Page 23 of Through the Veil (Endangered Fae #2)

Diego took a quick turn around the outside of the house while Finn checked inside. Everything appeared normal, the truck where he left it, nothing out of place. Finn returned in his favorite pair of black jeans.

“There’s naught amiss in there. All quiet,” he said as he bent to kiss Diego’s cheek.

Which meant the rescued girl was gone and all her things with her. “Thank you, caro . You left the wheelbarrow out.”

Finn cocked his head to one side. “I thought it looked rather nice where it was.”

“Putting it away slipped your mind.”

“Yes.”

Diego chuckled and slipped an arm around Finn’s waist. “The world’s only senile fae. Let’s go get our first guest.”

“Our guests.” A soft smile crept onto Finn’s face. “Yes, I suppose they will be that.” He kissed the top of Diego’s head as they crossed back into the Otherworld. “You are much steadier this time, love.”

“I’m not fighting to keep the door open while someone stops for dinner.”

“Ah. Yes. I would apologize, but it truly was not my fault.”

“Teasing, mi amor , just teasing.”

When they returned to the little group gathered at the doorway, Balor already cradled Faolchú in his arms, Nathair hovering at his elbow.

“Please, I must go with him,” Nathair requested, a tremor in his voice.

“Of course.” Diego took one long, green hand in his. “Wouldn’t dream of separating you. It’s all clear. No humans around but me.”

Nathair took a shaky breath and accompanied him back through, the rest trooping after.

Diego wanted Faolchú placed on the chaise on the patio, but Nathair insisted the bare ground would be better and chose a spot at the back of the garden under an ancient oak.

The only sign Faolchú still lived was an occasional rattling breath, and Nathair’s eyes shone with tears as he knelt and held out his arms to receive his dying lover.

As soon as his body touched the grass, though, Faolchú’s eyes shot open. A weak moan caught in his chest as his body stiffened and trembled violently. Nathair tried to soothe him, stroking his head, and murmuring. Faolchú was beyond hearing, and with a sharp cry, began to convulse.

“I’m here, love, I’m here—” Nathair cut off with a yelp when Faolchú abruptly vanished.

“No…no,” Diego whispered, shaking his head. “What just happened? Damn it…” He seized Finn’s arm as Nathair burst into tears. “What have we done?”

A huge hand fell on his shoulder. “It’s all right, boy. All will be well,” Balor rumbled.

“How can it be? We killed him!”

Finn cleared his throat. “No, my hero. He’s found his way into the Dreaming to heal.”

“How can you be sure? Dios , that’s not how it looks when you do it!”

“You would feel it, my boy.” Balor patted his shoulder. “When one of the fae dies, the very earth wails. We all reach the Dreaming in our own ways.”

“Oh.” Diego drew in a slow breath, willing the ache in his chest away. He knelt with Nathair to hold him. “Then why is Nathair sobbing?”

Finn answered in a single word. “Relief.”

Silent until that moment, staring out into the woods as if she had no interest in the events, Danu finally spoke. “This is a fitting place, Diego. There are humans near, but not many, and not too near. You may bring Lugh next.”

“Scath, next, I think, majestad .” Diego’s face heated when she arched a delicate, green brow at him.

“At least Lugh still wakes up when you talk to him. Poor little Scath’s fading fast.” Your little messenger boy, he’s good enough to use when you need him but not good enough to save?

Too open to the world still, Diego realized his angry thoughts had reached her, at least in part, when both her eyebrows crept up further.

“Have a care, my Taliesin,” she said too softly. “You were never a fawning flatterer, and so I trust you. But do not question my motives.”

“I’m sorry. I just—”

She held up a hand. “I will indulge you, since you have toiled so hard to save us. Scath may come across next.”

“Generous,” Balor muttered. “Gods-be-damned—”

“Thank you, majestad ,” Diego spoke to drown out the growled epithets.

Finn went to fetch Scath while Diego tried to calm Nathair’s hiccoughing sobs. “You stay with us as long as you need,” Diego reassured him. “As long as it takes. When he feels better, there’s good hunting in the woods, lots of deer, rabbits, pheasants and turkeys.”

“Turkeys?” Nathair got out on a huge sniff.

“Great, big, delicious birds, lots of meat on them, not good fliers. Faolchú will love them.”

“Good.” Nathair nodded, wiping at this eyes. “He’ll need plenty. He’s become so thin.”

