The family that preys together…- 5

Gerard sat in his wing-backed chair, a glass of fine wine in one hand, the remote in the other. On the screen of the large television on the wall of his well-appointed study he watched his sons at play and smiled in approval.

As they stripped the body of the rest of its clothes, rolled it tightly in the tarp and bound it with sturdy rope he took another sip of wine before saying aloud, “When you’re quite finished come see me.”

Crispin looked at the camera in one corner of the basement and nodded. Then, as Gerard watched, he and his brother carried the bundle to the large walk-in freezer at the far end of the room, setting it down almost gently on the floor before closing and locking the door.

A few minutes later his sons appeared in the study. They had stopped in their rooms to change clothes and both were now in clean, tight jeans and button-downs.

“From what I saw, the two of you did well. Can I presume you managed to cull your victim without anyone being the wiser until it was too late?”

“Yes, father,” Crispin replied with a smile before crossing the study to the well-stocked bar at the far end. He took a bottle of Double Bastard Ale from the refrigerator and raised an eyebrow in question to Bryant who nodded. After pouring ale into chilled mugs he came back, handing one to his brother.

“Has he been reported missing?” Bryant asked after taking an appreciative sip of his drink.

Gerard nodded. “According to my sources he has been, although of course it won’t be official until twenty-four hours have passed. He was after all over eighteen. I would suggest you wait a day or two before disposing of the body and then take it up north.”

Bryant grinned. “I’m certain we can find a lake we haven’t used before.”

“This is not a joke, boy,” Gerard growled, shooting an angry glance at his younger son.

Scrubbing a hand over his face Bryant nodded. “I know, father. But please allow me the time it takes to come down off the high of a good kill before laying into me. Don’t rain on my parade until then.”

Gerard smiled just slightly. “I understand your feelings but you always have to keep in mind that you are not the only one involved. One slip and that will end everything for all of us.” When Bryant nodded Gerard said, “Now I think it’s best if we all go to bed and get some rest. We have church tomorrow and then that barbeque that your aunt insists we attend.”

Once his sons had taken their leave Gerard got up and crossed to stand in front of a large oil painting of a beautiful woman caught in the prime of her life.

“I’m miss you, my love,” he said softly. “I’m doing my best to carry out your wishes and the boys have grown into impressive young men who understand their duty. I hope you approve.” Lifting his glass he saluted the portrait, finished his wine, and then left the room.

And the winners are...

The winners of a copy of 'The Past is Present' are:

Cinders, Karl, and Gigi. I'll be emailing you your copy today.

Thank you to all who participated! 

(Drawn using random.org.)

The family that preys together…- 4

“Come on, you can scream louder than that,” Bryant growled. “You certainly let your voice be heard during the movie. Now shall we try again?”

Crispin watched in fascination as Bryant pressed the taser to the young man’s other nipple. He was always amazed at his brother’s abilities to cause intense pain to their victims without allowing them to pass out.

The shriek echoed through the basement as their victim’s body arced so hard his feet lifted off the floor for a moment. “Why?” he cried out when he could do something other than scream.

“Because it’s fun,” Bryant replied. “Because you were a pest who destroyed our enjoyment of the movie. Because,” he added angrily, “you are a waste of good upbringing, assuming you even had that, college boy. Didn’t your mother ever tell you to wash your hands before leaving a bathroom?”

Crispin pushed off the wall to walk over to them, stopping at the workbench first. “I don’t think he’ll have that problem after tonight. It’s hard to wash what you don’t have.” He looked at Bryant, asking, “Are you finished yet?”

Without replying Bryant pressed the taser to the crotch of the young man’s jeans, upping the voltage as he did. “Damn, a bit too much,” he muttered when the resulting scream ended suddenly as his victim passed out.

“Oh well, we’ve got all night,” Crispin said with a shrug. “Want a beer while we wait?”

