by Amy Sumida
“Viper!” I sobbed as I crumpled into his embrace.
“Vervain,” Viper murmured in my hair, “I knew you'd win in the end.”
“I pulled back and stared at him in shock. “What did you say?”
“I told you”—he smiled gently as he brushed the starlight lock away from my face—“I chose to answer your call. I went with you because I knew I would love you. I knew that even though there was evil inside you, you were stronger than it. I took the risk of exposing myself to that evil because I had this feeling, this deep certainty, that you were worth it.”
“I love you,” I whispered in awe. “Thank you for having faith in me, even when I wasn't me.”
“Thank you for saving me.” He lifted our joined hands. “Everything else you made vanished, but you wouldn't let the Void take me.”
Viper laid his mouth over mine, just a soft, tender press of lips, but I rose up against it, pulling him into a deep kiss and branding him with my love. He was mine. Truly mine. No evil between us, no false desire or bloodlust. I had brought Viper through the cleansing and healed us both. I couldn't let him go now.
Something shivered inside me even as I rejoiced. I knew my men would be hurt by this, but I had to make them understand. I brought Viper into the world with evil in my heart, and he had loved me anyway. He had stood by me and allowed that evil to infect him. No; I wasn't letting him go. I doubt he'd let me if I tried.
Strident voices raised around us, shouting in Arabic. I blinked in surprise as I pulled out of our kiss and took a good look around. Viper and I laid on the lawn before the old palace of Bahrain. Everything back to normal. And the human guards weren't too happy with us for making out on the grass.
I laughed and looked back at Viper. “How would you like to see my real home?”
“You mean our home?” He lifted a challenging brow.
“I have to warn you; my family will not be friendly at first. There will be a brutal argument over you. Perhaps many of them.”
“I've spent my entire life fighting,” Viper declared softly, “and this is the first battle that means something to me. I won't back down now.”
“And you won't be alone,” I promised.
Then I clutched Viper tightly to me and traced us home.
Chapter Forty-Nine
I asked Viper to give me a moment and stepped out of the tracing room without him. Instantly, I was enveloped by my family. Children cried for me, men sobbed, and I found myself passed from one passionate embrace to another. After the kisses and the joyous declarations had been given, after I had briefly explained what had happened, and after the Intare and the God Squad got their chance to come forward and welcome me back too, I finally stepped away from my loved ones and eased back toward the tracing room. My older children clung to me, and I crouched down to hug them one more time.
“I'm not going anywhere,” I assured them. “Go ahead, Brevyn”—I held out my hand—“take a look.”
Brevyn solemnly held my hand and closed his eyes. He didn't do well with seeing the future on-demand, but his magic had been growing lately, and I had faith in him. He opened his blue eyes with a grin, and everyone smiled with him.
“She's back to stay,” he declared. “It's really her.”
“Now, I want you all to meet someone special. Someone Mommy met while she was away. He's going to be a part of our family.”
“Vervain,” Trevor growled, his eyes starting to glow. “What did you do?”
I stood up and faced my husband. “I made a man.”
“You made eight of them.” He narrowed his eyes at me. “Are you saying that you brought them all back with you?”
“No. Seven of them wanted to return to the Void,” I explained. “I let them go. But the last one is important to me. I'm so sorry.” I looked at all of my men. “I know this is going to be hard for you, but he stood by me. He... I love him. I held onto him while the Trinity Star changed everything back. I couldn't let him go. Please don't ask me to now.”
Viper stepped out of the tracing room right on cue and took my hand. He faced my men and met their glares without flinching. “I held on too, and I won't let her go.”
“Fuck me,” Odin muttered under his breath. “It's him.”
I grimaced. It was bad if Odin were cursing, especially in front of the children. Then I remembered; Odin had watched Viper and me together. Talk about awkward.
“Um, we'll just be outside with the Intare. Come out and join us when you've worked this through,” Mrs. E said as she waved the God Squad and my lions out the front door of Pride Palace.
A horde of pointedly blank expressions passed behind her. Well, except for Torrent; he smiled brightly at me and waved as he passed. I gave him a little wave back.
“Mrs. E,” Trevor held out our son, “please take Vero with you.”
“Of course,” she cradled the baby in her arms and then looked at the other children. “You too, little ones. Come along.”
“Sorry, Aunty E, but we need to stay,” Brevyn said firmly. “This is family business.”
Mrs. E looked at me in surprise.
“It's okay.” I nodded at her. “They're fine here.”
Despite the worry in her eyes, Mrs. E left with the rest of the Squad.
“Vervain”—Arach shook his head—“I can't believe you'd choose to bring another man here when you had the chance to let him go. I can forgive your infidelity while you were controlled by evil, but this.” He waved a hand at Viper. “This is wrong. This hurts.”
“And I can't do this,” Toby whispered brokenly.
We all turned to look at him in surprise.
