Illumined Shadows (Treble and the Lost Boys Book 3) Page 15

  Ryley grabbed Vic's arm, and they hung back from the others.

  “Hey,” Ryley murmured, “can I talk to you for a second?”

  “Yeah, sure.”

  Ryley gestured at the hallway, and Vic nodded. They told the others they'd be right back, then headed toward the spare bedroom that Vic used as an office.

  “I can try that spell today if you want,” Ryley began, and Vic gave him a grateful smile. Then Ryley lowered his voice. “But we can talk about that later. I just wanted to see how you were do–”

  Ryley broke off and came to a stop. Vic followed his gaze, and remembered that his bedroom door stood wide open, and that Colby was still in his bed, plain to see. Vic darted over and pulled the door shut, but it was too late.

  Clutching the door handle like a lifeline, Vic closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and turned to face his friend.

  Ryley stared at him for a long moment, then asked, “You wanna explain to me what the hells the little guy is doing in your bed?”

  * * *

  COLBY STIRRED at the sound of approaching footsteps and whispered voices. Blinking the sleep from his eyes, he peeked out from under the covers and found himself alone in Vic's bed, the blankets tucked tight around him.

  He looked up and saw Vic and Ryley coming near, only for them to suddenly stop for a moment before Vic rushed to shut the door. Colby frowned. Ryley was supposed to be nice, right? So why would Vic try to keep him away, especially when it was Ryley who was going to be making Bad Man's ghost leave?

  Unless Ryley was going to demand Colby in payment? Colby frowned. No, Vic swore Ryley would never do such a thing. Colby looked all around, the room feeling suddenly too big. He needed Vic.

  He slipped out of bed and hurried over to the door. He tried the handle, but it wouldn't budge.

  Then he heard Ryley speak.

  “You wanna explain to me what the hells the little guy is doing in your bed?”

  “Ryley–” Vic pleaded.

  “Please tell me that's not what it looks like.”

  “Nothing happened, Ry. I swear.”

  Colby frowned. Nothing happened? What did that mean?

  “It's just…” Vic went on. “Ahriman drove him out of bed last night, and he was scared, so Cam and I protected him. That's all.”

  “Oh.” Ryley paused, then blew out a heavy breath. “Yeah, of course. Alright. That makes sense. Poor kid.”

  Vic made a noise of assent.

  “Gods, I'm so sorry, Vic. I don't know why I thought you would ever…” Ryley trailed off, and Colby frowned, straining to listen. “Vic?”

  “What?” Vic muttered.

  “Alright, so, you say nothing happened, but you look guilty as all hells.” After a moment, Ryley added, “Actually, you look fucking exhausted. Babe? What's going on?”

  A moment of silence passed, then the door handle twitched under Colby's hand. A dull thud sounded through the wall just beside the handle, and Colby pressed his ear to the door, holding his breath and listening.

  Vic mumbled something that he couldn't make out.

  “Come again?” Ryley asked.

  Vic sighed heavily. “I want him.”

  Colby frowned. What did that mean?

  A tense pause followed, and when Ryley spoke again, all the upset in his voice was gone, replaced by concern. “Babe…Oh my gods. Are you alright?”

  “No, I'm not,” Vic answered, his voice thick with some emotion Colby couldn't make out. “It's torture, Ry. Having him near…unable to touch him.” Colby's eyes went wide. “I can't remember the last time I ever wanted someone this bad.” He paused, then added in a whisper, “Not even you. Shit. I'm sorry.”

  “No, babe. Hey, don't be sorry. It's alright. I get it.”

  Vic scoffed. “How can you? How could–”

  “I went through the same thing with Ash, remember? Alright, granted, so the circumstances were different, but…I still had to force myself to resist him, to stay away from him, for his own good, to protect him, no matter how much it hurt me. So, yeah. I get it, Vic. I do.”

  Vic groaned. “I just feel like such a fucking monster. How can I want him, Ry? Him, of all people. What kind of sick freak does that make me? I'm no better than Ahriman or any of the rest of them–”

  “Alright, first of all,” Ryley interrupted. “You stop that shit right now, you hear me? You're a good man, Vic. One of the best men I've ever known. You are way better than Ahriman. You're in completely different leagues.”

