by Unknown
We soared back to ourselves quickly, both of us eager to return. It took mere moments to reach the Southern tower and then I was pulling myself down into my body again. I sank into the vibrations that heralded my return to the physical with an eagerness that I had to quell before I messed up the process. Finally I was back in my body and I opened my eyes with a gasp. I turned my head immediately, expecting to see Toby looking back at me.
He wasn't.
The body I'd chosen for Toby was still, uninhabited. Beyond it, I saw Mrs E hugging the new Mr T, who already looked remarkably like the old Mr T. They were crying and touching each other with the exuberance of lovers too long separated. Neither one had noticed that their son had yet to return.
I jumped up and stumbled over to the pallet with Toby's intended body, my heart pounding wildly. All around me things went quiet, Mr T and Mrs E finally realizing that something was wrong. I heard Naye asking the others what was happening as his parents scrambled over to the pallet I was already at. Doba's soft whine pierced the quiet and seemed to convey what we were all feeling.
“Toby,” I touched the body's face. “Come on, wake up. Toby?” The breath sawed in and out of my body as tears blurred my vision. “Where are you? Come back. Please come back.”
Then the body shifted beneath my fingers, widening and lengthening. Muscles surged beneath skin that darkened to golden brown. His chest smoothed out, hair falling from it, and his features wavered, nose lengthening, eyes reshaping, lips filling, until it was Toby's face I was looking at. I breathed a sigh of relief, as I stroked a finger down one high cheekbone. His eyes popped opened, those amazing brown-rimmed blue, and then he screamed.
I jerked back in shock. Everyone flinched around me as Toby sat up, breath heaving from him, and screamed again. Screamed like he was being torn in two. I leaned forward again, clasping his hands, and his eyes settled on me. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly as his face filled with sudden awareness.
“Vervain?”
“Yes,” I let out my breath. “Damn, you gave us all a scare. What took you so long and what was with the screaming?”
“Did you see him?” His eyes went wild as he searched the room.
“See who?” I turned his face back to mine as his parents edged closer.
“Damn it, Vervain, open the circle!” Naye shouted, near to hysterical in his need to be beside his brother.
“The circle is open,” I waved a hand and the energy dispelled, allowing Naye through. “Who, Toby?” I returned my attention to Tobadzistsini as Naye fell to the ground beside us.
“There was a man in the Aether,” Toby whispered.
“One traveling through?” I asked, confused.
“No, one who resides there,” Toby's eyes kept searching the room until Doba crept forward and pressed against him. His hand dropped to her fur and both of them seemed instantly better for it.
“That's impossible, Brother,” Naye touched Toby's shoulder and Toby flinched, looking at him sharply. Then he saw who it was and relaxed.
“I know,” Toby said to Naye and then looked back at me. “Nonetheless, he was there. He took hold of my spirit and wouldn't let me return.”
Mrs E gasped, Mr T's arm going around her. The others were muttering to each other.
“Who was he?” I pressed.
“God,” Toby whispered and the muttering stopped. The entire room went silent.
“We are the gods,” Naye scoffed but there was fear in his voice.
“And what made us gods?” Toby seemed to be getting a little stronger, his breathing slowing down as he started to stroke Doba soothingly. “What are we but men of magic whom people believed in? What arrogance is it that we think there are none stronger than us? None greater or more powerful?”
“God?” I frowned, trying to think it through. “Is that what he said to you? That he was God?”
“No,” Toby seemed to consider it. “No, he didn't say that but I could feel it. The ancient magic and immense span of all he was. Who else would roam the Aether like that? Have the power to catch my soul and keep it restrained?”
“Faerie could,” I whispered as I remembered something Faerie once said to me. “She's been concerned that there was another being like her, possibly one more powerful.”
“And we've just heard of him now?” Naye scoffed as I shared worried looks with my men. “Impossible.”
“I'm telling you, Brother,” Toby grabbed Naye's arm. “He was there. He told me...”
