A Taste for Blood (The Godhunter, Book 6) (28 page)

“
If we kill him,” Azrael explained, “the children will truly die. The Heaven that he rules is fed by his magic, without him, it will disappear, become open space for some other god to claim, and with it, the spirits that reside there.”

“
Oh fuck me,” I snarled.

“
Not the time, Carus,” Az gave me the briefest flicker of a smile.

“
So what do we do with him?” I looked down at Tlaloc. Was his skin plumping already? I shoved his goggles into my jacket and put the tip of my sword to his neck, just in case. “Keep him pumped full of these arrows all the time and leave him a mummy for eternity? That seems rather harsh, even for a child killer.”

“
I have no idea,” Blue whispered in shock.

“
Can they be moved?” I mused aloud. “Or maybe someone else moved in to take care of them?”

“
To where?” Pan frowned and kicked the husk at our feet. “And who has the time to take care of Heaven?”

“
You wouldn't really have to take care of it, right?” I looked to Azrael. “Just tie yourself to it and let them be.”

“
Well,” Az blinked. “Technically, yes, that's all that would be needed. Someone whose magic could be linked to the place, claiming it, and keeping it going.”

“
Then, I'll do it,” I growled and lifted my sword.

“
Wait,” Az held out a hand.

“
What now?”

“
Take a moment to consider this first,” he shook his head at me. “You jump into things without looking, Vervain. Take one blasted second to think this time.”

“
He's got you pegged,” Ull chuckled.

“
Stuff it, Ull,” I snapped. “What's there to think about? No one else is going to do it and I can't let this bastard live. I can't. I'll never be able to close my eyes without seeing those skinless bodies!” My voice had steadily risen till it became a screech.

“
Alright,” Az came around Tlaloc and wrapped his arms around me from behind. His wings draped over and around us and calm instantly settled into my body. “You do what you think is right.” He put his hands over mine, around the hilt of my sword, helping me raise it as his wings spread out behind us. “But we'll do it together. You'll have to claim his lands as you deliver the blow.”

“
I'll do it,” Hades' voice rang out, stopping us. “I'll claim his lands.”

“
Excuse me?” I lowered the sword once more and stepped away from the stunned angel.

“
I've always wanted to know what it'd be like to run Heaven,” Hades smirked and shrugged his shoulders.

“
Are you sure, Sizzle-Butt?” Persephone's tone was serious. I have no idea how she managed it while calling the Lord of the Underworld
Sizzle-Butt
. “This is a lot of responsibility.”

“
As if I don't know what it's like to care for souls?” He rose a brow at her and lifted his shades, giving us all a glimpse of the fires raging behind the transparent brown of his irises.

“
Okay, okay,” she held up her hands and he replaced the glasses. “Do your thing,” she waved a hand toward Tlaloc.

He walked up and I offered him my sword but he shook his head with a smile. Out of the air he plucked a magnificent weapon. A longsword, its metal catching the sun and sparking, literally sparking and catching afire. The fire ran along the blade, coating every edge, till the whole thing burned.

I sighed, having a moment of aching jealousy for both the beautiful weapon and the fact that it was going to kill Tlaloc. Hades lifted the sword above Tlaloc's neck and I suddenly noticed that Tlaloc's eyes had filled in. They were staring up at Hades in terror, so white against his shriveled skin. I felt supremely happy at the sight of that, and when Hades' sword fell, his words claiming Tlaloc's Heaven as his own, I watched Tlaloc's head part from his body with satisfaction.

I had an image to replace the dead children with.

Chapter Forty-One

“Did you catch him?” Trevor was waiting for us in bed at Pride Palace. “Is he dead?”

“
Da,” Kirill started stripping on the way to the bathroom. “Hades kill him and take his child souls.”

“
What?” Trevor looked after Kirill but the lion was already starting a shower.

“
He's dead,” I leaned over to kiss him. “Hades had to do the deed so he could claim Tlaloc's land in the God Realm, which is full of souls and would vanish without someone to care for it.”

“
Oh,” Trevor sat back against the pillows. “Don't let Kirill explain things anymore.”

“
Right,” I laughed and began to remove my weapons. “How did everything go with the police?”

“
Well, there were two casualties so they weren't too happy,” he rubbed at his temples, “but it wasn't like they could charge me with murder. They did take great joy in shutting us down until they're finished with their investigation.”

“
I can't say I'm either surprised or upset by that,” I dropped my gloves on the coffee table in our little sitting area. “I think it's for the best right now.”

“
Maybe,” Trevor frowned, “I just don't like being pushed around.”

“
Of course you don't,” my boots came off, landing on the floor with solid thuds. “We're going to have to push back, as soon as we can figure out how to find someone to push. I just think we should take this as a gift in disguise and use the break to get our shit together. I'm tired. There's so much going on right now, I just need a little, teeny tiny break.”

“
You're right,” he grinned. “It's not like we need the money and the Froekn are all due for a vacation. The club is warded, it'll be fine. We'll just let the human police worry about this situation for awhile. I'm going to stay in bed with my mate and enjoy my life for once.”

“
For once?” I asked affronted.

“
You know what I mean,” he got out of the bed, gloriously naked, the thick muscles in his chest and legs twitching under my appraisal.

“
I think I'm beginning to understand,” I smirked and grabbed a handful of werewolf ass.

