by Sandy James
Tears formed in her eyes and her palms grew hot at the mere thought of something happening to Rebecca.
“You win this time,” Rebecca said. “I figured Helen might have surfaced, but you were right. Chernabog gave Max his backing.”
“You know,” Megan said, “I’ve gotta admit, I hadn’t considered Helen. I’d figured you wounded her so bad, she’s not going to surface for a good long while.”
“We’ll have to put a stop to this,” Johann said from across the room. “We won’t be able to kill Chernabog, but we can send his ass back to guarding camahuetos.”
Just thinking about a badass god like Chernabog being punished by forcing him to herd one-horned bulls made Megan snort. “I’d pay good money to see that.”
Artair, as always, stayed focused. “You said he mentioned a queen?”
“Just in passing,” she replied. “Didn’t make a big thing about it or anything.”
“I’m more worried about Max,” Johann said.
“You don’t remember what happened with Maksim Popov at the museum?” Rebecca asked.
The topic of Maksim Popov turned Megan’s mood in a heartbeat. The man frightened her—not that she’d admit that to her Sentinels and Guardian. “Shouldn’t we still be talking about Chernabog’s fat ass?”
“We will,” Rebecca replied. “But now that we know who’s behind Popov, I’m trying to understand him. The more we know, the more we might be able to figure out why he’s Chernabog’s puppet.”
“I honestly don’t remember much of the museum,” Megan replied. “I don’t know how, but I danced with the guy like I was some ballroom geek. It was as if I could hear him in my head, telling me what to do, which way to turn, where to put my feet. And I just…did it.”
Johann watched her so intently, her cheeks flushed hot. She’d rather remember the dance she shared with Johann.
“What about in his dressing room?” Rebecca asked. “You know, the first time—when you went there as you.”
Megan had to think hard. One moment she was talking to Max—the next, she was home with Johann. “I remember us talking, then my mind went kind of blank. I think he wanted to—” She shot another nervous glance at Johann who was sitting cross-legged on the big floor pillow in front of the fireplace.
“Kiss you. He was kissing you, Megan,” he said, folding his arms over his chest and staring holes through her.
She couldn’t help but take exception to his snide tone, even if he was right. “It’s not like I asked him to. I’d sooner kiss a cobra. I just couldn’t make him stop.”
Artair stopped polishing the sword he’d laid on his lap. “My concern, lass, is that you cannae fight the man. Do you know why?”
With a shake of her head, she frowned. “There’s some pull. Some force drowning my own thoughts. I have to do what he commands. I know it sounds odd…”
“It doesn’t sound odd. It sounds like hypnosis,” Rebecca said as she set the rocking chair in motion.
Watching Rebecca nurse her son, Megan had never seen anyone so contented. This was all Rebecca had ever wanted. A good man. Beautiful children. She truly was Mother Earth.
“Hypnosis? How could he hypnotize me without my knowing it?” She’d always believed hypnotists were nothing but con artists.
“It’s not that tough,” Johann replied. “Some people can’t be hypnotized, but some are more suggestible. More pliable.”
Artair’s chuckled but didn’t look up from the sword he’d started working on again. “There’s nothing pliable about our Fire.”
“Pliable doesn’t have to mean weak,” Johann countered. “Megan might be a bit…gruff, but she’s very open-minded. You’d be amazed at the type of people who succumb to hypnosis.”
Megan arched an eyebrow at him and picked up her can of soda. “How do you know about hypnosis?”
“Special ops training. We had to learn how to protect ourselves not only physically but mentally.”
Rebecca knit her brows. “How could Popov hypnotize her if he never met her?”
Artair put his sword on the carpet and picked up Rebecca’s, one encrusted with emeralds. Rhiannon obviously gave her Amazon some of the same gifts as Freya gave Megan. She wondered if Sarita’s sword had sapphires in a deep blue for Water, but she had no idea what color jewels would fit Gina’s Air.
