Soul Bond: Part 9

All right!  Here we go, another episode of Soul Bond.  I hope it's a satisfactory next installment.  If you want to catch up, click the label.

Enjoy!

9

            Jared’s anxiety was loud enough, powerful enough, that Liam felt it in his gut like it was his own.  Taking a deep breath, he tried to send back soothing thoughts, even though he knew that Jared couldn’t feel his emotions the same way.  Walking from the car up the front walk to Kelly’s door, Liam tucked a hand down the collar of Jared’s coat to place a hand on the man’s neck.  He’d have preferred to have a hand on Jared’s back, but the puffy coat that was needed to ward off the March cold kept him from offering the comforting touch.  It helped a little, because he felt Jared’s anxiety lessen a touch, but it was not enough.  Once on the small porch, Liam paused before knocking and walking in. 

            “There’s no reason to be worried, angel. I’m here, I’ve got you.  Kelly is a good man and an excellent leader.  He’ll help us sort this out, right?”

            Jared nodded and swallowed hard, leaning into Liam’s touch a little.  That was more gratifying than Liam expected.  He’d always been one who wanted to take care of the people in his life.  With Jared, it was more.  And he really liked that Jared took comfort from his actions.

            Jezebel gave a disgruntled hiss.  Even though she was tucked in Liam’s coat, she was still cold.  She hated this weather.  Liam fought a bit of amusement.  She would have loved to move somewhere warmer but she wanted to take the entire coven with them.  She knew that they gave Liam comfort and a sense of belonging.  She was trying to be supportive, knowing that Jared needed the additional support, but she was getting cranky in the cold.  With another glance at Jared and a quick check of his feelings, Liam lifted a hand and rapped sharply on the door.

            Jason opened the front door minutes later.  With a big grin, he ushered them both inside.  Once the door was closed behind them, Jared lifted Marvin from inside his coat and Liam helped the man disrobe his outerwear.  After Jared tucked his hat and gloves in one of the pockets, Liam hung it on the hook beside the door.  When Liam unzipped his own coat, Jason reached for Jezebel and the snake went right to him.  Jez was picky about the people she liked but Jason had a special place in her heart.  He gave off heat like a furnace and she particularly liked him in the winter.  Liam grinned as the python wound her long, sinewy body around his arm as he tucked her into his chest.  She gave off a very pleased feeling. 

            “Is there anything I can do for Marvin?” Jason asked softly.  “He can’t be enjoying this weather very much, either.”

            Jared looked down at the duck in his arms.  After a moment of silent communication, Jared shook his head.  “He’s all right.  It’s warm enough in here for him.”

            Jason nodded.  “Come on into the kitchen. We were just about to eat dinner and we’d love for you to join us.”

            A few minutes later they were all seated at the kitchen table.  Nola had taken up residence on the counter and Strix was perched by the back door on a mounted branch that Liam recognized as coming from the alder. Jez was back in Liam’s lap, curled up across his thighs.  Marvin was in the sink, in a bath of warm water because Jason insisted, his occasional splashing breaking up the silence as the men ate their dinner.  When they were mostly done with the pot roast, Kelly must have cooked because it was really good, and were slowing down, Kelly finally sat back a little and gave Liam a pointed look.

            “All right.  What’s up?”  Kelly’s voice was conversational, but Liam could hear the tone underneath.  He was asking as his coven leader and not as his closest friend.

            Liam nodded, acknowledging the silent command and taking a minute to organize his thoughts.  Jared’s nerves spiked and Liam didn’t hesitate to reach out and lace their fingers together and squeeze.  Jared gave him a shaky smile and nodded.  Liam was up; he was going to have to do the talking.  Liam figured that was probably best anyway as he was the one with the most information.  He’d had been the one feeling Jared’s true emotions.

            He took a deep breath and then explained what had happened.  He glanced over the fact that they had slept together, knowing that would embarrass Jared, and just briefly mentioned that they had had an in depth conversation and implied their physical activity.  It was the part after that which Liam spared no detail.  He recalled, practically word for word, what they had discussed and each of the feelings and emotions that Jared had felt while talking.