Several minutes later they heard a low moan and went to check on the young man. “I do believe the college boy is with us again.” Bryant smiled viciously. “Now, as you were saying, Spin…”

“Ah yes, about unwashed hands.” Crispin tossed the wicked looking knife he held between his hands. “Let me cut him down and do something about them. Or, kill two birds with one stone.” He gripped the knife tightly and with two hard strokes freed the young man from his bonds by severing his wrists just below the rope that was holding him suspended.

Their victim fell, a look of horror on his face as he stared at the two bleeding stumps. “Why?” he moaned as the blood poured out, pooling on the large tarp underneath him.

“Because we can,” Bryant replied with a smirk as he watched the life slowly drain from their victim’s body.

The family that preys together…- 3

“That one?” Bryant gave a brief nod towards the person seated two rows in front of them. The young man in question was with a group of friends, college kids from the look of them. He was commenting loudly to anyone who would listen about everything that in his opinion wrong with the movie, while cheering on the hero as he took out yet another creature.

“Or the little bitch next to him. She has a voice like a screech owl and doesn’t seem to mind that she’s annoying everyone within ten rows of her.”

“Both of them then?”

Crispin thought for a moment then shook his head. “No, the boy. We’ll just have to separate him from the pack when they leave.”

Ten minutes Bryant tapped his brother’s arm. “We can get him now,” he said as he watched the young man push his way past his friends to the aisle.

Crispin nodded, and the brothers quickly slid out of their seats to follow a few yards behind the young man as he headed to the men’s room at the end of the long hallway in the multiplex. The young man looked up as they entered then went back to business. When he finished he headed to the door.

“Not going to wash your hands?” Crispin asked with a frown.

The young man just looked at him.

“You really should you know,” Bryant said, stepping between the young man and the door. “It’s one of my pet peeves, people who don’t. Than and loud, obnoxious people who keep everyone else from enjoying a movie.”

“Who do you think you are,” the young man growled. “Fuck off and move out of my way.”

“Tsk, tsk, such manners.” Crispin came up behind him, wrapping one arm around him, covering his mouth tightly with his hand. Before the young man understood what was happening Bryant hit him sharply across the temple with a short length of weighted pipe.

“Check the hall,” Crispin ordered as he maintained his hold on their victim.

Bryant did, announcing moments later that it was clear at their end. They quickly hustled the young man to the emergency exit, not worrying about the fact that the alarm on the door would go off. By the time someone came to check it they would be down the short flight of stairs and into the parking lot, buried in the shadows of the building’s basement entryway. Leaving Crispin with the victim, Bryant went to get the van. When he pulled up his brother opened the back doors, pushed the comatose young man inside and jumped in behind him. Less than a minute later they were pulling out of the lot onto the street.

The family that preys together…- 2

“Boys, what are you scheming now?” Gerard Hill asked as he walked into Bryant’s office in the mansion.

Crispin fielded that since he had the better relationship with their father. “Same old, same old, looking for something to keep us entertained for a while.”

Gerard cocked an eyebrow in question. “Something that won’t end up with one or the other of you in jail I trust.”

“Oh we’ll be very careful. You taught us well.” Bryant’s smile verged on a sneer but as his father wasn’t looking at him it went unseen.

“See that you are, boy.” Gerard turned momentarily to cast a steely look at him. “I still remember that time about, what was it ten years ago? If I hadn’t shown up…”

“You’re never going to let me forget that are you?”

“I will not have our family name dragged through the dirt because you are careless.” Gerard pointed one long finger at Bryant. “Is that understood?”

“We both understand, father, I promise,” Crispin said in an attempt to defuse the situation.

“Just keep an eye on him,” Gerard grumbled, turning to Crispin again. “He’s still young.”

Bryant snorted in derision. “I don’t think that thirty-three is young, father.”

“There are times when one would think you were barely twenty-three boy,” Gerard replied, not bothering to look at his younger son.

With his father’s back turned to him Bryant was able to mouth, “Bastard,” without being seen.

Crispin shook his head, changing the subject by saying, “We’ll be taking the van, father.”

“Very well. I’ll have Williams clean it in the morning as I’m afraid it is quite dirty from my hunting trip. I really should have had him do that today, but somehow I forgot.”

