'Regaining His Trust' is here!

 Regaining His Trust

https://www.jms-books.com/.../regaining-his-trust-p-4841...

https://www.amazon.com/Regaining-His-Trust.../dp/B0CJDWLR68/

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/.../regainin.../1144113111...

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/regaining-his-trust

 

GENRE: Gay Thriller Erotic Romance
LENGTH: 33,597 words
RATING:

When Jake Evans almost dies due to Dan Rogers' showboating during an undercover operation, he loses any trust he had in the man who had been his partner both on jobs for the Firm and in their personal life. Once he's healed, he quits the Firm and opens a private investigation agency.

The two men are thrown together when Fairfax, Dan's superior at the Firm, brings Jake in to help stop a child trafficking ring. The mission might be successfully completed but the tension between the two men still remains.

Dan needs to convince Jake there was a reason behind what he did, beyond stopping the gang they were after. The problem is, he has to make Jake listen to him and believe what he says, because even after a year apart he still loves Jake. With that in mind, he follows when Jake goes out of town in search of a missing young man.

Will Dan succeed, or is Jake's trust in him irrevocably broken?

EXCERPT:

From the scowl on Maddy's face when Dan came into Jake's agency as soon as it opened Friday morning, he was sure she was not at all happy to see him.

He didn't let that stop him from asking, "Is he in?"

"If he was, he wouldn't want to see you," she replied tartly.

"When do you expect him?"

"Like I'd tell you."

"Look, I know you don't like me, anymore than he does at this point, but at least give me a chance to try to explain." Dan flashed his most winning smile, hoping it would melt her enough to listen.

"What's there to explain? He almost died because of you."

Dan bit back an angry retort. What do you know about what happened? he wanted to ask -- and didn't. Instead, he lowered his head to acknowledge her words as he rested one hand on the corner of her desk.

"Do you think I don't know that and regret it, because I do, damn it?" He softened his tone of voice. "I was stupid. Rash. I wanted it over. We couldn't be together because as part of our cover we supposedly hadn't known each other before we made it into the gang. We had different apartments, did different things while trying to gather the information we needed, with no chance to be together because someone might see us and catch on." He took a deep breath. "It was driving me crazy. Him, too. But what could we do? Then I saw a chance to bring things to a close and take down the gang. I'd found out that the boss kept records that would incriminate everyone involved, probably either hidden on his computer or locked in the safe in his office. I didn't tell Jake. I figured I could handle getting them myself without putting him in potential danger. I took advantage of the boss calling meeting of the gang at the building housing his company, which was a front for his criminal activities."

He paused, and then began pacing.

"And?" Maddy asked when he didn't continue.

"I'm sure he's told you, but I will, too. I saw a chance to leave the meeting long enough to get into the office and I took it. Found what I was after but someone saw me coming out of the office, yelled at me to stop, and all hell broke loose. Jake called Fairfax for backup right before he was shot. Some of our people got there in record time and dealt with the bastards." He came to a stop in front of her desk. "The rest you know. I almost got him killed, all because I loved him and couldn't stand our having to pretend any longer that we just gang members, strangers until we joined up, and nothing more."

"Hell of a way to show you loved him," Maddy replied dryly.

"You think I don't know that ... now?" He leaned against the desk, staring at her. "Have you ever loved anyone so much you'd do anything to be with them? I didn't think anyone would notice I'd slipped out of the meeting. It was supposed to be in and out and the end of our job." Dan turned away then, not wanting her to see the anguish he was feeling, the remorse for what he'd done that had cost him his relationship with Jake. "I love him, Maddy. As much as he hates me, I still love him. That will never change."

"He doesn't hate you, Dan," she said softly. "He doesn't trust you but he doesn't hate you."

He looked at her, praying she was telling him the truth. As far as he could figure, if it was the truth she could have kept silent about it rather than tell him. "How can I regain his trust?"

"I can't tell you that. It's up to you to figure it out. That said," she sighed. "I know where he is right now, or should be."

Dan lit up with hope. "Where?"

"Seattle."

"Oh." His shoulders slumped before he straightened them again. "Do you have an address?"

"Maybe." She tapped the keyboard, got a pen and paper and wrote it down. "This is where he was staying as of this morning. That's the best I can tell you."

"Thank you," he replied sincerely as he took the paper she handed him.

"He's going to kill me, but I'm a romantic --" she touched her chest over her heart, "-- and I care about him. Do not do anything to hurt him or you will answer to me."

"I won't. I swear."

He was already calling to make a flight reservation as he left. He wondered if the fates were on his side because he was able to book a seat on one that was leaving at eleven-fifteen, giving him time to make a mad dash home to grab some clothes. He crammed them in his carry-on bag and was on the road to the airport five minutes later.

 

37 - Caomhnóir – Manny

 

“Finally,” Manny said in heartfelt relief once Hamlin and Jakie were gone.

 

“How bad?” Keegan asked in concern.

