Into the Void (The Godhunter, Book 10) (7 page)

Finally, I could resist the pleasure of that more intimate piece of him no longer. I took him in hand and slid my tail around his waist to pull him closer. He raised a brow at me and shifted his body down an inch so he could get a better angle. I was hot and wet already, despite the cool night air, and the chill of his hard length was a little shocking but in a good way. My inner heat quickly conquered the cold and my legs slid around his as we both used each other for leverage. My tail wandered up his back, teasing the tips of his feathers as one of his hands crept into my hair and took a firm hold. Then we were riding the waves of passion like currents in the air, soaring ever higher, until we crested and the lust magic exploded around us like fireworks in the night sky.

We sank slowly back down to the soft grass in the Summer section of Eden as the remnants of the lust magic sank into our skin and gave us one more shiver of ecstasy. I pulled my dragon in as soon as my feet touched the ground; everything sliding back into place inside me with a tingle of magic. I wanted to lie beneath Azrael and I wasn't comfortable enough with my wings yet to be able to lie on them like he could with his. So I laid back in my little human body, short and curvy once more, though he didn't seem to mind, and Azrael laid his body over mine, keeping his weight off of me with one arm.

“I wouldn't mind a repeat of that sometime,” he grinned and gave me a slow kiss that had my toes curling up in anticipation.

“
I think I could manage that,” I said breathlessly.

Then he settled beside me and pulled me into the curve of his side so we could look up at the stars together. His dark wings were behind and around us, surrounding me in softness and the scent of feathers. I hadn't realized that they had a scent but they did, my dragon could pick it up, though Azrael's feathers probably smelled different than your average bird's. It was a comforting scent, like smelling the sun on your lover's skin, warm and lightly spicy with the hint of fresh air. It was an intimate smell and it made me smile and snuggle closer.

My mind was racing, my visit to Faerie still fresh in my head but now overlaid with the fantastic sex we'd just shared. It was like I couldn't process it all, random images and thoughts just kept popping up. Like how Arach had been right about the feather smell. I didn't want that, didn't want to share this moment with the fey or even my fey husband. So I tried to focus on something else.

“
You told me once that bad angels weren't demons,” I finally decided on a topic that would get my mind back on Azrael. “That they'd be offended to be called demon, but Cid said he was an angel.”

“
He was,” Azrael nodded, I could feel the movement against my head. “He still is, but he's also a demon. Angels like those you met earlier today, would be offended to be classified with him because it would imply that they'd fought on the side of Lucifer during the war.”

“
Oh,” I frowned, “but you're an angel.”

“
I was a baby, remember?” I could hear his heart beating beneath my ear, it's beat slightly faster than a moment before. “I was born of an angel and the Holy Spirit. I never fought in the war and was never touched by the human belief that turned Dad's friends into demons.”

“
Wait a minute,” something obvious had just occurred to me. “You have to work with angels who fought against your father.”

“
That's right,” he swallowed hard. “I also rule most of them.”

“
I bet Luke loves that.”

“
Does he ever,” Az chuckled. “It took me awhile to accept that there was no right or wrong when it came to picking sides in the Great War. Siding with Jerry didn't make them evil and siding with my father didn't automatically make them good. They were just friends supporting each other and they got caught up in a fight that became way too serious.”

“
So it doesn't bother you?” I angled my head so I could get a better look at him.

“
Not anymore,” his tattoo flashed blue once, so bright I had to squint. “But if they were to interfere between you and I, I would be very bothered and I would make sure that they never bothered us again.” I caught a glimpse of Death then, the bones showing in sharp outlines beneath his skin for a moment as the whites of his eyes went dark. Night skies to the twin stars of his irises. Then it was gone and my lover was back.

“
You're kind of scary when you do that,” I teased him, though it was really to hide my nervousness. I'd never seen the death mask before, never known that he could actually look that way.

“
Good,” he kissed my forehead sweetly and looked back up at the sky. “I hope everyone else shares your opinion.”

Whoever said you shouldn't fear the Reaper was an idiot.

I hadn't been exactly honest with Azrael. What happened in Faerie did not always stay in Faerie. This time it would just be a simple matter of research but I had a feeling that the future would see more and more fey issues making their way into the other realms. For now though, I would focus on the matter at hand so I could finish it quickly and get back on track with finding Odin.

So I got onto my computer and two hours later I knew all about creating fire without the benefit of magic. From flamethrowers to Spontaneous Human Combustion, I knew every way you could burn someone to ash but I had no idea what was going on in Faerie. I sighed and leaned back in my chair.

“
Vat's wrong?” Kirill came up behind me and put a cup of coffee down on the table before he started to rub my shoulders.

“
Oh, just faerie shit,” I sighed, loving both his massage and the fact that he always remembered how I liked my coffee. “I need to figure out how a body could be burned to ash but remain in its shape until someone disturbs it.”

“
Do I even vant to know vhy?”

