Seventh Seal: A Reverse Harem Tale (Lovin' the Coven Book 7)

by Jacquelyn Faye

  Laughing maniacally, Yuki ripped its head from its shoulders.

  Standing over its corpse, tossing its head from one hand to the other, she sneered at me. "There. See how fucking stupid it is now?"

  "Wait, you did that on purpose?"

  She shrugged.

  "To teach me a fucking lesson?"

  She shrugged again.

  "You're a fucking asshole. I just jumped from like two thousand stories up!"

  Her sneer turned into a smirk. "And did we learn our lesson?"

  "Maybe. But you're fucking grounded!" I couldn't help but laugh and ruffle her spikes.

  "Good. We can be grounded together and Netflix and chill."

  I stared at her for a moment.

  "What?"

  "Yeah. I don't think that means what you think it means, Yuke."

  "Huh?"

  "It means watch a movie and fuck."

  "No, it doesn't."

  "Yes, it does. Ask Jimmy."

  "Everything means fuck to Jimmy."

  "Good point."

  Chapter 24

  Judging by the number of metal doors with bars lining the hallway on the other side of the door being guarded by the angels, I would have guessed we were in the right place. I'd actually wanted to wait for the others to catch up, but Yuki had talked me into seeing what was on the other side of the door. Cell by cell, we peered through the bars. Finally, I gave up and shouted my father's name.

  "Dorothea?" My name was croaked through the bars of the very last cell at the end of the hall.

  Stopping the search, I put one foot in front of the other until I was running the rest of the way, using my vampiric speed without realizing and leaving even Yuki in the dust. Slamming against the door, I gripped the bars and peered inside.

  My father hung from burning hot chains against the far wall, his flesh smoking in the manacles. "Oh, my goddess," I whispered and kicked at the door. And kicked again. I was pounding and screaming in an effort to get to my father when Yuki pulled me away. "Together," she reiterated.

  We backed up as far as we could and hit it together, blasting it from the hinges and jumping over it as we fell into his cell.

  "I told you not to come," he groaned through the pain.

  "And I told you I would," I answered and looked at his bonds. His flesh was burning, but healing just as fast, keeping him in a constant state of pain. "Bheith fuar," I canted, watching the burning hot chains freeze against my spell. They were already warming as I canted, "Fuascail," Frantically pulling them off his wrists before they burned him again. He fell into my arms.

  "Thank you, Daughter."

  Lowering him to the ground, I leaned him back against the wall. For being imprisoned for over ninety years, he looked surprisingly well. His clothes were tattered, his flesh drawn, and his beard nearly to his waist, but he was alive. "We need to get out of here."

  "No. You do. I thank you from releasing me from my chains, but I cannot leave."

  "Why?"

  "Because, Daughter. If I were to take my power from you, you would not survive. It is why I told you not to come!" He smiled at me sadly.

  "Funny story about that," I said with a small chuckle and reached into the pocket of my jeans, pulling the stone and tucking it into his hand without showing it to him.

  "A receptacle? How?"

  "Gift from Delron."

  "That dastardly elf!" He chuckled, but then looked at me again sadly. "Then you no longer have my…"

  "Godhood? Nope."

  He tilted his head and stared a moment, looking between Yuki and me. "But…"

  I sighed. There was so much to tell him. Once we were back in the mortal realm. We would have all the time in the world. "Long story. Tell you later."

  There was a flash of brilliant red light and he let the dust of the gem fall to the ground beside him. Shimmering, his beard disappeared as his skin filled, his clothes mended, and he radiated black power. The power of the night. He lifted me to my feet.

  "So much better," he said and stretched, sounding much stronger. And then he hugged me.

  The smell of the father I hadn't seen since I was a child wrapped around me, comforting me, soothing me. His chest pressed against my face as he kissed the top of my head and held me close. The tears started falling, soaking his shirt, as the sobs began wracking my body from the depths of my soul. The man I had thought I would never get to meet was real. And he was holding me.

