31 - Caomhnóir

 

 

“And on your right, you’ll see—” Keegan intoned, causing Thom to break into laughter once again as he looked out of the window of the rental car.  

 

It had been like that for the last four days, the two of them bantering with each other at the same time that they were thoroughly enjoying the beauty of Ireland, or Éirinn as Keegan insisted on calling his homeland. At the moment they were on their way from Dublin, where they’d spent two days exploring the city, to Limerick and from there they planned to go down to Killarney and then over to Cork before heading home. Thom was splitting his attention between what he was seeing as they drove and the guidebook on Limerick that he’d picked up at their Dublin hotel.

 

Now Thom gazed across the vast expanse of green country side, broken occasionally by a small house or farm, and said, “We’re moving here.”

 

“Are we now? And just when are you planning on doing this?”

 

Turning to look as his lover, Thom said, “As soon as we get back and I have that long talk with Alasdair.”

 

Reaching across the console, Keegan squeezed Thom’s thigh. “One could only wish that he’d grant your request, but he won’t. My home base is where he is in this time and place.”

 

“We’ll see about that,” Thom replied firmly before going back to reading the guidebook. “We’re going to visit the castle,” he stated a moment later, “and the Milk Market since tomorrow’s Saturday.”

 

“Now who’s being the tour guide?”

 

“The book actually, I’m just taking its advice.”

 

* * * *

 

“Stop!” Thom said an hour later as they drove through the city.

 

“Now what?” Keegan asked in amusement. “We’re never going to get to the hotel if you keep this up.”

 

“Sorry,” Thom replied, “but I’ve never seen a real castle before.”

 

“Aye, and there it is,” Keegan said as he pulled off the street enough that they could look at it without impeding traffic. “Not one of the largest, but definitely a castle.” He ruffled Thom’s hair.

 

“Stop teasing. I know this is stuff you’re used to with your history, but it’s all new and wonderful to me.”

 

“I know, mo ghrá, and we’ll visit it tomorrow, but for now I suggest we move on. I for one and hungry and thirsty and there’s a pub here that will solve both those problems after we’ve signed into the hotel.”

 

30 - Caomhnóir

 

 

“I can’t, Thom. Not there.”

 

“Please. I want to see where you grew up. I mean I know it’s not like it was then, but please, for me.”

 

Keegan stopped packing, turning to look at him. “When I said I can’t I mean I can’t, I may not, it’s not allowed. Hell, even if I decided to break the rules and try, I still couldn’t. Do you know what a Geis is?”

 

“Not a clue, but I’ve got the feeling it’s not a good thing.”

 

“It’s a taboo that cannot be violated without paying a serious penalty. All Caomhnóir are under a Geis that forbids us to return to the scene of our death. If we try we find that we’re unable to step foot within the boundaries of the territory of our death, in my case the city of Dún Bhun na Gaillimhe. If we press the issue so to speak, or someone physically forces us to go back, we will be caught there throughout eternity, at the mercy of any who would do us harm, although they could not kill us. That’s how strong the Geis is.”

 

“Damn,” Thom said softly.

 

“Yes,” Keegan agreed. “Definitely damned.”

 

“But why? Why on earth would it matter that you visited the scene of your death, especially centuries after it happened? Ghosts do it all the time, at least according to people who believe in them. In those stories, a ghost is actually stuck where they died until there is some sort of resolution.”

 

“Like finding out who killed them if that’s what happened. Yes, I know those tales and they’re true, which perhaps is why we’re not allowed back. After all, in some ways I suppose Caomhnóir and Scriostóir could be considered a form of ghost. We’re dead. We’ve been brought back to the land of the living. The only difference is we’re corporal.”

 

“That makes sense. So if you went back to Galway you would be bound there forever, prey to anyone who wanted to torment you? That would also make you useless to your Rialóir Deiridh and his commanders.”

 

“Precisely. Ergo Dún Bhun na Gaillimhe is out. Now if you want to visit any other part of Éirinn I’m game. It’s a beautiful country.”

 

“Then let’s. We can visit Dublin, and Killarney and the Blarney Stone—”

 

 “We’ve only got a week or so,” Keegan pointed out with a laugh. “Less if you don’t get that fine ass of yours in gear and pack.”

 

“I’m packing, I’m packing,” Thom replied, chuckling as he tossed everything haphazardly into his bag.

 

 

 

29 - Caomhnóir

 

 

The week following their arrival was, in Thom’s estimation, frustrating. Keegan was gone more than he was around as the day of the election neared. That left Thom at loose ends in a strange city where he didn’t speak the language. He did a bit of the tourist thing, visiting shops and a cathedral that was an architectural landmark. He even, at Keegan’s insistence, took a day trip to nature preserve. It was all well and good, and yes he had to admit it was different and interesting, but for all that he saw of his lover he might as well have stayed home.

 

Keegan, on the other hand, was wishing for a bit of leisure time. He was getting very tired of hanging around the present president’s xenophobic militia. They only tolerated his presence because he had high-level, if forged, documents certifying him as an observer there to ensure the election was carried out according to international standards. If it weren’t for the fact that he was picking up needed information from their minds that justified his assignment, he’d have packed it in without a second thought and taken Thom on a tour of the continent instead.

 

By the end of the week the two men were sniping at each other when they weren’t relieving their frustrations with heated bouts of love-making.

 

After the most recent round, Thom asked petulantly, “How damned much longer?” Then, sighing, he apologized. “I guess I never realized how much of your job was just information gathering. For some reason I saw you as some sort of James Bond figure, literally fighting the good fight while dodging the bad guys’ bullets. This trip puts a whole new light on things.”

