Of Gods and Wolves (9 page)

Thor cleared his throat and reminded me of where I was. I pulled back from Trevor, sure my face was as red as my dress, and bit my lip as the Froekn laughed knowingly. Trevor's eyes were all honey heat and I felt caught in them. I shivered like a fly struggling in the sweet death. Then my embarrassment flowed away with the honey and I smiled at my wolf.

“
I have something for you, little Frami,” Fenrir saved me from making an even bigger fool of myself. “TryggulfR,” he turned as TryggulfR came forward with a large, blue velvet box.

Fenrir opened it to reveal a heavy torque of gold with a wolf head on each end. He took it out reverently and slipped it on my neck. The weight of it felt comforting but there was also a tingle of something more. Something that felt a lot like magic, wild magic.

“It’s beautiful,” I touched it, then looked at the matching one Fenrir was wearing.

“
This is the symbol of your status,” Fenrir held me by the shoulders. “The Rouva torque is yours until I find my own mate.” He smiled like he didn’t think I’d be wearing it long.

“
I’m honored to wear it until you find your Rouva,” I kissed his cheek. “I’ve something for you as well,” I reached towards Thor and he pulled a painting from the bag of gifts for me. I handed it to Fenrir. It was a portrait of him, smiling his
I’m too sexy
smile and looking magnificent. Wolves surrounded him, sprawling, sitting, howling. “This is the first piece I've painted in a long time. I've lacked inspiration, I guess. I want you to have it so you can see what I see when I look at you. In case you ever doubt how incredible you are.”

He took the painting from me and his jaw clenched. He swallowed hard, his throat convulsing. There was a sudden sheen to his eyes and he took a deep breath before he leaned down and gave me a kiss on the cheek.

“You make me envy my own son, little Rouva,” he whispered into my ear. I shivered as I met his eyes and saw a hint of what might have been. Whoever snagged him was going to be one lucky woman.

“
I have a gift for you as well,” Trevor reclaimed my attention. He reached behind him and pulled out a small gold box with a big red bow on it. “Happy Yule.”

I smiled and unwrapped the box with shaking fingers. Inside was a heavy gold bracelet in the shape of a wolf. The body of the wolf formed a circle, like he'd be forever chasing his tail around my wrist. In his mouth was a large diamond. I inhaled and forgot to exhale for a second.

“Breathe, darling,” Thor patted my back and I exhaled sharply.

“
Thank you,” I said softly to Trevor as I put it on and admired the way the diamond sparkled. “It’s amazing, I love it.”

“
I'm glad,” he flashed a look behind me and I felt Thor's hand tense on my back.

“
I have something for you too,” I had to hit Thor to get his attention, he was focused so strongly on Trevor. “Thor, the gift for Trevor please.”

He finally fished a box out of the bag and handed it to me. I handed it to Trevor, who smiled grandly and tore through the wrapping like a kid. Paper went flying, shreds of ribbon drifted to the ground. Did I say kid? I meant animal. Finally, the gift was revealed and Trevor made an exuberant whoop.

“
Vibes
and the complete season of
Firefly
,”
he held up the dvds. “How did you get Vibes? I've been looking for it forever.”

“
I have my ways,” I smiled delightedly.

“
Have you handled a machine gun before?” He asked with mock seriousness.

“
Sure, lots of times in high school,” I smirked as I gave him the correct quote. “I was captain of the machine gun team.”

“
Yes!” He laughed and punched the air. “And you can just call me Captain Tight Pants.”

“
Now you're switching to
Firefly
, give a girl some warning,” I laughed. “He's my favorite you know. I love Mal. So sexy.”

“
I'm more a fan of Inara myself,” he waggled his brows at me. “I love me a hot brunette.”

“
If you don't lay off
my
hot brunette, you're gonna regret it,” Thor glowered.

“
Oh but we can't die. You know why?” Trevor barely spared Thor a glance.

“
Because we are so...” Trevor joined me and together we sang out, “very... pretty!”

Thor groaned as I laughed. I finally had a partner in my annoying movie quoting.

“These are the best gifts ever,” Trevor exclaimed. “I've never met anyone who's even heard of
Vibes
, much less could quote it.”

“
Are you kidding me? I'd give you the finger but I'm too refined,” I said in my best Cyndi Lauper imitation.