 

“Not good. I’m glad I didn’t have to get up again. Making it here was bad enough.”

 

“Let me look. Where do you keep your medical supplies?”

 

When Manny told him, Keegan sent Thom to get them. Taking out his dagger, he cut the leg of Manny’s pants open the rest of the way, whistling low. “I’m surprised you were able to walk at all.”

 

“Yeah, well, you were in no shape to carry me at that point, and I didn’t want Hamlin to know how bad it really is. This is his first time, if you know what I mean.”

 

Thom arrived back with the large first-aid kit, took one look at the bone-deep cut in Manny’s leg, and said, “You’re not going to be able to hide that from him, fast healer or not.”

 

“Tomorrow it won’t look half as bad. Like I said, I just need sleep.”

 

“And stitching up,” Thom told him in no uncertain terms as he searched through the kit for what he needed.

 

Cocking an eyebrow, Manny looked up at Keegan. “Is he like this when you get hurt?”

 

“Worse, he mother’s me at the same time that he growls.”

 

Manny bit back a cry of pain when Thom poured what felt like a whole bottle of antiseptic into the open wound. “Damn, I don’t need that.”

 

“You may be immortal, but you’re also human. You need it. Now hold still,” Thom ordered as he took out a needle and suturing thread.

 

Ten minutes later Manny told Keegan that he had a sadistic man as his lover. Keegan snorted. “He just cares is all. You want him to kiss it and make it all better? That’s what he does with me when he’s finished.”

 

“No way,” Manny and Thom said at the same time.

 

Once Thom had checked out the other wounds the two Caomhnóir had received, he deemed them sufficiently on their way to healing. Enough so that he didn’t need to do anything more.

 

He put the kit back where it came from and returned to sit down beside Keegan, who was now resting on the sofa. Keegan pulled him back against his chest and then turned his attention to Manny. “Go ahead, ask.”

 

 

36 - Caomhnóir – Manny

 

Jakie looked up from playing with Romper and then quickly looked away as Thom and Hamlin, with careful hugs and not so careful kisses, greeted Keegan and Manny. “Damn, pup, you have to put up with watching that every day?” he muttered.

 

“And twice on Sunday,” Manny told him, laughing to hide the pain as he limped to a chair with Hamlin’s assistance.

 

Jakie wrinkled his nose before asking, “Is Mr. Wyndham dead now, for good?”

 

“Very much so. I’m afraid Mr. Shadrick is as well.”

 

“No big loss,” Jakie replied with a shrug, coming over to the men. “You look like you ran into a wood chipper,” he commented after looking Manny over.

 

Keegan lifted an eyebrow. “And just how would you know about them.”

 

“Saw it in a movie. Some dude tries to get rid of a body in one. So how’d you get so messed up anyways?”

 

“Cerdic wasn’t ready to die just yet,” Manny replied, trying to wave Hamlin away to keep him from fussing over him.

 

“You’re hurt, damn it,” Hamlin growled. “I need to see how badly before I call a doctor, or better yet drag you to the hospital.”

 

After shooting a look at Keegan, who mouthed, ‘You’re on your own’; Manny shook his head. “It’s all surface. I’ll be fine as soon as I get some sleep.”

 

“Like a werewolf.” Jakie laughed. “That’s what they do.”

 

“Boy, you watch too many movies,” Manny commented as, at Hamlin’s urging, he finally stripped off his shirt. “See, nothing major.”

 

“Yeah, well,” Hamlin shook his head but didn’t push it, asking instead, “How 'bout your leg? I can tell just by looking that it’s a mess.”

 

“And I am not stripping in front of Jakie.”

 

“Then we’re taking this into the bathroom so I—" Hamlin stopped when Thom tapped his shoulder and nodded towards the kitchen area of the loft. “What?” he asked once they were out of Jakie’s hearing range.

 

“They heal very fast. That’s why I’m not playing mother hen with Keegan.”

 

“I know, Manny told me, but damn I still can’t help but worry. I’ve never been through this until now.”

 

Before Thom could reply, Manny called out, “Hamlin, I just thought of something. You’re going to have to take my place tonight at the house, to help Gebhard out.”

 

“Damn, yeah, okay. He’s gotta be wondering where everyone is.” Hurrying back to join the others, he told Jakie to get ready to go. While the boy did, Hamlin sat on the arm of Manny’s chair, asking quietly, “Are you sure you’re all right?”

 

“All right, and getting better by the second, honest.” Manny ran his hand up Hamlin’s thigh, causing his lover to groan softly. “And I’ll prove it to you in the morning.”

 

“If I can wait that long,” Hamlin grumbled before kissing Manny soundly. Getting up, he met Jakie at the door and the two of them left.

 

35 - Caomhnóir – Manny

 

 

“Damn,” Manny growled half an hour later as he assessed his wounds. He looked at Keegan, who was kneeling beside Cerdic’s fallen body, his dagger pressed to the Scriostóir’s chest just above his heart. Keegan was blood-covered, much of it his own, but was still more than able to shove the dagger into Cerdic’s heart and say the ritual words that would give him final death.