 

Keegan shook his head, smiling. “Often it’s exactly like that, and if this had been one of those times I have a feeling you’d still be back home with three of Alasdair’s people watching you day and night.”

 

“I’ll pass on that, thanks.” He shifted to a more comfortable position, resting his head on Keegan’s shoulder. “So, back to the original question. The election is in two days. Is the opposition candidate going to survive until then and do we get to leave as soon as it’s over?”

 

“Yes, to both questions. His going out of the country for a day helped. It gave his people a chance to deal with a known assassin who had followed him.”

 

“One you knew about because of what you’re doing.”

 

“Exactly. But with that man out of the picture there’s still a chance another one has been brought in, which is why we’re still here. I picked up on something from the head of the militia when he came to the hotel. Outwardly he was just reassigning some of his men, but he held a closed-door conference with two of them. A name was mentioned that I recognized.”

 

Thom gave him a worried look. “Tell me you’re not going after whoever he is.”

 

“Nope, not in my job description this time.”

 

“Whew. Then two more days and we’re out of here.”

 

“Exactly. And,” Keegan smiled slightly, “I wasn’t going to tell you this until we were on the plane, but I have been given some time off.”

 

Thom sat up, looking down at him. “As in time just for you and me?”

 

"No,” Keegan said quite seriously, “I’m sending you home and then doing a little traveling on my own.” He ceased his teasing immediately when he saw that Thom believed him. “Yes, you nut, as in just you and me. Where do you want to go? There’s a whole world out there and you get to make the choice.”

 

28 - Caomhnóir

 

 

Thom watched out the windows of the cab as they headed from the airport into the center of the city. “Not quite what I expected, but at least we won’t stand out like sore thumbs.”

 

“Very true. Tourists do come here despite the turmoil.”

 

The cab stopped and for a moment Thom thought they’d reached their hotel. Instead they seemed to be at some sort of military checkpoint. The gun-toting soldier bent to look in at them, asking where they were from and where they were going. Keegan replied in French, assuring the soldier that while he spoke the language he was not a French citizen, and gave him the name of their hotel. The soldier looked doubtful until Keegan slipped him a small bribe.

 

Then they were on their way again, the cab driver apologizing as he explained that was the norm in the city these days. “Tensions ride high now, higher even than usual, because of the elections.”

 

“No problem,” Keegan replied with a nod. “I had been warned.”

 

A few minutes later they arrived at their hotel. After paying the cab driver and retrieving their luggage, Keegan led the way inside.

 

“It’s like returning to the sixties,” Thom commented as he waited for Keegan to register.

 

“The times, they are so chaotic, they do not allow for much in the way of modernization,” the clerk replied in excellent if heavily accented English. “I am afraid, too, that the swimming pool is unusable, but the beach is very close, and very lovely.”

 

Minutes later Keegan was unlocking the door to their room. Again Thom was less than impressed. “I’ve stayed in motel rooms that were no better or worse than this.” He dropped his bag on the desk before going to look out the windows. “On the other hand, damn the view is great.”

 

“It’s pretty good from—”

 

Thom swung around, laughing. “Don’t even go there. That line is so old it’s got moss on it.”

 

“Old man, old line,” Keegan said, crossing to wrap his arms around Thom’s waist. “We could move to another hotel, but it would make my job that much harder.”

 

“Why?”

 

“This is where the President’s personal militia stays when he’s in the city. Being close to them means I can get information that I need.”

 

“Mind reading I presume.”

 

“Of course,” Keegan replied, smiling tightly.

 

“And he’s in town?”

 

“Both candidates are.”

 

“Which one are you protecting, or whatever it is you’re doing?”

 

“Protecting, although not overtly. It would be better for the country and ultimately those around it, if the opposition candidate won as his aim is unification. If he were assassinated the election, which has taken almost half a decade to bring about, would be cancelled for who knows how long and the resulting turmoil could be catastrophic.”

 

“Fun, fun,” Thom muttered, turning in Keegan’s arms to stare out the window again.

 

“The job, not particularly, but it has to be done. Having you here with me, that will definitely be fun I hope.” Keegan kissed the back of Thom’s neck and then began working from there to his ear, nibbling the lobe.

 

Thom shivered, and laughed softly. “Always willing to be a diversion when needed.”

 

“Which would be now,” was Keegan’s husky response.

 

27 - Caomhnóir

 

“I’m what?” Thom looked at Keegan as if the man had lost the last of his marbles.

 

“You’re coming with me on this assignment. Alasdair okayed it. In point of fact it was his idea.”

 

“In other words he ordered you to take me along,” Thom said, frowning. “Why? So that Darius can’t mess with me while you’re gone?”

 

“Yes.” Keegan replied, surprised at Thom’s reaction. He’d expected him to be happy about it, not upset.

 

“Did it occur to either of you that I have a job of my own? I’m just supposed to tell my boss that I’ll be gone for who knows how long and he should hold it until I get back?”

 

“Well—” Keegan blew out a long breath. “Look, if you don’t want to come with me I understand. It is short notice. I’ll tell Alasdair and have him set up bodyguards for you.”

 

“Like hell! I don’t want someone on my tail twenty-four/seven like I’m some kid.”

 

“Then you’re coming with me. End of story.”

 

“And do what, take in the sights wherever we’re going while you go off to fight some—whoever?”

