Page 35 of Dead Air (Moon Murder Mysteries)

Twenty-Two

M ost of the campers on Niall’s lawn had cleared out just after dawn to Cenn’s relief. MacIlwraith and his throne were still there but Cenn had no interest in entertaining them. Niall was waking up and his tea was nearly done steeping.

Cenn set it on the bedside table and stretched out on the bed next to Niall.

“Good morning, my sweet,” he whispered in Niall’s ear and watched as his lips twitched into a smile and his eyelids fluttered and opened.

“My love.” He turned Niall’s face and kissed his eyelashes, his nose, and his lips.

“The last of our guests are leaving soon and we’ll have the mountain to ourselves again,” he said but Niall frowned.

“Did Merlin leave?” he asked and gasped when Cenn nodded. “I didn’t get to say goodbye. I have so many questions!”

“I don’t take any pleasure in saying this but I doubt that’s the last we’ll be seeing of the wee weasel,” Cenn sighed, but had to bite down on a smile. He’d never admit it to another soul, but he found the little rascal amusing.

“Good. I really like him and Nox.”

“ He’s still here with Nelson. They’re waiting to say goodbye and the demigod would like to have a heart to heart with me,” Cenn sighed, shaking his head. “Too bad I don’t have a heart.”

“You do too!” Niall pulled Cenn on top of him and hooked a leg around his waist. “You love me and you couldn’t do that without a heart.”

“I still haven’t figured out how that works, exactly,” Cenn confessed. “But he doesn’t need to know that. What would you like to do once we’ve gotten rid of them?”

Niall gave Cenn’s back a swat. “Stop!” he laughed, then became serious. “I think I’m going to head down to the visitor’s center and use their computer. I still don’t know what our next step should be but I should send in my resignation. It could take them months to find a replacement.”

“Why?” Cenn pushed off the bed and sat back on his heels. “This is your home. You belong here.”

“No.” Niall shook his head. “I belong with you but we can’t stay here like this.

Shelby knows and I can’t ask him to pretend or cover anything else up for us.

And I don’t know exactly why, but we seem to attract a lot of the wrong kind of attention.

I don’t want to bring anymore of that to the park and make more trouble for Shelby. ”

“Much of that was the Douchebag and he’s learned his lesson,” Cenn promised. If not, Cenn would turn himself into a bear and maul Dùbhghlas in his driveway. Cenn would shit all over the remains and watch as Dùbhghlas’s soul was pecked to bits by sluagh.

“I know and I hope you’re right but we could start over together somewhere fresh without raising too many eyebrows.”

Cenn thought that was a brilliant idea. “If you’re sure you’re ready to leave.”

“We should still live someplace out of the way. Not because I’m scared of…

him, but because I think it would be better if we kept to ourselves.

I don’t miss much about the modern world and prefer the company of skunks and bears.

You’re a demon and I don’t want to lie to a whole new batch of friends and neighbors to hide the truth when I already have friends who know and get it. ”

“You mean MacIlwraith and his lot?” Cenn said and gave Niall a dubious look when he nodded. “You want to move to Georgetown?”

“No!” Niall answered immediately. “I still don’t know where we should go. But I wouldn’t mind living closer to them and Everly and the twins,” he said, making Cenn grimace.

“Demons and hellhounds don’t get along very well, I’m afraid. And don’t assume I’m interested in joining the Nutless League just because I didn’t take Dùbhghlas’s side.”

“I think you should!”

Cenn shook his head. “I’d be a laughingstock and I have absolutely nothing to gain.

In fact, helping a sun god would be bad for my general wellbeing.

I’m staying out of this silly feud between Dùbhghlas and Oglethorpe.

If I’m lucky, I won’t have to deal with MacIlwraith.

It would be better to let Dùbhghlas take care of it and save my demonic wrath for him. ”

“I’m really not a fan of that plan.” Niall said. “I’m on Nox and Merlin’s side and I’m hoping you do the right thing and join us when the time comes.”

“Do the right thing?” Cenn repeated, blinking at Niall. “That’s not what I do. Because I’m a demon,” he said slowly but Niall smirked and beamed at him.

“Not anymore. You love me more than being a demon and I know that you’ll choose me, and love, every time.” He threw his arms around Cenn’s neck and squeezed tight.

The absurd tickle in Cenn’s chest returned, making him roll his eyes.

“You might be right but we shouldn’t put this theory to the test or you might be disappointed.

I love you and I will do whatever it takes to protect you , but don’t assume anything else beyond that.

