61. Quin
The first week after Simon died and was resurrected was a waking nightmare. His parents and siblings flew in from California, each of them frantic with the loss they’d felt at the bond disintegrating, almost requiring sedation themselves. His other bond mates had all behaved differently: Bash, Kane, and Petra had been silently stoic but supportive; Aodhán, Sarai, and Nox had been quietly determined and intense, and Sila and Cyril had been loud, dramatic, and demanding. Apparently, everyone was surprised by Nox’s restraint, but even more so when Izzy had finally snapped. She’d laid into Cyril and Sila, the former quickly seeing reason and apologizing to the staff, patients, and fellow bond mates for his appalling behavior. Sila had only doubled down, which caused my mate to make a single phone call. Within minutes Sila was escorted from the hospital and barred from the premises until Simon regained consciousness. Any attempts to argue were quickly shot down by her stern daddy-Dom Kane, and it was only when Garmr spoke from Aodhán’s mouth that she finally relented. Nox had simply shrugged and murmured, “You fucked around, kotenok. Now you’re finding out.”
My reunion with Aodhán was initially fraught and tense, as I worried he’d somehow blame me for what my parents and O’Hare had put him through, but those thoughts had swiftly been put to bed when he’d grabbed me and roughly hauled me into his arms, squeezing me tightly as he’d gasped in deep, shuddering breaths. I’d further reduced him to tears when I’d whispered that I’d forged blood bonds with Nick and Luc, and that I could feel that they were okay. We’d spent the rest of the day huddled away in a corner, catching up with each other and our monsters.
The second week after Aziza revived Simon was quieter. Josiah had come to visit, bringing three guests with him—Council President Brenin, Council Minister Therese Ngono, and the very shifter responsible for Simon’s continued existence.
Therese Ngono and Aziza were there to work on Simon’s bonds, as bonds were part of Ngono’s Council portfolio. It turns out that Aziza is a phoenix, apparently the only one in existence. This has nothing to do with the legends stating that there “could only be one,” but everything to do with the abuse and trauma they were forced to endure to bring forth such an epic Mythic shifter. Kind of like what O’Hare had done to Aodhán and Fenrir to produce Garmr.
Aziza had only ever revived twice before that they knew about and had accompanied Brenin to Louisiana to ensure that the last traces of Vieux Sang were wiped from the earth. When Aodhán and I admitted that Nick and Luc were still out there, as was O’Hare, Aziza vowed to track my two blood-brothers down and protect them, especially if it meant they got to burn O’Hare alive.
The entire time we waited for Simon to wake, Arina had been inconsolable. She’d screamed bloody murder the first time Granny Loretta had tried to hold her, only calming somewhat when she was in either my or Izzy’s arms, or those of Izzy’s family. Even so, she would fret constantly, unless we propped her on Simon’s chest or next to him on his bed. Then, she would relax completely and sleep.
We spent a lot of overnight visits in Simon’s room with her after we discovered that little trick.
Izzy and Sarai had also had their “come to Jesus” meeting with Granny Loretta, beating home some hard truths.
Izzy had told me later, “You should have seen Sarai corner Miss Loretta and scold her like an unruly child for the way she’s been treating Simon. She told her, ‘You don’t have to like him or what he did, but if you keep hurting him like this, rubbing the salt of your disdain into his open wounds, you might find yourself losing the very family you’re doing it on behalf of. They’ve all granted him grace, so stop spitting all over it just because you want to hold a grudge! You’re too old to be acting like an immature brat.’ It was magnificent!”
But it was Izzy’s revelation regarding Simon’s past that had really hammered the last nail in the coffin of Granny Loretta’s grudge. Sila still remained unaware of the extent of his trauma, although I didn’t know how long that would last, especially once Simon finally woke.
Now that he is back with us, his bonds are slowly repairing themselves, and it won’t be long before we can take him home. Close contact will help to reestablish and cement his bonds, although Ngono and Aziza have worked particularly hard to recover and strengthen the ones with Simon’s parents and siblings, as well as the ones with Nick and Luc. After all, they don’t have the advantage of proximity like Izzy and me.
A rabble of voices echoes down the hallway heralding the chaos that are the Novo and Z?v families. It turns out that both Cyril and Aodhán have been welcomed into Sarai’s family and Herd with open arms, and so have taken her surname for their own.