 

When he had finished he accepted Manny’s hand to help him stand again. “You were quite correct, that man had an amazing bag of tricks up his sleeve.” He smiled slightly. “I’ll have to remember some of them for the future.”

 

“As will I. Now, shall we vacate the premises and go home?” He took a step towards the door, staggered, regained his footing, and swore loudly. “That was my good leg,” he muttered.

 

“Well you’ve got another one; three if I help you. And it may take the both of us working together to stay upright at the moment.” He wrapped his arm around Manny’s waist, chuckling. “Did you do those three-legged races when you were a kid?”

 

“Umm humm. Hated them.” Manny’s arm encircled Keegan’s waist in return. With his free hand, he took his cell from his pocket. “Damn, this actually survived,” he said once he opened it.

 

“Calling the guys to let them know we survived?” Keegan asked as they made their way to the door.

 

“No, I thought I’d order pizza.”

 

“Cerdic was right; you do have a smart mouth.”

 

“One of my better traits.” Manny punched in the phone number and seconds later Hamlin answered. “Yes, we’re bloody but unbowed,” he said moments later. “More than I can say for Cerdic.” There was a brief pause then, “No, no, I mean he’s dead. He didn’t escape, trust me. We’ll tell you all about when we get back.”

 

Closing his phone, he started to put it back in his pocket when it shrilled. “Damn,” he grumbled as he answered it, saying, “We’re on our way, honest.” His face lit up, causing Keegan to cock an eyebrow while opening the warehouse door.

 

Two minutes later, as they hobbled to the car, Manny hung up. “Jakie’s alright. Some janitor found him trussed up like a Christmas turkey in a supply closet.”

 

“Thank God. I hate to say it, but I’d forgotten all about him.”

 

“Honestly,” Manny admitted with a rueful smile, "so did I, but we’d have remembered, probably before we got back to the loft. Oh, and he’s on his way there now.”

 

“Sort of figured, since you gave him the address,” Keegan told him as he opened the car door. “Don’t worry about bleeding on the upholstery, it’s used to it.”

 

“Not like I’ve got a choice in the matter,” Manny replied as he eased into the passenger seat. When Keegan made it around to the driver’s seat, Manny said, “Home, James,” earning him a lifted finger as Keegan started the car and headed out of the lot.

34 - Caomhnóir – Manny

 

 

“How very ‘Highlander’,” Keegan muttered as he surveyed the vacant warehouse that Cerdic had chosen for their battle. As Manny started to open the only door that wasn’t chained and padlocked closed, Keegan put a hand on his to stop him. “He’s got someone else in there with him. Human, from his thoughts.”

 

“Can you tell if he’s hidden or out in the open?”

 

After a long pause, Keegan nodded. “From the tenor of his thoughts, he’s on the catwalk above the ground floor. He’s wondering if he can actually shoot one of us or if he’ll chicken out at the last minute.”

 

Manny smiled tightly. “My bet’s on Mr. Shadrick then. I’m dead cert he’s the one who sent that man after me. Too scared to do his own dirty work. Once we’re inside let me know exactly where he is and I’ll deal with him first while you keep Cerdic occupied.”

 

“Reverse that, because if I give you any indication that we know he’s there that will only put them both on the alert that we’ve got an edge on them.”

 

“Cerdic doesn’t know what you can do?”

 

“Ninety to ten he doesn’t. It’s a very well guarded secret, trust me.” After taking a deep breath, Keegan said, “Ready?”

 

“Ready,” Manny replied, opening the warehouse door.

 

The interior, dimly lit by sunlight coming through dirty windows at the catwalk level, was cavernous. The two Caomhnóir saw Cerdic standing casually in the center of the huge space, leaning on a great sword, a shorter sword in his other hand.

 

“Would it be trite to say, ‘welcome to your deaths’?” Cerdic asked, a taut grin on his face.

 

“Extremely,” Manny replied as he strode forward, his favorite weapons, a hand-and-a-half and a flanged mace appearing in his hands. “I’ll be the first to admit,” he added as he circled, keeping the Scriostóir’s attention on him, “that I never expected to see you again.”

 

“I might say the same. I thought, relative child that you are, that you would have fled the city, back to the continent, hoping there would be no reprisals for trying to destroy me.”

 

“I may be only a few centuries old, but I still killed you once. I can do it again.”

 

Cerdic laughed, even as he turned slightly, looking for Keegan. “Has your companion left the battlefield already? I heard he no longer has to follow orders if he does not want to.”

 

Although this came as a shock to Manny, he covered it by smiling broadly. “We have honor, a word I’m quite sure you don’t know the meaning of. He’s probably in the shadows, waiting for the best opening. That way I won’t have to clean blood off my sword, which I so hate doing. It’s—bloody work.”

