“Oh that’s right,” I said, suddenly remembering he had been scheduled to meet with the Fae Queens early. “How’d that go?”
“Just about what you’d expect. Long, tedious, aggravating. But in the end, we hammered out a truce for six months. They refused to look beyond that, but frankly, I consider even six months a win, given those two. They will not wage war—outright or covert—against one another until Imbolc. And the parley included assigning me control of both their militias, which will be combined into one, again. I did have to make one concession, however.” Herne looked over at me. “You aren’t going to like this.”
I stared at him with trepidation. “What did you agree to and why do I have a feeling that a target’s just been painted on my back?”
“I had to promise to lend you to them over the next few months if they need an outside eye on anything going on. Essentially, you’re on call—no more than once a month for each—if they have some case their investigators can’t, or won’t, handle.”
“What?” I stared at him. “You pimped me out to them?”
Herne grinned, leaning back and folding his arms over his chest. “Essentially, yes. I made them agree that whatever they call you in on won’t be too dangerous. And your work here comes first.”
I glowered at him, fuming. I wanted as little to do with the Fae Queens as possible. They might be clamoring to get on my good side now that they knew I was headed for Annwn, so to speak, but that didn’t mean they liked me and it sure as hell didn’t mean I liked them.
“It’s for the greater good, love.” Herne held my gaze.
One look into his eyes and I realized he had done everything he could to minimize their impact on me. The Fae Queens were wily, and they were smart. They knew how to get what they wanted and in this case, they seemed to want me.
“All right. I just hope that we’re always too busy when they do call.” Frowning still, but feeling somewhat mollified, I let out a sigh and darted a glance over to Yutani, who was suppressing a laugh. “Oh, go ahead, you yappy coyote. Laugh it up at my expense. I’ll probably need help when I go out there and you know who I’m going to take with me?”
“Whoever made the most fun of you?” he asked, his eyes still dancing.
“Right.”
“Okay, that’s enough, you two,” Herne said. “Now, to the press conference. I met with the mayor. The city council and the governor were also there. We’ve formed a special task force. We’ll have to have a member of both Fae Courts to sit on it, a member from the Vampire Nation, and a member from the Shifter Alliance. Also…unfortunately, from the Cryptozoid Association, since they’re now part of the United Coalition. Governor Elkins informed us that every state is forming a special task force like this to handle dealing with the dragons.”
“What does the UC think? We have to release the information about the dragons soon, or somebody’s going to snap a picture and then it will be too late to stop the rumor mills,” I said.
“I think the rumor mills will play havoc even once we let the info out.”
“So, you don’t think the United Coalition will try and bomb the dragons, are they? That might take out one or two of them, but it would only antagonize the situation.” I could see that happening, but I hoped that, for once, level heads would prevail.
“I hope not. That would be a mess. I’ll talk to the governor again as soon as I can.” Herne shrugged. “But we can’t regulate what other countries intend to do.”
Yutani was tapping away, taking down notes. “Do they know about Typhon in particular?”
Herne nodded. “I talked to my mother and father and they already talked to the Council of Gods and it was agreed that the leaders of the world needed to know how far reaching this whole matter is. They held a worldwide conference of all the top leaders, and at this point, everyone’s agreed to leave matters up to the gods when it comes to Typhon.”
“So the Wild Hunt and its sister agencies are to be the go-betweens?” Talia asked.
“We are, in the cities we’re in, but the Council of Gods is forming more agencies similar in nature, just for the time we’re dealing with Typhon. They won’t handle Fae matters, however.” He paused, then added, “I do know that not all members approved. There were a number of arguments, but after Zeus and the Dagda gave their word that we aren’t trying to turn the world into a theocracy, the protests died down.” He looked worried, though.
“You’re afraid the government will revoke its approval?”
He shook his head. “Not particularly. But one thing that does concern me is that some of the gods—not all, by a long shot, but some—might actually see this as a chance to take over power over the world again. As it is, most of my kind have accepted the rise of mankind and their desire to rule themselves, but some still feel usurped.”