  Yuki just smiled and leaned back against the wall beside us, her hands folded behind her.

  "I cannot believe how beautiful you are," he whispered and pushed me back to arm's length, getting to look at me with his own eyes. "Nor how strong. You look just like your mother."

  It was funny, coming from my father's lips, for the first time, it felt like a compliment. "Thank you, Father."

  "Oh, shush. Call me Dad, or Aodh, if you prefer. You're all grown up now."

  "Lady of her own coven, Lord of the vampires, Master of the dark elves, and Lady of the shadows, too," Yuki chimed in proudly. "Just like her father."

  Aodh stared into my eyes, put his hands aside my face and shifted his gaze to the air around me. "I see. That is why you no longer needed my power. You have your own." His face split in a grin. "Just like your father. More even. Since you have witches behind you, too." He sounded almost…proud.

  I sniffled and rubbed my nose against the sleeve of my sweater. "Well, this is a conversation better left for home. Let's get the hell out of hell. I need some coffee."

  We slipped out of the cell and down the never-ending hallway, breaking out into the bottom of the circular cavern just as the others dropped off the last of the stairs.

  My mother fell to her knees. Nana smiled happily. Ellis, Shea, and Dar bowed to the floor, taking a knee. The rest of my boys looked at my father nervously. But Josie… Josie stared and didn't know what to do.

  "I see you told her?"

  I looked up at my father, smiling proudly. "Yep."

  "Kids. They never listen." He chuckled and let go of me, taking a step closer to my sister. "Hello, Daughter."

  Josie didn't run, but she didn't walk either, towing Candace behind her as she crossed the cavern and stopping short. "Uh… Hi. I'm Josie. Your other daughter…"

  Aodh hugged her just as hard as he had hugged me. "I am sorry for not being in your life," he said sadly and pulled back.

  "It's okay. I know you were…uh…busy." Josie smiled.

  "And who is this?" He leaned around his daughter and smiled at Candace.

  "This is Candace. My…fiancé. We're getting married."

  He smiled again. "My, how times have changed. I have a lot of catching up to, I see. It is a pleasure to meet you, Candace." He held out his arms for her, too.

  Shyly, she hugged him back.

  "You smell like," he started.

  "Sunshine," Josie and I finished.

  "Yes! Welcome to the family, daughter of the light."

  "Thank you," Candace managed to whisper.

  "Shall we go?" He offered her his arm.

  ∞ ∞ ∞

  We ran into two more groups of angels, but with my father's power, we didn't even slow as we headed for the front door of Mephistopheles's castle. Kicking it open, we stepped out onto the plains of Tartarus and landed onto green grasses under an endless sky of bright blue without a sun.

  "Uh. This doesn't look like Tartarus," I stammered and spun in a circle, having a very horrible feeling. "Or earth."

  "No. It's not," Aodh agreed and frowned.

  "You know where we are, don't you?" I did, too. The sunless sky was a huge hint. I just wanted to hear how much trouble we were in straight from my father's lips.

  "Yes. You do, too."

  "Shit."

  "Double shit," he said and let go of Candace's arm with a soft pat of assurance. "You and your friends get back. It's me she wants." He pushed me behind him with an outstretched hand.

  I moved behind him, but stayed close, urging everyon
e back with my own hand gestures while we waited for the attack to come.

  "Come on out, Belenus. You know we're here." He was looking toward the sky, but dropped his gaze to the plains before him as the blue curtain of the sky parted and the goddess Belenus stepped through.

  "Well, well. I knew putting that portal on the inside of the door would be a good idea. Beautiful piece of work, don't you think? My angels can come and go as they please and anyone foolish enough to infiltrate the castle would be stuck there for all eternity or dumped in my lap for a proper punishment. Or quick death. You should have stayed in your hole, Aodh. It's where you belong."

  "In your hole? That seems like too harsh of a punishment to me," I chided from beside my father. More of behind, but a little off to the side.

  Aodh turned his head and shook it, telling me to shut up and leave the banter to him. She was his mirror power. She couldn't be any more powerful than my father. I was confused as to why he was worried. The odds were fourteen to one.

