Page 16

CHAPTER 15

NOVA

“R iver, you absolutely changed the game with this. I have no idea how it’s even possible since Lorcan and I are in different realms…but I will totally take it.” I pointed out, looking at him from where I was pretty much hanging upside down off the couch in Ram and Nour’s house. My legs were thrown over the back, and the rest of me was half-dangling on the soft surface. It sounded like a weird way to sit but was actually really freakin’ comfortable.

“Glad you can send pictures to your friend, butterfly,” River mused from where he sat next to me, his gaze moving to the phone in my hand. It was a weird-looking device, falling somewhere between a smartphone and a big blocky flip phone, but it did have access to memes and GIFs to send to Lorcan.

I made sure they were particularly funny, all of them relating to saving the world and being superheroes. The best part? She was responding with GIFs of her own, which in my mind made us essentially best friends. Of course, we were talking about updates on what was going on as well as our plans moving forward, but it was mostly about the funny memes and GIFs.

“They aren’t pictures, you old man,” I teased. “They’re GIFs, mostly.”

“So moving pictures.” He smirked as I shook my head. River may not have been that much older than me, but he was totally giving ‘old man’ vibes already. My eyes widened at the thought of what he would be like when we were actually older.

“Who’s old?” Volkan asked, walking into the living room and grabbing an armchair. Ramsey was cooking dinner this time around, so most of my men were in the central living space of the twins’ comfortable, spacious townhouse in the Egyptian sector.

Which we had portalled to—because we’re badass like that.

Plus, I could tell all of my men were happy to be in a familiar environment, so I was glad we hadn’t stayed in the capital for the night—not to mention the safety reasons, of course.

“River for sure, but also you,” I chimed with a sweet smile at the end, righting myself on the couch and sinking against my healing mage. River’s lips brushed the top of my head as he wrapped an arm around my waist.

“About to be another year older, too,” Volkan agreed.

Everything came to a stop, excitement surging through my system. Did that mean…was his birthday coming up?

“Why is she smiling like that? What did you just tell her?” Rowan asked, walking into the room with two bowls of food. What a sweet man—unless one of those wasn’t for me, in which case I revoked his ‘sweet’ status.

“When is your birthday?” I asked Volkan.

“In about two weeks—mid March.” He offered me a curious look and arched his brow. “Why?”

“No reason.” I waved it off and relaxed back on the couch. I was totally throwing the man a birthday party…well, as long as we’d managed to save the world and not die at that point.

“Are we planning a party?” August asked, placing a glass of lemonade down as Rowan handed me a bowl of pasta. I swear these men were going to kill me. I offered both of them a ‘thank you’ kiss before answering.

“Yes,” I said, looking straight at Volkan with a bright smile. “Yes we are, so you need to pick a theme.”

“A theme? We don’t have?—”

“Yes we do.” I nodded solemnly. “We’ve missed all the holidays before this, including Valentine’s day. We are totally celebrating your birthday.”

In fact, I needed to create a calendar for all of their birthdays. With the size of our group, I had a feeling we would be having a celebration monthly between holidays and birthdays. I was totally a fan of that.

“This doesn’t sound like the type of thing you can argue with her about,” August pointed out as I took a bit of pasta and made a noise of contentment.

“Ramsey!” I called out, grabbing the man’s attention from his conversation with Nour and Everett. “This is amazing. Thank you for dinner.”

His eyes sparked with affection as he said, “No problem, sunshine. Make sure you eat the entire thing.”

I grumbled about him sounding like River under my breath but managed to move on. “Alright—so, theme. What do you want as a party theme, Volkan?”

“I have no idea.”

That was okay, because I had plenty. “We could do an end of the world Y2K party—that would be amusing.” I tilted my head. “Or we could do an ‘ancient mythology’ theme—that would be perfect, especially if Hecate or any of them come. We have a lot of options to work with here.”

“Where are we holding it?” Fox asked, coming downstairs to join us. “I feel like that makes a difference.”

“It does,” I agreed. “Well, assuming Earth still exists and all the realms are intact, we sort of have endless options. We could pick a theme and then pick a spot.”

