by Unknown
I was still singing when the shadows condensed into a giant bear and swallowed me whole.
The scream pulled me out of my dream and carried over into reality. I shot out of the bed, scrambling for escape while searching for the baby. Hands reached for me and I screamed more until I realized that I was safe, the hands belonged to Trevor, strong, safe hands, and Kirill, lean and rough, a sculptor's hands. Safety, Home. Love. I sank into it all and sighed. Then I was being lifted, carried back to the softness of our bed, and as my eyes closed once more, I had a sudden moment of insight. I would never have children.
Chapter Thirty-Six
The next day we were meeting with the God Squad, talking about Tawiskaron's mutants and trying to decide on how best to handle them, when Torrent came running into the room. We all stopped talking and looked over at him. His pale, perfect skin was flushed, his vivid green eyes wild, and his blonde hair was sticking out all over his head like the fur on an angry cat.
“Torrent?” I stood up.
“V, I think the Darkness is back,” he whispered.
“Not possible,” I assured him. “I turned the Darkness into fey, there is no Darkness to return here.”
“People are rioting, moaning in despair, raping, stealing, killing each other,” he panted. “You saw what it was capable of just as I did, this is the Darkness.”
“Torr, it's a sick world,” I sighed and sat back down. “People do horrible things to each other. If they didn't, Luke wouldn't be so strong.”
“But Vervain-”
“Raping, stealing, killing, crying,” I shook my head sadly. “None of that is new.”
“All in one place?!” He finally shouted out.
“What?” I stood again.
“This is all happening in one town, all at the same time,” Torrent huffed. “And it seems to be spreading to the next town over.”
“Another virus, perhaps?” Teharon considered.
“No, it's not a disease, it's magic,” Torrent came up to the table and thumped his fist on the wood. “This is the Darkness!”
“Okay,” I held up a hand. “I believe you. Let's go take a look.”
“Thank you,” he sighed and we all followed him to the tracing chamber.
“Where are we going?” I asked as he took my hand. I reached behind me and took Trevor's. We'd have to let Torr lead us all if no one knew where this place was.
“Gig Harbor, Washington,” Torrent replied.
There were a few murmurs from the rest of the Squad. Evidently the town was known so how small could it possibly be? At least we didn't have to make numerous trips, we could all go at once. I went with Torrent though, I had no idea where Gig Harbor was.
So I let him trace us and we came out on a dock. The ocean stretched out in front of us, filled with bobbing boats both moored and sailing freely. The sea breeze was sharp with the tang of salt and the unpleasant odor of low tide. Aquatic things dying in the air. Salty death stench.
I stared around me in surprise, Torrent was usually more careful about tracing but he'd brought us right into the middle of town. There were quaint looking buildings to either side of us. Then I heard the cacophony and turned around.
It was chaos. People were running everywhere. A gang was beating on one guy while feminine screams poured from an alley. There were thieves rampaging through stores and people just sitting in the middle of the street crying, pulling at their hair. I didn't even know where to begin but I figured the guy getting beaten was as good a place as any.
I rushed over, flinging assailants aside and pulling them off the poor man. They came back immediately, even after I threw them several feet. Impressive and irritating. I snarled and punched one hard enough to put him down. The others came at me in a pack formation but Torrent jumped in and we beat them back. When we were finally able to look for the victim, he was long gone.
“Well how's that for thanks?” I grimaced at Torr and then flinched at the sound of renewed screaming.
By then the others had joined us and Trevor had made a beeline to the screams. They stopped shortly afterward and a bunch of men came running out of the alley. Trevor emerged carrying a woman who was badly beaten, her dress torn and bloody. He put her down on a bench and raced off toward more sounds of distress.
I shrugged and started looking around for clues as to why this was happening, now that there were others there to help those in need. I sniffed and focused, then jerked in shock. Torrent was right, there was Darkness there. Once you've touched the Dark, you never forget it. The hollow ache of it, the cold scent, the viscous trace it left behind. But how?
Then I saw Ash.
