat. “God, I’m so full
I think Laine’s gonna have to roll me out of here.”
“I like pizza better,” Adela said, then followed that proclamation with another
mouthful of Chiles Renellos.
“Me too, but this was good.” Martin looked at his mom. “What’s for dessert?”
“Flan,” Alma informed them.
Laine groaned again. He was going to get fat as all get out if Alma cooked for them the
whole week she was here.
* * * *
“So, was it as bad as you thought it’d be?” Sev asked as Laine flopped onto the bed.
“No, they were great, but I’m so full I’m miserable.”
Sev eyed Laine’s trim stomach. “Can’t tell you packed away half the food.”
“Hey!” Laine pried an eye open to glare at him. “I did not eat any more than you or
Roger!”
“Uh huh,” Sev teased as he settled in beside Laine. “And you sucked down that flan
like nobody’s business.”
Laine’s other eye opened and before Sev knew what was what, he was grabbed and
rolled onto his back, with Laine on top of him. He grunted, Laine about squashing the
daylights out of him. Laine propped himself up on his elbows and gave Sev a stern look.
“You made me say Grace.”
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Sev strived for his most innocent expression. It wasn’t one he was very familiar with.
“Well, I thought with you claiming you were going to be the big strong man in the next life,
Grace should be your responsibility.”
“Aw, shit,” Laine mumbled, “you aren’t ever going to forget that, are you?”
“Probably not,” Sev conceded. “It’s too much fun to tease you about it.”
Laine grinned, which caused Sev’s entire body to tingle. Too bad he thought he’d puke
if he and Laine got down and dirty. “Next time Alma cooks I am not going to eat so much.”
“Me neither.” Laine dropped a quick kiss on his lips then rolled off Sev and flopped
onto his back. He slung an arm over his eyes. “You know we’re both lying?”
“Yeah. Alma promised us chicken enchiladas tomorrow.”
“I’m not eating a thing until then,” Laine promised, then apparently reconsidered. “Or,
I will, so I’m not starving by the time I get home. Got to be able to do more than waddle after
dinner since that Wiccan ceremony is tomorrow night.”
“What time?” Sev perked up a little. The ceremony sounded…interesting.
Laine lifted his arm up enough to peer at him. “What time do you think? They want to
get it started at midnight, on the dot.”
He should have known. “Of course. Well, I still want to go. I wonder if Alma will let
Rogelio go?”
Laine took his arm away from his face completely and turned his head towards Sev. “Is
he gay?”
Sev wasn’t surprised at Laine’s blunt question. Rogelio had all but drooled every time
the kid looked at Laine. “Ya think? He’s having a hard time with it, though, and I suspect
him being gay is a big part of why Alma and Roger cut ties with our parents. They’d insist
Rogelio be sent to one of those scared-straight camps.”
“Idiots.” Laine glared up at the light for a second. “Weren’t you the last one in bed?”
The last one was supposed to turn the overhead light off. “Yeah, but I wanted to be able
to see you clearly while you told me about your day. I’ve been waiting all evening to hear
about your visit to Miriam. Well, I’ve been waiting ever since you texted me and told me you
were going. So what did she say?”
Sev listened while Laine talked. He couldn’t help but feel a glimmer of hope that the
High Priestess would be able to bring the spirits back. Then Laine’s voice went low and soft,
hesitant, which was so unlike him Sev’s senses went on alert.
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He rolled to his side and propped his head up on one fist, but he didn’t interrupt, not
once, while Laine told him about Chris and Miriam helping him to let go of some of the
burdens he’d carried for so long. A small part of him wanted to be jealous that Chris and
Miriam had managed to do what Sev hadn’t, but he ignored that petty little bitch in him.
Instead, he let the waves of joy roll over him as he took in Laine’s relaxed pose, the
relief evident on his rough, handsome features. Then he held Laine as the man quietly broke
down, years of guilt streaming free with every tear.
* * * *
A godawful racket woke Laine from a sound sleep. He sat up, Sev grumbling beside
him, and felt around the night stand for his cell phone. Prying his heavy lids open was
asking a tad too much just yet. His hand slapped the cell and he scrambled to keep from
knocking the stupid thing to the floor. Folding his stiff fingers around the phone, he forced
an eye open and cursed when the number was blurry.
Both eyes open wasn’t much better, but Laine found the right button to push and if he
was a little growly when he answered, who could blame him? It was dark-fucking-thirty in
the middle of the night.
Miriam’s voice penetrated his sleep-fuzzed brain and Laine sat up further. He turned
the lamp on then took Sev’s shoulder and shook gently. Then not so gently. “Miriam, can you
hang on a minute? I want to wake Sev up and put you on speaker so he can hear this.”
Miriam agreed and Laine set the phone on the night stand. He shook Sev a little harder
and was rewarded with a hard slap to his arm. “Shhtopit.”
Even though he was nervous about what Miriam had to say, Laine couldn’t hold back a
grin. Sev was so adorable when he was all sleepy and rumpled and grumpy. Not mad—then
Sev was downright scary, but grumpy was just cute.
Laine bent and placed his lips against Sev’s ear and hoped to hell he didn’t get smacked
upside the head. “Wake up, sweetheart. Miriam’s calling about what she found out.”
That got Sev awake in record time. He set up so fast his shoulder clipped Laine’s lip.
Laine tasted blood and slapped his hand over the wounded part. Obviously he was getting
too old and slow. He should have been able to dodge that hit.