I hadn’t even thought about that. At one time the gods held sway over the world, but now they worked in conjunction with it, and their powers here were limited by treaty and agreement. What if a few power-hungry gods decided to break the treaties, under the guise of trying to help fight against Typhon? Would that lead to a war? Going up against the dragons was hard enough. Going up against a group of gods intent on taking over the world would be suicide.
“All right, so does this mean we have authority over the police?” Viktor asked.
“Not unless it directly relates to Typhon, the undead who follow him, and the rest of the dragons. What concerns me is this. What if the Luminous Warriors convince the UC they’re on our side and ask for membership for the Dragonni in the United Coalition? Once they established themselves, it would be so easy for them to con people into complacency. Then, when the world wasn’t expecting it, they could easily rise up and smash down everyone else.” Herne leaned back in his chair, staring at his tablet. “I’ve warned the governor about it. She promised she’ll fight against their inclusion, should that happen.”
His thoughts were worrisome, but could dragons really be that subtle?
“Do you think they could possibly manage the reserve to achieve that? I mean, they aren’t exactly low-key.” I poured myself another cup of coffee and held up the pot. “Anybody want any more?”
Talia raised her hand. “I wouldn’t mind another cup.”
I refilled her mug, then Viktor’s, before setting the coffee pot back on the warmer. Then, snagging a couple of cookies from the plate on the counter, I returned to the table.
Herne waited until I sat down to answer. “You have only seen a small side of the Dragonni. Do you know why Typhon was sent into stasis?”
“I don’t,” I said, biting into the peanut butter cookie. “Why?”
“Long ago, when the world was very young and the Titans ruled, back when humans were barely beginning to establish civilization, Typhon grew jealous. His mother, Gaia, was having more children. She left Tartarus and slept with Uranus, who fathered with her, among others, Cronus. Typhon managed to keep his disgruntlement to himself until his half-brother Cronus fathered Zeus. When Gaia announced that her grandson Zeus would become the father of the Greek gods, Typhon felt cheated. He saw that this new breed—the gods—were displacing the Titans.”
“So he wanted to lead the gods?”
“Not exactly, but he sure didn’t want the gods to grow in power. So he made his move. Now, this part isn’t documented in the history books, but we know it happened. Typhon kidnapped Zeus when he was a baby and was about to sacrifice him to Tartarus in exchange for more power when he was caught.”
“Uh oh,” Talia said.
“Uh oh is right. The Fates realized that Typhon’s greed could disrupt the entire progression of history, so they ordered that he should be bound into stasis. Now, here’s the part that we’re having trouble with. We don’t know who actually forced him into stasis or how. We have to find out in order to return him to that state. But when he made his plans, Typhon was careful. No one expected him to move against Zeus, and nobody knew what he was planning. Not even his wife, Echidna.�
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Herne shrugged. “So Typhon managed to kidnap his half-brother away from the gods who were caring for him. No one knew how he did it, and he almost succeeded in disrupting the balance. It’s believed Echidna helped the gods bind her husband-brother away from the world, and to banish her children to the Forgotten Kingdom.”
“How did he break out of stasis?” Viktor asked.
“We don’t know that either. There’s so much we don’t know. Most of the gods weren’t hanging around Olympus or Greece at that time. For those of us who aren’t a part of the Greek pantheon, this is a fight we never reckoned on, but we have to deal with it anyway because it involves the entire world.”
Herne looked rattled. He really didn’t want this fight, but it had been dumped in his lap.
“Is there any way we can do research?” Angel asked.
“I wasn’t born when that happened,” Talia said, “but when I was young, I do remember hearing stories about ‘Be good or Typhon will rise and eat you up.’ He was the bogeyman of the era.”
