Near the center of Gatesville and the crossroad she and Alisaie came to meet every morning (and split toward their homes in the afternoon) was a café that was extremely popular with the townspeople.
The place was owned by a cheerful older woman, Ginny Sallsome, a widow of the previous major, who came up with the idea for it after the Mallory twins' aunt moved in and set up her bakery. They sort of partnered up, opening the 'Quiet Place,' that since then boomed into a social hub among the younger crowd. From a small and tiny café offering hot beverages, cake, pastries, and so on, it expanded to a neighboring second building claimed to accommodate a sort of counterpart – 'Loud Zone' – with a bar, billiard tables, darts, and on some weekends a DJ booth was set up, and it turned into a full-blown club. Ms. Sallsome often hired teenagers during vacations and holiday seasons as help around both the café and the club, plus offered a well-paying full-time job to a few who finished school last year and, for whatever reason, didn't wish to leave the town for college or take on any of the more demanding vacancies available.
Jess had a good reason for avoiding the place like a plague in normal circumstances. While her older brother left for college two years ago (while not making it a secret that he fully intended to return afterward), his former best friend, Danny, took on the bartender gig in the Loud Zone. And after their blowout, he didn't hide that he blamed her for how his friendship with Ravi ended. He sneered and made snide comments at her whenever they happened to meet anywhere in town. A year ago, he upped his game to leering and getting handsy whenever in proximity when she turned from a skinny, awkward teen and her figure developed. A few times that she wasn't careful enough, he groped her saying some bullshit about 'curing her from lesbianism,' and only laughed when she bitchslapped him for that. And since none who witnessed it – when he was careful enough to do it only around his buddies or out of sight – was willing to confirm her version to the Sherrif when she complained… Yeah, Jess avoided the place.
Though apparently not today, because after they – she, Alisaie, and Gabriel - parted ways with her best friend at the town's crossing, the blonde Pyre with a disarmingly charming grin wouldn't take a no for an answer as he pulled her into the café – and Jess already felt too stupid about the whole situation in front of the school to tell him why it wasn't a good idea. So, instead, after they settled in one of the booths deeper inside the room and a waitress – Diana, tall redhead shamelessly flirting (or trying to) at Gabriel - took their orders – Jessica, with some resignation, watched the whole café fill suspiciously quickly with some – mostly girls – not even trying to hide their fascination with the stranger to their small community. After Diana set their drinks on their table and left with a glare toward her when the Pyre openly sneered and crumbled the small piece of paper with a set of numbers, she was thankful for her makeup (again) when he ignored his drink (a caramel flavored coffee) in favor of wrapping his arm around her shoulders and pulling her in his side to whisper against her ear.
"I think I started to understand how animals feel in the zoo," his low voice and hot breath sent a shiver down her spine, but she – hopefully – managed to hide it, sending him a weak smile as she curled her slightly trembling fingers around the cup with her cinnamon tea.
"Well…" she hummed, tossing a brief look over the edge of the booth and keeping a neutral expression on her face at the sheer number of eyes directed at her companion. "…not many young, handsome guys randomly showing up out of nowhere," she whispered without really thinking as she spotted Diana glaring their way, then - despite the clients around the counter - headed toward the side door she knew separated the café from the club.
On a side note, last Jess heard, Diana was still dating Danny. A year older than her, the redhead apparently was that girlfriend she didn't know about when making the mistake of asking him out (and causing the fight between him and Ravi). Like him, or because of him, she took the job as a full-time waitress in the café instead of going to college. And she had a bad feeling about why she would think to head over to the club right now.
"…handsome?" Gabriel chuckled against her ear, causing another shiver, and his hand smoothed over her shoulder, delicately nudging her deeper into his side. "Do you think I'm handsome, spitfire?"
"Fishing for compliments, Gabriel?" she deadpanned, feeling her face heat up as she turned her head slightly toward him, and it fully registered exactly how close he was. So close as his lips tilted into that stupidly sexy, wicked grin from last night. Her heartbeat accelerated into overdrive when she noticed something that she apparently missed before being busy avoiding looking at him during their previous daylight encounters. While his lower lip was full, his upper was thinner, but what caught her gaze – and mesmerized her – was a scar running through its right side, kind of matching the whitish mark cutting the corner of his left, dark blonde eyebrow.
