by Unknown
Out of the Darkness
Amy Sumida
Copyright © 2013 Amy Sumida
All rights reserved.
ISBN-10:1495271161
ISBN-13: 978-1495271168
DEDICATION
For Richard Cummings, thank you for all your love and support but most of all, thank you for being good to my mother.
More Books by Amy Sumida
The Godhunter Series(in order)
Godhunter
Of Gods and Wolves
Oathbreaker
Coming Soon in the Series:
Marked by Death
Green Tea and Black Death
A Taste for Blood
The Tainted Web
Series Split:
These books can be read together or separately
Harvest of the Gods & A Fey Harvest
Into the Void & (Out of the Darkness)
Perchance to Die
Tracing Thunder
Light as a Feather
Rain or Monkeyshine
Blood Bound
Eye of Re
Beyond the Godhunter
A Darker Element
The Twilight Court
Fairy-Struck
Pixie-Led
Raven Mocking
Other Books
The Magic of Fabric
Feeding the Lwas: A Vodou Cookbook
There's a Goddess Too
The Vampire-Werewolf Complex
Enchantress
Pronunciation Guide
A Thaisce: A-hash-keh
Aalish: A-lis
Aednat: Ey-nit
Aithinne: A-hin-yeh
Aodh: Ee
Aoife: Ee-fa
Arach: Air-roc
Armadal: Arm-uh-dul
Artair: AR-ter
Bean-Sidhe: Ban-Shee
Bearach: BEH-ruch
Bilskinir: Bill-ska-neer
Bláthaich: Bla-eck
Borgach: BOR-guch
Breana: BREE-uhna
Cahal: KA-hul
Caitir: KAH-teheer
Caoimhe: KUY-VU
Carus: Care-us
Cian: Key-an
Ciaran: Key-ah-rawn
Colm: Kohlm
Craegor: Kraeg-or
Crith-Fuinn: Creh-fuing
Daoir: Daheer
Damhnait: Dav-net (no, it's not “damn it”)
Danal: Da-nul
Dearbhail: JIR-vel
Deidre: Dayrd-ruh
Deuraich: Day-ooh-eck
Diarmat: Deer-mit
Dubheasa: Duv-eesa
Dughall: Dew-gall
Erc: Ayrk
Estsanatlehi(Mrs E): Es-tan-AHT-lu-hee
Fearghal: Far-rell
Felan: Feh-lahn
Ferdaid: Fayr-Jud
Finnian: Fin-eey-an
Fionn: FYOON
Fionnaghal: FYOON-ghal-a
Froekn: Fro-kin
Gormal: GAU-rum-ul
Gráinne: GRAW-nya
Gruach: Groo-ah
Guirmean: GOO-rah-man
Huitzilopochtli: Weet-seal-oh-POACHED-lee
Hvergelmir: Ver-gel-mir
Iain: Ee-an
Intare: In-tar-ay
Isleen: Is-leen
Kael: Kayl
Kirill: Key-reel
Laise: LASH-uh
Leanan-Sidhe: Lah-nan Shee
Leriewoag: LAY-ree-ak
Luag: LOO-ak
Mairi: Mahr-ee
Mairte: Mahrj-ta
Meara: Meer-ah
Meilyr: May-ler
Muireen: Mwir-en
Neala: Nee-ah-la
Nyavirezi: Nee-yah-veer-ez-ee
Oran: Ahr-an
Patraicc: Pa-trik
Righ: Ree
Rouva: Roo-vah
Scotaidh: SCO-tee
Shehaquim: Shah-ha-keem
Taog: TOOK
Taraghlan: TA-ruh-glan
Taran: TA-ran
Tima: Tee-mah
Tlaloc: T-la-lock
Ualraig: OO-ul-rik
Una: Oo-nah
Author's Note
Out of the Darkness is part of the second set of books in the series split and for those of you who may have leaped ahead in the series, I will explain. Vervain is now in possession of a ring that allows here to travel back in time. She makes use of it to travel between the God/Human Realms and the Faerie Realm so that she is essentially in both realms all the time. Because of this, I have taken the liberty of splitting up her adventures into two books, one in the God/Human Realms and one in the Faerie Realm. They are meant to be read together, jumping back and forth with Vervain when she travels between the realms but they are two individual stories and may be read separately, just be sure to read them in order for the best experience. I've had a lovely recommendation from a reviewer(Thank you, “Constant Reader” on Amazon) to put in a symbol to indicate when Vervain is jumping to another realm and the books should be switched. So to make things easier, whenever you see this symbol:
>O<
switch books. Or, like I've said, you can read them individually. Either way, thank you so much to all of my loyal readers, you inspire me to keep Vervain fighting and as you know, she's not a woman who gives up easily.
Chapter One
Sometimes having multiple lovers was like living in an erotic novel but most of the time it was a juggling act that had no sexual connotations at all. It could get a bit annoying actually.
“You smell like feathers,” Arach said as I reappeared in our bedroom at Castle Aithinne. “Dark feathers.”
“Now that's just ridiculous,” I shook my head at him. “You can't smell colors.”
