Good Will Ghost Hunting: Hell's Bells [Good Will Ghost Hunting 2] (Siren Publishing Classic) (20 page)

His voice softened. “Ryan changed his name after he left us, but kept his original given name as his last name over the years. I’ve been changing my last but not my first.”

“What about Will?” He’d been wanting to ask this. “A demon named ‘Hellenboek’?”

Aidan laughed. “Yeah, that was Abby’s idea.” He grinned. “She did it just to bust Ryan’s balls. She loved puns and stuff like that. I thought Ryan would pop a gasket when she told him what she’d come up with. It was pretty damn funny.”

“So what were your names before you were Aidan and Will?”

He stirred the wok’s contents. “My given name was Camulos.” He looked at Jeff. “Please don’t Google it. Remember, you can’t believe everything you read on Wikipedia. A lot of shit’s been spliced together over the years and no one has the whole story right.”

He returned his attention to the wok. “Will’s was Arnau. He never really liked it, I think. It was sort of neat though, the three A’s, the A-Team, so to speak.” He reached over and turned off the stove. “Amiago and Arnau and Aidan.”

The dark and crazy days
, Aidan thought, not wanting to give much thought to them at all.

It was too painful.

* * * *

They ate, fell into bed together, and made love again. Jeff was already asleep when Aidan heard Ryan’s call. He carefully climbed out of bed and pulled on his robe before appearing in Ryan’s living room.

“You have the world’s suckiest timing, dude.”

“I’m sorry to interrupt your celebration.”

“Smart
-
ass.”

“I just wanted to let you know I’m back.”

“Technology’s a great wonder, you know? Text messages, IMs, even a flipping phone call.”

Ryan was already working on a glass of bourbon. He held it up, offering one to Aidan, who declined.

“Did you find out anything about Bera?” Aidan asked.

“No. Our powers are different there, not as strong, as you well know. We couldn’t track her. If she’s even there. I’ve put out some inquiries through reliable channels
,
however, and hope that will soon bear fruit.”

“So now what?”

“You go on with your life. I’m taking care of things on my end. Concern yourself with Jeff and your job.”

“And Kal’s wedding.”

Ryan wistfully smiled. “And that.”

Will was asleep in bed with Kal when the annoying mental tap awoke him. Fortunately he was dressed in pajamas. That part had taken a little getting used to, but since they were staying in Kal’s parents’ home, Will felt it only appropriate he abide by Kal’s wishes. Anything he could do to reduce her stress, he would.

He’d have her all to himself for most of eternity to sleep naked with her. He could suck it up.

He carefully untangled himself from Kal’s arms and swung his legs over the edge of the bed before appearing in Ryan’s Atlanta condo.

Ryan was alone, sipping a glass of bourbon. “I’m sorry to call you so late. I wanted to make sure she was asleep.”

Fear chilled Will’s heart. “Why?”

Ryan closed his eyes and shook his head, his voice weary. “No, nothing like that. She has enough on her plate to worry about as it is without concerning herself with our business.” He opened his eyes. “We need to have a talk, you and I.”

“About?”

“Recent events I need to catch you up on.” He waved Will into one of the chairs and told him about the latest with Bera, including her attempt to seduce Aidan.

Will frowned as he contemplated the information. “So what’s her game?”

“That’s the problem. I don’t know. Did she ever drop any hints to you during her attempts that might shed light on this situation?”

“No. Never. I just thought she was an opportunistic bitch.”

“It’s not like she can ever take control of The Firm.” Ryan thought for a moment. “Perhaps that is her erroneous supposition, however, considering her desire to have a line heir.”

“Like your dad would seriously ever let her be in charge.”

“We’d be ice skating in the Sahara first.”

Will snorted, amused. “So no idea where she is?”

“I have my suspicions. Even talked to her father and he hasn’t heard from her lately. He did say he’d heard she was up to no good and warned her to knock it off, but she didn’t reveal any of her plan to him. Since then, he’s had no contact with her. There was nothing at her apartment to give us any leads. I have a team of Enforcers working on it.”

“Tosko?”

Ryan nodded.

“He’s good.”

