"Don't let this come between us, Alex." Dylan shut the lid again. "I chose a life on the land. The seas aren't what they used to be, and there's no safe place for a seal anymore."

"Selkie, I think you mean."

"Semantics. f.u.c.k! You know what I'm trying to say. I didn't want to tell you until later. You know I'm not human, Alex, just a good imitation. If I wear that skin, there'd be a seal right here on this floor."

Alex narrowed his eyes. 'So do it, then."

"What?"

"Do it, I said. I'm an open guy. I want to see you change. Put it on."

"No! I mean, sweet Jesus, we just met."

"Oh, lover, I think we did a lot more than meet. I'd say we're good acquaintances by now. So put it on for me."

"f.u.c.k. f.u.c.k, f.u.c.k, f.u.c.k. Alex, I had this whole night planned out. More s.e.x ... more food ... more s.e.x ... I was going to ride you until the sun came up in the morning. If you get all stubborn and mule-headed now, I'll have to spank you or something."

"I should be so lucky." Alex stood up, twitching his hips. He reached for his pants where they'd landed on the floor.

"Oh, come on, Alex."

"Nope, bartender. We play this my way or not at all." Alex stepped into the pants and pulled them up, frowning at the way the spot with the dried j.i.s.m itched. He looked exactly like the fact he'd come in his pants, which was a shame. When he put on his shirt he left it unb.u.t.toned to camouflage the area.

Dylan sat back with his arms folded over his chest, looking mutinous. "You're not being fair. And while you might be one h.e.l.l of a s.e.x kitten, I don't just bend over backward for anyone. Respect my choice to leave the past in the past, or get the h.e.l.l out of my room."

"What does it look like I'm doing, sugar?" Alex flipped the tails of his shirt at the other man. "If you change your mind, you can come find me. I'm not leaving Amour Magique until dawn. Until then, I plan to have me a fine ol' time."

"How the h.e.l.l are you even going to find your way back to the main floors?"

Alex lifted Dylan's pants and tugged out the chain full of keys. "The same way I got in."

Dylan got up and lunged for him. "Oh, Christ, Alex, don't!"

"Sorry, sweetie." Alex darted for the door, turned the k.n.o.b, and bolted into the hallway, betting that Dylan wouldn't follow him naked. And, oh, yes, right there was one of the dark shadows. He sortedthrough for the weird flat key, and stuck it into the pool of blackness.

It opened into a yawning oval. "Perfect," Alex said smugly, tossing the keys behind him.

He heard Dylan scrambling from the room. Turning his head, he saw the man -- selkie -- still struggling into his clothes. "Alex, don't. Please. You go through one of the portals, and there's no telling where you'll end up. I won't even be able to trace you."

"Then you'll just have to find me the old-fashioned way, won't you?" Alex frowned. "That is, if you decide to straighten up and face yourself -- and trust me." His anger burned bright at the words. Hadn't they been through the whole faith in him issue before, in the pictures? f.u.c.k Dylan. "I can take you on.

See you around, bartender."

Taking a deep breath, Alex stepped forward into the portal. He felt a hiss, a rushing wind, and then -- pure freefall.

He lifted his arms, screaming silently with glee, and waited to see where he would land this time.

Chapter Six.

Much to Alex's disappointment -- although really not to his surprise -- the portal deposited him smack in the middle of yet another crowded bar on the fringes of the main dance floor. Once again blocking a TV, d.a.m.n it. The patrons sent up a chorus of boos and hisses, one man standing up and yelling, "Get that f.u.c.king thing out of the way!"

Alex scrambled to one side, but the black oval remained in place. "What, you're not done with me yet?"

he asked the non-ent.i.ty. "Close already. I'm here. Wherever here is."

"I believe one would say that here is the point of no return, or perhaps the opposite," a familiar voice remarked. "If you wish to know, the portal is in a state of dormancy. It requires a key, or a touch of magic, to make it close."

"Liam, thank G.o.d." Alex rushed to the sweet little man's side, where he sat placidly on a bar stool drinking something alarmingly green. "If anyone can help me out, it's you. Close the d.a.m.n thing, would you?"

Liam arched an eyebrow. "If, in exchange, you explain to me why you opened one. I had thought you were getting along so well with your shenanigans tonight." He slid off the stool and walked to the portal.

Petting the insubstantial edges, Liam crooned to the opening. "Yes, yes, you have done well. Go along, now, until you are called for again. No, wait. Do not go far. You may be needed sooner than some of us think."

The portal wavered, for all the world like a small child who had one finger stuck in his mouth, not sure what he should do.

"Scoot," Liam scolded. "We will call you when we are ready for you. Have no fear. You did your job well." Rippling once more, the portal disappeared. The ragged choir of jeers and raspberries died down to a disgruntled rumbling. Ignoring the men who could finally get back to watching their show of choice -- figure skating? -- Liam hopped back up onto his seat and patted the bar stool next to him. "Do have a seat, Alex. Tell me about your troubles." He pa.s.sed a hand over his forehead. "I sense that something bothers you very much. Alas, I had thought you would be one of the easy Brothers. Perhaps I was wrong. I do seem to be losing my grip ..."

