by Sumida, Amy
“I didn't think it applied to public places,” Thor's eyes were starting to fill with lightning.
“This is my fucking club, you ass!” I shouted at him and the muted conversations going on behind me stopped dead.
“It's also the only club that caters to gods,” he ground out.
“Look,” Epona apparently decided she needed to add something to the debacle. “We're not here to cause any trouble, let's just go have a drink downstairs, Thor.”
“Not here to cause trouble?” Constantin growled from the back of the hill he was flung over, and held down on, by Ilario and Adriano. “Go bray your lies elsewhere. You're here just to whip me to a frenzy and you know it.”
“Great, more horse references,” Sommer drawled. “I'm never going to get these images out of my head.”
“I am not, Constantin,” Epona lifted her long face in the air. “I didn't even know you were going to be here tonight.”
“Alright, that's it,” I waved a hand in a cutting motion and was surprised to find that it was steady. Sober already. Well yippee, just in time to come up with some good insults. “I don't know you, horse-face and I don't care if you're here under good intentions or not. You're upsetting my employee and you being in the company of Undesirable No. 1 over here, doesn't help your case.”
“You mean Public Enemy No. 1,” Epona raised a sassy eyebrow at me. “If you're going to be rude, you should at least get your insults straight.”
“No, I don't and don't fucking correct me,” I snarled. “Go watch a Harry Potter movie and learn something important... like knowing when to shut the hell up.”
“Vervain,” Thor growled.
“Watch it, Sparky,” I shot back. “I'm not in the god damned mood for your bullshit. Take your little friend and gallop away before I call in the wolves.”
“My bullshit?” His eyes started to flash lightning. “I simply wanted a nice evening out with a woman who actually enjoys my company.”
“No problem,” I nodded very reasonably. “Take said woman and go enjoy your evening together... elsewhere. May I recommend the Polo Field? She might enjoy that but really, I don't care where you go and I don't care that I own the only club that caters to gods. Just because this is a god specific club, doesn't mean you can't go anywhere else. Hell go to fucking Timbuktu, it'll only take a few seconds, just go away from here.”
“All that time I watched you,” Thor shook his head, “I never saw you behave with such avarice.”
“Really?” I blinked at him, wide-eyed, “you're going to bring up your previous stalking of me while currently stalking me and trying to insult me? Weak, very weak. In fact, you're kinda making my point for me.”
“Fine,” Thor narrowed his glowing eyes on me. “We'll leave but I'm going to remember this, Vervain.”
“Oh please do because I am so fucking tired of repeating myself to you.”
He snarled, turned, and tromped back down the stairs, leaving Epona to trot down after him(I know, I know, there's just too many horse jokes). Behind me, a concert worthy round of applause had begun and Kirill leaned in to kiss my cheek.
“Vell done, Tima,” he whispered. “So sexy with the spank talking.”
“It's smack talk,” I laughed. “We can do spank talking later, as long as your kissing improves.”
“Oh,” he chuckled, a low rumbling in his chest, “it vill improve and relocate.”
“I'll look forward to that,” I slapped his ass, a little spanking preview, before I went back to my appreciative audience.
“Thank you,” Constantin was on his feet, free of restraining hands now that Epona was gone. “That made my entire year.”
“Hey,” I pointed at him, “nobody fucks with my people but me.”
He laughed and gave me a quick hug. “Still, I appreciate it. It was a hell of a show.”
“Yes, bravo,” slurred Krystal, poor thing was trying to keep up with gods and that was virtually impossible when it came to drinking. “Send that horse-bitch packing!” A shocked silence sobered her up enough to look around. “What I say?”
“Nothing,” I laughed and shook my head, “werewolves get a little sensitive about the “b” word.”
“Oh,” her eyes got round, “sorry, Sam, never even occurred to me.”
“No prob,” Sam shrugged. “I'm not as sensitive as some of the others. I think it was more of the combination horse and bitch insult. Kind of silly sounding to us shifters.”
