Elemental Love (22 page)

“I always knew that being your godfather would get me into trouble,” Gregory said.

Evrain accepted his warm embrace gratefully. Gregory didn’t change. The silver in his hair glinted in the firelight but his dark eyes still sparkled with vitality.

“Aggie reckoned you were a handful. Too bright for your own good and far too pretty. You do favor her in her youth…” Gregory sounded a little wistful as he turned to his companion.

“He does,” Coryn agreed.

Evrain gave Gregory’s husband an enthusiastic hug. “Coryn! Thank you so much for coming… I hoped… But this isn’t your fight. You got on a plane for me?” Tears welled in Evrain’s eyes. The tension of the previous twelve hours broke through the dam of his resolve.

Short iron-gray hair bristled above sharp blue eyes, the lines around them crinkling in sympathy. “You’re my godson just as much as Gregory’s. And anyway, I was hardly going to let him have all the fun without me!” Coryn gazed at his partner with the gentle affection of a relationship that had spanned four decades.

“I just hope that Dominic and I get the chance to spend as many years together as you two have. I can’t bear to think about what Symeon might be doing to him.”

“Well, that’s why we’re here—to make sure that you have a long and happy, uneventful life together! I can’t wait to meet the man who has captured your heart. Aggie waxed lyrical about him on more than one occasion and I am most peeved that Gregory already got to meet him when I haven’t. He must be very special.” Coryn took Gregory’s hand.

“Grandma saw Dominic and me as partners long before we even met, Coryn, but her intuition was spot on. I loved him from the first moment I set eyes on him.”

“How did he react to discovering your…heritage?” Coryn asked with a slight smile.

“He dug over the entire vegetable patch in a rain storm. I think it’s safe to say that he had a bit of difficulty processing the whole concept for a while. Aggie being a witch he had no problem with. He knows you’re a warlock too, Gregory, just not that you’re significantly more powerful than me.”

Gregory raised an eyebrow. “Only because I can channel through Coryn. I can feel the power in you, untapped and unrealized. It’s enormous. Far greater than my own. You haven’t channeled yet, have you?”

“No. Dominic knows what it is, what it means, but I don’t want to hurt him. I have more control just from being near him, that’s enough.”

“Oh, Evrain, your concern for him does you credit, but sooner or later you will have to channel,” Gregory said. “You won’t be able to stop yourself, and you shouldn’t. We are lucky, you and I, to have found such strong men to love. If he loves you as much, Dominic will understand. If he is as strong as I suspect he is, he will be able to handle the pain.” Gregory kissed Coryn’s cheek.

“It’s not that bad,” Coryn said. “I barely feel a thing now, I think I’ve become immune over the years. Gregory’s power is so much a part of me—I’d feel odd if he ever stopped channeling now. Dominic will accept it, just as he accepts you.”

Much as he hated to admit it, Evrain knew in his heart that Gregory’s words were true. The urge to channel was virtually irresistible. He would worry about that later, though—for now he had to think about how they could free Dominic and put Symeon back in his box once and for all.

He made a pile of toast and a huge pot of coffee. The three of them sat around the kitchen table. Evrain went back over everything he knew. It seemed ridiculously domestic but the normality helped to relax Evrain. Just having Coryn and Gregory with him helped him be more optimistic that things would come out in their favor. For his own sanity he had to believe that it would not be long before Dominic was back in his arms.

The sun was well risen when the phone rang. Evrain answered the call and gave a slight nod to Gregory’s mouthed, “Stay calm.”

He was no longer alone—seeing Coryn and Gregory together gave him strength and the patience he would need to deal with Symeon.

“Yes?”

“Were you expecting someone else to call, whelp?”

“Charming as always, Symeon.” He kept his voice calm and controlled. “Why don’t you cut to the chase and tell me where you want to meet?”

“So eager to abase yourself. That pleases me. Do you not want to know how your troublesome boyfriend is this morning?”

“I would rather see him than talk about him.”

“Keeping him under control has proved to be something of a challenge. He is rather…spirited. I would have thought that you would prefer someone a little more compliant.”

“There is little satisfaction in a tame pet, Symeon. You should know that.”

Symeon laughed but the sound was harsh and bitter. “Damon serves his purpose, and he does have a remarkably talented mouth, when he isn’t using it for speech.”