“Frankly, it doesn’t matter why he was driven into stasis.” Yutani shoved his laptop back on the table. “The fact is, we have a power-hungry Titan—don’t forget, he’s not just a dragon—out there, sending his kids to do his dirty work. And that brings up another question: Why doesn’t Typhon just come in himself? Why’s he hanging out in the astral? What’s he afraid of? Because nobody that powerful and that stifled for so long is going to just idle in neutral.”
Herne stared at him. “What did you say?” A light in his eyes told me that what Yutani had said had sparked off some thought.
“I’m just saying, with Typhon’s power-hungry nature, why is he hiding out on the astral? If he’s so pissed about what happened, you’d think he’d be ripping the world to pieces by now. Is there some reason he’s sending his children over in his place? I mean, it could be what you say—he could be going about it subtly. But maybe he actually needs their help?” Yutani frowned, tilting his head. After a moment, he added, “Think about it. When you’ve slept a long time, when you first wake up, you’re just not ready to jump out of bed and go powerlifting or run ten miles. Your muscles usually need some warming up and you have to clear your head.”
“You mean…maybe Typhon needs to strengthen himself? Maybe he grew weak over the eons of being locked into stasis?” Herne looked excited. “My father actually has been wondering about Typhon and why he’s hiding, too. I need to talk to the others about your theory. Why didn’t we think of it?”
I stared at him. “Why didn’t the gods think of it? I’ll tell you why. Because you’re gods. You seldom feel exhausted or in pain, and when you are, you can usually shake it off. Yutani may have a father who’s a god but he’s lived his life among mortals, and he’s half shifter.” What Yutani had been trying to say finally clicked. “Typhon might not be at full power. Now would be the time for you to go after him, while he’s weakened.”
“If he’s weakened,” Talia said. She had a cautious look on her face. “It’s a good theory, but it’s just that—theory. If the gods go after him and he’s at full strength, then…”
“Then what? They can’t die. He can hurt them, but he can’t kill them. Just… Oh.” I stopped, realizing the folly of my plan. “They can’t kill him, either. And they don’t know how to drive him back into stasis—yet.”
Herne grimaced. “Yes, that’s our weakness right now. And a good reason for finding out who actually forced him into stasis in the first place.”
“Because they might be able to do so again,” Rafé said. “Can’t Zeus and Hera just question everybody who was around at that time? What’s the issue there?”
“We asked them that,” Herne answered. “Apparently, there were several Titans and gods there who have vanished off the map. Nobody knows where they are. And everybody who’s been questioned so far seems to have no recollection as to what happened.”
“All right, let’s focus on what we can do,” I said. “What’s left on the agenda for today?”
“Jana Wildmere will be in at four, and we’ll all want to be in on that meeting. Until then, let’s get caught up on paperwork, shall we? I’m sorry you’re having to work through the weekend, but…” He paused. “Okay, back to your desks. Ember, can I see you in my office?”
Yutani let out a low whistle and snickered. Angel and Talia laughed, while Viktor snorted before heading out the door.
“Oh, shut up,” I said, glaring at Yutani. But I wasn’t really mad. Herne and I had managed so little time together lately that it felt like we hadn’t gotten down and dirty for months.
I followed him into the office and shut the door behind me. He turned, then immediately pulled me into his arms for a long, steamy kiss, his hands smoothing over my back, my ass, my hair. His chest was firm against my breasts, and his urgency caught my own flame. I leaned my head back as he began to trail kisses down my neck, along my throat. The warmth of his lips against my skin fired my senses and I let out a moan. His hair tickled me, trailing to mix with my own, and he pulled me tighter, tugging my shirt out from beneath the top of my jeans and sliding his hands beneath it.
“That feels so good,” I whispered into his ear. “Do we have time?”
“We’ll make time,” he said, his voice ragged.