“Sure I can,” he lifted his elegant nose into the air, “dark feathers are more musky.”
“Musky?” I narrowed my eyes on him. “Musk is a scent limited to furred animals, it doesn't lend itself to feathers. You're full of it.”
“Were you with the angel or not?” He huffed and leaned back against the wall with crossed arms.
“Yes, I was just with Azrael,” I poked him in the chest. “Stop that, you've got the best end of this deal, remember?”
“Yes, I remember but that doesn't stop me from wanting more.” His hand shot out and he pulled me up against his chest. “So how's our feathered friend doing?”
“Well, I just found out his father is Lucifer,” I shrugged and settled in against him. “I got to meet him, he looks just like Az.”
“Lucifer? The one whose book you told me about?”
“That's him,” I bit Arach's bottom lip because it was still sticking out in a pout. “He's going to help me get into the Void.”
“Are you sure it's safe?”
“I'll need to do some training,” I nodded. “I have to learn how to manipulate energy and then astral project but then it should be perfectly safe.”
“Which means not at all safe,” he sighed. “What does he want in return?”
“In return for what?”
“For teaching you how to reach the Void,” Arach frowned at me. “He must want something for the knowledge.”
“He didn't ask for anything,” I thought about it. “All he asked was to be allowed to see me manipulate my territory when I got good enough to do so and if that's payment, then so be it.”
“Hmm, well be wary of him too,” Arach brushed back the strands of my hair that had wandered between us. “He may be Azrael's father but he's still the Devil.”
“I promise I'll be careful around Satan, okay?”
“Okay,” he laughed and let me go.
“Now, what would you say to having a dragon visit us?�
�
“A what?” His dragon eyes went wide.
“A dragon, not a dragon-sidhe, just a regular old dragon,” I shrugged. “His name is Salem and he guards the gate to Hell. Luke said he could take a vacation and I suggested he come to Faerie and go flying with us. What do you think? You think the High King will mind?”
“I... who's Luke?”
“Oh, Luke as in short for Lucifer.”
“Ah,” he shook his head. “A dragon, really? I would love to meet him and I don't think King Cian would have a problem with it. I thought they'd died out, back when we almost did.”
“The gods offered sanctuary to the survivors,” I went to the table near our bedroom window and sat down. The view of Faerie never got old for me. A living forest of massive trees the size of skyscrapers, surrounded by four elemental kingdoms. It was breathtaking. “I've met two already. One was in Niflheim, he was guarding Hvergelmir, the Well of Souls. I met him before I met you. Then I met Salem today. He's a very pretty green dragon.”
“The other kingdoms will quake in fear to see three dragons in the sky above them,” Arach looked positively gleeful. “When shall we expect him?”
“I have no idea,” I laughed. “You know that time thing. He's just left the God Realm, so sometime in the future, but I thought I'd better come back and get approval before he actually arrives.”
“Well, if he's just left, we should probably see him in about ten years or so.”
“Excuse me?” I gaped at him.
“I've been trying to keep track of your visits and if my calculations are correct, we are at the equivalent of your July twenty-seventh, and now I'm assuming you stayed your usual two months this last time?”
“Three,” I whispered.
“Okay, three,” he shook his head. “Then if you keep to your schedule of staying a couple of months here as well as there, you gain only two days in the God Realm with the two months you stay here and so... yes in about ten years fey time we shall expect his arrival.”
“I guess I needn't have rushed,” I huffed a laugh. “I had no idea the time had gotten so skewed with my using the ring.”
“Magic can have repercussions,” Arach shrugged. “It makes no difference. Ten years is a blink of the eye to a faerie.”
“I guess.”
“However, you still should have asked permission from the High King before telling Salem he could come.”
“I am asking permission first,” I grinned. “Technically.”
“Let's just mirror King Cian,” he sighed and turned toward the dressing table along the wall.
Chapter Two
Not only did King Cian give his approval for Salem's visit, he invited us to a party celebrating his birthday. How old was he? Well evidently one didn't ask that question of the fey. It was rude, as any age could be considered to have its draw backs. Also, most of the fey didn't remember their exact age. It was considered impressive that the High King remembered the day of his birth at all.
“Do you know what day you were born on?” I looked over at Arach as we mingled among the fey, in the throne room of the Castle of Eight.
“Of course,” he scoffed.
“Well?” I gave him my any time now look.
“It's not so easy to explain to you,” he smirked back at me. “Your society functions on a different calender now. We've begun to look into it in an attempt to relate our world to yours but tradition is hard to break. I admit however that this Gregorian calender that's in current popularity is easier to follow.”
“What did the fey use?” I stopped walking, absently taking a glass of fey wine from a passing brownie waiter.
“Our own calender of course,” he huffed. “You may know it as the Gaulish Coligny Calender, though it's ours. We gave it to the Celts back when we were on good terms with the humans.”
“Never heard of it,” I shrugged.