 

“Always with the smart mouth,” Cerdic growled, shouting “Now!” as he lunged forward, the great sword swinging in a wide arc towards Manny’s sword arm.

 

“Were you talking to Mr. Shadrick?” Keegan called down from the catwalk, seconds before he toppled the man’s lifeless body over the railing. “Guess you’re on your own now, Scriostóir.” He followed the body down, landing gracefully a few yards from where Cerdic and Manny stood.

33 - Caomhnóir – Manny

 

Cerdic smiled wickedly as he shoved the bound and gagged Jakie into the janitor's closet on the second floor of an office building in midtown. "Don't worry," he said before closing the door. "You'll be found soon enough. I just needed you out of the picture for the time being."

 

Strolling casually down the deserted hallway moments later, Cerdic ran his plan through his mind one more time before taking out his cell to place a call.

 

* * * * *

 

Manny frowned as he looked at the caller ID. "I hate blocked calls," he muttered. When he answered, still grumbling, a text message appeared. He read it, and then reread it, an angry frown darkening his face. There was a brief pause before a second message appeared. Hurrying to the desk, he wrote down the information, texted a message back, and slammed the phone shut.

 

The three others had been watching, wondering what was happening.

 

Manny told them succinctly, "That was Cerdic. He has Jakie. Unhurt, he says."

 

"Damn and double damn," Hamlin exclaimed.

 

"I guess he's figured out how to draw us out," Keegan stated. "Where are we going?"

 

Manny handed him the slip of paper with the instructions. "I know the place. It's been vacant for years. He chose well, we’ll be uninterrupted.”

 

“Then let’s get going.” Hamlin looked at the others. “Well?”

 

“Keegan and I are going; the two of you are staying right here. And I do not want to hear one word of argument. Understood?”

 

Hamlin shot an angry look at his lover, growling, “Jakie’s my friend too, you know.”

 

“I know, but if the two of you come with us you’ll only be distractions. Trust me, Cerdic’s going to use every trick in the book to take us down, and he’s got a few. I’ve battled him so I know.” Manny squeezed Hamlin’s shoulder. “Please don’t make this any harder than it already is.”

 

“I—all right. I guess Thom and I can bake cookies while you’re gone.”

 

Thom snorted. “I don’t do baking.”

 

“That’s for sure,” Keegan muttered, and the immediate tension was broken as the men laughed. Unfortunately he ramped it up seconds later, saying, “Let’s get ready, Manny.”  

 

Fifteen minutes later the two Caomhnóir were on their way out of the loft, dressed for battle, their goodbyes to their respective lovers said.

 

 

32 - Caomhnóir – Manny

 

"Gebhard's back, finally," Manny announced when he returned to the loft early the next morning. "So I've got two days off, which I think I'll spend in bed." He looked around, seeing only Keegan and Thom. "Where's Hamlin?"

 

"Out walking Romper."

 

"Damn it, you let him leave on his own?" Manny looked panicked as he turned to leave again.

 

The door opened at that moment and a rambunctious puppy dashed in, leaping up to greet Manny, putting muddy paw prints all over his jeans.

 

"We have arrived," Hamlin said, laughing as he picked up the puppy, heading to the bathroom with him.

 

With a roll of his eyes, Manny followed. As Hamlin dunked Romper in the sink to clean him up, Manny leaned on the doorframe, relief limning his face as he muttered, "Don't you know better than to go out without one of us with you?"

 

"I just took him down to the back yard, not onto the street. I'm not stupid."

 

Manny scrubbed a hand over his face, sighing. "I know you're not, but when I got here and you were gone—"

 

Setting Romper down, Hamlin grabbed the towel he used for the puppy, drying his feet. Looking up at Manny, he said quietly, "I'm sorry."

 

"Me too," Manny told him. "I shouldn’t have barked at you." When Romper woofed, he added, "That's his job."

 

Hamlin laughed as he released the puppy and stood up. "He learned it from you."

 

"Hey now!" Pulling Hamlin to him, Manny kissed him softly. "Okay, before the others get to wondering, I think we should join them." He put his arm around Hamlin's waist as they headed to the kitchen area. "Oh, by the way, I got my two days off."

 

"Great, we can spend them in bed. Well, if we can get rid of those two that is."

 

"Not happening, it's too distracting, which we don't need right now."

 

Thom laughed, overhearing them. "I think Manny and Keegan are in collusion to keep us totally frustrated, Hamlin."

 

"Just wait until this is over. Then we'll remedy that problem big time," Keegan said, handing Manny a cup of coffee. "Was there any sign of Cerdic last night," he asked him.

 

"Not that I saw or heard, but that means nothing. He could have been out wandering the streets, even watching this place, planning his strategy."

 

"If he was here, why didn't he do something while he knew you were at the house?" Hamlin asked.

 

"I suspect because, if he's going to do anything, he wants both Keegan and me. His ego would dictate that. And if it were me, I wouldn’t attack my quarry on their home turf if I could come up with a way to draw them to a spot of my own choosing."

