Depth of Return by M. Raiya

Author:M. Raiya [Raiya, M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: gay romance
ISBN: 978-1-63477-539-7
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Published: 2016-09-05T00:00:00+00:00

I’D HARDLY drawn a breath when Alan held out his phone. “Arnold,” he said. I saw it was on speakerphone. Apparently Arnold had called back, and I hadn’t realized it. Damn phones on vibrate.

“What in the name of all we hold holy were you thinking?” Arnold shouted out of the phone. “That was Gagnon, you fool. Do you not remember—how could you—what were you—”

I pulled away and headed down the steps into the rain.

“North,” I heard Arnold shout.

“I need a swim,” I said. I shed my clothes on the way and walked across the flooded beach into the water. It felt warmer than the cool rain on my skin. I waded out until I was waist deep. With a surge of relief, I dove in and swam along the bottom. I couldn’t face Arnold’s questions, because I knew he was absolutely right to ask them, and I had no idea how to answer.

Maybe I was wrong. Probably I was wrong. But I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t find out if Gagnon was telling the truth or not. I knew damn well I could arrive at 17 Coach Road, Sudder, Virginia and find out Gagnon had never had a son and I had led us into a trap.

But if it was true….

The baby would be as close to being my own son as any child would ever be.

Even in my state of shock, it seemed impossible that I could feel so deeply about something I had never remotely even considered before. I couldn’t let a baby die without trying to help. Any baby. Especially not one who had my own magic in his soul.

When I surfaced I could hear Arnold faintly shouting, “Do you know what he could do to the two of you? Gagnon has proven that he wants one thing and one thing only. Power. If he ever finds his own witch, the whole world will suffer. The only reason he wants the kid to live is so he can tap into his power. If North isn’t seeing that, maybe Gagnon still has some kind of hold over him.”

“North sees it,” Alan said calmly. “Believe me, North sees it.”

“This is bullshit,” Arnold said as I came out of the water.

Alan and I looked at each other for a moment. “We’re going,” I said.

There was a long pause, and then Arnold said, “Fine. I’m going to get a plane ticket and meet you there. This is the stupidest thing you’ve ever done.”

“Arnold, how’s Ruth?” I asked quickly.

He was silent a moment too long. “She’s fine.”

“Arnold, you need to stay with Jasmine.” I drew a deep breath. “I’m not the same man I was two years ago. And—I’ve got my own demon now.”

Silence. Then he said. “Yeah. I know.”

And he hadn’t told me. Well, I could understand why.

“Congratulations to you both. And I deeply mean that. You’re truly lucky.”

“Thanks,” I said quietly. “That means a lot.”

Alan didn’t speak, but I could feel his emotions roiling. Oh, this was so not what he needed right now.

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