Chapter 48

"Miss V!"Jackson exclaimed as I walked up to the table. "Where you been, shug?"He drew out the endearment with a hint of New Orleans, so the shortened sugar came out sounding like shu-u-ug.
"Fighting Gods."I laughed and hugged him. "Oh, and one werewolf."
"You're never satisfied with the normal are you?"Jackson's boyfriend, Tristan, stood up to hug me next. "The rest of us just have demons to slay, but you get Gods. I wanna live in your world."
"No, you don't; trust me."I loved teasing the boys with the truth because even though they assumed it was just fun fiction, there were times when they got a sharp look in their eyes, and I knew they suspected it wasn't so fictional.
"Gods or demons"-Jackson sent me a penetrating look—"we've missed you. You should spare some time for us mere mortals."
"Hot stuff, you ain't a mere anything,"I settled down into my seat and picked up my menu.
I'd been putting my guys off for as long as I could, and honestly, I needed some Jax and Tryst time. So, I'd snuck out of bed to meet them. It was evening in Asgard even though it was late morning in Hawaii. Thor and I had gone back to bed after breakfast, completely exhausted from the previous night's activities, and I had woke up just as the sun was setting.
"This is going to be my second breakfast in eight hours,"I laughed as I looked over Cinnamon's selection. I don't know why I bothered; I knew the menu by heart.
"Oh, noonsies!"Tristan clapped his hands; his bright burgundy hair slipping into his eyes.
"No, no, second breakfast and then noonsies,"I corrected him.
"I know."He rolled his gorgeous blue eyes as if the thought of me knowing more about The Lord of the Rings than he did was ridiculous. Which, of course, it was. "I meant we could do noonsies after this."
"Ah, pardon me. How could I ever doubt you?"I rolled my eyes.
"So, Miss Vervain,"Jackson interjected before the conversation became pure LOTR. "What have you really been up to?"
"Oh, you know; painting, witchcraft, and having wild sex with my new boyfriend!"I did a little squeal, and Tristan joined in.
Jackson just smiled and reached for my hand.
"Oh, no!"I jerked my hand out of his reach. "None of that. I don't want to know how horribly it's going to end."
Jackson was a clairvoyant, and it was a constant battle to keep him from seeing too much. I probably should just give in and tell them already. If anyone would believe me about Atlanteans becoming Gods it would be those two.
"Why do you assume it will end badly?"Jax moved his coffee aside to try and get a clearer shot at my hand. "Or that it will end at all? This may be the one. Your soul mate. Could you pass me the cream, porfa-please?"
"He isn't the one."My bright mood faded a bit when I thought about the future Thor and I would never have.
It didn't matter what Thor thought; I knew there was no hope for us. Human-god relationships had a notorious reputation for ending badly.
"Hah!"When I passed the cream, Jackson grabbed my hand. "Oh."His eyes went distant as he focused on a point somewhere beyond my left shoulder. "He's magnificent. What is he; Scandinavian?"
"You could say that."I grimaced and tried to pull away, but the guy had a kung-fu grip.
"Vervain, this man's in love with you already,"he whispered. "He's appointed himself your guardian. He's scared to death of you getting hurt. How very gallant, very old world."
"Very old world."I nodded and inwardly groaned. Please don't see anymore, please don't see anymore.
"Or very paranoid."Tristan frowned as he watched my face.
"He's got a right to be afraid."Jackson's hand clenched on mine. "Vervain, what have you gotten yourself into?"
"Nothing!"I tried to jerk my hand away again.
"There's so much blood,"Jackson's voice took on the monotone reserved for his predictions. "The Queen of Love brings only pain. Take her pain, take everything she is, and you change pain to pleasure, pleasure to love, love to heal the blackest hearts and make them yours."
Jackson blinked and refocused on my face. Tristan and I were staring at him as if he'd just announced his preference for Payless shoes over Gucci. I was terrified. Jackson was never wrong and coupled with Yemanja's warning, it was pretty much carved in stone. Pain was coming my way; pain and blood, evidently.
