Green Tea and Black Death (The Godhunter, Book 5) (21 page)

  
The emerald at my neck pulsed, almost as if in greeting, and the giant head shifted, snaking around Azrael to look at me. Yes, those were the eyes the emerald had showed me, the eyes I couldn't fully remember until that very moment. Dragon eyes.

  
I held my ground as the dragon's snout brushed me, great gusts of air moving my heavy coat as he breathed deep. He gave a last huff, the draft moving me back a little, before he swung his head so that he could peer at me again. I stared back calmly, something resonating inside me with awareness. Nidhogg wouldn't hurt me.

   “
Ssssissster,” a deep voice flowed from the dragon.

   “
Do we know each other?” My hand lifted all on its own, to touch the glassy cheek of the dragon.

   “
There isss knowing,” the dragon lifted his head suddenly, focusing on something over my shoulder, and I turned to look. It was Garm, he was almost upon us. “Thisss isss what you call me for, Death Angel?”

   “
Yes,” Azrael was staring back and forth between me and the dragon, utterly confused. He didn't even spare a glance for the approaching hell hound. “Will you help us?”

   “
Yessssss,” Nidhogg raised his head lazily, arching it over and beyond me, his wide chest filling my view. I was fascinated with it for a moment, how the dark red of his scales lightened to a rosy blush on his belly.

  
Then I turned as he inhaled, feeling the temperature raise, and watched as a ribbon of flame shot from Nidhogg's mouth, drawing a line between us and Garm. The hound yelped, stopping abruptly and backpedaling a few feet. He glared at the wall of fire that burned despite the lack of fuel.

   “
Off now, doggie,” Nidhogg hissed and Garm's ears perked forward.

  
The hell hound howled and ran in the opposite direction. I took a relieved breath but it was too soon because Garm was just giving himself space to run. He made a wide turn and came racing back toward us, leaping over the flames at the last second.

   “
Son of a bitch,” I swore and eased toward Azrael and Trevor.

   “
Yesssss,” Nidhogg made a raspy, rumbling sound that I'm pretty sure was a laugh. “Definitely bitch.”

  
The dragon's wings flared open with a great whooshing flap of air as he reared up onto his hind legs imposingly. Garm skidded to a stop before him, snarling and snapping its huge jaws at the dragon as it leaped in an effort to reach him. I was a little impressed by the courage of the beast, Nidhogg was ten times his size.

  
Hmph, I guess even hell hounds can have small dog syndrome.

  
The dragon snapped its wide jaws in warning, coming close to Garm's hide and the hound growled, lashing out with a massive paw. His claws skidded over the dragon scales, causing no damage at all except for making a horrible screeching sound, and finally driving home to the dog that he'd met his match. Nidhogg lowered his face to the level of Garm's and gave the beast a lifting nudge that sent him flying back over the slowly diminishing fire wall.

  
Garm rolled, shook himself out and gave us one last hard stare before leaving for good. Nidhogg turned around, his tail swishing out and circling the large stone well at his back. He settled back down to the ground, shimmying his body till he found a comfortable spot, and laid his head down on his forearms.

   “
Thank you, Nidhogg,” I went to stand before him.

   “
My pleasssure, ssssmall sssssissster,” he grinned sleepily and started to drift off.

   “
Nidhogg,” Azrael came up on my left to address the dragon.

   “
You again,” Nidhogg opened one eye to look Azrael over. “Weren't you just here? You left little sssissster in my well.”

   “
Yes,” Azrael smiled, “that was me. Thank you for allowing me passage then and thank you for aiding us now.”

   “
I obey Death, asss you know,” Nidhogg huffed a gust of warm air over us, blowing away the gathering mist.

   “
So that's why you call her sister,” Az smiled and looked up as a massive, glowing drop of liquid fell from the sky and made a splash inside the well. “She was one of yours.”

   “
Oh,” I smiled in relief as it all fell together.

  
That's why the emerald had shown me dragon eyes, to let me know that I could trust Nidhogg when I needed his help. It all made sense, the dragon felt protective of one of his old wards. I looked at the massive wall of the well where I'd spent hundreds of years and felt a little of its peace reach out and touch me. I guess it remembered me too.

   “
Yessss,” Nidhogg smiled at me and I smiled back. “Sssshe'sss one of mine. Now hurry, little onessss. My Lady Death isssss coming and I mussst bow to her will above yoursss.”

   “
Thank you again,” I impulsively kissed his shiny cheek and a happy rumble followed us as we made our way back to our original path.

   “
Even in Niflheim,” Trevor shook his head, “a strange land all on its own, you find a way to make things even stranger.”

   “
Yes,” laughed Azrael, “you do seem to attract the unusual.” He turned away, with an enigmatic smile, and began to lead us out of Hell.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

   “I must bid you farewell for now,”Azrael kissed my hand and then went to shake both Trevor and Kirill's. “I've neglected my duties for about as long as I can.”

   “
Oh, I didn't even think about that,” I frowned. “Does that mean people's souls were trapped in their bodies while we were off saving Trevor?”

   “
Not trapped, no,” Azrael assured me. “If I'm not there to claim them, they hang around the body. It's how you get some hauntings actually. There's times when I'm just incapable of collecting souls immediately and times when I need to recover and actually live a little,” he grinned and shrugged. “So the souls will wait for me, at least the Christian and Islamic ones will. It doesn't hurt them, I'm really just a guide. I carry them to either Heaven or Hell.”

  
Or to Hvergelmir, if you were the wife of a god.