Sev looked at him and frowned. “What happened?”
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Laine rolled his eyes. “Talk to Miriam while I get a wet washcloth.” If Sev didn’t realise
he’d clocked Laine, Laine wasn’t going to tell him. Although, maybe he should. It might get
Sev over that whole man-woman crap Laine had so stupidly spewed in jest.
When Laine came back from the bathroom, Sev was sitting with his arms crossed over
his chest and his legs dangling off the side of the bed. He stopped mid-sentence in his
conversation to Miriam and blanched when he looked at Laine.
Laine wished he’d been able to stop the bleeding but Sev had got him pretty good.
“I did that, didn’t I?”
It wasn’t a question, but Laine still nodded.
“Hang on, Miriam, will you? Apparently I busted Laine’s lip when I woke up. Or was
asleep. Whichever. Be right back.” Sev was already up and almost to Laine by the time he
finished babbling.
Laine lowered the washcloth under Sev’s pointed look and felt a stream of blood trickle
down his chin. He swiped at it with the cloth then covered his lip again. “You didn’t do it. I
mean, you did, but I should have moved,” Laine said around the wet material.
Sev glared up at him. “I did do it. You not moving doesn’t make it your fault. But it was
an accident, you know I would never deliberately hurt you. I’m sorry.” Sev stood on his toes
and bussed Laine’s jaw. “Forgive me?”
“Always.” Like Sev even needed to ask. Laine wrapped an arm around Sev’s waist and
gave him a hug. “So, no feeling guilty for either of us?”
Sev stepped back and tapped his chin, his eyes turned up as he looked at the ceiling.
“Well, no, but I will quit giving you shit about what you said.”
“Then it was worth it,” Laine said fervently. He took Sev’s hand in his and headed for
the bed. He and Sev sat on the edge. “Okay, Miriam, what can you tell us?”
“Well, besides the fact that the two of you are about as sweet as that tea you like, I can
tell you it wasn’t anyone here who did it, but yes, a spell was definitely cast.”
“How do you know? I mean, that it wasn’t anyone there?”
Miriam harrumphed at Laine’s question. “Because Vincent and I both are very adept at
scrying. And before you ask, yes, I said scrying. It’s a form of divination that—well, it
worked, okay? After we discerned that it wasn’t Wicca magics used, we had to find out what
kind it was.”
Laine looked at Sev who shrugged. “How many kinds of magic are there?”
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“More than you care to hear about,” Miriam said. “Anyways, Vincent, Chris, Rich and I,
along with eight others in the coven, focused our energies. We all felt pulled to four very
distinct points—north, south, east and west. A direct line of each, mind you. We split into
four groups and each one found the exact spot. Like if I was holding a compass—well, I was,
I stopped exactly when the needle was perfectly aligned to the North. My senses were
leading me forward, so we kept walking. The other groups did the same in the other
directions. What we found, exactly three-point-three miles outside of town, were four very
small but ornate altars.”
“Y’all don’t use altars?”
“We do, but these weren’t ours. The offerings on the altars were…well, they weren’t
anything we’d have used. Nothing illegal, mind you, but things that make me and Vincent
certain there’s a curandero or curandera in or near McKinton.”
Laine looked at Sev. “You know anything about curanderos?”
“Some, yeah. My grandmother took me to one right after she got me out of the
institution. The curandera looked me in the eye and I’d have sworn she looked all the way
into my soul. She murmured some things I didn’t understand, then told my grandmother
that I was ‘precious’”—he smirked—“and had the gift of communing with the dead.
Grandma never doubted me from then on.”
“If it’s a gift, why would a curandero interfere like this?”
“Laine, not every curandero is good, although the majority are. There’s good and bad in
all religions and professions,” Miriam pointed out. “And the curandero who did this might
not think they did anything bad. He or she may see it as aiding lost spirits or some such
crap.” Miriam put enough emphasis on the last word that her disgust was patently obvious.
“Regardless of the reason, we can undo this. But, I can’t…I can’t guarantee all the spirits will
return. Some might choose to stay where they’ve been sent.”
“Conner will come back,” Sev said when Laine’s throat felt too tight to speak. “So will
the others who interact with their loved ones. They hung around after death to be here for us,
I don’t think they’ll change their minds.”
Sev sounded so sure, but Laine wasn’t. Hadn’t he thought Conner might want more
than just drifting along as a spirit? If Conner had the opportunity to be reborn, have another
go at life, why wouldn’t he take it? The man…spirit, was vivacious and playful, like someone
who just enjoyed existing. Wouldn’t he enjoy it more in the flesh?
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Or maybe he was content to move on to whatever spiritual plane others went to when
they died. Damn it, Laine didn’t know, but he suddenly had to wonder why Conner would
ever choose to come back to Sev and him.
Laine became aware that Miriam wasn’t speaking and Sev was looking worriedly at
him. He cleared his throat and gave Sev an apologetic look. “I’m sorry, I kind of zoned out
there.” He had a feeling, from the way Sev was watching him that he would have to give a
full explanation once Miriam was off the phone.
“It’s okay, I know it’s a lot to take in, but if you’re fine with us moving the blessing to
the following night, we’ll cast the spell to bring the spirits back tomorrow night instead.”
Sev was nodding eagerly.
“That will work.” Laine just hoped he and Sev didn’t have to learn to live without
Conner in their lives when it was all said and done.