“What?” I felt a hole open up in my belly, an ache of anxiety that threatened to consume me.
“He said that I was never meant to love you,” Toby looked at me. “That I would only bring you ruin. He made me vow to leave you. He wouldn't release me until I did.”
“Vows made to unknown aggressors,” Mrs E huffed. “You're not bound by it, my son.”
“I think I must be, Mother,” Toby said without removing his eyes from me.
“No,” I squeezed his hand. “We make our own destiny, no one else. I don't care what some being wandering the Aether said. I love you and that can't be wrong.”
“It is if our love destroys you,” Toby whispered and then seemed to collect himself, resolve settling across his features. “Thank you for bringing me home, Godhunter.” He leaned forward and kissed me. Sweetly, tenderly, a goodbye kiss.
“Toby,” I whispered as he stood, Doba rising with him.
“I've made you suffer enough,” tears were pouring down his cheeks. “I couldn't bear to be the source of more suffering for you.”
“Then don't leave,” I stood to face off with him. “You walk out on me and I'll still suffer.”
“But you'll survive it,” his hand brushed away the tears I didn't even realize I'd been crying. “He said you have a great purpose, Vervain and I believe it. Knowing you, loving you, I believe you were meant to do great things. I'll only hinder that.”
“No,” I said simply. “There's no way anyone could know that.”
“So stubborn,” he smiled a little. “I live again because of you. Comfort yourself with that and know that wherever I am, I am loving you.” Then Doba barked sharply and he looked down at her like he was seeing her for the first time. “Doba,” his voice cracked a little and I was suddenly grateful to have her there. There was nothing like the comfort of an animal when your heart was breaking. I had Nick and now Toby would have Doba.
She jumped up, resting her forepaws on his thighs and yipped happily at him. He stroked her light fur with a sad smile and looked over to me with a question in his eyes.
“Of course,” I whispered. “Take her with you. She's been waiting for you to return, just like me.”
“Vervain,” he swallowed hard and reached for me, sliding his hand around my neck and pulling my forehead to his. “You're the first woman I've ever loved.” He shifted his face up and kissed my forehead before turning away determinedly. He went to his parents, Doba right beside him, and hugged them both, then reached his hands out to his brother and Teharon. “I think I'd like to go home with my family now.”
“Alright, Tobadzistsini,” Mrs E said softly and they started to leave. As she passed me, she clutched at my hand and whispered, “He's alive, everything else can be surmounted.”
I nodded and gave her a shaky smile as she went to her son. They left as a family; Mr T, Mrs E, their sons, Teharon, and Karni Mata. Toby turned back only once, looking at me over his shoulder with liquid eyes before walking out the door. Doba was more hesitant, looking back and forth between us as she trailed slowly after Toby.
“Go on, girl,” I motioned her off with a wave. “You always belonged with him.”
She gave a little whimper, cocked her head at me, then ran after Toby. That's when I fell to my knees, numb with shock, and my men knelt around me.
“What the hell just happened?” I whispered.
“I'm so sorry, Vervain,” Odin spoke first. “As much as I didn't want him here, I didn't want this either.”
&
nbsp; “Get up, Minn Elska,” Trevor waved Odin aside. “You're stronger than this.”
“Give me one damn second to mourn, will you?” I growled at him.
“That's more like it,” Trevor grinned.
“Why did they both get their original appearances back?” Odin grumbled off to the side. “While I have to look like a damn surfer on steroids?”
A little hysterical laugh crept through my sorrow as I looked up at him and was forced to think about something other than Toby.
“I think your body was close enough to fit the bill for what humans believe you to look like. Toby's and Mr T's weren't, so they had to change drastically,” I sniffed and wiped at my face. “Besides, I like your new look.”
“Yeah, you don't look so stuffy anymore,” Azrael agreed. “Though you're right, you do kind of look like a surfer on steroids.”
“Surfer on Steroids,” Kirill mused. “A good name. Maybe for a song, or band.”
