F or the third night in a row, Liam found himself
walking with Ty along that endless road under
violet skies. Each night Ty wore a different vest, they
were all rather elegant and this one was no different;
fashioned as it was out of gold and silver fabric with
ribbons of purple and pink. It complemented his fur
color and brought out the shine of his eyes. "We've
been walking forever and I still don't know where
you're taking me." Liam began as he had for the last
three nights. He looked down and saw he was wearing
not much of anything; his feet were clad in silver
sandals though. He rather liked the way they glittered
despite the dusty road. "I'm pretty sure Aiden isn't
going to be at the end of this road." He knew those
particular words would elicit a response from the Wah
cat.
"The King is, of course, at the end of the road.
But he's surrounded by, well challenges for lack of a
better word. It's going to take a Wahjee of
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considerable strength and talent to actually get to him
and capture what is rightfully yours."
"No shit." Liam continued to walk while he
thought about what the cat said. "Why do you always
get good stuff to wear and I never get anything but
shoes?"
"This is the land of Wah, of course I'd have a
choice of clothing." Ty waved his hand at the six
hundred and ninety three Leprechauns who
surrounded them on either side of the road. A black
cloud rose on the horizon and all eyes turned to see it.
"Don't worry, it happens all the time. If it isn't
one thing it's another. Everyone wants a part of King
Aiden, but they don't see the real King, only the King
they want to see and when they do, well it hurts him
deep inside. The cloud is just a part of it. It seeps
inside of his heart."
"That's the first thing you've said that makes kind
of sense." Liam sighed. "I fucking hate how everyone
has the wrong idea about Aiden."
"Liam, Liam, wake up." Aiden nudged him and
then kissed his lips. "Hey Sleeping Beauty." It was
almost sunrise, they had at least an hour before they
had to start their day, but Liam's mumbling in his
sleep had woke him up.
"Aiden." Liam smiled and rolled into the warmth
of his partner. "What's up?"
"You were talking in your sleep." Aiden pulled
him closer and kissed the top of his head. He smiled
when Liam nuzzled into his neck with small kisses.
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"I was dreaming." Liam wiggled until he could
throw one leg over Aiden, cock to cock. The warmth
of their bodies almost steamy in the coolness of the
morning dawn. Killer groaned. He was sleeping at the
end of the large bed. "Your dog takes up a lot of
room."
"He doesn't seem to understand that his bed is on
the floor." Aiden smiled. He didn't really mind Killer
wanting to be close. Though he preferred him to stay
out of the bedroom when they had sex. The dog
watched with such interest, Aiden was sure he was
taking notes.
"Aiden, I was wondering something?" Liam
began.
"It's too early for one of your philosophical
conversations." Aiden almost groaned and wished
he'd moved out of the bed sooner.
"It isn't anything like that." Liam had his bedmate
pinned. He knew the man hated talking about anything
too serious. "Have you ever seen this?" he reached
under his pillow and pulled out the black jade amulet.
"No, what is it?" Aiden asked squinting, because
Liam was holding it too closely. He captured the red
head's hand to hold it still. To Aiden, what he saw
was only an intricately carved sphere. He didn't see
the many spheres' inside. He didn't see the small
speck of golden power. "Weird, you found a black
pendant." He shrugged and dismissed the thing in
Liam's hand.
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"It's an amulet." Liam replied, confused at
Aiden's answer. "Can't you see the beauty and power
of it?"
"It's a fancy pendant, rather feminine if you ask
me. Though I suppose with the right chain, maybe a
black satin cord or something heavy and platinum, it
could work."
"Doesn't it mean something to you? I mean don't
you feel something when you look at it?" Liam moved
so he was staring into Aiden's eyes. There wouldn't
be chance of the man hiding anything from prying
blue eyes.
"Does annoyed count? I mean it's too early for
these kind of talks. All I want to do is piss and then
fuck you or fuck you and then piss."
"Ever the romantic." Liam sighed. "Ty knocked
this down from the bookcase by your desk."
"So it's a cat toy." Aiden pulled Liam on top of
him. "Throw it to the cat."
"No." Liam said, putting the amulet back under
the pillow before allowing himself to drown in
Aiden's morning love making. The touch of Aiden's
lips didn't take away from the heat of the amulet that
he could still feel on the palm of his hand. Or from the
pulse of the inner golden spark of force that matched
the beating of his lover's heart.
