Then another part of me came running home. I felt a tremor of Ishtar's shock and then her roaring fury as Marduk reclaimed Love and passed it on to me. The butterflies flew into my body with a vibrant explosion and the rushing rumble of thousands of delicate wings. Although it took the form of fragile insects, Love is one of the Great Nine Magics and its power revived and strengthened me nearly as much as my Dragon-Sidhe essence had. My heartache vanished within the glow of butterfly wings and Love rose to rule in my chest. Tears of joy streamed down my cheeks; joy as well as humble gratitude and relief. The magnificence of love flowed gently into every piece of me; both the blessings it could bring and the destruction. The healing and the heartache. The unbreakable bonds and indescribable freedom.
On the heels of Love came its sub-magics. First was Lust and my whole body clenched as it drenched me in physical pleasure. I flung my head back with the power of my climax, a scream of ecstasy clawing up my throat. Red sparks burst inside me and then settled into place beneath the butterflies. Next came War; another type of high. The strength of a soldier filled my muscles and my hands ached for the hilt of a sword. A thousand battle plans rolled open inside my mind like an unfurled parchment. Weapons clanged in my ears and warriors shouted their battle cries. I clearly saw the path to glory and started down it. That's when Victory hit, the power of a conqueror blasting through me like a blown trumpet. I could bestow triumph like kisses and grant success to any human I wished. I opened my eyes and grinned at Marduk.
But Marduk's eyes were closed; his focus still on the flow of magic running through him, his spell holding him tightly within its grasp. I sensed it between us as if it were a physical thing; a twisting, churning mass. A spiral spun in the other direction. Destiny turning on an axis. Then the Moon started to shine down that magical spring.
I sighed and closed my eyes to bask in its welcome glow. The tides churned beneath it, rising and falling to its power. I laid back and floated within those waters then let them lift me into the light. Around me came the cry of the night beasts; howling, growling, and roaring. All bowing to my Dominion. They formed around me; the deadly creatures and the prey all shifting in shape and color as Illusion took hold of them. The shimmering magic settled into the moonlight, all of the creatures blending into a blur, and the Moon brightened briefly before settling inside me.
Finally, my lioness came roaring back, running through Marduk and into me as if she couldn't wait for a second longer to be reunited. Her magic filled me. Fur and teeth and claws. Lion musk and the feel of the earth beneath my feet. I scented blood and men. So many men. The pound of their hearts filled my ears. I purred as the power swirled inside me, sinking its teeth deep in my chest before shooting out to connect me to my lions. I felt them shiver as the cords wrapped around their hearts then burst to life. My magic became their magic. I sustained them, but they were the strong foundation I stood on. We were family. Pride. And one lion's roar rose above the others in exultation.
Kirill. I let out a relieved sob as I felt his love burst free of Marduk's spell and shoot down the cord that connected us. Intense, wild, and yet steady, it filled my heart with its strength. I'd discovered that without Kirill, I could still be me, but he made me better. All of them did. That's the point, isn't it? Love is supposed to make you a better you. Good love, at least. Love that gives as much as it takes; love that lifts you to greatness while it protects you from harm. When someone loves you as Kirill loves me, they show you the best of yourself. They make you strong when you think you're weak, wise when you feel stupid, and courageous enough to overcome your fears. Kirill's love sustains me and having it back was like getting a piece of myself back.
As Kirill's love flared back to life between us, a howl cut through my mind, and another beast came running home. A white wolf, gleaming under the light of the Moon. She snarled and snapped at the air as if fighting off unseen enemies. But then she was inside me, safe within my heart once more, and she laid down in relief. My wolf; the piece of Trevor that I'd made my own.
I felt Trevor's love come alive with her return. Our Froekn Bond settled back into place and zipped through my body with thigh-clenching delight. I gasped, on the cusp of climaxing again, but with all of my magics in place, my star was ready to reform itself. And it wasn't about to wait for me to have a metaphysical orgasm first. As a pair of honey-colored wolf eyes descended over mine, each magical point began to glow. The points pulled together and formed trinities. Lioness, Wolf, and Dragon. Witch, Faerie, and Goddess. Love, Lions, and the Moon.
The trinities spun inside my chest, triangles of light blinding me to all but their glory. Their glow brightened and brightened as they danced. Then they went still and, with profound relief, they merged, clicking into place to form a nine-pointed star. I flew back, away from Marduk, but I didn't fall. My body hovered in the air, arms and legs spread wide, as the Trinity Star shone its light through me.
Within that light, the oaths between my lovers and I returned. I cried out as Odin's heart became mine again, the strength of centuries pumping through it. Then Azrael
