Chapter Eighteen
Rinnon’s Lair
Monday Early
Evening
Time: Less than Six Hours Remaining…
W hen Rinnon opened that small doorway for them to access the lair, Jacques and Jolie slipped through to get to their mate. They knew Flynn was going to be angry that Rinnon did that, but they’d work through it as a family.
As they appeared, Jacques kept them invisible, so that they could watch their mate.
He wasn’t in their bed, mourning.
Instead, he was with their children, cuddled up on the couch. Angelique was laying on his side, sucking her thumb, as she watched cartoons.
Azriel was tucked into her father’s chest, taking a little nap as he laid there with them.
Cami wasn’t around, so they assumed he’d wanted to be with the children.
They healed.
That was a constant in their lives.
When Angelique moved, a blanket slid from the back of the couch, and covered her and Flynn.
It was clear whose magick was doing the heavy lifting here. It was Rinnon, taking care of the three of them.
He’s hurting, Jacques. Do something.
Well, it looked as if he was up to bat.
Moving his arm, they materialized in the room, and immediately, Flynn tensed.
Then, he relaxed again.
“I knew you’d find a way in eventually. Let me guess…Rinnon. ”
I’m sorry, Mate. I’m worried about you. You’re making my heart hurt, and that takes a lot.
It’s okay, Rinnon. I understand. I would have done the same.
“Flynn,” Jolie said, and as she did, that woke Azriel, who looked up at her, and then cuddled into her father’s neck.
Well, she was her daddy’s little girl, that was for sure.
Angelique slipped off his side, taking the blanket with her, and walked toward her father, her arms out.
Jacques scooped her up, but was focused on Flynn.
“Can we talk?” he said.
“Sure,” Flynn admitted, picking up Azriel, and holding her to his body. “Have a seat.”
Jolie had tears in her eyes.
“Please don’t hate me,” she said, not intending to go there in front of the children, but she was scared.
Flynn was her mate, and she couldn’t lose him.
He was surprised.
“Why would I hate you?” he asked. “You didn’t do anything.”
“I brought them back,” she said.
He patted the couch.
“I’m not angry with you, Jolie. I’m angry with the universe. I just feel like I can’t get a break. I knew I was going to get hurt, and despite it, I had hope. Hope is my greatest weakness.”
Jacques sat on one side of him.
“Hope is your biggest asset, Flynn. How many times did you have hope when we were empty, and it got us through? Don’t lose your hope.”
“It’s too late. I can’t keep fighting,” he said. “I’m tired. I got them back, and now…”
Jacques touched his leg and told him the truth.
“They aren’t gone.”
Jolie and Flynn paused.
This was news.
“What?” Flynn asked .
“I have them in my realm. They don’t have souls, so I don’t have to reap them. I can just take two souls from someone else, and swap them out.”
Flynn’s heart skipped.
“Why?”
Jacques turned his head.
“What wouldn’t I do for you? I’ll destroy the world before breaking you. I’ll figure the rest out. What matters most is that you made the sacrifice. Now, I’ll repay it.”
Jolie felt hope now too.
“Can we just yeet some bad humans or monsters, and call it a day? Point me at them. I’ll get you some souls.”
He laughed.
“A little less serial killer-like, Jolie,” Jacques said. “I have to do some shifting and weaving, but then, I’ll figure it out. One problem at a time. We need to find the artifacts, and then, I’ll deal with that.”
“Really?” Flynn asked.
Jacques nodded.
“They are in my realm. I have to go back and when I do, I’ll deal with them—and not in the way I usually deal with shit. They’ll keep me company. Hell. I’ll give your mother some baking ingredients and let her bake for the minions.”
Before Flynn could say anything else, Brigit came walking into the room, her feet tapping on the stone floor.
“Uh, the spider,” Flynn warned.
Jolie sighed.
“I told her she could have her babies here and hide. She was trying to eat Fate, and now, that cunt will torture her and her babies. I hate spiders, but I can’t let that happen,” Jolie said. “So meet our new roommate.”
Well, today was surprising.
Brigit saw the little ones, and headed their way. When Azriel heard her, she rolled over and smiled.
Then, got down from her father’s lap to ride the big spider across the room.
“Besties,” Jacques said.
Angelique wasn’t going to be left out. She headed their way, and the spider chortled while the kids squealed .