With a laugh Crispin said, “How very remiss of you.”

“I know. Old age setting in I suppose.” Gerard chuckled. “Now I shall leave the two of you to your ‘games’.”

The family that preys together…- 1

'Like flies they’d hang around, pestering the hell out him until he finally got up the energy to do something about them. And then ‘slam, bam’ dead.' 

“This is how you’re starting it?” Crispin shook his head as he looked over his brother’s shoulder at the screen.

“I thought it would catch the reader’s interest, Spin.”

“Oh it’ll do that, Bry. They’ll wonder what kind of strange kook you’re writing about.”

The smile on Bryant’s face was knowing and challenging. “Us?”

Moving to rest one hip on the edge of the desk Crispin looked at Bryant in feigned surprise. “You’re kidding.”

“Told you I was going to write our story one day.”

“So who’s the ‘he’ in that sentence, you or me?”

“Either/or, does it matter? No one’s going to know anyway. I just haven’t decided whether to tell it all or just start with the next one. Any druthers on your part?”

Crispin tapped his lips reflectively. “The next one for starters. You can always go back and add the others in later.”

“In that case, we’ve got to decide what that one will be.” Bryant clicked on a Word document, bringing up the list and they both studied it. “That one has possibilities, if we can find the right person.”

“Shouldn’t be too hard, all we have to do is drive from here into the city. We’ll see plenty of them. It’s just a case of picking one.”

“Or this, if we feel like taking in a movie.”

“Check and see if there’s one we can tolerate,” Crispin replied, “Something popular and loud, with lots of explosions and car chases.”

Bryant’s smile turned malevolent. “That should draw them in.”

Caomhnóir – Manny - 44

“You can still return to your old life. I’ll get you a return ticket if that’s what you want.” Manny took a step towards Hamlin, freezing when he glared at him with a shake of his head. “I don’t want you to leave,” Manny whispered, “but if that’s what you want to do—I understand.”

“Are there any other secrets you’d like to reveal,” Hamlin asked, his voice still icy.

Bowing his head, Manny told him quietly, “No.”

Hamlin stood where he was, his eyes slowly moving over Manny, taking in the defeated posture of his stance and the lost look on his face. “How often does this happen?”

“Sometimes, every other year, sometimes not for several years; it depends if I’m needed somewhere else, in some other time.”

“And there you do the same sort of thing you do here?”

Manny nodded.

“Is it only for a year?”

“Yes. Even if the job only takes a little while I can only travel through the veil on one day of the year, All Hallows’ Eve.” Manny smiled humorlessly. “Keegan—well for whatever reason, he’s lucky now, he can tell Alasdair he won’t do that. I don’t have that option. If Sofietje says I have to go then I have to go.”

“That’s not fair you know. They shouldn’t be able to rule your life like that,” Hamlin said angrily.

“It was a choice I made willingly, eternal servitude rather than an eternity suffering for my sin. It’s a choice we all make, Caomhnóir or Scriostóir.”

“But damn it you’ve redeemed yourself over and over again. Don’t they give you Brownie points for that?”

Manny chuckled ruefully. “Nope.”

“That just sucks.” Hamlin moved into Manny’s space, stroking his fingers along his jaw, “For both of us. But if you can live with it I guess I can too.”

Catching his hand, holding it tightly, Manny asked, “Are you certain?” 

“Yeah. You see I have this problem. I love you. I’d rather be without you for a year now and then, than forever.”

Manny let out a heartfelt sigh of relief. “I love you too, so damned much.”

“Then how about you show me.” Hamlin looked around, frowning. “There is a bed somewhere here I hope.”

“Yes.” Manny pointed to the sofa. “It folds out into one, a surprising comfortable one actually.”

Hamlin grinned, giving Manny a light shove towards it. “Well get it unfolded.”

Manny did, and then they made use of it, several times. 

The End

Caomhnóir – Manny - 43

“Whew,” Hamlin said, letting out a deep breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding until just then.

