Chapter 20
Pothos’ Home, Tetartos Realm
Pothos lay with his sleeping female in his arms, awed at how good, how right it felt with her soft breath warming his skin and slipping into his damned soul. Sleeping was the last thing he’d been capable of doing; he refused to miss a second of this. After their soul bond had snapped together, he felt fucking whole for the first time ever. It wasn’t just the way it leashed his power, it was how she fit inside him.
After long minutes he forced himself to check in with Drake and his father to make sure everything was okay while informing them that they were out of Fólkvangr and had completed the bond. Hearing the details of the God exchange might have sent his head pounding if Gefn hadn’t been bundled safely in his bed. It was attempting to convince his father that she wasn’t still some big threat that had set his teeth on edge. He loved his father, but Hades’ protectiveness tended towards suffocating, even with Sacha calming him and a caged Apollo to keep the God busy.
He breathed her in, putting those telepathic conversations out of his mind, grateful that after months of chaos he could take time away from duty. At least for a little while. With Apollo secured and the Thulians back in their world, it was a rare moment of calm between the storms, where all he needed to think about was his female. He wasn’t deluding himself; they had a lot of things to discuss. The biggest was his role as a Guardian and her need for him to help Thule. They were heavy conversations he would find answers to, but for now both worlds were still spinning.
For the next few days he was officially off fucking duty to indulge in his female.
Drake understood his request for space, but his father had not been pleased. P honestly didn’t care. Unless they needed him, he was free for the moment.
His female snuggled in tighter to his body and rubbed her cheek against his chest with another soft snore. It was taking all of his will not to laugh at the odd little snuffles that came from her beautiful lips. How those kittenish noises could come from a Goddess was beyond him, but he fucking loved it.
It felt so damned good to be home with her, but beyond that his power had never been so strong while so controlled. He’d never been so level. All because of his snoring little Goddess.
His dirty as fuck Goddess.
He smiled when the snoring finally stopped.
*****
Gefn awoke tucked into the blissful warmth of Pothos’ arms, her head resting against his chest, her arms pressed into the hard muscle of his stomach. It felt so warm and incredibly peaceful, as if the cradle of his arms were a sanctuary she’d never known. She breathed him in and snuggled closer, because it wasn’t enough. She didn’t want the moment to end and reality to invade, at least not for a while. She closed her eyes when he kissed her hair and pulled her tighter into the strength and comfort of his hold while tucking the blankets around her. She sighed in bliss.
They lay there for long minutes, listening to the waves crashing against the rocks outside the balcony doors. “Did I sleep long?”
“Maybe half an hour.”
“That was the second time I was rendered unconscious,” she mused, shaking her head. “Yet you stay awake.”
She looked up to see him smiling down at her. “I was enjoying the view too much.”
She smiled, wishing they could stay in this bed forever, but there was a lot to discuss, and both had duties. Eventually it would all invade their peace. She sighed. “Did you know it would feel like this?” She’d never felt so… happy. Had her life truly been so lonely and bleak before this? It was like she’d known him her entire life.
“Yes and no. Nearly all the Guardians have found their mates, and I could see the purity of their soul bonds, but, no…” He seemed to be searching for the right words; she knew that without hearing his actual thoughts.
He gazed down into her eyes while sliding a strand of hair off her forehead. “I guess I never realized I had a hole in my soul until you filled it, thea mou.”
She moaned as her heart expanded in her chest. On a heartfelt whisper she agreed, “We fill each other’s holes.”
He threw his head back with a deep shout of laughter. She absolutely loved the sound, and when he gazed back down at her, his shoulders were still shaking. “Yes, and I’m happy to fill your holes anytime you wish it, my Goddess.”
She laughed, understanding why he’d been so amused. She nodded regally. “You have pleased your Goddess well. Your attentions will be required often.”
More laughter rang into the room as he rolled her onto her back, tangling the sheets around them as he kissed her, both still laughing. There were no words for how good it felt to be weighed down by his big body, the soft bed cradling them beautifully. She could happily stay here for all eternity. She’d only shared sleep with her cats. They’d had a bed in her suites for millennia, though often Velspar slept next to her, even when she stayed at Hroarr’s palace. With that thought came sadness and anxiety.
He gazed down at her. “Should we go and get them?”
The softness in his voice eased her. She wasn’t sure how she felt. If only she understood why they’d allowed her þrír to die. If they could have stopped Tyr, why hadn’t they? She rubbed her chest, feeling their regret, but also something else.
She whipped from beneath him with dizzying speed. “Something is wrong.”
She started for the balcony, already pulling power to open a portal.