“No, I’m fucking telling you right now, if you start shit up again, I’m gonna let Kane put you over his fucking knee and spank your bare ass raw, and it won’t be in the fun way. I fucking love you with everything I have, kotenok, but Simon’s our brother and I’m not gonna run interference between you and his mates now that he’s awake. Fucking behave, or the bear gets you.”
Simon and I both snort at Nox’s commands, and there is no need to guess who is the subject of his ire—his mate, Sila. She has admittedly been a bit of a nightmare over the past couple of weeks, and while understandable regarding her concerns about Simon, she’s also been given no quarter. Especially when the person requesting her banishment is a new mother.
“Simon, dude, you’re awake! Man, it’s good to see those baby blues again. You can’t keep scaring us like this. It’s not good for our stress levels, or your health. Since, y’know, Sila wants to murder you for worrying her and all.”
I know from my previous interactions with Clan Novo that Bash is considered the jokester of the motley crew, and it appears that he’s decided that laughter is the best medicine for Simon. What makes his comments even funnier is that the expression on Sila’s face is one hovering between exasperation and fury.
She’s probably pondering where she can hit Simon without doing him any further damage.
“Sila won’t do a fucking thing, not if she knows what’s good for her,” Nox snarls in turn, but pulls Sila close to kiss the side of her head before stalking over to the bed. He glares menacingly at Simon for a moment before it melts away, sheer relief and love shining through in its place.
“Fuck, Simon. You had us all fucking frantic for a while. You flat-lined at least twice after the phoenix worked their magic mojo on you, and we didn’t know if you’d make it back to us. Don’t fucking pull that shit on us again, you hear me?”
Nox then swoops down and squeezes Simon in a tight hug. It’s only due to my close proximity that I hear the rest of his whispered words:
“Bash, Kane, and I are all keeping your number of resurrections from Sila. She’d go fucking nuts if she knew. No more dying, or I’ll kill you myself, you fucker.”
Releasing him, Nox straightens and glances back at his bond mates before turning back to give Simon and me the side-eye.
“Sooooo,” he drawls laconically, “what’s the fucking deal between you guys? I can figure where Isobel fits in on all this, and by the fucking happy look on her face, congratulations. You seem to have fucking nailed that situation in more ways than one. But it’s the both of you I haven’t figured out yet. I’ve walked in here a couple of times to see Quin stretched out next to you, Simon, and Isobel implied you all share the same bed at home. I mean, I know it’s none of my fucking business, I just don’t want to step on someone’s toes or dick or whatever by saying the wrong thing. For all I fucking know, the two of you swing both ways.”
“We’re hus-bros,” Simon utters with a snicker. I bite down on my lower lip to prevent my own guffaw from erupting. Nox, on the other hand, is utterly confused.
“Hus-bro? What the fuck is a hus-bro?”
With a quick glance at Simon, I pick up the explanation.
“Husband-brothers. You know, like sister-wives, but for guys.” My mouth stretches into a broad, satisfied grin.
“Do you guys fuck or something, too?” Nox continues, ignoring the boundaries of polite society. I only laugh in return, while Simon once again takes up the mantle.
“Nah, man. The only dick action we have together is when we’re both fucking Isobel. They might touch when we’re D-Ping her, but that’s about it.”
“Ah, gotcha. So basically like me and the guys with Sila, except we also have our own rooms. Well, if it makes you fucking happy, then good for you. You deserve it.”
A flush runs its way through Simon’s cheeks, either from embarrassment or the inability to accept compliments or accolades. I engage Nox’s attention to give Simon some breathing space, and within a minute or two he’s regained his equilibrium. I also keep a keen eye on Sila and Izzy, noting that they both appear to be playing nicely with one another.
It’s something I truly love about my mate—her inability to back down when shifters try to throw their dominance around and control the situation when clearer—and sometimes human—heads are better suited to prevail. It also helps that Izzy has grown up around shifters, so knows precisely how to slap them down when they’re getting too big for their boots. Sila seems to be nice enough, but I think she sometimes forgets that she’s not always the most important person in the room.
Kane ambles over to join us, while Bash distracts Sila by whispering something in her ear. From the scarlet blush flaming up her cheeks, it’s most likely lurid and explicitly graphic descriptions of what they’ll be getting up to later.
“Simon, I believe my great-grandmother has spoken to you?” Kane rumbles, and Simon glances sharply over at the enormous bear shifter.
