Chapter 46
Hecate knew something had happened that set the world right again. She couldn’t place it, but she felt it in her bones.
Especially when Loki considered their debts even and Rolf appeared with a mate out of nowhere. The valkyrie, Sylvara, had worked with them months ago to help Valentine and Khent. Yet now she and Rolf were in love?
Morpheus had no idea. Or so he said. He looked entirely too smug to know for sure. But that could be because he finally had Mormo in his clutches.
“Do I have to go?” Mormo asked, almost despondent.
“Oh stop. He just needs you to help him organize his files and make him more efficient.” Hecate had seen the sly glances Morpheus shot her magician, as well as the subtle glances of interest Mormo shot back. “Besides, he’s cute. I hear he’s hell on wheels in the sack.”
Mormo blushed while trying to look stern. “What will you do without me?”
“Sweetie, he can’t keep you away if you want to come home to visit. You’re not a slave. You’ll be a temporary dream deity for a few years. Besides, without you to keep our Night Bloode in line, we could have problems.”
“I can’t believe they want to stay a clan.” He stood with her in the crossroads bar and stared at the private room she’d carved out for the vampires and their mates.
Varu and Fara stood together, looking pleased. Varu had finally come into his power and passed all her hopes with flying colors. He’d been happy to return all the Bloode Stones, but she’d insisted he keep one, despite that loudmouth, Loki’s, protests.
But even without the stone, Varu had the power to keep the Night Bloode clan together. A blessing from Ambrogio and Selene he’d more than earned. Now, they no longer needed her magic to keep them from killing each other. Varu’s massive authority kept them in line.
Duncan and Macy were laughing, the Bloode Witch having settled in quite well, a boon to the clan. Her connection to MEC also kept them busy enough with purpose—to keep the mundane realm safe.
Next to her, Val sat with a smile, no longer weighted down by a chaos deity that didn’t belong in the world. Still powerful, she was now more human than not and an even stronger necromancer because of it. Khent sat by her side, protective and proprietary. But happy, she could tell.
Orion traded barbs with Kraft while Kaia and Riley discussed a baby shower.
Apparently, the wolves wanted to check out the White Sea Witch, curious about her demonstrations of power when Orion had turned giant to fight the jotuns, and Kaia had been by his side in her monstrous half-kraken form, which they all found awesome.
Kaia beamed, glowing with good health. Hecate suspected the sweet sea witch would give birth in the next few months.
And there. Rolf. A royal pain in her backside, laughed with his mate at something Orion said.
They stood, drinking mead and pounding back drafts.
The valkyrie seemed an ideal addition to the group, a warrior with skills and a bastion against a new group of world-ending threats Skuld, her aunt, had hinted to Hecate that might be coming.
Hecate had a feeling Sylvara had more to do with their recent win against the Darkness that Comes than Hecate had realized.
She hadn’t missed a familiar flash of blue markings across the valkyrie’s face that looked suspiciously like that of the Norns’.
Perhaps the Wyrd Sisters had put Sylvara here to keep an eye on the Night Bloode, or on Hecate.
Either way, the warrior made Rolf happy. And he deserved it. Especially having Apollo for a father.
A sudden commotion from across the bar had her turning to see a beautiful forest spirit, running as if her hair was on fire.
“Whoa,” Mormo said as he caught her. “What’s wrong…Danica?”
“That bastard is plain cruel.” She flushed, her dark cheeks tinting green with outrage. “Another woman? When he has me? I’ll kill him.” She looked around and spotted the Night Bloode. “Sylvara! Hey, wench! You owe me.”
Sylvara and Rolf turned to see her pointing at them. The valkyrie whispered something to Rolf, who nodded.
“Ah, we’ll be back, guys. Get a darts game ready. We’ll play for patrol rotation,” Rolf announced. “I hate fighting the upir. They’re sucky.”
Varu frowned. “Isn’t assigning patrols my job? You know, as your patriarch?” Behind him, Fara tried to smother a grin. He turned to her. “They really chafe at authority, don’t they?”
Kraft ignored him and answered Rolf, “You’re on, you cheating dick.” He turned to Orion. “Thinks he can beat me. Ha.”
Orion snorted. “Kraft, you suck. Riley could win it, maybe. Or Khent. But you’re no good with sharp objects.”
Khent snorted. “Truth hurts, puppy.”
“Fuck off, reaper,” Kraft sneered.
Duncan frowned. “Hey. Mates, I’m the expert, here.”
“He really is.” Macy beamed. “It’s an English thing. All those pubs, you know.”
Riley patted Kraft on the back. “It’s okay honey. I’m here for you.”
“They’re so mean to me,” Kraft whined.
Rolf and Sylvara darted around him to Hecate. And Sylvara caught the fist Danica aimed at her face.
“You need to learn how to punch.” Sylvara sighed.
Just then, a tall male emanating fury and dread stalked through the bar. Anyone near him immediately gave way.
Hecate frowned. “Who invited Jormungandr?” How had he gotten into a Between space, anyway?
“Uh, we got this, Hecate.” Rolf shrugged. “Kind of a family thing.”
“I told you he’s related to Loki!” Riley shrieked with laughter. “Pay up, bitches.”
“I am not,” Rolf called back. To Jormy, he said, “Why are you here?”
“How are you here?” Mormo asked. Aside to her, he said, “And you wonder why I don’t want to leave you to this mess.” He nodded to the vampires, watching the spectacle. Yet she heard the humor he tried to hide.
They might aggravate him on a daily basis, but Mormo had warmed to many of the Night Bloode.
Jormy ignored them all. “Danica, baby, I was teasing. She’s an old friend.”
“That you slept with! You man-whore.”
Sylvara coughed to hide a chuckle. Rolf didn’t bother hiding his grin.
“What are you laughing at, you stupid draugr?” Jormy said, scales appearing on his body.
“Oh no. No shifting in here,” Hecate told him. He wasn’t known as the World Serpent for nothing. “And where is your father? You have a new bounty on your head, young man.”
“Ah, what?”
“There he is!” yelled a cohort of Roman and Greek gods, heading straight for Jormungandr.
“No you don’t. He’s ours!” A gathering of Norse deities intervened. Thor glared at Jormy, who glared back.
Rolf, she noticed, looked positively giddy. “More battles to come, eh, Hecate?”
She couldn’t help but laugh. Especially when their other dusk elf, Onvyr, arrived with their resident demon pretending to be mortal sorcerer, Sebastian Castle. Both of them gaped at Danica.
Onvyr whistled. “Hey, sweetheart. Want to come sit with a real elf and leave that loser behind?” He nodded to Jormy.
Chaos ensued as gods, vampires, a dusk elf, a demon, and dead magir started fighting.
But the joy she felt from her Night Bloode made it all worth it. Especially when they stopped a new Armageddon in the making.
She sighed in relief.
“I need a drink,” Mormo said and groaned when Morpheus appeared next to him, staring wide-eyed at the huge bar fight taking place.
“That’s good, Mormo. Stay safe next to Hecate. We don’t want anything to happen to your pretty face.”
Mormo groaned again.
“I’ll drink to that.” Hecate smiled. “Catherine? Two…no, make that three, Love Martinis.” She winked at Mormo and Morpheus—such an adorable couple. “On the house.”
Thank you for reading Rolf’s story, a fitting ending to the Night Bloode’s series arc.