I turned to lock the door as he flipped off the overhead light, leaving the lamp on his desk on. His office was large, with no window to the outside. A large room painted sky blue with a white ceiling, Herne’s office was filled with lush plants, their vines trailing everywhere. A large weapons case sat against one wall, filled with bows and knives and a gleaming sword. A mini-fridge sat on a table along with a microwave, over near a daybed. Herne’s desk was dark walnut, gleaming under the lights, and his chair was black leather. Two matching wing chairs sat on the other side of his desk, and two more against the wall by the door. Over Herne’s desk was a massive rack of antlers.
After locking the door, I turned back to see him standing by the daybed. He had stripped off his shirt and his chest gleamed, the muscles rippling down to his six-pack. His waist narrowed, and as he stepped out of his jeans, my eyes were drawn to the narrow V leading to his erect cock. He straightened his shoulders, his wheat-colored hair tousled and silken against his back.
“Come here, wench.” He held out his arms.
I pulled off my shirt as I crossed the room, unbuckling my belt as I approached him. I shoved my jeans down, kicking them off, and in one fluid move, he caught hold of the sides of my panties and yanked them down. I barely had time to step out of them before he tossed them to the side. My nipples stiffened as the hunger rose within me.
“I need you,” I whispered, my voice feeling gravelly. “Take me.”
In a blur, he swept me up in his arms and laid me down on the daybed, his eyes gleaming. His lips began a trail down my throat, down to my breasts where he tugged at one nipple with his teeth, growling low in his throat. With my left hand, I cupped my other breast, squeezing hard, while with my right, I reached down, grasping him in my palm. He was hard and firm, pulsing as I held him tight. I reached down to slide my fingers inside me, getting them wet with my own juices, then went back to rubbing his cock again, holding him tight as I slid my hand up and down his length.
“Oh, stop,” he moaned. “It’s been too long.”
“It’s been far too long,” I murmured.
He lowered his head between my legs and sought out my center, tonguing me gently, swirling around my clit. I let out a squeak, trying to keep as quiet as I could. Of course the others knew what we were doing, but I didn’t want to embarrass them, so I bit my lip as he began to bathe me with his tongue, fluttering it back and forth as he slid two fingers inside of me.
Unable to help myself, I moaned. “I can’t take it—”
“Oh, you’ll take it, and more, my love. You’ll take everything I give you.” He worked me harder then, grabbing hold of my hips as he ate me out. The tension rose in my stomach. My lips were feeli
ng tingly as I panted. Then, as I began to come, unable to hold back my cries, I grabbed hold of the daybed covers beneath me and let the wave of orgasm wash over me. It carried me up, spinning me around, but before it could subside, Herne was between my legs, driving into me with a fire that only sparked my own hunger more.
He was thick and hard, long and warm, and he penetrated me, pinning me to the bed. I laughed, nervous and giddy and still caught in the throes of my first orgasm. Then, before I could catch my breath, he began to slide in and out, long, smooth strokes. I fell into his rhythm, bringing myself up to meet him. But before I could settle in, he shifted position slightly, driving in at an angle.
Once again, I bit my lip, trying to keep my cries low. But Herne was a god, and as he pressed himself against me, every inch of our bodies met as one. I felt myself losing myself in the passion, losing myself in the rhythm that mimicked the rolling waves of the ocean.
I closed my eyes, all thoughts fleeing as I let go and let the waves of his love sweep me under, tossing me about like a buoy lost in the ocean. A moment later, I began to come again, and I gave up trying to keep quiet and cried out loudly as he stiffened. He dropped his head back and roared. As he came, he looked down at me, holding my gaze.
“You’re mine,” he whispered, the light in his eyes alien and powerful and terrifying. “You’re mine forever and always, Ember. You have promised yourself to me, and you are my kingdom.” And with that, he stiffened again, coming hard, and I joined him, my heart singing with joy…and…a little bit of fear.
Chapter Eleven
I felt like I should take a shower after, but I didn’t want to march naked down the hall to the bathroom. The agency’s bathroom had a shower and two toilet stalls in it. The shower was in an inner room in the bathroom. It was small, about five feet by five, but it was great for when we came back from cases covered in mud and blood.
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