Todd rubbed Shaney’s hand that was still on his leg. “Try not to think too hard about any of it. It’s just mind-boggling. Anyway, we ended up talking a few times, and I was surprised by how different he was out of that suit. Just Dan, relaxed, normal guy.”
Shaney nearly choked. “Relaxed? Go figure. A bit older than you, too.”
“Twelve years, but he was so easy to talk to. He was into the occult, too—though, now that I know why, it’s not so cool anymore. We hung out a couple of times and, made out. He fucked me…and then he fucked me over. God, Shaney, he used me and I still want him. That tells you just how messed up I really am.”
Shaney squeezed Todd’s leg. “No, you’re not. You fell for him. He deceived you, betrayed your trust. You’re a good person, Todd. You’ll find someone who deserves you, and it’ll be awesome.”
Shaney could tell Todd wasn’t buying the shit he was peddling. Hopefully, he would believe it someday.
“Until then, I can be jealous of you and Hudson. Damn, Shaney that guy has it bad for you. I want that. I thought I had it…for about a minute.” Todd’s shoulders slumped.
Fuck, Shaney wished he could fix everything for Todd, but energy wrangling wasn’t going to fix this. Only time could heal Todd.
“You’ll get it,” Shaney assured him, but hope couldn’t catch hold until Todd’s current pain had dissipated.
Todd sighed deeply and stood. “Caleb asked me to get you. He wants you to work on your deflection or aim or something like that.”
“Aim? Do we have about a month?” Shaney asked. The last time he’d tried to aim anything was at baseball tryouts in twelfth grade. Of course, he’d missed and broken the nose of one, Kevin Martin, All-Star pitcher and most popular guy in school. And, of course, the guy had missed the first three games of the season due to surgery on said nose. Man, didn’t everyone hate Shaney after that. They’d all shit if they saw him now.
“Just don’t break anyone’s nose,” Todd laughed, apparently recalling the same memory. Todd really had been there for the best and worst.
Todd hesitated, his sharp eyes focused on Shaney. His lips thinned as he clamped them together. He held out his hand to Shaney, a confident gesture with an undercurrent of run-for-your-life fear. Shaney knew exactly what he was feeling. Shaney grasped Todd’s hands firmly, their gazes locked, and then he pulled Todd in for a hug. After pats on the back for good luck, they went back inside, together.
* * * *
Shaney yawned. Three hours of deflecting and absorbing everything that Caleb could throw at him as he wore the amulet had passed. Caleb had insisted on continuing late into the night, ‘guiding’ Shaney, as he put it. He was a sadistic version of Obi Wan Kenobi with his talk about forces and energy...and, blah, blah, blah. Shaney was exhausted. Every muscle and bone ached, his head hurt like hell, and he was fed up to his eyeballs with waiting. He was tired and cranky and miserable, and he needed Hudson like an addict needed his next hit.
“Again,” Caleb declared. Little fucking Hitler.
“Noooo,” Shaney whined. “You’ve thrown everything in the known world at me and probably the unknown world. The amulet works and does what it’s supposed to do. If you don’t let me get sleep, I’ll be a walking zombie tomorrow and worth shit.”
Caleb was about to argue when Maximus saved the day. “Sweetie, you did it. It works. You’re my fucking hero.” Maximus gathered Caleb into his arms and bent down, placing his mouth close to Caleb’s ear. “Besides, I want you to give me a proper goodbye before I leave for the cabin.”
An actual giggle escaped Caleb.
“No one knows how to whisper,” Shaney mumbled.
“Lesson over,” Caleb declared, making goo-goo eyes at Maximus.
“I’m going to bed,” Shaney said, quickly escaping to his smelly room. He stripped down to his boxers and climbed into bed.
Shaney was grateful for the reprieve from the energy blasts and the talks about strategy. He clutched Hudson’s pillow, which he’d absconded with before they’d left Hudson’s house earlier. Upon entering the car with the pillow, Maximus had snickered and asked Shaney where his blankie was and Shaney, being a smart ass, had told Maximus to look up his own ass. That had brought what seemed like an actual look of respect from the man. Better than a punch in the mouth.
As he soaked in Hudson’s residual energy, Shaney’s stomach flipped and his heart raced. Scenarios of doom ran through his mind. Shortly, Maximus would leave for his covert mission to the camp. His assignment was to place the wards at the strategic locations around the camp, and if possible, rescue Hudson. Shaney knew the rescue part was a long shot. He needed Hudson to be safe, and if that meant his rescue had to wait, then so be it.