Page 37 of The Night Vision
There was a weary groan from Nox as he went to the sofa and dropped onto it, his feet kicking out and crossing on the rug. “Is he? Or does he know that something big is inevitable? I do hear a drumbeat and feel the…godly inclination to wipe out any opposition so that I am supreme,” he said, then winced sheepishly when Nelson shot him a loaded look. “Sorry.”
“That’s not whatyouwant,” he said in his calm, quiet rumble.
“Ihave absolutely no desire to start a Hunt,” Nox confirmed with a faint, fading laugh. “I want to teach and help people. But I do worry that there will come a time when I won’t be able to suppress the inclination, even if we can stop Dùbhghlas once and for all. He won’t be the last or the end of the darkness,” he said distantly and gave his head a shake before sipping from his tumbler.
Merlin stomped a foot, defiant and indignant. “We have come too far and sacrificed too much for you to forfeit your will and betray your own heart. I do not care if you choose to lead us all on a Hunt, but I will be damned before I’ll allow you to lose your agency and become an empty vessel for a despot or a monster.”
“It won’t come to that,” Nelson said without looking up from his screen, seemingly uninterested and unbothered by the prospect.
“I can’t see it either,” Silas said and shook his head. “You’re…chaotic, at times, but your heart is in the right place, from all I’ve seen.”
“Exactly!” Merlin replied as he went back to his desk by the rolling boards and sat, ending the conversation. “I believe you gentlemen have someplace to go,” he said with an expectant look at Nelson and Silas.
“We do,” Nelson agreed as he closed his laptop and stood, preparing to leave. “I sent a message to Agent Benson, telling him that we need anything the bureau has on Ossors and any unusual groups or activity in the region that might fit their MO.”
“Great. I’ll go and break it to Tighe,” Silas said and silently prayed he’d take the news well.
Chapter Sixteen
Kittens.
Was there anything more precious and wonderful to hold? Tighe didn’t think so!Nothingwas softer than kitten fur and Tighe loved the way they smelled and the sound of their purring. He closed himself in the pantry with them, giggling as they crawled over his face and played in his hair. Their tiny toe beans and little claws made his heart melt and Tighe wished he could keep all four of them.
Hikers often brought dogs and the occasional puppy with them when they visited the Trail, but it was rare to see a house cat. Mostly because there were bobcats and other predators on the Trail. Tighe had come across bobcat kittens but knew better than to play with them.
“Time for our new friends to go,” Arawn said when the meeting in the study concluded. “We’ll have another play date soon. Ashley wants them to be well-socialized by the time they’re ready to be adopted.”
Ashley was a friend of Arawn’s and a veterinarian. Tighereallyliked her and thought that seemed like the best job in the world. He probably wasn’t smart enough to be a veterinarian butTighe was going to ask Silas help him find the right books. He wanted to be able to save any hurt animals he might come across in the future, like Ashley.
Tighe brought the kitten’s carrier to the door and saw Ashley off, sad to see them go but looking forward to their next play date. As much as he wished he could keep them, Tighe accepted that his lifestyle wasn’t a good fit for curious little hunters. Not in the mountains where bigger and faster things could get them, shuddering as he imagined an owl or a hawk snatching one of their precious fur balls.
It quickly became apparent that Ashley wasn’t the only one leaving as Silas and Nelson pulled on their coats at the door.
“What’s happening? Where are you going?” Tighe asked Silas, attempting to tow him away from the door. “Why do you need your coat?”
Silas swore under his breath and gestured for Tighe to remain calm. “I don’t want you to panic, but I’m going with Nelson. Stay inside with Merlin and Nox and you’ll be safe.”
“You’re leaving without me?” Tighe grabbed Silas’s hand. “Why can’t I go with you?” he asked, his panic rising when Silas gave his hand a squeeze and released it.
“We’re going to the Hoover Building. You won’t like it and you can’t just walk in without a badge and clearance. Nelson can get me in because I’m a federal agent and I’m helping him. We won’t be long, just a few hours.”
“A few hours? Why do you both have to go?” Tighe protested and Silas pulled him around the staircase to give them a little more privacy.
“Please, please, please don’t get upset,” Silas whispered, his expression tight with worry. “Nox is worried that Dùbhghlas might go after your brother so we’re going to see if we can learn anything about where he might be and if there’s any way we can protect him.”
Tighe saw red and he couldn’t breathe, he was soangryand wanted to scream and find Hugh Dùbhghlas. “Eoin?” he mouthed hoarsely.
“Shhh! We’re doing our best to find him first and we’ll do everything we can to keep him safe. I swear, Tighe.” Silas gripped Tighe’s arms and ducked to find his eyes. “We want to see if the FBI knows anything about the Ossors and active pack members. Nelson thinks we might be able to arrange surveillance without disturbing them.”
“You—! You can find my brother?” Tighe’s rage immediately cleared, replaced by a rush of desperate hope and longing.
For years he had yearned for news about Eoin. He had been tempted to go back more times than he could count, just to take a look, but was too afraid of what would happen to him or Eoin if he was seen. That would be a violation of the pack’s rules and Eoin could be beaten or even shunned by the Ossors if he had any contact with Tighe.
“I can’t promise anything but I want to try. Give me a few hours. Okay?” Silas said and Tighe nodded.
“Okay. I’ll stay here. Thank you!” He grabbed the front of Silas’s coat and kissed him hard.
“Mmm!” Silas laughed as he held onto Tighe’s face and kissed him back. “Don’t thank me yet. I might come back empty-handed.”