“Megan,” Artair said, “tell me when you first felt some connection to the man.”
She took a drink from the can and thought long and hard before she spoke. “It was when Johann and I were in Ashley Douglass’s bedroom. When I saw the pictures of Popov on her wall. His eyes—I don’t know—followed me. Then he was suddenly in all my nightmares.”
Ashamed she couldn’t block Max from her thoughts and her dreams, Megan glanced away. Bonnie caught her eye. The child put her wooden sword down, picked up her plaid blanket and toddled over to Johann.
Megan’s heart melted when Johann picked Bonnie up, turned her around and set her on his lap.
Bonnie stuck her thumb in her mouth, held her plaid to her cheek, then settled back against his chest and closed her eyes.
The guy might be a hell of a warrior, but at that moment, he looked more like the perfect father. The vision made Megan long for things she knew she couldn’t have. With the exception of Rebecca MacKay, Amazons didn’t have husbands. Or children.
Amazons had one-night stands and died young.
Megan thought seriously for the first time about what Rebecca had done for her, Sarita and Gina. Her only act as a goddess had been to restore their fertility with their true loves.
Was Johann Herrmann Megan’s true love?
As she swigged her soda, her heart suddenly answered, “Absolutely.”
Shit.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
It was one thing to admit to herself she loved the frustrating man. It was another thing entirely to admit he was her mate, the man meant to be her other half.
How was she supposed to deal with that in the middle of this fight? Four girls were dead. Two Ancients were grasping for power. A serial killer—a pseudovampire—was on the loose. There wasn’t time to think about trivial things.
Like birth control. They hadn’t used any.
She choked on her drink.
Johann threw her a frown. “Megan? You okay?” She continued to sputter and cough, and he added, “Need the Heimlich or something?”
Before she could respond, a flash of light announced the entrance of one of the patron goddesses.
Rhiannon popped into the middle of the living room. Dressed in a gown of peach velvet, she fisted her hands against her hips and glared down at Johann with an intensity that sent shivers through Megan.
“You dare show your face in Avalon?” Rhiannon asked, her words accompanied by a small earthquake.
Johann rose with Bonnie, whose eyes were now as big as saucers as she stared at an enraged Rhiannon. He passed the toddler over to Artair and then stood before his goddess. He thumped his chest with his fist in salute and briefly bowed his head.
Rhiannon narrowed her eyes.
“You’re angry, m’lady.”
This time a loud wind sprang up and whipped the trees outside the house, slapping their branches hard against the walls and windows. “Aye, I am angry. Did you think I would not know when you bedded Fire? Have you no shame to resist her seduction?”
A hot blush spread all the way to her ears. Rebecca knew about her and Johann, and she’d assumed if Rebecca knew, so did Artair. But to have her sex life thrown out in the open like that in front of everybody was still embarrassing. To have Rhiannon insinuate Megan had thrown herself at Johann was worse.
“I wasn’t thinking about you at the time, m’lady.”
Right after the words fell out of his mouth, Johann looked contrite, wh
ich wasn’t a surprise considering how disrespectful his statement sounded.
Rhiannon’s eyes flashed red.
Megan had seen Freya’s eyes change color with her moods before, but she’d only noticed that response from Rhiannon once—when Rebecca had angered the goddess but good. If Rhiannon was that pissed off, there was a very real chance she would send Johann back to the world and wipe his memories of the Amazon world clean.
Megan threw herself in front of Johann. She wasn’t letting Rhiannon take away the man she loved.
Eyes still red, Rhiannon shifted that frightening gaze to Megan. With the flip of her wrist, she moved Megan to the side, then slammed her back against the wall so hard it knocked the breath from her. A couple of framed pictures of Bonnie and Darian crashed to the floor.
A little stunned by the impact, she had a hard time figuring out what was happening—things changed so fast. A pop of light brought Freya in the middle of the fray.
“How dare you!” Freya shouted before she held her palm out and sent a stream of fire at Rhiannon’s feet.
