Page 3 of Back in the Hunt

Fletcher was reaching for the doorbell when Bryn joined them on the front stoop. There was a hard jab to Bryn’s ribs from Arawn, reminding him to be nice just before the door opened and they were greeted by a baffled Agent Nelson.

“Hello and welco— Oh, it’s you,” he said, glancing over his shoulder at MacIlwraith.

“Don’t just stand there. Let them in!” he ordered as he leaned around Nelson to wave and his brows jumped when he recognized Bryn.

“Hey!” Bryn said as he shook Nelson’s hand, enjoying their confusion. “It’s the Louisville Slugger and his sexy sidekick, the mystery-solving demigod.”

Nox was the first to recover, grinning brightly at Fletcher. “Welcome to our home,” he said as Nelson took their coats.

Fletcher offered a quick apology as he shook Nox’s hand. “This isn’t how I planned on telling you two, but we have a bit of a…situation and I figured that since we helped you…”

“Of course,” Nox replied without hesitating and gestured at the open study doors. “Pour yourselves something to drink and tell us your story.”

“Actually…” Fletcher scrubbed the back of his hair, grimacing at them. “It’s a bit more than a situation and there’s one more in our party,” he explained apologetically and they all turned as they were joined by aweebald man in an unnecessarily extravagant violet velvet suit.

“No trouble at all! I’ve made plenty,” he reassured them. Bryn recognized Merlin Oglethorpe from the aftermath at the Forsythe place in Pennsville. His hackles immediately went up because the older man was known to be an extremely powerful witch, but he also had a reputation for being a sleaze ball.

Fletcher winced and shook his head at Merlin. “We’ve tried everything, medical and mystical. Arawn’s a brilliant surgeon and he’s a pretty decent witch from what I’ve gathered, but it’s been three days and we haven’t been able to wake him up.”

“Dear gods!” the little man declared, scattering them with a frantic wave as he rushed to the door and down the front steps.

“Gentlemen, meet our friend, Merlin,” Nelson said wearily and gestured for everyone to follow but Bryn raced ahead, not quite sure if he trusted their friend Merlin with Everly yet.

“My, my, my…!” Merlin turned and widened his eyes at Arawn once they reached the van. “You’re expecting something large and scary,” he said, then wafted the air toward his face, sniffing deeply. “And you have staked your claim, I see,” he added with a wiggle of his brows at Bryn.

“Just keeping him safe,” Bryn countered and cast his brother and Fletcher dubious looks. “What does this purple Oompa Loompa know that we don’t?”

Merlin spun and gasped dramatically, pressing a hand to his chest. “Did I hear this pup correctly? Is he challengingme?” he asked them, earning an amused chuckle from Nox.

“He appears to have some doubts,” he agreed and shrugged. “Go ahead and show them what you can do,” he said, making the little old man smile as he clasped his hands together.

“If I must!” He gave a jaunty salute and tiptoed around Bryn, then lowered and touched the pavement with two fingers. He raised them, maintaining eye contact with Bryn as he licked the pads, humming loudly. “Packed with pheromones because someone’sinloveand extra salty. He’s thoroughly hacked off and he’s not drinking enough water,” he said, then held up a finger. “And he sustains himself on a diet consisting mostly of fish, chicken eggs, tofu, and high-fiber and high-phytochemical greens like kale, spinach, and dandelion.”

Fletcher whistled as he pointed at Arawn. “Told you he was obsessed with Everly,” he said but Bryn rolled his eyes and shook his head.

“I am not. We’re all he has at the moment and I’m still not convinced that this piss whisperer can tell us anything new,” he said and checked his watch. “I ran a catheter and the bag should be full soon if you’re thirsty.”

The old man’s eyes lit up and grew wider. “And I’ve got a straw in my pocket! Do you want to helpyourfriend or have you simply come to flirt with me?” he asked sweetly.

“I’m getting nervous,” Nelson said as he crossed his arms over his chest, giving Bryn and Merlin hard, scolding looks. “I’d like to see this mannow. He may be in need of medical assistance.”

“Don’t be fooled by Bryn’s shitty attitude,” Fletcher told him with a sad shake of his head. “He’s a damn good paramedic and takes his job seriously. And Arawn’s done everything he can to get to the bottom of this too. As far as we can tell, the patient is inverygood health, there were a few scrapes and bruises but they healed particularlyquickly. There’s no medical explanation for why he won’t wake up.”

“Not a medical one, I’m certain,” Merlin concurred as he stepped up to Bryn and reached around him, placing a hand on the side of the van. He closed his eyes and went completely still as he listened. “Ah,” he said simply before turning back to the house. “You have a leannán sí in here. He has been cursed and has lost the will to live. I believe we can heal Mr. Everly Wells, if you’ll bring him inside and upstairs.”

Bryn glared at the old man’s back as Arawn followed Merlin, excitedly dogging his steps. “A leannán sí? I’ve never seen one, myself, but my first thought was that it must have been a curse and I’ve done all I can to cleanse his aura.”

“I’m certain you did, but this is beyond anyonewitch’s skills and it helps to have the right tools,” he explained as they left the rest of their party.

“Need a hand?” Nelson asked Bryn, but he shook his head and opened the back doors after Fletcher used a key fob to unlock them.

He took a moment to admire Everly’s angelic beauty before climbing inside. The cabin was saturated with Everly’s intoxicating scent, making Bryn’s mouth water and his body tighten as he lifted him. Unlike Merlin, Bryn had to find a wallet and a driver’s license to learn his name, but it had become an obsession. He had thought of little else since the night he carried little Everly home, bathed him, and tended to his wounds.

“Merlin’s not that bad once you get used to him,” Nelson said while Bryn eased out of the back with Everly in his arms.

“I didn’t think he was,” he replied with an easy shrug. “But that lazy, half-ass demigod you two worship, he’s pretty bad if you ask me.”

“Bryn!”Fletcher barked angrily, surprising them when he blocked Bryn’s path through the front gate. “These are my friends and we warned you: you will be nice and you will respect them, or you can carry Mr. Wells back to Roanoke and figure this out on your own.”

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