Of Gods and Wolves (2 page)

I had my butt-kicking, Matrix-chic on, the outfit I normally wore out hunting gods. Normally I wouldn't bother putting on make-up but this time I was wearing lipstick. I wanted to look pretty when I showed Trevor’s father exactly how worthy I was. My hair was in a tight bun at the nape of my neck. I'd be able to take it down easily at the end… and I was also able to use it as an excuse to wear my new present from Thor: a pair of silver hair-sticks in the shape of lightning bolts. He'd assured me that not only were they balanced for throwing but the edges of the bolts were softened so I could stab with them and not injure myself. Maybe I was being paranoid but I had a feeling I’d need all the weapons I could carry.

“
You look amazing,” Thor stood in the doorway smiling, even though his eyes were worried. “Are you ready?”

“
As ready as I’ll ever be,” I smiled back. “You look damn fine yourself.”

I eyed the leather pants he’d been wearing the first time we’d met. They were brown and cross-gartered all the way up. Over them, he had a white tunic with a T-shape opening which bared a nice amount of solid chest, I could spend all day admiring. He wore an iron belt and matching gloves. I would’ve called them gauntlets, seeing as how they were made of metal, but he called them gloves... whatever. Off the belt hung a T-shaped, thick hammer.

Not only did all these accessories look spiffy, they all had names. The belt was Megingjord, the gloves Járngreipr, and the hammer was Mjöllnir. He told me Mjöllnir made lightning when he struck it on stone and became a thunderbolt when it was thrown. Cool huh? His hair hung loose except for two small braids on either side of his face, tied with leather. Thor was going native.

“
It’s traditional,” he gave me his arm and I took it, letting him lead me out. In the hallway, Trevor was already waiting with the God Squad, the small group of gods who fought beside me now. They were all going along to cheer me on. At least I'd have my friends there to cry if I died.

“
Thank you,” I looked at them all. “You guys are the best.”

“
I just want to see Fenrir’s Hall,” Horus sniffed. The Egyptian Falcon God was a little uptight but I was working on that. I leaned over and kissed him on the cheek and his eyes sparkled at me for a second before closing down again.

“
Whatever the reason,” I took a deep breath and suppressed my morbid thoughts. “Thank you.”

They all nodded, giving me words of encouragement and advice before we traced to Fenrir’s Hall. I actually liked Brahma's advice the best. He had whispered in my ear:
Don't get dead
.

We ended up in an elaborately decorated sitting room that was far from what I’d been expecting the lair of the Wolf God to look like. I looked around at the hand-painted wallpaper, gilded chairs, and glass display cabinets filled with statues of wolves from every culture in the world. There were sculptures in glass, ceramic, and even gold. Each one looked priceless, like museum pieces.

Emerald eyes sparkled out of the gold piece and I could swear it winked at me. I looked away quickly and noticed that the crown moldings were even carved with wolves. It was amazing, breathtaking, and a little frightening. I thought I knew who I was dealing with but this room did not belong in the home of the god I’d envisioned. Mind... blown.

“
Vѐ
ulfR,” a huge man entered from a door on our left. He had to bend to get through it because he was larger even than Thor. “You will introduce me to your potential mate now.”

This was more like it. He was over seven feet tall with muscles to make Arnold beg for mercy, a long, lean face with a stubborn chin, long hair wild and dark down his back, bright honey eyes like Trevor’s, and scars everywhere. Including a long one that bisected his left brow, jumped the eye, and started again on the cheek, to go straight down his jaw. He looked mean and mad, even those sweet eyes couldn’t soften him. Phew, it was good to know I wasn’t slipping. He was exactly what I'd been picturing. I smiled in relief and he stopped mid-stride to stare at my grin with rapid, eye-blinking shock.

“You smile at me, woman?” He recovered and stalked forward to loom over me. Not like he even had to try with me, or anyone for that matter. I felt like I needed a stepladder just to talk to him. I seemed to recall that Fenrir’s mother was reputed to be a giantess.