“
No, you absolutely do not,” I laughed. “It's research but it's important and I can't figure out how a fey could do it, especially one not of Fire.”

“
You could do it,” he shrugged.

“
Yeah but I'm also a fire fey,” I gave a slightly hysterical laugh. “I need to know how another fey could do it. A fey without my skills.”

“
Simple,” he frowned like maybe I was teasing him. “Magic.”

“
There isn't any fey magic that would let a faerie use an element not of his own.”

“
Who said
fey
magic?” Kirill cocked his head to the side. “Zere are god spells zat can do it. I've seen Nyavirezi use zem.”

“
God spells,” I whispered as my jaw fell open. “Damn but you're beautiful when you're saving my butt,” I pulled Kirill in close for a thorough kiss.

“
You vant me to get your book?” He lifted a brow. “I can save your butt more.”

“
It's right over there,” I pointed to where Ku's spellbook sat.

Kirill retrieved the book and came back to sit beside me. He put his arm across the back of my chair and leaned into me so he could see the pages.

“Fire casting,” I read from the table of contents. “There's a whole section.”

“
Da, I told you,” Kirill nodded and pushed back the heavy curtain of his hair that had fallen forward.

I smiled at him, he handled that hair in such a feminine manner sometimes but I guess that was unavoidable when you had hair down to your ass. It's hard to look manly while you're flicking shiny black hair over your shoulder but Kirill pulled it off. Mainly because he looked like he didn't care. I pulled a section back toward me, stroking the silk of it through my fingers like a child with a favorite blanket. He leaned his forehead to mine in a very cat way and rubbed it back and forth. Then he nudged me and pointed to the page I'd turned to.

“Zere it is,” he tapped the page. “Ashes to Ashes.”

“
How appropriate,” I went still as I looked over the artistic rendering of a body burnt black, arms up in a defensive gesture. “This is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you, baby.”

“
My pleasure,” he purred.

“
Hold that thought,” I kissed him quick on the cheek and put the book back down. “I have one more thing to do before we can to see to some pleasure for both of us.”

“
I'll vait right here,” he sat back and crossed his arms over his thick chest, smiling in anticipation.

“
Then I'd best hurry,” I smiled back and raced from the room to grab a handkerchief I'd brought back from the Faerie Realm with me. I ran down to the tracing wall and traced over to Dr. Malcolm Armstrong's office.

I went in invisible, just in case he had a visitor with him, but he was alone so I dropped the spell and unfortunately startled him. He threw the papers he'd been holding, up into the air, scattering them around his little office.

“Dr. Armstrong, I'm so sorry,” I helped him pick up the papers. “I wanted to make sure you weren't with anyone before I popped in.”

“
Oh, it's okay, Vervain,” he laughed off his alarm. “I guess I should be used to that by now.”

Dr. Armstrong had been hired by Demeter to alter the rabies virus into something that could harm an immortal. He'd done it unwillingly and he'd helped us fix his mistakes, so he was off the hook with the Froekn. We'd actually put him into a kind of god run witness protection program and hid him until the Demeter threat was neutralized. Then he'd gone back to work, at ease now that Demeter was dead.

“I'd like to hire you,” I put the handkerchief on his desk. “Could you have the contents of this analyzed? I need to see if there's been an fire accelerant of some kind used.”

“
What is it?” He opened the hanky with his pen and peered at the pile of black ash.

“
It's part of a faerie corpse,” I said and he cringed. “I'm not sure if it will give you strange readings or anything because of that but what I'm looking for is what caused the body to burn so completely.” I put an envelope of cash on the desk. “I hope this will be enough to cover your expenses and pay for your expertise but if it isn't, just let me know and I'll bring you more. You remember my number, right?”

I'd given the doctor my cell phone number when he decided to return to work, just in case he ever needed anything. Or was ever harassed by another god.

“Yes, of course, but this is unnecessary,” he tried to hand back the envelope.

“
Work deserves recompense,” I pushed it back to him. “Believe me, Dr. Armstrong, I'm not hurting for cash. Keep it.”

“
Well if you insist,” he cast a look around his cramped office and I smiled.

“
Just give me a call when you have the results,” I nodded and shook his hand. “Actually, make it a text, calls are usually a little scratchy when I try to take them in the God Realm.”

“
Okay,” he huffed a little laugh, “text only for the God Realm.”

“Happy Thanksgiving,” I hugged Fenrir and then Emma. “Thank you for coming.”

“
I admit I think it's a rather silly holiday,” Fenrir shook his head as he gave Emma an indulgent look. “But Emma loves it.”

“
Hello?” She slapped his chest. “It's an excuse to eat a lot of wonderful food and be lazy. You should love it too.”

“
I don't like being lazy,” he lifted a thick dark brow at her. “There's no lamb for the lazy wolf.”

“
But there's turkey,” I laughed and pointed him toward the front door. “It's all out there under the pavilion. We have so many people in our combined families that we had to take the celebration outside.”

