CHAPTER 13

~ Connections & Visions ~

 

Kazar returns to their quarters to find Callie sound asleep in the middle of their bed.  Nyle sleepily opens an eye when Kazar silently slips into the room.  His smile of greeting does what it always does, makes the Egyptian’s cock jump to attention.  Nyle’s massive and powerful body is curled protectively around their female.  Kazar can’t help but to be moved by the sight of his male’s naked chest and well-muscled arm over their precious Callie. 

“Is she okay?” Kazar whispers.  Nyle nods, but looks worried.  They both are, but there is so much they simply don’t know about Callie’s past lives and what they might mean for her future.  Morrígan has hinted that Callie lived five, possibly even six lifetimes, and Kazar can’t help but wonder if each revelation will be as taxing as the two she has already endured. 

He wants to shake the Irish bitch, Morrígan, to make her tell him what is going on.  But he won’t, because if she made an oath to a god, she won’t go back on her word.  Instead of dwelling on the things he doesn’t know, Kazar resolves to just be there to support his mates the best he can.  He also resolves to be watchful of Morrígan and the things she says.  He suspects the crafty female drops more hints to solving this mystery than she intends.  But Kazar, being born of a very ancient race, realizes he can’t snoop too much.  Discovering a truth before it is intended to be revealed could warp or weaken the ancient magick at work in Callie’s life.  And somehow, he just doesn’t believe Morrígan, or those she works for, wish Callie any harm.  So he decides to let whatever is coming unfold as intended and to remain at her side through it all.

Removing his boots and tee shirt, he slips into the bed on the other side of their female.  Nyle is lying on his side with Callie snuggled up to his chest, and his head above hers.  Kazar moves so that his head is touching Nyle’s and his body is similarly wrapped around their female.  He traces the gaunt hallows of her cheek and resolves to find a way to make her stronger.  His female must survive bearing this child. 

She must!

As though sensing his presence, she turns to snuggle into Kazar.  He kisses the top of her head as she nuzzles into his chest, inhaling deeply of his scent.  The contented sigh that escapes her lips makes the ancient vampire smile in satisfaction.  Sleepily, she reaches back to grasp Nyle’s arm and pulls it more tightly around her body, doing her best to snuggle with both of her males.  And when she speaks in her sleepy state, her words assure Kazar and Nyle that she is feeling the early stages of the mating bond curl around her heart.  “I’m fine you two, now sleep.  Your daughter wants Mommy to rest.”

Nyle chuckles and kisses the top of her head before leaning over to kiss his male.  He holds back, and doesn’t let his animal passion for the sexy Egyptian male rise to the fore, but he does show Kazar how much he loves him without uttering a word.  Settling back into the bed, the males relax and savor the peaceful moment as they allow their female to sleep.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Two hours later, Kazar is staring sightlessly at the ceiling as his mind sorts through the pieces of the puzzle that have already been revealed.  He smiles when Nyle snores softly in his sleep.  Even though Stone Colds do not sleep per se, Kazar always lies beside his mate as he rests, frequently using the time to enter into a deep meditative state which restores his mind and body.  And every once in a while, Nyle’s dreams will reach out to Kazar, and he experiences them with his mate.  Not all Stone Colds can do that, but Kazar thinks it is more about their bond than what he is.

When images begin to flit through Kazar’s mind he looks over at Nyle.  But he can tell the male is not dreaming.  A quick glance at Callie reveals that she is deep in REM sleep because her eyes are moving frantically behind her eye lids. 

The images are coming from my female!  Kazar’s heart soars because he takes this as a sure sign their bond as mates is getting stronger.  So, he closes his eyes and allows his consciousness to go to that deep meditative place he seeks when Nyle sleeps at night.  The images, thoughts and feelings that swamp the vampire are obviously Callie’s and not his own.  It feels much like when he had entered her dreams over the years to watch over her, but different.  More real.

Kazar is shocked and delighted when he senses Nyle standing next to him.  Somehow, the Celtic shifter has joined him in Callie’s vision.  He reaches out and takes the younger male’s hand into his own, as they watch another facet of their female reveal itself to them all.

The young woman walks hurriedly along the narrow, dark Genoa street of Porto Antico, never once looking over her shoulder even though she can hear someone following her progress over the sounds coming from the nearby port.  Once she slips around the corner of a building, just beyond the line of sight for her pursuer, she ducks into a doorway and withdraws her trusty dagger.  A finely wrought blade that was a gift from her great-great-however many times grandfather.  Blade in hand, the young Genoese woman awaits the person who is following her. 

When the cloaked figure approaches, Bella leaps from her hiding place to pin the stranger against the wall of the building with her trusty dagger at the person’s throat.  The cloak’s hood falls from the head and reveals a familiar face. 