I craned my neck back and then held up a finger. “Hold on a sec.” I ran and grabbed a chair, then pulled it over to him. His jaw dropped as I climbed up, spread my legs to give me a good sense of balance, and planted my hands on my hips. “That’s better, and yes, I was smiling at you. Don’t people ever smile at you?”

I heard a few coughs and choking sounds coming from behind me but other than that, everyone was silent as they waited for Fenrir’s response.

“
Not usually, no,” he planted his huge fists on his hips to mimic me, “and especially not women.”

“
Well that just sucks, big guy. Maybe you should try smiling at them first,” I crossed my arms and tilted my head to the side so I could properly consider his dilemma. “Some women are scared of scars but I think they add character. Thor could use a couple.”

“
I’ve always thought that as well,” he crossed his arms too and nodded. “I could give him some if you'd like.”

“
That’s mighty kind of you,” I smiled like he’d just offered me a cup of tea. “I think it would have to be up to him though. It might fall under that
getting your girlfriend’s name tattooed on you
curse.”

“
Girlfriend's name curse?” Fenrir frowned like I'd started speaking another language.

“
You know, they get your name tattooed on their butt and then bada-bing, bada-boom, they’re telling you to kiss it and hit the road.” I shrugged. “Besides, if he's going to get any scars, I think I'd like to be the one doing the scarring.”

Fenrir’s jaw dropped again before his entire face lit up and he roared with laughter. “Who are you, little Frami?”

“Father,” Trevor stepped forward proudly. “This is my mate, Vervain Lavine.”

“
This little woman with such a big mouth?” He smiled lopsidedly, just like Trevor, and it finally became apparent that Trevor did actually inherit his good looks from his father. Fenrir just hid them well.

Trevor nodded and took one of my hands. I let the other one fall to the side since I could never manage the one arm crossing the waist thing. It always ended up making me look like I had a stomach ache. Fenrir came closer and leaned his face into my neck. He inhaled long and deep, then kept sniffing me down the line of my body. Boy was I glad I’d showered.

“You may not have made such a bad choice after all, Son,” Fenrir regarded me solemnly, staring straight into my eyes. “I still don’t approve of a human though. She’ll drag you down to the grave with her.”

“
I totally agree,” I nodded and his eyes got wide as his head reared back.

“
You allowed the bonding,” Fenrir narrowed his gaze then. “Why allow it, if you disapprove?”

“
I’m an ignorant human. What can I say?” I shrugged. “I thought I was doing your son a favor by letting him out of any obligation to me. I had no idea I was accomplishing the exact opposite.”

Fenrir looked at Trevor and Trevor held out his hand, palm up. “I told you she didn’t understand.”

“That’s no excuse,” Fenrir frowned and chewed his lip.

“
Yeah, yeah. Ignorance of the law is no excuse. I've been pulled over before,” I jumped down. “Well, let’s get this party started then.”

“
You’re going to consummate the match?” Fenrir’s eyes started to glow and I backed up.

“
Father,” Trevor stepped in front of me. “I told you it was consummated.”

“
Stop lying to me. Neither of you have scented the other intimately. Do it now or we go to the arena.”

“
I’m not here to have sex with your son,” I pushed the chair away. “We consummated it without getting undressed but it was done. I felt it.”

“
That’s not a proper mating,” Fenrir frowned. “Either you’re joined or you’re not. Our magic would not have settled for less.”

“
This
isn't
a proper mating but I can assure you, it was consummated. I don’t think it’ll make a difference to you though,” I patted the short sword at my hip. “So just show me the damn arena.”

Fenrir’s eyes glowed brighter and he smiled in anticipation. “So you really are the Hunter?”

“Yep, that’s me,” I sighed. “I know, you thought I'd be taller.”

“
No. I thought you'd be a man,” Fenrir snorted. “But this shall be a pleasure. No matter what sex you are.”

“
Oh gee,” I rolled my eyes, “an equal opportunity killer, thanks.”

