by S. Lawrence
"Emma hasn't slept in days. She just lays there staring at the wall, listening for Aislin. They have been meeting on the couch at night." I nod at his words. They've also gone for early morning rides, Fergus soothing Aislin's nerves. They are sitting beneath the old Oak, the horses grazing near them. Even that beast Concubar stands guard over them. I hate this feeling of not being able to help, and so does Jason, if his continuous growls are anything to go by. My dragon is just below the surface, unsettled in a way he hasn't ever been before.
"Our animals feel the coming war." His eyes flash red in response.
Chapter 36
AISLIN AND EMMA
I hold my best friend's hand. I don't want to let her go. Emma only told me about the deal she had made with Hades a few days ago. I'm still a bit angry at her. I'm also still fighting through all the things that happened on that ship. I told her some more of the horrible details from when I was held by the madman. She grips my hand tightly in return, neither of us wanting to let each other out of our sights. I can feel Kai near, although he gives me as much space as he can. Jason is with him, standing guard over Emma as well.
Concubar snorts, and I smile a little. I am not afraid with him and Fergus watching over us. I don't know what happened to cause the big stallion to suddenly be protecting us but I'll take his protection any day. For all I know, Michael can talk to animals and told him to do it before he left. I've never seen this horse take to anyone like he did that man. Kindred spirits, I suppose.
Emma is watching the beast quite intently. "What is it, Em?”
"I don't know, I just feel something from him, something that I didn't before. Maybe it’s my new powers, but I'm not sure. I'm not even sure what they are. We know yours is empathy, but mine, the Goddess of Winter, what does that mean?" She looks back at the tree before locking eyes with me.
"We could try to ask. I don't know what I'm doing, but maybe she will answer. Or we could see if Morrigan will come; Kai can reach her. Or Jason could call Persephone," I spout out ideas, reaching for anything to calm our nerves.
She shakes her head, "I don't want Jason, or Kai for that matter, to know that I'm worried."
"Are you worried?"
"Some, I guess. I don't know. All we keep hearing about is our destiny, and that this huge battle for everything is coming, but I have no idea what that means to me. I don't even understand why I was chosen." Tears pool in her eyes and I pull her to me, hugging her tightly.
"I feel the same way. You know that, right? All I did was get kidnapped and tortured," I whisper into her hair.
"That's not true." She bristles at my words.
'It's not true for either of you. You were special before you drew your first breath. Your destinies have been written in the stars for thousands of years. Your powers reflect your natural strengths. Aislin, you have always felt deeply, your emotions hidden from everyone but a select few. Now others can't hide theirs from you. You will know their true nature, and nothing will stay hidden. You will need this skill for the battle to come. You, my dear, will find those that hide in plain sight. Emma, your power comes from your strength, not only physical but mental. Your entire life, you have dealt with mental stress with grace. You thrive on that stress and where others buckle, you will grow stronger. The more you are attacked, the stronger you will grow. You will be the one that keeps everyone going, who supports those around you, building them up. Your need for perfection will push you to fight harder when all is lost. You are the bringer of renewal, for that is what winter is, death before rebirth. You will see, my daughters, you will see.'
EMMA
The voice drifts away, leaving feelings of love and warmth in its wake. I lock eyes with Aislin, and some of the tension eases from our bodies. Who are we to argue with the Tree of Life, a being as old as time itself?
"I worry about Michael and Sean. I don't know if they were ready to face their demons," my friend whispers. It's been days, and we've not heard anything. We love those men, their scars and all. I looked in their eyes the moment I met them and saw the same shadows that live in my daddy's. I don't tell her that any time he was forced to look at those shadows, it was near disaster. The lyrics of the Yelawolf song, "Shadows", play through my head. Yes, those boys are haunted, both by things done to them and things done by them.
"I'm worried, too. Cora laughs and jokes but she has her own issues. I've never gotten her to tell me why she ran from her family but I know it has to have something to do with her sight and now, she has to deal with it being so much more. It's going to bring up her own memories, her own demons." Aislin nods gently.