Suddenly none of their surroundings mattered as she couldn't help but free her hand from her cup and brush her thumb over that scar, caught up in the heat of his eyes as they darkened considerably and zeroed in on her mouth. He caught her hand by a wrist, and her eyes winded, breath speeding up when holding her stare, he set a kiss in the middle of her palm.
"You really are a tease, darling," he nearly purred, the way his already low voice grew hoarse and made her heart jump in her throat and pound like crazy. His scent, that sweet and sinful aroma, filled her head to the brim – shoving her mind straight into the memory of the previous time he called her that in that exact voice – and she bit her lower lip to stop the whimper that caught in her throat, squirming in her seat as scorching heat pooled low in her belly. And the way his nostrils flared and look in his dark green eyes grew steel-melting hot, Jess had the idea that he knew exactly what he was doing to her panties with his voice alone!
Suddenly she had this wholly insane idea of whispering in his ear that her thighs were really stockings or guiding his big, hot hand under the table and her skirt…
Fuck, but it was definitely not normal how horny he was making her with a look alone. And that cologne of his…? Or whatever that was… she would earn billions if that scent could be bottled up!
Jess exhaled shakily and, freeing her hand, returned it to her cup, looking into it in an attempt to calm down as she asked about what caught her attention. Still sort of… blown away when he growled softly by her ear, then nipped on its lobe before chuckling and, without moving away, pulled his coffee closer.
"That… ah… scar on your lip?" she trailed off, daring a look toward it from under her lashes when Gabriel raised his cup with his free hand, slightly cocking his as scarred eyebrow toward her as he took a sip. "Where did you get that? Or the one on your eyebrow?"
"Knife-fight," he smirked when she gasped, setting his cup down though the look in his eyes grew much colder. "A reminder of not being… what I am now," he shrugged one shoulder, then sighed, seeing her curious look. "I grew up in London, darling, and when it was a… much less safe place for the street rats than it seems to be these days."
"Oh…" she blinked, then looked around and, noticing all the ears straining in the nearest seats, refrained from asking the first question on her mind: how old he was exactly. "I could never tell you're British. You don't have an accent," she replied wryly.
"It was long ago and not a time I remember fondly, so you can say that I made sure to get rid of it," he smirked, then leaned in and dragged the tip of his nose against the shell of her ear. "I suppose coming here wasn't that smart on my part," he breathed, and another shiver made her gasp. "But at the same time, if we were alone, I'm not sure I could keep my hands to myself, darling. But I do wish to know more about you. Want you to know more about me too… though considering our surroundings, I'm not really free to discuss what you probably have the most questions about, okay?" she nodded, guessing that he most likely meant the Pyre in general, but also whatever pertained to his age and experience. "I'll make it up to you later, spitfire."
"M'kay," she replied softly, staring at her tea and fighting herself not to grab his hand and shove it between her legs. God, she didn't want to come off as a fucking nympho! But the way her body reacted to his scent and proximity, it was like it tried to make up for her celibacy up to this point, drunk on memories of his hard flesh between her thighs, his hungry mouth devouring hers, and especially the high of the orgasm he gave her even with their clothes in the way! Her stupid, horny brain the whole day long seemed busy with a question of how much better it could be without those materials, even if at the same time she was fucking nervous. She didn't even dare to really unpack this whole thing about his 'starry' look and what it could mean, according to the message passed by Alisaie when she was busy wondering if he would be… turned off to know she was a virgin. The way he acted – which she really liked far too much – she wouldn't be surprised if he thought that she was more experienced than she was, especially… after last night. She used to hear and read that some guys were appalled or found it hot, and she wasn't exactly sure which category Gabriel was in. "So…" she cleared her throat awkwardly. A bit hesitantly – almost testing – she relaxed into his side, leaning her head just slightly against his shoulder as she met his gaze… and almost moaned weakly when that scorching heat in his eyes came back with a vengeance as his hand left his cup in favor of almost tenderly wrapping around her jaw. She swallowed thickly, trying to remember what she wanted to say. "…ah… What would you like to know about me, Gabriel?"