“Sounds like a great idea, baby girl. Fox and I can handle getting the cake,” Cassian offered.

“You really don’t need to?—”

I looked at Volkan with large eyes and almost let a pout slip onto my lips. “Please let me hold you a birthday party?”

He suddenly looked panicked, his eyes widening.

“Ah shit,” Fox chuckled under his breath.

Volkan put his hands out, placating. “I mean, if you want to, of course, but you don’t have to.”

“Why do you look like you’re pouting,” Everett growled. “What did I say about being responsible with that thing?”

He had said that—all the way back in September.

“Nothing now! Volkan said I could hold him a birthday party,” I hummed happily as I dug into my pasta. The conversation around me grew as my men talked about potential spots for the party, how we would be leaving tomorrow for Earth realm, and more importantly, that we had to talk to the Titans before leaving.

I was ready to introduce myself to the ones I’d yet to meet, but I didn’t have the energy to do that today. That would have to be a post morning coffee activity.

Once I was done with my pasta, sufficiently full and content, I stood and made my way toward the kitchen sink, catching the tail end of Nour and Ram’s conversation.

“I just need a solid night of sleep at this point.” Nour looked as handsome as ever, but there was a sleepiness to his gaze. More than that, the way he was holding himself spoke of exhaustion.

Walking around the island to where he stood, I looked up at him and ran my hand over his chest. “Nour, are you okay?”

His silvery gaze held mine, and for a brief moment, I could see that he didn’t want to tell me. But then he sighed, giving in. “Visions. I’ve been having a lot of visions, every damn night.”

“Want to talk about them?” I asked, not liking the dread seeping into his words.

“Not really.” Nour ran a hand over his face. “In fact, not at all. They don’t matter. There are a million ways this could end—but the endings that are particularly bad stick with me after I’ve woken up.”

I didn’t completely understand Nour’s power, but it was very clear that it was a burden as much as a blessing—if not more so. He didn’t use it often at all, although he did explain it was helpful in battle because he could sometimes see attacks microseconds before they happened.

“Let’s go get some rest. Thanks for dinner, Ram.” I offered him a sweet smile before interlocking my fingers with Nour’s much larger hand and pulling him toward the stairs. It didn’t take much effort. When he led me into his room, I couldn’t help but look around the space with interest.

“I love the view,” I said, walking to the balcony to admire the late afternoon sky painted in golds and the startling hues of red. The view overlooked the city, and you could see water glinting from the river that ran through the Egyptian sector. It was gorgeous.

Nour appeared behind me and dipped his head, resting his forehead against my shoulder and just holding me. It was so unlike Nour that I turned in his arms to face him. “How bad are they? Bad enough that we need to worry about doing this? I refuse to lose any of you.”

Seriously, I would throw myself in the line of fire before ever facing the possibility of losing one of them. That outcome was unacceptable.

Nour’s silver eyes darkened, his words heavy. “There are hundreds of scenarios where we die. There are an equal amount where we live. The issue is that my visions are purely related to the upcoming war and the effect the gods and our enemies will have on the battle. But there’s a massive hole because I can’t see the dark ones. I feel that they’re there, but they can somehow conceal themselves from me—meaning we are truly walking in blind to this. We have no idea what they’re capable of or the danger they will present in battle.”

“Shit,” I whispered, closing my eyes as I rested my head against his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat. Shaking my head, I stopped letting the thoughts of concern plague me. Winning wasn’t an option—it was an absolute necessity.

“Nour.” I pulled back, holding his gaze and making sure to be really clear. “We are going to win this—we have to win this. I won’t give up my future with any of you because of some stupid cosmic beings.”

Nour’s eyes melted into a brighter silver as he tipped my chin up, his eyes darting down to my lips. “I know, moonbeam. I know you’re going to give it everything. I just wish there was a way to protect you from all of this.”

“You can’t protect me, though. I want you to fight alongside me, not protect me.”

I could feel his conflict, wanting to give me what I wanted while also shielding me—but he nodded sharply in understanding. I let out a sound of surprise as he dipped his head down, brushing his lips against mine.