 

“I’m not doing any fighting this time, hopefully. I’m there to keep a man from getting assassinated before or during the elections in his country.” Closing the distance between them, Keegan put his hands on Thom’s shoulders, asking, “Why are you really so upset about the idea of coming with me?”

 

Thom stared at him. “Because it wasn’t your idea, you were ordered to take me along.”

 

Lowering his gaze, Keegan nodded. “If I’d thought he’d have allowed it, mo ghrá, you would have come with me on every assignment I do while I’m here.”

 

“But you would never have stood up to him and said, ‘He’s coming with, like it or not’.”

 

“It’s not my place to do that.”

 

Thom sighed deeply. “I know Keegan. You’re just a—”

 

“A slave,” Keegan finished, his voice tight with acceptance.

 

“A foot-soldier.” Thom smiled a bit.

 

“Either/or, I’m his to command until—”

 

“The end of time?” Thom shook his head as he pulled away from Keegan’s grasp, but not away from where he was standing. Instead he took Keegan’s hands in his, holding them tightly. “There has to be an out-clause other than dying again.”

 

“So you keep saying, but if there is, no one that I’ve ever heard of has found it.”

 

“Alasdair would know,” Thom said with conviction.

 

“And he would never tell me, or any of us. After all, if we knew what it was, then we’d use it and there would soon be no more Caomhnóir.”

 

Thom hesitated for a moment, and then replied, “When we get back we’re going to beard the gryphon in his den and find out.”

 

Keegan’s face lit up. “So you will come with me on this assignment?”  

 

“Of course. I can’t have you worrying about me while you’re gone, which, I’d bet my bottom dollar, is why Alasdair ordered this. Right?”

 

With a chuckle and a nod of his head, Keegan said he was.

 

 

 

 

26 - Caomhnóir

One day later, Keegan was back in Alasdair’s office, receiving his next assignment. As he listened, he paced; half his mind on what his ceannasaí was saying, the rest of it worrying about going off so soon after what had happened between Thom and Darius.

 

Finally, with a sharp rap of one clawed nail on his desk to regain Keegan’s attention, Alasdair said, “Darius knows better than to have anything to do with your Thom at this point. Cease your brooding about it.”

 

“I can’t,” Keegan replied honestly. “I know Darius. He won’t give up. If necessary he’ll bring in someone else to do his dirty work, because he won’t rest until Thom is out of my life for good.”

 

“Why, Keegan?”

 

“You don’t know?” Keegan was surprised that his ceannasaí would be unaware.

 

“I know that there were rumors a century or so ago about some falling out between the two of you. I would have thought that by now that would be past history.”

 

“For me, it is, or it was until now. Obviously for Darius it isn’t.”

 

“Sit and tell me, in detail.”

 

Keegan nodded, taking a chair on the other side of the desk. “There’s not really much to tell. Darius met a young man who fascinated him. The young man wanted nothing to do with him. Eventually they went their separate ways.”

 

Alasdair shook his head. “There’s more to it than that. Rumor has it he tried to blackmail this ‘young man’ into accepting his advances and that said young man escaped from him only because it was close to All Hallows’ Eve. He waited for that night and then, contrary to orders, slipped into another century.”

 

Keegan chuckled low. “You should know, you read me the riot act about that for days afterwards.”

 

“During which, never once did you reveal why you had done it.”

 

“It was—personal, Alasdair. And, just so that you’re aware, what he was holding over my head was not blackmail per se. It was a threat to reveal to a Scriostóir that I was the one responsible for the death of his family.”

 

“And you didn’t see fit to tell me this, Keegan,” Alasdair growled angrily.

 

“It was only a threat, meant to make me bend to his will. Darius might be a royal bastard, but he would never actually endanger our operation. You know that.”

 

“One would hope that’s the case.” Alasdair stood, crossing to look out over the city from the tall windows on one wall of his office. Finally he turned to say, “Against my better judgment, I want you to take Thom with you on your next assignment.”

 

Keegan’s eyes widened in surprise. “You’re serious?”

 

“Very much so. If you leave him behind, your full attention won’t be on what you’re supposed to be accomplishing. With him with you, and Darius having no idea where in this world the two of you are, you can concentrate on the job. And,” Alasdair smiled slightly, “your Thom won’t be fretting about who you might be sleeping with.”

 

“Someday he’ll finally understand that he is the only one.” Keegan’s tone of voice was slightly petulant as he said that.

 

“He loves you, and I’m certain he really does trust you, but he’s only human. Jealousy will inevitably raise its ugly head when you are gone for long spells of time. Therefore, he will go with you.”

 

Keegan chuckled. “I’d suggest you let me tell him that. If you were to order him to, he’d rebel just because it was you.”

 

“I am quite certain he would.” Alasdair returned to his desk. “Now, shall we go over your orders once more? And this time, pay full attention.”

 

25 - Caomhnóir

 

“He wouldn’t, would he?” Thom asked, more angry than fearful.

 

“Have you for supper?” Keegan nodded. “He would, but only as a guest, not the main course.”

 

“And that will never happen. If I never see him again it will be too soon. Damn, Keegan.”

 

“I know he comes on a bit strong, but consider who and what he is,” Keegan replied, putting an arm around Thom’s waist as they reached the hall. “He actually admired your standing up to him, although I doubt he’ll ever tell you so.”

 

“If he did I wouldn’t believe him. So, what do we do now?”

 

“Depends what you mean. I for one could use something to eat.”

 

“That’s not quite what I meant and you know it. What are we going to do about Darius, since I doubt that Alasdair’s lecturing him will actually make the slightest difference in the long run.”

