by Amy Sumida
“And what if I never love you?”
“Then I will wait until never is past.”
I snuggled lower to listen to Viper's heartbeat, and he clutched me tighter. Around us, the other gods found their release with wild shouts and echoing roars then they rolled away from their women and fell into slumber. Their fantasy lovers faded away, including the one that had gone unused. But Viper and I stayed awake and solid in each other's arms, his heartbeat comforting me as I had meant to comfort him. Just before I succumbed to sleep, Viper kissed my forehead and whispered something that followed me into my dreams.
“My dark star has finally led me home.”
Chapter Twenty-One
In the morning, I woke in Viper's arms.
“Where are the others?” I looked around the enormous bed, empty of all but us.
“Star appeared this morning and led them down to their quarters.” Viper smiled softly. “When you said that she gave us desire for you without your consent, I admit that I thought it was a lie. I didn't realize that your magic is a separate entity.”
“She appeared to you?” I sat up in surprise.
“Star told the other men that whenever they needed a release, their women would appear in their bedrooms.” Viper chuckled. “They hurried away as soon as they heard that.”
“But you stayed,” I murmured.
“I told you; I'm exactly where I want to be.” Viper pushed me back onto the mattress and kissed me, his body undulating against mine as we groaned together through the pleasure of simply being pressed against each other.
Then Viper's kiss wandered; over my cheek, down my throat, and to my breasts. I sighed as he settled his body between my thighs and began an ardent sucking.
“Viper,” I murmured as I stroked his short hair. “I'm not ready to do this with you.”
“I'm just worshiping my goddess a little,” he rumbled around my nipple. “I won't take advantage of you; I swear.”
His agile fingers found my sex and started sliding over me insistently.
“Viper, this is too soon. I need more time.”
“You're lying naked beneath me, Vervain,” Viper lifted his head to say. “I can't help wanting to touch you.” His eyes closed on a moan as his finger slipped into me. “Fuck; you're wet.” Then those vivid eyes sprung open. “Let me taste you,” his voice dropped into a deep purr. “Just one lick to get me through the day.”
“You have a seducer's soul and a poet's tongue.” I stroked a fingertip down his cheek. “But no; not yet. If I let you do that, I'll let you do more. Now, remove your hand.”
Viper growled in frustration then fastened his stare on mine—the predator returned—and slowly pulled his finger out of me. I shivered with the motion and tried to move away, but he held me down with his body. I went still as Viper lifted his finger to his mouth and licked it; his thick tongue dragging slowly over the wet length. My breath caught as I watched his lips tremble with desire and his pupils expand. With a low groan, Viper sucked his whole finger into his mouth and savored the taste. My body bucked beneath him, arousal arching my back and forcing a cry from me.
Viper smiled wickedly as he rolled against me, his sex hard atop mine. He wrapped himself around me, lifting me from the bed with his limbs, and nuzzled his face along my cheek. Viper's hips started to move, just a slow grind, but it set his shaft firmly on my sex and slicked it with my desire. That wet slide pulled a whimper from me. I shivered, my legs trapped within the cage of his, pressed together to keep him out while he simultaneously moved as if he wanted nothing more than to slip inside. I rocked my hips against his and wrapped my arms around his solid waist, giving in to the building ecstasy.
“Viper, stop,” I made one last, weak protest.
“Make me stop. I can't do it on my own. Make me stop, Vervain.”
“Viper,” I moaned and clawed him closer.
My whole body clenched with rapture as I screamed his name and bucked within his full-body embrace. Viper trembled with me and then went rigid moments later, his body tightening around mine like an anaconda.
“Vervain!” Viper shouted as he lifted his head.
His mouth gaped open and his fangs flicked down as he emptied himself, hot and thick, over my belly. Then, quick as his namesake, he latched onto my throat, slim fangs sinking deep. Poison pumped into my body, and I gasped through the burn. Seconds later, Viper pulled back with a look of horror on his face.
“Vervain?” Viper stroked my throat as I gasped. “Vervain! No! Fuck! Please, no! I didn't mean to.” He scrambled off me and pulled me into his arms. “My goddess, my dark star, you can't die. You can't!”
I couldn't speak to Viper, couldn't reassure him that no poison could kill me. That my body just needed to work through the toxin and get to the healing. Whatever poison Star had given Viper, it was deadly. It took a good, solid minute for my magic to isolate it and burn it away. And through that entire minute, Viper panicked.
“You saved me from myself, Vervain. I would have spent eternity in the Void, turning my back on every new life offered me, if you hadn't called to me. I left that realm for you.” Viper stroked my cheek. “I saw you reaching out to me, this gleaming soul surrounded by dark light, and I knew you were who I'd been waiting for. So, you can't die. We've just found each other. You can't die and leave me here; alone again but this time with the knowledge of you haunting me. Don't you dare do that to me!”