  Until the choir of archangels landed behind her, flaming swords at the ready.

  "Oh."

  My father nodded.

  "If keep me you must, I surrender. Let the rest of them return to the mortal realm."

  Belenus cackled. "Another human has emerged as a god against the decree of the All. And you wish me to simply let her go?" Belenus took a step closer. "No, Aodh. She will be joining you. Maybe I'll be sweet and give you adjoining cells so you can have company until her mortal coil finally withers away. Then you can spend eternity together as daughter and daddy gods." She chuckled again at her own joke.

  "Let her go, Belenus." Daughter. I will fight her. Flee. Circle around her, find her castle, and use the portal inside to go back to your realm. Do not worry, she will not kill me. And this time, leave me be. She is crazed and will not relent until I am broken.

  I'm not leaving you.

  Go! Use the child of the light to get past the archangels.

  How he knew Candace could do that, was beyond me. I was almost prepared to listen. Until my mother and grandmother took up the spaces beside me.

  "No, Aodh. Enough is enough," Mother answered. "She is punishing you for leaving her, nothing more. There is nothing righteous about her decree or imprisonment of you. We will fight. The three witches of Blackwell stand beside you."

  "Together," Nana added and grabbed my hand. Mother took the other.

  "All of us," Yuki and the rest strode closer, witch hands ablaze, fangs bared, and talons at the ready.

  Aodh just chuckled. "Well, I had thought to surrender peacefully, but my daughter's family wishes for a fight. What say you, Belenus? Last chance to let us go?"

  "When Tartarus freezes over."

  "It was pretty cold there. I'm just saying," I said to Nana and Mother.

  "It was. Kind of surprising actually. You'd think it would be hot with all that fire and redness? Really kind of strange." Nana shrugged.

  "I was thinking about a nice summer home right by the fire springs," Mother answered Nana.

  Belenus fumed and the angels attacked, command unspoken.

  "Wall of fire," Nana said calmly as the three of us focused our power and canted the words together. A wall of fire the likes of which even the goddess had never seen sprang up behind Belenus, separating her from her choir.

  Belenus snarled in fury and attacked Aodh, curved flaming swords appearing in both hands as she tried to separate his head from his body. Tendrils of earth sprang from the ground beneath her feet as my coven casted spells with the sole intention of helping my father. Ice cracked off her arms as she swung her blades, severing vines, and clashing against the matte black blades of my father. The sky shuddered with each strike.

  "Help Aodh, Daughter," Nana said calmly. "Dorothea and I will keep the angels at bay."

  The wall of flame diminished for a moment as Mother let go and strode behind Aodh, casting slowing spells, binding spells, and everything and anything she could to aid his battle.

  The first angel skirted the crest of the wall of flames and attacked Nana and me from above. It was almost upon us when Candace's scream of fury stopped it in its path, dropping it to the ground and leaving it staring at her in bewilderment.

  "You have a child of light," Belenus sputtered.

  "My future daughter in law," Aodh answered proudly.

  "Child! Quell your song. I command it!" There was a momentary rumble of thunder and Candace shrieked, falling to the ground. Letting go of Nana, I almost beat Josie to Candace's side.

  "Are you okay?" She opened her mouth to speak but nothing emerged. The goddess Belenus had silenced her. By letting go of Nana, the power fueling the fire wall diminished, and it continued to shrink. Archangels started to pour over and around it. Calling the shadows, I nearly cried in frustration. Just as in Tartarus, there were no shadows to be found. Light illuminated everything above and below, leaving no room for darkness. Not in the realm of Belenus.

  If we were going to win, we needed the night.

  Turning, I ran back to Nana. I needed her power. Putting both hands on her shoulders, I whispered into her ear, "Forget the fire, we need to blot out this damnable day."

  "Huh?"

  "I need shade!"

  "What do you have in mind?"

  "Darkness…"

  "Dorchadas," we canted together.