“She is a bit—imposing,” Manny agreed. “Shall we get your bags and get out of here?”

They did, and half an hour later Manny watched in amusement as Hamlin looked around the tiny apartment. “I told you it was small, but I didn’t want to make a decision on something larger until you got here.”

“I’ve seen storage closets bigger than this place.”

“I know, but since I’m hardly ever here it just seemed silly to invest in something more.”

Turning to look at him, Hamlin frowned. “You travel a lot then?”

“Unfortunately, yes. It’s rare that I get an assignment like the one I had in New York. Usually I’m here for a week at most before Sofietje sends me off somewhere else.”

Hamlin dropped his bags by the door before asking, “For how long?” When Manny said nothing as he debated his reply, Hamlin sighed. “I’m going to be alone more than with you, aren’t I? Well,” he smiled some then, “it’s still going to be worth it.”

“You can come with me. Keegan said that Thom travels with him sometimes. But, well, there’s one time when you can’t.”

Something in Manny’s face told Hamlin he wasn’t going to like this. He leaned back against the wall, looking at Manny. “When is that?”

Manny dropped his gaze. “Occasionally I’ll be gone for a year.”

“A year? You’re kidding me. If it’s for that long why can’t I go with you?”

“Because I’ll be in some other century and I have to travel through the veil to get there and only the dead can do that,” Manny told him all in one breath. “I’m sorry, I should have said something sooner but I was afraid that if I did you’d change your mind and—“

Hamlin nodded slowly, running a hand through his hair. Pushing off the wall, he paced across the room to look out the window, staring at a city that was foreign to him.

“Mijn liefde, I’m sorry, I was a coward, I know it.”

Turning, Hamlin stared at him, saying coldly, “More than that, you didn’t trust me. What else haven’t you told me? What else did you think you had to hold back until you had me over here where I can’t just say ‘fuck you’ and go back to my old life?”

Caomhnóir – Manny - 42

Hamlin spotted Manny the moment he arrived in the baggage claim area. Seconds later, he was wrapping his arms around his lover, kissing him as if there was no one else around. A soft cough finally broke through his elation and he turned to see a statuesque, white-haired woman standing close by. She was tapping a sharp fingernail to her lips as she studied him.

“That’s Sofietje, I bet,” Hamlin whispered to Manny, not releasing his hold on him.

“In the flesh, I’m afraid.”

“Introduce us,” Sofietje suggested imperiously.

With a nod, Manny said, “Sofietje, this is as I’m quite certain you’ve surmised, Hamlin Nagel. Hamlin, this is mijn commandant, Sofietje.”

“Het is een genoegen om je te ontmoeten.” Hamlin told her with a slight bow of his head.

“Ik hoop dat ik in staat zal zijn om dat zo goed kunnen zeggen, in de tijd.”

Hamlin glanced at Manny. “Some of that I understood, I think.”

“I said,” Sofietje told him before Manny could, “that I hope I will be able to say that in return, in time.” She gave him a slight smile. “I will admit it speaks well of you that you are attempting to learn our language.”

“Of course I am. I love him and I’ll be living here with him. Or rather, we’ll be living here together. It would be stupid of me to expect people to only speak English when I’m around. Right?”

“Zeer verstandig van u.”

“Okay.” Hamlin held up his hands in surrender. “I’m barely beginning to learn, so could we please stick to English for now.”

“For now, yes. I expect you to be more fluent in Dutch the next time we meet. Is that understood?”

“Sofietje,” Manny growled. “Play nice.”

“Maar natuurlijk, Manfred. Heb ik niet altijd?”

Manny snorted. “Not hardly. But for now, please do, and leave. We need to get his luggage and then get back to my place.”

Sofietje nodded. “Be at my office first thing in the morning so that I can debrief you.”

“Yes, mijn commandant.” Manny resisted saluting.

“En Manfred, ik denk dat ik goed te keuren van uw jonge man.”

“Good,” Manny replied, grinning, “because he’s here for the long term, like it or not.”

With a lift of one eyebrow, Sofietje turned and walked away.

