Page 25 of Back in the Hunt

“But you need more than duty and glory,” Everly said as they walked and Bryn snorted.

“I bet I know where that idea came from…”

Even though Brynwasn’tsure if it had been one of his brothers or Nox or Merlin. Arawn and Fletcher were always on his case about never finding love because Bryn was too much of a player and a smartass to keep someone decent. A quick hook-up was so much easier and neater than pretending to want the things a decent guy would want. Family, kids, retirement, someone to grow old with… Aside fromhisweird family, none of that was for Bryn. And despite a few hundred years to come up with a good explanation, he didn’t know how to handle the ‘big reveal,’ and had simply avoided it at all costs.

Nox and Merlin would have a point too, in regards to Bryn not having anything but duty and glory. His request for leavehad been approved despite a shortage in the county because Brynnevertook sick days or went on vacation. He worked overtime and picked up shifts because it didn’t make sense for Bryn to be anywhere but work. He didn’t need to rest as often and there were people who needed help.

“I couldn’t date regular people before because of what we are, but you understand and you don’t mind that I’m a dick.”

“I think you’re really nice and brave but I like dicks,” Everly said without a hint of awareness or sarcasm.

“I know you do,” Bryn murmured when he noticed a stream of water running down the sidewalk toward them.

“I could be your purpose too and you could be mine…” Everly continued and Bryn hummed, distracted by a flash of khaki and bright white peeking through the bushes and the faint crackle of a radio in the distance. He hurried Everly along the sidewalk, then took off when he saw a set of sneakers peeking from under the hedge.

“A man’s down. Call 911, then call Arawn or Nox to come and get you,” he shouted at Everly and tossed him his phone as they came around the shrubs dividing the narrow lawns. Bryn swore at the man’s pale skin and still body. “Hold on, friend,” Bryn told the man when he slid onto the wet grass next to him and reached for his neck, to check his pulse. “Damn it!” He couldn’t find it and could see that the man’s soul had already left. “Don’t go too far now,” Bryn whispered, wincing as Everly rushed in to help and tripped on the hose.

“An ambulance is on the way and Arawn said he’s less than a minute out. What do you need me to do?” he asked as he patted the man’s chest and gave him a shake, but Bryn shook his head.

“It’s too late. I have to go after him before he gets lost or draws a bunch of sluagh. Stayright here.” He caught Everly’s cheek. “Did you hear me?”

“I heard you,” Everly confirmed.

“Good. I shouldn’t be long,” Bryn said, rising and searching around them to make sure no one was watching. No one had seen the poor man go down while he was watering his lawn so Bryn assumed it was safe to run into the shadows between the house and the hedges. “Wait for Arawn or Nox!” Bryn called as he picked up speed and dove, crashing through the veil with a loudcrack!

He gave himself a shake, kicking and stomping his paws as he acclimated to the slow, soupy cold. Bryn scanned the murky darkness until he spotted a pale gray blur, but whipped around when he heard another crack in the atmosphere. A bright blue blur in the shape of a hare came hopping after Bryn through the mist.

Everly?

But there was no mistaking that soft, pure blue soul and Bryn was momentarily stunned until there wasanothercrack. A second smoke hound landed on the foggy plane, searched around him for a moment before charging off to retrieve the other man’s soul. Confident Arawn had the matter in hand, Bryn ran at the hare, snatching it between his jowls before diving back through the veil with Everly. They tumbled into the backyard just as the sound of sirens broke the early afternoon peace.

“Thank gods!” Nox said as he jogged over, breathless as he held out Bryn’s phone. “I panicked when we got here and you were gone but Arawn took a wild guess and went after you two. How did you do that?” he asked Everly. He was sitting on the grass with his legs spread wide, looking chilled and slightly disoriented, but otherwise fine.

“I followed Bryn. I don’t like it when I can’t see him and I thought he might need help,” he said in his soft mumble, shrugging seconds later.

Bryn bit into his knuckle, baffled as to where to start. “Howand are you completely—? Do you have any idea how dangerousandhowandhowand are you out of your mind, Ev?” he whispered as loud as he could, then ducked and spun when the ambulance came around the corner. “Okay! Later!” he said as he pointed at Everly, then turned to Nox. “We were out walking when we found that man and we were searching for anyone who knows who he is or what happened,” he briefed them and waited until Nox and Everly nodded to run over to meet the medics as they parked.

Thanks to Nox’s notoriety and Nelson’s assistance—he arrived shortly after the ambulance—they were able to sneak Everly away from the scene. Nox and Nelson explained that he was too distraught at the sight of his first dead body and had observed very little after finding it. They were all cleared to leave and Arawn was waiting for them when they returned to Nox’s townhouse.

“That was…interesting,” Arawn said as he circled Everly in the study. “Learn any new tricks you’d like to tell us about, Everly?” he asked, his tone scolding. Arawn shook his head at Bryn but he held up his hands innocently.

“I didn’t teach him that. I was just as ticked as you are,” he said, earning a snort of agreement from Nox.

“First time he’s ever been speechless as far as I can tell.” His head fell to the side as he advanced on Everly. “How did you do that, you unfathomable little man?” he asked when another unfathomable little man came into the study, his emerald green cape fluttering behind him.

“What is this I heard about a dead man up the street?” he asked them, but Nox waved it off.

“Our condolences to his loved ones on his untimely demise from a heart attack. We have something more…improbable and profound to deal with. Everly followed Bryn through the veil. He went astral,” he said as he pointed at Everly, making Merlin scoff.

“He did not,” he chuckled and swatted at Nox, but stopped when Arawn and Bryn nodded.

“I saw him,” Arawn said.

“I kicked his little hare ass right back over here,” Bryn said as he swung back to Everly. “What were you thinking andhow did you do that?”he demanded, only to receive a long, blank stare from Everly before he shrugged again.

They held their breath until he said “I don’t know,” many moments later. “I saw Bryn disappear but I could see a trail of his smoke so I followed it.”

“You followed it?” Merlin parroted as he eyed Everly up and down, then did his own lap around him to see if he was somehow different. “Did you teach him?” he accused, spinning and raising a severe brow at Bryn.