"Call me Gabe, darling," he tilted her head and pressed his lips against the corner of her mouth. "And… everything, Jess. If I admit I'm most curious about that whole thing in front of the school…?"
"Ah…" she blinked lazily, pressing a little closer and downright drunk on his scent as it seemed to grow so thick in the air around them that she could taste it on her tongue. And it was so fucking tasty… She licked her lips and was nearly appalled to taste her black lipstick instead of him. "Umm… It's this whole stupid story with that blonde that glared at you," she sighed, involuntarily admiring how his blond hair – a few shades darker than Gina's – framed his face, making her fingers itch to sink into them like last night, fist and pull him closer, taste that sinful flavor she couldn't get out of her head since his first kiss.
Fuck, but this man would turn a nun into a nympho! Especially with that wicked, wicked grin… like right now!
"Tell me," he purred, his arm tightening pleasantly around her shoulders, pulling her closer as he shifted slightly sideways toward her, and his other hand seemingly 'almost' innocently went under the table, landing on her thigh right under the edge of her black-purple skirt. And suddenly, she figured that she really, really didn't fucking care about how it had to look to the people around them – closing her eyes as her senses zeroed in on the heat of his palm and the burning need to feel it push higher. Her hands wrapped around her cup desperately even as her legs parted by themselves, and she nearly whimpered for more, hyper-aware of the way his breath caught on a hitch, then sped up, and somehow the heat of his body seemed to increase, radiating and making her feel like she was about to melt.
Thinking that perhaps talking about that whole sordid thing was sure to beat down her… horniness, she took a deep breath – mistake as his scent somehow seemed to spike and set that empty sensation between her legs – then fought to gather her bearings at least enough to explain it in broad strokes.
"Umm... We used to be best friends," she replied without opening her eyes but tilted her head toward him as she started to worry that with how hot her face – and whole body – felt, there was no way that her makeup could win against her blush. Her skin's penance to blush easily and fiercely was the biggest reason for it in the first place! "Until three years ago, when she tried to kiss me and… It didn't end well. I'm not into girls, and… well, I had a crush on one… guy then, so… Ah, not like I have anything against it, you know? And I did try to be gentle about shooting her down because… I loved her. Just… not the way she wanted me to. We grew up and did everything together… but…"
"…you hurt her pride?" he hummed, distracting her with how his thumb rubbed soothing circles on her stocking, his hand so painfully slowly moving up her thigh. "Not like I can blame her for wanting you, darling, but I don't think I understand…?"
"Ah… Before I knew, she would tell anyone who would listen that it was me who… tried to force herself on her," she whispered, and couldn't resist delicately nuzzling against his throat, battling the urge to lick the hot skin instead. Somehow… even speaking about Gina's situation wasn't exactly working as intended. "As you see… our town is small, and everyone knows each other. Nothing interesting happens here, so… it was a sensation for a while. And when I tried to explain… nobody would listen, you know? It was her word against mine and other than my family… and Damon, later… Everyone else thought… think that it was me who tried to twist it around after getting rejected."
"I see…" he trailed off, rubbing his cheek against the side of her face. "That's what Alisaie meant by saying that the blonde likes to play a victim, then?"
"Mhmm… She got really popular after that while… Well, no one would talk to me for a while," she sighed softly, as somehow it didn't feel as hard to talk about as it did with Alisaie, not while his fingers found the edge of her stocking and his breath hitched as they trailed over her skin, the sound and the touch working to make her whimper quietly by his throat, just slightly parting her legs wider to accommodate his hand. "Not… not until I became obsessed with everything supernatural, and it made me talk with Damon. You know… everyone – even me before I stopped caring about what others think – was always so fucking scared of him. Because of how he looks at people… Like he knows what you think before you even think it, yeah?"
"Yeah, I know which look you mean," he chuckled a tad hoarsely, but she could think only of the hot pressure on his thumb caressing her skin below the material of her skirt.