* * * * *

Het is een genoegen om je te ontmoeten – It is a pleasure to meet you.

Zeer verstandig van u. – Very astute of you.

Maar natuurlijk, Manfred. Heb ik niet altijd? – Of course, Manfred, haven’t I always?

En Manfred, ik denk dat ik goed te keuren van uw jonge man. – And Manfred, I think I approve of your young man.

Caomhnóir – Manny - 41

Sofietje had not relented. She had wanted Manny back in Rotterdam immediately. Therefore, he had no choice but to go, leaving Hamlin behind to deal with the fallout from his abrupt departure. He had at least gotten a chance to say his goodbyes to the boys, which he had found almost harder than doing the same with Hamlin. At least he knew that, in time, he and Hamlin would be together again.

Within a day of his return, Sofietje had sent Manny off on an assignment. When he returned a week later, she had another one for him. Only the fact that Hamlin was still waiting it out while Gebhard searched for the perfect replacement kept Manny from blowing his cool. He had the distinct feeling that Sofietje was keeping him busy in the vain hope that he’d forget about Hamlin. If she found out that his lover was going to be moving here, Manny had the feeling the shit would hit the fan big time.

Finally, much to his relief, even though he felt some trepidation as well, Manny got the phone call he’d been waiting for so anxiously. Hamlin told him elatedly that Gebhard had found not one but two men to be counselors at the house.

"Just tell me when and I’ll be on the first flight out."

“I’ll be back in Rotterdam in two days if all goes well.”

"It better. I’m miss you so damned much I don’t think I can wait even that long. I’ll make my reservations as soon as we hang up."

“Just don’t forget to let me know so I can meet you at the airport,” Manny told him, laughing happily.

They talked for a while longer, until Manny had to call a halt to their conversation so he could get back to the reason he was where he was.

Two days later, just as he’d promised Hamlin, the job was finished. His flight back to Rotterdam landed him at the airport less than an hour before Hamlin was due in. So instead of heading home, he was pacing the waiting area while he waited for his lover’s arrival.

“Hold still,” a stern voice said from behind him.

Swinging around, Manny saw Sofietje standing there, her arms crossed as she glared at him

“Just when were you planning on telling me?” she asked. “Or weren’t you?”

Manny shrugged. “Given my druthers, never. But I know I couldn’t keep it a secret forever. How did you know?”

She gave him a slight smile. “I am not a fool, Manfred. You know I was aware of your young man even before I gave you permission to return to the States. I will admit I was hardly elated when Alasdair told me that you had taken up with him again, although I was not terribly surprised. But to bring him back here—“ She shook her head.

“Fait accompli at this point, I’m afraid,” he told her, a small grin quirking up his lips. “They just announced that his plane has landed. So, if you’ll excuse me—“ He started off towards the baggage claim area where he was to meet Hamlin.

“You will introduce me to him,” Sofietje said, walking along beside him.

With a sigh, Manny nodded his agreement.

Caomhnóir – Manny - 40

A week after having ended Cerdic’s life for all time, Manny got the call he’d been dreading.

Hamlin knew something was very wrong the moment he saw Manny’s face when he showed up for his shift at the house that evening. With Mr Shadrick gone, the explanation to the boys being that he’d found a better job elsewhere, Gebhard had asked Hamlin if he’d like to take Mr Shadrick’s place. Although unsure that he really had the qualifications to teach the boys, Hamlin had still jumped at the offer, especially after Gebhard had promised to look into hiring a real teacher on a part-time basis as well.

Once he was able to get Manny off by himself, Hamlin asked quietly, “What’s going on?”

“I’ve been ordered back to Rotterdam.”

“For how long?”

Manny’s face tightened as he tried to hide his emotions. “Forever, more or less. Except when I’m off on assignments.”

“Oh,” Hamlin said quietly. “Forever’s a long time.”

“Especially when—“ Manny turned away.

“When what, Manny?” Hamlin moved in front of him, searching his face.

“When I’m all alone.”