Three women shimmer in front of us, here but not. I hear pounding footsteps and instinctively hold my hand up, stopping Jason and Kai, knowing they are running to protect us. I glance at Aislin and she barely moves and nods, one that is hardly a nod at all. She uses her power, assessing them while they wait for our decision. The stallion moves closer, stomping his massive hooves and tossing his head. They turn their heads as one and look at him. It is eerie. Aislin rises and moves a step toward them, Fergus moving to her side. His eyes rolling, she rubs his neck to calm him. They solidify, and their power wash over us.
Their voices combine, layered as one when they speak, "We bring you word of our daughter and those she travels with."
His heat wraps around me as Jason moves to stand at my back, ready to fight, and I can hear the rumble of his growl. Drawing his hand into mine, I strive to calm him. Kai joins Aislin, his hand on her shoulder. She is holding her breath, waiting for what they will say next.
"Get on with it," Jason growls. "Can't you see how worried they are? Don't make them fucking wait."
"Jason!" I admonish him. He is unrepentant.
"It was a long and difficult journey for the Druids.Towards the end, they made a great sacrifice that allowed them to pass the final test," they say in synchrony.
"What sacrifice?" I ask, Cora's vision on my mind.
"Themselves."
"WHAT?" Aislin screams, crumpling into Kai's arms.
The beautiful black woman moves forward. "My dear, they are fine, brought back by the great Mother and our daughter. They are better than fine, for they are more. They are now as they have been destined to be."
Aislin straightens and glares at her. "And what is that ?"
"Cu Sith and Cait Sith," they answer, and Kai gasps, drawing our eyes.
"What is that?" Jason asks for all of us.
"That is a myth from when I was a child, Guardian animals that make your hellhound seem small. A massive wolf with green fur, he protects the Earth, and a huge cat, like a leopard but much bigger. The Cait Sith is the silent killer. They haven't been seen for hundreds, maybe thousands of years." Kai voice is filled with reverence.
"What he says is true. They were once one of us. They chose long ago to leave this life and gave their magic to Yggdrasill to keep until the ones that had been foretold arrived. That is Sean and Michael. We trained them until they left to rescue Raven from her prison. They are with her now, hidden from those that seek her, resting. Cora is with them, waiting on her destiny."
We look at each other. No one speaks. Okay, I'll go. "What exactly is her destiny?"
They all smile slyly. No response, and they fade away. That's getting fucking old, and Aislin must agree because she curses, looking around for them.
"I feel like I should prepare but I have no idea how or for what. I mean sure, a huge end of the world battle, but I'm assuming that it isn't going to be just one. Like we are going to line up on a goddamn line, and who ever is standing at the end of day is the winner?" I look at Jason and then Kai.
"You're right. We need to do something now. It's not like we don't know who is behind it all now - Odin. What we need to do is find out who else. If Aphrodite is helping him, there are others." Jason gets angrier as he thinks about the betrayal.
"We need to gather help." Kai looks at Aislin before continuing, "We need to find our allies." She nods and draws a
deep breath, her body drawing up straighter. I see her jaw flex; my girl is pissed.
"We need to go to the Isle. I know you aren't going to want to hear this, but we need to check the Guardians. We don't know for certain that they haven't been corrupted." He starts to argue but stops, resignation filling his eyes.
"Jason and I will go to the Underworld and gather the hounds." Grabbing his hand, I draw his gaze to me and say, "Maybe some of those in the Elysian Fields can help us." His face turns thoughtful before he nods.
"I will contact Nestor. He and Pow can take Mimi and search for help within the Egyptian and American clans." He turns away and starts toward the house. Kai follows after telling Aislin he will start packing their things.
The sun is setting behind the oak over the river, and we stand, hand in hand, watching. My heart is pounding as I turn to her, my soul sister. "I love you."
"I love you, too," Aislin says softly.
It's not goodbye; we refuse to say that. I hug her tightly, tears sliding down my face at the thought of never seeing her again. Surely the universe isn't that cruel. It's long minutes before we break apart. Still hand in hand, we walk to the barn, the horses following close behind us. We are silent as we climb the stairs and part to go to our separate rooms. We emerge at the same time, and her smile makes me smile. We stand in our doorways and grin at the shirt each of us put on. Thelma and Louise, till the end.