"Well, that was really helpful."Tristan twisted his lips into a grimace. "And by that I mean you were completely useless. More trouble than honey on a pig's ass."
"What I say?"Jackson's brows lifted. Sometimes, he would instantly forget what he prophesied. I breathed a sigh of relief. My secret was still safe.
"You started out great."Tristan narrowed disapproving eyes at him. "Then you started blabbering about blood and pain and something about the Queen of Love, whatever that's supposed to mean."
"It's fine, Tristan,"I started to reassure Jackson as well, but the waitress came up to take our orders.
When she finally left, the dark mood had dispersed, and I just wanted to let sleeping hellhounds lie. So, I left Jackson's strange prediction alone and focused instead on the happy news of the long-awaited end of my abstinence. They teased me with merciless intensity and fished for every bit of information on Thor they could get. I offered them every normal tidbit I could think of.
It was a surprisingly relaxing morning after that. I scarfed down my carrot-cake pancakes, drank way too much coffee, and basked in the general wonderfulness of my gorgeous friends. Every female eye in the place was fastened on me with envy. If only they knew.
Why is it that gay men are usually hotter than straight ones? I have one word for you; hygiene. Well, that and great genes. Jackson had modeled at one time and had kept himself in top shape. He was not only gorgeous but was also one of those gay men you didn't realize was gay until two hours into a conversation when he moved his hand a certain way or sent you a sassy look. But by then it's too late, you're hooked.
Tristan, on the other hand, had just a touch of flamboyance. It was enough for you to realize you weren't getting any play in this lifetime, but reserved enough to compliment Jackson instead of embarrass him. He was Versace to Jackson's Armani. They were a great pair and loads of fun. I hadn't realized how much I'd missed them until it was time to leave. We said goodbye amid hugs and kisses. Tristan pouted when I told him I couldn't stick around for noonsies, but brightened back up when I promised to introduce them to Thor at the soonest opportunity.
I crossed the parking lot Cinnamon's shared with all the other cute restaurants and shops in Kailua; making my way to my car in a happy food haze. Buildings boxed in the lot on all four sides; two high-rise office buildings guarding one entrance and looking grotesquely out of place next to the other, quaint two-stories around them. In the alleys between the smaller buildings, trees grew amid thick plant life; gaily adding their appeal to the country cottage façade and further alienating the massive cement monstrosities.
The alleys were clean and bright, nothing like you'd expect an alley to be, and short on shadows to hide in. They weren't scary. They were the domain of stroller-wielding yuppies, not monsters. So, when I passed by one of those alleys and heard a low growl, I was startled enough to jump. I looked over just as a massive dog emerged from the bushes. It was the size of a pony. What the hell did they feed that thing? Or should I ask; what in Hell did they feed that thing? 'Cause I was pretty sure that's where the beast was born… hatched… conjured… whatever.
No, wait; it wasn't a dog, but a wolf. A shiny, black wolf with honey-colored eyes. He padded towards me; claws clicking on the cement. I flung down my arms and released the blades fro my gloves immediately. Bless Yemanja for warning me and making me paranoid enough to wear them to lunch.
The beast kept coming as if my gloves didn't make a lick of difference. If I hadn't been so damned scared, I might have appreciated the beauty of him. But as it was, the animal simply looked formidable. Okay, that's an understatement. It looked terrifying, monstrous . . . and very hungry.
It cocked its head at me and bared a set of the sharpest fangs I'd ever seen, and I've seen some pretty sharp ones lately. Exhibit A: Blue, AKA Huitzilopochtli. The Sun glinted off those perfect white teeth; a little too well-cared for, for an animal. His eyes surveyed me with more than animal intelligence and then there was the fact that Hawaii doesn't have wolves. Much less mutant, giant, killer wolves from other realms. My slow-processing, terror-filled brain finally put two and two together and came up with werewolf.