Chapter 32

Two hours later, I had the basics mastered. I knew how to find my link with Blue and project my consciousness down it. I knew how to slip quietly through his mind and filter through his thoughts so he wouldn't even know I was there. I knew how to protect myself from him by not only building shields around my mind, but also by shielding his link inside my mind. I'd learned, processed, and practiced as much as could be done without actually doing the deed.
Thor had long since left the library. The process was tedious and involved a lot of silent communication through meditation between Teharon and I. He shared parts of his mind with me so I'd be able to get the feel of sifting through someone else's thoughts. I was shocked and grateful that he'd allowed me the intimacy. Teharon's thoughts were peaceful. He was a man who pondered; who took the time to consider things like consequences. It was a calm night to the violent glare of my own mind.
"I think you've trained enough for now."Teharon nodded in approval and let go of my hands.
"You think I'm ready then?"My heartbeat sped up. I wanted to get in that bastard's head and get some retribution.
"No, I think you need a break,"he said gently.
"I don't need a break,"I huffed in disappointment. "I need to get into his head. We continue."
"After lunch,"Thor announced from the door.
I turned to find Thor leaning there with his arms crossed; looking at me with a small smile and a large possessiveness which was both thrilling and incredibly annoying. He also looked fantastic in a lime-green, silk, dress shirt and black slacks that clung to his muscular thighs in just the right amount. The green showed off the strawberry highlights in his hair; turning it into a richer copper color. I was so caught up in admiring him that it took me a second to realize that the man from the peace rally was standing behind him; watching our exchange avidly.
"What are you doing here?"I blurted in surprise.
"I live here, woman,"Thor said and frowned, "this is my home. I'll go where I please."
"Not you, you ass."I got to my feet and walked around Thor to gesture at the man who had recently been ousted to me as a swan-shifter. "Fiachra."
Swan boy's brows rose and his dark ivy eyes widened. "How do you know that name?"
"Did you just call me an ass?"Thor interrupted.
"I met your father."I glanced at Thor. "And, yes; I called you an ass."
"I go by Finn now."Fiachra-now-Finn reached out a hand, and I shook it.
"Vervain Lavine,"I offered my name.
"I've been anxious to meet you, Vervain."He released my hand slowly; sliding his fingers along mine. "I owe you my life."
"All in a good day's work, sir."I put my hands on my hips, puffed out my chest, and did my best cop impersonation.
His eyes lingered a little too long on my chest, even though the jeans and sweater I had on were pretty modest. I raised a brow when he finally raised his gaze, and he had the grace to look embarrassed.
"I'm sorry; I caught a glimpse of you before and thought you were pretty. Now, I find that I've severely underestimated your appeal."
"Yeah, a lot of men underestimate me,"I tried for flippant, but the blush still crept up my neck. It must be that feast or famine curse and boy was it feasting time. I almost felt the need to do a little happy dance. Almost.
"We've yet to finish discussing your insult, Vervain."Thor took my arm and escorted me to a loveseat.
"Thor, you might as well learn this now."I sat down, and he took the seat right beside me. "I will probably insult you a lot. It just shows how comfortable I am with you."
"You only insult people you like?"Thor chewed at his lips, frowned, and then the tip of his tongue rolled his bottom lip beneath it.
"No, I insult people I don't like even worse."I forced my eyes away from his lips; wondering if he was doing it on purpose.
"You're a strange woman."Thor looked up briefly as the other two men joined us.
"That I am."I laughed. "Welcome to Vervain World, party on, excellent."
Thor looked at Teharon. "Did you understand any of that?"
"It's a movie reference."Ull smirked at us from the door. "You're getting old, Dad."
"Of course, I am."Thor glared at Ull. "Older and more powerful every day. Remember that, infant."
"I'm sorry to interrupt this witty repartee."Finn focused on me. "But did you say you met my father? Does that mean he was with Huitzilopochtli?"
