Oathbreaker (13 page)

“Maybe she was an ancestor of mine,” I looked to Trevor for support but his eyes were filled with fear.

“
I don’t think so, Minn Elska,” he kissed me gently.

“
Okay, well I’ll just finish this business with Odin, and then I’ll stay away from him.”

“
You will?” Trevor caught my gaze again. “You’d give up a lover you’ve been separated from for centuries for me? A lover who you shared a bond with that’s so strong, you recognized him even though you’re in another body? A lover you
married
and stayed with until the day you died
?”

That last part stung and I tried not to let his bitterness overwhelm me but a small part of me wondered if this was why I'd denied Trevor. Was this what I'd been waiting for?

“If it’s true, I’ve already had a lifetime with him. I’ve only just begun to love you,” I stroked his face and wiped away the tears that were suddenly flowing down his cheeks. “Let’s forget about Odin for a little while.”

I didn't think it was possible but when Trevor lowered his lips to mine, I really did forget.

Chapter Eleven

Why did you always run out of ice cream right when you needed it? I shook my head as I reached for the Chocolate Crackle. I already had Trevor's Rocky Road and Kirill's Pistachio gelato. My freezer was gonna be full, well maybe not for long. We were gonna watch a marathon of The Mentalist when I got home. It started at 7pm, so I had about a half an hour. I'd better hurry or I was gonna miss some snarky but brilliant comment of Mr. Jane's.

“
That's a lot of ice cream.”

No. No fucking way. I turned around and yep, there he was. Loki. Looking all gorgeous in his gorgeousness. Oh how I hated him. Dirty blonde hair, sinfully beautiful face, perfectly muscled body, and those purple eyes. Freakin' purple, god damn it! You think you've seen purple eyes? Elizabeth Taylor, you say? Oh no, no, no, Loki's eyes are true purple, like iris flowers in the sun. I wanted to smack the handsome right off his face. Why were bad guys so much badder when they were hot?

I walked calmly around my shopping cart as I slanted a glance left and right, to make sure no one was looking. He was smiling brightly at me when I punched him in the face and sent him to the floor. He laid there in shock, fingering his bleeding nose for a few moments before he started to laugh. Then he wiped his nose, got to his feet and shrugged.

“
Yeah, okay, I guess I deserved that.”

What the fuck?
So
not what I was expecting. What was Loki up to now? I narrowed my eyes on him but he only laughed some more. I thought about punching him again but as my fist clenched and my arm swung back, he stopped laughing and held up his hands.

“
Whoa there, I come in peace.”

“
You
what
? Do you even know what that word means?”

“
Come?” He grinned boyishly.

“
No,
peace
, you pervert.” I concentrated harder on him, something was different.

Then I realized what it was. My love magic had previously hid from him, declaring in no uncertain terms, his unworthiness of our gift. Now the butterflies were calm. Not fluttering around in  happiness, but not hiding either. Neutral, when I was feeling anything but.

“Look,” he frowned and ran a hand through his hair. “I may not have behaved as I should.”

“
You may not have what?” Was he fucking kidding? “You stole from me, tried to blackmail me with said stolen property, threatened to rape me as a giant
sabertooth tiger
, forced me to fight a woman to the death, and destroyed my relationship with Thor. All of this even though we shared a sort of family tie and one which would have killed your grandson if any of your actions had resulted in my death. Which part of all that do you believe was not behaving as you should?”

“
Well, when you say it like that...” he grinned.

“
Why are you here, Loki?”

“
Sure, okay,” he wiped a lingering drop of blood off his nose and took my cart. “Come on, let's make sure your ice cream doesn't melt.”

“
Alri-i-i-ght,” I blinked and followed.

“
You're in danger,” he pushed my cart up to the checkout line.

“
Yeah? Must be Monday,” I smirked.

“
I'm serious,” Loki's faced shifted from confusion to frustration and then finally into determination. “I've done you wrong and I want to make up for it. Now I have some information,” he quieted when we reached the checkout girl. She rang me up and he paid. He paid for my ice cream. What fresh hell was this?

“
What information?” I prompted as he carried my groceries out to my car.

“
You're being hunted.”

“
Uh huh, been there, done that. Got a boyfriend out of it.” I glanced at a man loitering near the Subway. “Does this have anything to do with me being followed by vampires?”

“
What?” He looked over to the man I indicated and frowned. “No, I didn't know about the vampires. You don't think his standing there is just a coincidence?”

“
Well, since this is the second one I've seen just standing around watching me,” I took the bag from him and put it in the cooler in my trunk, “not so much.”

“
Interesting,” he frowned, “but no. I'm talking about Demeter.”

“
Fuck that bitch,” I growled. “Let her find me, I'll take her damn magic too.”

“
Wow,” he laughed. “I thought I was the only one you hated so vehemently.”

“
Nope,” I looked him over critically, “nothing special about you.”

“
No need to be nasty,” he grimaced. “I'm trying to help you.”

“
Okay, then help,” I slammed the car trunk. “Where is she?”

“
I don't know,” he sighed.

“
So you came to tell me that a woman the Froekn and I are already hunting, is after me?”

“
Yes,” his shoulders sagged.

“
Gee, thanks, you've been ever so helpful.” I started to get into my car but he stopped me with a hand on my shoulder. I almost punched him again.