Humming, Finn returned carrying Scath, Croi plastered to his side. The féileacán were a sad sight, wings drooping, their brilliant colors reduced to gray. Scath’s head lolled against Finn’s shoulder, his normally lively features still as death.

Diego’s heart lurched, thinking they might be too late, but of course the little fae lived still, or Croi would not be up and walking.

The hammock by the house soon held both féileacán .

Croi gathered her other half’s limp body close and began to sing in her clear, trilling voice.

A blue-green glow blossomed from her and soon enveloped them both, taking form as a sphere and growing slowly opaque until it hid them from view.

The cyan bubble encapsulating them rose to hover two feet above the hammock, emitting a low hum.

“Any idea what that’s all about?” Diego pointed with his chin.

“The féileacán do not go into the Dreaming,” Finn answered with a soft smile. “This is their healing place, their, ah, infirmary, if you like. She will nurse him back to health inside there.”

“Croi really is a she, then?”

Finn’s forehead creased. “She is…the feminine half of their whole. To call her female might be misleading.”

“Thanks. That’s a big help.”

“Always a pleasure to be of service.” Finn took his hand and bowed over it to plant a kiss on Diego’s palm. “Especially to such a handsome man.”

That simple touch sent desire ricocheting through Diego’s body, leaving him dizzy as blood simultaneously rushed to his face and his groin. “Flattery will get you all sorts of places.”

“Into your bed? In the next few minutes?” Finn licked at the pulse point on his wrist, the bulge in his jeans reiterating his wishes.

“Soon, mi vida . Right now isn’t really a good time.”

With a pitiful sigh, Finn straightened and settled for a soft kiss.

“Where’s Danu?”

Before Finn had a chance to answer, the sidhe Queen in question stepped back into sight, through the doorway.

She directed a small army of litter bearers, and Diego was pleased to see she had thought to bring all the sick fae rather than only her own.

Of course, the choice might have been thrust upon her.

The way Sionnach had wrapped himself around Angus, baring his sharp teeth if anyone’s hand got too close, it had probably been impossible to separate them.

They set Easóg down next to Nathair, who helped him from the litter onto the grass and held him until he disappeared, fading rather than blinking out as Faolchú had.

Angus, tossing in the grip of fever, levitated a foot off the ground before he winked out, while Sionnach, on hands and knees, turned three times round his tail, settled in a little ball and slowly vanished behind a curtain of light.

Only Lugh remained, listless and unresisting as they lifted him from his litter. Diego hurried to him, determined to make certain his crossing was easier than Faolchú’s.

Arms empty once again, Finn could only watch as Diego scurried over to Lugh’s side.

The terrible pain returned around his heart, along with Morrigan’s words, as Diego stroked the sidhe champion’s hair and murmured to him.

Lugh took his hand and said something to make Diego smile.

The blood pounded so hard in Finn’s head, he was certain it would erupt from his scalp in great geysers.

Jealous. Gods, yes, he was jealous.

He simply couldn’t fathom why . Several centuries before, when he and Taliesin and the world had been much younger, he had gone off for a year to explore.

Apparently, the Taliesin of that lifetime had pined terribly for him and had taken comfort in Lugh’s arms. When he’d found them together in a thicket, Finn had simply climbed in beside them, and they had shared Taliesin between them, an afternoon they had all very much enjoyed.

Now the thought of sharing Diego made him want to bite someone, and not in a loving, playful way.

That and the doubt that crept up on him as he watched Diego soothe and ease Lugh into the Dreaming put him in a dreadful mood.

Not that he thought Diego would fall into another male’s arms, not while he felt himself attached to Finn.

But is this attachment the best for him? Gods help me…I don’t know.

A few hours later, Sionnach and Easóg returned from the Dreaming, and Finn forgot his uncomfortable thoughts as Diego had him fetching blankets and cushions, water and socks for Easóg’s feet since Tia Carmen, who had followed the fae back through, declared the little pine marten was too cold.

The fussing and bustling continued when Angus reappeared soon after, still weak and aching, but free of fever. The garden began to resemble human Emergency Rooms Finn had seen on the picture box, or…no, there was a better comparison.

When another féileacán pair, a red and yellow couple, stepped through the doorway, she supporting his faltering steps, Finn spread his arms and smiled to reassure them.

“Welcome to Sandoval’s Home for Convalescent Fae.”