Three days later"And I'm telling you, Mage, that will put us in the middle of an ocean." I turned to my Mate. "We need to aim for this spot, Kiema. Do not believe everything Kord tells you," I said as I pointed to the middle of a big land mass on a very roughly drawn map of Earth. "All of my research says that's going to be worse than landing in an ocean, Dragon. Besides, you haven't been there in eons. What makes you think things will still be as you remember them?" Kord snarled at me. He turned to Kiema. "Pick somewhere else. We don't want to be stuck up in the mountains or trapped in an over-congested city. Some place with open areas that're easy to protect."Kiema smiled the same smile she'd been flashing since this morning when the discussion of where to land on Earth had begun. "Mate," I began. "What has you smiling so secretively?" I asked. "I already know where we're going. You and Kord are the ones holding everyone up." She gave me a brighter smile. "And? W
With a short scream, I pulled everyone back onto the sidewalk. I wasn't going to admit to Kord, but he'd been right. I had an absolutely horrible sense of direction. The fact that we'd come a hair's breadth from becoming pancakes was my evidence in point. "Watch the fucking road, you cunt!" some driver yelled at me while flipping his middle finger up in the air as he honked his horn. Ransom growled next to me. "It's okay," I said, patting a hand to his abs. "It was my fault.""He better hope I don't see him ever again."I swallowed the laugh that was tickling my throat. Even on the street, it looked like there were hundreds, if not thousands of people rushing, walking, and strolling about in every direction. "Where are we?" Scarlet asked as she leaned around Ransom. If I had trouble hearing her in a quiet room, then it was almost impossible for me to hear her in all of this noise. "What did you say?" I asked through telepathy. Her cheeks pinkened. She repeated
"Ten, got any ideas?" I asked the dragon who shared a body with me. "Follow their directions. It looks like they are the peacekeepers or law enforcement for the city. This is nothing like what Earth should be. There are too many people. Too many buildings. Too many cars. Too much pollution. What have they done to my beautiful planet?""Progress and greed, Ten. I'm so very sorry," I said as I put my hands up in the air. One man, dressed in a black vest that read POLICE in big white letters across the chest stepped through the throng of men and women who were circled around us. "I'm Captain Jamison Holt. You're going to need to come with me, please." "We'll be glad to accompany you if you could but tell us why." Ten said through our mouth. Captain Holt looked startled. "You're being arrested.""On what charges?" Ten asked. "You're all wanted terrorists." With that he turned and made his way to a big black truck that had SWAT written on the side. "What the fuck?" Ash
I could feel Berserker jerking on the reins of my control. He wanted out, and he wanted his mate. This locked up in different areas bullshit was about to get a lot of people killed. I practiced the breathing techniques Xander and I had learned in therapy after my father killed mom. The same ones he used on Scarlet. Thinking about my mate being that close to a breakdown had Berserker bum-rushing the leash I had on him. Breathe in. Hold it.Hold it.Exhale."Ten, where the fuck is all this Earth magic supposed to be? I don't feel a Gaiadamned bit different," I snarled mentally to help distract myself. "I do not know, brother. It is as if the magic has disappeared altogether. This is not the Earth of my youth," he answered. He sounded both saddened and angry. "I feel like something is trying to suck or siphon my magic," Kiema said. "It's almost like we're in a vacuum of some kind and once it locked on to us, it began trying to slurp me up one big gulp after another
I knew immediately she'd cut me off from everyone else. The skin she wore looked nothing like she did on the spiritual plane, but then again, she had to make do with what she had to choose from. This woman was in her late sixties, white haired, wrinkled skin, watered down green eyes, and a sensible, if ugly skirt suit. "Hello, Kiema. Sorry to see you're still alive," she said, her voice sounded a lot younger than her body looked. "Herpes, what an awful surprise." I nodded at her. She looked shocked. "I didn't know if you'd recognize me or not. But it seems as if you've gotten a few upgrades of your own. What are you doing on Earth?""Sightseeing."She snarled at me, stomped her low heeled shoe on the floor like a child. Which given the age she's trying to present was beyond hysterical. "I could have you locked away indefinitely here. You would wither, die, and then your magic - which is rightfully mine anyway - would be up for grabs.""So why don't you do that?" I watche
"Are you going to keep notes on this interaction as well?" I asked Atlas as we made our way into the gigantic foyer of the hotel. He slung his arm over my shoulders. "Do you want me to?"I looked up into his face. Grabbing my courage was nearly as difficult this time. I flashed him a smile, nodded. "Then that's what will happen, little sister."My heart caught in my chest at the term. I'd gained so much more than just mates when I accepted my guardianship. Beyond the family I'd acquired, I hadn't felt so strong and brave in my entire life. I had something to offer, something to claim. The give and take in this group was as close to equal as it could possibly be. And it was a beautiful thing to see. A heavenly thing to be part of. Atlas gave me a squeeze before letting me go. I quickened my steps to catch up with Kiema at the front of the group. I tugged on her waist before she got too far away again. Being the shortest, with stubby little legs no less, made me feel like