“I know that I said I could accept anything to be with you, Vervain, but when will it stop?” Toby asked. “You keep collecting men like toys. Putting us up on a shelf and taking us down when you feel like playing. Now, I understand why the others were so upset when we fell in love. This is too much.” He swallowed roughly and ran a hand over his face. “I can't do this anymore.”
“Toby,” I floundered for words as he stepped up to me.
“You're going to have to let one of us go, Vervain,” Toby declared. “Him or me. Who's it going to be?”
I gaped at Toby and then looked at Viper. Viper kept his expression carefully confident; full of faith that I would make the right decision. That faith steadied me.
I turned to look at Toby. We had gone through so much together. I had brought him back from the dead and he gave up our love to save me. Then it came back. We were pulled back to each other again. Of all my men, I never would have thought Toby would be the one to force an ultimatum on me. I hung my head. I couldn't make that choice. Toby would have to make it for me.
“I see,” Toby said stiffly and pushed past Viper to get to the tracing room.
“Toby!” I grabbed his arm. “I'm not choosing. I'm rejecting your ultimatum, not you.”
“That's the same thing. Goodbye, Vervain,” he said bitterly. “Enjoy your new lover.”
And then Tobadzistsini, God of Water and Darkness, was gone. We all stared after him for a moment before the shouting began.
I stood with Viper against the barrage of anger, hurt, and wild demands, our hands clasped tightly and chins lifted. Even Kirill opposed us. No one wanted another man in my life, especially if that man drove out one of them; a god who they had bonded with. I understood completely. Once a man is accepted into the fold, wrapped within the lioness magic, he becomes a brother to them. And I had just kicked their brother out of the house.
My heart bled for Toby. It ached as if he'd punched me in the chest. And it took all the willpower I had not to run after him. But Viper had no one. I was it for him. He had waited thousands of years for me and left the Void for me even though he knew I was evil. Even though he knew that I'd be bringing him to life fully grown, without a proper family, without anyone to love him but me. I refused to abandon him. I was about to tell my husbands that when my daughter roared.
The sound echoed over
the stone walls and trembled through the territory. The lioness magic recognized Lesya as my heir. And the heir apparent was pissed. We all went silent as a ferocious Lesya stepped defensively in front of me with Brevyn and Rian flanking her and faced off with my husbands. We'd forgotten about the children. Oh, Sons of Anarchy! Horrible things had been said in front of my babies. I crouched down and drew them back against me, into a hug.
“I'm so sorry, sweethearts,” I crooned. “It's going to be all right. Your fathers and uncles are just angry right now. People say cruel things when they're angry, but it doesn't mean that they don't love me. We'll work this out.”
“We know, Mommy,” Brevyn said calmly as all three of them stepped out of my embrace. “Go ahead, Lesya, tell them.”
“I like him!” Lesya shouted at her uncles and her father. “He sparkles.”
Then she strode purposefully over to Viper and took his free hand; a hand that had started to fill with starlight. The light vanished mere seconds before he touched her. Lesya smiled up at Viper as if she'd fully expected him to bank his light for her.
Viper crouched down, mimicking the pose I was still in, and let go of Lesya's hand to tap her pert nose. “I like you too, little lioness. You're strong like your mother. I see her in your face and I heard her in your roar.”
“Thank you,” Lesya said proudly before she hugged him. “I'm a lion princess, you know?”
“Is that right?” Viper smiled from her to me.
“He sparkles?” Re huffed. “What the hell does that mean? I thought he was a snake, not a vampire?”
“You need to pay more attention,” Kirill suggested as he came to collect his daughter. Kirill crouched beside Lesya and eased her out of Viper's arms. “He has star magic, Kotyonok,” he explained to her. “Zat's vhy he sparkles. It doesn't mean he's a good man.”
“But I like it,” Lesya said simply as she automatically went to her father. “It's just like Mommy's hair.”
“Zere are many stars in ze sky, Lesya,” Kirill said solemnly. “Zey all sparkle, but zey also burn. You must be careful who you give your heart to.” He cast a meaningful look my way as he stood up and tucked Lesya protectively in against his broad chest.
Viper stood along with Kirill. They faced each other with my daughter between them. I hurried to my feet as well and went to push them apart before blood was spilled in front of my children.
“Please, Kirill,” I laid a hand on his arm. “Viper has no one but me. I made him. I gave him life.”
“And you love him,” Kirill finished bitterly.
I just nodded.
“He's my uncle,” Brevyn announced. “I've seen it. He's family. Family is family so, stop fighting about it. Mommy has a big heart. She's the Goddess of Love. You can't be angry about that. She can't help who she is.”
My husbands exchanged a heavy look as I smiled softly at my son. Ever my protector.
“Daddy, don't be mad at mommy,” Rian said fiercely. “I don't like it! You're being mean!”
Arach burst out laughing and shook his head ruefully. I caught the glimmer of tears in his eyes and immediately let go of Viper to rush over to my fey husband. Arach caught me in a tight embrace and hid his face in my hair.
“I love you, Dragon. That's never going to change,” I whispered in his ear.
