Only Skin Deep: Paranormal MMM Romance, page 8
Ash smiled. “I won’t tell him. I promise.” He searched Daniel’s face for a moment. “What other characters are in that game with the demons?”
“The demons are the bad guys. You have to go through the villages and collect herbs and magic and use swords to fight off the bad guys.”
“Sounds like a fun game.”
Daniel grinned. “I like playing it.”
Ash leaned a little closer. “My friends inside that building there have good magic that they’re using to heal your brother.”
Daniel’s eyes widened. “Really?”
“Yup.”
Daniel turned to eye the front of the shop.
“You said the other place was scary and had a black glow… does this building look bad to you?”
“No,” Daniel said. He turned to look at Ash. “No, there’s a white glow.”
One corner of Ash’s lips curled up. He wondered if the witches inside knew about the white glow. He’d sure never seen it himself.
Daniel nodded. “This is a good place. I like it here.”
“Do you want to go inside and see Colby?”
“Yeah.”
Chapter
Six
Luca curled up beside Colby’s healthy side, trying to offer comfort. Their human writhed every so often, groaning in what appeared to be pain. It broke him that he couldn’t take that away—but the curse was too strong. As soon as his own strength was revived, he planned to help Atlas search the ancient tomes for a spell to break the curse.
The bedroom door opened, and Ash led Daniel inside. He slid off the bed and rose to his feet, a bit wobbly.
Daniel’s eyes widened as he regarded Luca. “Are you a wizard?”
Luca’s own eyes widened as he opened his mouth to speak—but had no words. What did he tell the man?
“I clued him in a little,” Ash said. “He knows about the demons who hurt his brother and that there are witches here healing Colby.” Ash focused on Daniel. “This is my… erm… boyfriend, Luca.”
“Hi, Luca.”
“Nice to meet you, Daniel.”
“Coby looks bad,” Daniel said, inching closer. “Is he going to be okay?”
Colby writhed and groaned, possibly having heard his brother’s voice.
Luca slid back onto the bed beside him. “Daniel’s here, and he’s safe. We’ll protect him… so you focus on healing, Colby.” He turned his attention back to Daniel. “Those demons put a curse on your brother. A very strong curse. Do you understand what a curse is, Daniel?”
“I have a game,” Daniel answered.
“A game where demons are the bad guys and you collect magic and weapons to fight them,” Ash added. “So, he has a bit of an idea.”
Luca nodded. “My magic is keeping him alive, but it can’t break the curse. It’s too strong. We’re looking for the right spell, but it might take time.”
“The tattoo shop,” Daniel said. “They gave him the curse, didn’t they?”
Luca’s gaze flipped to Ash’s.
“Seems Colby took Daniel with him to the other shop before getting his tattoo.” Ash clapped a hand onto Daniel’s shoulder. “Daniel sensed it was a bad place—even noticed a black glow and saw the demons in their true form—horns and all. He told his brother not to go back.”
Luca’s eyes widened. “Really? That’s amazing, Daniel.” Daniel was an auraist? They were rare in the magical community. A human? It had to speak of witch blood in their family.
“Coby should’ve listened to me and not gone back,” Daniel said.
“Yep, he sure should’ve listened,” Ash murmured. “But we’re going to do everything we can to make him just like he was before and remove that curse. Okay?”
“Okay.” Daniel looked at Colby again. “Will he wake up soon?”
“In time. His body has gone through a lot today. We’re hoping he might wake up in the morning,” Luca said.
“Okay,” Daniel replied.
“Would you like to sit and talk with him?”
“He’s sleeping,” Daniel murmured. “He can’t hear me when he’s sleeping.”
“Ah, but he can,” Luca said. “This kind of sleep is protective. He’s using allll of his energy to heal himself. Somewhere deep down, he can hear you.”
Daniel shuffled closer, appearing leery.
“He’s still your brother,” Luca whispered. “The brother who loves you a lot.”
Daniel sat down on the edge of the bed. “Can I touch him?”
“Sure.”