Rhiannon pursed her lips and blew, causing a stiff wind to snuff the fire before it reached the carpet. “I dare all. I am the Lady of the Lake. I am the Goddess of the Isle. Your trollop of an Amazon bedded my Sentinel. She will be punished.”
Megan was pinned against the wall by a force beyond her control. She wondered for a moment if this was how Johann felt when she’d pasted him to the column back at Folkvang. She vowed to be more careful and learn some control of her new telekinetic powers so she didn’t hurt someone out of anger.
Johann took a few steps toward her. “Megan are you—”
Rhiannon flipped her wrist before he could finish his question. He acted like his feet had been frozen to the ground and his hands flew to his throat. She’d silenced his voice and stopped his movement.
Freya snapped her fingers and Megan was free. Then the goddess loosed Johann with a nod and a blink, which only seemed to annoy Rhiannon more.
“I will send them both back,” Rhiannon said, her eyes returning to their more customary green. “’Tis fitting punishment for a Sentinel and Amazon who betray me. They will have their memories removed and be put back in the boring human world from whence they came.” She waited a few beats. “And far, far away from each other.”
“Nay,” Freya replied with a shake of her head. “You shall not.”
Megan wasn’t leaving without a fight, and she sure wasn’t going anywhere—even back to Chicago—without Johann. “I’m not—”
Freya threw her a chastising stare, clearly ordering her to hold her tongue.
Megan reluctantly obliged her mother.
The goddess turned her attention back to Rhiannon. “You may not part them. ’Tis your folly to have started fraternization between Amazon and Sentinel.” Freya’s gaze fell on Artair who was holding Bonnie on his hip before it shifted to Rebecca who was now on her feet and cradling Darian against her shoulder. “Your Amazon has found contentment. Mine deserves no less. You may not send away my Amazon.”
Another brisk wind blew through the big room. The heavy drapes lifted and twisted in the breeze. “Johann Herrmann is my Sentinel. I may do with him as I see fit.”
“Our Sentinel,” Freya said with a glower. “And the boy has done no wrong. He merely followed his heart.”
Rhiannon put her hands against her hips. “I tire of your constant interference, Freya. It would seem we are ever at odds. Perhaps the time has come to break apart our Amazon force and let us watch over our own creations.”
“No!” The shout came from Rebecca, loud enough it set Darian to crying. She rubbed his back to calm him, but her eyes were blazing at Rhiannon. “Megan and I are sisters, and I’m Guardian to all the women. You can’t keep us apart. Without each other, we wouldn’t be strong enough to defeat this evil or any new one that comes our way.”
Rhiannon whirled to face Rebecca. “You would disrespect me, Rebecca MacKay? I am your patroness. I allowed you to wed my Sentinel. I gave you my new Earth to be your daughter. I gave you your son.”
Rebecca bowed her head as she continued to rub the now quieting baby’s back. “I respect you, m’lady, and I’m very grateful for all the blessings you’ve bestowed. I merely ask you not do something rash because you’re angry.”
“M’lady?” Artair’s voice was calm despite the melodrama unfolding in his home. “May I speak?”
With a dignified lift of her chin, Rhiannon turned to Artair. “Yes, MacKay.”
“You would let a mere mortal enrage you so?”
Her chin rose a little higher, her slender neck so long and stiff, it looked as if it would snap.
“You are consort to gods and kings, m’lady. You are the keeper of Excalibur and hold domain over the true Avalon. What is the loss of one young, insignificant man?”
Rebecca locked eyes with her husband then gave him a brief nod. “You’re the Lady of the Lake. You gave King Arthur his quest for the Holy Grail. What does someone like Johann matter to you?”
Rhiannon considered their words as long, quiet moments passed. Then she looked to Freya. “I will not break apart the Amazons. But know this, Freya of Folkvang—I am no longer ally to you.”
Freya scoffed a laugh. “Even you cannot break apart the magicks we created to bind us to each other through the Amazons.”