“There is one other thing,” Miriam said with what sounded to Laine like reluctance.
“What?”
Miriam was silent so long Laine thought she wasn’t going to answer. When she finally
did, Laine’s entire body went cold. “I know I said the curandero might have had the best of
intentions, but he or she might not have, too. We found a few strands of black hair on each
alter, set in melted wax. In case…in case the spell was directed to hurt Severo, I think it’d be
best if he participated in casting the spell. But it could have been someone else’s hair. This is
just a precaution. I mean, unless you can think of someone who’d want to hurt Severo?”
Laine could, and judging by the pain flaring bright in Sev’s eyes, he thought the same
thing.
“My parents,” Sev said in a tight voice. “They’re the only ones who’d want to strip
everything they could from me.”
* * * *
After making arrangements to meet with Miriam tomorrow to learn what he needed to
do to help cast the spell, Sev settled beck beside Laine. His heart hurt, knowing, believing as
he did that his parents had done such a thing.
“They probably came up with this idea after Rogelio mentioned me. They’d seemed to
have forgotten about me before then.”
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Laine pulled Sev over until he was sprawled half on top of Laine. “I don’t believe they
ever forgot about you. But yeah, I think that’s probably what set them off, that or Alma
telling them she wasn’t going to cut you out of her family’s lives. Either way, it was a hateful
thing to do. And if that was your hair, I wonder how they got it?”
Sev knew the answer to that. “Mom used to save bits of our hair every time we got it
cut. I would have thought she’d burned mine, but then again, I wouldn’t have thought she or
my father would ever turn to a curandero. It’s stupid of me to think I know anything about
them other than that they hate me.”
“I think they’re scared of you,” Laine corrected, his words so similar to Rogelio’s Sev
almost smiled. “People fear what they don’t understand, we’ve heard that often enough, seen
it at least as many times as we’ve heard it.”
“Yeah, but why couldn’t they just accept me? Tolerate me, if they couldn’t love me?”
Sev willed his welling eyes to dry. He wouldn’t break down over this, not when he’d come to
terms with it years ago. Or thought he did.
“Because they are some seriously fucked up people, sweetheart.” Laine dipped his head
and kissed the corner of Sev’s eye. “I don’t see how anyone can’t love you. The problem lies
with them, not you. Never you.”
As he closed his eyes and listened to more of Laine’s comforting words, Sev wished he
could believe him.
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Chapter Nine
Rogelio looked a little thunderstruck, Sev thought. He’d brought his nephew with him
to meet with Miriam. Alma had been unsure about it, but once Sev told her and Roger what
someone had done to the McKinton spirits, and just who he and Laine thought that someone
was, Alma had quickly agreed to let Rogelio accompany him.
She’d also told him that their mother had been going to a curandero in secret for years
now. In secret, at least, in regards to their father. There was no way that rigid old man would
tolerate his wife turning to such a heathen practice.
He’d been furious when his own mother had gone to a curandero, but all Grandma had
done was point out who held the purse strings and Sev’s father had shut up. If he found out
his wife was going, who knew what he’d do, even if she was using the curandero to hurt Sev.
“Will you be participating in the ceremony too, Rogelio?”
Rogelio swallowed noisily. “Sure, if my parents will let me. I, uh, I don’t have to get
naked or anything, do I?”
Sev thought the kid sounded more hopeful than not.
Miriam laughed and ruffled Rogelio’s hair. “No, there’ll be no getting naked. You’re a
minor, none of us want to go to jail for dancing skyclad around you.”
“It means naked,” Sev said before Rogelio could ask.
“I also have someone outside of the coven coming to help. I made another call last
night.” Miriam turned and waved to someone in a group of people behind her. A pretty
young woman with dark brown hair and large almost black eyes walked over. She was
dressed in a long skirt and a loose blouse, but even so Sev could tell she was built in that
voluptuous way that made most straight men drool. Rogelio didn’t even look at her breasts,
which, Sev noted, jiggled when she walked.
Yep, the kid’s gay. Not that I really doubted it.
Miriam took the woman’s hand and held it. “Severo, Rogelio, this is Veronica, a good
friend of mine. She’s also a very well-known and powerful curandera.”
Sev wondered if he imagined the shimmering power he felt when he shook Veronica’s
hand. He doubted it, considering her eyes widened and her full red lips parted.
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“You’re a very powerful man as well,” Veronica purred. It freaked Sev out, because he
was relatively certain she was…ogling him.
“He’s also very happily gay,” Miriam dryly pointed out. “Down girl, and don’t do that
sultry stuff with this one”—she pointed to Rogelio—“he’s still a kid.”
“And gay, too,” Rogelio rushed out as he shook Veronica’s hand as quickly as he could.
Sev noticed he wiped his palm on his jeans. Did his hand tingle too or was he afraid Veronica
would give him girl cooties?
Veronica laughed good-naturedly then gave them both a friendly smile. “Figures. I’m
destined to be attracted to men I can’t have.” She winked at them, which brought a flush to
Rogelio’s cheeks and a grin to Sev’s lips.
“Maybe you should make a charm for that,” Sev teased and laughed along with
Veronica.
“Right. I prefer not to interfere in my life’s path. I’m too busy delving into others’.”
Veronica cocked her head and stared into Sev’s eyes. He was thrown back over two decades
to when he was a child, staring into another curandero’s dark eyes. “You have a good soul.