“
If you don't,” he huffed a hot breath on my neck. “I got some understanding for you right here.”

“
Oh that was the worst line ever,” I laughed but pulled him closer. “I need a bath first.”

“
I'll go tell Kirill,” he wandered off, sending a wicked smile to me over his shoulder. “Kirill, turn the shower off, we're coming in. And put your hair up, man, it'll only get in the way.”

“
Oh, I love my life,” I started removing my clothes as fast as I could.

Chapter Forty-Two

I awoke in a tangle of limbs and hair, blissfully happy. I unwrapped myself and carefully slid free of my men. I stood there, smiling down on them for a moment before I realized that something had woken me. I tensed, searching the room for danger and finding nothing. Finally, I noticed the haze over the mirror and cursed. I made a mad dash for my bathrobe just as it cleared, showing Arach's smiling face.

“
Good morning, A Thaisce,” he said before his eyes took in the rumpled and overfilled state of my bed. “I see you've had a nice evening.”

“
Very nice, thank you,” I slid into the chair in front of the vanity. “We killed a very bad god yesterday and celebrated last night. What's up with you? Burn anything to death lately?”

“
Not within the last few days,” he said seriously. “Experience any desire to do so yourself?”

“
I've felt the pull,” I admitted, “but Trevor's helped me through. I think I can manage this on my own but thanks anyway for your offer of assistance.”

“
What do you mean manage on your own?” His eyes narrowed further, starting to slant upwards at the temples. “No dragon-sidhe has ever come into their powers on their own. It's impossible and way too dangerous.”

“
I'm fine, really,” I huffed. “I think you're playing this up to try and scare me and I don't appreciate it.”

“
I'm not playing with you at all,” smoke started to come out of one of his nostrils. “The pull will only get stronger and stronger. It cannot be managed, it must be dealt with properly or you will release it in an uncontrolled manner. Stop behaving like a child and come back to me so I can teach you.”

“
I'm not going back into Faerie,” I scoffed. “The only exit is the size of a cat, I wouldn't be guaranteed a way back home.”

“
This is your home!” He slammed a hand down on the table he was seated at and the wood cracked.

“
Whoa,” I leaned back. “Lay off the caffeine, Elliot.”

“
What is wrong with you, woman? My name is Arach, not Tinkerbell and not Elliot. Who is Elliot?”

“
Man I hate it when no one's here to appreciate my movie references,” I grumbled. “See, that's another reason I can't go live in Faerie, you've never even heard of
Pete's Dragon
.”

“
Now who is this Pete?” He frowned, his face losing some of the dragon aspects in his confusion, “and how could he possibly own a dragon?”

“
Never mind, Norbert,” I sighed. “We're too different and I'm too taken. You're gonna have to try and find another lady dragon cause this one ain't biting.”

“
Norbert?” He was blinking rapidly, completely baffled.

“
How can faeries not know about
Harry Potter
?” I whined.

“
Harry Potter?” He was going to blow a gasket any minute.

“
Forget it,” I waved at him, “I gotta go.”

“
No,” he stared at me intensely. “I shan’t be the one forgetting. Dearmad gac aon rud,” he chanted, catching and holding my attention. “Dearmad, dearmad, dearmad!”

My heart seemed to slow, the sound of it getting louder till it was all I could hear. Thump, tha thump, tha thump, in my ears. My eyes tried to focus but they didn't seem to be working, everything was hazy. My stomach fell, and the cry of three types of animals overcame the beating of my heart for just a moment before a roar silenced them. My body began to tingle and the tingling spread up to the base of my skull, creeping into my brain and taking over. I frowned, trying to remember why I was sitting in front of the mirror.

“A Thaisce,” a voice drew my attention to the glass. There was a man there, looking back at me where my face should have been. “Come home now. Go to the tracing point and come home to Faerie.”

“
Faerie?”

“
You remember Faerie, it's where you belong.” His words resonated through me and suddenly I did remember. It was where I belonged because I was fey. I got up but his voice stopped me again. “See this chamber?” I nodded at his wave to include the room behind him. “This is where you want to be, understand?”

“
Yes.”

“
You remember me,” again, his voice trembled through my veins. “I am your lover, remember?”

“
Yes,” I smiled and leaned toward the glass. I distinctly remembered making love to him, looking down on his face and then biting him, taking his blood into my mouth because that was the right thing to do when you mated a dragon-sidhe. I frowned, there was someone else's face beneath his.

“
Vervain,” he cut off my thought. “There's only me, Arach.”

“
Arach,” I whispered and smiled. Yes, I knew that name.

“
You've been gone so long,” he looked sad. “It's time to come home. Now clear the mirror and come straight home.”

“
Okay,” I felt so good, so warm and light, without a single care on my shoulders.

I swept my hand over the mirror, turning Arach's face to fog and then returning the mirror to its natural state. I walked out of the room and found myself in a hallway. I didn't know where I was. How did I get home? I looked up and down the corridor and frowned. I knew I had to get to a tracing point, Arach had said as much, but I didn't know where such a thing was.

“Tima?” A beautiful man in jeans and a T-shirt walked up to me. “Are you alright?”

“
Um,” I frowned at the man's shirt. It proclaimed in big letters that he was ready to roar. Why would he be roaring and what was a Tima? Arach had called me Vervain, that was my name. “I don't remember where the tracing point is,” I finally said. Maybe this man would help me get home.