Pothos commanded, “Wait.”
When she faced him, he was already moving through a doorway. “What is it?” she asked while whipping the doors wide.
“You’re naked,” he growled.
She looked down. She was indeed nude; her clothing was still in Fólkvangr. He stepped out of the room wearing dark leggings, boots and a black shirt that pulled over his chest.
“Lift your arms,” he commanded, and when she did, he slipped another black shirt over her head. The material was soft and light against her skin. The arms fell to her elbows and the bottom came close to her knees. He was kneeling in front of her next. “Lift a leg.”
“I can dress myself,” she argued, but was already moving her legs, too rushed to care that he’d dressed her without her thinking twice. The soft black material slid up her legs, covering everything above her knees as he tucked at the top. She was already opening a portal outside his balcony.
Thank you, she whispered into his mind as they stepped through. The shimmering doorway had opened with an ease she’d never known before, but she didn’t have time to think about it. They came through at the steps outside of Hroarr’s palace. The guards stilled; she wasn’t sure if it was her attire or the massive male at her side. His wings were hidden, but his clothing was that of another world. She infused her voice with power as they rushed the steps. “This is my maðr. You will show him the same respect you show me.”
To a guard at the top of the steps she commanded, “Inform the others of his status and presence at my side.”
“Yes, my Goddess.” The mortal left in the blink of an eye to do her bidding.
My way will be faster. Pothos spoke into her mind and suddenly she was breaking apart. The erotic agony wasn’t there this time. Only a closeness that comforted her as they reappeared in her rooms.
Mist, Hroarr’s pale priestess, and Laire were standing at the side of the massive four-poster bed in white and gold. Her massive black beasts lay atop the blankets, unmoving. When her warrior moved for his weapons at the intrusion, she ordered, “No, Laire.” Her heart was pounding in her chest, her stomach twisting into knots, but she spoke with as much authority as she could. “Laire, this is my maðr, Pothos. He is to be respected as you would me. Now tell me what is wrong with Spa and Velspar?” she demanded of Mist. The pale priestess had healing ability, all the þrír did, so why were they like this?
She felt them weakly sending her calm through their bond along with something that felt like goodbye. The emotion chilled her blood and tore into her heart. She dropped on the bed between them, her fingers frantically running through their silky fur while sending energy. It wasn’t enough; it didn’t seem to revive them at all.
Mist was at her side. The look on her face said it all as she gently whispered, “They collapsed the moment they came back through the portal. We have been trying to heal them, but they have only grown weaker.”
“Why didn’t you tell me this in Fólkvangr!” Gefn demanded.
“At first we thought it was only exhaustion, and we did not want you to worry when you could not leave that place.” She paused. “Later, we were sure you would have felt them. They may have been shielding this from you.”
Pothos was by her side, crouching before Velspar. Mist and Laire tensed, but she raised a hand. “He has healing ability.”
“They could be depleted from all the power they used.” Pothos attempted to reassure her as she felt his power sliding into Velspar. His massive hands were gentle on her beasts, and Gefn put a hand to her heart as she pushed her own ability into him while trying to think of a way to do more. Anything. She would do anything. Tears started choking her.
“Their organs aren’t working like they should,” he said softly. She felt his healing ability and a rush of his personal energies. It didn’t seem to help them. Helpless tears slid over her cheeks.
She felt Pothos’ words through the agony. I want to take them to my world, but I don’t know if moving them through a portal or teleporting with them is safe. She felt the seriousness of his thoughts even if she didn’t know the details.
“Tell me how to help them?” she choked out to him.
His eyes hardened as they tracked the tears sliding over her skin. She didn’t care that Mist and Laire were there to see them. This couldn’t be happening. Her beasts couldn’t have led her to Pothos, to the peace and joy of their bond, only to die for it. Her fingers slid over their faces; their golden eyes were so incredibly dim.
She heard him contacting Sirena. The blonde she remembered seeing in his memories, a sister to him.
Sirena, I need your help… in Thule.
Are you okay? There was worry in the female’s tone. She felt it as the concern of a sibling.
Gefn’s beasts are… not well. I think the pressure in the portal or the act of teleporting their weak bodies will be too much. And I can’t heal this.
They have to have a vet there, P. I can’t leave Alyssa right now.
Era can stay with Alyssa. The beasts are connected to my mate. I need you, he said with a depth of feeling that made her heart ache.
The female only hesitated a moment. Come get me. Era is on her way to Alyssa now.
He stood up from the animals and breathed out with a hand warming her cheek. His brilliant eyes tried to reassure her as much as his words. “I’ll be right back. Send them energy until I return.”