I started running and he saw me but he didn't bother to flee. He just stood there, smiling, as happy as you please. When I reached him, he started to speak but I punched him in the face and put an end to that nonsense. He fell to the ground bleeding and stared up at me in shock.
“Why would you do that?” He was more confused than angry.
“Why would you do this?” I shot back. “How many of you are here?”
“All of us,” he shrugged. “King Rowan said we needed to practice control and you said we couldn't practice on the other kingdoms, so we came here.” He got up and dusted himself off. “What's the big deal, they're only humans.”
“Do you even know who I am?” I nearly screamed at him. “Do you know why I hunt the gods?”
“No,” he frowned. “I didn't know you hunted gods. Why would you-oh, King Rowan, good, can you-”
“What the fuck do you think you're doing?” I screamed at Rowan, who had just sauntered up to us.
“We're practicing,” he waved his hands out like it was obvious. “We need to learn how to properly control our magic.”
I glanced around and saw Torrent, his face held within Laurell's hands. She was leaning in towards him, a rapturous expression on her face as he paled, his eyes going wide and terrified. I ran over to them, cutting off whatever else Rowan was about to say.
“I know you, little magic boy,” Laurell was whispering to Torr. “I've touched you before, traced the paths of your codes. You're nothing but a program made flesh, you're not real. You know that, don't you? You're like a robot, an imitation of life.”
I came up behind her and pulled her from him, lifting her up by her neck and tossing her away. Then I followed her, rage filling my limbs, and kicked her in the stomach. I know, it wasn't very sporting of me, but I was pissed. She was playing on his weakness and enjoying every second of it. What had I done when I'd created these fey? They were monsters, true monsters.
“You ever come near him again,” I grabbed her by the hair and growled down into her face, “I'll rip you apart and eat your heart while you watch.”
I released her with a violent jerk and hurried back to Torr. I found him standing in the same place, his face drawn with pain. I grabbed him by the arms and shook him. He started to cry, crumpling against me, and it took everything I had to stop myself from going back over to Laurell and staking her with something. Anything. It didn't matter what. My bare hands would do.
“Torr, it's not true,” I whispered and stroked his hair. “She's just using your fears against you. You know you're real.” I pushed him back and looked into his human eyes. “You've made yourself real. Remember, it doesn't matter how we begin, it's the journey that counts. That's what life is, a journey, and you're walking the path. You're alive, you're real. Nothing she says can change that.”
“I'm alive,” his eyes cleared and he took a deep breath. “I'm magic, I'm flesh, and I'm real. It's okay, V. I'm alright now. I just couldn't think past the weight of her words. It was like being in that hallway again.”
“Now that was an accident,” Rowan said from behind. “Laurell couldn't help it, we're drawn to those we've touched before.”
“An accident?” I swung around and got in Rowan's face. “You're killing people, hurting them. And you're bringing attention to yourself. You can't allow modern humans to know about the f
ey, Rowan. The humans have means of protecting themselves now. You know that.”
“They don't seem to be doing such a good job so far,” he smirked and I slapped him. That wiped the smirk away fast.
“Because they haven't caught on yet,” I growled. “They're too wrapped up in the pain you're dishing out to notice you but there are more of them, lots more of them, and they have weapons that will cut you down in a heartbeat. You're not immortal anymore.”
“Yes I am,” he scoffed.
“No, you're not,” I pushed him so hard, he landed on his ass. Then I straddled him and sank my knees into his shoulders. “You're long lived. If I stabbed you with... oh, pretty much anything, you'd die. You'd return to Faerie and have to be reborn.”
“So I'd live again,” he grinned up at me.
“No, the element would live again. You, Rowan, this thinking, feeling being, would be gone. Your memories, gone. Your mind, gone. Everything you feel, be it love or hate, gone forever. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” he whispered. “I've never considered that.”
“That's what you're doing to these people,” I smacked him in the forehead and the dark fey, who had gathered around me, gasped. “You're killing them, taking away all their thoughts, dreams, and love. People will mourn them, more people than would more you, I dare say.”
