45 - Caomhnóir – Manny

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Manny nodded.

 

“Is it only for a year?”

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Manny chuckled ruefully. “Nope.”

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

The End

 

44 - Caomhnóir – Manny

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

43 - Caomhnóir – Manny

 

 

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

 

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

 

“In the flesh, I’m afraid.”

 

“Introduce us,” Sofietje suggested imperiously.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

“Zeer verstandig van u.”

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

“Yes, mijn commandant.” Manny resisted saluting.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

* * * * *

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

Zeer verstandig van u. – Very astute of you.

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

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

42 - Caomhnóir – Manny

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

With a sigh, Manny nodded his agreement.

41 - Caomhnóir – Manny

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

“I’ve been ordered back to Rotterdam.”

 

“For how long?”

 

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

 

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

 

“Especially when…" Manny turned away.

 

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

 

“When I’m all alone.”

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

“I see. Do I get a say in this?”

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

“Getting ballsy in your old age.”

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

“God, I hope not.”

 

>>>>>>>>>>>> 

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

 

 

 

40 - Caomhnóir – Manny

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

“Yeah. I could eat a horse.”

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

“You working today?” Keegan asked.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

“But you two have been together forever.”

 

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

 

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

39 - Caomhnóir – Manny

 

 

“Morning.”

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

38 - Caomhnóir – Manny

 

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

 

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

 

“Why not? And can you quit altogether?”

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

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.