The kiss was probably supposed to be a sweet, passing one—especially considering how exhausted he was—but it was far from that. Our magics locked around one another the moment our lips touched, and there was a desperate edge to the kiss that caused a dangerous trail of heat to dance across my nerve endings.

Nour’s hands tightened on my waist before he slid his hands over my ass and pulled me against him, a shiver working through me at his rough touch. I wish I could say I pulled back, encouraging him to go rest, but that would be a damn lie.

I bit down on his bottom lip and tugged, and the deep sound that vibrated from his chest made my entire body melt with need. The sensation of being so close to the man, wanting even more of him than he was giving, encouraged me to be bold—my hand slipping between us as I ran my hand down the length of his hard cock. I craved our connection, and I wanted to assure him that this was forever—that one damn battle wasn’t going to change the future we wanted together.

In a quick movement, Nour lifted me up, his hands gripping hard under my ass as my legs locked around him. Our kiss turned frenzied as he walked us toward the bed, and I found myself beyond thankful we had showered when arriving back home—more so that I was only wearing an oversized t-shirt and boxers. I wanted to feel every inch of him against me. The less clothes, the better.

My fingers began to pull at his shirt, impatient and needy, as he laid me down on the bed. When he pulled back, the world slowed, and I could see determination paired with anxiety over what was to come, our bond lighting up with the full force of emotion that he felt not only toward us but our situation. I felt humbled by the intensity of it and everything that he had been holding onto.

“Nour,” I whispered as his fingers smoothed up my waist, pushing my shirt over my head before removing his own. My nipples pebbled in the cold air, not having put on a bra, and I tried to restrain myself from reaching for him as he looked over me with so much heat it caused my face to flush.

“I will fight by your side,” he vowed. “I will always be by your side, in both life and death.”

Maker, this man was going to kill me.

He rolled me onto my stomach and gripped the sides of my boxer shorts, tugging them over my ass. I arched, my ass pressing against him as he tossed them away, his rough hands smoothing over my bare skin.

“I love you,” I moaned as his fingers trailed over my center, a rumble leaving his chest at how wet I already was. “Maybe we should talk?—”

I whispered his name, melting against the bed as his tongue ran over my slit, completely removing any rational thought from my head. I could tell Nour was in a very particular place, and I wanted to soothe that, but the man’s mouth was absolutely unreal. I moaned again, burying my head against the blankets as I arched further, wanting to feel his mouth completely against my center.

A shiver trailed over every inch of me as Nour played with my body, his switch between licking my pussy and pumping his fingers in and out of me absolutely heady. It didn’t help that when his mouth was on my center, he would circle and tease my clit. I felt like I was absolutely drenched, and my legs were shaking with the need for release. Yet every time I got close, he would pull back.

“Please, Nour,” I whimpered. The plea seemed to work because his magic surged through the room, freely and intoxicatingly, as he flipped me onto my back. My legs fell open as he looked over me with a wild, intense gaze.

“Please what, moonbeam?” he said, grasping my chin. I could see how hard the man was, and I hated that a pair of sweatpants separated us.

“I need to come.”

“Grip the headboard,” he demanded, his tone harsh and low. I didn’t question his instruction, immediately reaching back and wrapping my fingers around the silver bars that served as the elaborate headboard at the top of his bed. When his magic surged over me like a wave of flames, my wrists were brought together and bound in a quick movement. My gaze snapped up, and though I couldn’t see them, I could feel that they were tied together by his magic, the sensation of rope on my skin really hot.

“Fuck,” he cursed. “I’ve wanted to see you exactly like this forever, moonbeam.”

“Tied up?” I asked breathlessly. I let out a gasp as he leaned down and dipped his head, his teeth clasping over one of my nipples before rolling it with his tongue.

“Completely at my mercy and exposed to me,” he agreed, pulling back. His hands slid up my legs, pressing them against my chest. Nour’s gaze ran over my wet pussy as he let out a pained groan.