Someone close to you hates you for it. It’s not because of what you do, but because they fear
that you are pure of soul and touched by the gods because of it. There’s intense jealousy,
envy…we’ll need to cast a protection spell for you and your loved ones to keep these people
from hurting you again.”
“Sounds great,” Sev said through a too-tight throat. “Let’s do it.”
* * * *
Laine was wound tighter than spring. Work was slow, which was good, but the day
was dragging by at a glacial speed. Slower, considering global warming. He was twitchy and
jumpy, and snarly enough that Matt and Rich both snapped back at him.
When he’d told them what Miriam had discovered, though, both men had said they’d
give him a pass for his grumpiness then asked if they and their partners could come to the
ceremony. Laine figured the more the merrier—or more powerful, hopefully—and he readily
agreed. He also called Zeke and Brendan as well as Lee and Darren and asked them to come
as well.
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Then he called Miriam, who thought he was brilliant for inviting the core people who
were involved. “We’re going to be in five groups, one in each spot where an altar was found
and one centred between all four points. That one will be the power source for the spell.
Vincent GPS’d it and that will put us—you, Sev, Rogelio, me, Vincent, Veronica—she’s a
curandera, you’ll meet her this evening—and three of our coven standing in the centre of
Main Street at midnight. Think that’ll be a problem?”
Laine had assured her he’d handle it if it was. He wouldn’t let anyone keep them from
bringing back the spirits to McKinton.
Now he was stuck behind his desk, watching the minutes crawl by. He hoped this
worked, and he hoped Conner came back. Maybe he should have been ashamed for being so
selfish, but Laine couldn’t help it. He and Sev missed the guy.
But, if Conner didn’t return, he and Sev would deal with it, together, and they’d wish
Conner a good life…or death, whichever it was he chose.
* * * *
At Alma’s insistence, Sev and Rogelio met up with her at the motel. Sev handed her his
house key. “I want y’all to go wait there. There’s a guest room you and Roger can use, and
the kids can camp out in the living room.”
Alma took the key but put a hand to his shoulder when he would have hugged her. Sev
looked at her, a little hurt.
“I’m just nervous about this,” Alma admitted. “You have my baby with you—”
Rogelio groaned. Alma shot him a withering look. “You will always be my baby, so get
over it.” She tipped her chin at her son. “Just take care of him, okay?”
“Of course,” Sev answered, stung she’d think he wouldn’t.
Alma sighed and pulled him in for that hug she’d denied him. “I don’t doubt you mean
it. It’s that I don’t know about all this woo-woo stuff.”
“Moooommm,” Rogelio whined, making Sev’s ears ache. “Everyone’s going to be
dressed. It’s not like they’re gonna be dancing around naked and sacrificing small children.”
He leaned to the side and peered past her to his siblings sprawled on the bed. “Although…”
“Rogelio!” Alma let go of Sev and reached over to pop her son on the back of the head.
“Any more jokes like that and you can just stay here with us!”
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“Sorry,” Rogelio muttered as he rubbed his head. “Sheesh! That’s, like, child abuse!”
Alma’s brows drew together, she frowned so sternly. “I didn’t break you and you’re not
bleeding. That would be child abuse. Don’t tempt me, son.”
Sev was relieved when Rogelio only said, “Yes, ma’am.”
After saying goodbye, they went back outside and waited for Veronica to pick them up.
Rogelio tapped his foot on the sidewalk and looked at Sev. “Why don’t you drive, Uncle
Severo?”
It was a good question, and one he didn’t really have an answer to. He tried, though. “I
don’t know. I never had driver’s ed. Grandma was afraid I’d be driving and have a spirit pop
in my head and I’d wreck. I guess the idea stuck. And I liked not having the responsibility of
a vehicle.”
Rogelio’s expression said Sev was nuts.
Sev shrugged and went on. “Maintenance, insurance, tags, all that stuff. I just didn’t
want to deal with it. I…I used to go wherever I wanted, just hop on a bus and go, or
wherever I got a consulting contract. Then I came here, met Laine, and bam! That was it. I
knew where I belonged. And I—I guess I just didn’t think about getting my licence. I’d never
really needed it before.”
“And you don’t want to be hijacked by a spirit.”
“No, it doesn’t work like that. Grandma didn’t understand, and neither did I, really, but
they don’t just slam into me and take over. It’s—there’s like a buzzing in my head, that’s all.”
Except Conner had nearly froze Sev’s balls off when he’d first tried to really speak to
him, then there’d been that whole thing with McAlister settling his nasty spirit in Rich.
“It’s complicated,” Sev settled on saying. “I don’t know if I should drive or not, so I
won’t.”
“That sucks, dude.”
Veronica pulled up saving Sev from trying to think of a comeback. They loaded up in
her car and headed back to Chris and Rich’s place to prepare for the spell casting.
* * * *
“I’ll meet y’all and everyone else at your place,” Laine told Rich. It was finally five
o’clock and he was eager and scared both, but he wanted to get this spell thing done.
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“Sounds like a plan.” Rich looked past Laine to Matt, who was right behind him. “You
think you and Carlin will be long?”
“Nope. He’s here now. I’m just going to change out of my uniform real quick then we’ll
be heading out there.”
Laine had a duffle bag with a change of clothes in it out in the truck. His boots were in
the truck, too. “All right. Zeke, Brendan, Lee and Darren should be there by six. See y’all
there.”