 

Keegan chuckled. “Never underestimate the power of one of his lectures. By the time he’s finished with you, you know exactly where you stand and what will happen if you dare to disobey him on whatever laws he’s laid down in the process.” After pressing the elevator button, Keegan added, quite seriously, “It’s more than your life is worth to disobey him.”

 

“All right, I’ll take your word for it. But so help me if I see that bastard again I’m going to coldcock him, and that, Keegan, is a promise.”

 

Keegan smiled, giving him a quick hug as the elevator doors opened for them. “If I’m with you, I’ll back you up to the hilt, and maybe add a blow or two of my own.”

 

* * * *

 

As one set of elevator doors closed on Keegan and Thom, the ones for the next elevator opened and Darius stepped into the hall. He wondered as he strolled down to Alasdair’s office just what assignment the ceannasaí had for him. Hopefully, he thought, something quick. He wanted to be around when the foolish human went after Alasdair, to see how hard and fast Alasdair eliminated him.

 

Half an hour later Darius was storming out of the office. He’d kept his cool while Alasdair lectured him, denying Thom’s accusations all the while. But the minute the door closed behind him his face was suffused with rage. Enough with the games, it was time to get proactive.

 

 

 

 

24 - Caomhnóir

 

“You’re certain I can’t just stay out here and—” Thom looked around the waiting room, his eyes landing on a neatly arranged array of magazines, “and catch up on the latest in the legal journals?”

 

“Quite certain.” Keegan put his hand at the small of Thom’s back, propelling him gently into Alasdair’s office after opening the door.

 

The ceannasaí looked up from what he was doing, arching his eyebrows when he saw Thom as well as Keegan. “To what do I owe this singular honor that you’ve brought him with you, Keegan?”

 

“He had something to tell you that you need to know.” Keegan took a seat in front of Alasdair’s desk, indicating that Thom should do the same.

 

“Might I hazard a guess that it has to do with Darius?”

 

Thom nodded and then, after an encouraging glace from Keegan, told his story. As he did Alasdair looked at first doubtful and then as the story progressed anger limned his face.

 

“Unbelievable,” Alasdair growled when Thom had finished. “Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I shall have a long talk with him about his behavior.”

 

“Mo ceannasaí, if I may offer an opinion,” Keegan said. He waited for Alasdair to indicate that he could before continuing. “Darius will deny everything, and so skillfully that you’ll believe him when he’s finished. He will undoubtedly do his best to make it seem as if Thom made it all up out of a whole cloth because he’s jealous.”

 

“And did he?” Alasdair asked, well aware of Keegan’s ability to ferret out the thoughts of humans, and that he would not lie to him.

 

“No he did not. What he’s told you is the absolute truth.”

 

“Something that I’ll make quite certain Darius understands if he tries to pull the wool over my eyes. Again, thank you letting me know, and you are dismissed.”

 

“But—” Keegan started to say. The protest died on his lips when the ceannasaí said his name sharply, pointing to the door. “As you wish, sir,” Keegan murmured with a slight bow of his head as he stood up.

 

“Now just a damned minute here,” Thom said angrily, standing as well, but not moving towards the door. “So all that bastard is going to get is a lecture after what I just told you? Don’t you get how close I was to coming after you? I would be dead now if I had, and he set that up to happen.”

 

“That would have been unfortunate. Luckily for you, you came to your senses before you did something so stupid. Now leave.” Alasdair pointed one clawed finger at Thom. “Now, and without another word. If you weren’t so important to Keegan you would be my supper this very moment for talking to me in that way.”

 

Thom opened his mouth in shock, and then snapped it shut as he walked swiftly out of the office. Keegan started after him, throwing an angry look at Alasdair over his should as he did. He stopped dead when he saw him grinning broadly.

 

“Your young man has guts,” the ceannasaí commented. “For the first time since he came into your life I am beginning to believe that you have found your match. Now go, and try not to let him go off half-cocked. I shall deal with Darius as he deserves.”

 

With a soft chuckle, Keegan left, closing the door behind him.

 

23 - Caomhnóir

 

“The second time Darius showed up wasn’t nearly as pleasant as the first, which should tell you something right there.”

 

“Indeed it does.” Keegan was scowling again, but this time not at Thom but because of what he was saying.

 

“He started out by telling me that you were going after a Scriostóir, as if you had tried to hide that bit of information from me. And then, being all consoling and what have you he implied that you were dead without really coming out and saying so.”

 

“The bastard! Just wait until I get my hands on him.”

 

Thom nodded. “I rather thought you’d feel that way. But before you go after him, there’s more.”

 

Consciously relaxing enough to listen, Keegan asked, “How bad?”

 

“If I’m reading things correctly, bad enough that if I hadn’t gotten my emotions under control I’d probably be dead by now. He told me that you’d been betrayed, by Alasdair, because of me.”

 

“Bloody fucking—” Keegan let out a string of swear words in more languages than Thom could comprehend, from ‘Bastardo’ to ‘Pompinara’ and back again. When Keegan finally ran out of words and breath, he wrapped his arms around Thom, holding him tight. “This shouldn’t have happened. And it will never happen again.”

 

Releasing Thom finally, Keegan cupped his chin in on hand, looking gravely at him. “Tell me you weren’t planning on going after Alasdair.”

 

Thom nodded slowly, admitting, “For a while there I was. Until I realized that’s exactly what Darius wanted me to do.”

 

“Thank God you came to your senses.”

 

“That can happen, occasionally,” Thom replied with a self-depreciating chuckle.

