Chapter 18
“L eo should be here any minute,” Emerson said to her from the bathroom door. Their time together, their appointment was over. Dawn was literally breaking in less than fifteen minutes, and then...then it was very possible she wouldn’t see them again, ever.
“So what happens now?” she asked as she slipped from the bed, tender and aching, in severe need of a spa day, but she would see this through. “Normally I’m bundled off by now to the car.”
“Clearly that’s not happening this morning.” He smirked. “You have unmasked us, so things are going to be different.”
“How?”
He went to answer when Leo walked in, in his robes, carrying his mask.
"Hey, gorgeous," he said with a soft smirk. "I came to check up on your back. It feeling okay?"
She nodded and went to him, turning to show him. “Whatever is in that tea you guys leave for me helps.” Looking over her shoulder at him, she smiled. “See? I’m okay.”
Emerson walked out of the bathroom in his own robes. “And she’s relaxed, which feels different, doesn’t it? Last time, you didn’t feel like this.” He looked to Leo. “Are the others at the well?”
"They're heading that way," Leo said. "Devil got a call in the office, but the others were on the way down. You heading that way?"
He nodded. “We gotta finish this, don’t we? Pet, you wanna see something cool?”
She blinked at them. What happened after they were done with her was a complete mystery to her, so it seemed she was about to see behind the curtain. “I...sure? I mean if you don’t think it’s a problem.”
“Personally, I think you should see this, see what the night brings for us.” He looked to Leo to corroborate.
"Uh...sorry, dude, but we should speak to Devil before we just let her come on down. There might be some sort of rule about it." He at least had the grace to look sorry about it.
“Like we haven’t broken every rule this cycle?”
“It’s okay, I should... I should get dressed and get going.” Petra didn’t want to disturb the tenuous new bonds she’d formed with both of them by setting them against each other.
"No, stay," Stitches told her. "I'll go speak to him right now. It would be good for you to see this so you don't have to wait a whole year." He grinned and slipped out of the room.
“Emerson...” Petra looked to her lover. “What happens after this? I mean, I know who you all are...”
“And we know you.” He grinned and helped her into a black terrycloth robe. It was warm, and fluffy, his scent on it. It had to be his normally. “If you think any of us are going to be able to stay away now...” He shook his head. “You are too important.”
“It’s nice to hear that, but...”
“But nothing. Things are changing, that’s more than clear. I can’t begin to understand it or what it means over all, but I trust Finn. His decisions are always in our best interests.”
“He’s the leader?”
Emerson nodded. “Ever since we were kids. His dad was the leader of our dads’ group. He just...I don’t know. He just makes you want to follow him. And he’s good to all of us. Always makes the decisions based on what’s good for all of us.”
“And me?”
“I honestly don’t know. I know he wants you, same as the rest of us, but things are complicated.”
Leo slipped back into the room with a broad grin on his face. "He said yes," he told them. "You should definitely come down and watch this—see what it's all about."
“See? Told you.” Emerson winked. “Go with Leo; I’ll be just behind you.”
Taking Leo’s hand, she left the room with him, traversing the hallway and then out into the pre-dawn, the air cool, but not cold thanks to Emerson’s fluffy robe. She squeezed Leo’s hand.
"You nervous?" he asked her with a grin. "You don't have to be. It's all on us, right now."
“Curious,” she said. “It’s a constant wonder for me what you guys do after I leave.”
"Well, it's nice for us to draw back the curtain a little," he said, sounding genuine. "If you're going to stick around, you should know how and why we do all this."
“I guess I should.”
Emerson caught up with them moments later as they started their descent, the stone steps flanked by bushes and plants, night blooming datura which was odd, considering where they were.
It was proof that where they were was outside of the norm, magical.
Her feet hit the stones, slightly warm, and she was grateful for it.
She saw the flames of candles before them and stopped when the guys stopped in the doorway to a space she hadn’t been before.
A rotunda, a dome over the space that soared, but wasn’t complete, the stars peaking through small slats.
Off from center was a circular stone well, moody and glowing light coming from it.