Hamlin looked at him in shocked surprise. “Why would you be alone? I’ll be there, well, that is if you want me to be, and if it’s allowed of course.”

“I can’t ask you to leave everything behind just to be with me,” Manny told him softly. “It wouldn’t be fair to you.”

"God, Manny, sometimes you are so—eighteen. Don’t you think that’s my choice to make? I’d give it all up to—" he paused a moment. “te worden met de man dat ik liefde.”

“Whoa.” Manny’s eyes lit up. “When did you learn to speak my language?”

“I’ve sort of been studying on the sly. I’m far from good at it but I wanted to be able to, just in case something like this happened. Because, mijn liefde, you are not going to get rid of me that easily. You need a keeper, and I’ve delegated that job to me, like it or not.”

“I see. Do I get a say in this?”

“I thought—" Hamlin’s face fell. “I see. Sorry.”

Manny broke into a grin, taking Hamlin’s face in his hands. “I don’t want a keeper coming with me, I want a lover. You to be exact.” He brushed a kiss over Hamlin’s lips. “Please, come with me.”

After returning the kiss, Hamlin chuckled. “Well, I suppose, if you insist.”

“Insist? I’m ordering it, and the hell with what mijn commandant might say.”

“Getting ballsy in your old age.”

“Yeah, well—" Manny shrugged. “We’re going to have to get a bigger place, mine’s kind of small. What about passports, do you have one? And how soon can you get packed. And damn, what about Gebhard? We’ll be leaving him in the lurch. Hell, this is getting complicated.”

“Slow down,” Hamlin replied, laughing. “Yes I’ve got a passport, remember I was in London, so that’s no problem. When do you have to leave?”

“Tomorrow, although maybe I can get that extended under the circumstances.”

“Find out, and then we’ll let Gebhard know. In all honesty, I should stay here until he finds a replacement for at least one of us, but that shouldn’t take too long. I hope.”

“God, I hope not.”

* * * * * *

te worden met de man dat ik liefde - to be with the man I love

Caomhnóir – Manny - 39

“We didn’t figure we’d see you for another hour at least,” Keegan said as Manny appeared in the living room area of the loft.

“Hamlin’s dead to the world and I didn’t have the heart to wake him.”

Thom looked over from the kitchen, where he was preparing lunch. “How’s your leg?”

“Better than last night, that’s for damned sure, thanks to you.”

“And your innate healing powers. Are you hungry?”

“Yeah. I could eat a horse.”

Keegan laughed. “See, Thom, I told you we should have absconded with that nag while we were out walking Romper.”

“He’s kidding I hope. And where is the pup? Off chewing up more shoes?”

“Nope,” Thom replied. “Sound asleep in the middle of our bed. I guess we tired him out. You all ready to eat?”

They were, and they did. When they’d finished Manny checked the time and then opted for a second cup of coffee.

“You working today?” Keegan asked.

Manny nodded. “No rest for the wicked and all that jazz. Are you two sticking around?”

“No. We’re heading back to our place. My job here is done and I’d be more than willing to bet Alasdair’s got ten more lined up for me.”

“A bet I’m not taking,” Manny told him, chuckling. “I’ve got a feeling he’ll find something for me to do too, if my real commandant hasn’t.” He sighed. “This is going to be rough.”

“On Hamlin, if you have to go back to your home base in Holland?”

“Yes. I can’t ask him to just pick up and come with me. He’s got his own life here.”

“You might find he’s more than willing to,” Thom said. “I would be, if it were Keegan asking.”

“But you two have been together forever.”

Thom shook his head. “Manny, that’s not what counts. It’s how he feels about you, and if you had brain one you’d know he really cares for you.”

“We’ll see, if and when the time comes.”

Caomhnóir – Manny - 38

“Morning.”

Manny opened one eye. Then he smiled, seeing Hamlin hovering over him as if unsure whether it was safe to join him in bed. Reaching up, he pulled Hamlin to him to kiss him soundly. “You survived the night with the boys,” he commented as Hamlin slid under the covers beside him.