“Febris, why are you following me?” She demands in a language that is part seventeenth century Italian and part ancient Roman.  It is not a dialect many in the floundering city of Genoa can decipher.  Only those with a connection to the ancient Roman pantheon. 

The tiny goddess gives the human a shove and rights her clothing before glaring after her unwanted charge.  “I owe your grandfather a favor.  I’ve been watching over you since the plague first returned to this foul human cesspool.”

Bella shudders at the thought of all of the lives lost when the Black Death tore through her city home of Genoa.  Needing to calm her racing heart, she returns the dagger to its sheath at her belt and eyes the minor healing goddess suspiciously.  “Why does Mars want you or anyone to watch over me?”

The tiny goddess with huge dark eyes and wild black hair shrugs her shoulders carelessly.  “I have no idea.  But when a major god, such as the god of war, who also holds a ruling seat on the United Councile de Immortals demands I protect and follow his progeny, I do as I am told.”

Bella exhales slowly and mutters; “Fine.  Then walk beside me.  Since the secret is out, you have no need to skulk among the shadows.”  She chuckles.  “You really are not very good at it anyway.”

Febris at first looks offended, but then nods to acknowledge the truth.  “Sì, I know you have been aware of me many times over the last few years.  The only reason you have not cornered me before tonight is that I would flash back to Mar’s realm when you would double back to confront me.”  She laughs and the girlish giggle grates on Bella’s nerves.  “This trick with the ducking into a doorway was very clever.”

Bella simply rolls her eyes and tells the goddess to come along.  “One of the minor Grimaldi sons is hosting a party tonight at my establishment.  I am running late to make sure that everything is in readiness.”

“How can you do what you do?” Febris asks, genuinely curious. “Do you not despise catering to the lustful desires of these filthy human men?”

Bella laughs, but she isn’t amused.  Febris hit the nail on the head with her innocent question.  “I do.  But I was born into the business.  It was my mother’s legacy and the legacy of a few generations before her.”  The tall blond woman with fierce green eyes simply shrugs.  “A Diletto woman has always been at the helm of Casa Lussuriosi.”  Even dense little Febris can’t miss the disgust in Bella’s tone.  “I suppose that if I am stupid enough to have a daughter of my own,” her heart clenches at the very idea of becoming a mother.  It’s her fondest dream, but one she should never pursue because it will lock still another Diletto woman into a life of shame and degradation. “… she too will run Genoa’s largest whorehouse.”

Febris shudders and Bella mirrors the emotion but after years of serving as the Virgin Madame of Genoa’s most famous whorehouse, she is much better at hiding her true feelings than the goddess walking at her side.  Suddenly, she zeros in on something the goddess said earlier.  “You speak of filthy human men?  I am fully human, you know that, don’t you?”

The dark haired, dark eyed goddess shrugs.  “Yes, Mars impregnated one of your ancestors, but surely he still values you if he has me and other’s watching over you all of the time?”

Bella can only wonder at that herself.  In fact, this is not the first time she has wondered why the great and mighty Mars has any interest in a lowly human madam of a whorehouse in the human realm.  But she knows this minor goddess doesn’t have any answers for her. 

They are nearly at her establishment when some innate warning of impending danger makes her halt in her tracks.  She grasps Febris’ hand to press a key into it and hisses.  “Flash out of here.  Now.  Danger awaits around that corner.  Come back later when it is safe and find a steel chest in the basement.  Take the contents to… to someone who will do the right thing.”

Bella’s vague words confuse the goddess, but there isn’t really time to question her now.  “I can’t leave you,” Febris bemoans.  “Mars will have my head or subject me to a thousand years of some dreadful punishment if I leave you.”

“Well, you are not a warrior, and ending up dead won’t help either one of us.”  She gives the tiny goddess a hard shove and commands; “Leave!”

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Kazar’s eyes pop open when he senses another presence in his bedroom.  Oddly enough, or perhaps not, it is the very god Bella and the minor goddess had just been discussing in the vision.

“What happened next?” Kazar asks, knowing that Mars, the Roman God of war, has the answer.  By the grim look on the arrogant old fuck’s face, Kazar knows he isn’t going to like it. 

“What do you think, blood sucker?”  He snarls angrily.  “Nyx had another little horde of your kind, Ghouls, and Blood Wraiths waiting for Bella.  They killed every living soul in Casa Lussuriosi that night.  They found my granddaughter on the street and destroyed her weak human body before that trifling little goddess Febris could find me and bring me to help.”

Nyle sits up and Callie’s eyes fly open at the sound of the Roman’s voice.  “Grandfather?” she squeaks, obviously she’s already processing her memories from her life time as Bella.

“Indeed, mia ragazza.”  He opens his arms and demands; “Come to me. I will take you back to my realm and keep you safe.”