Fenrir laughed as he opened a door at his end of the room and I suddenly felt like Alice. Nobody ever thinks about how dangerous Wonderland was, about how many times Alice could’ve died horribly. Hell, one misplaced foot and she would’ve been stepped on while she was talking to those bitchy flowers. Not a way I’d like to go. Now here I was, walking through the small door that led into the garden, and I wouldn’t be at all surprised to hear a few shouts of
Off with her head
when it closed behind me.

Fenrir ushered me into a long stone passage, echoing with shouts from an impatient crowd. I knew no one else would follow me. No one else could. My heart sped up a little. I admit I'd gotten used to having back-up and walking through the dark, to an unknown fight, all by myself, was bringing back memories of taking on gods alone. How had I done it? How had I found the courage to trace into god territory and kill them, all by myself? Simply navigating the Aether had been ballsy. If I had done it wrong, mispronounced a tracing chant or misdirected my energy, I could have wound up stuck in the Aether, my body nothing more than a thought amidst thoughts, for all time.

In the dark tunnel, with the Wolf God at my back, and the sound of his bloodthirsty children urging me forward, I couldn't imagine it. In fact, all I could think was, I'd been a complete idiot. Now, I was about to face three werewolves to win the honor of a bond I didn't want. Maybe I should have left the gods alone.

I heard Fenrir close the door behind me with a thud and then the unmistakable sound of a bolt sliding home. My breathing seemed fast and harsh in the stone confines of the tunnel, so I took a second to slow it down. I may have been an idiot but somehow I'd been good enough to survive and now I had even more of an arsenal. With Aphrodite's magic, I had a much better chance at coming through this alive. I just had to keep my cool and remember that.

Darkness gave way to smoky torchlight as I stepped out into a pit. I’d like to say it was a gladiatorial arena or something equally dramatic but it wasn’t. It was a pit. A large pit but a pit nonetheless. Carved from rock, it was rutted with claw marks everywhere. Which was kind of a good thing because it gave the ground more traction. There were dark stains here and there too, just adding to the overall ambiance of despair. I stared up at the high walls enclosing me and the faces that peered down eagerly, then nodded as I crossed my arms. Yep, this was what I expected a werewolf fighting pit to look like.

The wolves in the seats above me didn’t taunt or jeer, they growled and howled. I kind of liked the atmosphere. Insults could get distracting, growling just kind of blended into the sounds of a fight. In fact, it was appealing to the more primitive part of me, the genetic memory of not only hiding in caves from the beasts but of finally getting the nerve to go out into the dark and confront them. My blood was racing with the thrill of the hunt, not for food but for survival. The wolves were at my door and this time I wasn't going to hide.

At the opposite end of the pit was another tunnel and above it, high on the wall, Fenrir appeared. I saw the God Squad gathered behind him. Trevor stood off to the side, looking tense but calm. Thor had a carefully neutral expression on and most of the squad was following his lead but Persephone looked like she was on the verge of tears. I quickly focused back on Fenrir.

“
Vervain Lavine,” Fenrir shouted and the wolves quieted immediately. “You’ve claimed my son as bonded mate but you are not Froekn. Will you prove your worth by claw and tooth? Will you fight to become one of us?”

I almost shook my head. I just couldn’t believe I was here because I spared Trevor’s life. No good deed and all that. I heaved a sigh and rolled my eyes.

“I will!” I shouted and the wolves howled, in approval or rage, I had no idea. I didn't speak wolf yet.

“
So be it!” Fenrir shouted back. “TryggulfR!”

I looked at Trevor and he smiled at me but I caught the slight shakiness of it. That name was pretty similar to his given name of V
éulfR. I hoped it wasn’t his brother. I mean, they’re all related to him in a way but I hoped this wasn’t one of his litter-mates or whatever werewolves call them. Oh well, nothing to do about it. I threw my hands down and the metal claws sprang out of the fingerless gloves I wore. They were my favorite weapon and they'd originally belonged to a god, so they had a nice magic kick to them. I turned them out, the four blades that protruded over the tops of my fingers, catching the light. The wolves howled more and I was pretty sure it was in approval this time. See, I’m a fast learner.