by Amy Sumida
“That’s it,” he threw me down on the couch and started unbuckling his belt.
“What are you going to do, give me a lashing?” I looked up, my face filled with a mixture of disbelief and amusement.
“No,” he scoffed. “I’m going to give you another look.”
“Thor!” I laughed and got up to stop him.
“Admit it,” his hands were at the zipper of his jeans.
“Alright, alright,” I put up my hands in surrender. “It’s monstrous, the biggest I’ve ever seen. I fear for my life every time we make love.”
I heard a muffled laugh outside the door and Thor rolled his eyes. “Find somewhere else to be,” he yelled.
“We just wanted to hear who the winner is,” Pan’s voice came through the thick door.”
“Pan, I always win,” I shouted and Thor raised a brow, so I wiggled mine at him.
“Oh, really,” he grabbed both of my hands suddenly and pulled them behind my back. He transferred them both to one of his huge hands and when he pulled down on them a little, I was bent backwards. I gasped as he pushed my blouse up and undid the front-snap bra. “You wanna try that again?”
“I win,” I laughed that deep way women do when they know the effect they have on their man.
His lips covered me with a scalding kiss and I sighed until he bit down just enough to make me cry out. I bucked and lifted my head to glare a warning at him.
“What are you going to do, Godhunter?” He had lifted his face barely an inch to taunt me and his eyes held the lightning I loved. “Who wins?”
“I do,” I breathed out and sucked it back in as he sucked more of my breast into his mouth and bit deeper into the meatier flesh. “I do,” I said again defiantly. He tongued the nipple as he bit deeper and I cried out in pleasure and pain. “I do!”
He took one last lick and then released me. “I guess you do,” he got up and started to walk away.
“Damn it, Thor!” I screamed in frustration.
“Yes?” He looked back over his shoulder.
My blouse fell back down a little as I huffed. “You do.”
“Do what?”
“You win.”
“Again,” he turned around fully and smiled in smug satisfaction. “Say it… loud.” It was his turn to wiggle his brows.
“You win!” I screamed.
I heard Brahma say “Pay up,” and Pan cursed.
Thor closed the distance between us in two strides, then proceeded to make me feel like I’d been the winner after all.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
“She swears it wasn’t her,” Thor slumped in the couch, back where we’d started a few hours earlier.
“And you believe her?” I tried to make my voice sound as neutral as possible.
“Yes,” he looked at the others and they nodded like they all knew some secret god code.
“What?” I looked around at everyone and then back at Thor.
“It wasn’t her, Vervain,” I saw lines of strain around his eyes and knew he was half relieved and half worried.
“How can you be so certain?”
“Vervain, they were married,” Teharon sat next to me and took my hand.
“So?” I didn’t like the way everyone was looking at me, like they were about to tell me my cat had just died. I started looking around for Nick.
“They have a connection,” Teharon answered but Thor waved him to silence.
“I should tell her this,” he looked at Teharon over my head and the Mohawk god let go of my hand. I looked back at Thor.
“You know how I can slide into your mind?” He looked at me like he expected me to get it immediately. I did.
“You’ve shared blood with her, of course,” I sighed in relief and everyone stared at me like they were waiting for my real reaction. “What? That’s it right? You have the same kind of connection with her and you read her mind to see if she was behind the attacks.”
“You’re not mad?” He still looked cautious.
“Why would I be mad about a relationship you ended centuries ago?”
He smiled and shook his head. “I should’ve known you’d be reasonable.”
“Well, I try,” I smirked, “it’s just hard sometimes when you deal with gods who have their own idea of reason.”
Thor laughed in relief. “It’s good to be a god.”
“So if not Sif, then who?” Finn’s voice was back to being impatient.
I caught his gaze and the intensity of it scared me. There was something there I’d have to deal with someday and I wasn’t looking forward to it. I had a feeling he wouldn’t take the friend speech well. I partly blamed myself for encouraging him with the swan thing. Sigh. Just as long as he didn't turn into a bush inhabiting stalker, I'd be fine. I narrowed my eyes on him, maybe I better trim the hedges around my yard.