"So… I wasn't better… but then I did start to talk with him when he got so interested in the shapeshifters…" she smiled involuntarily at the reminder of his expression when she showed a pile of books about them in his hands in that library. She wasn't even thinking about that much until the next time she was there, he demanded with that cold look for her to actually sit down with him by one of the tables and discuss the subject. Then it turned into a nearly daily occurrence… "He is actually really caring under that demeanor, you know? And so smart… I didn't even realize how much I needed someone other than my parents or brother to take my side… until he did. Just like that…"
"Hmm… He reminds me a lot about my brother-in-law," Gabriel chuckled, and she hummed curiously. "Raphael, who's also sort of my boss. Most people – rare as it is – consider him uptight and cold, but if you spend more time with him… He's like this older brother who is strict, but when push comes to shove, he would give up everything to keep you safe and happy…" he sighed. She chose not to point out that somewhere around the middle of that, his accent distinctively turned British, actually quite adding pure sex into his low, hoarse tone. "He saved my sister and me… from a really bloody bad situation, love. And that former friend of yours should be considered herself lucky… I skewered the first bloke who tried to get his hands on me," And that growl? Fuck…
"Gabe…" she breathed, turning slightly and fisted her hand in the material of his hoodie, pulling until he groaned quietly, turned his head, and finally his mouth covered hers, at the same time as that hot hand moved up, pressing over the soaked material of her panties. Jess whimpered under his lips, as hot and hungry as last night, right before his tongue pressed inside her mouth, this time finding no hesitation as hers pressed back. His fingers ran over her core, coaxing a moan he swallowed and answered with a nearly needy groan that turned her blood to lava.
Completely intoxicated with each other, they both pretty much jumped when something came hard on the surface of the table in front of them, making her cup clatter and spill her tea.
"Show's over," she heard someone sneer, and she blinked when Gabriel pulled back with a scowl, glaring daggers at the tall, familiar guy who leaned both hands against their table. Danny, with an ugly, mocking grin directed at her when she cringed, tempted to hide her burning face against the Pyre's shoulder as she realized that everyone inside the café was staring at them. And no wonder! "My, my, Jessie… I see you finally got desperate, but this…? I mean, hiring an actor to play your boyfriend? That's pathetic even for you."
"Excuse me?" Gabriel laughed, the melodic sound nearly enough to belly the tension of his body as he ran his hand soothingly over her shoulder, pulling his other from under the table. He narrowed his dark eyes at the guy towering over their table as he rested his cheek against his palm, bracing his elbow on the edge of the wooden surface. "I don't know what gave you that idea, mate… But you're very welcome to fuck off before I make you," and his sharp grin was anything but relaxed.
"Um…" she worried her lower lip, looking between them and nearly tasting the level of testosterone thickening the air.
"Pal, I don't know how much she pays you, but it can't be worth it," Danny snickered, raising his hand to point at her. "The last time that little bitch tried to make everyone believe she's not into pussies…"
Jess didn't have a clue what exactly happened, but the next thing she knew, she was alone in the booth, then Gabriel had Danny by his neck as he slammed the guy's head against the table and pinned him down to it.
"Now, now, pal…" he nearly purred as he leaned over him, and his incisors looked just a tad longer than a moment ago as her mouth fell open, and she pushed her back into the backrest of the seat, curling her hands on the edge of it around her hips. "I don't care what's your damage or issue with my ma… girlfriend, but you're going to apologize… and be especially happy that I'm in a good mood, otherwise…" he trailed off meaningfully. She could see his fingers digging into Danny's neck before Gabe's dark eyes met her shocked ones, and he sent her that sexy, wicked grin. "…unless you want me to teach him good manners, Jess?"
…and she had never seen a more sexy guy in her life than how he looked right then! She could only stare, swallowing thickly, before she shook her head when he cocked that scarred eyebrow at her.
"Get off me, fucker!" Danny hissed, visibly thrashing but not very surprisingly – for her, knowing what he was – Gabriel only sighed, shook his head, and without effort pulled him back before slamming his head down again into the table.