 

“I would ask why you believed all his lies, but I know the answer. Darius is a consummate manipulator, and as young and innocent as you are, you were putty in his hands.”

 

“Young, maybe, in comparison to the two of you, but innocent, not even. Not since I met you.”

 

Keegan threw back his head in laughter, cursing when it hit the headboard with a loud smack. “You, mo ghrá, are going to be the death of me yet.”

 

“Not possible.” Thom smiled, and then sobered quickly, “Unless there is some truth in the midst of all Darius’ lies. Would Alasdair like to see the two of us separated?”

 

“Damn, Thom, no! All right, he’s not totally happy with you being in my life because he’s afraid you could jeopardize me. He knows I’d do anything within my power to keep you safe. But come on, what good would it do him to have me killed just to part us?”

 

Thom leaned back against Keegan’s chest as he thought about that. “What if,” he said slowly, “you had lost the fight with the Scriostóir? Could Alasdair, or your supreme ruler, bring you back again or would you be truly dead?”

 

Instead of replying immediately, Keegan shifted Thom so that he could get out of bed. He searched the clothes that lay strewn on the floor until he found what he was looking for. Coming back, he settled next to Thom, handing his a sheathed dagger.

 

“All of us have one of these, Scriostóir and Caomhnóir. Believe it or not, even though we are fierce enemies in the fight to save or destroy this world, there is a certain respect that we hold for each other when it comes to battling one on one. The winner uses their dagger to send to looser to his final rest, freed of the sins that brought them to the orders.”

 

Thom looked gravely at the dagger. “You just—stab your foe with this and that’s the end?”

 

“It’s not quite that simple. There are ritual words that must be spoken as we plunge it into their heart.”

 

“And if you don’t say them, then what?”

 

“Then we return to the vale to suffer for our sins throughout eternity. Or at least that’s the theory. As far as I know it hasn’t been tested.”

 

“Alasdair would know. And that leads me back to what we were just talking about. Suppose that’s not what happens, or that it’s only one of several possibilities. What if you return to the vale and it’s decided that you’re too valuable to waste. So they give you another chance. And just suppose that someone, not saying Alasdair but someone, knows this. You battle, you’re the looser and dying, and your opponent stabs you but doesn’t say the words that save you from—eternal damnation.”

 

Keegan tapped his fingers together as he though about that. “From the mouths of babes,” he finally muttered. “But Alasdair wouldn’t do that to me. We’re more than master and slave, commander and foot-soldier, whatever you want to call it. We’re friends above and beyond all else. If we weren’t you wouldn’t be in my life, he’d have seen to that from the beginning.”

 

“So he does see some good in our relationship?”

 

“Yes, I think he does. But we can ask him in the morning when we go to see him.”

 

“I have to--?” Thom shuddered.

 

“Yes, mo fear daor, you have to,” Keegan replied with a soft laugh. “I promise, I shall protect you from his claws.”

 

 

22 - Caomhnóir

 

“I think,” Keegan started to say, laughing when Thom responded with, ‘therefore you are’.  “Yes I am, but that is not what I was going to say. I think that we need to talk now that we’ve gotten the most important things out of the way.”

 

Thom looked up at his lover, tracing a finger over his lips. “I guess we should, but not like this. I won’t be able to keep my mind on what we’re talking about.”

 

“Then I’ll move.” Keegan kissed him once more, quite thoroughly, before rolling off him and sitting up.

 

Thom grumbled that he wasn’t quite sure that was an improvement as he sat up as well, leaning back into the curve of Keegan’s arm as it circled his shoulders. “Ask away,” he said.

 

“You know what I need to know. Exactly what did Darius say to you?”

 

“I saw him twice, at the club, which you probably already know.” Thom turned his head to shoot Keegan a rather disgusted look. “The first time he went out of his way to make it clear that ‘faithful’ was not your middle name in any way, shape or form.”

 

“He’s right.” Keegan tightened his hold on Thom when he tried to pull away. “Let me finish. He is correct; I’ve never before been faithful to anyone. I never saw the need for it, as I rarely if ever returned once I’d left a place or time. But then, until six years ago, I had never met someone who affected me so deeply.” He smiled when Thom turned to look at him. “Truth time, here. In my nine centuries as a Caomhnóir I’ve been all over the world and have visited more places and times than you could ever imagine. You know that. And during all that time I was hardly a saint when it came to my physical needs.”

 

“I suppose that would have been impossible.”

 

“Unless I was a eunuch, definitely. There is one thing I can say though in my defense, never once have I told someone that I loved them until I met you.”

 

“Truly?” Thom studied Keegan’s face, looking for something in it that said he wasn’t just trying to placate him.  

 

Instead of replying to the affirmative, Keegan frowned. “Do Darius’ words mean more to you than mine?”

 

“No!’ Thom protested. “No, never. I just—Damn it Keegan.”

 

Keegan’s frown deepened. “Tell me exactly what he said.” 

 

“He implied that you had been unfaithful to me whenever you were gone. Any bed in a storm was the way he put it. And of course he caught me on a really bad day when he said that.”

 

“Bad day how?”

 

Thom winced, not certain he should admit what he’d been feeling. He didn’t have to as Keegan instantly picked up on his memory.

 

“Mo ghrá, you will always be beautiful to me. Even when you’re old and gray, to me you will be the man I met and fell in love with oh so many years ago. How many times do I have to tell you that before you believe it?”

 

“Until the day I die? And maybe beyond?”

 

“I can do that. I’ll say it so often you’ll get tired of hearing it.”