 

31 - Caomhnóir – Manny

 

 

Keegan arrived back at Manny's loft to find Thom and Hamlin in the middle of a vicious battle—with several demons in the game they were playing. Shaking his head in amusement, he got Thom's attention long enough to receive a proper kiss in greeting and then he went to the kitchen area to start coffee brewing. Leaning back against the counter as he waited, he contemplated what the next likely step would be.

 

Unless they were way off base in their thinking, Cerdic already knew that he was here thanks to Mr. Shadrick. The question was, would that really be enough to lure the elusive Scriostóir out of hiding. Time would tell and hopefully soon, although from what he'd learned about Cerdic, he was a man who laid his plans out very carefully before implementing them.

 

"What's got you in a deep study?" Thom asked, breaking into Keegan's thoughts.

 

"Just trying to anticipate what Cerdic might do now." He turned to take cups from the cupboard, quirking an eyebrow in question at Thom, and Hamlin as well when he joined them. Both nodded assent and soon they were back in the living room area, coffee in hand.

 

"So who won the game?" Keegan nodded towards the darkened TV screen.

 

"Us, of course, just like we're going to win against Cerdic," Hamlin answered.

 

"If I had my way…" Keegan growled.

 

Thom shook his head. "Don't even go there, mo ghrá. Hamlin and I are in this to the bitter end, just as you and Manny are. We might not be fighters, but if it comes down to it, we can distract him if necessary."

 

Looking at both of them, Keegan told them adamantly, "If it comes down to a real fight, and I'm certain it will, the two of you are to make yourselves very scarce. You'd be more distracting to us, worrying about your safety, than you would be to him."

 

"All right," Hamlin said reluctantly, "I can see your point, but still…"

 

"But still, nothing. That's an order young man."

 

Huffing, but nodding, Hamlin changed the subject by asking what they wanted for dinner. "And if you say pizza, Cerdic won't have to kill you because I will."

 

"Speaking of which, when are you due at work," Thom asked, reaching down to scratch behind Romper's ears as the puppy finally put in an appearance.

 

"Off tonight, thank goodness. I'd be worse than useless there, worrying about what could be happening here."

 

"Well there goes the marathon bout of fantastic sex we'd planned on having while he was gone," Thom grumbled, leaning back against Keegan.

 

Keegan chuckled. "That's not happening until this is over. Too—distracting."

 

"Yeah, we both kind of figured that would be the case," Hamlin replied, getting up again. "So, dinner anyone?"

30 - Caomhnóir – Manny

 

 

Twenty minutes after leaving the gym, Manny had the boys settled down to study and read. Just as he entered the living room to wait for Keegan, the man himself appeared, led in by Mr. Shadrick.

 

After introducing himself as if they had never met before, Keegan told Manny, "A friend suggested I look you up."

 

"Oh? Which friend?" Manny asked as he glanced across the room to see Mr. Shadrick hovering at the desk.

 

When he saw Manny looking, Mr. Shadrick immediately headed for the door, saying, "I'll leave so you and your friend have some privacy."

 

Manny nodded, turning his attention back to Keegan, who said, just loudly enough that Mr. Shadrick couldn't help but overhear, "Mr. Alasdair. He said you might be able to help me out."

 

The door whispered closed behind Mr. Shadrick but seconds later Manny saw it move open again, just a fraction. "Help you how?" Manny asked as he gave a slight nod towards the door.

 

Feigning hesitancy, Keegan replied, "I need a safe place to stay for a few days. There's someone—"

 

"Looking for you?" Manny prompted.

 

Keegan nodded, playing his part by beginning to pace the room. Finally, he said, "A man by the name of Rafael. He’s been searching for me, and I’m afraid he’s found me, or at least where I live."

 

It was Manny's turn to hesitate, as if weighing the pros and cons of the request. After a few moments he replied, "You can stay with me as long as you want, just make damned certain that no one, and I mean no one knows that you are. I'm not about to put my roommate in danger because of you." And that lets that cat out of the bag for damned sure, he thought. But there was really no help for it if he was going to play this out realistically.

 

"Believe me, I have no intention of letting the fact that I'm there be known to anyone but you and our mutual friend," Keegan said firmly.

 

"All right then. Let me give you my address and then I'll call my roommate to let him know you're on your way. I'll just tell him you're a friend who showed up unexpectedly."

 

"Thank you," Keegan replied, smiling as he saw the door finally close the last half inch, giving Manny a thumbs-up when it did.

29 - Caomhnóir – Manny

 

Things took on an interesting twist early that afternoon when Manny returned to work. The boys were out of class and had just finished lunch. Mr. Shadrick glared at Manny, asking why the hell he was late.

 

"Sorry," Manny replied, not meaning it although he sounded contrite enough to keep Mr. Shadrick from chastising him further. Getting him upset would just make him that much more interested in finding out who the stranger was when Keegan appeared in a couple of hours.