“She didn’t know,” Thor smiled ruefully. “She was supremely pleased that Vervain’s in danger but just as supremely confused on who it could be.”
“Then you just don’t leave Bilskinir Hall unattended,” Finn waved at me admonishingly when I started to speak. “Back me up here, Thor, you know I’m right.”
“He is,” Thor said simply and begged me with his eyes. I hated it when he did that.
“Fine,” I crossed my arms and gave in to a good pout. No fair, gods ganging up on poor little ol' me.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
“I’m not so bad, little witch,” Blue's voice came gently.
We were seated at a beautifully decorated table next to a railing two stories above the beach. The moonlight created silver stripes on the water and turned ships into mysterious shadow creatures. Candlelight warmed Blue's skin and reflected back to me in the sunglasses he wore. His hair was slicked neatly into a ponytail and he was dressed in a black tailored suit with a white shirt, open at the neck. He looked sophisticated in the dark shades but they made me a little uncomfortable. I felt bare, torn open, while he hid behind the black lenses. I looked away and he pushed the glasses up on his head before taking my hand.
“I have dreams and desires. I pursue them as any man would. Can you fault me for making you a part of my dreams, for desiring you?”
“You don’t pursue as a man,” a shiver went down my spine. “You pursue as a god and gods don’t play fair.”
“Neither do men,” he lowered his mouth to my hand so slowly, I had every opportunity to pull away but I didn’t. I let him caress me with his lips. I let his teeth graze over my flesh and I shivered.
I’d gone completely batty. What was wrong with me? What was I even doing there with him? I looked around the restaurant for some clue. People filled the tables around us but their conversations were soft, muted. I knew this place. I'd been here before. Frowning, I tried to concentrate.
“You’re like a cool rush of wind,” his voice was soft, breathless. “You soothe my skin while you stoke the fire within me.”
“Have you stolen my memories?” I'd finally figured out where we were. Bali by the Sea, one of my favorite posh restaurants. How else could he have known of this place?
“Yes, when I entered your body before, I got glimpses into your past.” I still couldn’t see his eyes, even with those glasses off, but his face seemed to soften as he spoke. “I wanted you at first because you fascinated me. You made me feel interest for the first time in centuries, interest beyond the sweet flesh and blood of a woman.” I felt my face flush and he smiled at me fondly. Somehow it embarrassed me even more.
“You wanted to seduce me and then kill me when you were done,” I looked him over like he repulsed me. “Let me give you a tip. The next time you want a woman, don't tell her you intend to kill her afterward. It tends to ruin the mood.”
“We were enemies,” he shrugged like killing women after he had sex with them was a natural, everyday thing. “I was being honest and if you were honest with yourself, you'd admit that you're attracted to me as well. You resist me only because of our different opinions. It's this str
uggle between your lust and your ideals that made me want you even more but I didn’t love you until I saw into your mind.”
He leaned forward and the light finally caught the blood red of his eyes. They shimmered and stared hard into mine, like he could see past them, into every dark place inside me. I swallowed hard and felt my teeth clench. I felt even more violated than I had from the altar dream. Here he was professing his love for me and all I could think was, he'd fallen for me because he raped my mind. How could he possibly think this was romantic?
“When I saw your strength tempered by such kindness,” he continued relentlessly, “your passion for your art, your search for beauty in all things, your determination to fight for your race even though you fear it will turn you into a cold-hearted monster, your effort to train yourself to be strong but retain the femininity you love, all the conflict and glory of you, I was overwhelmed. I didn’t stand a chance.”
“Oh, my god,” our waitress had returned to pour our champagne and caught the tail end of his confession. I hadn’t even noticed her, I was so enthralled with his twisted speech. “I think I’d kill to hear a man say that to me. If you don’t snatch him up, you’re insane, sweetie.” She smiled brightly but her hands shook a little as she poured my bubbly. I understood how she felt. I was a little shaky myself, though for an entirely different reason.