Laine left the Sheriff’s Department and was hard pressed not to speed all the way to
Chris and Rich’s. He wished they could just do the whole deal as soon as everyone got there,
but Miriam insisted midnight was the time for this. Her other suggestion had been three a.m.
but Laine and Sev both had just about begged her not to make them wait that long.
When Laine got there, he realised the other guys were in for a surprise. Miriam slapped
a bottle of some greenish stuff in his hand. “Go shower and use this everywhere, head to toes
and all places in between.”
“What is it?” It looked like the green sludge that had backed up in the bathtub once.
Nasty.
“It’s a cleansing bath. Just do it so you’ll be ready for the purification ceremony to
prepare for the spell casting.”
God, how many spells and ceremonies are there going to be? Miriam’s expression
discouraged him from asking. Laine trudged up the porch steps and didn’t smile until Sev
pounced on him inside the door.
“Ooph.” Laine dropped his boots trying to get a hold on Sev. “Miss me?”
“Always.” Sev peeled himself off and picked up Laine’s boots. “Come on, you have to
shower with that stuff.”
“Looks nasty,” Laine groused.
“Yeah, reminded me of that crap that backed up into the bathtub, but it isn’t so bad—
and it smells a hell of a lot better.”
“You already used it?” Laine dipped his head and sniffed Sev’s still damp hair. “You
smell kind of minty.”
“That’s me, minty-fresh,” Sev crooned, “and soon, you will be too. Bunch of people will
be. Miriam’s making everyone wash with the stuff. And she told you—”
“To wash every nook and cranny, yeah. Got it.”
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Sev led him to the bathroom and opened the door. “Go on, I’ll watch for the others.
And I have to keep an eye on Rogelio. Most of the coven has been showering with the hose
out back since today is warm.”
Laine remembered what it was like to be a horny teenaged boy. He gave Sev a gentle
shove. “Go find Rogelio before he gets himself in trouble.”
“I’m on it.” Sev closed the door behind him and left Laine with the green goop.
“It can’t be that bad.” Laine started the shower then stripped down quickly, aware that
there’d be at least eight other men who needed in there soon. He stepped under the hot
water and adjusted it to lukewarm. Scalding would have been perfect, but he didn’t want to
hog all the hot water.
Laine uncapped the bottle and took a tentative sniff. It wasn’t bad, smelt minty. He
poured some out and grimaced. It was thick and gritty, chunky, actually. Deciding it was
best not to examine it too closely, Laine set about washing every inch of his body.
Once he was finished, he got out and tossed the empty bottle in the trash. He towelled
off and got dressed, then went to find Sev. He bit his lip to keep from smirking at Rich,
Carlin and Matt, who were all holding bottles of the green stuff and looking a little nervous.
“Quit being wimps and go use it,” Miriam ordered, then clarified, “don’t shower
together. I have a feeling some of you might end up getting messy all over again. One at a
time in the bathroom. Rich—” She pointed at the man. Rich flinched like she’d slapped him.
“Oh, cut that out and go shower.”
Miriam spotted Laine and pointed at him. “Laine just used it. Does he look like it hurt
him any?”
Matt smirked at him and Laine knew he was fixing to get some shit from his friend.
“Well, I don’t know. He does look kind of different. More wrinkles, maybe? What do you
think, Rich?”
Rich winked at Laine but went along with Matt. “Maybe. More white at his temples,
too.”
“Then for goodness’ sake, you two wash with it twice,” Miriam sniped. “Y’all could
both use a heaping helping of maturity!”
It was Laine’s turn to smirk when his friends’ mouths snapped shut. “Maybe you
should give them a few bottles each.”
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“A gallon,” Chris offered, earning him a glare from rich and Matt both. “What? Y’all
can joke but I can’t?”
Rich stuck his nose in the air and muttered something about Chris not getting any for a
while, but he stopped and gave the man a big, sloppy kiss afterwards.
Miriam wandered off to greet Darren and Lee, who’d just parked their vehicle. Carlin
held the bottle up and shook it. “What’s in here?”
Laine couldn’t resist picking at the man, and Matt as well since he was looking at his
bottle like it was evil incarnate. “Miriam might have mentioned something about frogs.” He
strode off leaving both men gaping at him.
Laine found Sev outside talking to Vincent and Veronica. He sidled up to his man and
slipped his arm over Sev’s shoulders. “Where’s Rogelio?”
Sev pointed at the house. “Miriam put him to work bottling more of that green goop.
She handed him a box of about thirty bottles and a funnel and told him to have fun.”
“Woman’s a genius.” Laine and Sev spent almost an hour walking from group to group
and introducing themselves. They also thanked everyone. On occasion they’d find someone
off by themselves, but for the most part, the coven members seemed to prefer to gather in
groups rather than be alone.
Laine liked the sense of community he got from them. It made him consider whether he
was too harsh about the whole concept of religion. That was something he’d have to think on
more.
By the time they’d met everyone, the other men had showered and Miriam came out
onto the porch and hollered that it was time for the purification ceremony. From what Laine
could tell, it included everyone. Even Rogelio was there.
There also didn’t seem to be much to it. Miriam and Vincent had everyone hold hands
and form into a series of circles, the smallest of which was ringed by a few larger ones. She
and Vincent sprinkled something on the ground and began chanting as they walked around
the largest circle of people.