Since the kids were distracted, Flynn was able to go there.
“This is breaking so many rules,” he said. “Will this hurt you?” he asked. “Because I’ll carry it if it does. I can’t let you suffer for me.”
Jacques stared into his eyes.
“You would carry it for me, and have. Let me worry about the rules, and I’ll make sure you don’t hurt.”
Flynn leaned over, and kissed him.
In that mating of mouths, Jacques felt the love, and he understood the gratitude. Flynn had sacrificed so much, and he’d give it back.
Why not?
The world as they knew it was falling apart around them. What was one more thread destroyed?
Yeah, he was really making a mess as Death, and this was proof that it was a bad idea to give him this responsibility. His mates would always come first.
When he broke the kiss, Flynn felt better.
Jolie rested her head on his shoulder, and Flynn put his arm around her. Together, they watched their kids.
Are we better now, Mates? Rinnon asked, as he’d watched his loved ones heal one of their own.
We are, Flynn said. Thank you for letting them in.
Well, there is a bunch of family waiting to get in. The detectives are pacing outside the door.
Let them in.
We have work to do.
Great. More people up in my space. How could this go wrong?
For the first time, in a while, Flynn laughed.
“We have company,” he said, as Tommy, Seth, Cerise, and Logan walked into the room.
Since the two were holding hands, it was clear they had mated.
“I see congratulations are in order,” Flynn said.
Cerise came closer.
“Flynn, I’m sorry about your parents, and I know this is a really bad time, but… ”
He waited.
“I need Rinnon to mark Logan. I need to make sure that my mate is imperviable.”
No. What is this? I’m not handing out marks like candy to kids dressed like my worshipers.
Rinnon.
I said no, Flynn.
Flynn knew how to handle that, and if the demon God thought he wasn’t going to be able to change his mind, he was very wrong.
“Jolie, Rinnon is being…Rinnon.”
That was enough to tell her exactly what he was complaining about, and she was going to stop that.
“You will mark the human,” she said.
Flynn let Rinnon out, since he was going to have to do the work on this one, and Flynn didn’t want an ass kicking. Let Rinnon say no to the wife.
That should be fun.
“I will not.”
Cerise and Logan watched as they got ready to have a marital dispute. They both knew Jolie was brave.
Tommy just laughed as he sat on a chair, enjoying the show. Someone clearly had misinformed Rinnon who was in charge of this circus.
Spoiler…
It wasn’t him.
“Oh, you will.”
“Or what?”
Flynn cringed from deep within himself.
Oh, now, you’re about to have your ass handed to you. When will you learn?
Jacques simply laughed from where he was sitting.
“Oh, is that so, Rinnon. Well, the ‘or what’ is going to be about me not letting ANY of you have sex. Not Flynn, not Jacques, and certainly not you. So your two friends here will be more than happy to talk you into letting me win.”
The men stopped laughing .
“That’s ‘or what’ . Now, do you want to see how angry I can get, or do you want to mark the human before we head out and try to find these two artifacts?”
Do it, Flynn whispered. Don’t piss off your pregnant mate. That will be bad for all of us.
Rinnon grumbled.
Only, he suspected his mate would hold her ground, and Flynn had told him he couldn’t compulse a woman to make her sleep with him.
That was a big no, apparently.
Finally, he gave in.
“Fine. Take off your shirt, human. I’ll mark you. It’s going to hurt. Yada, yada, yada, blah, blah, blah. See? It takes the fun out of it!”
Jolie just pointed.
Where he stood, Logan did what he asked, and when Rinnon touched his chest, the pain was so searing that he went to his knees.
Cerise took his face in her hands and kissed him, taking half the pain he was feeling so he could bear it.
When Rinnon set him free, he stayed down.
“You’re protected now. Anyone else, Mate? The gardener? The man down the street? How about the spider?”
She crossed her arms over her chest and stared at her mate, daring him.
Wisely, Rinnon opted to shut up.
From where he stood, Jacques knew they didn’t have much time left. They needed to get out of there, and to the relics.
“While I love having these family moments, you should head to that society’s home. We need to put both relics in the box, and I have some work to do back in the realm. Flynn’s parents are there alone, and I need to make sure Fate isn’t being a bitch.”
Flynn pulled back from deep within Rinnon.