“Why do guys always pick on me?” Odin sighed but it failed to have the fatherly quality it used to have, since he looked all of twenty-five now.
“Because technically,” Kirill said, “you're ze baby here. You're youngest out of all of us. Even Vervain.”
“Holy Hells,” Az exclaimed, “the lion is right.”
“I often am,” Kirill smirked. “People just don't notice. It's ze accent, it can be confusing.”
“I am not a baby god,” Odin snarled.
“Oh, so many jokes,” I sighed as my hurt started to go numb. These men knew me so well, knew just how to ease my heartache.
“Et tu, Brute?” Odin asked me with horrified eyes.
“Oh come on, Baby God,” I grinned. “I'm just teasing.” He grimaced. “No? Godling? Little Baby Odin? Odinling? Young godster?”
“I think I like you better when you're in mourning,” Odin rolled his eyes as I stood up.
“Were you wearing that the whole time?” I had just noticed Trevor's T-shirt. It read: I'm the Alpha and if you forget it, I will Omega you.
“Yep,” Trevor laughed. “I guess you were a little too distracted to notice. I'd intended it to show the new boy who was boss.”
“I guess he showed us,” Azrael sighed. “Come, Carus, let's all go down to the theater and watch a thriller. Or maybe and action movie, huh?”
“Anything but romance,” I nodded as he took my hand.
“I vill get ice cream,” Kirill started off toward the kitchens.
Yep, they knew me so well.
Chapter Fifty-Two
“I think you should go and talk to Faerie about this man in the Aether,” Trevor said the next morning.
I was sitting at our little breakfast table, staring into my cup of coffee morosely. I shouldn't have been. Azrael and Odin had spent the night. In fact, they were both still in bed with Kirill. An amazing display of male flesh and it was all mine. I sighed, in a good way finally.
The night had been fantastic. So much love and no, we didn't have a big orgy either. It wasn't about that, it was about being together, finding comfort, and remembering how much we all had to be thankful for. My heart still hurt to have Toby leave but he was right, I was happy that he lived again. In fact, there was a small part of me that felt this was the way it was supposed to be and that thought sent shivers over my skin. Because it meant the man in the Aether was right.
Either way, I'd be okay eventually. I'd probably cry a lot when no one was looking(showers were wonderful for that) but I'd be okay. I was worried about Toby though, he didn't have amazing lovers to comfort him. At least he had his family together again. Maybe that would be a comfort to him. He did live alone with his brother for all those years but love had a habit of changing you after you've tasted it, making you want more. I just kept seeing him in the Void, asking me why he should return. I felt like I'd brought him back under false pretenses. Basically, I felt like a big fat liar.
“It's not your fault,” Trevor put his hand over mine.
“I know,” I frowned, “it's this unknown god's fault. I have half a mind to ask Torrent to take me into the Aether in one of the Internet streams, to see if I can find this asshole and tell him off.”
“What if the asshole is right?” Trevor echoed my thoughts. “What if he's looking out for you?”
“What if he's been manipulating me?” I countered. “And really, some unknown god is just floating around in the Aether messing with people's lives? Does that sound possible to you?”
“Toby saw something,” Trevor shook his head, “and whatever it was, it was powerful enough to hold his spirit hostage.”
“What the hell was it?”
“All these questions should be mulled over with Faerie,” he lifted his brows. “I think she's far better equipped to come up with the answers than I am.”
“She's going to go freakin nuts,” I whispered. “I don't know if I want to tell her.”
“I think she needs to know,” Trevor lowered his voice, glancing at the bed when Kirill stirred. “You could go now and be back before they wake up.”
“You think they'll try and stop me from going to Faerie?” I asked in shock.
“I don't know,” he bit at his lip. “Kirill won't but Odin and Az have always been wild cards and Odin especially is pretty thrown at the moment. He may not want you going through the Aether right now.”
“I won't be, remember?” I held up my ring. “I'll be going back through time.”
“And we don't know what you travel through when you do,” Trevor lifted his brows. “Or who could be there.”