“You've... never...” he sputtered. “It synchronizes the solar year and the lunar month. Lunar months began at the new moon and solar years would include a thirteenth month every two and a half years. Months were divided into two, so that you could use it as a basic unit of measurement, a fortnight. The first half of the month was always fifteen days but the second half alternated between fourteen and fifteen, every other month.”
“Stop,” I held up a hand. “My head's already spinning. You're telling me that this is how you measured time? Are you guys nuts? Who can follow that? I can't even follow your description of it for thirty seconds.”
“A Thaisce,” Arach sighed. “It's a very precise measurement when you calculate the moon and the sun into it.”
“Fascinating,” I said in monotone. “So when were you born?”
“I was born in the month of Aedrini, the Hot Month,” he said proudly, as if this were some kind of achievement on his part. “It's a thirty day month which is considered matus, lucky.”
“Can you just tell me in English?” I rolled my eyes.
“That was English,” he gave me his pained expression. “If you wanted to know what day it translates to in your calender, I'd have to give you an approximate as it would shift with the intercalary months.”
“Arach,” I groaned. “Just guess-timate.”
“The first of April,” he sighed, “give or take.”
“Now was that so very hard? Wait, the first of April?” I started to grin.
“Why does your face look like that?”
“I don't know,” I shrugged, “I was born this way and I often lament it but it's not my fault. You could possibly blame Odin a little but I'll thank you to leave my mother out of it.”
“No,” another sigh, “I mean why do you look so smugly happy about my date of birth?”
“It's April Fools Day,” I laughed.
“Pardon?” He lifted a brow. “What exactly are you saying?”
“April Fools,” I nodded my head in a manner suggesting he should know what I'm talking about. “You know, you play practical jokes on people, nice jokes not mean ones generally, and you say April Fool! and laugh at them while pointing your finger.”
“Pointing your finger where exactly?”
“At them,” I made an annoyed sound, “because they look foolish.”
“You're yelling April Fool while you point at someone you've just harassed and they're the one who looks foolish?” He lifted a brow, managing to look very condescending.
“Well, yeah,” I frowned.
“Are you referring to the Feast of Fools?” Arach frowned back. “I believe that was in late December not April.”
“No, April Fools is on the first of April,” I groaned. “That's why they call it April Fools. Oh never mind, it's not even funny anymore. Your super power is the ability to take the humor out of anything.”
“It was never funny.”
“Ugh, I need another drink,” I looked around for a brownie with a tray. “Hey,” I turned back to him. “That would make you an Aries and despite the horrible god it's named after, it's also a fire sign, just like mine. I'm a Leo.”
“Of course we're fire signs,” he rolled his eyes. “We're dragons.”
“And I'm a lioness,” I blinked as it occurred to me that my astrological sign matched my life perfectly. “Huh, go figure.”
“When will you accept the fact that nothing is random?” He took the empty glass from me and replaced it with a full one. “We were meant to be together. You were meant to be a triple trinity being and to rule the House of Fire by my side. Everything is as it should be.”
“There he goes again,” I sent my gaze heavenward. “Talking about fate or destiny or whatever.”
“Who exactly are you speaking to when you do that?” He gave me a wry look. “You appear to be a little soft in the head. One could even say foolish.”
“Shut up,” I pushed his shoulder lightly and of course he didn't move at all.
His beautiful form was actually displayed perfectly in the outfit I'd brought him from the Human Realm. The black cotton
shirt was figure fitting enough that his thick biceps strained the fabric every now and then and when he turned certain ways, the muscles in his chest were revealed through the thin material. I'd had him leave the top two buttons undone, showing a glimpse of smooth pale flesh with the hint of gold in it, brought out by the gold embroidery of flames down either side of the button holes. He fit the pants like they were made for him and the shoes shone patent leather black under their hem. With a slick Armani belt and gold flame cuff links, the outfit was complete and he looked amazing.
He loved it and I think he was thrilled at the mere idea that I'd bought him clothes. That I'd added a fire twist to them sent him over the moon. He stood out among the fey with their velvets and brocades, like a raven among peacocks. As much as I loved peacocks, the raven had an understated elegance that had all the peacocks displaying their tails in an attempt to compete. Although the fey had seen this style of dress before, back when we'd had the God-Fey Ball, this was the first time they'd seen it on one of their own and it was getting them all in a tizzy.
I had dressed to match in a simple knee-length black cocktail dress and black heels, the only bit of sparkle on me was my jewelry but it really stood out against all that black, and standing beside Arach made me look even better. His dark red hair, shimmering red scales at his temples, and yellow dragon eyes were all the adornment he needed and against my dark hair and attire, he was like a ruby set beside ebony. Beautiful.
Around us, the fey pranced and spun, dresses made from woven vines and flowers, water formed into tunics, and silk held into place by the very air itself. I guess you didn't have to worry about a stiff breeze blowing up your dress if you controlled the wind. Their hair was every color of the rainbow as well as those in between and their skin tones were just as varied. Eyes of sparkling green, vivid purple, and silver starbursts were just some of the many gazes that turned our way. The fey were a feast to the senses and set amid the newly decorated throne room, they were almost too much to look at.