Chapter Twenty-Seven

The entire God Squad was there, including Horus, Hekate, Hades, and Persephone who had left their kids at home. Luke and Jesus were also there, and I had to remind myself that for them, this was the day of Vipers abduction. They had just come from the Blood Volcano.

Luke clapped his hands in delight when Viper emerged from the tracing chamber with his pitchfork.

“Oh, well done!” Lucifer took the pitchfork and stroked it lovingly. “Hello, darling.”

“So, thats the genuine article?” I asked.

“Oh, yes. Isnt she lovely?”

“Luke, could you not rub your shaft in public?” Pan asked with a straight face.

The Devil glared at Pan.

Pan burst out laughing.

“Torrent, could you check if this is enchanted?” I asked before the Devil said a bad word.

“Oh, shoot!” Torrent hurried over to me. “I should have done that. Lemme see.” He peered at the star, then grinned. “Youre all good, V. No spell.”

“Thats a relief.” I handed the star to Azrael, who was closest to me, standing with his arms crossed.

“Now, I know why youve been in a bad mood,” I said.

Azrael lifted a brow.

“I couldnt tell you about Viper.”

“I know. But by implying something was wrong, you made me worry. And I couldnt tell you or anyone else. I worried alone.”

“Im sorry, Az.”

He sighed. “Its all right, Carus.” He pulled me into a hug. “As soon as Jesus told us about the trickster, I figured it had something to do with that. I just wasnt sure why youd head to Faerie until we were faced with those chains.” He looked over at Arach. “Hello, lizard.”

“Hello, mutant,” Arach said. “I came to help.”

“Yes, I assumed so.” Az let go of me. “So, Torrent says you think the trickster is wearing an air-tight suit.”

“Could be,” I said. “They didnt leave a trail.”

“Then why bother with bleach at all?” Thor asked.

I held up my hands. “Let me get changed before we get into this.” I headed to the elevator.

“Maybe they didnt want us to know about their suit,” Torrent continued the conversation.

I couldnt. I needed a few minutes alone to breathe and process. To accept that everyone I loved was safe. I got into the elevator and closed the door. Through the golden bars, I saw my husbands, all of them, staring back at me. I smiled wanly so they wouldnt worry. Several of them nodded. Viper smiled back, but it looked as strained as mine felt.

I went up to our suite and shifted into my main body. Through the terrace arch, the twinkle of stars caught my eye. Instead of making me feel the weight of the day, the night revived me, calling to my Moon Magic. I had always been a night owl, but having the Moon inside me gave me a new kinship with the night. My shoulders relaxed as I walked into my dressing room. I noted that the tower doors were shut, so it had to be late enough that the kids were asleep. All those investigations in Heaven must have taken longer than I thought.

I didnt dawdle. My men were being sweet by not following me up there, so Id be considerate and hurry. I pulled on some underwear, then a dress, because dresses go on faster than other things. Then it was some flat shoes, and I was heading back downstairs. Even with my speed, I knew I had missed something important when I entered the dining hall.

“Try the station,” Thor said.

“Whats going on?” I asked.

“The star, Vervain,” Trevor said. “Its a Texas star.”

A chill ran down my spine. That was all he needed to say. I had been a damn narcissist to assume the star was about me. My star had nine points. Not to mention, it wasnt common knowledge. But this trickster seemed to know a lot that they shouldnt. So I had assumed they had left the star as a threat against me or maybe a reference to when I was the Dark Star. The star was metal but cheaply made. Nothing special. That made me think they simply bought whatever star they could find, maybe a Christmas decoration. But it had never occurred to me that it could be a clue leading to somewhere else.

And someone else.

“Austin,” I whispered and immediately felt for the bond that connected us. I was the source of his magic, goddess to his demigod. I could sense him if I tried. “Got him!”

I ran to the tracing room.

“Hold on, Vervain.” Kirill grabbed my arm. “Vere going vith you.”

“Whoevers coming grab on,” I growled, dragging him with me.

I dont know who took Kirills hand, but I led them into the tracing room, then through the Aether to where my lion was. I wasnt about to waste a second when he could be in danger. Austin had been through some rough times. He was the first Intare I had made instead of inherited. I had to figure it out on the fly, but he was dying and that was some serious motivation. I was worried that Austin might resent me for binding him to me and ending his humanity, but hed been thrilled and had taken to the supernatural world like a fish to water. A catfish, in his case.

But that hadnt been too long ago. Austin was a little, demigod baby compared to everyone else. And he was the only one of my lions who lived outside of Pride Palace. Some of the men had girlfriends whom they visited a lot, but they all called the palace home. Especially when we were under attack. I hadnt known this was an attack, but I still felt guilty for not warning Austin and summoning him to the palace for safety. He was my responsibility. I had introduced him to this world, then yanked him into it and forced him to stay.