This woman looked nothing like her mother. No dark eyes, no rainbow hair, no regal bearing - scratch that last part. This woman oozed regal. But she worked in a hotel. Albeit a fancy one, but still. The manager narrowed her eyes at me before turning to her younger, smaller employee. Her gaze softened. "Go get some air, Bethany. I'll take care of this."Bethany opened her mouth. The manager shook her head, her long brown hair sliding over her shoulders in a wave of slight curls. "You're not to blame. You won't be punished in any way. Go on, now."Bethany's eyelids fluttered closed as a single tear escaped her control. Shit, shit, shit. I hadn't wanted to damage the young woman. Just get her to give us a couple of rooms. "Then you should have been more careful with a Valkyrie's magic," the manager said as she glared at Scarlet. Scarlet stood beside me, her shoulders straight, her head held high. The manager watched her like a predator watches its prey. I stepped
I dug my nails into Asher's arms, my entire body vibrating with rage and fear. This woman claimed to be my mother. But according to Alok, she was also the person who wanted me dead. Kiema burst up, fists clenched, her face spelling out Nix's murder. "You're the one who wanted Scarlet dead?!"Wind rose up in the room, whipping everything around in a small tornado. Kiema's silver eyes washed to complete liquid silver. "You made a mistake. Scarlet is one of mine. You'll go through me to hurt her.""And me," Saint said as he rose to his feet. His form wavered at the edges as Ten tried to break through."And me," Ransom and Kord both stood up. Their forms also on the verge of shifting. "And us," Lukas and Atlas said. Lukas stepped away from his partner, his hands loose and ready at his sides. Atlas' top lip pulled up in a snarl. "And us," Xander and Taryk said from behind me and Asher. I didn't turn, but I knew their magic flared and pushed at their control. Asher's arms r
Three months later"And I'm telling you right now, dad, that if you want to ever see these babies, you'll stop sending my mates to the Underworld for a cooling off' period. That shit is getting old," I said as I waddled into the hospital built for gods and demi-gods. He chuckled beside me. "But, bubbles, they deserved it. Crowing like they built Olympus bare handed. They were getting on your Circle's nerves. I could tell." He said as he lifted me into the bed. "Bring them back, dad. Now." I glared at him. Even though, on the inside, I was smiling like a loon. This was the type of relationship I'd always dreamed of having with a father. He sighed, a smirk still pulling at his mouth. With a snap, my three mates stumbled into the room."Damn it, Apollo," Saint said as he flicked his shirt. "Cerberus almost got me that time."My dad's head tipped back as he laughed and laughed. The babies inside me loved that sound. They kicked at my belly. I rubbed at the spot. "Easy
Six months later"Last time, I'll ask. I swear." Kiema swallowed heavily as she moved around behind me. "You promise you're okay not getting your deer back?" Kiema asked me as flicked the fabric of my dress this way and that to get it to lay perfectly.I waited until she looked up at me. That look of slight hesitation on her face tugged at my heart. "I promise. I was never meant to be a deer. A shifter of any kind."She nodded, sniffled quietly. "You ready for the rest of this then?" Kiema asked me as she adjusted the crown of flowers in my hair. "So much more than ready. I've been waiting for this my entire life." I bit back the tears that wanted to flood my throat. Not today. I wouldn't ruin this day with tears.She smiled as she stepped back. "You look beautiful, little sister." Tears gathered in her eyes. I held up a hand, looked at the ceiling. "Don't do that. I told you I wasn't crying today. You start crying, then I'll start crying. Then we'll have to postpone e
The next night"Wake up, Saint," I said softly in our shared consciousness. I could barely contain myself. I had felt the swell of magic. Had felt it when it took root."Saint," I said again. The man slept like a rock at the bottom of a spring. "Mgmgs," he mumbled.Forcing our arm to move, I slapped our face. He shot up, his teeth bared. "Who's there?" he called out. "It's me, you buffoon," I said.Our head cocked to the side. "Ten? Why are you waking me up? Can't whatever it is wait until morning?" He snuggled back down into the comfortable bed in our new home. "No." I shook our head so he would fully wake up. "Wake up!"He sat up, pulling the blankets with him. "I'm awake. What can't wait until the morning, Ten?""Kiema is pregnant.""WHAT THE FUCK!?"I snickered as everyone in the room burst from the bed, fists and knives raised in defense. "What is it?" Ransom's head turned back and forth quickly, visually sweeping the room. With a grunt at its emp