Chapter 37
MICHAEL
Cora is grinning like a fool, and I wink at her. It only makes her grin bigger as her gaze slides over my shoulder. Sean is only a few step behind me now. I chuckle as he calls Raven lover. Soon, very soon. My cat prowls, wanting her more. We reach the kitchen, and I look at my brother. He arches one eyebrow, and I nod. It is an unspoken language, one used for years of catching our prey. He hums and it sounds like a growl, his wolf riding him as hard as the cat rides me. I have a moment of worry. What if they don't share? He shakes his head at whatever he senses from me.
"It's all good, brother. Going to be so good." Cora's eyes widen at the lust rolling off him, thickening his voice.
"Umm, Raven?" She calls, glancing between us. "Is there a place I can rest?" She means escape, if her blush is anything to go by.
"Oh, umm, sure. I thought we might talk about what's been happening." Raven stops her advance, locking desperate eyes with Cora. I smile at her nervousness. It must be feral looking because her tension ratchets up, and Cora slaps my arm.
"Christ’s sake! Don't look at her like your going to eat her," she hisses at me. "You're scaring her." I look at Raven's pulse pounding in her neck, and Sean draws a deep breath before locking eyes with me.
"Is that it, Raven? You're… Scared?" Her body tells us a different story.
"Overwhelmed," she murmurs.
"We are still the men you looked at with want and need," Sean says quietly. Only I recognize the uncertainty in it.
"I know. I recognize a bonding when I feel it. This will be forever. It is forever." She starts to move closer to us, and I can feel her apprehension. She moves to stand beside Cora, putting the island between her and us, like a physical barrier will help.
"We can make this however we want it. However you want it. You want us. It would have come to this with or without the magic. I… We've wanted you since that first moment in Greece. Surely, you know that." Sean nods in agreement.
"Do I really need to be here for this?" We all look at the pixie in our midst. Sean starts to chuckle, and soon, we all are laughing. The tension breaks at her uncomfortable face. Our laughter earns us two fingers, but she winks at me, as Raven laughs harder. If she didn't have our love and loyalty, she just earned it. The sound of Raven's laughter eases my nerves and the cat's need.
Cora's stomach growls loudly and we all look at her. "What? We haven't eaten in forever, and before, it was just that military shit you brought. I need gumbo or etouffee. Beignets. Red beans and rice," she moans, and her stomach growls again. Raven smiles and then disappears. I hiss and look around, Sean's growl ringing out as he tenses. "Shit. Shit. Shit." Cora spins in a circle before racing down a dark hall. "RAVEN!?!" Her voice echoes through the cave.
My heart pounds, but my cat chuffs. The sound makes me pause. I turn inward, looking at the beast. 'You aren't upset?'
'Why would I be? She is fine. Feel her. Through the bond.' I search the magic and I only feel her happiness. I reach for Sean, turning him. "Brother, calm yourself. Is your wolf upset?" He pauses and then shakes his head. "If I can feel her through the bond, you can too. She is happy. She is unharmed."
Cora runs back into the room, panting, "Shit, that goes on for a long way. I didn't find her." She is almost in tears. Sean crosses to her and pulls her into his arms.
"Calm yerself, sister. I don't know where she is, but she is fine. We can feel her through our bond." She sags into him, the adrenaline crashing with relief.
We are still standing in the same spots a few minutes later when Raven appears, arms loaded with bags. She takes one look at Cora and drops them on the counter, wings flexing out and spinning, looking for danger. "What happened?" Her voice rings with power.
"Umm, you disappeared." The 'fucking' was implied by Cora's outraged tone.
Raven turns, looking at us, and her face falls. "I'm so sorry." She moves and takes Cora's hand, drawing her to the counter. "I went to New Orleans. I brought you the food you wanted." The smell of the food reaches us as she opens the bags and pulls everything Cora had mentioned out. "I...," she stops, looking down at the floor.