Laine held Sev’s hand on one side and, because he couldn’t figure out how to get out of
it without hurting the kid’s feelings, Rogelio’s on the other. As the chanting grew louder,
with the coven members joining in, Laine felt a ripple of power flow from Sev into him then
on to Rogelio.
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The kid gasped and looked at Laine with big startled eyes. Laine tried to smile
reassuringly at Rogelio, but in reality, he was a little freaked out himself.
The chanting died down then ceased completely. The circles brokeand people started
hugging…whoever they could reach, Laine decided as a woman latched onto him and
murmured something about ‘many blessings’.
When all the love-thy-neighbour stuff was done, Miriam invited them to form a line
and make their way through a buffet of special foods set up in the house.
“What do you think we’re supposed to be eating?” Sev asked. He sounded worried,
and Laine couldn’t blame him.
“It’s all organic stuff,” Rogelio answered. “I helped set it out. There’s no meat?—
Miriam said she didn’t want anyone eating flesh.” Rogelio crinkled his nose. “So it’s
vegetarian food, no eye of newt or anything like that.”
“I’d rather have Alma’s cooking,” Laine grumbled, but rabbit food was a small price to
pay to get the spirits back.
Sev nodded but got in line. “You’re not the only one, but once this is done, Alma’s
promised to make us a huge dinner. Tamales, even.”
“Tamales?” Well, that was different. Laine would eat this vegetarian food a lot more
eagerly knowing there’d be tamales in the near future.
And judging by the way Sev snickered behind him, Sev knew it, too.
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Chapter Ten
There was a definite energy in the air. It teased at the hairs on Sev’s forearms, making
them quiver. “Do you feel that?” he asked Laine.
Laine rubbed the back of his neck. “Feel something. I thought maybe I was just creeped
out.”
Sev wasn’t creeped out. He was excited and worried. What if Conner didn’t come back?
What if Mrs Hawkins or Stefan or Mrs Mathers didn’t come back?
“Stop fretting.”
“How can I not?” Sev asked. “I know you’re worried about them all coming back, too.”
Laine nodded and took Sev’s hand. “Yeah, I am, but it’s their choice. I think. I hope this
spell doesn’t force them to return if they don’t want to. That’d be wrong, and more selfish
than any of us ought to be.”
It’d suck if they lost any of their friendly spirits, but Laine was right. Miriam
approached them, her cell phone in hand. “Everyone’s where they should be. We’re going to
set out the candles and Vincent is gathering the herbs we need. We’ll start the chant in five
minutes, right at midnight.
“I hope I remember all the words.”
Laine mumbled an agreement. They walked to what Vincent said was the centre of
town, a spot between a vacant building and a thrift store.
“Form a tight circle,” Miriam instructed as she lit a candle.
Sev and Laine scooted in with the others. Veronica came over and held up a leather
necklace with a pouch on it.
“This is for you to wear, Severo. It will keep the curandero from being able to strike
against you. Keep it on for as long as it lasts. When the leather breaks, the curandero’s power
to harm you will be severed as well.” She settled it around his neck.
The pouch hung low, lying over his heart. Veronica began chanting, words Sev couldn’t
quite make out. The pouch felt as if it warmed against his chest. Sev thought he was
imagining it at first, but soon his entire upper body seemed unnaturally heated. It didn’t
hurt, but he wasn’t sure he cared for it.
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Veronica finished the chat with a pat to the pouch. “There. You’re safe now, but
remember, don’t take it off until it breaks.” Then she addressed the group. “It’s time to begin.
Join hands, please.”
Laine’s hand was rough, warm and familiar. Sev held it tightly. Rogelio was, of course,
on Laine’s other side. Sev’s other hand was linked with Ciara’s, a very shy young coven
member.
Miriam, Vincent and Veronica began chanting softly. As their voices rose, Sev and the
other members of the circle joined in.
“Return to us those who were taken
Whose will to remain was forsaken
Free them of their spiritual prison
Bring back those who we envision
Loved by those left behind
Stolen by evil design
Return those lost to those who are pure
Let their love strengthen and endure
Come to us who’ve gathered here
Break the spell that sent them there
Bind the hands that sought to destroy
Return to McKinton the town’s secret joy”
They repeated the words over and over, the sense of power and unity growing with
each repetition. Sev could feel the strength of their gathering building in the air, making it
dense with their words and hopes.
The pouch on his chest was now almost too hot to tolerate. Sev forced his mind away
from the pain, unwilling to mess up any part of the chant. His mouth was dry as the Sahara
when a sharp snapping wind slammed over them, snuffing out the candles and leaving them
in utter darkness.
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No one stopped the chant. Sev tightened his hold in the hands in his and spoke louder.
He wasn’t the only one. The wind became colder, stinging his skin with a thousand little
pricks.
Sev got louder, straining his voice. Nearly shouting, like everyone else.
A loud unearthly howl ripped through the night. Sev shuddered so hard his eyeballs
ached.
Then the wind stopped as suddenly as it had started. Miriam led the chant into softer
and softer tones, then stopped it all together.
Silence loomed louder than their chanting had been. Sev waited, feeling oddly bereft.
A sharp tug to his hair and several buzzing bees in his head made him weep with joy.
Laine grunted then gasped beside him. His breath hitched, then Sev was lifted in
Laine’s strong arms and rocked back and forth.
“They’re home,” Laine rasped, tears dripping from his cheeks to Sev’s. “God,
sweetheart, they’re really home.”