Blue gave her a gentle smile and she flushed before she returned it and hurried away. I was still dumbstruck. Say something, Vervain, speak! I opened my mouth but all that came out was a rush of air. I closed it and then opened it again. I must’ve looked like a fish… a dying fish.
“Did, uh,” I cleared my throat. “I’m sorry, did you just tell me you love me?”
“Yes,” he shook his head like he was a little surprised by it as well. “I believe I did. I haven’t spoken those words in a long time. I think I like saying them to you. I love you, little witch.” He smiled brightly, like a child who just learned to tie his shoes.
I sipped my drink and let its warmth slip through me, doing a little to calm my racing pulse. Breathe, in and out, in and out, I could handle this situation. I am a professional when it comes to gods. I could distance myself and analyze this thoroughly. He was the Aztec Satan, the father of vampires, the CEO of Bad Gods Incorporated. I hated him, I had to hate him, it was kind of a job requirement… and he loved me. Well, at least he might not try to kill me now.
Unless it was a trick. He was clearly insane. He actually thought this little speech had a shot at winning me over. Maybe he thought he could steal me away from the God Squad by spouting some romantic bullshit. Then he'd either use me for some nefarious purpose or kill me outright. Those options made more sense to me but I was pretty sure we had completely different ideas of sense. What if he really did believe himself to be in love with me? What a twisted son of a bitch. I took another sip of champagne since I couldn't think of anything to say that wouldn't prompt a physical altercation. The silence stretched on and he finally took my hand from the glass and held it, just held it. I looked up at him.
“I wanted you to understand why I’m pursuing you,” his voice poured over me. “I wanted you to know you’re safe with me, will always be safe with me. I didn’t say those things to make you uncomfortable or make you think I expected you to immediately return my feelings. I’ve had the honor of sharing your mind. You know nothing of mine, so you can’t possibly feel the same. I would share that with you as well but I fear that some of my memories would haunt you.”
I sighed, “Okay, I officially feel safe.” Not. “I’ll try and relax but it’s a little hard after a declaration of love from a god.” From a psycho god. I had a fleeting thought that there was another god who loved me but I couldn't remember his name. Why was everything so fuzzy? I looked down at my drink suspiciously.
Blue laughed his sweet laugh and that I did remember. I breathed it in and let it slide over me. He was heat and silk velvet and he was going to make my life hell, I just knew it. Even knowing how evil he was, how he'd probably kill me if given the chance, I couldn't deny his attractiveness. Must be that bad boy thing. Damn, we women could sure be dumb when it came to men. Blue got up and held a hand out to me.
“Dance with me?” I took his hand and suddenly the restaurant was gone. What the hell?
We were alone on a wide expanse of ruby floor. The room seemed to go on forever, fading to darkness. I stared around me in confusion but then he pulled me close and started moving me expertly around the floor. There was music playing but I had no idea where it was coming from, it was simply there.
I leaned my cheek on his chest and it struck me how perfectly I fit against him. There was that quick sensation of another again, that the man who should have been holding me was much bigger than Blue, my face barely reaching mid-chest on him. But then Blue's scent hit me, sweet and dark, like spiced chocolate, and I lost the trace of thought again.
“I want you to trust me, little witch,” Blue whispered into my hair. “So I'm going to be honest with you now.”
“What is it?” I pulled my face back and looked up at him warily.
“This is a dream,” he bit his lip and I noticed the point of a fang. “I've come to you in your sleep because it's the only way I know of to reach you, to speak with you, without any interference.”
“Interference from who?” It all clicked back into place as soon as I questioned it aloud. It was like my mind had just been waiting for me to say the secret word for it to blow away the cobwebs. “Thor,” I breathed as I backed up, pushing out of his embrace. He looked stricken but I knew it was all a trick now. “Thor!” I screamed and sat up in bed as the dream fell away.