“
Oh man, I love you,” Trevor grabbed my face in both hands and planted a quick kiss on me.

We pulled apart to find everyone staring at us in horrified fascination. Thor took my waist and pulled me into his side as I laughed nervously.

“It's a movie from the 80s and an old TV series by Joss Whedon,” I shrugged. “I knew Trevor wanted them and they also happen to be favorites of mine, so...”

“
How exactly did you know he wanted them?” Thor frowned down at me.

“
I...” I started to frown as well. How had I known? He never actually mentioned it.

“
It's a Froekn thing,” Fenrir said smugly. “Part of the bond. Trevor has become a part of her. She knows him as well as she knows herself.”

Thor's entire body tensed next to mine.

“The only way this can work,” I spoke softly but still had everyone's attention immediately, “is if all of you help me to make it work. I can't do it if I have to constantly mediate between you both. Now Thor has been very understanding, considering the circumstances, and I'd appreciate a little respect and consideration back. I didn't ask to be bonded with Trevor but it happened and I'm not sorry it did. You've all made me feel loved and accepted and I want the Froekn to be a part of my life but not at the expense of Thor's feelings. So please, no more passive aggressive attacks on my boyfriend... Fenrir,” I stared hard at him. “Or any of you,” I looked over at Trevor and his two brothers.

“
Okay, little Frami,” Fenrir sighed, “I concede your point. My apologies, Thunderer.”

“
Accepted,” Thor nodded. He'd begun to relax during my speech, his chest expanding, and a smile playing over his lips. “We all love her, Fenrir.”

“
Yes,” Fenrir smiled resignedly, “we sure do.”

When the music started, the wolves stood and immediately went to the floor. The Froekn loved to dance and as it turns out, I was no exception. I started with Thor but Trevor claimed the next round. I laughed in delight as he swung me around and passed me from wolf to wolf till I ended up with Fenrir. The Wolf God smiled at me, then something over my shoulder caught his attention and he raised a brow. I followed his gaze and saw Odin approaching the dance floor with a bevy of beautiful women.

Fenrir laughed at my expression. “They’re his Valkyries,” he whispered and then nodded to some of his male wolves. They flowed through the dancers, stalking the women.

The Valkyries laughed and twirled away from the wolves, who continued to chase them around the dance floor. It looked as if they’d played the game before. I raised a brow and looked up at Fenrir.

“My boys are very popular with the fighting ladies,” he waggled his brows at me and I laughed.

“
May I steal your Rouva for one dance, Fenrir?” Odin was standing next to us and reached a hand out to me.

Fenrir did this sort of tilted nod and released me to Odin. In the next moment, I was in two beefy, Viking arms and staring at a wide chest. He was so much like Thor, except in coloring, it was surreal. I felt like I was dancing with Thor's evil twin.

This man had caused so much damage in my world. He was a physical representation of what I was fighting against. He was my enemy. The enemy of the entire human race.

He was also my boyfriend's Daddy.

“Do I make you uncomfortable?” Odin peered down at me strangely.

“
I don't generally dance with my enemies,” I shrugged, “just a policy.”

“
You name me enemy
here
, Godhunter?” He spoke in a tired, almost disinterested way. “This is a holy day for us. A day to lay aside grievances.”

“
Hey, you asked.” I sighed. “But you're right, I shouldn't have said that. You welcomed me here and I got lippy with you. I apologize. I'm always saying things I shouldn't. I'm in desperate need of an off switch.”

Odin’s one eye crinkled at the corner. “You’ve a strange appeal.”

“Yeah,” I smiled reassuringly. “Don’t worry, you’ll get over it. I’m sure the Powerpuff Girls over there can help you with that.” I waved a hand at his Valkyries, who’d finally allowed themselves to be caught and were dancing with the wolves. “They give new meaning to the Puff motto of
Saving the world before bedtime
.”

He burst into shocked laughter, so exuberant that he had to stop dancing and pull back, so he could lean on his leg to catch his breath. The gods stared at us with horror and amazement. The wolves just smiled and kept dancing. I guess they were already used to their little comedian.

“Ah, you okay there, buddy?” I patted Odin’s shoulder and smiled at the staring gods. “He’s very ticklish,” I called out to the gods as I wiggled my new manicure at them, “Who would’ve thought?”