“Team, get ready. We’re going to a society house to stir the pot. No one get hurt,” he said.
They all looked at Jolie.
“Me? I’m the problem here?” she asked .
Flynn just laughed, feeling a million times better knowing that Jacques had saved his parents.
Now, he could focus.
It was time to find a relic.
Or two.
* * * T u e u r A n t i q u i t i e s * * *
The LaCroix Society
Not Far Away
Monday Evening
Oh, he’d been there before.
Mathew recalled times when he came here with the Harcourte family, and they’d had to fight for their lives. He’d saved them a few times.
And now, they didn’t need him.
He’d been discarded like trash, and for that, and that alone, they needed to pay.
Forget that Flynn killed him.
That was also on his list of revenge.
As they walked out of the woods, Marie Laveau by his side, Mathew was ready.
“And you’re sure it’s in there?”
She nodded her corpse head.
“Yes.”
He grinned .
“Well, then in that case, let’s raise some dead, make some hell, and destroy this town.”
Marie could say nothing.
She had no choice.
As Mathew moved toward the door, the Vampyre’s Cross in his hand, he said only one thing.
“I always hated it here. Let’s burn it to the ground.”
And he did.
* * * T u e u r A n t i q u i t i e s * * *
Death’s Realm
Moments Later
When he showed up, all was calm.
Fortunately.
The last thing he needed was Fate losing her mind, getting free, and him not being there to handle it. That would be an unmitigated mess.
For.
Sure.
Now that he was back, he could handle the loose ends that needed to be managed.
Mainly, Flynn’s parents.
With a snap of his fingers, they appeared not far from him, and he welcomed them to their temporary home.
“Where are we?” the man asked .
“You’re in my realm. You’re with me, Death. This is where I do my work, and hold the universe together. You’re my guests here.”
They were confused.
“Why aren’t we dead?” Flynn’s father asked.
Well, he had news for them.
“You are dead. That’s a given, but here’s the loophole I found. When Jolie brought you back, you came back more a vampyre than a person. Somehow, you didn’t get the bloodlust, but the other attributes. She had to be thinking about Flynn, and her times with him when she was a vampyre. In this case, I believe intent matters.”
They listened.
“Since you’re more a vampyre, that means you’re mine. That’s how I can technically do this. Vampyres are Death’s children, and I control their fate. I just need to figure out a way around this to keep you with Flynn. That’s going to take some time.”
Flynn’s mother stepped forward, and that was very brave of her. That reminded Death of Flynn’s fearlessness.
“Yes, mother of Flynn?”
Okay, sue him.
He knew her name, but Rinnon’s nickname was cute, and it seemed very non-threatening. He didn’t want them freaked out more than they clearly were.
“Do you love him?” she asked.
Death’s eyes bled from the swirling red to the grass-green of Jacques’ eyes.
“More than myself. He’s my mate, and I love him with all in me. I’ve never loved anyone like I love him and Jolie. He came into my life knocking us all off our feet, and I adore your son.”
And that was all she had to hear.
Flynn’s mother moved at him and hugged him. She wrapped her arms around him, and held on.
“Then, you’re my son too. I’m glad he found people who love him like he deserves. He is a good man, so I know he’d choose good people to love.”
That touched Death on a deep level .
As of late, he was questioning himself, and whether or not he was a decent creature. He’d crossed so many lines, and he killed daily.
It was a burden to bear.
Now, he felt a little glimmer that maybe, he wasn’t horrible after all.
If Flynn’s mother and father could see value in him, maybe he would make it out of these twenty remaining years in one piece.
Flynn’s father moved toward him, and he hugged the man too.
“You’re our family,” he admitted. “It’s a weird and bizarre family, but it’s ours,” he said. “Thank you for finding a loophole. We really want to see your children growing up, and watch our son be a father.”
He smiled.
A little.
Only, before he could say anything, there was some screaming from a wall.
“What’s that?” Barb asked.
Death sighed.
“That’s Fate. I’m holding her for as long as I can. She’s trying to kill Jolie and her next baby, so I’m trying to slow that down.”
Flynn’s mom gasped.
“She’s what?”
Death knew that was rhetorical. From the look on her face, there was no way she didn’t understand the implications of what he’d said.
“I want to see her.”
Death laughed.
“Trust me, you don’t. She’s a hideous beast with no manners whatsoever.”