“If I touch him, will the curse come to me and leave him?” Before Luca could answer, Daniel thrust his hand into Colby’s and closed his eyes tight—as if he expected just that. Tears stung the backs of Luca’s eyes witnessing Daniel’s attempted sacrifice. After a few seconds, one of Daniel’s eyes popped open, and he glanced down where their hands met. “Guess not.”
“You were willing to take on his pain yourself?” Luca asked.
“Coby’s my brother. I love him,” was Daniel’s simple answer.
Luca placed a hand over Daniel’s. “You’re an excellent brother.”
Daniel smiled. He walked closer and hugged Luca.
Luca smiled to himself at Daniel’s easily given warmth. He ran a palm down Daniel’s back, returning the show of affection. “If the curse could be taken on by anyone else, I would’ve taken it myself.”
“Why?” Daniel asked. “Do you love Coby?”
“He’s very special to us,” Luca murmured. He patted Daniel’s shoulder. “Talk to your brother. Let him know you’re here.”
Daniel extracted himself as he eyed Colby, skeptical. “Coby? Coby, I’m here. I want you to get better so we can play more WWE 2K Battlegrounds and I can kick your butt. And we can make more pottery and TikToks together. And we can go on walks to Salem Willows Park and play at the arcade and eat popcorn and pizza and ice cream and walk home with belly aches.”
Colby appeared to be trying to rouse, his head lifting from the pillow, but he dropped it back seconds later. He murmured, “Daniel…”
“He heard me!” Daniel said, gazing at Luca and grinning.
“I told you he could,” Luca replied.
Daniel turned back to his brother. “I love you, Coby. Get better.” Daniel paused a moment before turning to Ash. “What happens to me if Coby doesn’t get better?”
Silence hung in the room a moment, and Luca wasn’t sure what to say. Daniel rocked back and forth slightly. A signal he’s scared?
Luca’s heart clenched. Ash’s gaze met his for a moment, and they spoke without words with that one look. Ash knelt beside Daniel, getting eye level with him.
"Colby’s going to be fine… we just need time.”
“But what if it’s forever?”
“Then we will take care of you,” Luca said, eyeing Ash. “You will always have a home here, if you need one.”
Ash nodded. “Yep. We’ll take care of you if that happens, but it won’t. Colby’s going to be okay. I pro—” Ash paused, frowning. His gaze flipped to Luca.
I can’t lie to him, the look said.
There was no guarantee that they’d find the right spell to break the curse, or that Colby would awaken from the fight going on within. They could make Daniel no promises.
Colby writhed again, murmuring Daniel’s name.
Daniel squeezed his brother’s hand. “I’m here, Coby.”
Someone knocked on the door. Cassius peeked his head inside. “How goes it?”
Daniel turned to eye Cassius and jumped to his feet. “You really glow. You must be a very strong witch.”
Cassius frowned and smiled, eyeing Daniel. “I glow?”
“Yep,” Daniel said. “More than Luca does.”
I glow? News to me. “Daniel, this is Cassius. He leads our coven.”
Cassius moved closer. He placed a hand on Daniel’s shoulder. “You can see a glow around us?”
Daniel nodded.
“He saw the black aura around the demon shop, too,” Ash added.
“That’s some gift you have there, Daniel,” Cassius said. “Not everyone can see auras.”
“Am I a witch, too?”
Cassius narrowed his eyes, smiling. “Maybe you have a little witch blood in you.”
It was often thought that human mates likely had a bit of witch blood in their veins. If Colby did, Daniel likely did, too. Those humans often displayed minor gifts, like mild premonition, the ability to speak to the dead, or good fortune. Some of those humans worked as fortune tellers, mediums, or tarot readers with decent accuracy.
“I’m hungry,” Daniel announced.
“Me, too,” Cassius said. “How about I take you downstairs to the café for something to eat?”
Daniel appeared hopeful. “Can I?”
“Of course,” Ash said. “We’ll stay with Colby while you’re gone.”
“Okay,” Daniel said.
Cassius grinned, wrapping an arm around Daniel’s back and leading him toward the door. He waved his hand in a circle, gathering energy, before opening the door to the portal behind it.