“Night and most of the morning. Gebhard sent me home to get some sleep.” Hamlin yawned prodigiously.

“What time is it?” Manny asked in surprise. Then he realized the room was brightly sunlit. “Guess I overslept just a bit.”

“You needed to.” Tired as he was, Hamlin still wanted to make certain Manny really had healed so he pushed the covers down. “Hell,” he whispered, looking at Manny’s leg.

After glancing at it, seeing is was ten times better than it had been last night, although still in the process of healing, Manny told him, “It’s nothing to worry about.”

“Damned good thing I didn’t see it last night, mijn liefde. Gebhard would have pulled a double shift because there’s no way I would have left you.”

“Well you didn’t, he didn’t, and now I’m almost as good as new.” Manny pulled the covers back over them.

Hamlin shoved them down again, but not because of the wound. “Go take a shower. You look like you walked through a slaughterhouse.”

“It’s just blood.” Manny chuckled when Hamlin wrinkled his nose in disgust. “All right, already, I’ll go clean up. Can you stay awake til I get back?”

Hamlin grinned wickedly. “That depends on why I should.”

“If you don’t know, liefde, then I’m finding someone else to keep me company on cold nights.” After stroking the palm of his hand up Hamlin’s thigh and over his semi-rigid cock, Manny said, “Think about this while I’m gone.” He slid down, taking the head of Hamlin’s cock in his mouth and sucking for a long moment, and then with a laugh he slid out of bed. “I’ll be back before you know I’ve left.”

As good as his word, Manny was back ten minutes later, still drying his hair as he walked into the bedroom. He smiled, as he looked a Hamlin. He was curled around a pillow, snoring softly, dead asleep. Crossing to the bed, he bent to kiss Hamlin’s forehead and then got dressed and left the room.

Caomhnóir – Manny - 37

Manny frowned deeply at Keegan. “You can read my thoughts?”

“Nope, you’re a Caomhnóir, but your face says it all. I don’t know how Cerdic found out, but he was right, I don’t have to blindly obey orders any longer.”

“Why not? And can you quit all together?”

“I sort of doubt that I could, but then I don’t want to so that’s a moot point. The one thing I do know is that I don’t have to vanish for a year because they want me back in the past.”

“By the way, Manny,” Thom interjected, “have you told Hamlin about that?”

“That part, no. Hell, he’s just beginning to understand the rest and what I am. If he finds out I’ll very possibly vanish on him for twelve months—“ Manny shook his head. “I’ve got almost nine months. I’ll tell him when the time’s right.”

“Take it from someone who’s been there, done that,” Thom responded, “the sooner you do, the better. Sure, this is all a shock to him as it is, but he loves you so he’ll be able to deal with it. If you wait too long he’s going to be pissed as hell, thinking that you didn’t trust him enough to handle it.”

“I suppose you’re right, but what if—if he can’t handle it?”

“Manny,” Keegan said firmly, “if he cares half as much for you as you seem to care for him, he’ll be fine. It’s not as if you’ll be leaving forever, and with the boys at the house, he’s got what amounts to a family here to keep him busy so that he doesn’t get lonely.”

“I guess. I just wish—Oh well. May I ask what happened that you can stay here, now, and not go time traveling, Keegan?”

“I wish I could tell you, but I can’t. It’s something each one of us has to come to on our own. And apparently it doesn’t happen often from what Alasdair said.”

“But it does happen, so there is hope.”

“There is.” Keegan smiled, and then said, “Now we should get our butts to bed. You for one, Manny, definitely need to rest or you’ll have Hamlin on your ass come morning, and not in a good way.”

“Good point.” Manny chuckled, easing himself carefully out of the chair. Thom leapt to his feet and helped him into his bedroom, laughing when Manny pointed out succinctly that he’d be fine with getting undressed on his own “considering that at this point all I’ve got on is half a pair of pants and my boots. So scram.”

Once Thom was gone, Manny managed to do as he’d said and finish undressing. Then he fell into bed, too tired to care that he still had dried blood all over him. That he would take care of tomorrow.