The story of Darach and Ceithin
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BLURB
Darach Gravenor is a keeper of blue Fire. He is alone in his world and he wants to rescue his friend Kian from the horrors of the Other World.
Only one group of people have magic strong enough to help him cross from his world to where Kian is. Cariad.
Ceithin Morgan is Cariad.
Strong with Ancient magic he teaches Darach that not all children's fairy stories should be believed. Ceithin has his own reasons for helping Darach and shows Darach that there is magic that he never even knew existed.
They are living on borrowed time.
Guardian knows what they are doing and he is coming for Ceithin. Darach and Ceithin have two choices -- do they run, or do they make their stand together?
EXTRACT
Context: A visit with Kian and Regan from Book #1
The room they had rented was in a small motel off a main road, one that supplied beds by the hour. For this type of place, the accommodation actually tended towards clean creating a paradox in Regan's head. It was in his nature to be suspicious of something that looked too good to be true.
"Stop it." Kian's voice sounded tired, verging on irritable, and Regan straightened. He checked outside the drapes, unsettled and worried, and then looked back at his lover. Great; miserable-Kian had stood up from the bed and was pacing.
"Stop what?" he snapped back, scratching at the bandaging that covered the cuts on his arm from the alley fight. "All I'm doing is checking the parking lot."
"For what? Random Nameless drive-bys?" Kian sounded waspish and spoiled, and just this side of fucking rude.
In a flurry of motion, Regan had Kian up against the wall, his hands holding Kian's above his head securely. Both men knew Kian could get away, in fact, for a few seconds, Kian did struggle. Then he stilled, pressing back against the faded wallpaper and waiting. Regan couldn't have held back his temper if he’d tried. A hunter was only good as long as he kept surviving each fight, and today could have gone bad so many ways and so quickly Regan refused to consider them.
"What the hell is going on with you, Kian? Where the holy fuck were you tonight?"
"I was there, Re." Kian defended himself quickly, ineffectively tugging at Regan's secure grip.
"You. Were. Not. There."
"I was just behind you—"
"Don't lie to me. I may be a magic-less human in your eyes, but my Fire is growing strong enough to sense when you are and aren’t there."
"You're not a pathetic—" Regan tightened his hold in temper and saw the instant discomfort in his lover's eyes. Guilt flooded him and warred with his irritation. "I'm sorry Re, I wasn't well. I tried to follow, but I couldn't. I wish I could tell you—"
"Kian, I swear to God, if you don't pull your head out of your ass and tell me what the fuck is going on, I will dump you here and leave before we both get killed by whatever' distracting you."
"You can't leave me… our bond…" Jeez, Regan thought, trust Kian to focus on the reality of the threat rather than the general menace Regan was trying to convey.
"Bond or not, you're screwing with my head. Talk to me, Kian. What's going on? What's wrong?" There was a staring match; Kian's green gaze ran the gamut of emotions, from utter and complete determination to the rise of temper, and then… shit… the most pathetic puppy-dog gaze Regan had ever seen. His stomach clenched.
Kian had his moments of introspection, and Regan always gave him space. He imagined leaving his life, his family, his world, never to return. It must have been the most difficult thing any person could do. Kian needed time to process. Regan tried to be supportive and as damned understanding as he could be. In turn, Kian inevitably reassured him he wanted to be here with Regan, that he wanted to stay. Today, though? This whole collapsing moment was just another in a long list of things unnerving Regan to the point that he was thinking of finding Kian a way back home if that's what he wanted.
"Do you want to go home?"
"Re, I don't want to go home."
"Do you maybe need to go home?" That was the question he had to ask. Kian looked momentarily confused.
"Need?"
"I don't know. Jeez, Kian, is there something wrong, with you, with your Fire?" Regan kept his voice low and attempted to contain his fear. In Regan's worst imaginings, Kian staying here with him was destroying him. He had an intense and real fear that his world, his version of Earth, was somehow toxic to Kian, stripping him of the Fire's identity. God, maybe even killing him.
Kian stared directly into Regan's eyes and spoke firmly. "I don't need to go home. I promise you, my Fire is strong."
"Then what the hell is wrong? Man, you're scaring me."
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