Page 20

CHAPTER 20

I t took an hour to reach the car park, and there were still no signs of dragons or centaurs or anything. The day was silent; it felt like they were the only people alive. It had taken Web about half an hour before he stopped being pissy with Noah. In that time, he’d kept trying to gain Pan’s favor, even though Pan wasn’t interested in even having a conversation with him.

Noah refilled his drink bottle and took a long drink, and he tugged his damp shirt away from his chest. The afternoon was cool, but they’d been walking uphill for most of it. Liam stood next to him, watching as Pan walked out to the lookout with Web at his heels.

“So what’s with you and the incubus?” Liam lifted his eyebrows.

Noah shrugged, not knowing how to answer that. Pan had kissed him several times, and he’d be lying if he didn’t say he liked it. “Nothing. He says he likes the way I taste.”

Liam nodded. “I think Web wants a taste.”

“I’m pretty sure Silas wants to throw him off the end of the lookout.”

Liam straightened and glanced at the path that led to the lookout. “He wouldn’t actually…would he?”

Noah opened his mouth but couldn’t honestly make the denial. An incubus may not throw Web off the end, but an annoyed god might. “We should check on them.”

They jogged along the path as if silently agreeing they should hurry. Noah’s steps faltered when he saw them.

Pan’s fingers were locked around Web’s throat. “Do not lay your hands on me again. Do you understand?”

The toes of Web’s boots scraped against the path as he nodded his head furiously.

Noah sped up, not sure if he should intervene or let this play out.

“I cannot hear you, human,” Pan growled.

His voice was low enough that the sound hit some primal part of Noah’s brain, made his knees weak and his blood hot, as if offering himself to the god might appease him. He drew in a shaky breath as Pan glanced at him, his eyes shimmering gold.

Pan released Web, and he stumbled back until his hips hit the railing. Web grabbed it as though he needed the support.

“What’s going on?” Liam found his voice before Noah did.

Noah was trying to remain upright and get his dick under control. Did Liam not feel the power radiating off Pan?

“Your friend tried to kiss me.” Pan stepped away from Web. “Where I come from, it is common to make sure that the other person wants to be kissed.”

“I just wanted to know what it’s like to be fed on by an incubus.” Web pushed himself off the railing and ran his fingers through his hair. “I don’t see why Noah should have all the fun.

Pan smiled. “I like him. He offered to help and made no demands.”

If he’d known Pan was a god, he might have made some demands, like magic he could use? What were next week’s lottery numbers? As well as the other more serious things he should ask for, such as fixing the world. He was sure that if that was possible, Pan would do it. No one wanted this current mess.

“He also tastes nice. Not everyone’s lust tastes nice.” Pan glanced at Web. “Do you sleep with everyone who offers, or do you have tastes?”

Liam laughed. “Oh, he definitely sleeps with everyone.”

“Shut up.” Web shot Liam a glare. “I should’ve gone and checked out the farm.”

“You could’ve, but you would be wrong.” Pan pointed across the lookout.

Noah walked over expecting to see a dragon and was disappointed by the thin coil of smoke and a few knocked-over trees. “What am I supposed to be seeing?”

“Dragons knock over trees, usually to make a nest, sometimes to be defensive, other times in rage. The smoke might be from a camp or the remains of a dragon’s fury. Either way, it’s something.”

And from the way Pan was speaking, that’s where they were going. They were not going to make it home by dark, so it was a bloody good thing Liam had brought the tent.

Liam held up the map. “That’s pretty close to where Noah’s fish landed.”

Web snorted and shook his head. “It’s not Noah, it’s the fish. I told you it was cursed or something.”

Pan frowned. “What makes you say it’s cursed?”

Web flicked a glance at Noah and gave him a smug smile as if he’d won a battle. “Because as soon as he started using that to douse, he became more accurate.”

“A cursed fish? Can I see it, Noah?” Pan held out his hand.

Noah wasn’t sure that he wanted to take his necklace off, but he pulled the fish out of his shirt for Pan. “It’s old. A Victorian snuff necklace, so it opens.” He demonstrated the way the head flipped back. “There’s nothing in it now.”

Pan walked over but didn’t try to take the necklace. He lifted it off Noah’s chest, so the little silver and turquoise fish lay in his palm. For a heartbeat, Noah had a silly thought that it was going to gasp for breath and start to flop around.

“Where did you find it?”

“I sometimes go to deceased estates and auctions and stuff. Or the pawn brokers if I go to Cardiff or Bristol. There are lots of cool old things, but I only buy the ones that I…I don’t know.” He shrugged, not sure how to explain how he knew what to buy. “That I vibe with or something. Maybe I’m attracted to cursed objects.”

Pan placed the necklace back against Noah’s chest instead of letting it drop. “Perhaps. But I’m very interested in the rest of your collection.”

Behind Pan’s back, Web rolled his eyes.

He’d taken Web and Liam to an auction happening in Cornwall about six months ago. They’d spent the afternoon looking at all the bits and pieces that were available to buy. Everything from antique desks to a tiny sewing kit, complete with an ivory thimble. He didn’t sew, but there’d been something about the kit that he wanted. So he’d bid, and that had been enough to make Web bid.

To avoid a bidding war, Noah had let him have it. He had no idea what had happened to it after Web brought it home, and it was now a thorn in their friendship. Sometimes, everything was fine, and other times, it was as though Web was jealous of everything Noah had.

Including his friendship with Pan.

He didn’t know if it was because Web had been raised by his father, after his mother had disappeared…like legitimately, disappeared, missing person situation, or if Web just liked being the center of attention.

It wasn’t as though Noah was trying to take that off him. He’d much rather be in the shadows and ignored. If he was being ignored, it meant he wasn’t doing anything wrong, and he could do his own thing. So he hadn’t planned on becoming the main singer of their little trio. That they’d become more popular once he’d started singing was another thorn.

And now it seemed Pan was set to become the third.

“It’s not dangerous?” Noah asked, not sure if Pan could sense magic or a curse on an object.

“Not to you, or you’d know about it already. Objects with magic are very choosy about who they are handled by.”

“Is there a way to make them like you?” Web tucked a strand of hair behind his ear.

Pan pressed his lips together and considered him for several seconds. “Not usually. The only way is to destroy the magic. Which often destroys the object.” He nodded at Liam. “Will the trail on the map take us there?”

“That’s not a trail, that’s a dirt road…but it should get us near enough. I don’t think going straight down the mountain is a good idea.”

“Agreed,” Noah said. “We have about two hours of daylight left.”

Web frowned. “That’s not long enough to walk there and back.”

“Let’s hope it’s a friendly campfire,” Pan said with rather less enthusiasm than Noah wanted from him. “Shall we?”

Pan walked away, leaving them to follow. Noah sucked in a breath and followed. Between him and Liam, they had enough supplies to rough a night, but he was more concerned about the fire.