 

Gathering up the boys, Manny set them to doing their afternoon chores before taking them downstairs to the gym. With Gebhard still off on leave, it was Manny's job to make certain they got their exercise. Today it was a basketball game, three on three with one sitting out.

 

Jakie ended up being that one for the first half of the game. As he sat beside Manny on the bench, he fidgeted until Manny asked if there was something wrong. Jakie looked around as if making certain no one was listening, and then he said, "I swear Mr. Wyndham is around here, which ain't possible."

 

"No it's not because there's no such thing as ghosts, but why do you think he is?"

 

"It's really weird. I've heard his voice. Twice. And I saw the back of some dude that sure looked like him leaving by the alley door. Creeped me out big time."

 

Instead of pooh-poohing the idea, Manny asked him, "When did this happen?"

 

"Last night and the night before. First time I just figured it was my imagination. Then last night it happened again and I decided I'd better figure out if I was crazy or not. So I snuck out of bed and upstairs to the fourth floor. And yeah, I heard it again from his place. Well, Mr. Shadrick's place now. Then the door up there opened and I split, but not back to my room."

 

"You decided to keep playing detective," Manny said with a small smile.

 

"Yeah. So? Anyways I went down to the ground floor. Figured whoever it was would have to leave by the front door or the alley. I hid, and it was real quiet. Then I heard like tiptoe footsteps and the alley door open. Honest, Manny, I'm sure it was him, but how could it be? You saw him die."

 

Manny stopped himself from saying that he had. Instead, he told Jakie, "I saw the cabin on fire. I was sure they didn't get out. And the cops said there were two bodies in there."

 

"Oh, oh, so like maybe he got away and the other body was—was some tramp or something but he doesn't want anyone to know he's alive except maybe Mr. Shadrick. Cool. So what are we going to do about it?"

 

Rolling his eyes, Manny said sternly, "You're not going to do anything. You don't tell anyone else what you saw and heard, and that means anyone."

 

"What about you?"

 

"I'll have to decide what to do about this. But you have to promise—"

 

"Yeah, I know, keep my mouth shut. You got it."

 

"Jakie," one of the boys called from the middle of the gym floor, "get your ass out here. You're in, Sandy's out for now."

 

Manny chuckled as Jakie shot to his feet and raced away.   

 

Well. Manny leaned back to keep an eye on the game. Nice to know that Cerdic's still hanging around. This could make things a bit easier, or at least move them along faster.

 

28 - Caomhnóir – Manny

 

 

"Like hell," Thom said, echoing Hamlin's words of a moment ago.

 

Keegan replied, "Better me than him, and you know it."

 

Realizing Keegan was correct, Thom gave a disgusted shake of his head, muttering, "It's the age thing again. He thinks because he's older than sin that makes him top man on the totem pole."

 

"How old is he?" Manny wanted to know.

 

"Nine centuries and counting."

 

"Okay. Well our combined ages are just barely more than Cerdic's thirteen centuries, so I hardly think—"

 

"Then don't," Keegan told him, chuckling. "I'm the designated target if we can come up with a way to let him know I'm here without making it seem like a set-up."

 

"I'm damned sure there's more than enough reasons. Alasdair can come up with something. The problem is how do we get the news to Cerdic?"

 

"Through Mr. Shadrick." Hamlin nodded as he said that. "Yeah, I'd be willing to bet my bottom dollar he knows what you are at this point, Manny. So if Keegan shows up at the house looking for you when he's around, and he just happens to overhear the two of you having a very private talk about the reason Keegan's needs your help."

 

"Not a bad idea," Keegan said after a moment's consideration.

 

"Better yet—" The others looked at Thom as he spoke. "What if Keegan needs a safe place to stay. That's why he's at the house, to arrange to stay here with Manny."

 

"That would work even better," Manny agreed, waving off Hamlin's start of a protest. "He needs a safe house because someone knows where he lives—"

 

"A Scriostóir who wants my head on a platter."  Keegan took out his cell to make a call, wandering away from the others as he talked. Finally, he turned back, a smile on his face. "According to Alasdair, Cerdic was bitter rivals with a Scriostóir named Rafael, who just happens to be in the area, if you count Trenton as 'the area'. If he thinks this Rafael is after me, he just might want to beat him to the punch, and get his own back at you in the process."

 

Manny smiled. "That sounds logical to me, knowing Cerdic. So we have a plan, we just have to augment it."

27 - Caomhnóir – Manny

 

 

The morning after the meeting with Alasdair, Hamlin was whispering, "Wow," as he looked at the men who stood there when Manny opened the loft's door.

 

Keegan cocked an eyebrow in amusement, introducing himself and Thom. After being invited in, he immediately gravitated to the wall Manny had painted. However, it seemed he was more interested in one of the portraits than in the graffiti. "I knew him," he told the others. "Not a particularly nice man, but rich enough to commission the artist to do a somewhat too flattering likeness of him."