  It started slow, a mere sphere before us. Reaching over Nana, I plunged my hand into the heart of it, feeling its coolness against my skin, reveling in its familiarity. Turning his head, my father blinked in surprise and took a blade across the bicep. Ignoring the pain, he reached behind him and added his power to our own.

  It swelled to double its size, but it wasn't nearly enough. Until Yuki, Ellis, Dar, and Shea put their hands upon me as I had mine on Nana. The night swirled through me, darkness caressing every inch of me like a familiar lover teasing all my most tender of places. I took all of that, all they had offered me, and forced it through my grandmother and into our budding bubble of night.

  It groaned as it fought against the day, swelling and enlarging until it covered us. Stars twinkled above as the grass beneath our feet turned blue under the nighttime sky.

  "No!" Belenus did a double strike against my father but two splotches of red blossomed across her chest as Chief fired twice. Candace shrieked once more and drove the host of angels to the ground. With almost practiced ease, Aodh batted her blades away as Belenus dropped to her knees, stopping herself from collapsing face first into the ground. It was over.

  My father turned and raised his hand toward me, a smile as brilliant as the sun on his face. Time stopped. Belenus lifted her head, a wicked smile on her face as she called a spear of light to her hand and drove it up under my father's ribs and into his heart.

  Screaming his name, I reached out and tore through the fabric of her realm, just as I had done in the lands of Faerie, with a clawed fist. Almost like black water, the shadows poured in through the gaping wound as I ran.

  Ran to catch my falling father.

  The shadows swarming behind me didn't stop as my arms wrapped around him and stopped him from crashing to the ground. Blackness completely enveloped the bitch as she cackled in the success of her deathblow. Wordlessly she died as the shadows tore her into pieces no bigger than my Fidget.

  "Dad. Dad! Aodh!" I whined pitifully as his labored breaths came slower and slower.

  "It is okay, my daughter."

  "No. No, it's fucking not. Hang on!" I pulled the slick spear from his wound and tossed it away even as it severely burned my hand. "Heal!"

  He shook his head. I poured my power into him, holding my hand over his gaping wound and moving it up to his heart. Back and forth, trying to get the wound to heal and his heart to keep beating. Candace plopped to the ground across from me and lent him her power, too. Josie just knelt by his head, soundlessly sobbing. He reached up and took her hand in his.

  "It is okay, my daughters. You're both safe now. Be good to each other. Take care
of each other. And your mothers." He winked.

  I poured every ounce of power I had left in me into him, and still it wasn't enough. "No. No. You fight, damn it!"

  He just smiled and closed his eyes. "I cannot. I may be a god, but I am a god of the night. A spear of the day… Even I can't fight against that," he whispered. And stopped breathing. "I love you both. All of you," he said to my mother, nodded once, and I watched in horror as the light left the god of night's eyes.

  "No. No. No, no, no." Pain gripped my chest. Everything we had worked for…everything. It was for nothing. He was gone. Truly gone and nothing would ever replace the hole in my heart I had just filled.

  I wailed.

  Josie sobbed.

  Mother closed her eyes. Tears fell down her cheeks. It was the first time I'd ever seen my mother cry. I never wanted to see it again. The three of us touched him, and beneath our hands, he faded away.

  "I am sorry, my sisters."

  We all looked up to stare in shock at the goddess herself standing where the shadows batted around the remaining pieces of Belenus.

  Reaching down, she smiled and whispered, "Shoo." They scattered before her moonlit presence. The remaining pieces of the goddess of the day, she scattered to the wind. As she stood and stepped forward, her husband coalesced behind her. His antlered head twinkling in her light like exquisitely crafted silver. She was the moon, he was the sun, but in darkness even his bronzed skin was pale.

  "We were so close," I said forlornly, sobbing before her, my lip quivering.

  "And now you must move on. It is what my brother would want."

  "And that was what my sister deserved," the Lord said solemnly. Day and night, moon and sun. They truly were two sets of siblings, married to their opposing forces. But now we were truly without half the gods.