That, Nicodemus reflected, somehow no less irritable, was why Bel had thought Alistair would do for a last-minute rut partner replacement. Although, since until tonight, Nicodemus had only known Alistair to bed women, he assumed Bel knew things he didn’t. If Alistair’s eye occasionally turned toward the masculine, itwouldexplain a lot of the jokes and side comments Alistair made.
“I’m fine. It hasn’t happened yet,” Nicodemus finally responded, glaring, at what he didn’t know. His coffee for being too hot. Bel for taking too long when barely any time had passed since he’d left. Alistair and Donovan for being ridiculous.
Nicodemus would have said they loathed each other before tonight. He wondered what Bel would have said. Bel had a much different way of seeing these things, although not enough sense to see when he was being courted by a malicious Realm-dwelling entity.
Inspired, Nicodemus rose to his feet, put the rest of the butter cookies in a tin, then brought the tin to the table with him. He sat, with care, this time, and held onto his cup until the heat made him scowl.
His coffee had stopped steaming when Donovan spoke again, almost timidly. “Where is Holt, anyway?”
“Late.” Nicodemus pushed his cup of coffee to Donovan, which seemed to perk him up a bit.
“Knowing Holt, he’s found another stray in need of a home and it’s held him up.” Donovan said it with surprising fondness, and widened his smile for a moment as if even Alistair was allowed to see his affection for Holt.
Donovan was likely right. Nicodemus should have thought of that, but once again, he’d been distracted and missed something. Of course, Holt wouldn’t mention that in a letter, not if he wasn’t sure. But it must be someone in great need for Holt to decide Nicodemus would have to be alone during his affliction.
Nicodemus tapped the tin anxiously. “I won’t have time to prepare a room unless their arrival is extremely delayed. Oh dear. Holt is no good with practical things like making up beds or setting out linens. I’m not sure Holt even knows where the spare linens are.” He looked up in time to catch the two of them exchanging a look. “What?”
Now Alistair was smiling as well. “You don’t have to tell us anything specific. We just need to know you’re all right. We’d worry, if you weren’t. Even Donovan would.”
“Oh, eat my ass,” Donovan told Alistair in a precise voice.
“We’d hardly judge you,” Alistair continued as if Donovan had said nothing. “Not a body in this house is in any position to. That’s why Bel left you with us. He knew that.”
“He didn’t have to get all grumpy about it,” Donovan griped, but it was mild griping. “I wasn’t going to challenge him on it. I mean, the ‘protecting you’ part, Nicodemus. Not the rest. I would have over the rest, if he had….”
“Done anything untoward?” Alistair finished when Donovan seemed to get flummoxed searching for the right phrase. He took a sip of his coffee that seemed smug.
“Well.” Donovan paused. “I wasn’t going to challenge Bel willy-nilly. He made a Ring. HemadeaRing! On Earth! Not just in the Realm!” Donovan blinked several times. “Did you know he could do that?”
Alistair whistled and looked elsewhere.
Donovan narrowed his eyes. “Galbraith, can you do that too?”
Alistair cocked an eyebrow at Nicodemus but did not actually meet Donovan’s suspicious glare. “I’ve done it once or twice—in emergencies,” he admitted, after Nicodemus must have looked doubtful. “I have to remind myself I can do it at all.”
“I did it,” Nicodemus told them both, frowning, because now he wasn’t sure he wouldn’t be like Alistair and not remember how if he tried again. “But only to go to the Realm. Oh, and to send that creature somewhere else. But that was an accident.” Their silence made him frown harder. He glanced between them. “I’m not always helpless.”
“We didn’t say that,” Donovan hurried to assure him. “But…Nicodemus…that’s not even somethingIdo, and I’ve been in and out of the Realm most of my life. Huh. Now I’m wondering if I should try.”
“Not now,” Alistair warned.
Donovan riled back up again. “Yes.Obviously, not now. Maybe once Bel returns. Which had better be soon. Er… Nicodemus, since it hasn’t happened yet, how long…do you think…before you….” Donovan rolled his wrist to make his point.
Nicodemus flattened his mouth and scratched behind his ears and then under his arms where his skin was prickling. “Not long now. Hours.”
“Shit,” Alistair swore succinctly. “And Bel is going to…help you?”
“Lewis Belasko. Bel. Is your choice here.” Donovan also seemed doubtful. “I’m sure Bel is a good f—” He stopped, glancing at Nicodemus.
“He is,” Alistair muttered, only to go still with his cup of coffee halfway to his mouth when Nicodemus and Donovan both turned to him. “What? I mean, I don’t knowpersonally, but one time we were working in another city, and we were in a certain kind of house, and I happened to hear…see…some things. We’re already beyond the pale as far as the rest of the worlds go. I don’t see how either of you is going judge a man for sometimes liking—”
“You need to shut up now.” Donovan’s voice was dagger sharp. He turned a shoulder to Alistair to face Nicodemus. “What I mean is,” he shifted anxiously in his seat, “I could probably…I mean, if you wanted something maybe a bit gentler….”
“I don’t.” Nicodemus decided to end that there, although Bel was capable of gentleness and Nicodemus liked it when he tried.
Bel would come back soon. Or even, if not tonight, then tomorrow would be helpful. If it wasn’t tomorrow already. Clouds might be blocking any light from the rising sun. Bel would come back and he would not be dead, or dying, or seriously injured, and he wouldn’t make Nicodemus talk about anything or tiptoe around two lovers, or not-lovers, who were fighting about something he didn’t understand. He would remove Nicodemus’ clothes so Nicodemus could be cool at last and then Bel would make him feel so much better.
“Nicodemus?” Alistair prompted. “Do you want us to talk to him? Not that you’re helpless!” Alistair added that when Nicodemus focused on him. “I mean, Bel did say that you…that you shaped the Realm. Which everyone does, of course. Well, those who survive the Realm do…but not usually on purpose. Not at first. But maybe…” he shot another look to Donovan, who widened his eyes. “I just mean that if you need to make sure you and Bel are on the same page, we can…try to talk to him.”