I am still very much a demon and I’ll do whatever I can get away with,” he warned with a pointed look.

He was already planning to get away with something deliciously wrathful when Niall took a nap later. Cenn was going to wear him out with sex and pop up to Oregon but he had to get rid of their two remaining guests, first.

“We’ll see,” Niall said as he shifted beneath Cenn. He rocked his hips, grinding his hard-on against Cenn’s thigh. “My money’s still on love. Can you flick my throat again and do the thing with your smoke tentacles?”

“Aren’t you sore from last night?” If Cenn wore him out now, Niall wouldn’t be in as wild of a mood later.

Better to keep him idling until their guests left.

“I believe MacIlwraith is waiting until the top of the hour before he knocks. He’s doing his best to be polite.

” That was true but Cenn didn’t give a damn, MacIlwraith could wait until his godly ass fell off but it would be good to be rid of him.

“Yikes! I almost forgot about them!”

Niall was a babbling whirlwind after that, making plans as he quickly brushed his teeth and dressed and gathered whatever provisions he had on hand for breakfast. He rushed out to greet them and froze on the porch, agog as MacIlwraith and Agent Nelson shared an impressive breakfast spread.

A large mixed berry salad sat in the center of a quilt, surrounded by what appeared to be a frittata of some sort, waffles, oatmeal, whole grain bagels, lox, and cream cheese.

“Come and join us!” MacIlwraith said as he waved from the grass. “Merlin packed way too much, as usual. We were already planning to leave whatever we don’t finish,” he told them and popped a strawberry into his mouth.

Niall grabbed Cenn’s wrist. “Let’s go!”

“Do you eat food?” Nelson asked Cenn after he lowered onto the quilt with Niall.

“Nope,” Cenn said as he reached for a raspberry and fed it to Niall. “But it’s kind of like sex. I can pretend and go through the motions if it makes Niall happy,” he explained with a knowing grin. He swiped another raspberry and tossed it into his mouth.

“That’s a great metaphor,” MacIlwraith replied as Nelson snorted into his coffee.

He didn’t care if Cenn mocked his sexuality, or lack thereof, but MacIlwraith didn’t approve of Nelson being used as a punching bag or a surrogate.

“Except Nelson won’t starve if his pride isn’t fed and I have yet to feel unsatisfied.

You can pretend and go through the motions but how long will that satisfy Niall? ”

“Touché,” Cenn conceded, accepting MacIlwraith’s warning: leave Nelson out of it.

The new demigod was chaotic by nature and still had a lot to learn but he didn’t play around when it came to Agent Grady Nelson.

That, Cenn could respect and it was why he was willing to make time for MacIlwraith’s “heart to heart.” He had no intention of joining the team but he would do whatever he could to assure Niall’s safety and guarantee his soul’s passage to the Otherworld.

He behaved for the rest of the meal, allowing Niall to charm them and further cement their budding friendship.

They discussed Niall’s plan to leave Hawksbill Mountain and MacIlwraith said he knew of a few possibilities not too far from Georgetown.

He explained that Dr. Bixby was retiring soon and relocating with Arawn to start a practice in the country.

Bryn had recently married and bought a home with Everly but it was time for the other hellhound to move on before people began to ask questions about his age.

With all the leftovers safely packed in Niall’s freezer and locked in a cooler, he said goodbye and set off for the visitor’s center on his ATV to get his weekly supplies and put in his resignation.

Finding Niall’s dream house in the country would also take a while but he was growing more excited as a plan for their future started to come together.

Cenn could feel Niall’s optimism and gratitude as they parted and knew that he’d chosen the right path when he passed on Dùbhghlas’s deal.

“You did the right thing,” MacIlwraith said, reading Cenn’s mind.

They were on Niall’s porch, pretending to enjoy the shade as Nelson packed the last of their gear into his backpack.

Most of their party’s supplies and tents had been stowed in Oglethorpe’s enchanted medicine bag.

“Niall’s going to be happy and this will be a good change for you too. ”

That got a hard snort out of Cenn. “I appreciate you for coming up here to rescue him and warning me about Dùbhghlas’s plan. But we’re even as far as I’m concerned. Whatever happens between you and the warlock is none of my business.”

“We both know that’s not true.” MacIlwraith leaned against the rail, watching Cenn closely. “I’d rather face you now than wait for you to get stronger, especially if there’s a chance that Hugh Dùbhghlas could beat me.”

Not a heart to heart, then!

“Come on, you can’t tell me you’re scared of him! ” Cenn said with a taunting snicker but MacIlwraith shrugged dismissively.