Arach swallowed roughly and nodded. “Very well, A Thaisce, you have my forgiveness. And my acceptance.”
“Thank you.” I kissed Arach tenderly before I turned to look at the others.
“Well, I guess we have an opening what with the Native American gone,” Re muttered.
“Re,” Azrael chided.
“She loves him,” Re said as if that were it. “We've had this argument already. When children have to tell you to accept your wife's new lover, it's pretty bad. Ridiculous even. But Brevyn is right; we can't fault her for being the woman we fell in love with. This is life with Vervain. Shi...” Re noticed the children watching him and drew the word out. “...ish kebabs happen. Vervain brought home another man. Big surprise there.” He looked over at Viper. “This is what you're getting into, by the way. So, if you're not one hundred percent certain that this is what you want, you'd best follow Toby into the Aether. He thought he could handle it, but he was wrong. What about you?”
“I'm absolutely certain that this is what I want.” Viper lifted his chin. “Whatever it takes, I'll deal with it.”
“Really?” Re stalked forward and looked Viper up and down. “Your name implies that you're the sort to slink away.”
“And his name implies that he lies.” Viper waved a hand at Odin. “My star named me. She gave me my magic and my name, and I never changed it. Despite what it implies, I never will.”
Re gave a deep, beleaguered sigh, and turned to look at my other husbands. “He has my vote. Anyone who will stick with such a silly name just because it came from someone they love, is all right by me.”
“Thank you, Re.” I went to kiss his cheek. “And don't forget that you call me Lala.”
Re chuckled. “As I said; anyone who will stick with a silly name just because it came from someone they love, is all right by me.”
“And what about Toby, Minn Elska?” Trevor asked softly. “You just forget about him and replace him with Viper? Is your heart so fickle?”
“No, of course not. You know me better than that.” I let out a shaky breath. I wouldn't cry. I wouldn't cry. Toby had made his choice. This wasn't the first time one of my men had walked out on me nor was it the first time I had to watch Toby walk away. “He's not dead, just angry. And as long as he's alive, there's a chance for us. But I won't break under an ultimatum. People who love you don't try to break you.”
“Toby was just shocked.” Odin glanced away from me uncomfortably. “We've all had our moments of doubt.”
“You vere being controlled by a new body,” Kirill said gently to Odin. “You didn't doubt her, Odin. You vaited five hundred years for her. You have no doubts.”
Odin smiled at Kirill and then looked at Viper. “You hear that? This is what makes it work for us. We're like brothers. We don't hurt each other. We don't get jealous of each other. We don't compete with each other. Can you do that? Can you put aside your pride and just love her?”
“Odin, you know the lion magic will—” I started to say that all Viper needed was one night spent with all of us together and he'd be fine, even if he did feel some jealousy. The lion magic is what makes them feel at ease with each other. But Odin cut me off.
“I need to know that Viper can handle it, Vervain,” Odin said sternly. “Magic is helpful, but it isn't everything. We are a family because we've grown together. Because we love each other, and we have each other's backs. It will take time to establish that with Viper. We were just getting there with Toby and now, he's gone. It's a lot to take in.”
“I've already told you; he's my uncle.” Brevyn lifted his chin in imitation of Viper's pose. “It's been decided.”
“And I already told you; I won't let her go,” Viper added. “You ask if I can share her. Well, I've shared her from day one. She was never mine completely. I held Vervain in my arms, but she held all of you in her heart. She never let go of you. Even when evil forced her hand, it never touched her love for all of you. So, know that when I say I can handle this, I don't do so lightly. I've already proven myself. I could have returned to the Void. I could have slipped free of her grip and gone back into that peace. Been reborn into a different life. But I held on.” Viper took my hand and squeezed it. “I will never let go.”
“Velcome to our family.” Kirill held a hand out to Viper as our daughter squealed with joy and kissed her daddy's cheek in approval.
“Thank you,” Viper said with quiet sincerity as he shook Kirill's hand. “And thank you, all of you”—he looked at my children—“for believing in me.”
“Welcome to the family, Uncle Viper,” Lesya said.
“I guess that settles that,” Trevor muttered and then stepped forward
to shake Viper's hand.
Azrael followed and then, finally, Odin approached.
“Vervain has been my wife twice,” Odin said to Viper. “I have loved her for centuries. I've accepted that to love her means to let her love others, but those others must be exceptional. That is my condition. To love my wife, you had damn well better be special.” He narrowed his flashing, peacock eyes at Viper. “Vervain took you from the Void, as she did me, and she gave you a new body, as she did me. But that doesn't matter. What matters is that you held onto her when we couldn't. You accepted her evil, you even allowed her to poison you with it, rather than letting her go. Now, do I think that was the best thing to do for Vervain? No. My choice, obviously, would have been to fight for her even when she fought against me. But there is something to be said about a man who will follow his lover into the darkness rather than stay in the light. There is greatness in that. Exceptional greatness.”