“My fey would mourn me,” he whispered.
“Maybe,” I shrugged, “but what's that? Twenty fey? Humans may have short lives but they live them well and they love each other. Take one away and several will mourn his passing. Several will avenge him. You? You've just been born. No one feels anything for you except your own fey.”
“And you,” he lifted his hand to my leg and I jerked upright. He stood with a soft smile.
“What's your magic?” I snarled into his face and he lost the smile. “Tell me!”
“Lust,” he purred. “I hold lust.”
“Now that makes sense,” I shook my head. “I do care about you, King Rowan. I care about all of you because I helped birth you. I gave you this form and I want you to be happy in it but this?” I waved a hand and saw that all the chaos had stopped. People were milling about the streets, lost and confused. The God Squad was gathered behind me, watching the drama unfold. “Don't do this again or I will be forced to stop you permanently.”
“We understand,” Rowan sobered. “We'll practice our magic on each other for now but I can't guarantee it won't leak out of the Dark Kingdom.”
“So be it,” I sighed. “At least the fey can prepare themselves.”
“Be sure you relay that message to the High King,” Rowan narrowed his eyes on me. “I don't want to receive a call from him saying he knew nothing of this arrangement.”
“And you be sure never to use your magic on me again,” I warned him. “Or I'll use mine on you.”
“Which one?” His eyes went soft, seductive. “Love? Fertility?”
“Fire,” I growled and his eyes hardened. “Now get back to Faerie before I roast you.”
Chapter Thirty-Seven
When we returned from Gig Harbor, we still couldn't figure out what to do about Tawiskaron. So we did what any normal, frustrated bunch of deities did in a situation like that, we went drinking at Moonshine.
It was 10:30 at night and the club was packed. We had to fight our way through the crowd to get to the stairs that led up to the VIP lounge. We always had a bouncer guarding the stairs and that night was no different. What was different was that the bouncer wasn't a Froekn. It was Griffin.
I stopped and gaped for a second, looking over Griffin's cross-armed stance, which made the most of the muscles he had. He looked intimidating, especially for me, who hadn't seen or spoken to him since I'd taken him to my house in Kaneohe. I'd completely forgotten that he was going to start working at Moonshine.
“Vervain,” I barely heard his low voice over the latest Dark Horses song.
“Griffin,” I nodded and felt Trevor's hand at my back, supporting me and urging me forward.
He was right, best not to dwell. My chest clenched painfully as I edged by him and when Griffin's hand brushed mine, an electric shock went through me, threatening to take away my power to breathe. Even if he hadn't touched me, my body was painfully aware of him and it took all of my will to get me to continue past him. I needed a drink.
I sat down heavily on a faux-hill couch beside Trevor. Kirill sat on Trevor's other side so that Azrael, who had been able to join us, was able to sit on my left. Kirill was always so good about giving Az some intimacy with me when he had the chance to visit but now that we'd worked out a way to have more alone time, it wasn't as necessary. I'd talk to Kirill later about it but for the moment, I was just happy to be surrounded by so much love.
“I'm such an idiot,” I whispered to myself.
What's that, Carus?” Az leaned his head down to mine, though he didn't really need to. We didn't blast the music at Moonshine and upstairs it became background if you wanted it to. I think Az just wanted to get closer and that comforted me even more.
“I said I'm an idiot,” I smiled up at him. “I've got the most amazing men here with me and I'm pining for Odin like a teenage girl. Oh woe is me, no one knows the pain of heartache like I do. I'm going to stop this right now.”
“Excellent,” Az slid a hand along the back of my neck and kissed me.
I felt Trevor's hand on my low back, his warmth pressing in beside me. I truly was surrounded by love and I truly was an idiot because when I heard Griffin's voice interrupt us, my heart nearly jumped out of my chest in delight. I had to wrangle it back down before I grasped what he was saying.
“-nice and comfortable, aren't you?”