He looked up at me with wide eyes for a second and then started a new bout of laughter. Finally, I gave up and crossed my arms as I waited for him. I was almost missing Mr. Gloomy.

He calmed down after a bit but instead of going back to the dance, he took my arm and led me off the floor, over to a private table in the cavernous space to the right of the high table. There was actually a massive fireplace over there, freestanding, with the hall continuing on behind it. It goes to show how big the hall was that I hadn't even noticed it.

There were pillars out there. Placed intermittently to hold the roof, I presumed. The only thing that kept it from looking like the Mines of Moria from
Lord of the Rings
, was the décor. Odin had gone to a lot of trouble to create some luxurious spaces for people to congregate in. The one he'd brought us to was particularly comfortable, with a thick Persian carpet, wide cushioned chairs, and an inlaid table carrying refreshments.

“
Um…ah,” I looked back at the dance floor and saw Thor frowning over at us but he was soon whisked away by a long-legged goddess.

“
I wanted to have a little chat,” he settled me into a chair and then sat across from me. I looked around a little nervously and caught Thor’s stare again, looking even more concerned. That couldn’t be good.

“
Alright,” I looked at Odin and dropped the polite face. “So talk.”

“
Relax, Godhunter,” he waved and a man was immediately there to pour him a mug of something frothy as well as set a glass of wine in front of me. “I told you, I’m an avid student of the occult and I was wondering if you’d do me the honor of reading my cards?”

I sighed. I swear, once your friends know you can read the tarot, you became a source of ready entertainment. I felt like a traveling Gypsy attraction sometimes. Now it appeared that even gods weren’t above the draw of the oracle.

“I don’t have a deck with me,” I shrugged.

“
You may use mine,” his voice was low as he studied my face and pushed an old wooden box towards me.

I felt the magic before I even touched them. “What have you done to them?”

He smiled and nodded with approval. “I’d hoped you’d feel it too,” he flipped the lid open and in the faded blue lining, nestled a beautiful deck of tarot cards. Weathered but beautiful. They were hand painted, thick like the antique decks always are, and gilded here and there with real gold.

I reached for them but then pulled my hand back. “So what
have
you done to them?”

“
I’ve done nothing to them,” he looked at them with reverence. “I found them on one of my quests. They were buried in a cave.”

“
Buried in a cave?” I narrowed my eyes. “Was there anything else in the cave? Say… a corpse?”

“
There may have been,” he smiled secretly.

I hissed and withdrew my hand. “You stole cards from the dead? They’re full of a dead person’s magic?”

“A dead witch actually,” he nodded. “I happen to be God of the Dead,” he waved his hand to encompass his servants and I took a closer look at his men.

They were all thickly muscled and had the look of battle about them. I’d never contemplated the truth in the religions created by the Atlanteans. The stories yes, the religions not so much. Was Valhalla really the home of fallen warriors? How was that even possible? I didn’t think they were really gods in that sense. I didn’t think they could actually provide an afterlife.

“Are you trying to tell me that we’re being served tonight by dead Vikings?”

“
Yes,” he frowned. “Did you not know of Valhalla?”

“
I do but I didn’t know you Atlanteans could actually provide for the dead. I know the stories are half truth/half myth. I just assumed the afterlife was the myth part.”

“
I bound the warriors to me in life,” Odin’s eye glittered. “When they died, I owned their souls, so they came to me.”

“
You own their souls,” I whispered and shook my head, “that’s not possible.”

“
They believed it and so the strength of their belief kept them bound to me,” his voice had dropped low. “Belief is everything. Right, witch?”

It was. Belief gave magic power. Without it, the magic failed. I nodded and stared back at the cards.

“The witch who these cards belonged to…”

“
She was a lover of mine,” he leaned forward and touched my hand where it lay on the table. “You may use them without fear. We have a truce tonight, I wouldn’t break it.”

I picked up the cards and felt the tingle of old magic. It rushed into me like a pair of watchdogs set loose and I felt my stomach clench in preparation for the bite. The bite never came though. Instead, they pulled up short and seemed to scent the air. I stared into those dark eyes and saw only my own reflection shining back at me, no curse, no magical backlash. I sighed as it seemed to rub up against me in welcome. My eyes closed and I found myself stroking the cards lovingly.