“I like a woman with spark,” Rain leaned in closer to Krystal.
“And I like a man with less hair,” she stared at the shiny fall of his tresses like they were personally offending her.
“What?” Rain looked shocked and confused, so very confused.
I smothered my laugh.
“I don't like men with long hair,” Krystal said slowly, like he was mentally challenged.
“But women love my hair,” he sounded like a three-year-old. “It's rock star hair and I'm a rock star.”
“I don't think I like rock stars then,” Krystal looked thoughtfully into her empty lemonade glass. “I would like some more lemonade though. Can you get me some?”
“Can I... what?” Rain looked at me like I might be able to explain the insanity of my friend.
It was the last straw on the back of my camel of laughter. I bent over double with the force of my merriment, delighting in both Krystal's frankness and Rain's discomfort. The rest of the group finally joined in, with Rain, Krystal, and Kirill being the only exceptions.
“She just don't like you,” I finally got out. “It happens.”
“No, it doesn't,” Rain looked Krystal over carefully, like she might have a warning label attached someplace.
“I don't find you all that attractive either,” I shrugged.
“Yeah but you have like five-hundred lovers,” he shook his head. “You're a little too distracted to notice my good looks.”
“I still notice a good looking man, you narcissist,” I huffed. “And you're just not that hot. I'm sorry, someone had to tell you sometime.”
“You could try cutting your hair,” Krystal mused when she realized he wasn't going to get her a new drink. “And you could try being a little more courteous to thirsty ladies.”
“Cut my hair?” He lifted a hand to his hair.
“It's not like you've never worn it short,” Ilario observed. “I actually think you look better that way too.”
“Traitor,” Rain hissed.
“Hey, you're the only one who thinks rock stars have to have long hair,” Adriano piped up. “It's not like it's the eighties. I think Krystal has a point.”
“Well that's where we differ,” I shrugged and looked over at Kirill. “I like my men with long hair, gives me something to grab onto.”
“I can grab onto short hair,” Krystal insisted, still lifting her empty glass in Rain's direction until he finally took it.
“Jessica,” I called for our waitress as I looked Krystal over. “We need some coffee and water up here please.”
“And a pair of scissors,” Krystal added.
Chapter Two
I took the emerald off my neck, hanging it by its thick, gold chain on a dragon horn, part of an intricately carved panel that made up one of the four walls enclosing my Chinese wedding bed. The wall I'd chosen to hang it on was the one at the foot of the bed, the one with the two foot wide opening that granted the only access to the bed itself. I scurried through the opening and up the bed, climbing under the covers to await Kirill.
As I waited, I thought back to the confrontation I'd had with Thor. I didn't want him as an enemy but his words had hinted at that result. I wondered what it would be like to have to fight Thor and I was surprised to find that I was too worn out with his bullshit to care. If he decided to attack me, he'd have to stand in line. I probably had much more enemies than I even knew about, who were probably plotting against me at that very moment. It was pretty much how my life had been going ever since I'd decided to h
unt gods. Sometimes it felt like I couldn't seem to walk down the street without tripping over trouble.
“Tima,” Kirill's voice brought me out of my musings.
Oh but ask me if it was worth it. I looked over Kirill's beautifully naked body, his wide shoulders, thick arms, the cuts that formed a V just below his waist. I let my gaze wander over those muscled thighs and what stood proudly between. Then I looked back up, into eyes the kind of blue usually reserved for mixed drinks and fine china. So bright, if they were a drink, they'd stain your tongue. They were filled with something even brighter than their color though, undiluted love.
That sounds corny, or even worse, way over done. Undiluted love. Oh please, right? How can you see undiluted love in someone's eyes and what does that even mean anyway? There's no simple phrase that can aptly describe what I was somehow lucky enough to be the recipient of. Of all my men, Kirill loved the purest. Probably because he'd been the one who was the most damaged before I came along. He'd been physically and mentally abused by his last Tima. Forced to do things that still haunt him and to have things done to him which were so horrible, I felt compelled to find vengeance for him. So horrible, that even though his tormentor is dead, I dream of raising her from the grave just so I could kill her again more slowly.