“Not as good as Aidan.” Ryan smiled. “Although I dare say you and Aidan have been much more effective over the ages as Protectors. Aidan certainly didn’t have the fortitude for the Enforcer way of life long term, even though in the beginning he was probably the best there ever was or will be.”

Will frowned. “Do me a favor?”

“Of course.”

“Let’s not talk about those days around Jeff and Kal. Okay?”

Ryan sent an eyebrow skyward. “Obviously. They don’t have any reason to know about those things regardless.”

“Do you need me to go off-Earth to track Bera?”

“I’m hoping it won’t come to that. Not when Kal needs you. I have enough bodies on the job for now, as it were, to keep Bera away from Columbus and Tampa. After… After everything’s settled down and you’re sure Kal’s stable enough to be away from you, perhaps we’ll form an expedition and cross. I’ve already been over once for a quick look
,
but I couldn’t find her. That doesn’t mean anything.”

Will arched an eyebrow of his own. “You did
what
?”

“I went to Tavares.”

“I don’t believe it.”

“Why does that surprise you?”

“You doing field work? It’s been a while.”

“Well, my most powerful archdemon is back on the job. Now that I have a second powerful backup at my disposal, I felt secure leaving this plane for a while.”

“Second backup?”

Ryan smiled. “Good night, Will.”

Will returned to Columbus.
Who the home was his other backup?
Unless Hades had fathered another line heir Ryan had neglected to tell him about. Couldn’t be Aidan, he didn’t have a soul mate, and wasn’t powerful enough to do it without one. That’s why he’d always got stuck with the job in the past and Aidan never had to worry about it.

Well, it doesn’t matter.
He climbed into bed with Kal and went back to sleep.

* * * *

The next day, Jeff and Aidan made it in to work. Aidan drove them in his car, and the entire way he forced himself not to grope Jeff.

He had a feeling Jeff wouldn’t have minded, not from the way he trailed his fingers up and down Aidan’s thigh. The sensations, even through his shorts, made Aidan’s cock stand up and harden like iron.

Working with him would be the best kind of torture.

As Aidan expected, Kal wasn’t in the office. Gery and Purs had to leave for a normal job. Will stopped in, checked on things, handled some paperwork, and disappeared again. By lunch, Aidan was fighting the urge to spirit Jeff home to make love to him. It was like his very presence called out to Aidan, stole every ounce of his concentration.

A little after noon, Aidan walked down to Jeff’s office. He closed and locked the door behind him.

Jeff turned from his computer. “What’s up?”

“Me,” Aidan growled. He strode over and pinned Jeff in his chair, hungrily kissing him.

Jeff eagerly kissed him back. When Aidan reached between Jeff’s legs, he felt his erection through his slacks.

“Me
,
too,” Jeff gasped.

Aidan pulled Jeff out of his chair and backed him against his desk. A feverish hunger, desperate need, overwhelmed him. He had to have him—
now
. Aidan kissed Jeff as he fumbled at his slacks and finally pushed them and his briefs down, then dropped his own shorts. Without breaking contact with Jeff’s lips, Aidan ground his hips against Jeff’s, their stiff cocks rubbing against each other.

He cupped the back of Jeff’s head with one hand and wrapped his other hand around both their shafts as they rubbed back and forth. Jeff’s arms encircled him, his fingers digging into Aidan’s back and intensifying his need. They found a rhythm
,
and as the room filled with the sound of their ragged breath, Jeff’s eyes closed and he dropped his head to Aidan’s shoulder.

“I’m so close,” Jeff whispered.

Aidan squeezed a little tighter, his own climax rapidly approaching as their hips bucked against each other.

As his grip on Aidan’s body stiffened, Jeff came, his hot juices slicking them both and adding a sudden lubrication to Aidan’s movements. Aidan clamped his free hand firmly around the back of Jeff’s neck and he pressed his lips against his throat.

“You’re all mine,” he growled as he nipped Jeff, then moaned as he came.

Jeff shivered and hooked one leg around the back of Aidan’s. He almost instantly hardened in Aidan’s hand again. Aidan never softened, and he continued thrusting, holding Jeff’s cock hostage against his own.

Jeff clung to him, simply along for the ride. He moaned against Aidan’s shoulder.

Aidan slowed his strokes, moving his hand further down their shafts. “Put your hand down there, buddy,” he whispered.