I came out of the Aether in Austins backyard. He had a few acres that were mostly bare if you didnt count the enormous pink flamingo and other monstrosities he had posed around the place to give the middle finger to the horde of Yankees (his words) that were invading Lexington and buying up all the property. Land around the Golden Citadel had become prime real estate, but Austin refused to sell his ranch-style, Lincoln logs-esque home.

My heart stopped. Austin was sprawled in a lawn chair, arms and legs spread akimbo, hat over his face. He looked dead, and I was too distraught to realize that I wouldnt have been able to sense him if he had been dead. Instead, I shrieked his name and ran over to him.

“What in tarnation?” Austin batted away my clutching hands and shot upright. “Vervain? What are you doing here?”

I caught my breath. “Youre okay?”

“Yeah, Im fine. Plumb tuckered out, but fine.” He looked around the yard. Texas was seven hours behind Pride Palace, so it was still daylight. “I must have dozed off. Why were you hollerin like a cat in heat?”

“Because I thought you were dead!”

“Why would you think that?”

“Someone has been playing games with us.” I looked over my shoulder at the gods who had tagged along—my husbands, Torrent, and Thor. “We thought you were in danger.”

“Why?”

“They left us a gold star. It looked like the Texas star.”

“And you got Austins a goner from that?” He collected his black cowboy hat (black for winter even though it wasnt all that cold in Texas), smacked it against his thigh, then set it on his head. “Thanks for bein concerned and all, but Im just fine.”

“And youre going to stay that way,” I said. “Pack a bag. Youre moving into Pride Palace until this is over.”

Austin grimaced and looked at all the grim faces. “That bad, eh?”

“They took Viper,” I said.

“And stabbed me with Lukes pitchfork,” Viper added.

“Holy shit!” Then Austin blinked. “Luke has a pitchfork?”

I stared at him.

“Alright, alright, woman. Im goin.” He sauntered into his house muttering about crazy Yankees.

I looked down at the lawn chair and the cooler sitting beside it.

“Dont mind if I do,” Viper said and opened the cooler. He pulled out a beer, popped the cap off with his thumb, and swigged.

“What was that star about?” I asked, looking away from Viper.

Around the perimeter of Austins yard were stone walls that divided his property from those of his neighbors. His many neighbors. Big companies had come in, purchased the land, then divided it up into little parcels for cookie-cutter homes with postage stamp yards. And they were all decked out with lights and plastic Santas for Christmas. It wasnt dark yet, so they werent as garish as Austins decorations, but my eye happened to snag on a star. I felt that strange feeling again. That something was terribly wrong.

Then Azraels cellphone went off.

Startled, Az pulled it out of his jacket and answered.

I spun toward him, anxiously watching his face. His expression didnt bode well.

“Well be right there,” Azrael said and hung up.

“What have they taken?” Odin asked.

“Not what. Who,” Azrael said grimly. “Alexander is missing.”

It took me a second to remember who Alexander was. In my defense, there were a lot of families living in our protected community around the Golden Citadel. But Alex was special. His name should have registered immediately. Alexs mother had been pregnant when Wild Magic had run rampant through the world. It had changed him as it had many other children whod been born or gestating during that time. Unfortunately, Alex didnt get a subtle fey trait or even a pretty one by human standards. He had been born looking like a Red Cap, with dark green skin and heavy Goblin features. His mother gave him up for adoption but it was a hard decision for her, and she was still a part of his life. In fact, Alexanders adoptive parents—A Red Cap named Machar and a Bean-Sidhe named Slainidh, had moved to Lexington to be near Alexanders mother, Emma. Yeah, I knew a lot about Alex because he was one of the first human-born children touched by the Wild Magic who was adopted by faeries.

And because I had hunted Machar for a while.

“Machar must be going insane,” I whispered.

“Hes not thrilled,” Az said dryly. “We need to get—”

“Hold the presses!” Torrent shouted.

“What is it now?” Austin drawled from the backdoor. He had a backpack slung over his shoulder and his best pair of boots on his feet.

“I know where the baby is,” Torrent said.

“What baby?” Austin asked. “For goodness’ sake, I leave for like five minutes and someones stolen a baby? What is this, Willow?”

I blinked at the movie reference, but I was too concerned about Alexander to comment on it. “Where is he, Torr?”

“Rockefeller Center,” Torrent said. “A bunch of humans found him. He was under the tree.”

“Under the tree like the baby Jesus,” I growled and traced. Yeah, it was stupid to leave like that, but I was furious. And everyone knew where I was going.

