Heaven

by Belinda McBride

  Of the three, this was the face that frightened Noemi the most. The Maid was driven by volatile emotion, the Matron by compassion and duty. The Crone was wise, but she also approached a problem with cold, analytical detachment. The Crone looked through eyes that saw deep into the past and far into the future.

  “You cannot remain here. It is forbidden.”

  Noemi bit her tongue. That sentiment worked just fine for her. But Brita held all the power here and the Crone would think nothing of sacrificing one outsider for the sake of her people.

  “However, you are not here of your own volition. You have been cruelly wronged at the hands of my people for a second time.” Brita frowned and concentrated. Her brow cleared. “I cannot send you back to the exact moment you entered this place—but close enough.”

  “How close?” Anxiety gnawed at Noemi. Her body was rapidly growing weak. For every minute that passed here in the cavern, months—perhaps years—were sliding by outside. What would Rex and Rion think? Were they worried for her or had they simply moved on?

  “Weeks. Perhaps months. I have to be careful not to put you in the past.” Brita’s visage shimmered to the Matron. For some reason, Noemi thought of this as her true face. She relaxed a little.

  “Anahita. To my people, you are the face that represents failure. Tragedy.” When Noemi began to speak, she lifted a hand, silencing her. “Not your failure, but our own. The story is yours, but some of your tale belongs to my people—my family. I can’t share everything. And it pains me that the failure of a woman I love as my own daughter has hurt you once again.” Her lovely face was sober. “Love is not an excuse for this sort of betrayal. It cheapens our feelings. And sadly, if Patrick were Carly’s true love, he’d never forget her. She knows that, and it makes her a pathetic creature, worthy of our pity.” She smoothly rose from the floor of the cavern, reaching out for Noemi’s hand.

  “Hide yourself, dear. We mustn’t frighten anyone.”

  Noemi concentrated, pulling her appearance to a more normal state. Even without her angelic light, the cavern remained illuminated. The rocks and dirt glowed in reaction to the Sidhe. It was a sight of unearthly beauty. With her hand in Brita’s, they walked and the cavern lengthened and grew wider. The ceiling grew higher and gradually vanished. Grass grew underfoot and the sky became vividly blue. The very air was perfumed with magic.

  “This is the Other Place. It is Reux’s true home.”

  Noemi gazed around, speechless at the beauty of the place. Her memories of home were of magnificent structured halls and formal gardens. White marble laced with gold vein paved the streets, and its citizens had been breathtaking in their uniform beauty. Sublime, and just a little boring.

  Here in the Other Place, color ruled and music spilled forth in a disorganized symphony punctuated by laughter. Brilliant wings filled the sky and Sidhe in various semi-human forms dotted rolling lawns and lush gardens.

  A shockingly handsome young man approached Brita, his face twisted with anxiety. He looked like a god, with golden hair and brilliant blue eyes.

  “Have you found her, Eryx?” Brita’s voice was gentle and compassionate.

  He shook his head, glancing curiously at Noemi. Unwillingly, her body reacted to his. She struggled to restrain the succubus. His cerulean blue eyes grew hot with sudden desire. Like recognized like. She thought of Rion and Rex and the urgent need receded. This man wasn’t for her.

  “Please continue searching, Eryx. She may be in trouble. If what Anahita tells me is true, she’s tangled up with demons.”

  That cooled his interest in Noemi. Once they were no longer reacting to one another, she was able to view him dispassionately. His tumbling blond hair and flawless face identified him as being related to Carly. She had the same sexual magnetism that was the core of his essence.

  The crown of oak leaves on his head identified him as a dryad. His nature was similar to that of Rex, a caregiver of nature and wildlife.

  As he kissed Brita’s hand and dashed away, she couldn’t help but gaze after him.

  “He’s Carly’s brother?”

  “Yes, he is.” They continued to walk until they came to a vine-covered walkway. “They are descendants of Aphrodite.”

  “That explains his sexual allure.”

  Brita smiled. “He was responding to your succubus. I imagine few men are able to ignore you.” She gestured Noemi through a door. “Am I correct in guessing you’re the reason Reux is able to remain faithful to his angel during his fertile cycles?”