"I'm not a patient sort, mate," the Pyre announced in a bored tone. "Apologize to my lady or…" he let the unfinished threat hang as his gaze swiveled sideways. "Ah… someone called the Sherrif," and he said that with a level of amusement that made her snort before she covered her mouth with her hand and looked toward the white-haired man heading to their table across the crowd of onlookers who now didn't even pretend not to gawk. "Hey, Thancred," Gabriel welcomed him cheerfully, and she blinked, surprised that they apparently knew each other. And – at some level – that he still didn't release struggling Danny, who growled invectives at his captor, trying to shove his hands against the table.
"Gabriel…" Sherrif Waters inclined his head, then shoved his hands in the pockets of his jeans, raising his eyebrows expectantly as his blue eyes moved between them. "What is this fuss about?"
"No clue," the Pyre shrugged his free shoulder, then his smirk grew sharp as his eyes turned toward his victim. "This bloke thought it smart to get in on my date and start insulting my girlfriend, so I thought he's in need of a lesson in good manners," he tossed the Sherrif a grin when the man blinked and looked between him and her, then his expression hardened and grew unreadable.
"Danny-boy, I'm getting an idea that you really don't know with whom not to pick a fight," he said neutrally, and she knew instantly that he had to know what had the guy by his neck. "Now… apologize to Miss Denson, and I'll get you to the station so you can cool off and rethink your ideas."
…and the fuck away from an enraged vampire, that's what his eyes said when lips couldn't.
"That's my whole point," Gabriel hummed pleasantly, but the look in his eyes was anything but as they narrowed at the back of Danny's head. "Now, mate, before I lose my patience."
"I'm sorry!" Danny hissed, tossing her a murderous glare when he saw no help from Sherrif's arrival.
"Like you mean it, asshole," her Pyre growled with outrage, and the table moved with the strength he used to push the guy's face in it. Perhaps she was a bad person… but under that hand still covering her mouth, she grinned.
"I'm sorry, okay!" now Danny downright squeaked, and Gabriel looked up at her, raising his blonde eyebrows expectantly.
"It's… ah, okay," she cleared her throat awkwardly and lowered her hand, blushing furiously as she fought to keep a straight face. "Let him go, Gabe."
"Very well," he nodded, then leaned against his victim and whispered by his ear something she couldn't make out, but that had Danny's eyes wide with terror, backing away and disappearing in the crowd and followed by the Sherrif when the Pyre let go of him, then looked after him with a sharp grin and a wave of his fingers. "Kids these days," he sighed patiently, then stretched his hand toward her with a charming grin. "Now… let me walk you home, love?"
Jess didn't hesitate, taking the offered hand and letting him pull her out of the booth. Yet she couldn't help a dreamy sigh when up, he put his finger under her chin, tilted her head, and kissed her in that sweet, lingering way that never failed to make her lips tingle. He was smiling as he straightened, earlier fury seemingly forgotten when he bumped the tip of his nose against hers. Then he tossed a few dollars on their table between their forgotten drinks and, setting his hand on her lower back, nudged her toward the exit of the café. The onlookers of the exchange parted in silence, and she wasn't quite surprised to see many awed looks directed at her companion… She honestly couldn't help but fucking swoon when, outside the building, Gabriel gallantly offered her his arm.
"I… ah, thank you," she whispered, wrapping her hands around it and melting internally when he looked down at her with a frown that suggested that he had no clue why she was thanking him. Which his next words only confirmed.
"Whatever for, darling?" he chuckled, leaning in to press a tender kiss against her forehead. His accent was completely gone again, but it didn't make his low voice any less sexy. "You should rather complain about my lack of self-control there," though the way he wiggled his eyebrows playfully and his wicked grin suggested that would be a pointless effort.
"Ah…" she took a deep breath, then despite how her face burned, she held his stare as she tightened her arms around his and slowly dragged the tip of her tongue over her lower lip. "…but why? I liked it," and it was worth beating against her embarrassment to see how his eyes zeroed in on her mouth, and the heat in them was scorching hot.
"Only liked?" he chuckled – a silky and sinful sound that seemed to travel down her spine and straight between her legs. "Seems the next time I'll have to do better, my spitfire?"
"Seems that way," she bit her lower lip and couldn't resist a slightly shy look from under her lashes. "…tonight?"