“Yes, she was actually the one here when I woke up. I can tell you right now, she was the last person I expected to see at my bedside.”
Kane nods at Simon’s response, dropping his voice until I need to strain to make out his softly spoken words.
“I’ve been telling Granny for years that she needed to drop her grudge against you. I told her that if Sila knew just how hard Granny Loretta was making it for you, she’d stop visiting until things were worked out. Hell, Granny and Nox have been at odds with each other since you disappeared, because he’s been so worried that you’d used her animosity as an excuse to run away from us all.”
Nox’s hand flies out and backhands Kane’s chest, the movement along with Nox’s savage glare immediately shutting down the conversation.
“You fucker. Why the fuck did you decided to fucking spill that piece of bullshit, man? For fuck’s sake, Simon doesn’t need to know that shit. He’s got enough on his fucking plate with healing and shit without dumping my emotional fucking baggage on top of that fucking shit-pile.”
Simon reaches out his hand and grasps Nox’s in his palm, squeezing it gently but firmly.
“Nox, it’s okay. I understand why Kane is spilling the tea, and I don’t hold it against either of you. I mean, truth be told, I did run away. Well, Tálstrom did. But we made a promise to Quin to find and look after Isobel if we made it out of Vieux Sang, and we needed time to lick our wounds and grow a pair of balls before we contacted you. We didn’t know what kind of reception we’d find on our return, and honestly, we’ve both been feeling like a third wheel for a long time. Here, though? We fit here. We belong, and neither of us feels like an afterthought.”
Glancing over to where Cyril, Aodhán, and Sarai have just entered the room, Simon raises his voice enough to be heard by everyone inside the room.
“Tál and I will forever consider you all as our family, but we were never meant to live alongside you all. We were always meant to find our own place in this world, and with Quin, Isobel, and Arina, we have. I’ve gained another brother, one who shares the same nightmares as me. Yes, Aodhán knows what I’ve endured as well, but he doesn’t need me like Quin does.” Simon’s gaze lands on Izzy and Arina, and the wave of adoration that washes through our revived bond almost chokes me with joy.
“I love Isobel and Arina with my entire being, and Tál is their monster completely. I know I’m incredibly lucky to have been given a second chance after Sila. If I hadn’t rejected her, perhaps we could’ve fallen in love and made a happy life together. But that Simon died a very long time ago, and even the version of me you all knew before I was taken is gone. None of us will be happy if I’m living as a hanger-on with your family. So, I’m gonna stay here in Louisiana, and I promise to keep in regular contact. But I’m home now, and if anyone tries to make me leave, I’ll simply disappear into the wilderness until they fuck off.”
Quiet descends over the room as the assorted shifters digest Simon’s declaration, but the peace, acceptance, and sheer relief that my mates and I feel is what is most important right now.
Everything else can simply… wait.
***
Cyril is taking his turn sitting next to Simon, although truth be told, he’s actually lying halfway across Simon’s torso, clutching my hus-bro to his chest as he takes wet, shaking breaths. I look on in bemusement before a radiant heat warms my back. I turn to smilingly greet Therese Ngono and Aziza, who have come to perform one last check on Simon’s bonds before they return to the North American Shifter Council headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio. If they pronounce the all-clear, then it’s one less hurdle for Simon to overcome before we can take him home.
Home.
For so long, I lived without knowing what home really was. Then I met Izzy, and home became a person. But that was all ripped away from me, and I was thrust back into a living nightmare. It was only when Simon came along that I felt that sense of peace and acceptance—and even love—that I’d cherished so much when with Izzy. Now we all have the chance to spend the rest of our lives together, living, loving, and growing into each other’s home.
I can’t wait.
“How is he?” Minister Ngono asks me softly, and I beam at her.
“I can feel my bond with him growing stronger every minute, and he’s not hiding anything from me or Izzy. He still feels like he’s dreaming at times, either that or he’s died and somehow made it to Heaven, but Tálstrom is helping him understand that this is all real. Thank you, both of you, for bringing them back to us.”
Minister Ngono smiles, her teeth white against her dark skin, and her brown eyes sparkle with mirth.
“It was our pleasure. I know how much Simon and Tálstrom have suffered, and how far they had improved before Vieux Sang got their greedy hands on them. It is heartwarming to see traces of that old Simon re-emerging. Perhaps, with these newly forged bonds of yours, he can finally find the peace he so ardently deserves.”