I came out of the Aether in a crowd. It was a damn miracle I didnt trace into someone. Police officers were holding people back; yellow crime tape in place around the massive Christmas tree on its perch above the ice rink at Rockefeller Center. I looked up the branches—unlit since it was still afternoon there as well—and set my stare on the star that topped the tree. It was a simple one this year—gold with five points.

“Pardon us,” someone said.

I looked over my shoulder to see Azrael there in his Faerie God guise. People cried out in shock and excitement, many drawing out of his way but many more stroking Azraels arms as if he were, well, a god. Which he was. So, yeah, fair enough. The police officers straightened, and one of them came forward to meet Az halfway, but Azrael veered to collect me along the way.

“Dont do that again,” Azrael hissed under his breath as he took my arm. “Not in the midst of this.”

“Sorry,” I muttered and went with him to meet the officer.

“Uh, hello, Sir,” the policeman said. “Im Captain Chen.”

“Nice to meet you, Captain.” Azrael nodded to the man. “I imagine you know why were here.”

“Yes, Sir. And Im happy to release the child to you. Honestly, hes, uh, beyond our abilities to care for.” He glanced over his shoulder toward the tree. An older woman in a thick coat was chasing around what looked like a bundle of cloth, her expression strained. He looked back at us to add, “Just a few questions first.”

“Someone abducted the child, Captain,” Azrael said. “Thats all I can tell you.”

“Oh. Uh. Well, I suppose thats all then, Sir.”

“Good. Id like to take him home to his parents now.”

“Right. Sure.” The Captain turned and brought us through the crowd, then through the line of police officers.

It was only then that I realized the officers were there as much to confine Alex as to keep the crowd back. We had called him a baby, but Alexander was around three years old. With his Red Cap essence, he was more like a six-year-old with the mentality of a three-year-old. He hadnt matured faster, like Samara. He was just big. And solid.

“Mommy, now!” he screeched.

“Were trying to find your mommy,” the harried woman said.

“Alex!” I called. “Alexander, its Aunty V!”

The bundle of blankets turned toward me to reveal Alexanders pudgy green face, his nose like a slab of butter that had started to melt, and his dark hair a wild mess that fell across his narrowed eyes.

He shrieked and tossed aside the blankets to run to me. “Aunty V!”

“Oh, thank God,” the woman moaned.

“Alex!” I crouched to catch him. “Are you all right?”

“I want my mommy,” he whispered, his bravado suddenly gone. A tear escaped his eye and his face squished up.

“Im taking you to your mommy right now, okay?”

“Okay. Thank you. Please. Thank you.”

His parents had been trying to teach him manners. It would have been adorable if fear and relief hadnt made his words tremble.

“Az.” I looked up at him.

“Ill finish talking to the police and then Ill meet you at the citadel,” Azrael said. “Machar will be there.”

“Okay. Close your eyes, Alex.”

Alex nodded, squeezed his eyes shut, and hugged me tightly. I cradled him close and then traced us to the Golden Citadel. We reformed in the tracing room in the same position.

“All right, were home,” I said.

Alex warily opened his eyes, then let go of me and stood back. I went to take his hand, but he was already running out of the tracing room.

“Mommy! Daddy!” Alex shouted.

“Son!” Machars response came immediately. “Alexander!”

I stepped out of the tracing room to find a group of people waiting for us. Among them were my husbands and the Squad. The entire Squad. Machar and Slainidh were at the front of the group, already wrapped around their son.

Machar looked up when I approached. He kissed his son, then stood up to face me. “Your husband told us he was found in New York City.”

“Thats right. Someone has been tormenting us. It started small and then escalated. They took Hadess friend, Persephones dog, then Viper. Alex is their latest victim. Im so sorry.”

Machar nodded. “I will join the hunt.”

“Machar,” Slainidh said as she clutched their son close.

Machar looked at Slainidh, meeting her red eyes with his own dark stare. “I will join the hunt.”

Slainidh grimaced, looked at Alex, then nodded. “Come, honey, lets go home and have some hot chocolate.”

“Wheres Daddy going?” Alex asked.

“To find the bad people who took you.”

“Someone took me?”

Slainidh paused. “You dont remember?”

Alex shook his head. “I was playing outside and then it was cold, and I was under a big tree.”

Slainidh looked at me.

“Its been the same with all of them,” I said. “Alexander should be fine. No one seems to have suffered any other side effects. Just a hazy memory.”

Slainidh transferred her stare to her lover. “You know what to do.”

Machar nodded.

Slainidh took their son home, and Machar stretched his neck, preparing to do what he had to do to protect his family. Blood dripped from his cap and ran down the side of his face.

Soon, there would be more blood to soak his cap in.