Killer stood up and shook his head making his
ears flap. It was a morning ritual. He watched for a
moment the antics of the two men in the bed. Another
morning sleep ruined by his master's incessant
breeding habits. Sighing heavily, he jumped onto the
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floor. Maybe Ty would play with him, or perhaps
even let him sleep close. Since the red haired one had
made his fur funny, he was cold.
Ty was on the rafter directly over the birdcage
that held Frances. He laid full length, one paw
hanging over the side, idly hitting the chain, making
the cage swing gently. Inside Frances groaned as he
lay on the floor of the cage wrapped as best he could
in a thick red facecloth Aiden had put inside for a
blanket.
"Whatcha doin'?" Killer asked, his front paws on
the kitchen island hoping for a better look.
"Nothing." Ty answered with a yawn. "Just
relaxing. "
"It looks like you're playing with the prey. "
Killer observed. "Aiden said no playing with the
prey."
"Ah, but I don't think of it as playing. I'm
guarding the prey, it could escape."
"Okay." Killer said jumping down. "I'm going
outside; do you want to come?"
"Maybe." Ty laughed as he jumped from the
rafter to the cage to the counter top and then to the
floor. This left the cage swinging wildly and Frances
screaming. "It's boring up there."
The dog door slapped shut. Aiden was finally able
to get out from under Liam. Sex always put the red
head to sleep. Actually, almost anything put the red
head to sleep. He reached under Liam's pillow and
pulled out the black sphere, studying it closely. It did
look familiar, but he wasn't sure why or how. He
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rolled it over and over in his hand, but nothing came
into his mind though it was damn cold. Shrugging, he
placed it back where he'd found it. Maybe he could
look it up on the net or something. The carvings
looked like some kind of language.
There was no sign of either Ty or Killer for a
change, no doubt they had both headed for the roof.
Aiden padded into the bathroom and relived his
bladder, thankful that for once he didn't have a doggy
audience. His next stop was the kitchen and the coffee
maker. He stopped short for a moment when he saw
the birdcage. "Shit." He muttered and continued on to
the kitchen.
"Aiden you have to be reasonable. You can't keep
me in here." Frances shouted as he leaned through the
bars.
"Actually I'm not keeping you there. You did it to
yourself. You know as well as I know that you would
never have been in the cage if your magic hadn't been
able to turn back on you. Liam is good, but he has no
desire to turn to the dark side. He merely turned what
you did to yourself back on you." Aiden finally
managed to get the coffee maker to work. "I'd make
you a coffee, but I don't have a thimble."
"You can't keep me here. I'll starve to death or
that damn cat will eat me. You've no idea what he's
been doing to me all night."
"Okay, maybe I'll find something for you to drink
some coffee out of. You look a bit stressed." Aiden
rummaged in the refrigerator for something to eat.
He'd forgotten to pick up the bagels Liam had
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requested the day before. It was ridiculous, the kid
expected him, Aiden Mac Ruaidhri to actually go to a
grocery store and shop. What was wrong with take
out? It had served him well for years.
"Hey." Liam stumbled out into the kitchen. "I'm
starving." He opened the refrigerator, stared inside
and closed it again. "Aiden, you have to pick up
groceries. I emailed you the list three times."
"I don't eat them, why should I pick them up?" he
asked, trying to be reasonable.
"Because you're the daddy." Liam smirked. "It's
the daddy's job."
Aiden rolled his eyes. "Then as the daddy, get rid
of the damn bird. He stinks and it's hard to feed him.
Not to mention, I'm not changing his fucking litter."
"Birds don't have litter." Liam snickered. He
stood on a kitchen stool to look in on Frances. "Hey
Frances, sorry about this but until I figure out what to
do with you, I kind of have to keep you around."
"Liam, I'm sorry. I didn't mean things to go as far
as they did. I had no idea the Chambers were going to
be so vicious."
"The thing is Frances, when you threatened me it
was one thing. But I've been checking with some
friends. You and the Chambers clan had Aiden and
Shay targeted. You crossed a line and can't go back. I
will not allow either of them harmed either mentally
or physically. If Ty has a bit of fun with you, I'm not
going to lose any sleep over it. Not now, not ever. I'll
talk to my mother and to Aiden's mother, we'll come
up with something to better your lot in life."