Two weeks later"Are we finally going to try this? We've been prepping for what feels like forever." I licked my way up Saint's neck. He shivered as his fingers curled into the flesh of my ass. "Maybe we should wait one more day. I don't want to hurt you."I rolled my eyes under the cover of my closed lids. This man. So dominant. So caring. So sure I wasn't ready to take one of them in my ass. I guess I'll just have to show him that I was more than ready.I slid down his body. A wave of magic and all of us were naked as the day we were born. As I sucked his cock into my mouth, Kord came up behind me.Curling around my back, he pinched my nipples with one hand. With his other, he slid a hand down my belly and straight over my clit. With a sharp movement, his fingers were deep inside me. I groaned around Saint's dick as waves of pleasure washed over me. Sprinkled with the counterpoints of pain from Kord getting my nipples ready for the clover clamps. I felt my core cream at
The next day"Torture and then straight back to bed. I don't care that your father is the god of healing. This is ridiculous, Kiema," Atlas said as we stood in the elevator on our way to the basement level."Don't get trapped in the dungeons," Apollo had said as he laid his palm against the electronic plate on the wall of the elevator.Right. Dungeons in a god hospital. Gods were freaking weird.I patted his cheek. "I've got my main medical provider right next to me. I'll be fine. Besides I feel like a million bucks."He huffed a laugh as Mason and Lukas came up beside him. I wiggled my eyebrows at Atlas, looked over his shoulder, back to his face.He chuckled and rolled his eyes. "Yes, little sister. We've decided to try being a thruple."I wrinkled my nose. "What kind of word is thruple?""A three-person couple, luv," Lukas answered. I snorted. "And you guys won't let me make up words? That's a heaping load of Berserker shit right there."We were all laughi
I pushed the other two through the doors. I wasn't waiting another minute to see my girl. I'd felt her die. Felt my spirit try to follow her down that long tunnel. My heart had stopped beating when I saw Heppni literally rip her heart from her chest and crush it. But here we were. Alive. Healing. She was pale against the bright white sheets of the hospital bed. Although it was unlike any hospital I'd ever been in. Apollo said something about it being a place for gods and goddesses. I shook my head. It didn't matter to me what it was as long as it made her better. She looked over as we rushed in. Her eyes searched each one of us before returning to me. Tears flooded her eyes as I pulled her into my arms. We all sat on the bed, curled and huddled together while she got it all out. The guys and I had had some truly brutal boxing matches to deal with our own emotions. I was still achy and sore from a couple of well-placed hits from Kord. The man might be a nerdy librarian, b
My chest hurt. I tried to rub it, but my arms were restrained. "Easy there, bubbles. You'll pull your stitches if you do that," a man said. His voice was soft and melodious. Like listening to angels sing. Angels. Something about that word tickled my brain.Angel. Almost. Almost.Ransom. As soon as I thought his name, his face popped into my brain. I tried to sit up. Made it a couple inches before I was pushed back to the bed beneath me. I opened my eyes. Ignoring the stabbing pain that slid into my eyeballs, I blinked to clear my vision. A bright white room greeted me. The only color in it was the man who had a hand against my chest. I looked down at his hand. Looked up at his face. Raised an eyebrow. "Get the fuck off, perv. My mates will rip you to shreds."He huffed a laugh and removed his hand. "I doubt your mates will be doing much more than breathing for a couple more hours, but I'm glad to see that you're back, bubbles. Have a nice nap?" I leaned ba
Everyone Hellion had made me vow to keep alive fell to the ground as if they were puppets and their strings had been cut. Fuck, fuck, fuck. I hurried to the closest one's side. Pushed two fingers to his neck. Gone. I was so fucking dead. I blasted an oncoming human with a burst of magic. He withered where he stood. I sank to my knees next to the small woman with bright white hair. She was gone as well. The woman with the long brown hair threw her blade into an approaching Direct. It sliced through him like he was air. With wild eyes, she didn't even try to gather the particles of his passing. She pushed me aside as she cradled the smaller woman to her chest. "No no no not my baby no no no please no no," she wailed. Her agonized scream was muffled against the smaller woman's head.The rest of the humans who had interrupted our plans were either dead or falling back the way they'd come. Movement drew my eye. I squinted as I tracked it across the street. It wa
I sent another stream of fiery magic at the Direct who thought to protect my mother. Some pansy-assed gifted asshole wasn't going to stop me from hunting my mother down and killing her. With a wave of my hand, a path cleared. With a curl of my fist, humans fell to the ground, their spines crumbled into dust. "I'm coming for you, Herpes," I screamed at the top of my lungs. She scurried away, down the side street towards the fighting arena I'd created for us to use for practice. I picked up my pace and followed her. "You better be fucking careful, honey," Saint said through my head. He was working with Arasne and Felix at the opening of the street where the humans were still grouped. The Faeries had set up a blockade of sorts, forcing the humans into a bottleneck situation. They were taken down one by one as Ransom had his horde of beasts funneled them through the line of magical warriors. "Always, Saint baby. See you in a bit." I rushed down the street Herpes had