I heard Odin draw a sharp breath and whisper something that ended in
ine
or
ene
.

My breath caught and my eyes flew open. “What did you say?”

“Nothing,” he stared at me with a wide, horrified eye.

“
Nothing, my ass,” I glared at him. “What did you say?”

“
Please,” he closed his eye and that horrible haunted look I'd first seen on his face was back, only worse. Like ten times worse. “Just read the cards… Vervain.”

I frowned but the cards felt so good in my hands, I couldn’t help myself. They wanted to be read. They needed me to wield them. So I shuffled them, slipping into the trance-like state that always came over me when I read. Then I handed them to Odin.

“Go ahead, sweet raven, ask the cards for guidance.”

“
What did you call me?” The cards sat in his hands forgotten as his face went slack.

“
Raven, I think.” Interesting, I'd just spoken automatically. I tried to remember the stories I’d read about Odin. Yes, he could shapeshift into a raven, into anything actually, just like Loki, but he preferred the raven or eagle. It must be why I’d called him that. Strange but that was about par for the course when I was reading. I’d been known to spill out secrets before laying down even a single card. I had very little control of the talent. “One of your powers is to shift into a raven, right?”

He stared hard at me again and then finally nodded. I nudged his hands and he flinched from the contact before dropping his gaze to the cards to begin to shuffle. He closed his eye as he focused and the cards flew expertly through his fingers. Then he handed them back to me and looked away as he took a deep breath.

I took the cards and began to turn them over onto the table one by one. “The Emperor,” I smiled, go figure. “Obviously you, the man and his empire. You rule your world completely,” I flipped another card and inhaled sharply. “You’re covered by The Moon, deception and lies, lunacy driven by obsession,” another four cards went in a circle around the main card. “The knights. All four of them,” the odds of that happening were crazy. I looked into the faces of the normally valiant men painted on the cards and saw cruel twists to their lips and traitorous thoughts filling their eyes. “You’re surrounded by warriors but instead of guarding you, they plot against you,” I laid more cards out as the people painted there seemed to come alive, miming out some elaborate play.

“
This wide and universal theater presents more woeful paegents than the scene in which we play,” I murmured.

“
What?” Odin looked from the cards, to me, and back again.

“
Nothing, sorry,” I motioned
never mind
with a hand while I tried to keep my concentration. “I randomly spout lyrics and poetry when reading the cards. Usually Shakespeare.”

“
Ah,” he grunted. “The fool doth think he is wise but the wise man knows he is a fool.”

“
Did you just call me foolish?” I lost it completely and looked up at him.

“
No,” Odin blinked rapidly. “I just meant I was a fool not to get the reference.”

“
Oh,” I frowned. “I never got that line anyway. I mean if the fool thinks he's wise but he's still a fool, and the wise man knows he's a fool, than everyone's a fool.”

“
I never thought about it like that,” Odin's brows lifted. “Huh.”

“
Anyway,” I looked back down at the cards and let myself sink into the reading again. “You feel trapped, like you can’t move without being cut. See how the woman is surrounded by swords?” He nodded and stared at the cards intently. “She’s blindfolded by her fear and tied up by her doubts. If only she could believe in herself, she would see that she’s not completely surrounded. She can walk right out of there. You need to let go of your fears and trust in yourself. The path to set you free is right in front of you. Here is the Seven of Swords, see the thief running away? There’s one in your midst.”

Odin looked up and frowned at someone. I followed his gaze and saw Loki staring interestedly at us.

“Son of a bitch,” I made to stand but Odin spoke first.

“
Not tonight, Godhunter. This is a neutral zone. Any quarrel you have with Loki is going to have to wait.” He touched my hand lightly but it was like my finger had been a fuse and his the match. Something zinged up my arm and detonated in my chest. I fell back into the chair with the impact.

I swallowed hard and cleared my throat. My hands were shaking and, for a second, they didn't look like my own. They were paler, thinner, the fingers more elegant. I shook the vision away determinedly. “The…the Seven of Swords can also mean failed plans. Your plots may not go the way you think.” He frowned at me. “Here’s the Devil. You’re enslaved by your ambitions and have a tendency towards violence if you don’t get your way. It can also signify addictions, things you are bound to.”

He smiled ruefully and nodded. “Continue.”