  “But–”

  “No, listen. You are not a monster. Besides, you can't help who you're attracted to. You can't. It just happens. But you can help how you react to that attraction. And I know you. You would never hurt that poor kid.”

  “What if I can't resist? What if the temptation becomes too much…and I snap?”

  “You won't–”

  “But I might–”

  “But you won't,” Ryley insisted.

  “But I want him to be mine,” Vic said, and another thud sounded through the wall. “Sometimes, it's all I can think about. Kissing him. Touching him. Making him mine in every sense of the word.” Vic sucked in a breath. “And I'll never have that. Not with him. Because I could never do that to him without hating myself for the rest of my life.” He barked a humorless laugh. “And gods know I've got enough reason to hate myself already as it is.”

  “But Cam forgave you, right?”

  “Yeah, he did. But he's still dead. And, ultimately, that's still my fault.”

  “Vic,” Ryley breathed. “Babe, one of these days you really need to forgive yourself for all that.”

  “I can't. And now with this–” Vic gave a shaky exhale. “Maybe I should just send him away, you know? Before I do something really stupid. That's what I should do. Send Colby away. Put him in foster care or a convalescent home or–”

  “Vic, hey, whoa. Calm down. Breathe. Hey, maybe you just need a break, yeah? I mean, this whole arrangement has disrupted your routine, and I know how you are about routines.” Ryley breathed a laugh. “What if you try coming back to the office–” Vic started to protest, so Ryley rushed on: “Even if it's just for a few hours a day. Just to give yourself some distance from the little guy, get your mind back in work mode, give yourself back some routine and perspective.”

  Colby stifled a whimper.

  “I can't do that now. I can't leave him home alone. Not with Ahriman in the house.”

  Colby let out a shuddering breath as relief washed through him.

  “And if I can get him out of the house?” Ryley asked. “What then?”

  A few seconds of silence passed. Colby tightened his grip on the door handle, his legs shaking beneath him.

  “Even then, I–” Vic began. “Gods, I still don't know if I can keep doing this. I can't have him think of me like he thinks of Ahriman. If I ever did anything to hurt him–”

  “You won't, Vic–”

  “I'm not so sure anymore. Especially after last night. It was all I could do to keep my hands off him.” Vic paused, and Colby heard some moving around. “And when he watches me play, it's even worse.”

  “Huh,” Ryley said. “I thought I saw something there that first day he came out, but…I just convinced myself I was imagining it.”

  “I have to send him away, Ry. I don't think I have another choice. I'm not sure how much longer I can do this.”

  Colby scrambled across the room and dove back under the covers, shivering in his dark nest. He didn't want Vic to touch him like Bad Man had, but he didn't want Vic to send him away, either.

  He had no idea what to do.

  * * *

  VIC LET out a heavy sigh when Ryley pulled him in for a hug.

  “It'll be alright, babe,” Ryley told him. “You're a good man. Somehow, this is all gonna work out.”

  “Gods, I hope so,” Vic muttered, then pulled back and scrubbed a hand down his face before shoving his hand into his pocket, clutching Cam's bracelet in his fist.

&n
bsp; “You still up for practice?” Ryley asked. “Or we can cancel and just do the ghost thing.”

  Vic glanced at the closed bedroom door, then looked down the hallway, just able to see the others laughing and chatting in the living room. He took a deep breath and straightened. “I'll be fine.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “I–” Vic broke off and laughed.

  “What's so funny?”

  “Cam. He hates that question.” Vic shook his head. “It's nothing. Never mind.” Vic took a deep breath and blew it out hard. “Yeah, practice. I need to think about something else for a while.”

  “Alright,” Ryley said, eyeing him carefully, but he turned and headed for the living room nonetheless.

  Vic gave his bedroom door one last glance, then followed.

  Turning his mind onto music—instead of Colby and Cam and ghosts and other matters—was a welcome distraction. His focus wasn't quite as complete as he normally expected of himself, but their rehearsal still came off well, their progress toward getting back to a regular gig more promising now than ever before. Several times, Vic caught himself wishing Colby could be sitting right there, watching Vic play with those adoring, riveted looks of his, but he was also glad for the break. The passion wasn't quite there without his little audience of one, but at least the monster of guilt gave him the slightest reprieve.