“
Don't worry about us,” Emma took Fenrir by the arm, “If there's food to be had, he'll inevitably find the straightest path to it.”

“
Because I'm a good provider,” he griped as he escorted her down the hallway.

I was standing with Kirill at the tracing wall, waiting to direct our guests outside. Trevor was outside, playing host to those who had already arrived, and Azrael had gone to fetch Krystal, Tristan, and Jackson, my human friends. We were expecting all the members of the God Squad, my sons, Loki, and the Froekn, so probably a little over two hundred people. The Intare had been cooking for three days to try and provide enough food for all of them. There was a hell of a spread and they were pretty proud of it.

“Vervain,” Thor said after he traced in. “Thank you for inviting us.”

“
Of course,” I hugged him and then gave my attention to his new girlfriend. “Welcome to our home, Brighid.”

“
Thank you, Godhunter... oh shit,” she stammered, her pale cream cheeks turning pink. “I'm sorry, I meant Vervain.”

“
It's fine,” I laughed, liking her for her awkwardness. I was familiar enough with being awkward myself. “It's not a title I'm ashamed of, as long as you don't call me a whore, we're good.”

“
Why would I call you a whore?” She pushed her thick blonde curls back out of her eyes with a confused look.

“
Oh, I like you,” I laughed. “Go on outside, everyone's gathering in the pavilion.”

“
Okay, see you later,” Thor led Brighid out.

“
But why would I call her a whore?” Brighid whispered to him and I giggled.

“
She seems like nice person,” Kirill slipped an arm around my waist.

“
Yeah,” I transferred my gaze to his deep blue one. “As long as she doesn't hurt Thor, I'll keep thinking of her that way.” I lifted my face for a kiss.

“
I believe canoodling while waiting for guests is in bad form,” Horus announced.

“
Happy Thanksgiving, Horus,” I reached over and hugged the Egyptian god before he could react. He melted into it for a second before tensing up and pulling away.

“
Yes, well,” he cleared his throat and ran an elegant hand through his dark, shoulder-length hair. “I don't understand this American tradition but since everyone else was coming, I thought I might as well.”

“
That was very thoughtful of you, Horus,” I beamed at him, totally throwing him off his game.

“
Happy Zanksgiving, Horus,” Kirill saved him by extending a hand. Horus shook it gratefully and made a hasty retreat.

“
You tease him badly,” Kirill shook his head at me.

“
Someone needs to break through that spiky shell of his,” I shrugged.

“
Da, zat's Pan's job.”

“
Well, I want in on the fun too,” I pushed his shoulder. “Lay off.”

“
Da, I vill lay off.”

“
Vervain,” Mrs. E came out of the tracing wall and gave me a hug. “Thank you for having me. You know, I could bore you with all the details of the original Thanksgiving and why the modern day version is so very different, but I think I'll save us both the pain and just enjoy the food.”

“
Yes thank you,” I giggled. “I'd appreciate that. Oh and I have some news about the Void. I've talked to Lucifer and he's told me how to reach it through astral projection. I'll need to learn to manipulate energy as well before I go but I think you've probably already mastered that.”

“
Yes, I can alter the form of things in my own territory but what does that have to do with the Void?”

“
You need to know how to work with the energy there,” I explained, “energy that is very similar to the energy in our territories. That way, you'll be able to make your way out again.”

“
You're going vith her?” Kirill asked Mrs. E, a little surprised.

“
If I can,” Mrs. E nodded, “yes. You've told the others about our research?” She directed the question to me.

“
Yes, they all finally know,” I sighed. “I was an idiot, they'd already guessed what was going on.”

“
People who love you can be perceptive when it comes to your actions,” Mrs. E smiled. “It's a good thing.”

“
Better to be looked over than over looked, right?” I quoted Mae West.

“
Always,” she nodded.

“
As far as bringing them back,” I frowned. “I'm not sure yet. I have to talk to Vidar, he was translating Odin's spellbook for me but Luke, that's Lucifer, said I'd need a body to put his soul into.”

“
That makes sense,” she sighed. “I'm okay with Tsohaonai being gone, as long as I know he's alright and that I might join him someday. Maybe I could return for visits.”

“
Nothing's settled yet,” I waved off her plans. “Maybe we can figure something out. If not on this trip, then on the next. I don't want to leave either of them behind.”

“
As long as I can see him,” Mrs. E smiled wistfully, “talk to him once more and know he's alright, I'll be happy.”

“
I think we'll be able to manage that. When Luke starts teaching me to astral project, I'll see if he can teach you as well.”

“
Perfect,” she grinned and it was the first full fledged real smile I'd seen on her in a long time. “Thank you, Vervain.”

“
I love you both and we're gonna do whatever we have to do to get your husband back.”

“
And yours,” she brushed her hand over my cheek and I felt refreshed.

“
And mine,” I agreed. “Come on, I think you're the last to arrive, let's go join the others.”