Concern overcame Alex's pique at Dylan. "Sweetie, are you okay?" He reached over to put the back of his hand against Liam's forehead. "You're burning up."

Liam waved him aside. "Leave me be. It does not matter at the moment."

"How many of those drinks have you had?" Christian demanded. "Too many for you to take some aspirin?"

"Ha! Aspirin does no good to one of my kind. I have a remedy waiting for me that merely needs a little brewing time."

"Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble?"

"In a sense." Liam toyed with a basket of broken crackers, then pushed it toward Alex. "From the smear of pineapple juice on your cheekbone, I would suspect you are not hungry, but would you care for some of these? They are bland but appealing in their own way, much like me."

"You? Bland? That'll be the day, and one I hope I never see." Alex got himself arranged on the stool and hooked his legs around its rungs. "Can you do anything about dried come stains?"

"I can recommend several excellent dry cleaners."

"Very funny." Alex made a face. He plucked up a crispy fragment of cracker and popped it into his mouth. "Dear Lord! Salty!"

"Have some of this." Liam pa.s.sed his green drink over. "The two tastes mix very well."

"What is it, a lime margarita?" Alex took a sip, expecting tequila and salt. Instead, he tasted something fruity and sweet, without a hint of alcohol. It took away the salty sting, but at the same time it made his throat feel thick. "Good G.o.d, what is this? Pure fruit juice with about ten cups of sugar per serving?"

Liam chuckled, shaking his head. "One needs to refuel oneself. Sugar is a quick booster. The bartenders here at Amour Magique are excellent at mixing and serving up exactly what one needs." He gave Alex a sharp look. "Something I suspect you already know."

"Oh, Lord. You know what? I'm not going to ask how you got the4-1-1 on Dylan and me."

"Ah, yes, Dylan. I was amused by your choice. The grapevine around here is remarkable, giving me the wherewithal to know precisely whom you had wandered off with. The price for that Full-Body Special, by the way, is going to leave me a poor man for days."

"The day I believe you get your information from the grapevine is the day they can bury me toes to the ceiling." Alex waved over the bartender, a short and square man. "Let me have a beer. Something niceand dark. Full-bodied."

The man gave a grunt, reached for a gla.s.s, and pulled a tap. Alex rolled his eyes. Whoever this was, he had absolutely none of Dylan's charm. Which, Alex supposed, was a good thing. One charmer per night was enough. The thought startled him. Was he losing his touch? Normally he'd dance the night away, flitting from one man to the next.

Had being with Dylan changed him somehow?

With his beverage in hand, Alex turned back to Liam. "All right, Mr. Special. I think you know down to the last detail -- am I blushing yet? -- about what happened tonight. You have your ways." He gently tapped the side of Liam's head, fiddling with a curl. Couldn't help himself. "So, what do you think? Did I do the wrong thing, or have I completely screwed up? You choose."

"You have gotten yourself into a fine twist. And a pickle." Liam looked thoughtful. "I wonder, where did such an expression come from? I shall have to look it up sometime."

"Focus, Liam. You, with your magic boogedy-boo and all-seeing eyes, are no doubt one hundred percent aware of what went down between me and Dylan. A good time was had by all, but then kaboom! I think I ..."

"Perhaps you went too far?" Liam pushed gently. "From what I know of him, Dylan is a proud man, and it is a man he has chosen to be. Your attack on him was not something he needed or deserved."

"So you do think it was an attack."

"It was certainly not your average lover's spat." Liam took another sip of his drink. Even he grimaced at the saccharine sweetness. "I am not going to solve your problems for you, Alex. Be aware of that.

However, I can offer advice."

Alex folded his hands. "I'm queer, I'm here, and I'm all ears. Now there's a picture for you. One great big giant ear sitting next to you. Ready to listen."

"You may not wish to hear."

"Are you going to tongue-lash me?" Alex batted his eyelids. "This could be fun."

"Oh, stop it, you incorrigible flirt. There will be no more teasing me, even if I have let you twine around my ankles tonight, foolish cat. The portal brought you to me for a reason, I am certain, but I will not be a statue you can hide behind. If you desire my help, then you must drop the gamin ways and listen to me seriously. Can you do so, for once in your life?"

Alex sighed. Honestly, some men. How could you please everyone? "Fine. I'm listening."

"Good, then. To begin with, you were wrong to attack Dylan." Liam took another sip, this time drinking deeper. "I am, you might say, well-informed about the staff of Amour Magique. Knowledge I cannot help but pick up the longer I remain inside these walls, with ..." His glance flicked to a side and upwards.

Alex followed Liam's look to the main entrance doors of Amour Magique's dance floor. A blue crystal, barely noticeable, hung on a string halfway up the wall. Looked an awful lot like the necklace Liam wore.