My spasms subsided, and I drew in a sharp breath as the poison finally dissipated. My hands went instantly to Viper's face, and he sobbed in relief.
“Shh.” I kissed him tenderly. “I won't leave you; I promise. Your poison can't hurt me, Viper. No poison can. I just needed some time to process it.” I smiled at him teasingly. “You've got some deadly stuff inside you.”
Viper made a sound of relieved amusement; a sort of huffing laugh. “You scared me.”
“No fear,” I said firmly. “Not ever again. We don't feel fear, we inspire it.”
He smiled and flashed me his fangs. “So, I can take another bite?”
I laughed brightly. “Hell, no, Snake-Eyes. That stung like a bitch. No more biting today.”
Viper blinked at me, his gaze coasting over my face as if he were only just seeing me, and then grinned wider. “I like this you. You're more... real somehow.”
I sobered as dark light brightened inside me and pushed back that realness. “That's the old me,” I murmured. “I need to get past her.”
“Why?” Viper stroked the hair away from my face. “Can't you be both? Goddess and woman?”
“No.” I sat up, dislodging him. “The woman can't win the coming war. I need to be the Goddess.”
“Then be the Goddess.” Viper took my hand. “But be her out there. Just as you told us; to the world, you will be the Dark Star, but to us, you will be Vervain. Be Vervain with me. Let me see that part of you.”
“Vervain holds her back!” Star snapped as she appeared beside the bed. “You need to support your goddess and help her be strong, Viper.”
Viper scowled at Star and then shifted that look to me. “Is that what you want?”
“Yes,” I whispered.
“Incoming,” Star said suddenly and disappeared.
“Vervain, I—” Sin stepped out of the elevator directly in front of my bed and stopped cold. “Oh, I see,” he said stiffly. “I'll be in the war room when you're ready.” He stepped back into the elevator with a furious look. “Sorry to interrupt.”
“Sin, wait.” I started to climb out of bed, but Viper pulled me back.
The elevator doors shut on Sin's clenching jaws and tense shoulders.
“Let him go. He'll need to come to terms with your choice,” Viper said.
I looked back at Viper and a cool voice poured past my lips, “I haven't made a choice. Nor do I ever have to make one.”
Viper gaped at me as I slid off the mattress. Sin was already gone, but I went to the elevator anyway. My dressing room was one floor down.
“Vervain?” Viper asked hollowly.
A shivering took over my heart, and I gasped as if cold water had been thrown in my face.
“Vervain!” Viper reached me in two seconds, his hands latching onto my arms to support me.
“I'm sorry,” I whispered as I looked up at him. “I don't know what came over me.”
“It's okay.” His hands went to my face. “I understand, Dark Star. It's time for you to be the Goddess, and I will be your commander. But when we return here, I want Vervain back, and I will Viper. Agreed?”
“Agreed,” I said softly and relaxed into his embrace.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Viper and I got dressed then joined Sin and the other star gods in the war room. Sin had recovered from his shock and nodded to me respectfully, if a little coolly, as I entered the room. I sighed deeply.
You'd better handle that. We can't have a bruised male ego getting in the way of world domination.
I was going to handle it, I huffed in my head. Then out loud I asked, “Sin, can I speak to you privately before we have this meeting?”
Viper stiffened beside me, and I reached over to squeeze his hand in reassurance.
It's starting already, Star said in a mocking tone. Are you sure you can stick to the one-man rule?
I don't have to follow rules. It was simply what I wanted.
But not anymore? And what about love? Still not having any of that?
I don't know! For fuck's sake; it's been two days since I left my husbands and boyfriend!
Okay; go easy, Godhumper.
What did you just call me?
“Vervain?” Viper frowned at me.
“Sorry; internal argument,” I murmured.
“You wanna keep fighting with yourself or would you rather have that talk?” Sin sneered.
“Come with me and check the attitude, General.” I led Sin out the door, calling back over my shoulder, “We'll be back in a few minutes.”
I took Sin into the dining room/sitting room next door and shut the door behind us.
“I didn't have sex with Viper,” I blurted.
Sin gaped at me. “You honestly expect me to believe that?”
“I didn't,” I said it again. “I gave each of the Star Gods a phantom woman to be with, but Viper refused his and chose to stay with me instead.”
“You made them women?” Sin's brows rose.
“I didn't make them to be my lovers.” I shrugged. “But I did make them to be powerful men, and men like them have needs. I gave them what they needed. I looked after them and helped them through their first experience.”
“That sounds like an excuse to watch them have sex.”