For the barest moment, his dark eyes shifted to the starlit abyss before he groaned weakly and blinked, somehow making them revert to their human look. But it was enough to remind her of a message passed by Alisaie and for her heart to jump in her throat to pound there furiously.
"Nothing would keep me from you, love," he purred, freeing her hand just long enough to place a kiss on top of her palm. Then he smiled a tad hesitantly and quicker, his eyebrow at her expression. "Something's the matter, Jess?"
"I… ah," she lowered her gaze and voice, pulling him to a stop and away from the middle of the sidewalk. They were near her house, but she didn't think she could last until midnight without asking. "A-Alisaie told me something that… um… Themis told her to tell me. I mean, earlier at school. About…" daring to look up, she motioned toward his eyes, then swallowed thickly when understanding blossomed on his face… and he looked away, blushing!
"Nosy Allags," he muttered under his nose, and she bit her lips not to snicker. Which passed quickly when he looked at her again, but his dark eyes seemed strangely… nervous and vulnerable. "I suppose there's no point hiding it, though," he sighed and used his free hand to gently frame her face. "You are my fated match, Miss Jessica Denson. But before you decide to run from me… as you probably should… I want you to know I would never force anything you wouldn't be ready for. Neither myself nor… immortality."
Her stupid heart hammering away, she smiled shakily, then climbed on her toes and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Silly man… Why would I run from you?" she asked when he gasped and his arms coiled tight around her back.
"I don't know… A few days ago, you wouldn't even look me in the eye," he replied wryly, and she giggled self-consciously.
"Touché, Gabe," she nodded agreeably, then sighed and smiled at him shyly. "But you must admit that the night we met… you've been quite overbearing."
"I was protecting you, darling," he rolled his eyes at her, and she snickered, tightening her arms around his neck and pulling him closer until their foreheads met.
"I know that now," she whispered. She still wasn't sure how old exactly he was. Still, after today she had no problem imagining that his outlook was a result of rising in time when it was not expected but natural for a man to protect a woman's honor and sensibilities. And she never knew before how sexy it was, either. Her brother was the only man who stood up for her like this before… and she couldn't help but smile, thinking that Ravi was probably going to like Gabe. Especially when he – inevitably – hears about today. Probably the same could be said about her Dad because despite raising her to be strong-willed and be able to think for herself, their parents were quite conservative in how they thought men should act around women. It definitely taught her to appreciate a man like Gabriel. "And… I'm sorry for being so unreasonable since then," she still didn't manage not to pout admitting that.
"Don't," he chuckled, then pressed a kiss on her cheek. "Before I realized what you are to me… I loved your hissing, my spitfire. I still do. I hope you don't take it the wrong way, darling, but you remind me of my sister… if she doesn't make me want to kiss her, but rather strangle her half the time."
"She sounds fun," she laughed softly, running her fingers through his golden hair.
"I hope you'll still think that when you meet her," he deadpanned, and she snorted, her heart losing its rhythm again. "Now, darling… Let's get you home."
Jess hesitated before pulling back and licking her lips nervously as she looked at his charming grin from under her lashes.
"Ah… Um… If you do that, my parents are sure to want to know who you are…?" She was pretty certain her makeup couldn't win with that blush as she swallowed thickly, letting her hands smooth over the material of his black hoodie. "Like… you know...?"
"Let's go with a 'boyfriend'?" he suggested with that wicked grin, then his hands moved to rest around her hips, and he lowered his head to purr the next words by her lips. "If that's okay, Jess?"
"Very," she breathed, and her hands moved to greedily drown in his hair, pulling him into a hot, hungry kiss that utterly ruined her for anyone else.
…not that she minded, thinking that midnight couldn't come soon enough.
Damon was completely right – like usual – Raha couldn't help but think when in the middle of their evening meeting, someone knocked on the plate of the command center and then strode in without waiting for an answer from his twin. He didn't really recognize Fenris until he spotted a much smaller figure of Calliope, a blinding grin on her face and her hands firmly – possessively – wrapped around the hand of an extremely attractive male with a slightly shaggy mane in all shades of gray. Apparently, out of habit wearing only pants, revealing a tone of perfectly normal, if bronzed skin, Raha was gawking with open mouth until those piercing, bright green eyes pinned him down, and the male laughed, saluting mockingly with his free hand.
