Orion squeezed her shoulders, standing behind her like a rock she could always rely on. She felt him hum with satisfaction, pleased to be useful and protective, which was new. She’d been hearing his thoughts on and off but not sensing his emotions. She didn’t know if she liked that. Did that mean he could read hers too?
He leaned down and whispered, “You okay?”
“I’m fine.” She smiled over her shoulder at him.
“Well, that’s to be determined,” her father said, drawing her attention once more. “Mormo, you don’t sense any demonic energy in her, do you?”
“No.”
Kaia heard a question there.
Orion lifted her hair and stared at the back of her neck. “Nothing here.”
“What?”
“Never mind.” He let her hair go and stepped back while her father flashed a net of golden energy over her. Awash in mage magic, she relaxed into his psychic touch, feeling at ease with her growing power despite not yet knowing what she could do.
Her father finally stepped back. It felt like a warm bath of power that took no time, but when she looked at the clock on the wall, she realized an hour had passed.
“Well, you’re definitely more than a sea nymph now. I mean, the white hair confirmed it.”
“What does that mean?”
He smiled tiredly. “It means you’re the new White Sea Witch in town. And your mother is not going to be pleased.”
CHAPTER
TWENTY-FIVE
Orion hadn’t wanted to leave Kaia with her father, but he had some important things to do back at the house. Namely, let his patriarch know he’d taken a mate without asking permission first. But then, he was only following in Duncan’s footsteps. They weren’t a true bloode clan by definition. None of them were into all the posturing and respect-is-due shit that the rest of the bloode clans employed. In the Night Bloode, respect had to be earned, not automatically deserved.
But he did respect Varu, so he needed to talk with the strigoi. And honestly, ever since the male had mated Fara, he’d become a lot easier to deal with.
He and Mormo stepped back through the portal into the house. His house, Orion figured he could admit, because no way would he return to the island he’d once called home and leave behind his new freedom and his new mate. In Santorini, he’d be expected to get a child on Kaia then take it away to raise if a boy. Kaia would be forced to leave. And if a girl, the child would leave with her mother.
The thought of never having Kaia in his life didn’t work for him. And if Varu didn’t like his vryko mated, then Varu could go fuck himself, and Orion would find a new place to live.
The strength of that thought, of his acceptance of his new sea witch mate, pleased him enough to leave him smiling when he met with Varu outside on the back deck under the sliver of moon trying so hard to shine.
“So, Macy’s sister?” Varu said without emotion after some moments of silence.
As good a way as any to break the ice. “Yep.”
Varu stared at him. Orion stared back.
“If I tell you I don’t accept the mating, what will you do?”
Orion flashed his fangs in warning. “I don’t need your permission. I’m letting you know it’s done.”
Varu just watched him. “Her mother’s a problem.”
“Tell me something I don’t know. If it wouldn’t hurt Kaia, I’d kill her myself.”
Varu nodded. “I figured.” He gave Orion a slow grin. “Congratulations, you big idiot. You got yourself mated to a powerful witch. Fara and I were talking, and the Bloode Stones—all three of them—gave us a huge shine of approval at sunset. It’s a good pairing, you being a vryko with a water-magir.”
“Yeah. I hadn’t planned on it, but back home, most of us mate with those bonded to water in some way. I... She’s mine. I won’t let her go.”
“Good. I think it’s healthier for us to decide what we do with mates than go off what our fucked-up ancestors decided was right for us. I can tell you if Fara and I do have a child, and it turns out to be female, it won’t matter. My kin belong with me.”
“I agree.” Orion hadn’t realized Varu could be so personable. “Why are you being nice to me?”
Varu chuckled. Another shocker. “Because you finally took your head out of your ass and are behaving sensibly. You still have the bloodlust, aggression, and sheer meanness of your kind, but you’re balanced now.” Varu cocked his head. “Yes, he is. Much better.”
Orion cringed. He hated when Varu communed with the Bloode Stones.
“Now, what are we going to do about this demon Sabine’s been talking to?”
Good, something Orion wanted to talk about. “Kill it, of course. I’m not happy that she used me to tell it our secrets. That bothers me.”
“Mormo and I have been talking about it. Pazuzu can’t cross into this world without help. We think he’ll use the Bloode Stones, or your bloode the sea witch already stole, to somehow allow him to cross planes. But he won’t have the power to stay here without a sacrifice.” Varu paused. “There’s been a lot of discussion lately about whether or not we have souls. We don’t.”
“We don’t?” Huh. Orion had started to think that maybe he did since coming to love Kaia.
“No, we have something else that functions in the same way, but a lack of a soul is why Hecate has no power over us in death. Why the gods can’t affect us unless we let them, not when it comes to free will. The only way Sabine was able to get through to you was your willing taking of her blood. Then, while you were drugged on her poisons, she used demon energy to bind you.”
Mormo appeared and nodded. “Yes, your kind has more in common with those from the hell planes than you want to admit, but it’s true. That’s why Hecate’s ancient grimoire had been sealed with vampire bloode to keep a demon imprisoned. And why Sabine is trying to use you, Orion, to pull the demon Pazuzu and his father, Hanbi, from Irkalla. Make no mistake, Pazuzu wants to be here, where he can gobble up human souls and living magic from the many magir in this world. And that will translate to the other worlds as well.”
“A repeat of what Abaddon wanted?” Varu asked.
Mormo nodded, his expression grim. “Macy’s been researching, and several clairvoyants at MEC have confirmed a darkness gathering, once again. A link to Abaddon has been suggested. Hecate and I think Pazuzu and Hanbi, Pazuzu’s nightmare of a sire, plan to take up where the Lord of Doom left off—creating chaos large enough to destabilize us before the Darkness comes. We cannot allow that to happen.”
Orion sighed. “When can we get rid of this Darkness gig? I’m in the mood for some local battles. Fights to save the cosmos are gonna be draining.”
Mormo glared at him, though Varu’s eyes crinkled in amusement.
Before Orion could say anything else to needle the magician, Duncan ran up to them. “We have a problem.” He looked at Orion. “Your mate is gone. Her dad, Macy, and their angry demon friends are waging a war on the White Sea Witch. I’m planning to head over to help.”
“Heading where?” Mormo asked.