“You have no idea what it's like to be pulled from the Void into a fully formed body. You can't understand the strain it put on them or the emotions that assaulted them. They needed a physical release. It was either sex or blood, and I didn't want the day of their birth to be centered around violence. I wanted it to be beautiful. Something they could treasure and take with them into war.”
“Fine; you wanted them to get laid before the laid waste to the world. So, how did you end up naked with Viper?” Sin crossed his arms and stared down at me.
“First, let me remind you that I've repeatedly told you that I'm not going to have sex with you.” I poked his chest with my finger. “You don't get to be angry with me, whether or not I slept with Viper. I could sleep with all of them and it would be none of your business. But, because I like and respect you, Sin, I'm going to explain myself. I'm only doing it this once, though. Do not give me shit over who I fuck ever again. Are we clear?”
Sin sighed deeply but nodded. “Yeah, we're clear.”
“Okay.” I settled down. “I undressed and laid between them as they did the deed. It was to help them feel comfortable with their nudity and with experiencing such an intimate act in front of me. In front of me and for the first time in their new lives.”
“You could have left the room while they popped their cherries,” he growled.
“Star thought it would be a bonding experience for us.” I grimaced.
“You use your magic as an excuse a lot, Vervain.”
“It's not an excuse,” Star finally showed up to help me.
Sin gaped from her to me and back again. “Who the fuck are you?”
“I am the physical manifestation of the Trinity Star inside Vervain,” Star said. “I am the power behind the Goddess, if you will. I'm also an independently thinking being and Vervain's greatest adviser. What she did last night is between her and her commanders. You, as her general, have no business confronting her about it. However, you also see yourself as a potential lover and as such, you are upset. So, I've allowed Vervain to coddle you. But enough of this, Sin. If you feel the need, find yourself a woman to fuck but do not dare to cast any claim upon my goddess. If she wants you, she will tell you.”
Sin laughed boisterously. “Fair enough. I guess I was more insulted than upset. I thought I'd been passed over for a guy who was literally born yesterday.”
“So, we're good?” I asked him.
“We're good, Dark Star.” He smiled at me. “But we still have a problem.”
“What's that?”
“The Anunnaki are here.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
“Who are the Anunnaki?” The Horned Beast asked.
We were all seated around the war table, Viper at my left and Sin at my right. I looked to my right for the answer.
“I'm an Anunna,” Sin explained. “I'm a member of a council of gods who determine the fate of humanity. The council, as a whole, is called the Anunnaki.”
“Do you really determine the fate of humanity? Are you like the Greek Moirai?” I lifted a brow at him.
Had I unknowingly allied myself with Fate? Was Destiny still trying to get its greedy little claws in me?
“No.” He laughed. “It's more a case of our magic being capable of either helping or hurting humans and thus, determining their fate. That being said, we are also a part of the Assembly of Mesopotamian Gods, and we make decisions together. The rest of the Anunnaki are a bit pissed off with me for siding with you. They've come to speak with us and learn your intentions. Suffice it to say; your takeover of Bahrain has upset them nearly as much as my perceived betrayal.”
“Where are they now?” Whirlwind asked in a breathy voice.
“Right outside our gates.” Sin nodded toward the balcony. “The Dragons are watching them.”
I got to my feet and strode out onto the balcony. The men followed me and lined the railing to either side. Far below us, outside the iron gates of the new curtain wall, stretched a vast company of gods.
“There must be hundreds of them,” Sea murmured.
“Six hundred. Well, five hundred ninety-nine to be exact. They're missing one.” Sin waved to himself.
“There are six hundred of you?” I looked at him in surprise.
“There are over a thousand Mesopotamian Gods.” Sin shrugged. “The Anunnaki are composed of the highest-ranking.”
“They may send in a representative, but I won't allow all of them entrance,” I declared.
My star gods nodded in agreement.
“May I suggest three representatives?” Sin asked. “There are three main gods who are held in esteem by our entire pantheon; Enki, Enlil, and Anu. Marduk will doubtless be with them and will push for entrance as well, but his presence won't be helpful. As you may have noticed, he's not very reasonable.”
“Plus, he wants to kill me.”
“A man down there wishes you dead?” Viper hissed as his stare went from me to the crowd. “Who?”
The other star gods tensed and followed Viper's gaze.
“There are doubtless many men down there who wish me dead and probably quite a few women as well,” I said gently. “But the god Sin is referring to, Marduk, won't be allowed through the gates. Stand down; we'll handle him later. Sin, do you need an escort or will the Dragons be
enough to see to your safety?”
“I'll be fine with the Dragons.” Sin grinned. “In case you haven't figured it out yet; Mesopotamians have a fear of Dragons.”
“Excellent.” I nodded crisply and headed toward the elevator.