Jeff did, gasping when Aidan thrust into his grip. “Look what you did to me,” Aidan murmured. “If I make you my soul mate, can you handle me chasing you around like this all the time? You fucking make me so goddamned horny I can’t see straight.”

“Yeah!” Jeff breathlessly replied. “All the time. Do it, please!”

Aidan chuckled as he picked up the pace. He hadn’t felt this horny in…ever, to be honest. He felt like he could spend all day in bed with Jeff.

“Not yet. We’ve got plenty of time for that.” He increased the pressure on their cocks as he thrust, their stiff shafts rubbing and slipping against each other. “Let’s enjoy this for now.”

Aidan’s second release built deep within him, climbing. “You gonna come again for me?”

Jeff overlapped two of his fingers with Aidan’s and squeezed. “Yeah!” A moment later he did, crying out and too far gone to try to hide the sound.

Aidan’s heart tumbled as he added his climax. He closed his eyes and felt the powerful sensations rolling through him.
Damn
, it was so good with Jeff, even just like this. Never before had he ever felt this way about anyone. Not just the emotions, but the physical sensations, too.

They stood there not moving, catching their breath. As reality settled over Aidan
,
he had time to realize maybe this wasn’t the best of locations to engage in this activity. He kissed Jeff’s damp forehead. “You okay?” he hesitantly asked.

Jeff laughed. “Oh my God, I’m so beyond okay you have no idea. I needed that in the worst way.” He met Aidan’s gaze. “Do you know how much I love you?”

Fuck the show, fuck work, fuck everyone.
Aidan wanted to be alone with Jeff. “You don’t know what you do to me, sugar.”

Jeff gently squeezed their now
-
soft cocks. “Uh, yeah, sort of do.”

Aidan kissed him and spirited them both to the bathroom to clean up. Aidan was tempted to drop to his knees and blow Jeff, see if he could coax a third out of him, but Jeff’s eyes twinkled. “I reeeally want to do that, Aid, but man, I’ve got to finish that magazine layout to get it to the printers tonight.”

Aidan laughed. “It’s like you read my mind.”

“Wasn’t hard.” His fingers brushed against the front of Aidan’s shorts, which immediately grew full again. “Unlike you.”

“You’re gonna get yourself well
fucked tonight, you keep that up.”

Jeff grinned. “You make it too easy.”

* * * *

The days wore on. Kal spent most of her time in Columbus. Ryan spent more time in Tampa, helping Jeff with the technical aspects of the show. Will “commuted” to appear in the show, then returned to Columbus to be with Kal. The fact that they shot in the middle of the night made that trick easier. Kal’s parents were already in bed asleep when he left, and he always returned before they awoke.

Kal had settled into a melancholy frame of mind. The constant sadness in her eyes and heart nearly crushed Will’s soul. He did all he could to be there for her and be supportive.

They spent every night at her parents’ house. Between that and Kal’s ever-present grief, nothing more romantic than a good
-
night peck on the lips usually happened between them. Will didn’t mind, knowing what Kal needed was his unwavering support and love.

And if he could go twenty-five years without sex after losing Abby, he could certainly live through a few weeks of celibacy with the woman he loved at his side. Despite his growing need, he was content to hold her in his arms after all his years alone.

One night they didn’t have a show to film. Kal went to bed early anyway, exhausted from the day she and her mother had spent meeting with the caterer and other vendors to finalize wedding plans. Will couldn’t sleep, didn’t want to go to Tampa, and instead walked downstairs.

He was a little surprised to find Kal’s father watching TV.

Reverend Martin looked up as Will walked in. “Come on in and sit down, son.” Reverend Martin’s pain was nearly constant now. His weight had dropped as it became more difficult for him to eat, and it showed in the gaunt lines in his hollowed-out face. Will hoped the man could make it until their wedding. From the rheumy, moist look in the Reverend’s eyes, Will suspected he’d had an extra
-
strong dose of his pain meds that evening.

Will cautiously sat in one of the chairs. “How are you feeling tonight, sir?”

The Reverend nodded. “Not too bad.” He smiled. “Just a few more weeks and I can keep my promise.” He studied Will as his gaze narrowed, pointed. “How are
you
holding up?”