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Epilogue
“Talk about déjà vu,” Sev whispered.
Laine grinned, something he hadn’t seemed to be able to stop doing since last night
when Conner and the other spirits had returned. There’d been a whole lot of crying there
between those two buildings, and probably at each of the other four points where Sev and his
friends had been.
Now it was almost midnight again and they were standing in front of the Hawkins’
Senior and Youth Centre. Laine still didn’t know why Miriam wanted to bless it. He’d asked
and she’d just told him she did as she was told to. That was good enough for him. After last
night, he wouldn’t doubt Miriam’s power again.
“It’s about to start,” Rogelio said. “Laine?” The kid held out his hand.
Sev poked Laine in the ribs and snickered, but Laine ignored him. He let Rogelio hold
his hand as they formed a circle and throughout the blessing chant. Laine did, however,
draw the line at dancing with the kid when Vincent started banging on some kind of drum.
The sound it made was loud and primal and went straight to Laine’s dick. No way was he
letting the kid feel that.
“Ready to go home?” Sev asked. “I promised Alma I’d have Rogelio back at the motel
before two a.m.”
Laine looked over to where Rogelio was dancing with…no one. No one alive, that was.
“I think Conner likes the kid. He seems to have a soft spot for them, with the way he
took to Stefan and now Rogelio.”
“Yeah,” Laine agreed, “he always wanted kids and told me he’d resigned himself to not
having any. Maybe this makes up for him missing out on being a parent.”
Sev called Rogelio over and received a pinch from Conner for it. “Cut it out, Conner.
You can follow him back to the motel, just don’t scare the sh—” Sev glanced at Rogelio.
“Don’t scare the stuffing out of her. She’s making us that big dinner she promised us
tomorrow. I don’t know when we’ll be seeing her again, or eating her wonderful dinners, but
I do not want Alma and her family leaving any sooner than they’d planned.”
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“We’re your family too,” Rogelio said, “yours and Uncle Laine’s both. You should
remember that.”
“You should remember it and quit trying to move in on my man.”
Rogelio laughed and looked at Laine through his lashes. “I know Uncle Laine will
always love you, Uncle Sev. That’s why I’m brave enough to ogle him, ‘cause he won’t ever
do anything about it, except maybe tell me to cut it out now and then.”
“But he’s family,” Sev pointed out.
“Yeah, like an in-law, so it’s not incestuous or anything, sheesh.”
Laine was ready for this whole conversation to end. “All right, y’all have traumatised
me enough. Let’s go.”
Rogelio leaned over and whispered something in Sev’s ear that made the man grin so
big it looked painful. Laine didn’t ask. He was afraid to.
They dropped Rogelio off, Sev walking him to the motel room and giving him a hug.
Sev came back to the truck and got in still wearing that big grin.
Maybe Laine did want to know after all. But Sev was having too much fun shooting him
smug little glances. Laine would give the man time to spill. He doubted Sev would be able to
hold in much longer whatever it was that was damn near making him glow.
He made it all the way home, though. Laine was impressed. Sev still didn’t tell him
what he was so happy about, not even when they were both naked and eyeballing each other
appreciatively.
More than appreciatively, Laine corrected. He wanted to eat Sev up with a spoon.
Laine finally broke when Sev dove for the bed, leaving him standing and therefore
responsible for turning off the light. He did, then he walked over and got in bed, dropping
down on top of Sev and tickling his ribs.
Sev squealed and kicked, nearly taking out Laine’s balls. He wedged in between the
man’s legs and growled as he teasingly bit at Sev’s neck.
“Ohmygod! Stop!”
Laine took another couple of nips and tickles then he rolled over and turned on the
lamp. He reached over and tugged Sev on top of him. “All right, spill it.”
“It’s nothing, really.” But Sev’s grin didn’t dim a bit.
“Sev…” Laine rumbled. He smoothed his hand down Sev’s back and popped one
round cheek.
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“Hey!” Sev’s grin turned into a frown as he glared at Laine. “That isn’t going to make
me tell you!”
“Huh.” Laine considered his options and settled on the one he liked best. “How ‘bout
this?” He cupped the back of Sev’s head and drew him down for a scorching kiss. At the
same time, Laine spread his legs so Sev settled between them. Laine humped against Sev,
making it clear what he wanted.
“Oh,” Sev whispered when Laine finally let go of the man’s sinfully gorgeous lips.
“Yeah, that’ll do it.”
Laine almost couldn’t remember what he was trying to do. Sev slid down and bumped
his dick against Laine’s hole.
“Mm,” was about all Laine could get out. He wanted Sev’s cock inside him more than
he wanted his next breath.
“Rogelio told me Alma asked him and his sibs if they’d like to go to school here.”
Sev’s happiness bled through to his voice. It wrapped around Laine and sank into his
being. “S’good. Maybe they’ll move here.” He lifted his head enough to get a good look at
Sev. “Now will you fuck me?”
Sev snickered and levered himself up. “Horndog. Of course I will.”
Laine wondered if Sev would do that whole going down on his ass after coming in him.
He didn’t want to ask in case Sev didn’t want to…or thought Laine might want to do it in
return. He might try it one day, but as for now, it wasn’t something he thought he could do.
Therefore, he’d never ask Sev to do it to him.
But he could hope.
“Spread for me,” Sev ordered.
Laine arched a brow at him and sat up. “Why don’t you lie down and let me ride you?”