  They were in a long corridor. Crystalline windows looked out over the slopes and forests of the Other Place.

  “I suppose. I’ve only been with him once. Physically, I mean. The succubus seems to siphon off much of his need. And, of course, he’s always kept Anahita fed and under control.”

  “How does Orion Hunter factor into your relationship with Reux?”

  She gave herself a moment, waiting for the pain in her chest to recede.

  “Before the Fall, Kokabiel was Anahita’s husband. Orion Hunter is my husband.”

  “How intriguing. Your husband’s lover is also your lover.”

  Unexpectedly, Brita’s arm settled around Noemi’s shoulder, pulling her close.

  “I believe it is time for the tragedy that is Anahita to come to an end. The story of Noemi will be one of joy.” Noemi felt a slight glow of power and knew there was a touch of prophecy in those words. It felt good. She deserved some happiness.

  They walked through another doorway. This one led into a dark, damp cavern. Noemi hesitated for a moment before following Brita. They walked for several minutes, finally reaching a rough stair leading to a simple door. Clearly, Brita was expecting her to exit here. Noemi stood and faced it uncertainly. That door frightened her to the core.

  “Where will that door take me?”

  “It will take you where you need to go.” Brita stood back, and the Crone once again took her face. Noemi realized she shifted to the Crone when she needed emotional control and clear vision. That frightened her even more. “Just open the door and step out.”

  On shaking legs, Noemi climbed the worn steps and set her hand on the door. She pushed it and stepped back, overwhelmed by the dazzling cacophony it revealed.

  Cars overlapped horse-drawn carriages, hundreds of men and women walked along the street, their bodies merging and blending into one another. She saw the dirty alley of Chinatown and a jungle of green plants. Time and place jumbled together into a glistening, confusing tangle.

  Hesitant, she glanced over her shoulder, looking for reassurance, but Brita was gone. She turned back to the portal.

  “I can do this.”

  She couldn’t. What if she ended up in the past or the far future? She clenched her hands and took a step back.

  Movement caught her eye. It was Azrael, but he was dressed differently. He was Patrick, laughing, a penny whistle clasped in his hand. He reached out to his companion, and before they faded from sight, Noemi saw dark brown curls threaded with white, a heavy pack thrown over a slender shoulder.

  “Rex.” He was moving fast, already nearly gone.

  She took a breath, closed her eyes and stepped into the river of time.

  * * * *

  Rex was finally sleeping.

  Rion slipped from the bed, wincing at the sticky remnants of sex coating his skin. His ass burned, and there was a welt on his thigh where the Sidhe’s tail had gripped him too tightly.

  Without turning on the bathroom light, Rion turned on the shower and closed the door. When the water heated enough, he stepped in, grateful he’d replumbed the stall to adapt to his height. The hot water rushing over his head felt exquisite.

  “This isn’t working,” he murmured.

  He leaned back against the cool tile of the shower and let the emotions of the past day and a half flow out of his body. He’d done his best to service Rex’s needs, but these were fertility cycles. Without Anahita there to drain off his sex drive, Rex was quickly becom
ing overwhelmed by the need to procreate. He’d used Rion hard, but it just wasn’t working.

  He soaped up, wincing a bit as his fingers skated over his cock. The physical discomfort would rapidly fade, but his lover was pushing his emotional limits. It was all Rion could do to remain strong when Rex spilled, but his cock remained hard. The torment in his face never faded. They’d make it through this month, and maybe the following month. But soon, Rex would be driven out to the humans.

  “It’s never been like this before.” He took the handheld showerhead from the wall and rinsed the soap from his body. Even now the welt was fading and the burn in his ass had receded to a dull ache.

  It wasn’t Beltane, though the spring equinox generally amped Rex up quite a bit. There’d been times in the past they’d passed from Anahita’s reach for months on end. Something else was wrong. Maybe it was simply fear. Maybe there was something more sinister at work. He just didn’t know.

  He twisted off the water and grabbed a towel.

  “Do you always shower in the dark?”