“There she is,” Jack said, his Goblin mask off.
The others were all there already, Devil coming down the steps just behind them.
"Come and stand over here." Stitches led her off to one side where she could watch what was happening, but wasn't in the way of the men forming up around the well.
She looked to each of her guys, curiosity and pride filling her.
They disrobed, standing in soft black pants, but no shirts, and she noticed each of them had a specific tattoo, a roman numeral for seven, on different parts of their torso.
Considering she hadn’t seen them all naked, it made sense she was only just noticing them.
"It's time," Devil said quietly as pale light began to filter into the eastern sky. "The God will soon descend beyond the veil. Let us render unto Him that which we have gathered."
As one, they drew gleaming silver blades from sheaths concealed in their pants, and sliced their own palms, without hesitation.
She gasped, but they were all fixated on the well as they stretched out their arms, letting trickles of blood fall into the water beneath, which was glowing and bubbling as though it boiled with magic.
"From her blood to ours, to the service of the one God, the true God, He Who Sleeps.
Accept this, our Lord, our sacrifice from the blackest night and the eve of all souls.
Be nourished by our devotion and grant us, we beg of you, the rewards that you promised in return for our service.
" He bowed his head and tendrils of light began curling up from the well, coiling around each slashed hand.
The men shuddered, some of them closing their eyes, and she noticed that more than one of them was sporting an erection.
Whatever the light was doing to them, it was pleasurable.
Sunlight broke the mountain tops, as the curl of magic dissipated, leaving them standing there, the color of the well dimming as the light grew in the sky. She watched as they each flexed their hands, the slice they had made healed. Much like she was after drinking the tea.
“He is pleased,” Kendrix said and looked to Devil. “Can you feel it?”
She could feel it, something spinny and sparkly, like sparks from a sparkler.
“He chose luck,” Emerson said. “Luck...”
She was quiet while they looked at each other and then walked forward when she was beckoned by Devil.
“What do you mean, luck?”
Emerson smiled. “He Who Sleeps will offer a specific reward for the year ahead. Luck is the most coveted, and the least given. We haven’t received it before.”
“What did you get before?”
“Growth, and peace,” Jack offered. “Those are what are normally given.”
"What that means," Leo explained in simpler terms, "is that His gifts will come in the form of luck this year.
Lottery wins. Success in the tenders we pitch for.
Opportune alignments of things all coming together at the right moment for us to benefit.
A new artist to be discovered for your gallery, just as they hit the big time, for example. "
“Oh,” she nodded, understanding the concept. “That’s cool.”
Emerson grinned at her. “And it’s all thanks to that stunning responsive body of yours.”
“And how accepting she is of us,” Jack said. “He is pleased because of her.”
"Which is a good sign for our approach to the Elders." Devil sounded reassuring, but she'd known him long enough outside of these walls in her day job to recognize the tightening around his eyes as the concern that it was. "Come, you must be exhausted. We should get you home to bed."
“I normally sleep a full day after this.”
“We know. We watch you, make sure you are okay,” Jack said. “Now...well...”
She looked to Devil and then to Kendrix. “I have to ask. You keep saying you are going to approach the Elders about me. Does that mean I have to wait to see you all again?”
Rix laughed. “Needy little thing...”
“Not needy. I just...things could be different and I like that.”
"We're in your life anyway," Devil pointed out. "The only thing that's different is that you know who we are now, so you can approach us if you want to."
She wanted to. Fantasies of seeing her seven danced in her head and she smiled. “Okay. Who is taking me home?”
"That hasn't changed," Devil said, looking sad. "Until you've had formal approval, we can't let you see where we are. But I promise you, we'll be around. Someone will stop by this evening to check on you and bring some food."
She nodded. “Then let me go...” She turned when Emerson grabbed her and kissed her sweetly.
“Sleep well, our little victim.”
She giggled, blushing, and heard Kendrix groan.
"Sleep well," Stitches said, and several of the others murmured the same as Emerson took her up the stairs and away to where the black car was waiting.