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Nelson’s cheeks puffed out with a long, hard sigh, he was so grateful to have his Nox back. “Shut up and go to sleep.”
1 Go dtachta an diabhal thú. (Guh dokh-ta on jow-al hoo): May the devil choke you.
2 Du thabairt dorais du glé, for mu muid céin am messe. (NA): I am the knowledge and the door, turning the darkness into light.
Fifteen
“We focus on the Badb.”
That was all Nox had shared about his time with the Dagda. He was too confused and too bereft to explain what else had occurred while he was on the other side. Nox resented the cramped discomfort of reality and the aches and hungers that riddled his body as he went about his morning.
“You should rest!” Nelson looked distraught as he paced in the kitchen while Nox sipped his coffee and attempted normalcy. His kitchen and pantry had been the heart of Nox’s home and his childhood before, where he’d felt most centered and connected to his practice and his family. Now, Nox was isolated and Nelson was the only source of warmth in the universe.
“I’m fine.”
Such a monstrous lie, but Nox felt like he had a monster of a hangover. Instead of alcohol or drugs, Nox had mainlined the source of all love and light and felt the hope of all humanity. Returning to an ugly world with unsolved cases and news of Colin MacCrory’s death was a cruel shock. Nox wanted to snarl at the chilly morning and complain about how much he missed his father.
“You don’t look fine, Nox.” The tenderness of Nelson’s caress as he cupped Nox’s cheek and brushed the hair away from his eyes brought back a little more warmth. He was the only thing that had been missing and Nox would never come back if he could take Nelson with him. He craved that now like a drug and wondered what he would trade to experience that ecstatic peace with Nelson by his side. “Nox?”
“I have to check on Walt and I want to see ol’ Colin’s body and hear what that ME has to say. Then, we find the Badb and we find the end of this nightmare,” Nox said, smiling at the thought of how perfectly aligned his and the Dagda’s wills were. He wanted justice for Elsa and Howard and the many other victims and the Dagda wanted the Badb to pay for his sick hubris and the vile misdeeds he’d committed in their name. The god had given Nox his blessing and was just as disgusted and offended by the lying Badb’s many crimes against humanity and magick.
Nelson had to be at the end of his saintly patience, but he hid it well.
“Fine… Where do you want to start?” he asked, smoothing the lapels of Nox’s corduroy blazer. Did he suspect that Nox had worn it over a hoodie and a long-sleeved shirt because he couldn’t shake off the chill? Nox wondered if he’d ever feel as warm as he felt with the Dagda.
“We’ll swing by the Hoover Building and see ol’ Colin after we check in with Walt. After that, I want to offer Howard my condolences. It should be safe now. Safer,” he corrected bitterly. “But I think Howard might be able to help us. He knows more than he thinks he knows or more than Julian and the Badb would ever give him credit for.”
Nelson’s head cocked. “Okay… Howard shouldn’t be too stressful and you like Bippity Boppity Books.”
“I do. Bookstores and cemeteries always make me happy. But I’m afraid we might have to go back to Julian’s place.”
“That shouldn’t be stressful at all,” Nelson said, sighing in defeat as he picked up his coffee and stalked toward the pantry and back.
“There’s a small chance Howard might have met the ‘Badb’ and I’d bet my ears the liar visited Julian’s place at least once while the girls were there. He wouldn’t have been able to resist. And if he did, he’d find it even harder to resist going back,” Nox predicted, earning a thoughtful nod from Nelson.
“Most serial killers revisit the scenes of their crimes. They get a thrill, reliving the moment it happened,” he agreed and Nox grinned as he heard the doorbell chime before Merlin let himself in.
Nox noted Nelson’s icy glare but continued. “Sometimes, literally, and they leave evidence. I’m hoping he’s gone back to the bookshop or Julian’s and left something behind.”
“There you are!” Merlin said as he hurried into the kitchen and threw up his hands at Nox. “You should be resting!” He looked at Nelson for backup but was met with stony silence. Nelson’s disapproval was palpable as he sipped.
“I don’t know what’s going on,” Nox said as he pointed at Nelson and Merlin. “But could we do a speedrun so we can get on the road? I can’t rest because my assistant was poisoned and someone else I love could be next.”
“I’ll go first,” Nelson decided, setting down his mug and planting his hands on his hips. It was so competent and authoritative. So hot. “You,” Nelson pointed at Nox. “Calm down,” he ordered, but it had the opposite effect so Nox took several steps to his right so he was out of Nelson’s line of sight. Nelson sniffed hard, focusing as he advanced on Merlin. “You knew it was going to happen. You wished us well right before you left and you were waiting for a call.”
Merlin stood his ground, narrowing his eyes up at Nelson defiantly. “Of course, I did. I told Nox that something like this was bound to happen and to be mindful of the significance of you.”
“Me, or Y-E-W?” Nelson asked, pointing at himself.
“At the moment, Y-O-U,” Merlin said with a hard look at Nox. “We had an heir that would not mate with a woman to produce another heir. And then, we had an Uaithne who knows only one kind of magick.”
“I don’t know any magick,” Nelson argued, looking uncertain as he turned to Nox.
“We’ll be more careful next time,” he reassured him, but Nelson’s face twisted.
“No, we won’t. You said it yourself, you want me to ‘dick you’ back into the Otherworld and go with you. You don’t know who you are half the time and you’re like a cat in heat, Nox, and I want to do it. I need to.”
There was a soft cheer from Merlin. “There is no magick older and stronger than sex magick. It can break a man and ensnare a god like no spell, potion, or curse can. Sex can trap a god and it can undo an empire. Or, it can make a god and give him an empire.”