Sev’s jaw dropped open but he nodded vigorously then flopped back gracelessly. Or
maybe it was shamelessly. Either way, Laine was just glad he did it.
Laine plucked the lube from Sev’s hand. He straddled Sev’s legs then reconsidered and
changed positions, still straddling Sev but facing away. “Give me your fingers.”
Laine had to twist around like a pretzel to see Sev, but it was worth it because Sev
looked so horny Laine thought he’d come before he ever got his dick in Laine’s ass. He
poured a generous amount of lube onto Sev’s fingers, chuckling when some of the cool liquid
dripped onto Sev’s stomach.
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He turned back to facing Sev’s feet and leant forward, his chest only inches from Sev’s
legs. The position put his ass up and open, and Sev took immediate advantage, sliding one
finger in deep.
Laine tipped his butt up, ready for more in a matter of seconds.
“You’re eager for it tonight,” Sev rasped.
“For you,” Laine corrected. He moaned when Sev worked a second finger in, then he
began rocking back to meet each thrust of those digits into his ass.
A third finger breached him and Laine’s eyes rolled up. His hole was burning
pleasurably and Sev was brushing over Laine’s gland every few strokes. Everything inside
and outside of Laine’s body tingled with little electric currents as Sev stretched him.
“More?” Sev asked in a guttural voice.
Laine hesitated. It might hurt. But it might feel fucking good. “Yeah, do it.”
Sev moaned then Laine’s asshole went from burning pleasurably to burning almost too
much to bear. He opened his mouth to tell Sev to back that fourth finger right out. The pain
ebbed as Laine’s little muscle gave, opening for the wider penetration.
“Fuck,” Laine mumbled as a line of ecstasy shot up his spine from his ass. “Jesus, Sev.
Do…something!”
Sev did. He started pumping those fingers in and out of Laine, long hard strokes then
slow, harder ones. Laine arched his back and slammed his butt against each thrust. He was
bouncing eagerly on Sev’s fingers, moaning and chasing the climax tightening his balls.
“Come on, baby,” Sev purred, his other hand reaching between Laine’s legs to press at
his drawn up nuts. Laine felt a scrape of fingernails over that sensitive skin just as Sev’s
fingers filled him again and that was it. He shouted then grunted as cum spewed from his
dick. Sev kept working his balls and ass, never letting up, dragging out Laine’s orgasm until
Laine could hardly breathe.
Then the fingers were gone, and Laine’s hips were jerked down. Sev’s thick rod speared
him in one thrust. Sev made a sound close to a sob, then his hands began lifting, his hips
working, and Laine was fucked to within an inch of his life.
“Love this sweet ass,” Sev babbled, “love you, love fucking you, feeling your muscles
clench around my fingers, my dick…”
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It was a good thing Laine loved all those things too. He found the strength to sit up and
start doing some of the work. Sev moaned his approval and fucked him harder. That was all
well and good, but Laine wanted to see Sev, watch him fall apart as he came.
Later, once Laine’s dick was properly recovered, Sev could fall apart again with Laine’s
shaft buried in his tight ass.
For now, though… Laine pried Sev’s hands off his hips before rising up and letting
Sev’s dick pop out of his hole.
Sev started protesting but Laine shushed him—and knew he’d pay for it later—then he
turned and mounted Sev again. He reached behind him for Sev’s dick then held it up to his
pucker. Laine figured his grin was probably evil as he dropped down and took Sev’s cock in
his ass in one move.
Sev howled and writhed and Laine’s cock started to take interest. He rode Sev hard,
grinding his hips with each full penetration. Sev’s hands were latched onto Laine’s thighs.
There’d be bruises there come morning. Laine liked that idea a lot.
“Laine, God, I…”
Laine squeezed his inner muscles and Sev let loose a strangled shout. Hot cum filled
Laine’s ass, painting his channel with streaks of Sev’s release. Sev whimpered when the last
shot came, then he panted and pried open his pretty eyes.
“You’re hard again.”
Laine waggled his eyebrows at Sev. “So I am. What are you gonna do about it?”
Sev made a lewd smacking noise with his lips. And Laine decided he was the luckiest
man on the planet.
About the Author
A native Texan, Bailey spends her days spinning stories around in her head, which
has contributed to more than one incident of tripping over her own feet. Evenings are
resounds for pounding away at the keyboard, as are the early morning hours. Sleep?
Doesn’t happen much. Writing is too much fun, and there are too many characters
bouncing about, tapping on Bailey’s brain, demanding to be let out.
Caffeine and chocolate are permanent fixtures in Bailey’s office and are never far from
hand at any given time. Removing either of those necessities from Bailey’s presence
can result in what is known as A Very, Very Scary Bailey and is not advised under any
circumstances.
Bailey loves to hear from readers. You can find her contact information, website and
author biography at
.
Also by Bailey Bradford
Southwestern Shifters: Rescued
Southwestern Shifters: Relentless
Southwestern Shifters: Reckless
Southern Spirits: A Subtle Breeze
Southern Spirits: When the Dead Speak
Southern Spirits: All of the Voices
Southern Spirits: Wait Until Dawn
Southern Spirits: Aftermath
Love in Xxchange: Rory’s Last Chance
Love in Xxchange: Miles To Go
Total-E-Bound Publishing
www.total-e-bound.com
Take a look at our exciting range of literagasmic™
erotic romance titles and discover pure quality
at Total-E-Bound.
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