320 Magical Moonlight
"My wife…." Frances began.
"Yes, that's a problem." Liam sighed. "I'll talk to
mom and let you know."
"What are you saying to him?" Aiden asked. He'd
been checking on the animals on the roof.
"Just commiserating with his problem." Liam
jumped down off the stool and into Aiden's arms.
"Yum, you smell like a fresh morning sunrise with
coffee breath."
"I understand it's an aphrodisiac." Aiden replied,
sweeping Liam up in his arms. "Let's check it out."
"Aiden, I'm hungry." Liam whined, but he
wiggled in anticipation in Aiden's arms.
"We'll go shopping together." Aiden sighed. "I
can't believe I've offered to do that, but for you I
will."
"You mean for you. I notice you eat everything I
make." Liam laughed. "I want to go to Hamburger
Mary's. I want some waffles."
"What are we going to do about the bird? We
can't leave him to starve. I'm sure someone must be
worried about him."
"You mean beside you?" Liam stared up at the
cage. "I'm going to talk to my mother about it and
maybe your mom. They'll have some ideas, they
always do."
Getting to the diner took longer than Liam had
anticipated. A wet and naked Aiden, fresh from the
shower, demanded that they change that status. And
sweaty Aiden was always fun.
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"Why did the one with fire hair give the tiny man
a piece of my food?" Killer asked. He hated it when
Liam and Aiden left him alone in the apartment with
Ty. But today at least they had the caged man to add
interest.
"I don't know." Ty lay on his back in a patch of
sunlight. He could keep warm and watch the cage at
the same time. "Come over here, I want to sit on you."
"Okay, but don't suck on my ear fur. It makes it
stick and the fire hair one hurts me when he brushes
it."
"I don't suck on your ear fur." Ty tried not to
look guilty. He loved the long soft black curls on the
dog's ears. Sometimes he pulled an ear over him like a
blanket. It was a guilty pleasure.
Aiden and Liam were pleased to find the diner
almost deserted. Aiden slouched into the corner of the
rear booth, one leg on the bench seat. Liam laughed
and sat opposite him, but not before nudging Aiden's
foot back to the floor.
"It's peaceful in here." Liam sighed.
"Give it time, it's early." Aiden snapped his
fingers to get the attention of the waitress, Tanya.
"Coffee sooner rather than later." He called.
Liam flushed. "Don't pay any attention to his
majesty. He thinks he's a King."
"Oh don't worry dear, I've learned a long time
ago that Mr. Mac Ruaidhri is all bark and no bite."
Tanya placed coffee mugs on the table and then filled
them. "The breakfast special is nice this morning.
"Two eggs, bacon, sausage, two pancakes and toast."
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"Geeze, heart attack on a plate."
"I'll have it, but I want an order of blueberry
waffles too. Aiden likes his toast unbuttered, and we'll
have an extra plate for when he takes part of my
breakfast. Oh, and two glasses of orange juice, the
fresh squeezed stuff not the frozen stuff."
"Is that everything dear?" Aiden asked in a
falsetto voice.
"For now." Liam smirked as he brought his foot
up and put it in Aiden's lap.
"Good morning." Evan bounced into the diner,
followed by an older gentleman. "Aiden, Liam, I'd
like you both to meet my very good friend Jimmy."
He took the other man's arm and snuggled close.
Liam and Aiden both recognized James as
Wahjee, though neither one could remember seeing
him around. "James." Aiden said with a nod of his
head.
"Hey James." Liam smiled. "Are you two here for
breakfast? Why don't you join us? I'll move over and
sit with Aiden." Liam immediately changed places,
freeing up the seat. Evan slid in followed by James.
James too, recognized Aiden and Liam as
Wahjee. The two of them were almost legends in
Wahjee circles. The daring move Liam had made to
lose his virginity to Aiden, when he knew full well he
was to remain virgin. It had been unheard of to defy
the Grand Wizard and to do it so blatantly and with
the son of Jack Mac Ruaidhri, James still chuckled
about it. When he'd last seen Liam Taylor, he'd been
barely two weeks old. His curiosity regarding the boy
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whose fate he'd bound with that of Aiden Mac
Ruaidhri in the weeks before Aiden had been born,
had taken him to the park where Morgan Taylor
walked her son.
