Chapter Two

Later that night at Moonshine, my youthful feeling faded.

“Im getting old,” I whined and leaned back on the couch shaped like a little hill and covered in fake grass.

Trevor, sitting on my right with his arm around me, grinned lopsidedly. “What happened to feeling like a baby? Youre not even a century yet.”

“But all I want to do is sit with you up here, where the music isnt so loud so I can drink my fruity beverage in peace.” I leaned my head on his shoulder and looked past him at the stream that flowed across the width of the reserved loft in Moonshine, its bank outlined in rocks and fake grass.

The stream ended in a drop and became a waterfall that fed a pool on the ground floor of our nightclub. Do people even call them nightclubs anymore? Were they just clubs? Dance clubs? No, thats an even older term. Yup, I was getting old. That wasnt a bad thing in the God Realm, but we were on Earth, showing off our dance club/nightclub/club to Taran, a fellow club owner and an Earth-Sidhe. Taran, my elder by millennia, was downstairs mingling with gods and humans, acting far younger than I felt. I couldnt imagine him dancing, but I wouldnt be surprised to hear that he was seducing his next conquest somewhere within the fake forest that surrounded the dance floor.

We had brought Taran to Moonshine so he could see how we ran our business and maybe get some tips to help him. Most of those tips came from Ty, Trevors younger brother, who ran the club for us. Trevor still oversaw the business, but it was Ty who did most of the day-to-day work, overseeing the Froekn staff, the security, and the maintenance of the building.

“Im not even drinking Duat wine.” I lifted my glass. “Rum isnt going to do anything to me. Ive become such a mom.”

“Whats wrong with being a mom?” Trevor asked. “Moms kick ass and they can hang harder than people who have never pushed babies out of their bodies. Mothers are survivors.”

I chuckled and sat up. “Yeah, youre right.” I lifted my drink and looked at it. “And if I want to drink with more juice than alcohol in it, I will!”

“Theres my wife.” Trevor kissed my cheek.

“Here I am.” I grinned up at him.

“And here I am!” Taran declared as he plopped onto the couch/hill across from us.

Taran spread his arms across the back of the couch, set an ankle on his knee, and grinned wide enough to flash the white of his teeth against his spring-green skin. Tattoos ran over his forearms and even licked at the base of his neck, exposed by his rolled-up sleeves and the V of his partially unbuttoned collared shirt. His rich brown hair was braided back to showcase the vibrant green of his eyes. In short, he looked good, especially in this new Fey era on Earth, when things like green skin were a plus. The problem was—he knew it.

“Having fun?” I asked.

“Oh, yeah.” His grin turned into a smirk. “Ive met a lot of interesting people tonight. I like how you run things here. Its a good idea to make gods and faeries swear oaths before they enter. And that security system isnt half bad either.” He jerked his head at the fake moon that hung over the club, its soft glow hiding the god technology that monitored our patrons intentions, not just their movements.

“That was a gift from my father,” Trevor said. “He wasnt so thrilled about us opening this club, but hes always supported us.”

“Plus, I was the Rouva back then,” I said. “He kinda had to be supportive.”

“No, Minn Elska, he didnt,” Trevor said. “But he has a soft spot for you, his little Frami.”

“Using Love Magic on him probably has something to do with that.”

Taran shot forward out of his sprawl, his left foot going to the floor. “Did you just say that you used Love Magic on your husbands father? Tell me more.”

“Its not what you think.” I waved it away. “I was new to the magic and still learning. And it was just a little bit of love.”

Trevor burst out laughing.

I scowled at him.

Taran cocked his head.

“Vervain, my dad once told me that if he didnt love me so damn much, hed steal you away from me,” Trevor said.

“No, he didnt.”

“Uh, yeah, he did.”

“But hes married now.”

“Hes bonded now, but this was before he met Emma.”

“Why didnt you tell me?”

“I thought you knew. You were the one who laid the love on him. And back then, things werent stable between us.”

“So, you two werent together when you walloped his daddy with love?” Taran asked.

“Its a long story,” I said.

“We were bonded by accident,” Trevor said.

“You were accidentally bonded?” Taran asked. “From the way youre talking, Im assuming a binding is more serious than a marriage.”

“Yup.” Trevor shook back his wavy bangs and grinned, his honey-colored eyes catching the light.

Or was that Wolf peeping through?

Shit. Please dont be Wolf. I dont think I can handle him and Taran together. Theyd go wild, and then Id really feel old. Maybe its not old that Im feeling but boring. Am I boring?

“So, you were bonded, but not a couple?” Taran pulled me out of my depressing thoughts.