In a snap of magic, my legs were pulled apart, silver rope appearing on my ankles. I had no idea what they were attached to, but they exposed me completely to Nour, and I knew that when he slid into me I would have to take every single inch of him. The demi-god ran a hand over his covered cock, pushing down his sweatpants and letting his hard length spring free. My center clenched in anticipation as a needy sound I didn’t even recognize left my lips.

“I need you inside of me,” I breathed out as he ran the tip of his cock against my center, teasing the entrance. I nearly arched off the bed, needing to come so damn bad that when he pressed inside of me just slightly, I trembled.

“Maker, I can feel how much you need me,” he growled, his gaze holding mine.

“I do— fuck !” I moaned as he punched forward in one hard stroke, stretching me to the point of mild pain. I whimpered in relief as a wave of pleasure rushed over me, my sudden and hard climax creating a haze that saturated every nerve ending in my body.

So much so that I had to play catch-up as Nour began to pump in and out of me. His pace was hard and deep, as if he were trying to drill us together as one, and I arched up, trying to reach his lips—needing to feel him completely against me. I wanted this man to invade every part of me—to fill me completely.

“Holy fuck,” he groaned, his voice raspy and low against my ears, pumping faster in and out of me—never fully leaving me, though. I could feel his magic tighten, using the ropes to expose me to him as much as possible. I couldn’t slow or stop him from slamming in deep each and every time—not that I would ever dream of it—and the mixture of how deep he was and the strength behind every punch was enough to nearly draw another climax out of me, my clit pulsing as I tightened around him in anticipation. I could practically feel him swelling larger inside of me.

“Fuck. I’m going to come inside of this pretty pussy, moonbeam,” Nour snarled. “You are so fucking perfect. Look at you taking every inch of my cock.”

And I felt every inch , let me fucking tell you.

Nour’s pace grew faster, and when I climaxed around him, sending my world spinning off into the universe, he slammed into me one last time. Nour’s cum filled me in a hard pump and I shuddered around him, his lips pressing against my neck as he groaned my name. I shivered at the sensation of our connection as our magic slammed against one another before a silver light began to light up the space around us.

Holy hell.

We stayed just like that for a while before his magic released me and the demi-god gathered me up into his arms, kissing my face as he whispered soft words to me.

“I love you. I love you so damn much,” he said, the words interspersed with light kisses. “Hopefully I didn’t hurt you with the rope.”

“Nope.” I shook my head. “That was amazing. Seriously—I loved that.” In fact, I loved the rope marks on my body as well—proof of how much he needed me and how he needed me.

Nour groaned at my words, which seemed to cause him pain, and carried me toward the bath. I wasn’t about to lie to him—he could tie me up any time he wanted.

* * *

I t wasn’t long after our bath that we knocked out in bed together, exhausted from the day. I could feel what the use of my magic had done to my body and how tired my bones were, the sensation of his large arms around my waist grounding me in the here and now. I had told Nour to wake me up, though, if he couldn’t sleep, insisting we could go on a late-night walk under the moon.

Which was why I was surprised when I finally did wake up, not with Nour or even in the house—rather in a clearing with a house in the distance that I did recognize.

The last time I’d been in Isis’s garden, she’d showcased how easily it changed to her will and also to the desires of those within it. More importantly, it showed who exactly was hidden within it.

The familiar cottage in the distance belonged to Lorelei. My mom. The woman who had raised me until I thought she drowned in a fatal crash. The woman who had taken beating after beating from Earnest, killed regularly under his assaults, only to be brought back to life. The woman who had also chosen to leave me with that monster in hopes he wouldn’t turn his cruelty towards me.

I didn’t have to approach her house. I could stay in the shadows of the night or even force myself to wake up, but there was probably a reason I was here. Inhaling and shaking my head, I slowly made my way toward this opportunity to talk to her and knocked on the wooden door before I could chicken out.

I heard movement behind the door, and candlelight flickered in the window as a shadow passed by. When the door opened to reveal my mom, her eyes went wide. She clearly hadn’t called me here—nor did she seem to have been expecting me.

“Nova, you’re here!” Lorelei said, her silver-streaked bright red hair sitting on top of her head as her navy gaze looked over me with concern.

“Hey,” I said, looking inside her cottage. A warm glow seemed to emanate from every surface. “Do you mind if I come in?”