 

Thom touched his cheek, smiling. “You don’t have to be quite that insistent, once a week would be fine.”

 

“Done.” Keegan kissed him gently, saying, “Mo fear álainn, is breá liom tú.”

 

“Is breá liom tú,” Thom murmured against his lips.

 

“I know. I can feel it, see it, and read it in that wild and untamed mind of yours.”

 

“Stay out of my mind, Keegan,” Thom growled. And then he laughed. “As if, right?”

 

“Right. Now, tell me about your second run-in with Darius.”

21 - Caomhnóir

 

Thom woke, bleary-eyed and feeling as if he needed another twelve hours sleep, to the sound of his phone ringing. “This had better be a damned emergency, like the world is ending,” he growled as he answered it.

 

“Not yet,” Keegan replied with a laugh.

 

Thom shot up, clutching the receiver, “You survived. Thank God.”

 

“Not certain he had anything to do with it, but I did. You sound—I don’t know, both surprised and relieved.”

 

“And elated I hope, because I am. When do you get home?”

 

“Tomorrow. I’ve missed you, Thom, more than you can imagine.”

 

“I’ve missed you too,” Thom said softly in reply. “Are you—is he dead?”

 

“He is, and I’m all right, or I will be by the time you see me.”  Keegan took a deep breath before saying, “I understand Darius has been hassling you.”

 

Thom bristled as he took in the implications of the question. “Did you have someone watching me? Damn it, Keegan, I can take care of myself.”

 

“I know you can, against anyone human. However that would not be Darius. Just tell me you didn’t believe whatever he’s told you.”

 

Thom paused, and then replied reluctantly, “I tried not to.”

 

“Do you want to tell me, or should we wait until I get home?”

 

“When you get home.” Chewing his lip for a moment, Thom added, “I almost did something very insane because of it, and I’d rather be yelled at in person than over the phone.”

 

“Why do I get the feeling I really will be doing that?”

 

Thom chuckled a bit morosely. “Because you know me?”

 

“I do, extremely well actually. Not that I’m complaining in the least. There is no one in my life who means more to me than you. There never has been, there never will be.”

 

Remembering Darius’ words about that, Thom hesitated briefly before saying, “I know. The same goes for me as well. I do love you, Keegan. Hurry home, please.”

 

“I will. I love you too, mo ghrá, more than life itself. Believe that.”

 

Keegan’s words held a ring of truth that Thom could not deny. “I do,” he said softly before hanging up. “I do,” he reiterated firmly to himself. “I do.”

20 - Caomhnóir

 

It took Keegan two days to heal from his wounds. He might be immortal to all intents and purposes, but he still was human enough that the amount of damage he’d sustained had left him weakened and in need of that much time before he would be able to travel again.

 

While he waited, he placed a call to Alasdair. His first words to his ceannasaí were, “Assignment completed.” The next were, “Is Thom all right?”

 

Alasdair congratulated him, and then said, “Thom is fine to the best of my knowledge.”

 

“To the best of your knowledge?” Keegan growled. “You were supposed to have been watching over him.”

 

“Calm down, Keegan. We have been. Darius has made it a point to run into him twice in the last few days, always at the club. As far as we can tell however, all they’ve done is talk for a few minutes. Unfortunately both of the men assigned to keep an eye on Thom are human, I had no Caomhnóir that I could spare to babysit him. The men are good, but they can only judge by what they observe and though Thom looked upset, he’s done nothing irrational.”

 

“In other words, Darius is playing mind games.” Keegan sighed deeply. “As long as he keeps it to that and nothing more until I get home I can handle things from there.”

 

“When will you be able to return? How badly were you injured?”

 

Keegan chuckled. “You know me well. I should be able to move by tomorrow, so send a plane if you would.”

 

“I shall. Now I want the details on what happened on the assignment.”

 

For the next half hour Keegan filled Alasdair in on everything that had occurred. “I doubt,” he said in conclusion, “that the terrorist’s death will make the papers as his body will never be found.”

 

“Unfortunate, that, but necessary.” Alasdair chuckled. “He’ll become another bin Laden in the minds of those who are supposed to deal with such things.”

 

“Too true,” Keegan agreed. “Perhaps we should target him next?”

 

“What makes you think we’re not?”

 

Keegan laughed. “Point made and taken. All right, I should let you get back to your job.”

 

“And you to your healing. The plane will be on the tarmac,” Alasdair paused momentarily, “at O180.”

 

“Thanks.” Keegan broke the connection and then picked up the phone again. He had one more call he had to make. One that to him was even more important than calling his ceannasaí, although he knew Alasdair would have disagreed wholeheartedly.

 

 

19 - Caomhnóir

 

I can do this. I don’t know how, but I can. It’s the least that I can do to avenge Keegan.

 

That thought ran through Thom’s mind over and over as he tried to figure out how he could reach Alasdair and then destroy him as he had destroyed Keegan. He knew where the ceannasaí was, that part was no problem.  His place of business, if that’s what it could be called, was on the top floor a highrise building at the edge of the downtown area of the city. Ostensibly Alasdair was a high-powered lawyer with associates and the rest of the rigmarole that went with that. 

 

The creature, as Thom now thought of him, a word he would never have used in reference to Alasdair until an hour ago, also had a large home just outside the city limits. It was there that Thom had had his one and only meeting with him. That had been almost six years ago when Keegan had insisted that Thom and the ceannasaí should get to know each other. It had been obvious to Thom from the moment Alasdair had set eyes on him that the man considered him riffraff, someone not worthy of Keegan’s attention, to say the least of his love. Keegan had disagreed with Thom’s assessment of the situation, saying that was just his ceannasaí’s way. Thom was quite certain that was not the case.