Evrain winced at the image. “You said you wanted me. I will exchange myself for Dominic but I want your word as a warlock that you will allow him to go free.” Evrain gripped the edge of the table so tightly that his knuckles went white.

“My word as a warlock. How quaint.” Symeon paused. “Very well, I will bow to your antiquated sense of honor and give my word. Dominic will be freed if you come with me without resistance. Is this agreeable to you?”

“Where and when do we meet?” Evrain asked.

“Do you know the clearing in Belsevere Wood? It’s known as Inkcap Glade. It’s not far from you.”

“I know it.” Evrain had been there many times with Aggie—it was her favorite place for gathering unusual fungi. It was a damp, moss-covered clearing in the ancient oak woodland less than a mile from Hornbeam Cottage. “When?”

“Midnight. Don’t be late.” Symeon rang off before Evrain could say anything further.

For a moment no one spoke. Gregory and Coryn looked at Evrain expectantly.

“Midnight. Inkcap Glade.”

Gregory gave a small smile. “Symeon always did err toward the melodramatic. However, this time it works to our advantage. If you can stick to your role as nice, tasty bait, it will be easy for Coryn and I to get into position unseen.”

Evrain nodded and ran a hand through his hair with a tired sigh. “I just want this to be over. I want Dominic back so I can lock him up somewhere nice and safe.”

Coryn chuckled. He laid a comforting hand on Evrain’s shoulder. “You should get some rest. I don’t suppose you slept at all last night?”

“I couldn’t. Every time I closed my eyes I imagined the most terrible things.” Evrain blinked. He had to believe Dominic was okay or he’d lose his mind.

“This should help.” Gregory sprinkled a pinch of dark powder into the remains of Evrain’s drink. “Go to bed. You’re useless to us if you are too exhausted to think straight. We’ll wake you in plenty of time.”

“Okay.” Evrain swallowed the last of his tea with a grimace. “Ugh! That’s disgusting!”

Gregory laughed. “You’ve gotten too used to Aggie’s pampering, boy. Once this little problem is resolved, you and I are going to have a long discussion about your future and how best to continue your training. That’s my price for helping you out. Agreed?”

Evrain scowled as he headed toward the stairs. “Agreed.”

Coryn rolled his eyes. “Bribery, Gregory? Don’t you think the boy’s under enough pressure as it is?” His eyes twinkled with humor.

“He needs discipline. You can feel the power in him as well as I, my love. Aggie gave him a good start but he needs to be trained by a warlock.”

“Well, the lad has my sympathy.” Coryn turned back to the sink.

Evrain didn’t know what to make of that. He gave Gregory a suspicious glance but his godfather’s features betrayed nothing.

“Keep the bracelet on while you sleep, Evrain. You’re less likely to drop the place into a hole in the ground that way.”

“Got it. No dreaming about earthquakes or sink holes, much as I’d like to dump Symeon into a big chasm and close it slowly.” Evrain climbed the stairs, muttering to himself. He didn’t know what Gregory had put in his drink, but it was already taking effect. His head was full of wool and the lure of sleep was strong.

Chapter Sixteen

Evrain came too suddenly, aware that somebody was in the room with him.

“It’s eleven o’clock, Evrain.” Coryn gently shook him into wakefulness. “You need to get up. You have plenty of time but Gregory and I have to leave now. We must make sure we get to the glade before Symeon. Try not to worry, okay? You won’t be able to see us, but we will be there.” Coryn gave his arm a soft pat then slipped away.

Evrain levered himself out of bed. He didn’t feel groggy, just a little disconnected. It was as if the real world had been suspended, frozen in a little bubble of time while this business between himself and Symeon played out. He took a quick shower, dried off then pulled on his clothes. He chose an all-black outfit of T-shirt and leather jacket over jeans. Symeon wasn’t the only one who could be melodramatic and Evrain wanted to make an impression.

Down in the kitchen, he ate a snack of bread and cheese because Gregory had told him to eat something, however nervous he felt. It proved to be good advice because the simple food settled his stomach. At eleven-thirty exactly, he set off down the lane. The summer night was clear, the air crisp and chill enough that his breath steamed. The sky was a black velvet blanket pierced with the tiny twinkles of a few scattered stars but there was no moon.