There was more screaming.
“See?”
She pointed.
“Bring that woman out here, so I can stop her from trying to hurt my grand babies! ”
Jacques had control over Fate for a little while longer, so he did what she asked. At some point, when Fate was free, she’d find out that Jolie had brought back Flynn’s parents.
In front of them, the wall opened, and out slid the gilded cage that held Fate.
It stopped in front of them.
“I swear to the Goddess, that when I get out of here, Death, I’m going to wear your guts as jewelry and feast on your eyes!”
Death laughed.
“Which is super scary since your breath smells like you already did that to someone. See how terrified I am?”
She growled, and her claws got longer.
Death touched the cage, and it shocked the shit out of her, making Fate fall to the floor.
When she was down, Barb moved closer.
“Why are you trying to hurt my grandchildren?” she asked.
Fate stared at her.
Then, Death.
That’s when it hit her.
“What have you done?” she asked, horrified by what she was sensing. “You allowed that whore to necromance and bring her mate’s parents back?”
At what she said, Jacques touched the cage again, and Fate screamed in pain.
“Manners. That ‘whore’ is my wife, and it’s rude to say shit about her.”
From where Barb stood, she shook her head.
“I don’t like her,” Flynn’s mother admitted. “She’s hideous. You were right.”
Fate was pissed.
“When I get my book back, they are the first ones I’m putting to death!” she hissed. “Next will be Jolie’s unborn child, and those little monsters you created with her!”
And that’s when it happened.
Barb reached into the cage and slapped Fate across the face. She just…slapped the shit out of her.
It caught Fate off guard .
She hissed at her.
Only, Barb wasn’t having it.
“Don’t you hiss at me. Your mother didn’t teach you manners! I won’t let you hurt my grandbabies! I’ll teach you how to be polite!” she threatened.
Fate looked at Jacques.
“Is she for real?” she asked.
Jacques was amused. Flynn’s mother had absolutely no fear or sense of self-preservation.
Good for her.
“Apparently.”
Fate smiled at Barb, and threatened her.
“Laugh it up, Barbra Ann Brogan. I’ll come for you, too, and when I do, I’ll…”
She shut her down.
“Let me guess. You’ll wear my organs as jewelry, and eat my eyeballs. Yada, yada, yada. You’re a bully, and you can kiss my ass!”
Death laughed.
Oh, Flynn most definitely got his balls from his mother.
Without.
A.
Doubt.
Fate focused on Death.
“Just when I think you can’t annoy me more than you already do, you allow the vessel’s parents to come back. Well, the tapestry is all helter skelter. I’ll put it back, starting with them.”
“Jolie necromanced them and they came back as vamps. We will get the relic, and then you can’t touch vampyres. In fact, Flynn is on his way there. Oh, and vamps are my children. You can’t force me to reap them. Sucks to be you.”
And he was done.
He waved his arm, and the cage slid back into the wall where Fate would remain until the blood was gone.
“I don’t like her,” Flynn’s mother admitted.
“No one likes Fate. She’s a bitch. ”
Flynn’s father looked around.
“How long are we going to be here?” he asked. “Not that it’s not a nice place.”
Jacques laughed.
“It’s hell, but it’s home,” he said, smiling. “I’m hoping for not long.”
As he was ready to sit down, and entertain them, he heard it.
Flynn was calling for him.
Oh, shit.
Well, this was bad timing.
“Barb and John, I wish I could stay, but your son has gotten himself into some trouble. I need to pop in and help him.”
“I can go too,” Barb said. “Give me a baseball bat and I’ll take out some kneecaps!”
He stared at her.
“Oddly, I’m not shocked by that, or that you’d bash people’s legs to get to your son.”
She smiled.
“A mother’s love…”
Yeah, he wasn’t aware of what that was like. Morgana was in his dungeon in pieces where she belonged for trying to kill Jolie and their children.
“I have to pop in. You can wander, but there are rules. Don’t open any doors. If you do, bad things will get out. Do you understand?”
They nodded.
He made a table of food appear. Coffee too.
“We can’t eat that,” John admitted. “They told us it will kill us.”
He reassured them.
“You can here. It’s not real. It’s part of the realm. Have something to eat, maybe watch a game, and relax,” he said, making a TV appear. “You’ve missed years of baseball.”
