A Taste for Blood (The Godhunter, Book 6) (13 page)

“
Because I'm fine wearing blood as an accessory?” I nodded at Danal before taking the seat.

“
Precisely,” the King gave me a secret smile, one echoed by his lovely, blood-sucking wife, as he resumed his seat. “The first thing you must understand about the fey is that even the most beautiful of us, the most sweet looking and fragile of our women, are still capable of great ferocity when needs be.”

“
I don't take joy in it,” I frowned, wondering for a second if I had.

“
No and that's not what I meant,” King Cian said. “Danal please sit beside your charge,” he waved to a seat beside me.

“
Thank you, High King,” Danal sat quickly and reached for a glass in front of him.

“
We are not all blood thirsty,” the King continued, “but we will defend ourselves with relish and it's often the smaller fey who prove to be the most deadly.”

“
Don't be fooled by the size of the package, eh?” I smiled even though blood was dripping down my nose. “Yeah, I get underestimated a lot.”

“
Ah yes,” he winked and then leaned close to whisper, “it's acceptable to remove the cap now. You've made your point.”

“
Oh thank all that's holy,” I sighed as I pulled the stinking thing off my head.

The King laughed as the Queen handed me a pristine handkerchief to wipe my face with. I looked down at the immaculate fabric in her hand, decorated with delicate embroidery, and shook my head.

“Thank you,” I said to her, “but I'll use my sleeve. I don't want to ruin any more beautiful things tonight.”

“
Oh, sweetling,” she cooed, “I want it to remember this night by. Please,” she waved it toward me again.

“
Okay,” I swallowed hard and took the small bit of silk. I wiped my face and handed it back to her.

“
Lovely,” she stared at it, then sniffed it like it was a vintage wine, before folding it carefully and tucking it up her sleeve.

I smiled at her, trying to hold back the scream that was threatening to burst forth. Funny that I could kill two living beings, cover myself in blood, and don a bleeding cap with no problems but watching a beautiful vampire sniff a handkerchief, nearly sent me over the edge. I reached for my glass and shot back the amber liquid it contained. It burned a bright path down my throat and then continued through my entire body, awakening and stroking every nerve cell I had.

I sat up straight and gasped.

“
Refreshing, isn't it?” The High King laughed.

“
Wow,” I looked at my empty glass in wonder. Before I could spend another second contemplating it, a brownie darted forward and refilled it. “Thank you,” I said and the creature froze, staring up at me with large, doe eyes. “What's wrong?”

“
Nothing, nothing,” she stammered, her eyes darting to the High King, who smiled indulgently at her. She stood a little straighter and bowed then. “You're welcome, my lady.” Then she was gone.

“
I did something wrong,” I grimaced.

“
Not at all,” the Queen's sultry voice soothed me. “You simply showed kindness after displaying your talent for bloodshed. This is fey behavior, not human. It confused the poor thing. I think most of the fey are a little bewildered by you now. You are not what we've known humans to be. It's a delightful change.”

“
Thank you,” I said, because what else do you say to a vampire faerie Queen who liked to sniff bloody bits of cloth? “Now, King Cian, could we discuss how I can go about getting myself home?”

“
The Aether is supposed to be sealed,” he sobered. “Your request allowed you through but getting you back again may prove difficult. I have several wayfarers working on the problem as we speak.”

“
Wayfarers?” I glanced at Danal but he was staring at the King in shock.

“
Fey who specialize in opening closed or hidden paths,” the King cut into a perfect peach, slicing it into exact sections before bringing a piece to his mouth. “If there is a way back for you, they will find it.”

“
Oh,” I stared at the food before me, my stomach sinking.

“
Be of good cheer,” King Cian lifted his glass to me. “You have won the faeries of my court with your bravery and skill. You are welcome here for as long as you need solace.”

“
I appreciate that,” I focused back on his face, “I do, it's just that I have people who depend on me back home. I have a werewolf bonded to me. He'll die if I don't make it home within thirty days. I need to get back as soon as possible.”

“
Thirty days?” He frowned thoughtfully. “Time is different here. You may have longer than you think. Don't concern yourself over matters out of your control. Worry later, when it becomes necessary. Right now, celebrate your victory. Live like a faerie and rejoice in the moment.”

“
I'll try my best,” I smiled and fought for optimism. The King was right. I shouldn't worry over something that may not even happen. I could wake up in the morning and find that one of his wayfarers had already found the way to open the Aether for me. Or maybe I'd wake up and realize it had all been a dream. I pulled a chunk off a loaf of bread in front of me and started munching on it. It was soft with a crunchy crust and perfectly delicious. The best bread I'd ever had and I knew I wasn't dreaming it. If I was dreaming, it would have been pizza.

“
So tell me about the Human Realm,” the King pulled me out of my thoughts. “There has been many changes, I presume.”