            When he was finished, Jared oozed relief.  Liam offered him a smile.  He knew that Jared was happy it was all out there and he was pleased with Liam’s retelling.  And he was grateful that Liam had skipped over the sex.  He had to look away when Jared’s arousal spiked.  He kept his face blank even as he felt a bit of smugness creep in.  Jared was getting aroused simply thinking about their time together.  He couldn’t wait to get Jared home and back in bed. 

            Kelly sat back in his chair, considering for a long moment, before his gaze fixed on Jared.  “It’s compelling.  But it seems too easy.  Are we sure this is even related to work?”

            Jared sat up straight.  “It’s the only thing I can’t remember.  I don’t know how it could be about anything else.”

            “I realize that,” Kelly said with a nod.  “I just…it’s too convenient.  You’re boss wipes your memory?  It doesn’t make sense.  It would be the biggest and fastest way to implicate himself.”

            Liam hadn’t thought about that but, as soon as Kelly said it, he had to agree.  That would send up all sorts of red flags.  This Mr. Ridgley had to be smarter than that, or else he wouldn’t have risen to the rank of Director of Investigations.  Jared had felt the man was pretentious, arrogant and lazy.  But Liam had never felt that Jared thought he was stupid. 

            “What if that wasn’t what he wanted to happen?” Jason asked quietly.

            Liam’s head jerked up.  “What do you mean, kid?”

            “This guy, your boss, he sounds like a jerk but obviously he’s smart enough to get out of doing all his work right?  So, I’m thinking, what if it wasn’t intentional?  Or more like, it was a side effect of a spell gone awry?”

            Everyone turned to look at Jason.  Liam could feel the disbelief on his own face.  The smaller man blushed and looked down at the table, before mumbling, “It was just a thought.  I’m still learning this whole magic thing.”

            “Sweetheart,” Kelly breathed.  “You’re brilliant.”

            Jason’s head jerked up and then a surprised grin spread across his face.  “Yeah?”

            Kelly nodded and grabbed his lover’s face in his hands before planting a big kiss on Jason’s cheek.  Then he turned toward Jared.  “Maybe it was a trap that was triggered.  Someone goes digging around in your brain, right, and this gets door gets slammed shut on your memories.  Perhaps your boss planted it on purpose, in case someone went looking.  Or you finally get fed up with the way he runs the office and complain to his higher ups.”

            Jared was shocked.  “You just said he wouldn’t have wiped my memory, though.”

            “Not on purpose, no.  But as a last resort, as something to prevent you from speaking against him, possibly.  Besides, this way, he could say he didn’t do it.  Whoever triggered the trap would be the one who’s magic left a signature.”

            Jared turned to Liam.  He was confused and anxious again and he was looking to Liam to sort it out for him.  Liam was quick to move his chair closer to Jared, pulling the man close and holding him close.  Jared gave a sigh and relaxed against Liam’s side.  He rubbed a hand up and down Jared’s arm.  Liam completely ignored Jason’s knowing grin and focused his attention completely on Jared.  Just having Liam close was enough to ease the worst of Jared’s anxiety.  Liam had the urge to push his fingers into Jared’s hair and he didn’t resist.  He knew it was the right choice when Jared relaxed completely against him.

            “What do you think, Liam?” Jared asked softly, turning a little so his voice was muffled in Liam’s shoulder.

            “It makes a lot of sense,” Liam responded quietly.  He rubbed his fingers against Jared’s scalp.  “I mean, more than anything else we’ve got so far.  We’re all flying a little bit blind here, right angel?”

            “Oh,” Jason breathed.  “You gave him a nickname.  You only do that with people you really care about.”

            “Jay,” Kelly said in warning.  The man instantly subsided, though he did it with a mocking pout.  Silence reigned for a few long moments, each man lost in their own thoughts about what they’d discussed. 

            Finally, Jared broke the quiet, his voice low, “So what do we do now?”