Before he could pop out, she grabbed his hand.
“Please make sure he’s safe. He’s my only child. Don’t let him get hurt.”
Jacques smiled at her .
“You can bet on it.”
And with that, he was gone.
As they sat down at the table, there were so many delicious things there.
Of course, Bob started eating.
The whole time, his wife shook her head.
“What?” he asked.
Barb sighed.
“You’ve never heard of the story of Persephone and Hell, have you?” she asked.
He stared at her.
“What are you talking about?”
Barb gave up.
She poured herself some tea, and sat beside her husband. She wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but it was enough for John to eat a whole pie.
“You’re going to make yourself sick.”
He laughed.
“I’m not even full, and you heard him. It’s not real. Come on, have a bite.”
“Pass, Adam. Eve knows better. I’d like to see our son one day.”
John shrugged and had some food fun. They were still sitting in that room when she heard it.
“Does that sound like crying to you?” she asked, as there was a faint sound coming from outside the door.
“Yes.”
Barb was up, and she moved toward the door to put her ear to it.
“He said not to open doors. If you go out there, that’s opening a door.”
She hesitated.
“I can’t help it, my love. I feel like someone is hurting, and I want to help them. What could possibly happen by just wandering around and taking a peek?”
He shrugged.
Truth be told, he was curious too. This man was their son’s other mate. It was weird and bizarre, but it was their world now .
“I’ll go with you.”
She smiled.
“You always were up for an adventure.”
Well, honestly, what choice did he have? His wife was always getting them into trouble.
He headed her way, and they held hands as they moved through the door and down the hallway.
It was rock walls, and seemed to go on forever. At a door, she peeked inside, and there were stairs.
“It’s coming from down there.”
“I don’t know, Barb. That seems…”
His wife ignored him, opened another door, and headed down the stairs.
Against John’s best judgment, he also went down, and tried to catch up to his wife.
It didn’t take them long to find the woman locked to a stone with chains, crying.
She was sitting there shivering.
“Please help me,” she whispered. “He’ll be back soon, and then, he’ll hurt me more.”
Barb stayed back.
“Are you trying to kill my grandbabies too?” she asked, lifting a brow.
Aiobeheann shook her head.
“No. I was a witch a long time ago, and I’m still being punished. My mate died, and I’m scared and all alone. I didn’t do anything but love someone. My heart is breaking. I’m like Persephone. I’m trapped here.”
Yeah, Aiobeheann had heard her talk. Death couldn’t stop all of her magick. She was getting stronger now that she’d taken a peek inside a priestess’ head.
Barb gasped.
Oh, that was terrible.
“So you’re a witch?”
She nodded.
“I won’t hurt you,” she said. “I can’t. I no longer have any of my magic. Do you have any food? I haven’t eaten in a long time.”
Barb felt bad for her .
“I’m sorry. We don’t.”
John touched her arm.
“I can go back and get her some food from that room we were in.”
Aiobeheann begged.
“Oh, please. I’m so hungry. He doesn’t feed me. He tortures me. Death isn’t kind.”
Barb decided.
“Go, John. Get her some food. We’ll talk to Jacques later about this. Technically, he’s our son-in-law. He can’t go torturing witches. That seems wrong.”
The man headed off.
“I’m so cold,” Aiobeheann whispered.
Barb took off her cardigan and tossed it to the shackled woman.
“You can have this.”
“You’re so kind,” she said, taking the sweater and placing it on her shoulders to warm up.
“What else can I do for you?” Barb asked.
Aiobeheann wiped her tears.
“Can you hold my hand? I’m so scared. I’m alone and it’s horrible here.”
Barb didn’t see what it would hurt. The second she touched the woman, Aiobeheann smiled.
In that moment, Barb couldn’t move or think.
“Very good, kind lady. How about you set me free? Say these words.”
Barb had no choice but to listen.
As she did what she said, Aiobeheann watched the shackles around her ankles drop to the floor.
“Thank you for setting me free.”
And just like that, she disappeared.
When she was gone, Barb looked around, confused as to what had happened. The woman was gone, and all that was left was her sweater and some chains on the floor.
When her husband returned with some food, he saw that the woman was missing.
“Oh, no. What did you do?”
His wife shrugged .
“I don’t know.”
John knew one thing.
They screwed up by opening that door.