"You traded something to get us all in?" "A small price to pay for a chance at true love for my dear friends. And, yet, as time goes by, the toll becomes heavier." Liam rubbed his head. "But where was I? Oh, yes. Dylan. His story is his alone to tell; you must respect the man's pride and realize when it is time to stop playing, and when to act as it befits a man grown enough for body shots and a night out on the town. Everything has consequences, Alex.

Realize this and your life will be much smoother."

"So you think I should apologize to Dylan?" Alex looked glumly down at the bar. "It's my temper, you know? I get an idea in my head and if it doesn't go my way, then look out. I think I blew it with him, Liam. I tried to make him --"

"Hush, hush, I know what you tried to do. What you failed to succeed at. Other things you have failed in. But I think that this is an overreaction from both parties involved. You insisted, he said no, and you ran away in a fit of pique. This does not make matters irreconcilable. However, a reunion is for the two of you to work out."

"d.a.m.ned good grapevine, Liam." Alex traced his finger through a condensation ring on the bar. He lowered his head to the wooden surface and began to bang carefully. "G.o.d, what a mess."

"I was wrong indeed. You are proving most difficult to handle. Come, listen to me. I can advise you well, and here is what I suggest: swallow your pride and return to him."

"I don't know if he'll even let me near him again, Liam. I should have known better. I did, but still I pushed him too far. There was magic in his room, in the paintings. I'm pretty sure I don't have to tell you about the paintings. Seals and selkies, and him asking if he could trust me. And I let him down. f.u.c.k, I'm an idiot." Alex s.n.a.t.c.hed Liam's drink back for a sip, although he still grimaced at the overly sugary taste.

"Here, stop stealing my beverage. That has always been the way with you, no? You take what you please."

"I wasn't the only one enjoying myself tonight."

"Ah, and now we come to the crux of the question."

"The what?"

"The heart of the matter." Liam tented his fingertips. "Do you wish for things to continue as they have begun with Dylan? You have a choice, and there is a chance to make amends. However, you must conquer your fears."

"Fears? Me?"

"I meant what I said. I rarely dissemble; only when it is necessary. Youare afraid, Alex. When you are not hiding behind my skirts, so to speak, you put on a brave mask and go wandering the halls of Amour Magique like the curious kitten you are. You find a tasty treat and play with it. But the moment that mouse shows its teeth, back you go. Fears, as I have said."

Alex felt his temper heating. "I'm not scared of Dylan."

"No? Then perhaps there is hope. However, he may be frightened of you." "A big man like him?"

"Big men often have big secrets. You would do well to remember as much. I expect that you, with your knowledge of Irish fairy tales, know the legends of the selkies. He has chosen to leave that life. Now, you must move on as well. You can go forward with Dylan, or backward by yourself. But youmust move.

Do not forget that." Liam finished his drink. "Be on your way. If you are willing, I will summon the portal again and have it take you to where Dylan is. If not, you will end up in the middle of the dance floor. The choice is yours. However, choose now. There will be no more lurking about with me."

"I'm-I'm not --"

"Alex, Alex." Liam gently touched Alex's cheek, his thumb wiping off a smear of something. Probably that d.a.m.ned pineapple juice.G.o.d, I must look a mess. Come stains on my pants, fruit syrup all over my face ... hickeys popping out like Rudolph's red nose ...

Alex swallowed. All his charm, his ruses, his games, everything he cloaked himself with -- the disguises felt fragile. One crack widened into a fissure and words came spilling out. "I am afraid," he admitted in a low voice. "I don't know if I'm ready for what I felt with Dylan."

"The chance at a happy-ever-after can be a frightening thing. However, Alex, if you find the one -- the veryone -- it is best if you can settle down with him. I should know, for I wasted my own chance."

"You --"

"Hush. That story belongs to me, and I will tell no man the details. If you think that Dylan may be the one in all the world who can make you happy, then your decision is made. You must go to him and make your amends."

Alex closed his eyes, running over scenarios in his head. He really had behaved like a man-b.i.t.c.h, hadn't he? He'd deserved every angry word flung at him ... although there hadn't been too many.

"All right," he agreed, lifting his lids to look at Liam's open, good-natured face. "I'll see what I can do.

But I will miss you, cutie."

"Go on with you and your flirting. Use it to win back the man whom fate has chosen for you." Liam reached out with his hand curled, as if he were about to open a doork.n.o.b.

Alex put a hand on his arm. "You really believe that? That fate brought Dylan and me together?"

Liam smiled, the glow reaching all the way to his eyes. "What else could it be? Now, go, Alex, go, and remember what I have told you. It is time." He turned the unseen k.n.o.b, and Alex's old friend, the portal, reappeared in front of them.

"Turn that s.h.i.t off!" an irate TV-hound yelled.

"Oh, do be quiet!" Liam shouted back. "We sit in one of the most magical places on this continent and you are content to stay put and vegetate in front of a televised sport? Have some courage, man, and do more than tilt a gla.s.s."