body had landed near the vehicle. He fell to his knees beside him while checking for signs of life. He was dead, absolutely, and completely dead. Liam let out a scream. “Get ahold of yourself, Liam,” he muttered, jumping to his feet. “I won’t let you die on me,” he shouted, slipping in the mucky slush as he rushed to the car. He wrenched open the car door and grabbed the defibrillator. “No, Amish, you won’t die on me. You won’t, I won’t let you.” And as he set up the machine and prepared to give Amish an electrical charge to the heart, the garage in front of him just disappeared.
Liam hardly noticed as he worked. And when Amish’s eyes opened, Liam burst out crying. “Baby, oh baby, you’re back, you’re here.” Liam reached out to him.
“Whoa,” Amish said, narrowing his eyes. “Where am I?”
Liam wiped his tears. “The portal. You’re outside the portal. Everything is going to okay, just like Azrael said.”
“Who is Azrael?”
Liam met his gaze. “The angel. He and Ravish, they...” Liam paused. Amish looked confused. “This is a lot,” Liam said, smiling. “Let’s get you home. We can work all this out later when your mind is clear.”
“Are you a doctor?” he asked.
Liam grinned. “Well, I was. I’m not anymore. I’ll tell you what happened.”
“You don’t look old enough to be a doctor,” Amish said, rubbing his chest. “It hurts.”
“Yeah, you may have some bruising,” Liam said absently. “What did you mean I don’t look old enough to be a doctor. I’m over fifty.”
Amish’s eyes widened. “Over fifty? Ah, I don’t think so. Twenty maybe.”
“Twenty,” Liam laughed. “I wish.” He held out his hand. “Can you stand?”
“Sure.” Amish got to his feet. He didn’t take his hand.
“I’ve missed you so much,” Liam said. “I can’t wait to get you home.” He leaned in toward him for a kiss. He so longed to hold him.
Amish took a step backward. “Listen, I don’t know who you are, but I’m not going anywhere with you.”
Chapter Five
The young man standing in front of him had a horrified look on his face. You’d think he’d punched him in the gut.
“You don’t know who I am?”
Amish shrugged. “I’ve never seen you before in my life.” He looked around. “Where in hell am I?”
The man walked over to the vehicle. He put a hand on the hood of the car as if he needed support. “Nowhere,” he said. “Everywhere.” He turned to look at him. “Do you know who you are?”
Amish patted down his pockets and took out a wallet. He opened it. “Amish Handover. This is my driver’s license.” He handed it to the young man by the car. “I must have hit my head or something. Do we actually know one another?”
“Yes.”
“How do we know one another?” Amish moved closer.
“Don’t freak out, because I know I appear to be much older than you. We’re lovers. We’ve been in a relationship for a long time.”
Amish studied him for a moment. He was a man in his twenties, handsome. “What is your hang-up with age? You’re no older than I am. It says on my card I was born in 1998. What year is it?”
“Twenty-twenty,” Liam said.
Amish considered that. “What’s your name?”
The young man put his face in his hands. “Oh, God.” He peered at him. “It’s Liam. Liam Macdonald. Azrael didn’t tell me you wouldn’t know me. Are you a mortal? You must be?”
“Mortal?” He laughed. “What else would I be? You’re a little strange, Liam.”
Liam smiled.
Damn. The man was beautiful when he smiled. “Can you give me a ride, Liam?”
Liam nodded. “Sure. Where do you want to go?” He picked up the machine and placed it on the back seat.
“Good question.” Amish got into the car and closed the door.
Liam got in behind the wheel. When he adjusted the mirror, he gasped.
Amish looked at him in surprise. “What? You okay?”
“I’m... ah... young again.”
Amish laughed. “Again?”
“That’s it,” Liam looked at him and smiled again. “I understand now. We’re starting over again. You’re a mortal, we are both young, and we’ve never met.”
Amish’s eyes widened a little. “Cute, but what a strange guy. Are you sure you’re not a fantasy writer or something?”
Liam shook his head. “No. I’m going to be a doctor.” He started the car.
“Going to be? Shit, I thought you said you were a doctor!” Amish admonished. “What are you doing running around with that kind of thing?” He pointed to the machine in the back seat.
Liam shrugged. “It came