By the time I'd come around, Kirill had retreated into insanity and his fellow Intare had begged me to simply end his life and his misery. I had refused. One look at him and I couldn't let him go. I brought him back through willpower and luck. I pulled him from his nightmare and gave him a safe haven. I even let him move in with me and Trevor to help him heal. Somewhere along the way, he had healed, taking my heart to replace his damaged one.
The result of this cataclysmic reprogramming was surprising, especially to me. You'd think so much abuse could only hinder a man when it came to love but it was different with Kirill. Nyavirezi had completely destroyed him and I had to go in, clear away the rubble she left, and rebuild him with my own materials, from the foundation up. When I was done, Kirill was a brand new fortress, ready to be filled with whatever life would bring him. He feared nothing, not love or death, because he'd seen the worst of both. There was nothing that could be done to Kirill worse than what he'd already gone through.
So when I say that he looked on me with undiluted love, I'm not trying to be cheesy or romantic. I'm trying to describe the rare type of commitment Kirill blessed me with. He loved with everything he had, without any thought of holding back, because to him, I was safety, solace, freedom, and life. Even though he shared me, I was completely his because our love was a separate thing from the love I had for anyone else. Each love was different for me and I think it was the only reason I could make all of my relationships work.
“Kirill,” I smiled at my black lion, “if you're not in this bed in ten seconds, I'm coming out to get you.”
He grinned back and pounced.
Chapter Three
“Millions of dollars are literally wilting away this week as drought hits our nation hard,” the newswoman reported gravely.
“Ugh,” I groaned and gestured at the TV. “This is why I don't watch the news. It's always so depressing.”
“You should know vat goes on in vorld,” Kirill kissed me softly on the forehead before setting a cup of coffee down on the dining room table in front of me. “It may be important.”
“Yes,” I sighed and sipped my coffee, “I'm sure it is. I just can't deal with it first thing in the morning.”
“What can't you deal with first thing in the morning?” Trevor grinned widely as he walked in the front door.
“A lack of kisses,” I grinned back. “Now get over here and give me some sugar.”
“Yes, ma'am,” he laughed and hurried over to plant one on me.
When he was done to both of our satisfactions, he slid into the seat next to me. “Kirill, is there any...” Kirill put a cup of coffee in front of Trevor, “coffee,” Trevor laughed. “I love you, man.”
“Da,” Kirill sat down with his own mug and smirked at us both. “Zis I know. I am lovable man.”
“Oh, and he's so modest too,” Trevor laughed and held up his mug in salute. “You guys have a nice night after kicking Thor out of the club?”
“Yeah, that was fun,” I grimaced. “Why'd you even let him in?”
“I didn't,” Trevor shrugged. “I just forgot to tell the bouncers he was persona non grata. Honestly, it never occurred to me that he might show up but everyone is now fully aware of the situation.”
“Yeah everyone's aware,” I chuckled, “because I screamed at him to get the fuck out before I sicced you guys on him.”
“That may have helped drive home the urgency of my request,” Trevor laughed. “I have to admit, that was one of the finest things I've ever seen you do. It was just beautiful.”
“You should have seen from my view,” Kirill laughed. “Zor turn red all over face. Very pretty but not good color for him I zink.”
“You're both idiots,” I grinned. “I probably shouldn't have been so mean to Epona, I don't know her and I at least like to get to know someone before I call them horse-face.”
“Oh, Vervain, no,” Trevor groaned and laughed all at once. “She's actually very sweet.”
“Yeah, when she's not crushing Constantin's heart. She knew exactly what she was doing parading through our club on Thor's arm. I thought Constantin was going to have a stroke. He's my employee, I'm responsible for him. She can take care of herself and she can do it somewhere other than our club.”