"You kind of look familiar." Liam said. "I don't
know why. I'm pretty sure I've never seen you
before."
"Perhaps when you were a child." James smiled.
"I have met your parents on a number of occasions."
He didn't say at Wahjee functions, but Liam knew
what he meant.
"I suppose." He leaned against Aiden. "How did
you and Evan meet?" he asked, surprised when James
flushed.
"Oh, Jimmy was one of my best ever fans." Evan
wiggled. "He finally got up the nerve to get in touch
with me. And what can I say, it was love at first
sight." He kissed James' cheek. "Isn't he the best guy
ever?"
Aiden groaned and Liam elbowed him in the side.
"Sure Evan." Liam laughed. "Of course I have the
best guy ever, but I suppose it's a matter of
semantics." He giggled when Aiden beamed his
approval. "You're such a compliment ho." He said as
he kissed under Aiden's chin.
"So James, what have you been up to all these
years? I thought I knew all of the A-gays." Aiden
asked. He leaned forward to hear James' story.
"I'm afraid when I was younger, I allowed a
manipulating woman discover something about me
that she held over my head. I ended up marrying her to
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keep her quiet. I know now I should have gone to
someone." His look at Aiden told him more than he
was saying. It was obvious to the other man that the
woman was human and had somehow discovered he
was Wahjee. James looked lovingly at Evan. "When I
saw this beautiful young man, I knew that at this time
of my life, it was time to start living it."
"What do you mean?" Liam asked. "I mean if she
knew about you, how could you…" he looked at
Evan.
"I guess, a little bird made it possible." James
grinned. He put his arm around Evan and gave him a
squeeze.
"Hey, do you still have that bird?" Liam asked.
"Cause we have one too that's kind of cluttering up
the place. Maybe we can make a deal, share custody
or something." There were no flies on Liam, he knew
immediately what James had meant.
Aiden snorted.
James looked startled. "I still have the bird." His
words were cautious. "Occasionally it's necessary to
have the thing at company functions, dinners at the
mayor's, etcetera."
"And you can control this bird?" Aiden asked.
"Because we can't do that with ours, he must be a
different breed."
"I can control my bird, or its back in the cage
with her."
"What in the world are you boys talking about?"
Evan looked confused. "Jimmy, I don't remember you
having a bird."
ER Bryant 325
"It's ugly, I don't keep it out much." James
patted Evan's hand.
"And Aiden, you have a dog and a cat and now a
bird. I never thought I'd live to see this day." Evan
fanned himself. "My, my, that perfect apartment with
all those pets."
"The bird is temporary." Aiden glared. "And
Killer and Ty know better than to make a mess."
"Well, perhaps the dog does. I mean no dog
intentionally makes a mess. Once they learn what's
expected of them that is. But a cat on the other hand
answers to no man. Cats do as they please." James
smiled. "Or at least that's what I've found over the
years. I can appreciate how you wish the bird to be
temporary. Believe me, if I knew of any way to make
mine temporary, I certainly would."
"Breakfast boys, we need sustenance." Liam
waved Tanya over. "Food Tanya, please."
"It's all under control. Don't worry, your food
will be up in a second or two." Tanya bent close.
"Word of warning, Lisa is on her way in."
"Thanks." Aiden smiled. "But we're used to her."
"Not since her precious baby threw over his dear
boyfriend." Tanya snickered. "You'd swear to god the
world had ended."
"Danny and EJ3 were never really meant to be."
Aiden answered. "She'll figure it out eventually."
"Until then, your ass is grass." Tanya laughed,
heading to the kitchen.
"How can Lisa blame you?" Liam asked.
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"Honey, no one knows how Lisa's mind works."
Evan patted Liam's hand. "Oh my goodness, what a
delightful breakfast." Tanya served Liam, Evan and
James the same food Liam had ordered. Aiden
received a refill of coffee and a plate of dry whole-
wheat toast.
"I thought you looked hungry Evan." Tanya
simpered. Evan was one of her favorite friends.
"You thought right. A boy needs to keep his
strength up."
Aiden rolled his eyes as h