"Oh my God, you are so sweet. I think I might love you. You're seriously my new favorite person." Cora grins at her, and Raven smiles back before looking up at Sean and me. We are both smiling at her, and she sags with relief, mouthing 'I'm sorry' at us. "You just startled us is all," Cora mumbles around a beignet, sending powdered sugar flying through the air. She closes her eyes in delight. Raven reaches back in the bag and slides a cup over to the woman. Cora's eyes fly open, locking on the cup. "Is that chicory… Please say that's chicory." Raven nods. "Yep, absolute favorite."
She sips the hot liquid, eyes rolling back in ecstasy. As we all watch her, Sean shifts next to me, and I grin at his discomfort. Cora's eyes pop open, eyeing Sean. "What?" Raven busts out laughings. I elbow Sean, and she wrinkles her nose, "Ooo, perv." Turning, she puts her back to him and continues to worship the food in her hands. I chuckle before moving to see what else Raven brought. There are more bags on the counter.
"I wasn't sure what you might want." She waves her hands at the mounds of food. She brought enough to feed an army or to keep a couple guys busy for a while. So, we are going to go slow. Fine with me, I love to go slow. I glance at my brother, and he nods. We are, as usual, in agreement.
Grabbing some food, I move to sit in front of the fire, reclining on her couch. I marvel at how much this looks like a modern home. Sean moves to sit in a chair across from me. Cora takes the other chair, leaving Raven only one place to sit, at my side. She slides back, drawing her feet up, tucking one under her. She holds the coffee in her hand and sips it, looking at us over the rim. "So, what happened? I felt you die. The whole story, please." I look over at Sean. He chews his food and shrugs.
"We were asked to sacrifice. To prove that we were worthy of the gifts." She stiffens at my words.
"Well, that's not exactly the truth, though, is it?" I whip my head to Cora. "Not to prove to them or her; it was to prove it to yourselves. The whole damn trip was so that you both would finally see your true worth. To see yourselves the way the rest of us see you. Who knew it would take you killing your-fucking-selves for you to learn it!" She yells the last part, her eyes glassy.
"Cora...," Sean starts.
"Don't you dare Cora me. You didn't see. You didn't have to watch. I stood there, locked in place and watched as you both… You both pulled out your guns and blew your brains out. I had to watch as you fell to the ground, dead." She stands and paces away, holding her hands out toward the flam
es of the fire. Sean reaches her first, kneeling beside her to pull on her hand. Silently, he asks her to turn and look at him.
"I'm truly sorry, lass. I only wished for his happiness. I didn't consider that you might be watching." Tears slide down her face, and he reaches up to wipe them away. I circle her tiny frame with my arms, leaning over her and resting my chin on her head.
"We're stupid gits, Cora. I only thought of him having the love he always deserved, not what it might do to anyone else," I whisper. She nods but remains silent. Sean looks at me over her head, and there is something in his eyes. We will be talking about our choices soon. But for now, I glance at Raven, tears shimmer in her eyes. Tears and something else. Something I've never wanted until her, never dreamed of until now. I look down, and Sean follows my gaze and stares at her intently. Hunger for that same thing is etched on his face.
Cora sniffs and then pats us both on the arm. "You just broke my heart, that's all. I couldn't imagine my life without you big idiots. So don't go dying again," she grumbles, as she moves back to her chair. We follow suit, and once we are settled again, Raven breaks the silence.
"Don't have to worry about that, Cora. They're like me now - basically immortal." It drops like a bomb. She looks at our shocked faces. "I told you this was forever. Are you still happy about the bonding?" I look at my brother.
"Oh yes," I purr, and he nods in agreement, a quiet rumble coming from his chest.
"And, on that note… I'm taking my food and going elsewhere." Cora stands and moves to the counter, grabbing a bag of food.
"There is a room down the hall. There is a T.V. and a bunch of movies. Fenrir loves movies," her voice cracking on the last.
"We'll find him, Black Bird," I promise.
"Black Bird?" She questions, smiling over her shoulder at me.