During Evrain’s childhood stays at the cabin, Aggie had often taken him to Inkcap Glade. Usually at dawn, with glittering dew heavy on the grass. At night there was a whole different atmosphere. Forbidding was the word that came into Evrain’s head as he walked firstly along the river, then into Belsevere Wood. The wood was a tangle of shadows and gloomy darkness, hidden away from the world about it by saplings and shrubs that were contorted and intermingled to form a dense, virtually impenetrable maze. The ancient oaks grew gnarled and twisted, their limbs reaching out with grasping hands. Underfoot, a thick carpet of leaf litter decayed slowly, giving it a spongy feel that sucked Evrain’s feet down and soaked his boots.

Evrain followed a barely visible path through the trees. The short walk had a calming effect, and by the time he reached Inkcap Glade, Evrain felt controlled enough to face Symeon without losing his temper. There was little light but Evrain had perfect night vision, one advantage of being a warlock. Despite the fact that he could see everything with remarkable clarity, there was no sign of Coryn or Gregory and he knew they would not be seen unless they chose to be. He sat on a fallen trunk and waited, fiddling with the gold band around his wrist.

Symeon was fifteen minutes late. No doubt a deliberate ploy to get Evrain worked up. A torch flickered through the trees and Damon appeared first, coming from the opposite end of the clearing. He held a lead that ended in a choke chain around Dominic’s neck. Evrain swallowed—Dominic looked so desperate. His hands were cuffed behind him and he moved as if he were in pain. He was wearing a pair of old overalls and no shoes, his bare feet dirty and grazed. He glanced up and met Evrain’s eyes. At that moment, Evrain knew that Dominic’s body might be battered and bruised but his spirit was firmly intact. Even in the darkness, he could see the spark of flame behind the sapphire blue. God, he loved those eyes. He would do anything to keep Dominic safe. Evrain blamed himself entirely that Dominic was in this position. It was his fault that Dominic had been hurt. More than anything he wanted time to get to know him properly. He craved the kind of connection that Gregory and Coryn had, a love that ran deeper than passion, the kind of love that permeated every drop of blood, every nerve and fiber of their bodies. If the night played out to plan, he would get that time.

Symeon had dressed for the occasion in an ankle-length black coat and pointed boots. His hair gleamed and his black eyes glittered like chips of frozen jet. He took up a position opposite Evrain and pointed with his cane.

“Evrain. I hope you are going to behave yourself? I wouldn’t want this night to get…unpleasant.”

His tone was so patronizing that Evrain’s resolve to stay calm wavered. Storm clouds began to gather above the glade and the wind whipped through the leaves of the surrounding trees. Symeon cast a nervous glance up and banged his cane on the ground.

“Control yourself, boy. On your knees. Show subservience to your betters,” Symeon said to Evrain.

Evrain took a deep breath. He stood and took a couple of paces toward Symeon. He pushed up his sleeve a little so that the gold around his wrist was clearly visible, then did as he’d been told and knelt. Moisture immediately soaked through the knees of his jeans. An ominous rumble of thunder echoed across the sky. Dominic wanted Symeon to know that, even with his powers damped by gold, he was a force to be reckoned with.

“No!” Dominic’s shout was cut off as Damon yanked on the chain around his neck, but he fought him. “Don’t do it, Evrain! I consent, do you understand? I consent!”

This time Damon punched him, knocking him to the ground and into silence.

Evrain smiled. Just a small smile but enough to make Symeon take a pace back. He yanked off the bracelet and threw it to one side. Elemental energy rushed through his body. He raised one hand and twisted his fingers. “I love you, Dominic.”

Lightning rent the air and flashed into the glade as Evrain embraced his power and channeled through Dominic’s prone form. It felt so good. He could sense every current in the air, every twig, every leaf, every animal waited on his command. He could summon fire or flood, cause the earth to quake, whirl the winds into a tornado, but he didn’t. With an immense effort of will he stilled the elements and his own mind.

“I will not attack you, Symeon. That’s exactly what you want me to do, isn’t it? Weaken myself with doubt. Leave myself open to your attack.”

Symeon looked absolutely furious. “Do it! Do it, you little upstart!” He stamped forward, looming over Evrain. He wound a hand in Evrain’s hair and twisted, forcing his head back. “I’m going to slaughter you slowly. Suck every molecule of power from your body, then make you watch as I fuck your lover until he bleeds. You’ll feel every cut as I flay the flesh from your bones inch by inch.”