  When it was all over, and Zac and Adrian had said their goodbyes, Ryley and Asher made no move to leave.

  “You wanna try the spell now while I'm here?” Ryley asked.

  “Yeah.” Vic nodded. Maybe, if they could banish the ghost, Colby would be a little less clingy. The thought brought a bittersweet ache to Vic's chest. Still, it had to be done.

  Ryley nodded at the hallway. “We might need him. Just in case.”

  “Ah.” Vic frowned, but headed off to his bedroom anyway. He had no idea what Ryley could possibly need Colby for in order to perform the spell, but it wasn't his place to question it. Magic was Ryley's business. The man must know what he was doing.

  Vic knocked on his bedroom door. “Colby? You awake yet, kiddo?”

  It was past lunchtime, and Colby had yet to make an appearance. Vic wasn't sure if the boy was just that tired or if he was hiding out, avoiding the visitors. He hoped it was the former. The poor kid had finally been making progress with the latter, and Colby needed more of that.

  Vic inched the door open, and found Colby still curled up in bed but peeking out at him. “Hey, champ.”

  “Hi,” Colby whispered.

  “Ryley's here,” Vic said, and Colby gave a slow nod. “He wants to try the spell to make the Bad Man go away.”

  Colby's eyes brightened. “Really?”

  “Yeah. You wanna come out here and help him?”

  Colby hesitated, then slowly crawled out of bed. He took a step toward Vic, then whirled back and started fussing with the sheets, trying to make the bed in a hurry.

  Vic almost told him to leave it, but he needed some semblance of order. He went to the other side of the bed, helping Colby straighten and tuck in the sheets and return the pillows to where they belonged.

  “Thanks, kiddo.”

  Colby almost smiled.

  “Ready?”

  Colby fidgeted, then darted over to Vic's side.

  Vic caught him and lifted the boy up onto his hip. Having that little body in his arms again was exquisite torture, but when he heard Colby sigh with relief, he straightened up and pushed temptation aside. He had to.

  They headed back to the living room, and just as Vic was bracing himself for Ryley's reaction, he found an unexpectedly fond smile on the man's face instead.

  Ryley smirked at him, then tilted his head to look at Colby. “Hey, kiddo.”

  “Hi,” Colby whispered.

  “You ready to see some magic?” Ryley asked.

  Colby fidgeted, looking like he wasn't sure how to answer.

  Ryley gave the boy an indulgent smile, then turned serious as he looked at Vic again. “I can undo the spell if it goes wrong,” he assured him.

  Vic gave a tight nod. They couldn't banish Cam. It would be like failing his brother for a third time, and Vic would never survive that.

  Ryley glanced at Colby, then added, “But that'll mean Ahriman stays, too.”

  Vic took a deep breath. “As long as you're sure you can undo it…”

  “Yeah,” Ryley said. “That'll be the easy part, if it comes to it. The hard part's gonna be banishing one ghost without the other.”

  Vic took another bracing breath. “Alright.” He nodded. “Let's try it.”

  “Alright.” Ryley looked at Colby. “Hey, kiddo, you think you can help me with the spell?”

  Colby frowned, his hands tightening around the lapels of Vic's jacket. “Spell?”

  Ryley smiled at him. “It's magic. But I need your help to do it so we can make the Bad Man go away.”

  Colby looked at Vic, who gave the boy an encouraging nod, then Colby looked back at Ryley and dipped his chin.

  “Alright,” Ryley said and headed out of the living room. “Follow me.”

  Asher filed out after him, and Vic followed, carrying Colby to the entryway.

  They gathered at the front door, and Ryley turned to face them, pulling a vial out of his pocket.

  “What's that?” Vic asked.

  “Ahriman's blood,” Ryley explained. “Not critical for the spell, but it's supposed to help focus the magic on the target.” He clenched his hand around the vial, then blew out a breath and looked at Colby. “Right, so, this is gonna be the scary part,” he said. “I need you to think of the Bad Man for me, so that he'll come here.”

  Colby whimpered and hid his face against Vic's neck.

  Ryley gave Vic an apologetic look, then took a step closer and reached out, stopping just short of touching the boy. “I know it's scary, kiddo, but I need him to be here so that you can tell me if the spell works or not, since I can't see him.”