  He jumped, his heart twisted in hope even as recognition crushed him. Carly stood in the darkness, leaning back against the bathroom door.

  “How’d you get here?” He wrapped the towel around his hips and pushed wet hair back from his face.

  She didn’t answer his question.

  “It’s the start of the full moon tonight.”

  “It is.” He glanced around, uncomfortably aware of how small the room was, and that Carly stood between him and the door. For once, her body held no allure for him.

  “How is Rex handling his heat without the succubus?”

  “Not good at all. I worry for him.”

  Her face shifted, an array of emotions were there then gone. She didn’t seem to care that they’d never told her about Anahita.

  “She’s bad, you know. Evil.”

  “No, Carly, she’s not. And we miss her.”

  She looked at him as though he hadn’t spoken.

  “I went back to look for her. I looked, but I can’t find her. He’s supposed to kill her.” Her eyes flooded with tears. “He must have done it. And if Patrick killed Anahita, I’m afraid he’ll kill himself too.”

  Somehow, Rion wasn’t in the mood to soothe Carly’s distress. He stood quietly and let her talk.

  “I went… I went back and… And now I can’t find him either.”

  A soft moan carried from the other room. Rex wasn’t sleeping well.

  “Reux.” Her voice was barely above a whisper. “He must be suffering so much.”

  “It’s worse than it’s ever been, Carly.”

  She’d been with them more than once during Rex’s fertile cycles. Many times. In her way, she’d helped them a great deal. He frowned.

  “How is it that you lay with him during his fertility cycles, yet you’ve never become pregnant?”

  She blinked, two fat tears spilling from her eyes. “He never wanted me to have his children. He prevented it.” She ran the back of her hand over her face, wiping the tears away. “Didn’t you notice? You were always in the front, he was in the back. And he’d let me go down on him, but he never, ever spilled his seed inside my body. He protected me.”

  In retrospect, Rion realized that Rex had protected himself. In the moonlight, there was a crazed, glassy in her eyes, evidence of her unbalanced thoughts. She wasn’t mad, not yet, but close.

  “If I had a baby, I wouldn’t be so alone.” She swayed, then looked steadily at Rion. “He needs me.”

  His heart sickened at the idea of Carly pregnant with Rex’s child. In her state, a baby was the last thing the nymph needed.

  “No, Carly. He needs our lover. He needs Noemi.” He fought to remain calm. If Carly entered that bedroom, Rex would sense her instantly. He’d be unable to fight the need for her. Afterward, he’d grieve at his infidelity. He’d undoubtedly get her with child. Rex was starving to reproduce the way another would starve for food after a long fast.

  “Noemi?”

  “Yes, Carly. He needs Noemi. I need her too. She’s my wife. Did you know that? Before we Fell, she was my wife.”

  “Anahita was your wife? And she’s Patrick’s sister. Rex’s lover.” All traces of insanity fled and she looked steadily at Rion. “Why, Rion? Why does she have so much? I have nothing. She’s a demon, yet she has so much.”

  “You have a brother, Carly, and many friends who love you. She’s suffered more than either of us could know. Let her have her family. Please.” He briefly debated dropping to his knees. He’d beg, if that’s what it took.

  “She’s gone, Rion. I went back and she was gone. Only Patrick… Azrael…” She looked up at Rion, her eyes were suddenly bleak and empty. “What have I done?”

  He stepped forward, reaching for her wrist.

  “I’m sorry, Rion. I’m so sorry.”

  Her arm grew insubstantial in his grip. “Carly!”

  “I’m sorry.” Before his eyes, she faded. To the last second, her eyes were a study of pain and guilt. Anger… There was anger too.

  “Carly.”

  She was gone, and Rion stood in the dark bathroom, feeling as despairing as he’d ever felt in his life. Unable to think of anything else to do, he slid to the floor, his head resting against the wall.

  * * * *

  Noemi’s heart raced as her feet hit concrete. Automatically, she pressed her back against a wall, steadying herself. When she opened her eyes, she clapped a hand over her mouth.

  She was in an alley of dark stone. The road was wide enough for a single small vehicle, but right now it was empty, save for a cluster of people walking slowly along, guidebooks in hand—tourists who’d wandered off the beaten path. Thankfully, they weren’t looking her direction.