“Oh, hell no!” Nyle roars and comes up out of the bed ready to fight the Roman god of war.

“Enough! Mars, I did not give you permission to enter their private room.  I only granted you admittance to the MC.”  The look on Blood’s face when he flashes into the room is murderous, and the cocky arrogant Roman wilts under his glare.  He knows the ancient shifter has more power in his little finger than Mars has in his entire body. 

He nods, barely a tilt of his head, but enough to signify his respect for the more powerful being standing before him looking like he’d very much enjoy the act of drawing and quartering the Roman god of war.  “I was worried.  I’ve known since the moment this girl was born that the spirit of my offspring had been given another life on this earth.  I knew in Genoa, Africa, and Samoa.  And yet those assholes kept me away from my own flesh and blood in each incarnation.”

“Enough!”  Blood snaps again.  “Your mouth runs away with you, Roman.”  He glances over at the woman rising from the bed with Kazar’s help.  “The Beautiful One has her guardians in this incarnation.  Death will not defeat her this time.  You have my word.”  The solemnity of Blood’s vow weighs heavily on the entire room, and none doubt the ancient guardian’s ability to deliver as promised.

But Mars is determined not to let the MC’s leader have the last word.  “You expect me to leave her in your care when you have yet to figure out that Dysnomia, and not her mother, is the foe you must worry about in this battle to come?”

“What does the Daughter of Eris have to do with anything?” Nyle demands from his protective stance before Callie who had finally managed to get out of the bed and onto her feet.

“Wait?” Callie demands.  “Who is Dysnomia and Eris?”

“Anarchy and Strife.  Dysnomia is the granddaughter of Nyx, daughter of Eris.”

“As in Strife’s Soldiers and Anarchy’s Rogues?” Callie asks.

Blood chuckles.  “Ah, you’ve been listening around the clubhouse, eh, little one?”  Callie simply nods.  No use denying it.  “Yes, Strife’s real name is Eris.  It’s a band of her rogue Stone Colds that have been wreaking havoc down in Oklahoma City.  It’s also her minions who are turning Stone Colds left and right in our entire territory.” 

Blood turns to glare at Mars.  “What does Dysnomia have to do with any of this?  I thought she disappeared eons ago.  Many believed her dead.”

“Dysnomia is the most dangerous of vipers.” Mars spits out with utter conviction.  “She has kept herself from everyone’s sight and worked in secret.  And she is damned good at it, too.  The bitch has made it her life’s mission to stop the return of the dra…. Uh, well.  All along, she has helped Nyx kill off the various incarnations of certain spirits to prevent the final defeat of Nyx’s particular brand of evil.”

“Why?” Nyle demands.

“Because she wants her namesake to reign,” Kazar says with a sickened expression on his face.  “She wants Anarchy to reign supreme across the realms.   In actuality, she has always been the puppet of her brother who sits in the UCI quietly pulling strings.”  Kazar snorts.  “He even pulled the strings when Nyx was rampaging at full strength before the Beast Realm locked her up in the Nihility.”  He looks down at the scars on his wrists.  “It was he who sent that Dreamwalker to bind me to Nyx for nearly five years.  The Bitch Goddess is a prisoner, and yet her allies still bring her toys to play with.”  The vampire shakes his head in disbelief and disgust as he futilely struggles to bury the memories of what he suffered while bound to Nyx in the Nihility.

Nyle can’t suppress his wolf’s growl at the thought of his mate being at the mercy of his former mistress, but he quickly reins it in.  Now is not the time.  He and Kazar lock their gazes and promise each other to stand beside Callie no matter what.  And when things calm down, they will focus on healing Kazar’s mental and emotional wounds.

The ancient Egyptian looks away from the all too knowing gaze of his lover and mate.  For the first time, Kazar feels true fear.  With Strife, Anarchy, and Doom out for her blood, it will be more difficult to protect Callie than he first imagined.  He can see that Blood and Nyle have connected the same dots. 

“Well, fuck,” Nyle says angrily.  He grabs his mate’s arm, and turns Kazar to face him.  “Go downstairs with these fuckers and find out what everyone fucking knows about the assholes who want our girl dead.”  His arm around Callie’s shoulder pulls her near his own body and he says; “I’m going to make sure our girl gets a bath and some food.  She needs to process this fucking shit a bit before another damned vision hits her.”  He turns and leads an unresisting Callie to the attached bathroom, all the while grousing about his girl getting slammed with three lifetimes of memories in less than twenty-four hours.

Once they are inside the bathroom, and the door is closed, Nyle leans down to kiss the lips of his female with more tenderness than he ever imagined he could muster.  “Sweet álainn, you are much stronger than those fuckers know.  You will survive whatever they throw at you, and Kazar and I will be at your side through it all.”