“Wow!” Daniel cried.
“Now you’re just showing off,” Luca said to Cassius.
Cassius beamed. “Daniel’s my new friend. I’ve got to show off a little, right?”
“Yeah!” Daniel said, grinning wide.
Cassius pushed a hand through. “It leads to the café’s back room. Follow me?”
After Cassius disappeared, Daniel walked toward the glowing light, fascinated. The illumination was bright against his smiling face. He lifted a hand up and pressed one finger forward, barely touching the portal. “It tickles.” Cassius’ hand appeared in the center, extended in offering to Daniel. Daniel took it and was soon gone.
Ash turned to face him, all hints of mirth gone. They stood silently a moment. There were so many questions to ask and not enough answers. Luca wasn’t even sure where to begin.
“Where did you find Colby?”
Ash looked away, and it was then that he realized his mate had gone searching.
“I told you to wait.”
“Had I waited, he may have died,” Ash argued. “Alone.”
“Tell me everything,” Luca said.
Ash recounted the tale, his detective’s mind picking up a lot of details Luca might never have detected. When he was done, Luca searched his face.
“He started screaming right after you spoke to him the first time?”
Ash nodded.
“The tattoo is over where a mate’s mark would be. Are they tied? Your voice set off the mark—which then set off the curse?”
Ash’s face turned pale. “So… I caused this? Is that what you’re saying?”
“Yes… no…” Luca sighed. “Eventually, we would’ve met him, and one or the both of us would’ve set this off, if I’m right. I’m not laying blame here.”
“So, you’re not pissed I went there.”
“I’m not exactly thrilled,” Luca said. “We decided to wait and let Fate guide us.”
“We decided nothing. You decreed it.” Ash glanced at Colby. “Ever think this was Fate? Me going there and getting him, bringing him and his brother here? I mean, what if you’re wrong and it wasn’t me being there? It might’ve simply been a ticking time bomb for all we know.”
Luca couldn’t say that it wasn’t Fate, but he was almost certain the mate’s mark was the trigger. Instead of arguing, he changed the subject. “I’m glad you found Daniel.”
Ash ran a hand through his short locks. “Yeah, me, too. I was worried for a moment that the demons had him.” He sat on the edge of the chair facing the bed. “Demons… I mean, I sensed something evil, but I had no idea we had an infestation.” He cast a look at the bed, his anger reigniting. “When you went there, how many demons?”
“We weren't able to go inside,” Luca answered.
Ash frowned. “Why not?”
“They had wards and spells—possibly witch-crafted—protecting the building from us. All I know is there’s at least three,” Luca said. “They walked outside to confront us and asked us to leave.”
“Seriously?”
“We need to find a way into that shop. It can’t be a witch.” He held Ash’s gaze.
“I’ll go,” Ash said. “I can shift and scurry up the side of the house, peek in all the windows and see what’s going on.”
Cassius walked in just as Ash had decided he was going to the demon’s shop. “You’re not going.”
Ash frowned, fury slamming into him. “Why the fuck not?”
“They hurt your mate. You will not remain levelheaded if you go,” Cassius said. “You should be here, focusing on your mates.”
“Maybe it’s not time for being levelheaded,” Ash argued. He was usually the calm, collected one. Logic over emotion but considering the circumstances and the damage done to their mate, emotion won out. “They’re demons, and they’re attacking humans. We need to stop them.”
Cassius shook his head. “Yes, we do, but going in guns a-blazing isn’t the way to do it. Not with this lot. We don’t know what we’re facing yet. With the wards they have up, we won’t be able to go in there and pull you out if there’s trouble. We need intel.”
“I said nothing about guns a-blazing. I said I would scurry up and peek in the windows. Get your intel.”
“Peek? That’s all you’d do, hmm? I can literally sense your anger rolling off you, Ash. You want retribution, and I understand why, but we don’t know how powerful they are. Not yet. I won’t wage war without knowing the enemy.”
“Fine,” Ash muttered. “Where’s Daniel?”
“He’s fine. He’s outside, playing video games with Gideon and Oracio while he eats his dinner.”
