AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I swear, I didn’t,” Nox stated solemnly, giving Merlin a loaded look. “He heard it in a dream the night we met and I almost peed my pants when he told me the next morning. I did not tell him, he came up with that all on his own.”
“That’s not—!” Merlin shook his head quickly, but he was staring at Nelson like he had horns. “Did you read about that somewhere?” He asked Nelson and Nox gasped.
“Where would he have read about it? He had never heard of the Dagda or the Tuath Dé until we visited the crime scene in New Castle, but I didn’t cover Uaithne that night.”
“He thinks he’s Uaithne?” Merlin whispered in awe as he stepped up to Nelson and studied him closely.
“Well.” Nelson’s brow furrowed. His face was red and had taken on a glossy sheen and his hand shook. “Do you have to keep saying it? I know I’m not…a harp. But in the dreams, he calls me…Uaithne,” he ground out, pointing at Nox. “And I’m…Uaithne.” He held up a hand cluelessly.
“That’s remarkable!” Merlin said, turning back to Nox.
“Not really. It’s sucking the life out of him, Merlin.”
“Can you blame…you?” Merlin said with a flourish of his hand at Nelson. “Just look at him.”
“I prefer my partners to be consenting. Enthusiastically, even,” Nox added, scolding Merlin. “We need to figure out how to make this stop. He can’t stay by my side every minute of the day. I have to teach tomorrow and he has a case to work.”
“What happens if you leave?” Merlin asked Nelson.
He clutched his stomach and grunted. “I feel…dread, intensely anxious, disoriented, sick, and maybe some…withdrawal,” he muttered as he squirmed.
“Withdrawal from what?” Merlin asked, then gasped when Nelson turned red and averted his eyes, shaking his head. “Oh, my.”
“I know,” Nox replied heavily, then cleared his throat. “He was a virgin be—”
“No.” Nelson shook his head. “I didn’t say that I never… I said I didn’t think about it or want it. Before,” he clarified.
Nox bit down on his lips and nodded, sensing that it wasn’t a good time to laugh at how adorably flustered Nelson got whenever the subject of sex came up. “I see.”
“So do I!” Merlin said, rubbing his hands together as he looked between Nox and Nelson. “I have to say, I sensed a great deal of chemistry before, but this is…heady. The two of you are going to—”
Nox’s hand clamped over Merlin’s mouth before he could scare Nelson even more. “Now is not the time. Nelson and I can revisit that after we’ve found the other girls and once we’ve got a handle on whatever this is.”
“The hair of the dog that bit him?” Merlin suggested with a shimmy of shoulders.
“What? No.” Nelson shook his head. “Nothing bit me and I don’t want…more.” His phone rang and Nelson held up a finger as he answered it and strode back into the study.
“Do you think something might have bit him?” Nox whispered out of the side of his mouth.
“It is reminiscent of vampire and werewolf folklore, but I think this is spiritual in nature and much closer to home,” Merlin said distantly. “I have a few ideas and I need to make a few calls… In the meantime, I’ll see what I can prepare to help him hang onto more of his free will,” he decided with a firm nod and headed for the kitchen.
“Excellent idea,” Nox called after him, then raised a brow at Nelson when he returned, his expression severe. “What is it?”
“They haven’t confirmed it with all of the missing girls’ relatives, but two more were volunteers with the Witches For Literacy League.”
“Four out of seven?” Nox said and Nelson’s nostrils flared.
“It gets better. Witches For Literacy was founded by the owners of Bippity Boppity Books, Howard and Julian Sherwood.”
“Let’s go,” Nox said, his voice shaking as he turned for the door and Nelson was right behind him. “Do you think it’s a coincidence, them running the league?” He asked as they sped toward Adelphi.
“It could be,” Nelson said hesitantly, but Nox could tell that he didn’t like it either as his thumb beat impatiently against the steering wheel. “But I don’t think so.”
“Neither do I,” Nox stated with a humph. He burst through the front door of Bippity Boppity Books like a fury and stormed up to the counter, surprising Howard.
“Professor MacIlwraith and Agent Nelson! We heard about Elsa and we’re devastated. Did you find something else or have more questions for us?” Howard asked breathlessly as he limped around, hanging onto the counter. “Julian! Come out here!”
“Yeah, we did.” Nox nodded, looking around the store for Julian. “There are more girls missing like Elsa and it looks like four of them were members of your Witches For Literacy League,” he explained as he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned over Howard. Nox was angry and wanted Howard to know it, but he was also seeking out any hints of shame or deception. All he saw was horror and shock.