            “Well,” Kelly said slowly.  Liam studied his friend.  They had been friends for so long that Liam had no trouble discerning that Kelly was weighing his options and was on the verge of making a decision.  It only took Kelly a moment more to nod once and sit up straight. 

            “It’s equally likely that this is what happened as it is that we’re completely wrong about it,” Kelly paused and gave a smile. “But if it was a trap triggered by someone messing with your brain, then we can probably get around it.”

            Jared’s nerves surged and Liam hugged tighter, not exactly sure what his friend meant.  “Kel?”

            “It sucks that someone messed with you, Jared.  But it means that your memories haven’t been wiped, they are simply locked up.  I think, with the bond that you have with Liam, that he can find them.  With a little bit of pushing, and a little bit of his own digging, I think he can unlock them.”

            “Christ,” Jared breathed.  He dropped all pretenses, turned in liam’s arms, and crawled right into his lap.  Jared was shaking, his face pressed right against Liam’s neck.  That was the only way he heard him when Jared whispered, “I don’t want anyone else digging in my brain.  Not even you.”

            Liam understood that fear and he didn’t take offense at Jared’s words.  He hugged Jared so tightly his vertebrae cracked.  Jared let out a shaky laugh at that and snuggled even closer.  Liam took a second to adjust Jared’s legs so his bottom wasn’t pressing so directly on his cock.  Having Jared in his lap was having the unsurprising effect, but now was not the time and place for it.

            “Hey,” Liam said softly, putting his lips right against Jared’s ear.  “I won’t do that to you if you’re absolutely against it.  You know I won’t do anything to hurt you.  I take care of you, right?  I keep you safe.”

            Jared nodded fast.

            “If we use the bond to trying to push this, trying to dig a little, it will only be because we both agree.  I want you to be able to find the answers and to be able to put this behind you, but I would never push you do to something that would hurt you or upset you.  You know that.”

            “I know,” Jared whispered.

            “Jared—“ Kelly began.

            Liam was quick to cut him off.  “No.  Kelly, just don’t.  Nothing happens that Jared’s not completely onboard with.  You hear me?”

            Kelly considered him for a long moment and then gave a solid nod.  “Yeah.  I do.”

            “Don’t get angry with him, Liam.  He’s doing his job,” Jared soothed.  He took a deep breath and then slid off of Liam’s lap, though he stayed close even as he sat back in his own seat.  He kept his arms around Liam’s neck and took a deep breath.  “Can I give it some thought?”

            “Of course,” Liam agreed quickly.  He turned his back on the other two men at the table and took Jared’s face in his hands.  “You take as long as you need.  And if you don’t ever get there,” Liam paused and shot a pointed glance over his shoulder, “then we don’t do it.”

            Jared graced him with a soft smile.  “Thank you, Liam.”

            Liam couldn’t help himself.  He leaned in and gave Jared a kiss, though he kept it short because he could feel the slight embarrassment the man felt.  But he also felt the a little shock of pleasure, too.  Liam grinned. 

            “I’m getting dessert!” Jason announced loudly, his voice jovial.  He practically skipped to the cupboard and dug out a box of cookies, leaning between Liam and Jared to place them on the table.  Liam laughed and leaned back, appreciating the fact that Jason wanted to break the tension but not so much the fact that he was getting between him and his lover.  Jason shot him a playful smirk.

            “Let me know what you decide,” Kelly said with finality.  And with he let the subject drop.  They enjoyed the cookies and conversation turned to other things.  Liam had finally gotten the call that there was job waiting for him and he would be heading back in on Monday.  While Liam was grateful for the money and the work, but he was not looking forward to leaving Jared for any length of time.  He thought he did a pretty good job of keeping that to himself.

            An hour later, Liam and Jared were back in the car and headed toward home.  Jared’s emotions were swirling; on a roller coaster from anxiety and worry to contentment and happiness.

            “Angel?” Liam asked quietly, trying to check in.

            Jared shook his head and gave Liam a tentative smile.  “I don’t want to think about it right now.  Please, Liam.  Let's leave it till tomorrow.  Take me home and take me to bed.”

            Liam grinned.  “I can do that.”

 


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