“Of course, of course,” she said, stepping aside. “I’m so happy you’re here, little storm. I didn’t…well, I would have understood if you didn’t want to see me again.”

There was a sadness and weight to her words, as well as acceptance. I wasn’t completely sure how I felt about that.

As I sat in an armchair, I took the opportunity to look around. I couldn’t help but smile at the photo of us that sat on top of the fireplace. I couldn’t tell where or when it was from, but what struck me was our smiles. They were nearly identical, down to the way our eyes crinkled.

“I just needed time,” I said quietly as she sat down across from me. “It was a lot to take in. I don’t blame you for running…” Emotion clogged my throat, and I didn’t bother to beat around the bush or make small talk. “I just wish you’d taken me with you.”

“Oh honey, I wanted to.” My mom’s voice was soft and remorseful. Her eyes welled with tears, and she looked toward the fire to try and hide them from me. “I…I begged Isis at the time to hide both of us. The idea of leaving you, of never seeing your smile or hearing your laugh…it killed a part of me. I never wanted to leave you.”

“So why did you?” I demanded, pain seeping through my voice. “Was it Isis?” I already had a million reasons to hate the woman.

“I did follow her advice, and she was right in the long run,” my mom admitted. “Earnest and Set would have hunted both of us down, I have no doubt about that. The type of power that you have, Nova, wouldn’t have been able to be hidden, even by Isis.”

I sat on her words for a moment, wanting to argue. Wanting to prove to her that there could have been another solution—but it was several years too late for that. Instead, I nodded in understanding. She truly believed she’d done the right thing.

“I found out that he used to drain my magic. That he would drain it and then put me in a submersion pool.”

Lorelei stilled. “What?” I could practically feel the fury trying to escape from under her skin as her eyes flashed with a darkness that was all too familiar.

“Yeah.” I shrugged. “Apep saved me a few times, but apparently old habits die hard, because Earnest couldn’t help but almost kill me a few times.”

I’d been going for a cynical tone, but my mom saw right through it. She leaned forward, reaching for my hand, and I gave it to her. I felt vulnerable around her for so many reasons, and my usual humor fell flat in the face of the woman who sacrificed so much for me while also leaving me.

“I had no idea. I kept watch over you and never saw anything like that happen. If I had, I would have immediately come and found you, consequences be damned.”

I believed her. Whether Isis would have let her was a different story, but her words rang true.

“I’m sure he had a way of hiding it,” I sighed. “It doesn’t matter anymore, though. We can only focus on the future now, right?”

“Yes,” my mom agreed. “Listen, I’m not sure why your dreams brought you here, but I’m thankful for it. I’m thankful we get to spend even a small amount of time together, and if you’re willing to, I’d like to know more about you. Mainly what you’ve been up to since you left Earnest’s house. I lost track of you after that.”

“Oh.” I smiled. “Well, there’s the entire thing where I have nine boyfriends—that happened.”

My mom laughed. “I noticed that! They seem like an intense bunch.” And I could see that worried her. I briefly recalled thinking that my men were exactly the type of guys your mother would warn you to stay away from, but I didn’t think she would do that now. It was a bit late for that anyway.

“They are.” I shrugged. “But so am I.” Understatement of the century, Nova .

“Do they make you happy?”

“So happy,” I answered immediately. “I would love—if the world doesn’t end and all—for you to meet them.”

Her eyes filled with emotion and relief. “I would love that, and I would love to see you again. I have so many things to give you, to share with you—and then I can show them all the baby photos I have of you.”

“Wait—you have photos of me? Outside of the one up there? Can I see some?” I hadn’t realized it until that moment, but I couldn’t recall ever seeing a picture of me when I was younger. Why had I never asked about that?

“Of course! I would never leave them with Earnest. Be right back,” my mom said as she moved excitedly toward her bedroom. I settled into the couch, deciding that I would stay for a while, hear more of what my mom had to say.

I wasn’t sure why my dreams brought me here, but Isis’s garden gave you what you needed. And maybe…maybe I’d needed this, without even realizing it.