She pats my shoulder and then makes her way to Simon’s side, reaching out and setting her palms on his forehead and chest to check his bonds. I turn back to face Aziza, determined to speak my mind.
Today their hair is braided and woven into an intricate up do, and their willowy body is clothed in a long, pristine white galabiya and trousers, with golden threads embroidered along the sleeves, hems, and neckline. Their features are accentuated with kohl darkly rimming their eyes, gold dust shimmering on their eyelids and cheekbones, and a berry-hued gloss coating their lips. They are breathtaking but also quite cold, their expression closed off and distant. I meet their gaze and lower my voice so only the two of us can hear my words.
“I know you did more than simply revive Simon. I know he was gone, that Tálstrom was gone. Their souls had left their body, and no manner of medical intervention could have brought them back to us. So let me just tell you here and now: if you ever need us, call. I mean it. Me, Simon, Tálstrom, or even Izzy and her family. Josiah would skin me alive if I left him out. No matter what. You brought Simon and Tál back to us. We owe you a debt that we can never repay. So no matter where it is, who it is, what it is… if you need help, you call us and we’ll be there. If you need a safe place to stay, you come to us. If you need someone to disappear without drawing attention to yourself, we will make sure there’s nothing left to find.”
Aziza’s aloof expression melts, their beauty becoming radiant as they lower their emotional walls and allow me a glimpse behind them. Their speech, while formal and stilted, also rings with honesty and warmth.
“We thank you, Quintas Basset. Too often people have looked at us and only seen a tool for them to use. Indeed, Rhys was loathe to ask our assistance, but in such circumstances, we will happily provide it. Not many are willing to open their homes to a being such as us, one who can immolate with barely a thought. Indeed, now that you have offered us such haven, we will repay you with another truth. A part of us—an ember of our flame of life—resides within Simon and Tálstrom and will always connect us. That connection now extends to you. As his mates, you share the same threads of fate.” Aziza’s face falls for a moment, before hope kindles in their eyes.
“We have long lost our birth family and have been alone for much of our life. But, should you be willing, we would be happy to embrace your family as our own and accept your kindness.”
The slender hand of my mate slips over Aziza’s shoulder, turning them aside slightly so that she can join our conversation. Izzy’s arms are empty, and I look up to see Arina happily nestled in Nox’s arms as he and Kane heatedly whisper-argue at each other. Kane’s gaze is locked on my daughter, a hungry gleam in his eyes, while Nox looks smug and triumphant as he gently bounces Arina like a seasoned pro.
Huh. Who’d have thought that Nox would be good with kids? I’m not surprised that Kane is getting broody, though. I’ve heard about his apron. Apparently, he’s the mother hen of the Novo Clan, and is the one most likely to stay at home with any and all cubs they bring into the world. To be fair to the guy, though, I doubt anyone would try to cross any kids in his care, not if they valued their spines staying inside their bodies.
Sila’s next heat should be fun for them, if Kane’s getting clucky.
Izzy’s soft tones draw my attention back to our conversation with Aziza.
“Aziza, it’s both our honor and privilege to include you in our family. My parents will fuss over you like nothing else, my brothers will probably treat you as a younger sibling even if you’re older than them, and Paw Paw will most likely be relieved to have a second grandchild with more than a single brain cell bouncing around in their head. Arina already seems comfortable around you, and I’m sure she’ll find it only natural to have a phoenix as a… cousin? Actually, pardon the possible intrusion, but what should we call you? Do you wish to be an honorary cousin, or is there a particular term for aunt or uncle you prefer?”
Aziza smiles broadly at Izzy, their voice soft and melodious.
“We prefer the honorific of Zizi. As you know, my name is Aziza, and the phoenix who shares part of my soul goes by Mizi. The repetition of those syllables suits both aspects of us. There is no need to include either name afterward, either.”
I tune out the conversations flowing around me, and instead bask in the glow of having my loved ones safe and close by. For an only child, neglected and abused by the very people who were meant to care for, nurture, and protect me, I’m now surrounded by an abundance of love, of camaraderie, and of family.
The road to this moment has been fraught with pain, loss, danger, and brutality, but I wouldn’t change a thing if it meant the outcome would differ in any way. I’m exactly where I need to be, with the people who matter the most.
I’m home.