“
Yes, in the last century alone,” I nodded, thinking of how to describe my world to faeries. “We've made a lot of advancements, things you'd probably view as magical but are really just science.”

“
Science?” The Queen's brows rose. “Like machines and such?”

“
Oh good,” I gave a relieved laugh. “It's a lot easier to explain if you know what machines are.”

“
Of course,” the King waved his hand airily. “The Atlanteans had some amazing machines but we have no need for such things.”

“
Well, King Tinkerbell, humans do,” I shrugged. “Most of us don't have magic to make things easier.”

“
And those of you who do,” the Queen looked pointedly at me, “have it only because of your ties to Faerie.”

“
Who is this Tinkling Bell person?” King Cian whispered to his wife, who shrugged gracefully.

“
Wait,” I frowned. “You implied before that I may have faerie blood back in my bloodline but what are you saying now? That all witches are part fey?”

“
Yes,” she smiled, “that's exactly what I'm saying. It's our blood that allows you to tap into the elements. Faeries are shaped of nature, of the five elements, which is why our Houses are split into them. Only fey can work with those powers and it was only when faeries started breeding with humans that your kind developed the skill as well.”

“
So it's definite then,” my mind was whirling. Someone in my family tree had bred with a fey. “I'm part faerie.”

“
Well,” the King shrugged, “most likely a very small part. We haven't interbred in years, it hasn't been possible since the closing of the path, so your blood would be very diluted.”

“
Is it just the blood or is it spirit as well?” A stranger thought was occurring to me. What if it wasn't just my blood from this body but the blood of Sabine as well? I'd been a witch in both lives.

“
What do you mean by this?” The Queens gaze was sharp.

“
Uh,” I looked around at the suddenly silent gathering. “I'm kind of a special case. It's a long story really but basically, this is my second life.”

“
Ridiculous,” the King scoffed. “The human idea of reincarnation is false.”

“
As much as that's good to know,” I still wasn't sure about the reincarnation thing, despite the word of a faerie King. “It's not exactly reincarnation.”

“
Explain,” the King narrowed his eyes on me.

“
Okay, how about this,” I smirked. “Once upon a time,” the entire room quieted and I sobered up, a chill going down my spine. It was like I'd said the magic words. “There was a human witch named Sabine. She fell in love with the Viking God, Odin and they were married. They were very happy together but Sabine grew older and Odin did not. On her deathbed, he begged her to eat the apple of immortality and become a goddess but she refused and succumbed to death.”

“
But Odin wouldn't let her die, would he?” Danal prompted and was shushed by the Queen.

“
Sabine's family were Catholics,” I continued. “They prayed for her soul to be allowed into Heaven, despite her unholy ways, and their prayers were answered. Azrael, Angel of Death, came to take Sabine's soul to Heaven.” My heart started thumping in my chest as I remembered the events I was describing. The light behind Azrael's kind face, the angelic script glowing on his cheek, his eyes sparkling like diamonds, and the way he touched my cheek before touching my soul. “But Odin saw Azrael and asked for a boon, from one god to another. He asked the angel to take Sabine to Hvergelmir, the Viking well of souls, where she might be reborn into another body.”

“
But that's not what the well is for,” the King protested and no one shushed him. “Hvergelmir is where the souls are created. Souls do not return there to be born anew.”

“
No they don't,” I agreed with him. “What Odin asked for broke several laws but he couldn't claim Sabine's soul himself because she wasn't a warrior and he'd have no access to her if he allowed her to go to Niflheim. Putting her in the well was the only way he'd have any hope of being with Sabine again. Seeing his great love for Sabine, Azrael took mercy on Odin and agreed to do the deed. He carried her soul to Hvergelmir but in the process, something unforeseen happened.”

“
It always will when you tangle with Nature's web,” the Queen said sagely.

“
Exactly, Queen Meara,” I nodded. “There's always a price. Azrael disturbed the natural order of things and he paid for it by falling in love with his charge. The Angel of Death takes souls with his scythe and then he deposits them in either Heaven or Hell, but the scythe wouldn't release Sabine into the Viking well. Azrael  had to take her from the scythe, physically touch her soul and place her into the well. When he did, it formed a bond with Sabine that carried through into her next life.”

“
But
how
was she reborn?” The King looked perplexed. “It shouldn't have worked. Sabine should have just swam forever in the well because she had already lived her life.”

I stared at him in shock as the pieces all fell into place and I finally understood what had happened. All this time, I'd thought Odin had pulled me out too soon. I'd felt the well pulling at my memories and had assumed that it was the way of things, that my memory had to be cleansed before I could be reborn, because how can you live a new life with memories of the old one? I had never considered that if reincarnation is not a possibility, than the well wouldn't have been prepared for me, wouldn't have even known to put me back into another body. Odin hadn't pulled me out prematurely, he had saved me.