Ash pushed past Cassius and peeked out into the rec room. Waving Gideon over, he jotted down an address in his notepad.
“Yeah?” Gideon asked.
“We need your help with Daniel and Colby’s neighbor,” Ash murmured quietly. He lifted his gaze and noticed Daniel hooting and waving both hands in the air as Oracio cried in defeat. “Mrs. Martinez. Their neighbor. Nice lady, but she was asking a lot of questions about why I was there and where I was taking Daniel. Can you make that go away? She was only concerned for their welfare, so… be gentle?”
“Yeah, no problem,” Gideon murmured. “Just the last few days?”
“Anything that ties the Kennedys to us. Maybe she thinks they’re on an extended holiday or something? Just enough to give us space to think.” He tore the sheet from his notepad and handed it over.
“Got it. I’ll head over momentarily.” Gideon chuckled. “Gives me a good reason to leave and stop the trouncing I’m getting. Poor Oracio. He’s no match.”
Ash noted Daniel enjoying himself, glad the man could focus on something to take his mind off Colby. If only Ash could do the same. He returned to the bedroom, where Luca and Cassius were murmuring together. “What did I miss?”
“Just discussing how we get into Dark Arts Tattoo,” Cassius said. “We need intel.” Cassius spun to fully face Ash. “We can’t go in there…” He got a faraway look. “But I know who might.”
“I want to be involved,” Ash said.
“What I need you to do right now is tend to your mate,” Cassius said.
Ash gazed at Colby.
“Not that one. The other one.”
Ash’s gaze whipped to Luca.
“He gave Colby too much of his magic,” Cassius said. “I have little left to give him and keep the coven protected. He needs help recharging.”
Ash searched Luca’s face and was surprised how pale his witch was. He’d been so concerned for their human… “We need someone to stay with Colby.”
Cassius chuckled. “The bedroom next door is empty. I’ll stay here. If there’s a change, I’ll interrupt, I promise.”
Luca shook his head. He lifted his gaze and met Ash’s. “We can’t leave him.”
“Go,” Cassius said. “Recharge. Colby will need you both strong to face what’s coming.”
When a witch depleted too much of their magic, they had three choices. Wait—in time the power would return, but it might take days to weeks to get back to full strength. Borrowing power from another, stronger witch, was an option, too, but few in the coven were stronger than Luca. He and the other master tattoo artists were pretty on par with one another. If Cassius didn’t have it to give, then there was no one else left.
The third—sex magic. Intimacy between partners might revive Luca’s power. They’d done it repeatedly over their years together, but he’d never seen Luca so sapped.
Yet it seemed strange to contemplate it with their injured human right next door. Two was now three… and leaving Colby out of their lovemaking already felt odd. But it had to be done. Ash threaded his fingers with Luca’s and led him out. He cast a glance at Colby and Cassius before closing the door. Daniel and Oracio were obsessed with their game and didn’t even turn in their direction as they entered the empty bedroom.
As soon as they were alone, he turned to Luca—who’d walked directly to the bed. He sat on the surface, sighing. Ash closed the gap between them and collected Luca’s face in his hands. “I’m sorry I didn’t notice how much this tattoo took out of you.”
“You were focused on Colby and Daniel. I realize that.” Luca sighed. “I had to give him all I had, Ash. I clearly gave a bit too much. I don’t remember ever being this weary.”
Ash released Luca and sat down at his side. He gathered his mate’s hand in his.
Luca leaned his head on Ash’s shoulder. “I don’t know if I have enough power to save him, Ash. Even fully recharged. What happens if I can’t?”
“We will find a way through,” Ash replied. “The coven is powerful—together, we can achieve anything.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“I am… and if we’re going to help Colby, we need you at full strength. You gave to Colby, so let me give to you,” Ash said before slanting his lips over Luca’s.
Luca’s head fell back as Ash’s lips trailed down his neck. Focus was difficult—his mind was plagued with worry for his newfound little family. And for himself. Ash pushed him back to the surface of the mattress. Luca lowered his hands to his waist to help, but Ash swatted them out of the way and took hold of the snap to his jeans.