“You don't know the whole situation though,” Trevor frowned at me. “All you know is Constantin's side of things.”
“And that's enough for me,” I shrugged. “If you're one of mine, I take your side. Even if you're wrong. We'll sort it out later.”
“Da, zat's my Tima,” Kirill nodded proudly while Trevor glowered.
“That is not something to admire,” Trevor whacked Kirill on the arm. “This is how she gets into trouble. She sticks her nose into things she doesn't fully understand and then she has to deal with the fallout.”
“Hey, I'm not just going to sit back and watch someone I care about get treated badly because I may not know the whole story,” I narrowed my eyes on my alpha. “If they're upset, it's enough for me. My loyalties are very clear.”
“And so what if Constantin was abusive?” Trevor raised a brow and I frowned. That was a low blow, he knew how I felt about abuse in a relationship.
“Constantin did not abuse her,” I growled. “First of all, he's not the type, his reaction to her visit said as much. Secondly, she's his goddess, she created him. He doesn't have enough power to abuse her.”
“It's just an example,” Trevor shook his head. “There are probably lots of reasons they're not together anymore.”
“Yes, and I'm not arguing with the fact that she had every right to break things off with him,” I sighed. I understood where Trevor was coming from, he didn't want me making anymore enemies than I already had, but I wasn't going to live my life in fear of pissing someone off. In fact, there are times I love pissing people off. I wasn't about to give that up just because I was dealing with gods. “What I don't agree with is her walking into our establishment on the arm of my ex-boyfriend, who had his own agenda to be a general jackass, knowing her ex-husband would be playing there with his band. She did it on purpose, just to irritate Constantin, knowing it would cause a scene in the middle of our business. So basically, she was messing with my friend and my money. She deserved what she got, she's lucky I didn't escort her out personally. Onto her face. Her big, long, horse-face.””
“Well, to use one of your lines,” Trevor smirked at me, “at least you're not bitter.”
“Shut up and go cook me breakfast,” I stuck out my tongue.
“I worked all night,” Trevor snarled without any real heat as he got up to cook. “You should be making me breakfast.”
“I'm still sleepy,” I laughed. “I just got up.”
As
Trevor chuckled, the TV caught my attention again. A Maile Amber alert(Hawaii's version of a missing child notice, named after a little girl killed back in '85) was being announced. A picture of a cute little brown-haired girl took up most of the screen. A chill went down my spine as her dark eyes seemed to stare at me in accusation. I blinked and the sensation disappeared but I was still a little unsettled. A missing child is never a good thing but this felt ominous.
I clicked off the TV.
Chapter Four
The night air was bracing but sweet and my fur cloak kept the chill away. The braziers strewn about helped as well but the hottest thing on board the Viking longboat was Odin and his one-eyed gaze could've kept me warm all by itself.
“This is pretty amazing,” I looked over the beautiful table spread between us.
He'd brought us out there, to the middle of Asgard's lake, to have dinner, and although the water is not my favorite place, I'd never been on an honest to God – literally - Viking longboat before. So I went without complaint and I was glad I had. Odin had it turned into our own private dining room. Fine china, crystal, candles, flowers, and the open Asgard sky, were all framed by the sweeping lines of the dragon shaped boat. It was the most fascinating place I'd ever dined. Since our waiters were heading back to shore after serving dessert, I was hoping to make it the most fascinating place I'd ever made love too.
“Well, I have to compete with an angel now,” Odin's grin looked a little pained.
Right. Azrael. I guess making love on the longboat would be one of the most fascinating places, not the most. Not too many people could say they'd made love in the Garden of Eden after all. That and mid-air, flying sex is pretty fantastic, even when you're afraid of heights. Damn, Odin was right, he had some serious competition in that department. But he was also wrong.
“No man can ever be what you are to me,” I took his hand. “You know that, right?”
“We have history,” he squeezed my hand. “That's true but it's practically ancient history and it's hard sometimes to remember that you're mine.”