 

Throwing himself down on the sofa, he stared up at the ceiling, not seeing it but rather remembering all his time with Keegan. As he did his grief overwhelmed him and he began to sob. After what seemed hours he was finally empty of tears.

 

It was then that he had the first rational thought since his last words with Darius. He sprang to his feet, calling himself every kind of fool. The bastard had played him, and done it well, so well that he had believed Darius without question. He should have known better, he knew exactly what Darius was.

 

“Did he know that I’d want to do something as stupid as trying to go after Alasdair,” Thom growled to himself. “That would be a death sentence. For me, not Alasdair. Damn him!”

 

His first impulse was to track Darius down and do to him what he’d wanted to do to Alasdair. Then he shook his head, vaguely amused at himself for even considering that. The bastard Caomhnóir would be no easier to kill than Alasdair. In other words, it would be impossible.

 

But there was another alternative, once Keegan returned. And deep in his heart, now that he was thinking rationally again, he knew the man he loved would come home. They would deal with Darius and, some way, somehow, end what he was doing.

 

With that thought, knowing there was nothing he could do at the moment, Thom dragged himself upstairs, suddenly more exhausted than he could ever remember being. He fell into bed, not even bothering to undress, closed his eyes, and slept.

 

 

18 - Caomhnóir

 

“Would you say ‘No’ if I offered to buy you a drink?”

 

Thom turned slowly on the bar stool, gazing with slightly blurred eyes at Darius. “Go away,” he spat out.

 

“Don’t be mad at me because I told you something you didn’t want to hear.” Darius smiled, taking the seat next to Thom, flagging down the bartender to order another drink for Thom and one for himself.

 

“Why are you here anyway?” Thom asked. “Don’t you have better things to do, like saving the world?”

 

Darius chuckled. “Did that this morning and now I’m home again, which, I gather from the fact that you’re here on your own, your devoted Keegan isn’t.”

 

“Well he had to—” Thom shook his head, turning his back on Darius.

 

“I heard he was going after a Scriostóir,” Darius said very quietly. “Unfortunate. That means I’ll have to give up my campaign to win him over as he’ll be dead soon enough for real.”

 

“You lie!”

 

“No, Thom, on this I do not lie. Keegan has been set up. If he isn’t dead already it’s only because he is moving slowly and carefully on his assignment.”

 

“I don’t believe you,” Thom whispered, spinning around to stare at Darius in horror.

 

Darius shrugged, lifting his glass, saying with apparent sincerity, “A toast to the late, great Keegan. May he finally rest in peace.” He put on hand on Thom’s shoulder. “I’m sorry. It shouldn’t have happened.”

 

Thom buried his face in his hands, fighting back tears. He would not give Darius the pleasure of seeing him cry. Finally he lifted his head to look at the Caomhnóir. “Who?”

 

“Who betrayed him? Why his ceannasaí of course. Who else could do that and get away with it.”

 

With a slow nod, Thom turned to pick up his glass. For a long moment he started into it before asking. “Why would he do that?”

 

“Because of you.” Darius stood, gripping Thom’s shoulder again for a long moment. Then he turned on his heel and strode out of the bar.

 

 

 

17 - Caomhnóir

 

Two people were in what Keegan presumed was the master bedroom. He could hear one pacing, his thoughts moving rapidly from one thing to another as he mentally planned how to attack his next target. The other person in the room was having totally different thoughts as she watched the terrorist. Keegan knew it was a woman from the tenor of her imaginings. For a second he got distracted, wondering if the position she envisioned herself and the terrorist attempting was even possible.

 

The angry voice of the terrorist brought Keegan back to what he was doing. Moments later the door flew open and the woman came into view. “He’s probably in the kitchen, fixing yet another snack,” she said dismissively as she headed towards the stairs.

 

When she reached the bottom and crossed the downstairs’ hallway, Keegan was a few yards behind her. By the time she was opening the door to the kitchen he was a foot behind her, moving so silently she was totally unaware of his presence until his arm snaked around her throat and the kahnjarli pierced her heart. He choked off her cry of surprise, still holding her against his body until the last of her life fled. Then, after glancing around and spotting a large walk-in freezer along one wall, he thrust her still form inside.

 

“Two down, one to go,” he whispered so softly that if anyone had been listening they would not have heard him.

 

Silently he returned one more time to the second floor. The door to the room was still open and he could hear the Scriostóir pacing back and forth. Keegan sensed his angry thoughts as he waited for his two bodyguards to return.

 

“They’re dead, I’m afraid,” Keegan said with a sardonic grin as he stepped into the room.

 

The Scriostóir swung around to face him, a cavalry sword hanging loosely in one hand, a double-barreled ‘howdah’ pistol pointed at Keegan’s chest. “I wondered when one of you would be sent after me,” he said, an evil smile curling up his lips.

 

“Not soon enough,” Keegan replied as he stepped to one side, his flail reappearing in his right hand, a great sword in his left, which he held as if it weighed no more than a fencing foil.

 

“Just a bit behind the times aren’t you?” the Scriostóir commented as he pulled the trigger of the pistol.

 

“Sometimes the older the weapon, the better,” was Keegan’s reply as he adroitly leapt out of the way of the two bullets speeding towards him. “And now you’re down to one weapon until you get a chance to reload.”