“Maybe she would have,” I whispered, shaken deeply. “Maybe she would have spent forever swimming in the birthplace of souls but Odin grew impatient, waiting for her to be reborn. He bartered away an eye for the knowledge needed to bring Sabine out of Hvergelmir. Then he dove into the well and pulled her out, placing her in the belly of a witch.”

Gasps went round the room and then whispered conversations started. The King held up a hand and everyone quieted again. He was staring at me strangely, like I was an alien. Not only an alien but an alien who'd just told him his belief system was faulty and barbaric. He was intrigued but also a little pissed off about being so fascinated.

“And so Sabine was born,” he paused and touched my cheek with a fingertip, lightly. “
You
were born into a new body.”

“
Yes.”

More gasps which he once more subdued. “A body changed by your soul, I suspect.”

“I'm told I physically resemble Sabine, Odin bound Sabine's hair with my soul when he put me into my mother,” I frowned. “That's why I resemble her, not because I have the same soul. I mean, how could a soul change the physical body?”

“
How can you even ask that question?” The King parried. “You're a witch, you use thought to change the physical all the time. It's called magic, my dear, and you seem to be more magical than any of us expected.” The room was quiet, holding its breath. “Now to answer your original question, yes your soul can be fey.”

“
So that means?” I wasn't sure I wanted to be part faerie. What if I was part goblin? Yikes.

“
Just that you may be more fey than we thought,” he shrugged. “It will out. The more faerie blood you have in you, the stronger your magic will be. It's as simple as that.”

“
Oh,” I relaxed, “that sounds kind of great.”

“
It is kind of great,” he winked at me. “Now, back to these human machines.”

Chapter Sixteen

I talked with the faerie High King and High Queen until I thought my jaw would fall off. I told them about the Industrial Revolution, about electricity and the telephone. I told them about cars, planes, trains, and computers. The brownies seemed to perk up when I described kitchen appliances but the sidhe were more fascinated by the internet. The idea that the knowledge of an entire world could be anyone's for the taking, boggled their little faerie brains.

I was finally able to excuse myself and return to the room I was given, where I peeled my bloody dress off and balled it up so I could place it on the floor without staining the carpet. Then I wandered into the bathroom to see if the mystical faerie tree-castle came equipped with showers. Turns out, faeries have plumbing just like us, showerheads and all. Though they're a lot prettier, all curlicues and gold.

The living furniture continued to be a theme in the bathroom, with the exception of the tub and the fixtures, which were all gold. I ended up taking a bath instead of a shower, piling my long hair up on my head, and the metal was actually nice to lie in, retaining the heat of the water well. I ended up dozing off for a few moments.

I awoke with a start, forehead creasing as I tried to figure out what noise had bothered me. Steam still rose around me in a rose-scented cloud and I was deliciously warm. Why did I wake up?Then I heard it again. A soft shuffling in the other room.

I came fully awake, immediately locating my gloves, which I had left on the sink. I slid up out of the water silently and crept over to them, sliding them on my wet hands. Seconds counted in situations like those and I wasn't about to waste any time drying my hands. I shook my hands down and released the blades with a gentle click, then paused to listen for any sign that my visitor had heard them. It was deathly quiet for a moment and then the shuffling sound came again.

I padded to the bathroom door, thankfully I'd closed it, and pressed my ear to the crack. Louder now, I heard footsteps. I frowned, maybe it was just one of those brownies, come to turn down my bed or some other nonsense. I grabbed a thick, velvet robe from a branch near the door and quickly wrapped myself in it as I continued to listen for new sounds.

While I stood listening, the door was pulled open, revealing a grinning red cap. I cursed under my breath and charged him but this one was ready for my claws. He had a thick bracer on his forearm which he used to deflect the blow. He wasn't expecting spelled steel though and the bracer gave under the blades, leaving four gashes in the shiny metal. The red cap lost his happy face and frowned at the ruined bracer.

While he was frowning, I slashed at his throat and he leaped back. I followed him out, slashing at him every step of the way and he kept backpedaling until another red cap shuffled into the fray. He came at me from the right as I was trying to fight his buddy head on, smashing into me and taking us both straight out of my bedroom window.

I screamed as we fell, I happen to be afraid of heights, but the red cap took the brunt of the fall and cushioned me. He pulled me to my feet before I could ponder this, and shoved a rag into my mouth, tying it securely in place with a strip of cloth. My hands were grabbed by yet another red cap and pulled behind my back, claws still extended. My hair had come down and was hanging around me in a terrible mess but at least it was dry, the rest of me was still dripping.

“I thought you only screamed in the bedroom,” a silky voice slid over me and I peered through my hair to see Arach. I tried to mumble a reply but my mouth was full of rag. He just chuckled and brushed some hair away from my face. “Pull the levers on her gloves, they'll sheath her claws,” he said to the red caps behind me but he kept his eyes on mine. “You've seen the High Court, little blood-letter. Now you shall see the Fire.”