 

"Often the case," Manny said, chuckling. "I just put coffee on if you'd like some, or we have something stronger if you want."

 

Keegan and Thom both opted for coffee, and a few minutes later all four men were seated in the living room area of the loft, cups in hand.

 

"Alasdair filled me in, to a point, on this Cerdic fellow," Keegan told Manny. "I gather he's no one to fool around with solo, which is why I'm here. Do you have something in mind on how to get to him?"

 

"Well, before anything else, we have to find him. He may be at the house, but honestly that's only supposition."

 

"This is a house full of young men, right? Have you asked them?"

 

"Teens, and no I haven't. Trust me, if they'd seen him and he still looked the same I'd have known about it immediately."

 

"Ergo he's either keeping a low profile, or as Alasdair suggested he may have a very different face now. Either way it won't be an easy job unless we have something to use as a lure."

 

"Me," Manny said in reply.

 

"Like hell," was Hamlin's immediate response.

 

Thom chuckled wryly. "Protesting is not going to make a damned bit of difference if that's what they end up planning. On the other hand, guys, hasn't Manny been very visible all this time and this Cerdic hasn't done anything about it?"

 

"He's got a point. You've hardly been invisible, since you work at the house," Hamlin agreed with some relief.

 

"So for whatever reason, Manny, you're not in his sights, at least thus far. Which—" Keegan smiled tightly, "—means I get to play decoy." 

26 - Caomhnóir – Manny

 

 

Tapping one clawed nail against his lips, Alasdair nodded. "It is my feeling that, while the voice was Cerdic's the body may look like someone else now."

 

"Because of the fire?" Manny asked.

 

"Oh no, that would have made no difference. If such things mattered you would be running around with evident stab wounds from your death. Cerdic is very old, and very clever. It would have been remiss of him not to ask for some sort of exterior transformation before being returned here. The basics would be the same, but the hair, the features, might have been altered enough to hide his real identity."

 

Hamlin chuckled softly to himself. When the others looked at him, he shrugged. "I was just thinking, there're a lot of less than honest people that would love to have that happen to them without having to go through plastic surgery."

 

"I don't think they'd like the reason it happened though," Manny pointed out.

 

"Yeah, probably not. Death as a form of identity alteration is a bit over the top."

 

"Boys, if we may get to the subject at hand," Alasdair said firmly. "It has been decided, Manny, that you will be the one responsible for eliminating Cerdic once again. And this time, despite your desire that he suffer eternally, you are to go through with the entire ritual."

 

Manny blew out a long breath. "All right. Any chance of getting some backup? It took two of us to destroy him the first time around, and Godric died in the process. Cerdic is, as you pointed out, old and clever. He's also one hell of a fighter."

 

"There is…" Alasdair replied after a moment's thought, "one Caomhnóir who is free at the moment."

 

"Probably straight as they come and with Victorian attitudes," Hamlin muttered.

 

"Boy, will you stop talking to yourself. If you have something to say, say it. Not, of course, that I can't hear you anyways." Alasdair actually grinned slightly. "And, no, he is not Victorian, nor is he straight. He and his, I believe the proper term these days is 'partner', have been together for six years now."

 

"Anyone I know?" Manny asked.

 

"As I am unfamiliar with all your acquaintances down through the years, I couldn't say. His name is Keegan o Broin."

25 - Caomhnóir – Manny

 

 

“Manfred Van der Venne,” Alasdair growled, his anger showing in every line of his body.

 

Hamlin stepped back a pace, wondering if he was going to become dinner for a gryphon. Even as a human the man was frightening. He couldn’t imagine what it would be like to face him in his real form.

 

Manny, however, didn’t seem particularly fazed by Alasdair’s rage. “He needed to know, if for no other reason than to keep him safe.”

 

“You were ordered—“

 

“Yeah, yeah, like you thought I’d obey when it came to him. If you did then you’ve got no idea what the word love means.”

 

“Love: a strong positive emotion of regard and affection; a deep feeling of sexual desire and attraction.” Alasdair looked at Manny, not even close to cracking a smile. “I suspect you definition is couched in terms of sexual desire.”

 

"No." Manny replied tersely. "I love him, like it or not. Real love, not just fuck-buddy love."

 

Hamlin bit back a smile as he listened. Alasdair might have the reputation for being fearsome and tyrannical, but apparently Manny had no problem standing up to him.

 

"Very well." Alasdair sighed. "Why me? Why do I seem to get the love struck ones?"

 

Manny grinned. "Your sweet and caring personality?"

 

"Manfred, be quiet. Let me at least think about what you are to do next." After pacing to the window and then back to his desk, deep in thought, Alasdair stopped to ask, "Is there any indication that Cerdic is living at the house now?"

 

"He certainly hasn't put in an appearance. I suppose he could be hiding out in what used to be his quarters. The space takes up the whole top floor of the house so there'd be more than enough room for him and Mr. Shadrick."