“Mayhaps not,” Rhiannon replied with jeer, “but I shall most assuredly try. Should you call for me, that call shall fall upon deaf ears.”
“As if I could possibly need your assistance. And I shall not rise to your defense, either. We are parted as allies.”
“So be it.” With a curt nod, Rhiannon shifted her angry gaze to Johann. “You wish to remain here, Sentinel? You wish to be in the service of the Amazons and the greater good?”
He saluted her. “Yes, m’lady.”
“Because you wish to remain with Fire?”
“Yes, I want to be with Megan—but that’s not the only reason I want to stay a Sentinel. I fight for those who can’t fight for themselves. You saved my sister. I pledged myself to your service. I won’t go back on that vow.”
The goddess didn’t appear appeased. “Should you stay, you shall no longer have my benevolence.”
Freya crossed to room to stand at Johann’s side. She gave Rhiannon a haughty smile. “Then he shall have mine.”
“So be it,” Rhiannon said. She turned her attention to Megan. “And you, Megan Feurer? You think you have won a victory over me today? All is not truly well in your world.”
“I beg your pardon?” Megan’s stomach suddenly twisted in a painful spasm. Something bad was coming—something other than Maksim Popov.
“You think you know well this man—this Sentinel who pledges his…support?” Rhiannon asked, inclining her head toward Johann. “You took him to your bed, but do you know him as you believe you do?”
Megan nodded.
“Then ask him why he was sent to you in the city by the lake. Ask him why he was supposed to get closer to you. ’Twas not for love and affection, I can assure you.”
The goddess was playing mind games, and Megan tried not to let it get to her. Rhiannon was just being petty because she lost a fight with Freya. That tactic wasn’t successful. Then Megan told herself Rhiannon was simply jealous. That method wasn’t successful, either.
“He was supposed to help me learn to be a little more…discreet when I hunt demons. He’s my Sentinel, and he can teach me some better control over my powers.”
“You are wrong. His true purpose was to—”
Sparks shot from Freya’s hair and her eyes blazed crimson. “Nay!”
Rhiannon’s wind whipped through the room, snuffing Freya’s sparks. “Aye!”
Megan’s heart slammed against her ribcage. She’d been kept out of the loop ab
out something—something obviously important. She whirled to face Johann. “What in the hell is she talking about?”
His face flushed red, the color quickly spreading down his neck. Not a good sign. “We’ll talk about it later.”
“She merely seeks to stir up trouble where there should be none,” Freya said, shooting a nasty glare at Rhiannon. “Ever the cause of mischief, are you not?”
“Think hard on this, Megan Feurer,” Rhiannon said with a smirk. “What punishment would be given a rebellious Amazon? What punishment will be given Helen, my rogue Earth, should she be discovered? What punishment does an Amazon who kills in view of humans, who spills our secrets, deserve?”
Megan knew the answer to the questions Rhiannon posed for they all had the same reply. The offending Amazon deserved to be stripped of her powers.
Johann was a liar. After he’d coaxed her into baring her soul and telling him about her fears and her feelings, he’d lied right to her face while he’d planned to take her power away.
Rhiannon disappeared in an eerie shimmer instead of her customary flash of light. Her smug laughter hung in the air for a few moments before it finally faded.
Johann reached out for Megan’s hand.
She jerked it away and crossed the room to put some distance between them. If he touched her, she couldn’t think straight. And she had an awful lot to think about. “You came to Chicago to take away my powers.” She knew it as a fact and saw no reason to ask a question. “You came to send me back.”
“Megan, if you let me explain—” he began before she glared him into silence.
“You son of a bitch.” Turning to Freya, Megan said, “And you? You were going to let him! You’re my mother. My mother! Do you think you’ll ever start acting like one?”
Freya’s face pinched into an intense frown. “Aye, I am your mother, and you shall not speak to me so disrespectfully. I was not inclined to let the Sentinel take you away from the Amazons.”