Page 58 of Outside the Veil
Diego picked up the major part of Finn’s mass, husk light as if the flesh were no more than dandelion fluff without Finn inside.His stomach lurched to see the body he had so recently made love to flop gracelessly into the water.
“Steady, my hero. I am here,” Finn reassured him, the deep voice vibrating against his chest. “The rest is merely the clay I work with.”
“I’m okay. Just hard to look at.” Diego moved away into the grass again so Finn could direct him to the next piece. “You want to tell me what happened?”
“Aside from me being ripped asunder?” Finn shifted about, getting comfortable. “The eye is there by your left foot. Ah, I am a great fool. The thing was much stronger than I could have imagined.”
“You seemed to be holding your own when I saw you on the porch as a…what? A giant bat?”
“Dragon.”
“Oh.”
“There’s a toe over there in front of you. Yes, at that point it still was more concerned with drawing you out of the house. But after you shut the door, it summoned the wind and cold with a vengeance. As if I battled an ice storm. It seemed everywhere and nowhere at times, insubstantial, yet solid enough to achieve what you see here. On your left, my love, a piece of ear.”
With Finn’s voice a constant presence, Diego was able to accomplish his grisly task, and soon had all the bits in a little pile in the stream. “Now what?”
“Now you place me in the water as well,” Finn answered. “Gently…oh, dear gods, gently, if you please.”
Diego withdrew his fingers to leave the tiny ball of feathers floating atop the water. Bird-Finn closed his eyes and vanished. Diego cried out in horror when the rest of the body parts melted into the stream as well. “Finn, no! Don’t go!”
“Wsht, now. So little faith in me.” Finn’s voice floated up, muffled and distant from the streambed. “It will take somehours to heal far enough to reform, love. Go back to the house. Rest. I would wager you had no sleep last night.”
“I don’t want to leave you.” Diego’s chest hurt again, his eyes swimming. “I thought I’d lost you.”
Finn was silent a moment, then he asked, “Why is it humans so often wait until they believe it too late before they declare their love?”
Diego let out a strangled sob. “I don’t know, I don’t know. It’s incredibly stupid. And I do love you.”
“And I you, my hero. I am pleased that you cried over me.”
“God, you’re such a walking ego.” Diego sniffed and wiped at his eyes.
A warm chuckle floated from the stream. “I meant it was good that you were finally able to cry again. You are less clouded now. Go back to the house, Diego. I will join you again when I am able to—what is the expression I have heard? Drag my sorry ass up there?”
Diego managed a cracked laugh. “All right. Tonight?”
“Most likely tomorrow, my love. This will take some time.”
Chapter sixteen
One Step Too Far
Relieved and steadied, Diego returned to the house to assess the damage. Only one bedroom window had been shattered and only the one tree had come down. He had expected much worse.
“Miriam? I’m sorry, did I wake you?”
“Damn right you did, kiddo. Who the hell’s up at this ungodly hour?” Miriam grumbled into the phone.
“Me, I suppose.” Diego winced at the stream of soft curses, probably Miriam levering her bulk up to a sitting position. “Sorry, sorry. I just need some advice and I didn’t want to wait until too late in the day. We had sort of a…freak windstorm last night. Broke one of the back windows and left a huge tree across the drive. Who should I call up here to take care of things like this?”
“You and Finn okay, sweetie?”
No, Finn’s not. Know any good fairy surgeons?“Finn didn’t have the best night but he’ll be fine, don’t worry. I just don’t want to leave things like this since it’s a little chilly at night.”
“And I sent you up there to get away from the distractions.” Miriam snorted. “Don’t you worry your pretty head. I’ll call Jake and tell him what happened. He’ll take care of everything.”
“Jake?”