“Exactly. She was dating Thor at the time.” Trevor pulled me closer. “But Im very persistent.”

I rolled my eyes. “I broke up with Thor in a seriously awful way, and Trevor camped out on my doorstep. He used our bond to take away my heartache.”

“Hold on.” Taran frowned from me to Trevor. “You took her heartache? What does that mean?”

“Exactly what it sounds like. I siphoned off her pain and felt it for her. I thought it was romantic.”

I snorted. “The only problem was that he took too much. As in all of my emotions. I got to the point where I didnt care enough to get out of bed. I just laid there until some friends came over to do an intervention. Thats when I found out about Trevor sleeping on my doorstep.” I looked at my husband and softened my expression. “Now, that was romantic.”

Trevor grinned, then nuzzled my face. “I promise to never steal your pain again, Minn Elska. But I will try to prevent it.”

“More romance. Great.” Taran waved a hand at us and sat back. “Ill need a drink if this is going to continue.”

“Dont think I dont know that youve been doing some romancing of your own tonight,” I said.

“Dont think I dont know?” Taran squished up his face in thought. “Interesting turn of phrase. Dont think I dont know,” he repeated slowly.

I snorted a laugh. “Look at you, Kermit, trying to be all suave. Youre sweating beneath your designer shirt. Bad choice, by the way. I mean, silk? Really?”

“It breathes.” He said and grinned. “And Im not trying to be anything. I dont have to try. I simply am.”

Before I could reply to that—it was just getting fun—two men walked up the metal stairs behind and to the right of Taran. All of our attention immediately went to them because we werent expecting any visitors and the bottom of those stairs was guarded by a Froekn. So either the two men had overpowered a Froekn or they had been recognized as people wed want to see.

When the low lights in the fake trees around us hit the men, I was shocked enough to stand up. Trevor joined me.

“Jesus?” I hurried over to the new King of Heaven. “What are you doing here? Abaddon? What are you doing with Jesus?”

Jesus looked grim, something he never looked. His stern visage didnt go with his bellbottom jeans and worn T-shirt with the image of, well, himself on it—arms extended up in a celebratory gesture with a big grin on his face and the words “The report of my death was an exaggeration,” written above. Leave it to him to have the correct Mark Twain quote and not the more commonly used “The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.” But then, people misquote him all the time. I imagine he made it a point in life to not do the same to others. His long, shaggy hair was more unkempt than carefree and his usual round sunglasses were missing (appropriate for the club, but still odd). Without the glasses to hide his brilliant blue eyes, I could see the strain-lines around them.

Abaddon the Destroyer (sorry, had to add his title because its just too fantastic) looked just as grim as King Jesus Hadranius Christ (yup, thats what the H stands for), but that was normal for Abaddon. Still, the very fact that the Angel of the Abyss was with the King of Heaven was unsettling. With his blond buffness, he would have made Jesus look scrawny—the old gangly Jesus, that is. But when I gave Jesus his fathers Light Magic, his body had swelled with power. Literally. He got big—all muscly like Jerry had been. It was still odd for me to see him like that, filling out his hippie clothes like an M.M.A. fighter. In addition to that, the power of the Seven Heavens radiated from Jesus, giving him a presence that Abaddon couldnt compete with. But the J-mans face was still the same, with that hook nose and wide, full lips. Those lips were usually smiling. I didnt like that they werent.

“Hey, V,” Jesus said and then hugged me. “I was hoping my brother would be with you.”

“Ill text him,” Trevor said as he pulled out his phone. “He can be here in a few minutes.”

“Dang, I should have thought of that,” Jesus said. “This bad juju has got me all spacey.”

“What bad juju?” I asked.

“Weird stuff. Lets wait for Az to get here, so I dont have to reinforce the bad vibes by talking about it twice.”

“Im here,” Azrael said as he stepped around the door marked Family Room.

Past that door was a set of stairs going down to guest rooms for vampires (or anyone else who needed to stay through the day) and a tracing room. So, none of us were surprised to see him emerge. Well, Abaddon lifted his brows, but I think it was his first time in Moonshine.

“Brother.” Az, wingless for the club, hurried to Jesus and hugged him. “Whats happened? Trevors text sounded urgent.”

Jesus shook his head. “Its blowin my mind, Brother.” He made an explosive sound as he burst his fingers outward from his temples.

“Lets sit down,” I suggested and waved at the couches.

We got settled, and thats when Jesus realized we had company.

“Oh, hey, man. Taran, right? Good to see you.” Jesus slapped Tarans shoulder.