“
Be careful, Godhunter,” his eyes looked earnest enough. “She's watching you, waiting for the right time to strike.”

“
Ooooohhh, I'm so scared,” I flung my purse in the Jaguar. “I know she's after me, Loki. I know she's a fucking monster and a maniac. What I don't know is
where
she is so I can fucking kill her and perhaps stop using the F word so fucking much. Now, unless you're gonna hand me some coordinates, you're absolutely useless.”

“
Well I did buy you ice cream.”

“
Thanks for the ice cream, Loki.”

He stepped back and nodded. I felt a little bad when I saw the sad look on his face but come on, this guy had messed my life up. He deserved a little mean talk. He smiled sadly at me as he started to trace away. Before he disappeared completely, he said one last thing.

“Keep those you love close.”

Chapter Twelve

It started as soon as I exited the tracing room of Pride Palace.

“Tima, I was talking to this girl and she was all into me. I was right about to get her number when Al fucking stole her!”

“
Tima, I was ready to make a kill when Isaac jumped in and took it from me. Then he ran off with the antelope and wouldn't share.
Then
he left its head in my bed!”

“
Tima, I was lifting in the weight room and I moved to another machine,
after
I cleaned all the sweat off the last machine and while I was gone, Evan used the machine but he didn't wipe it off. It's fucking disgusting! Then I got blamed for it and everyone thinks I'm a gross, sweat-leaving bastard.”

“
Okay, okay,” I held up my hands. Sweet stinkin' werelions! I leave them for a week and they go nuts. “We need to have some order to this whole mediating thing. Let's go sit down in the common room and you can line up and tell me your grievances.”

They stopped shoving each other for a second, thought about it, then nodded and started heading in the direction of the common room. I sighed and followed with Kirill at my back. Darius separated from the group and came over to escort me. He rubbed his forehead to mine in greeting and then offered me an arm.

“Why, thank you,” I took it and then stopped in my tracks. “What is that?” I pointed to a big fish bowl sitting on a pedestal near the tracing point wall. It looked like it was full of condoms.

“
Well, you want us to be safe, right?” He grinned big and unapologetically.

“
Definitely but come on,” I waved at the ridiculous display of testosterone. “Must we have it in such an obvious place? Can't you move it to the common room? Put it somewhere more discreet?”

“
Then we may not remember to take some,” he shrugged, “but if that is your wish...”

“
Alright, damn you,” I huffed. Who was in control here? “Leave them but if we have guests, you better remove them. It's like a damn frat house in here.”

“
Yes, Tima.”

He escorted me into the common room, past the pool tables and video game nooks, around the computer desks and TV set ups, and finally to a couch where he seated me. He continued to stand beside me on my left while Kirill took his position on my right. I noticed that Fallon was guiding the others either into seats or into a line so they could address their issues to me.

This was what I signed up for when I took Nyavirezi's power. I had to control the Intare or they would go a little wild. Without these monthly meetings, my lions would turn into a bunch of crazy beasts, and no one wanted that. So I tried to mediate their disputes, soothe any hurt feelings, and ease down any animal instincts that were becoming too overwhelming for them. It was a lot of work but I kind of loved it.

I loved them, my broken cats who were finally starting to become whole men again. Every time I had to chastise one for pulling some practical joke on another, I felt kind of warm and fuzzy inside. They never would have dared to mess with each other like that when Nyavirezi had been in charge. As annoying as pranks could be, they showed me that the Intare were healing and becoming more comfortable. Sure, they behaved like teenagers a lot, but don't most men?

At least I didn't see fear in their eyes anymore. Their backs had lost that hunch all victims seemed to share. Their smiles were genuine and frequent, and they spoke in strong voices unhindered by cynicism. Even standing in line, waiting to complain about some silly offense, they jostled each other good-naturedly and cracked jokes. They were good men, they just needed a little guidance.

“
Alright,” I said after I'd finished passing judgment on all their issues. “We need to make some rules.”

“
Rules?” Fallon's hazel eyes widened, so striking against his dark skin.

“
Yes, rules.” I nodded as everyone groaned like children. “Darius, I need some paper and a pen.”

“
Yes, Tima,” he ran off.

“
You're grown men,” I started again. “You shouldn't be squabbling like a bunch of kids but since you are, I'm going to treat you as such.”

That was met with even more groaning and a scattered round of
Aww, Tima
. I held up my hand and they quieted. When I brought my hand down sharply, they all sat. It was very satisfying in a Captain Von Trapp kind of way. I smiled smugly and took the paper and pen that Dare had brought me. I wrote at the top of the page: Intare Household Rules.

“
Rule number one,” I wrote as I spoke. “No dead animals in bedrooms.”

“
But...” Lucian started but I quashed the rest of his comment with a look.

“
It's disgusting and unhygienic,” I looked around the room and my men wouldn't meet my eyes. “Uh huh, that's what I thought. Take your kills to the kitchen if you want to butcher the meat, no gnawing on bloody bones in bed. Hehe, bloody bones in bed, say that three times fast.”

Instantly, there was a chorus of
bloody bones in bed, bloody bones in bed, bloody bones in bed
. I laughed until I couldn't sit straight and tears were coming out of my eyes. My men just stared at me like I'd lost my mind.