  Vic looked at the boy in his arms. “I'm right here,” he murmured. “We all are. We won't let him hurt you.”

  Colby slowly peeked out at them.

  “And Cam,” Ryley said, giving Vic a significant look. “Cam should be here, too.”

  Vic felt a hand grab his arm, and realized Cam was already with them. “He's here.”

  Colby looked down at Vic's side, and almost smiled.

  “See?” Ryley said. “We're all here, and we won't let Bad Man get you.”

  Vic tilted his head down and met Colby's eyes. “Think you can be my brave boy and let Bad Man come here one last time?”

  Colby whimpered, then gave a slowly nod, stopping abruptly as he gasped and hid his face again.

  Ryley grimaced. “I take it he's here?”

  Vic felt Cam's head move against his side. “Cam just nodded, so…yeah.”

  “Right.” Ryley blew out a breath, looked all around, then focused on Colby again. “Hey, kiddo, I need you to help Vic hold onto Cam for me. Can you do that? Otherwise he might go away with the Bad Man.”

  Colby whimpered and immediately shot out a hand, grabbing at what appeared to be nothing. Vic felt Cam move in closer, wrapping his arms around Vic's waist, and Vic put an arm around his brother's ghost while still holding Colby up on his hip. Asher stepped in behind where Cam stood, putting his arms around the lot of them. They all clung to one another, and Vic gave Ryley a grim nod.

  “Alright.” Ryley turned for the door. “Here goes nothing.” He looked at Asher, who gave him an encouraging smile, then Ryley opened the door and walked out toward the street.

  Vic watched as Ryley came to a stop just behind Vic's mailbox, still clutching the vial in one hand while he lifted the other hand in front of himself, his palm facing out. Ryley stood there for a moment, then turned to his left. He slowly traced the front of Vic's property and disappeared from view.

  Colby started to peek out, then whimpered and ducked his head again. Vic shushed him, and tightened his hold on Cam. He wanted
Colby more comfortable and safe, but he couldn't lose his brother. Not again.

  Finally, after several agonizing minutes, Ryley reappeared from the right, completing his circuit of the property and coming to a stop at the same point where he'd started. Vic watched, seeing a look of extreme concentration on his face.

  Ryley lowered his hand, and Colby gasped, his head jerking up off Vic's shoulder.

  Vic tightened his hold on Cam. “Colby? What's wrong?”

  Colby stared, his big eyes wide and surprised. “Bad Man just flew out the door.”

  Vic blinked. “What?”

  Cam shook beside him, the motion reminiscent of laughter.

  Colby pointed just as Ryley stepped up onto the front porch. “Bad Man's out there. He looks stuck.”

  Ryley grinned. “It worked?”

  Colby tilted his head, staring at the street.

  “Kiddo?” Vic asked. “What is it?”

  “He looks mad,” Colby whispered.

  “But he's out there, right?” Ryley asked, glancing over his shoulder even though he couldn't see anything. “He can't get in?”

  Colby slowly shook his head, then looked at Ryley. The boy studied the mage for a moment, and slowly relaxed, almost smiling at him.

  Ryley smiled back, then looked at Vic. “Please tell me Cam's still here.”

  Before Vic could say anything, he felt Cam pull away, and something invisible almost shoved Ryley off his feet. Ryley caught his balance, then laughed.

  “I take it that's a yes,” Ryley chuckled.

  Vic reached out, felt around for his brother, and hauled the kid in for a hug. “Brat,” he chastised, but the word had no heat, his entire body sagging with relief that the spell had worked. One threat to Colby, gone.

  Now to decide what to do about another.

  Chapter 16

  COLBY SAT down on the floor of the shower and hugged his knees to his chest while the hot water continued to beat down on him. He knew what he had to do, but the thought terrified him.

  His emotions were all over the place, making his thoughts bounce from one thing to another and back again so fast that he couldn't seem to pin anything down. The morning had started out so wonderful, waking up all warm and safe in Vic's bed, then took a horrifying turn when he overheard Vic and Ryley talking about him. It had only gotten worse after that when he'd had to face Bad Man, but then everything became wonderful again when Ryley's spell had cast Bad Man out of the house.