“Yeah, you too,” Taran said, looking over Jesus new physique with wide eyes. The last time hed seen Jesus had been when wed brought Jesus to Tarans nightclub in Lexington, Texas—the Wet Whistle. That had been pre-Light Magic Muscles. “Uh, should I give you all some privacy?”

“Naw, its all good,” Jesus said. Then he scowled. “Well, its not good. Its very un-good. But Im good with you hearing my ungoodness.”

Taran blinked. Processed. Then said, “All right then.”

“J, whats happened?” Azrael demanded, the Angelic script on his cheek flashing blue with his anxiety.

“Trippy shit, Brother. Trippy. Shit,” Jesus said. “Ive been coastin along, doin my best at ruling Heaven. Keepin it mellow.” He motioned his hand before him in a wave. “Then Angels started coming to me with strange reports. Things are going missing. Getting moved.”

“Angels came to you over misplaced items?” I asked.

“They were important items that dont get misplaced,” Jesus said. “Like fiery swords and the Ark of the Covenant.”

“The Ark exists?” I asked.

“Of course,” Az answered for Jesus. “Dad made it back when he was trying to be popular. You know, make a name for himself.”

“Does it have the power the myths say it has?”

“Oh, yeah,” Jesus said and rubbed a long hand over his face. “It was a bummer when it went missing.”

Abaddon frowned at this gross underestimation but said nothing.

“But you found it?” Azrael asked.

“Sure. Sure.” Jesus nodded. “We found it all right. Out in the middle of Araboth.”

“The Ark was in the desert?” Az scowled.

“Appropriate,” I said.

Their heads swiveled toward me.

“Because of the whole forty years in the desert thing,” I said. “You know, with the Israel people.”

“The Israelites?” Azrael gave me a bemused look.

“Yeah, them.”

“They wandered the wilderness,” Jesus said and made a face. “All because Dad got aggro over them doubting him.” Jesus shook his head. “Even when he tried to be good, he was still a dipshit.”

“Wasnt the wilderness a desert?” I asked.

“Well, yeah. Yeah, youre right.”

I rolled my eyes.

“So, someone played a historically accurate prank with a great weapon and priceless artifact?” Trevor asked.

“It seems that way,” Jesus said. “But it hasnt stopped there. All over the Heavens, things have gotten moved, making Angels jumpy.” He motioned to Abaddon. “I put Abaddon in charge of the University, and its gotten unreal over there too.”

Hearing his cue, Abaddon leaned forward and said, “The scrolls have been put out of order.”

“The scrolls?” I asked as Azrael gasped.

“The scrolls from the library of Alexandria,” Azrael said. “No one touches those scrolls. Theyre kept under spells of preservation and copies are available for reading so that the scrolls never have to be moved.”

“But they were?” I asked. “Were they moved in a particular way?”

Jesus snorted and his lips twitched.

Abaddon said, “They were stacked like logs for a fire.”

I blinked. “A fire. As in the way the library was destroyed?”

“Yes.”

“We have a trickster on our hands,” I murmured.

“Sounds as if someone is just having some laughs at your expense,” Taran said to Jesus. “Maybe theyre trying to shake you up and see what youre made of since you just took the throne. I suggest you stay calm, set things back to normal, and ignore it.”

“Remain calm and ignore it?” Jesus asked. “My people are freaking out, man. Just freaking out. And the King of Heaven doesnt just sit back and say, Its all copacetic, when the Heavenly Host is freaking out.”

“All right.” Taran held up his hands. “It was just a suggestion.”

“Sorry, man.” Jesus sighed. “I told you, this has got me spacey. I dont know what to do. I was hoping the God Squad might come and take a look.”

“We dont need the Squad,” I said. “Trevor and I can track whoever did this.”

“Man, I really am spaced out,” Jesus said. “I knew that. I didnt think of it, but I knew it.”

“Well go right now,” Trevor said.

I grimaced at Taran.

“Its all right,” Taran said. “You guys go ahead. I think Im going to stay awhile.”

“Feel free to bring some guests up here,” Trevor said. “Ill let Ty know to look after you.”

“Thanks. This has been helpful and entertaining.” Taran stood up with Trevor and they shook hands.

“Im sorry to cut your evening short,” Jesus said as he stood up too.

“No, its fine,” Taran said. “Good luck with your trickster.”

“Thanks.”

I think Taran was trying to be cute and speak Jesuss lingo when he said, “Peace out,” and headed for the stairs with Trevor.

Unfortunately, Jesus wasnt in the right frame of mind for that. He stared after Taran, then shifted his stare to his brother, and said, “Lets hope peace is not out.”