 

“One is all I require.” The Scriostóir danced easily out of reach of the great sword’s blade, coming in under the swing, thrusting the saber up, intent on skewering Keegan through the gut. He was partially successful, the tip of the blade tearing an inch deep gash along Keegan’s ribs.

 

In turn, Keegan brought the head of the flail swinging down on his foe’s arm with bone-crushing ferocity.

 

The battle continued, each combatant bringing forth a new weapon to counteract that of his enemy’s. Blood spattered the floor and walls; furniture was used to good affect either to give one or the other of them the advantage of height, or for momentary protection.

 

In the end, it was a mighty blow from a battle axe that defeated the Scriostóir. Blood flowed from his severed arm as he sank to the floor, staring up at Keegan in shock.

 

“You were a worthy opponent, evil though you are,” Keegan said with respect in his voice. Then he took a small, ceremonial dagger from its sheath at his waist. Kneeling before his enemy, he said, “Mar a fuair bás duit aon uair amháin, mar sin beidh tú bás arís. Síochána a bheith agat le an am seo,” plunging the dagger into the heart of the Scriostóir.

 

*****

 

((Mar a fuair bás duit aon uair amháin, mar sin beidh tú bás arís. Síochána a bheith agat le an am seo  -  As you died once, so you will die again. Peace be with you this time.))

 

 

Explore 'Bone Isle', if you dare.

 Bone Isle

https://www.jms-books.com/edward-kendrick-c-224_229/bone-isle-p-4660.html

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BZM63ZNZ

GENRE: Gay Paranormal Romance
LENGTH: 32,349 words
RATING:

Six friends:

Tyler, the oldest at 26, is a waiter, a bit of a playboy, and a cynic.

Neil, 21, is the newest and youngest member of the group. He's innocent, almost naive, a college junior, and has a crush on Tyler.

Jake is 25, the tacit leader of the group. He works at a big-box store.

Dave, Jake's life partner, is also 25, who works at his father's hardware store.

Pete, 22, is straight and a college senior studying communications.

Bart, Pete's roommate at the university, is also straight and 22. He's studying accounting.

When the six young men decide to spend spring break exploring Bone Isle, reputedly a pirate hideout in the 1800s, they have no idea what's in store for them. They soon find out it's not all fun and games.

EXCERPT:

Leaving their shirts, shoes, and socks in the cabin, Jake and Dave got their sleeping bags and took off, having decided to sleep in the shelter of the outcropping of rocks farther down the beach.

"Alone at last," Jake said, laying out his sleeping bag next to Dave's. "For a second there I thought Neil was planning on getting everyone else to join us."

Dave chuckled as he finished undressing. "He was, until Tyler shushed him."

"At least he got the message," Jake said as he stripped and they settled on the sleeping bags. "Have you noticed that Tyler stopped being such an SOB toward him today?"

Rolling on his side, Dave put a finger over Jake's lips, muttering "Why are we talking about them when there are better things we could be doing?" Then, he kissed him.

From there, things progressed as they knew they would. Eventually, they came with muted cries of release as they didn't want to telegraph what they'd been doing. Not that their friends didn't know of course, but still. When they could move and speak again, they took a quick dip in the ocean to wash up and then cuddled together, sharing a few kisses.

Jake quickly fell asleep. Dave was almost there as well when he thought he heard something moving a few yards away where the trees met the beach. Cautiously, he lifted his head to look. There was nothing there that he could see but he still had the creepy feeling they were being watched. He put one hand over Jake's mouth, put his lips close to Jake's ear, and said, "There's something out there."

Jake jerked awake, aware enough to say, very softly, "An animal?" when Dave moved his hand. "Or one of the guys sneaking up on us, thinking they can scare us to death?"

"I don't know." Dave shivered. "It felt ... does it make sense to say malicious? Creepy? Besides which, we haven't seen any animals since we got here and I don't think any of the guys would do that. I hope."

"Doesn't mean animals aren’t out there and avoiding us." Jake sat up and looked around. "Was it in the forest?"

"Yeah. I heard it move but couldn't see it. All I can say is, it sounded bigger than a squirrel or chipmunk."

"The ghost of a pirate, afraid we'll find where he buried his treasure." Jake's words were teasing. His expression said otherwise. "Maybe we should go back to the boat. It's possible someone else is on the island, maybe docked farther up the coast north of us. They might be taking a late night stroll and ..." He shrugged.

"Possible, I guess, but I'd still rather be on the boat than out here, just in case there's more than one of them and they're looking for trouble."

Jake agreed, so they quickly picked up their clothes and sleeping bags and hightailed it back to the boat.

"Thought you were going to sleep on the beach," Tyler said, getting a gasp of surprise from Dave when he climbed onto the deck. "Sorry, I couldn't sleep so I came out here to watch the stars."

"You didn't happen to see anything, or anyone, did you?" Jake asked him.

"No." Tyler frowned. "Like a person?"

"We don't know," Dave replied before telling him what had happened.

"I suppose it could have been another guy who decided to do some treasure hunting, too," Tyler said when he finished. "Too bad he didn't show himself. I think, in the morning, we'll take the long way around the island to get to the stream. That way we can see if there is another boat docked along the coast."

"I sort of hope there is," Jake said. "I'd be much happier knowing it was a person and not a large animal or ..." He chuckled. "A pirate's ghost."

Tyler nodded, smiling briefly at the ghost comment. "Me, too." He suggested that Jake and Dave shouldn't say anything to the others about the mysterious whatever that Dave had sensed. "We don't want to scare them, especially after finding the pile of bones up the canyon," was his reasoning.