  She blinked at the mist in the air and stepped carefully, not wishing to slip and fall on the slippery surface. In the distance, she heard horns and cars and the occasional raised voice. Gray clouds rapidly danced through the sky.

  A sign on the wall proclaimed it to be Tilly’s Close.

  A close was the Scottish term for an alley. Where on Earth had Brita put her? She shivered a bit, though she still wore the denim jacket she’d worn in San Francisco. Noemi looked in both directions. She could go up or down the alley. After a moment of debate, she decided uphill looked more promising. A quick walk through the narrow passage took her to a broad street full of traffic and pedestrians.

  It was an old city, perhaps older than any place she’d ever been. Pubs and shops were pressed shoulder to shoulder, narrow houses towered over the roadway. A small group of men congregated at the base of a statue, their dress kilts fluttering in the breeze as they tapped on drums and primed bagpipes. The sound droned mournfully through the chilly air. Beneath her feet, she felt the weight of many, many centuries of settlement.

  She was on the Royal Mile of Edinburgh, Scotland.

  “Shit.”

  Noemi dug a hand into her pants pocket and found only a few wadded-up dollar bills and a tissue. She was virtually penniless and without identification in a foreign country. Her stomach growled and she swayed a bit, feeling weak. What was she supposed to do? Go to the police? Find the Canadian Embassy and beg for assistance? She’d have one heck of a time explaining to the authorities how she’d come to be in the middle of Edinburgh without luggage, money or identification.

  Hell, she wouldn’t even show up on any airline manifest. She’d be seeing the inside of a jail for sure.

  Noemi began walking slowly. Some of the smells on the air made her hungry, others turned her stomach a bit. She passed an ancient storefront selling gifts and herbs. She gazed into the store, eyes wide as the scene was layered over with another from the past. A phantom of Rex entered the gray stone building, pointing at a bundle of lavender. He was dressed roughly, in a white linen shirt and a vest, with breeches and boots. His unruly curls were silvered and his face creased with age.

  She shook her head and found herself gazing at a rack of cheap souvenir k
eychains. The vision was gone.

  Well, Brita had said she’d end up where she needed to be. She could only go on faith at this point. Noemi thrust her hands into her jacket pockets and evaluated her situation. A newspaper fluttered on a bench, so she sat down and checked the date. Damn. Over a month had passed since she’d been in San Francisco with her men.

  She quickly scanned the headlines, reading local sports scores and politics. There was an article about an attack on a tourist—a group of local youths had pushed him around, frightening him badly.

  Oddly, they hadn’t bothered to rob the man. Her hackles went up and her hand drifted to her throat.

  The charm was gone. Noemi closed her eyes, trying to remember what had happened to the whalebone amulet.

  Memory wavered uncertainly. She saw the hotel room in San Francisco and she recalled Carly’s face. A sudden spike of anger accompanied the image and her mind cleared. She’d taken it off and left it for Rex. At the time, she hadn’t understood why. Now she did.

  When she slept she was Anahita, and could find her lovers anywhere in the world, provided they slept as well. When she was awake, she was Dr. Noemi Gastineau. The amulet carried her essence and power, just as it contained the strength of the many women who’d carried it before her. The amulet would tell her where to go. She should be able to sense the necklace almost anywhere in the world. With that realization, some of her gut-wrenching anxiety faded.

  “What I wouldn’t give for a little cash, just for some food.”

  She walked, stopping at a water fountain to quench her thirst. The mist was turning to rain so she stepped into the shelter of an old building. It was one of the few with an awning to protect pedestrians from the weather.

  Noemi watched the crowds, smiling as a rainbow of umbrellas came up then closed once the brief downpour ended. She started to step away from the little store and her foot slipped on a bit of wet rubbish. She bent down and gingerly peeled it from the side of her shoe. She blinked and stood, unfolding the sodden paper.

  It was a fifty pound note.

  She glanced around, searching for someone who might be missing their money, but business flowed on normally. Brita had told her the portal would put her where she needed to be. She hadn’t been wrong.