"Got your message," Fenrir said toward Damon, then pulled one of the free chairs from the table and sat down, smiling when Calliope, without hesitation, settled in his lap, then sighed happily and leaned against his chest after pulling his arm around herself.
"I gave him a phone," Damon hummed when Raha managed to tear his eyes away from them to look at his brother quizzically. "Then I sent him a message about my question… Though I didn't know I'll hear from you soon… much less see you?" his twin arched his eyebrows at the Wolf, leaning back in his seat and folding his hands over the keyboard of his laptop in front of him.
"Ah… Congratulations!" Raha smiled a tad hesitantly toward the newest couple.
"I don't…" Calliope started, grinning brilliantly, and blinked rapidly when Fenrir snorted, chuckling as he placed his finger over her lips.
"Truth, remember?" he said, then looked toward him. "She's still getting used to not lying… but thanks," and Raha could swear for a moment that he blushed! It was still hard to say since somehow he looked quite tanned.
"Yes, sorry," Calliope giggled, pulling his hand back and in her lap as she grinned at him with so much adoration in her now crimson eyes… Raha forgot all about his misgivings about their match and couldn't help but grin when she turned those very happy eyes toward him. "And thank you, Raha."
He nodded, then looked between his brother and Fenris.
"I sort of didn't plan to answer… yet," the Wolf shrugged, then narrowed his bright eyes at Damon when he tilted his head curiously. "But when your message mentioned the possibility of 'un-making' the gods, I have to say it got my attention… especially in relative of that to Odin."
"I suppose you both have a good reason to want Him gone?" his brother replied with that typically cold, calculating look. "Something other than the famous part of your myth?" Considering that Ares and Senri left a bit ago to start on the 'Cinema' while they were busy discussing other improvements to the lair, at least they were free to talk. He told Senri – or rather wrote it – who Fenris was, but he wasn't sure if Damon did the same with Ares. His lover wasn't even that surprised, saying that it would make sense – since normal frost wolves couldn't assume humanoid form, and he added that Ares probably already suspected that anyway, if not outright knew.
"With my chains gone, he's the only threat to my freedom," the Wolf sighed, motioning with a free hand toward himself, and Raha scowled, looking him over with confusion. "Ah… Those white 'tattoos'? Not that," Fenrir deadpanned toward him, then turned back to his brother and frowned as his other arm visibly tightened around Calliope. "And I have more to lose now if He realizes I'm not rotting away in Jotunheim. I could kill him, but there's a good chance that it triggers Ragnarok, so if you have a better solution…?" he raised his eyebrows expectantly, looking between them.
"Do you think it's possible?" Damon asked, closing his laptop to rest his hands on it and lean over the table between them. "To shove them into Chaos? Would that erase them permanently?"
"…I'm not sure," Fenrir sighed, then ran his hand through his hair with a hint of frustration. "I mean… not for me, otherwise I would do that a long, long time ago. But when I read your message, I was sort of reminded of how my buddy earned himself the position of the Abaddon."
"Ah… that angel/biker we saw with you yesterday?" his twin looked at him sharply, his interest clearly spiked. "What do you mean?"
"Well…" Fenrir sighed, then wrapped both arms around Calliope as his eyes grew distant. "…we got fucking drunk once in Limbo, and Frey told me that once upon a time, he used to be a simple Angel of Destruction… Don't ask me about the difference because angels are fucking obsessed with their titles and hierarchy," he rolled his eyes, then cleared his throat. "Anyway… one day, apparently, when he and his buddies were chilling and overlooking some construction of a planet, that plane was attacked by something he called the – I quote – Anti-Creator. Do you get it? Since they call their God the Creator? Sounded fucking similar to Chaos, though… But when his buddies set to stop it, tossing themselves on it and into non-existence… Frey apparently did the unthinkable and hauled ass into their heaven, grabbed the Key to the Abyss, then, using it, shoved that Anti-Creator into the void. But despite saving the day, pretty much, some higher-up asshole deemed what he did – touching that whole Key – a blasphemy and sentenced Frey to die. And I mean a full-blown execution and all... if apparently only an angel higher in their hierarchy can kill someone in lower standing. In his case, nothing less than archangel would do, anyway. So Frey got a dagger straight in his heart for his trouble and died… to be instantly resurrected as the Abaddon, the Destructor. The Angel of the End, with the right to wield the Key to the Abyss. The whole thing was apparently something that lead to a coup, and the archangels – those who disagreed with the whole thing, led by Gabriel – took over the rule from the asshole that sentenced Frey. Since, you know, it apparently proved he had fallen from favor. And if I'm getting that right, it was a while before Lucifer decided to rebel."