  “
My grandfather just passed away and he was Christian,” I mused. “ Would you have been his guide?”

   “
I'm sure I was,” he put a hand to my shoulder. “I'm so sorry for your loss.”

   “
Thank you,” how many times had I come close to meeting him? If I had got to my grandmother's house sooner, would I have seen him then? “The J-man said he's groovin in his heaven now, so I'm good with that.”

   “
Jesus,” Az laughed, “that guy is something else, huh? He thinks he's a freakin' Beetle or something.”

   “
Yeah,” I giggled, “those glasses are a dead giveaway.”

   “
That and his whole
peace
thing,” he shook his head. “He hasn't said the word goodbye to me in ages. It's always,
peace, my brother
. I just want to tell him, okay already, we get it, you're enlightened.”

   “
I like it,” I thought back to how Jesus had saved me, and not in the
have you been saved,
kind of way.

   “
Yeah, guess it could be worse,” he shrugged. “Can you imagine if he had got into Punk?”

   “
That's why I'm here,” I winked at him. “In case gods go bad.”

   “
I'm looking forward to being bad then,” he cleared his throat when the silence from my men got thicker. “I better go before I really embarrass myself. Goodnight, everyone.”

   “
Peace,” I said as he traced out and his laughter echoed back to me, clinging to my home even after his body was gone.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

   “I'm so tired,” Trevor started to head back to our bedroom but I stopped him with a hand on his arm.

   “
Hold on, Honey-Eyes,” I bit my lip. “Let's have a seat. Kirill and I have to talk to you first.”

   “
Oh, what the fuck is it now?” He groaned and I laughed as we made our way to the low sofas in my Moroccan themed living room.

   “
Tima, zis can vait,” Kirill followed us.

   “
No, I meant what I said and I want to get it all out now,” I looked steadily at Kirill until he sat down.

   “
What is this about?” Trevor's hackles were rising for real.

   “
Nothing horrible,” I waved him back. “It's just that it was only Kirill and I for awhile there and I realized how much Kirill gets pushed aside. I don't think it's right to treat him like that but more importantly, I love him and want to be with him. We need to come up with a way that I can spend some alone time with both of you.”

   “
Huh,” Trevor fell back against his sofa. “I hadn't thought of that. Okay, what do you suggest?”

   “
Okay?” I looked over to Kirill, who had a matching expression of shock.

   “
Yeah, okay,” Trevor shrugged. “I love Kirill too, you know that. I don't want him to feel less important than he is. If you need some alone time with him, I understand. Maybe I can spend a night or two at Moonshine during the week, or go visit Dad and get my Froekn on.”

  “
Holy Werewolf Prince!” I swore. “You're fucking amazing. Have I told you that lately? I love you.”

   “
I love you too,” he leaned forward and kissed me quick, “And yes, I am amazing but no you haven't told me. So get to the telling, back there,” he pointed to the bedroom.

   “
Seriously,” I shook my head at this new, improved Trevor, “what gives?”

   “
Da,” Kirill looked over Trevor cautiously. “Vat gives?”

   “
I had a lot of time to think,” Trevor's face got more serious and I almost wished I hadn't said anything, “and all I could think about was you, both of you. Our lives, this strange situation we're in and how we're all in it together. This isn't just about me and you anymore and I think I've finally realized what it all means. With Kirill it was easy, the magic helped me see that he wasn't a threat, just another man who wanted to help me protect you, but with Odin it was more difficult. I had to face some issues that the magic had previously eased me through. By the time I caught you with Anubis, I was totally unprepared for the life you had made me a part of. I freaked out.”

   “
Da,” Kirill agreed. “You were much a freak.”

  “
Alright, buddy,” Trevor laughed, “don't push your luck. In Niflheim, I was able to work things out. Without you there, I could see it more clearly, understand the benefits as well as the negatives. In the end, I decided that I loved you for a reason. You're an amazing woman; passionate, enchanting, strong, loyal, and very smart. I have to believe in you and in my love for you. This wasn't something you went out and chose. Like the Binding, this is something that chose you. You were so great about accepting the magic I made you a part of but I didn't accept the magic you made me a part of and I've finally realized how unfair that was. If I love you, I should support you, help you through this latest challenge. That's what being a mate is all about.”

  
He dropped onto the carpet in front of me, gripping my hands and staring up at me with those beautiful, amber, wolf eyes.

   “
I've been a horrible mate lately and I'm so sorry, Minn Elska. I've left you to deal with this all on your own. I abandoned you and fled to Hel to escape my ties with you. What kind of a wolf does that?” He shook his head. “From now on, we're in this together. I won't give up my position as your alpha but I will try my best to control my jealousy and work through problems with you instead of running away from them.”

   “
Trevor,” I kissed him gently. “Thank you. You don't know how much it means to me to hear that from you. I have to tell you something about that day with Anubis though.”

   “
It's done,” Trevor shook his head. “You're forgiven.”

   “
I know, baby,” I smiled, “ but I want you to know about our suspicions, mine and Kirill's.”

   “
Suspicions?”

   “
Tima does not get so drunk as zat so quickly,” Kirill had wanted to confront Anubis we just hadn't had the time.

   “
I think Anubis may have slipped something into my drink.”

   “
What?”

  “
I can't prove anything,” I placed a placating hand on his shoulder. “I'm not even sure if I'm just grasping at straws here in an effort to divert the blame but I really don't think I would have reacted that way to Anubis without some outside influence. I have no desire to be with him again.”