“Never,” Odin said. “But they're not always actively pursuing her. It sounds as if this one is.”
“Did they give you any clues as to who this person is?” Toby asked.
“It sounded like someone close to their pantheon but not a part of it,” Triton mused. “This was someone they respected and trusted. It wasn't difficult for them to steer the Argentinian Gods your way.”
“Someone close to the Argentinians who hates Vervain,” Azrael mused.
“And one more thing,” Odin said, “we have a pattern of gods consuming other gods and taking their magic. Our evolution theory may be right.”
“Evolution?” Triton asked in shock.
“We have a theory that Gods may be evolving, and a possible evolution would be that they could kill each other and steal magic,” I explained.
Donnie, Triton, and Athena all went white.
“I disagree, Odin,” Hades said. “I'm not sure how Katila managed it, but the Argentinians have always had this ability; they just didn't know to use it. I think this may simply be a horrible coincidence.”
“I hope so,” Trevor said softly.
“Let's talk about it later,” I said. “I can't deal with more intrigue right now. It weakens our victory and my resolve.”
“You're right,” Kirill said. “Ve must take our triumphs vhere ve can.”
“And our happiness,” Re added. “We have a wedding to look forward to.”
I smiled brightly at Re because I really could look forward to it now. And I wasn't going to let some unknown enemy ruin that for me.
“By the way, Alpha,” Azrael said to Trevor. “Are you really going to hold us to that bed thing?”
“Bed thing?” Donnie waggled his brows at me.
“Don't ask,” I said to Donnie.
Donnie pouted.
“That may be up for negotiation,” Trevor said with a wink my way.
Chapter Forty-Eight
I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. It was finally here; my wedding day. My third wedding day, actually; fourth if you counted the one Re helped me escape.
My stomach knotted as I stared at my reflection in the tri-fold mirror. I was seated at an amazing dressing table that I had every intention of recreating when I returned home from my honeymoon. It was an elaborate expanse of polished, hand-carved wood with gilded accents and lots of drawers for storing makeup. A glass top protected the delicate inlay and over that, the mirror sat in a frame of twining gold roses; guarded by cut-crystal decanters of lotions and perfumes. A framed picture of Horus sat to the right side.
It was Isis' vanity.
“Calm down, you damn fool,” I growled at myself. “It's not as if this is your first time.”
And there was the rub. My first wedding had been to Arach. Next, I'd married Trevor, Kirill, Azrael, and Odin in one ceremony. That had felt right, but this... I took another calming breath. How could I walk down the aisle again; right in front of my husbands and my boyfriend? I felt like a traitor.
Why hadn't this occurred to me before? I should have prepared for it. It was so stupid to be sitting there—at the final hour—having these doubts. I loved Re, and I wanted to marry him. But this ceremony would have me focusing on Re as if my other men didn't exist. As if I hadn't already pledged my eternal love to five other men. At least Arach wasn't here; that would have been—
“A Thaisce,” Arach's face filled the mirror.
I shrieked and fell backward; off my seat.
As my heartbeat slowed, and I scrambled back onto the padded stool, my dragon husband laughed his scaly ass off.
“That's not funny, Arach!” I snarled as I smoothed my hair back. “You nearly gave me a damn heart attack.”
“You told me to mirror you,” he said with a lingering grin.
“I did not.”
“You did, A Thaisce,” he assured me. “You said you were having doubts”—he glanced aside and nodded—“right at this moment.”
“Am I there?” I asked in horror. “Standing right next to you?”
“Indeed.” Arach chuckled and shook his head. “It is strange for me as well. I'd even venture to say that it's stranger on my end.”
“Damn,” I whispered. “Was I about to make a runner?”
“I believe you were,” Arach went serious, “and that would have been a horrible mistake.”
“You think it's a mistake for me not to marry Re?” I asked in shock.
My dragon husband was even more possessive than the Wolf. I couldn't imagine what reason he could possibly have to encourage me to marry another man.
“It will break your heart,” he said gently. “And that, I cannot abide.”
“What about your heart?” I whispered. “What about Trevor's and Kirill's and O—”
“Yes; I get the idea,” Arach cut me off. “Vervain, we are all grown men; beyond that, even. I think we know our own hearts and what those hearts can take. If any of us thought that we could not bear you being with another man, we would have protested this engagement... violently.”
“Okay,” I whispered.
“Do you want to marry him?”
“Yes,” I said instantly.
“Will you be unhappy if you don't?”
“Yes.”
“Then why are you sitting there pouting?” Arach smirked. “So, you have to deal with the golden buffoon's narcissism every day. So, you have to put up with his poorly timed humor. So, you—”
“I get it,” I cut him off with a laugh.
“I think you'll endure all of Re's annoying habits to be with him,” he went on. “Because you don't love halfway, A Thaisce. You love with all of your being, and that means that you love his bad qualities as well as his good.”
“Grudgingly,” I said. “Just as I love yours.”
“I have no bad qualities.” He frowned in genuine confusion.
I shook my head. “You and Re are a lot alike.”
“Take that back!”