 

"Have you seen anyone around that you don't know, a delivery man, a new postman, even a new neighbor?"

 

"No delivery men, we handle all the shopping ourselves. I don't think I've ever seen the postman to be honest. The mail just ends up in the box. As far as neighbors go, there's an apartment complex next to the house, and one behind with a terrace that abuts ours. It would be hard to know who's new and who's not."

24 - Caomhnóir – Manny

 

 

“Damn it, Manny, if you don’t tell me what’s wrong I’m going to assume you’ve found someone else and you’re trying to figure out how to break the news to me. You’ve been totally withdrawn for the last two days.”

 

“It’s…“ Manny looked up at Hamlin, who was standing almost menacingly in front of him. “I haven’t found someone new, believe me. You are the only one in my life that I love, and I have no intention of changing that. Ever.”

 

Dropping to his knees, Hamlin took Manny’s hands in his. “Then what’s going on?”

 

“Don’t shoot me, but I’m under orders not to tell you.”

 

“Well break them, damn it. This is me. Whatever it is I’m not going to go shouting it to the world. I thought you knew me better than that.”

 

“I do damn it! Hell, I don’t—“ Manny buried his face in his hands.

 

“Mijn liefde, tell me, please.”

 

“You’re not going to believe it.”

 

“Short of you saying that Cerdic’s back and behind what happened to you, I’ll believe anything.”

 

Manny laughed softly. “I told you that you wouldn’t believe it.”

 

Roughly pulling Manny’s hands away from his face, Hamlin growled, “You have to be kidding me. I thought… You said you killed him. What the hell happened?”

 

“Apparently someone on the other side wanted him back, doing his worst.”

 

“What are we going to do to stop him?”

 

“’We’ aren’t going to do anything. You don’t know about this, remember. And what I’m going to do is being decided by those in power. It could be nothing at all.”

 

“Like hell! He tried to have you killed.”

 

“I suspect that was Mr. Shadrick’s doing, all on his own. Cerdic would have known that I couldn’t be hurt that way, to say the least of dying from it.”

 

“But he will come looking for you.”

 

“Possibly. Probably. I would if I were him. And that, Hamlin, is why you’re going as far away from here as possible no matter what Alasdair and Sofietje decide about me.”

 

“As if that would do any good. If Cerdic knows about us, I’ve got the feeling he’d find me even if I was sent to…to the moon. If he doesn’t, then there’s no reason for me to leave. Ergo, I go nowhere unless you have to. End. Of. Story.”

23 - Caomhnóir – Manny

 

 

Manny paced from the fountain to the Washington Square arch and back again, checking his watch every ten seconds it seemed like. He started to worry when it was fifteen minutes past the time he was supposed to meet Alasdair. Then his cell rang. Answering, he looked around and nodded, then walked across the park to a row of benches where men sat in front of tables, intent on the chess games they were playing. It took him a moment to recognize Alasdair, as the commandant was wearing a cap and had his hair pulled back, bound with a leather thong.

 

Manny took the vacant seat opposite him. “Black or white?”

 

“You actually play?”

 

Nodding, Manny said, “Rather well actually, or I did once upon a time.”

 

“Excellent, then this will look real.” Alasdair made an opening move before saying, “You are still certain it was him?”

 

“Very, as impossible at it is to believe. I killed him. I know I did. And then with the fire on top of that—“ He made a return move, shaking his head. “But I’d know that voice anywhere.”

 

“It’s not impossible. You didn’t say the ritual words, at least according to what Sofietje told me.”

 

“No I didn’t. I wanted him suffering for eternity for killing Godric. And, I suppose, for everything else he did as well.” He looked at Alasdair, his eyes filled with anger and despair. “Why is he back again?”

 

“It happens. Rarely but it does. The one who makes decisions about Scriostóir, about who should be chosen to be one, can also decide if one that we killed is worth bringing back to life again. It sounds as if Cerdic ‘made the cut’ as they say.”

 

Manny nodded, the game forgotten. “What do I do now?”

 

“To begin with, you tell no one that he had returned. No one. Understood?”

 

“Meaning Hamlin.”

 

“Precisely. It’s apparent that Cerdic is keeping a very low profile now, and, I would say if I had to guess, that Mr. Shadrick is the one who sent that man to kill you. This tells me that he doesn’t know what you are. Did he show any surprise when you reappeared at the house looking for a job?”

 

“Not that I picked up on, but then at that point I wasn’t thinking along those lines. I’d figured the Scriostóir I had screwed with was the culprit”

 

“All right. For now, go on about your business as normal. I’ll have to have a talk with Sofietje. Then we’ll decide whether to move you somewhere else or let you take care of the problem. That is, of course, if Cerdic isn’t there with the intention of dealing with you before he moves on.”

 

“Just let him try,” Manny growled, earning a glare from Alasdair.

 

“You will do nothing, and I mean nothing, unless directly attacked. That is an order.”

 

“Yes, mijn commandant.”