“What?” He sat up beside me, sparks dancing along his skin to broadcast his anxiety. “What is it?” He scanned the room and then came back to my face when he noticed nothing out of the ordinary. “Are you alright, darling?”
“It was Blue,” I held my hands up and was pissed to see them shake. “Damn that bastard! Why won't he just leave me alone?” His declaration of love echoed in my head like a death knell. Talk about your fatal attractions.
“I thought you could keep him out,” his arm went around me and pulled me in close.
“I can but it's harder when I'm sleeping,” I let out a shaking breath and let him lay us back down.
“Tomorrow you train with Teharon again,” he said decisively.
“Okay,” I whispered and snuggled into him as I tried to form box after box of steel walls around Blue's link to me. No more dancing with the devil in the pale moonlight.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
“It's your dream, Vervain,” Teharon's gentle voice seemed odd in Thor's bedroom. The only time I ever heard it in there was when I was injured.
We were seated before each other on the bed because he thought it would be helpful to be in the place I would be sleeping, while he trained me to keep Blue out of my dreams. It turned out though, it wasn't keeping Blue out of my dreams that he had in mind. He wanted me to take control of my dreams and use it as another opportunity to get into Blue's head.
“But I need my sleep,” I whined. “I fight when I'm awake, I don't want to have to do it while I'm asleep too.”
“I'm sorry, Godhunter,” his eyes went soft and sad. “We all have our own battles. I would fight this for you but I can't. This one is yours. All I can do is give you the weapons you need.”
“What about a weapon to stop him from getting into my dreams?” I asked for about the fifth time.
“We've tried that,” he was so patient. I would have strangled me by now. “It appears that Huitzilopochtli is too strong.”
“Can't I just practice more, train harder?”
“No,” his voice finally took on a firm edge. “We're wasting time, Vervain. You must train, that's true, but you must train to be aware in your dreaming. Once you've mastered that, you can turn the dream on him. He is the invader. It's your world and you can mold it into whatever you want it to be.”
“H
mmm,” I contemplated that for a second. “That has possibilities.”
“Finally,” he leaned his head back, all that shining black hair swished back with him and I couldn't help admiring it. When he looked up, I was still staring and he smiled slowly. “Those are not thoughts you should be having in your lover's bed.”
“Then stop being so damn sexy,” I crossed my arms. “I can't control my every thought.”
“Yes, you can,” he leaned forward and took my hand, pulling my arms free. “It's what I've been trying to tell you all along. Now concentrate. See yourself in the dream from last night.”
“Alright,” I closed my eyes and pictured the restaurant.
“Have you got it?”
“Yes,” I mumbled petulantly.
“I'm doing this for you, Godhunter,” he said sternly.
“I know,” I sighed. “I apologize for my churlishness. Go on.”
“I was thinking it was more childishness but okay,” he squeezed my hand when I started to make a comeback. “Recall what he said, the feelings, the smells.”
“Got it,” I remembered so much more now. Odd that I didn't notice the smell of the sea in my dream but I remembered it when I was awake.
“Now change it,” he took my other hand and I felt his strength calm me. I could do this. “Think about how you'd have preferred the dream to go and change it. Start by concentrating on the little details, what he was wearing, a table, a lamp, the food. Change the little things and the whole will become easier.”
I nodded as I tried. There, on the table, was a crystal bowl full of red roses. Blue's favorite color. I focused and changed them to yellow. It took a bit of trying but once they went, I was able to grasp the feeling of the change and it became easier. I got rid of the bowl completely, then the table. I emptied the restaurant till we were just standing in an empty space.
“Okay,” I smiled as I continued to focus. “I've changed the scene, now what?”
“Change your interaction,” he instructed. “You won't be able to control his response because he isn't a part of your world, he's an interloper, so don't waste energy on trying. What you can do, is use his presence as your own door into his head. He has to enter a dreamstate to get into your dreams. He's just as vulnerable as you are, even more so since he's putting out the effort to get into your mind. He's laying siege and has left his own castle unguarded, as it were. You can steal into his thoughts while he's distracted in your head.”