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“How are we going to find them?” Grey asked. “Clay saw their direction.”
Clay shook his head. “It was more than a direction. I could see…like a scorched mark in the earth where they were. It’s like their very presence leaves a mark, or maybe absorbs some of the energy.”
“So, you know exactly where they are?” Grey pressed.
Clay frowned and shook his head. “Yes and no.”
“Ha. Ha. Very funny,” Grey grumbled.
Clay’s frown turned into a smirk, but only for a second. “I can’t use that power for too long, but I can narrow down their location.”
“I can find them,” Baer offered. “I can shift into something and search out the smell. Maybe fly around until I spot a gathering of them somewhere.”
Grey’s lips thinned. “I doubt they stayed at the destroyed barn. They could be anywhere. That’s way too much ground to cover.”
“But we know about where they’ve gathered,” Clay said, his thigh against Dane’s. “It shouldn’t be too hard for Baer to smell them out in an animal form. Something with a sharp sense of smell, like a bloodhound.”
Baer grunted. “You know, bears are supposed to have the best sense of smell.”
“But a bear is going to get noticed, especially around here.”
“Bloodhound is good.”
“Baer and I will start searching tomorrow, using both of our powers,” Clay declared. “Grey, I want you to check over the weapons we have on hand. Knives, guns, anything you can lay your hands on. Gather it all together.”
Grey smirked. “I’ll pull everything together in the dining room since we’re not using it.”
“The war room!” Baer said with a laugh. “We’ll start searching tomorrow.” Baer threw back his whiskey. “Or we can go tonight?”
“Nah, get some sleep.” Clay put his hand on Dane’s leg. “We should all get as much sleep as possible, and you still need to heal some.”
“I could try working on him again,” Dane suggested.
“No, it takes too much out of you.” Baer stood and gave Dane a sweet smile. “What you did was enough. I was hurt badly. Now, it’s just residual pain from healing. I’m good. I’ll start searching for the pestilents tomorrow. We’ll take this battle to them.”
Grey stood, too. “I’m going up to work awhile before I sleep. Not tired yet.” He snagged the bottle of whiskey. “Anyone want more?”
They shook their heads and soon, Clay and Dane were alone in the living room. “You’re worrying again,” Clay said, rubbing his thumb over Dane’s brow. “You get this scrunchy little line between your eyebrows when you do.”
“I can’t help it. This is scary shit. End-of-the-world scary shit. A week ago, I was nothing more than a handyman worrying about doing a good job and living with these crazy people. Now there’s all…this, and I’m one of the crazy people. There are other dimensions and creatures after our world’s energy. There are people with powers and goddesses. I’ve got powers now. Do you know what I can do with this power? The people I could help out there? Hell, Katie’s mother has bad arthritis—I could possibly take her pain away for good.”
“You won’t be able to heal everyone.”
“But I’d have to try and do what I can, right? This isn’t something you just keep to yourself.”
“And if word gets out, you’d never have a moment alone again. I think you’re going to have to be careful. Not tell anyone.”
“But if I can take away pain, Clay. Heal people. How could I not try?”
Clay pulled Dane close. “You’ll have to learn to do it without anyone knowing.”
“I think people would notice if I put hands on them and leave them there.”
“Maybe in small increments? I don’t know.”
“But you know I have to try.”
“Yeah, babe,” Clay said softly. “I know you’ll have to try. I’d feel the same way.” He stood and held his hand out to Dane. “But right now, our focus has to be on stopping the pestilents. What’s the point of removing some pain if the world is just going to be destroyed? What will we do if you’re exhausted from healing people and one of our brothers returns mortally wounded by a pestilent?”
Dane sighed and nodded. “You’re right. We’ve got to stay focused on the big problem for now.” A chill ran through him at the idea of being too weak to heal Clay if he were to come home injured after being surprised by the pestilents. To not be there for Clay. To fail him like he’d failed Katie and Caleb.
“I’m exhausted, and I can feel your exhaustion as well. Let’s go to bed. Hold each other. Tomorrow’s a new day.”
Dane took his hand and followed him to the master bedroom. They quietly undressed and crawled under the covers. Clay’s strong arms immediately wrapped him, pulling him in tight.
Dane lay quietly, staring into the dark room for a long time after Clay’s breathing deepened with sleep. Clay, Grey, and Baer were heading into battle with the pestilents. The aunts talked about immortality and forever, but there was still a very good chance the three men would be killed. And if they returned home, all of them injured, was he strong enough to heal them? Would he have to choose between them if he wasn’t?