“Okay, now you're getting paranoid.”
“I think the situation calls for a little paranoia,” he leveled serious honey-colored eyes on me. “Go to Faerie, find out what she may know, and then come back to us as soon as you can. We need some answers.”
“Alright, alright,” I held up my hands. “I'm going. And I'm glad I showered this morning cause I get the feeling you wouldn't let me waste time doing it now.”
“Vervain,” he groaned.
“Oh damn,” I whispered. “I totally forgot about Lorna. Has Darius been going to check on her?”
“Lorna and Casair are both doing just fine,” Trevor assured me. “Though I'm told Lorna complains a lot and has drawn the interest of your neighbor, Tahnee. Tahnee brings them both dinner often.”
“I bet she does,” I chuckled. “Tahnee's one of the sweetest people I know. I just hope Lorna isn't abusing her kindness.”
“I'll make sure Darius checks on Tahnee as well,” Trevor offered.
“Thank you.”
“So you can go back and give Guirmean good news,” he gave me an exasperated look.
“Fine, I'm going, I'm going. Damn pushy werewolves,” I huffed and then asked my ring to take me back to the place and moment I last left Faerie.
Chapter Fifty-Three
I appeared in front of the great tree at the End of the Road, the tracing entrance to Faerie. Arach was still there of course, having just dropped me, Lorna, and Casair off for me to take them to the sanctuary of my house in Kaneohe.
Arach smiled at me, a dragon grin full of promise, but then his smile wavered and fell. He came striding over to me, meeting me halfway to the carriage. He grabbed my upper arms and lowered his face to mine. The slit pupils in his eyes expanded till they were almost round.
“What happened?”
I laughed grimly before I replied, “So very damn much.”
“But you're here so it can't be all that bad,” he observed warily.
“I weathered the storm,” I nodded, “but it's been a rough one. I lost someone important to me and then brought him back from the Void.”
“Him?” Arach narrowed his eyes on me.
“Don't worry,” another grim laugh, “someone else took care of that for you. He was out of my life as soon as he returned.”
“Vervain, stop speaking like a faerie and tell me straight.”
“Oh,” I gave a more genuine laugh. “It's annoying, isn't it
?”
What has happened?! Faerie's voice boomed into my head and I lifted a hand to my temple. Even Arach flinched, he must have heard her too.
“Let's get into the carriage and I'll tell you both about it,” I gestured and Arach nodded, escorting me to the waiting coach and helping me up into it. As soon as we got moving, he looked at me expectantly.
It's what I feared, isn't it? You told me I was overreacting.
“There's been a few battles. Someone was killed. His name is Tobadzistsini and he's Mrs E's son.” I found myself giving an almost impersonal accounting of events so I wouldn't burst into tears. “We decided to bring him and his father back from the Void and put their spirits into new bodies. Toby's spirit returned much later than it should have. When he did finally make it back, he said he had encountered a man in the Aether. A man that held his soul and wouldn't release it until Toby promised to remove himself from my life.”
“I like this man,” Arach nodded.
“You're losing sight of the important issue,” I rolled my eyes.
The issue of this unknown man. Faerie growled.
“Yes, that issue,” I nodded. “He was powerful enough to capture a god's soul and he said some unsettling things to Toby. Basically that Toby would destroy me, that he wasn't a part of the plan.”
The plan? She pounced on my words. He said that exactly?
“No,” I frowned, “I don't know what he said exactly. He spoke to Toby, not I, but Toby said this man told him that he was never meant to love me, that Toby would bring me ruin.”
“Love you?” Arach's eyes narrowed to slits. “He loves you, this Toby?”
“Yes,” I sighed. “It's a long story but I love him too.”
“What?” Arach's jaw clenched. “Vervain, is it not enough that you have five men?”
“Yes, it's more than enough,” I said quietly.
“Evidently not,” Arach growled. “I know I agreed to you having the freedom to be with others outside of Faerie but I never agreed to you adding more.”