"…the Key to the Abyss?" Damon repeated with interest while Raha tried to wrap his head around that whole story.
"Yeah, literally," Fenrir shrugged, then narrowed his eyes at Raha's twin. "But he said it's quite useless trinket since their God… well, fucked off. Father told me that there's a talk among Nox's court that it's possible that Chaos swallowed Him – looking for an outlet as its pressure grows. I thought that's what is meant to be your task," he added softer, and they both flinched looking at him. "I mean… why else would Erebus help Loki get me out of Jotunheim? Me teaching you to control Chaos was part of their deal – part of the price for the spell that kept my chains contained. I – the so-called God of Chaos – can manipulate it, yeah… but it literally fights me at every step. Like when I travel between the Realms, I have to literally tear holes in reality to do so…" he frowned suddenly and blinked. "Wait… Yesterday, Frey said something about how this 'always' gives him creeps. I thought he was pulling my leg because why would he feel that? We're from different pantheons. It's like dimensions apart," he waved his hand when Damon hummed curiously. "Most gods can't even cross the barriers… unless given permission by being invited to Nox's court or being like me… Chaos-aligned. This Realm, which we call Midgard, is the domain of humans and Primordials. They literally form the reality here, and you REALLY don't want to piss off Erebus by crossing uninvited."
"So this Frey… What does it mean if he did feel you cross over?" Damon asked with a considering expression.
"Dunno," Fenrir sighed, scowling. "I just know that he shouldn't. It breaks…" he trailed off, blinking before his gaze focused on Damon and grew sharp. "You think it has something to do with the Chaos, don't you?"
"I don't know," his twin said slowly, rubbing his chin with consideration. "But Key to the Abyss? If – like you suggested – we would think of the 'Abyss' as the 'Chaos'? You say it's useless without their God… Christian God, I mean… But do you think – theoretically – that it could do something in the hands of a hybrid of a human and the Primordial? Since… it's our Realm?"
Fenrir looked at him for a long, long moment… then a downright evil grin bloomed on his face.
"I would say that it wouldn't hurt to try, right?" he wiggled his eyebrows playfully when Damon nearly reflected that grin, making an uneasy feeling settle in the pit of Raha's stomach. "I can bet that Frey's still busy getting drunk at Lucy's place. I can open a rift to it, and we can ask," Fenrir nudged Calliope off his lap, then stood up, cocking his eyebrow at them when she wrapped her arms around his waist. "Or are you a bunch of chickens?" he grinned toothily, petting her cobalt locks.
"Let's go," Damon winked at him, pushing back from the table and standing up.
"…after letting Ares and Senri know," Raha sighed, rolling his eyes and standing up.
"Of course," his twin nodded sagely, then looked toward Fenrir. "Meet you in the clearing in an hour?"
"Sure," Fenrir rolled his eyes, then nudged his mate toward the exit. "Come on, Princess, we got to get you some proper clothes first."
"What's wrong with my clothes?" Raha heard her ask and almost snickered.
"Yeah… they're lovely among shapeshifters, Callie, not anywhere near Lucifer, okay? He's a bigger wolf for the ladies than I ever was," he caught Fenrir's answer before the plate closed behind them and paled as his eyes darted toward his twin brother.
"Wait… 'Lucy's place' as in… Lucifer's?" he asked, and his brother shrugged. "Please, tell me that we're not literally going to hell…?"
"I suppose…?" Damon chuckled, and Raha groaned, slapping his hand over his eyes.
"Great," he muttered, then sighed, and they headed out together in search of their respective lovers.