Oh, poop; I hadn't thought about having to tell the son that good ol' Dad wanted him dead. Surely Finn knew his father's intentions, but what if he didn't? I should probably tread carefully.
"Yes, and yes."I nodded. How was that for careful?
Finn took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "He tried to kill me, didn't he?"
"Sort of,"I tried to keep the pity from my voice, but some must have leaked through because Finn laughed bitterly.
"My father does not do sort of, Vervain."Finn grimaced.
"No, I don't expect he does."A vision of the cold-hearted man popped into my mind; his face closed down, cut off from emotion. "Let's just say that he didn't try to prevent it."
"What did Lir say to you?"Thor put his arm behind me on the couch; attempting that sly move usually reserved for movie theaters.
"Not a lot."I let his hand slip onto my shoulder without comment and shook my head at the triumph in Thor's eyes. "He said his children had been plaguing him, whatever that means."
"Did he tell you about my curse?"Finn looked grim; sidestepping my implied question.
"Yeah."I stared at all that male beauty and wondered how it looked in swan form.
"I'm a black swan."He smiled at my raised brows. "You looked curious."
"I'm sorry,"I said ruefully. "You must get tired of it."
"Not from beautiful women."Finn made a slight bow. "I'll shift for you if you'd like to see."
I felt my body twitch at his words; intrigued despite myself. I don't know for sure why the thought of him transforming into a swan did it for me, but it did. Maybe it was the idea of seeing someone so masculine change into something so sublimely graceful. Zeus bagged a queen with his swan form so I wasn't the only woman who found the idea interesting. Or maybe it was simply the way Finn had said it; with an Irish purr which seemed to imply that everything he did was sexy.
I swallowed hard and cleared my throat when I noticed all of them watching me with different types of interest. Finn's eyes were wide and bright, Ull's were twinkling with mischief, Teharon's were calm and knowing, and Thor's were narrowed and twitchy around the edges.
"Maybe some other time,"all I could manage was a whisper.
"Anytime, anyplace."Finn claimed my hand and kissed my knuckles.
Thor moved so fast that I barely felt it. One second he was sitting beside me and the next he was holding Finn off the ground by his shirtfront. I had a passing thought that the shirt was going to be horribly wrinkled and possibly ruined.
"You accept my hospitality and then insult me by trying to seduce my woman?"He shook the smaller man, but Finn only laughed.
Finn patted Thor's forearms like an old friend. "All's fair in love and war, especially with a woman as rare as our Vervain."
"She is not our Vervain,"Thor's voice was taking on the deep rumble of thunder that seemed to precede his storms.
"Okay."I stepped up and slapped Thor's ass hard; the type of downward swipe-slap that really stings. "I've had just about enough of this."
Thor nearly dropped Finn but managed to reassert his grip at the last second as he looked over his shoulder at me. "You spanked me?"
I almost laughed at him, but I valiantly controlled myself. "You're behaving like a child so you'll be treated like one. And, for your information, you've called me woman twice within the last thirty minutes. I happen to already know my own sex and have no need of your reminders."
"What?"Thor lowered Finn to stare at me in confusion.
"Stop calling me 'woman,'" I snapped as I took both of his hands; gently liberating Finn's shirt. "It makes you sound like a caveman."
"It's an endearment."Thor let me lead him back to the loveseat as Finn tried to smooth out his shirt... totally called that one.
"No, honey."I patted Thor's leg after he sat down. "See; that was an endearment, 'woman' is not. Would you like me to call you man?"
"It would be better than ass,"he said with a grimace.
The room was quiet for about two seconds before all four of us started laughing at Thor. It was just such a perfect, dry delivery and his expression was priceless. By the time we were done, tears were streaming down my face.
"Okay."I held my hand out to him. "I won't call you 'ass' if you don't call me 'woman,' deal?"
"Deal."Thor nodded, and we shook on it. See; I can compromise. "Now, how about lunch?"Thor got up and helped me to my feet. "We can talk over pizza."