“You know what, Griffin?” Azrael got up and his wings burst from his back in a fierce display. “I've had enough of you. You're snarky remarks, your playing with Vervain's affections. We gave you some leeway because we all know who you are and what you've gone through to get back to Vervain but if you want out, you're out. You're being an idiot but that's your choice. You don't get to come up here and snub your nose at how she lives because you can't bring yourself to share her. Sharing Vervain makes me more happy than having any other woman completely to myself. If it doesn't do the same for you, then fuck off!”
I gaped up at Azrael, watching his eyes go black, his face shadow into the skull that had produced the Grim Reaper legend. His irises started sparkling like stars in the black night of his eyes and his wings folded behind him like the hood of a cloak. I was terrified and exhilarated and deeply, deeply in love with him.
I stood slowly, everything seemed to move slowly in that hushed moment, and I angled myself in front of Az. The angelic script on his cheek, the symbol for his name, glowed fierce blue, like the heart of a flame, and I knew in mere moments his eyes would start dripping white fire. Tears that would burn where they fell. I slid my hands up his cheeks and angled his face down to mine.
“I've always said the gods weren't real,” I spoke brokenly, emotion emphasizing each word. “That they're just Atlanteans, just magic users, but you've proved me wrong. You've saved me, touched my soul, walked me through Hell, and rescued me from Heaven. You are a god, not just an angel. So here's my prayer to you; Thank you for loving me so much that you would turn your kind heart to anger in my defense. I love you too, Az.”
I lifted my face up to his and he kissed me again. The hard press of bones faded back beneath my hands and although his tears touched me, their heat felt good, raising scales on my cheeks in their wake. We were perfect for each other, he'd never have to worry over hurting me, not even when he wore the guise of Death. I could hold him still, kiss away his burning tears.
“I just wanted to ask you,” the heat was gone from Griffin's voice. He spoke tonelessly. “If it was okay to let Tawiskaron up here?”
I ended my kiss with Azrael reluctantly and looked over to Griffin. His shoulders were drooped and I had a brief moment of guilt for the public, verbal, ass-whooping Az had just
given him. Brief. Then his words sank in and everyone started reacting. I finally just waved everyone to silence and looked to Teharon for an answer.
“Let him up,” Teharon nodded and Griffin headed back down the stairs without another word.
I sat down, holding Azrael's hand, and Trevor leaned over me to whisper. “Damn, Az, even I was turned on by that. I dig the skull look.”
“Shut up, Trevor,” Az laughed.
“Yeah be careful,” I rubbed at the scales fading back into my cheeks. “Or he might cry on you.”
We started laughing but the laughter stopped when Tawiskaron appeared at the top of the stairs. He was all decked out in his usual impeccable suit, his hair spiked up in an amazing display of maximum strength hair gel, or possibly hairspray. Maybe both, I'd have to ask him for his secret beauty trick sometime. He came over and took a seat on one of the hills, looking as comfortable as if he sat on fake hills in forest-themed nightclubs all the time.
“Brother,” Teharon greeted him.
“Hey, Tawiskaron,” I added. “Welcome to Moonshine.”
“Brother,” he nodded back to Teharon and then looked over to me. “Thank you, Godhunter. You're probably wondering why I'm here.”
“The thought has crossed my mind,” I smirked.
“I want you all to leave my mutants be, let them do their work,” he said. “I promise not to kill too many people at once, not to bring notice to myself or any other gods.”
“Why should we let you do that?” Thor growled.
“Family ties?” He offered. “Friendship?” He looked to Blue. “You agree with me, Huitzilopochtli. The humans need war, they need the thrill of it, the power that comes from killing.”
“Oh here we go,” I rolled my eyes.
“You doubt that?” Tawiskaron looked genuinely shocked. “Have you never seen a battle reenactment? Humans love war so much that they have mock battles all the time. Even, or maybe I should say especially, in times of peace. They can't do without it. Nothing appeals to humanity like blood and the drawing of it. And why? Because blood holds magic, as we well know. They want it just as much as we do.”