The first soldier of this war fell sooner than anyone expected. By the time my tears had dried, mostly everyone had dispersed. The only ones left were Oswald, Zephier Alijah, Fenris, Zoe, Thea, Loki, and Eli.

The human Lilith had been here, but she left with the hybrid somewhere. Even when we were the monsters, I guess showing them we had feelings too did something to them. Loki was kneeling where I left him, waiting for me to come back to him.

Eli, on the other hand, had slithered into my lap, while I cried on Lilith. Picking up the pieces of my father’s crystal, she handed them to me.

“I’m sure he would want to be with you always.” She voiced, trying to remain strong.

A soft smile rose on my lips, clasping onto them tightly. Tugging them close to my heart, I held them there.

“Vivi… can you please come to me?” Loki pleaded.

I shifted my eyes to him, only to see a sorrowful expression on his face. He hated the fact I was not in his arms. However, I did not know what the hybrid told him about us. I quickly diverted my eyes to the floor.

Suddenly, Lilith shoved me from behind and into Loki’s hands.

She huffed, “Go, the boy wants to hold you, dear. Men hate waiting.”

In a second, I was engulfed by Loki, who held me close.

Ah… She meant…

From Loki’s arms, I could see Alijah with his daughter. Lilith probably loved him in her twisted way back then.

“Shut up,” Loki growled, holding me like the world was in his hands.

With that, Lilith stood up, heading towards one end of the ship, far away from everyone else. On her lips was a small, gentle smile. Zoe stayed by Lilith; it seemed the witch was avoiding poor Leo, who had been here earlier but left.

“I’m here for you. You know that, right?” my prince asked.

I pulled away slightly from his chest to see him softly smiling at me.

“We all are,” Thea assured from behind him.

Alistair and Oswald both said similar things, while I could not help but simper at them. Loki reached for my cheek, where I leaned into his warmth.

A soft chuckle left his lips. “You know, before this happened, I was thinking about yelling at you.”

It caused me to shift my eyes to his.

“I was going to say something along the lines. How dare you tell Ma to make me hate you?” He huffed, still glancing at me with the same sweet expression.

My eyes widened, noticing Rem had let him see what I wrote to her.

Why did she…

“You left her speechless. But that isn’t an unusual thing for you to do.” He continued, caressing my cheek with his thumb.

“Before she could even speak, Cain came over and told us—” Rem, who continued where Loki left off.

I did not notice when she came back, but my eyes shifted to hers the moment her voice echoed.

“That you’re innocent. You knew nothing of what Edna was doing. Or so he claimed.” She walked over to us with a small vial in her hands.

I thought she had left for the day, but it seemed she went to look for what was in her hand. Slowly, she handed it to me.

“Put the shards in there, then tie it with this.” Rem informed.

I gazed at her, confused. In her eyes, there was none of the hostility from before. Slowly, she kneeled next to me.

“Is that true? Did you really not know anything?” she began, eyes full of conflict.

Her eyes softened upon inspecting the expression that formed on my face. It said more than my words would have ever done. I did not know what I did in my past. But I also knew that I probably did not understand half of the things Edna did.

Neither did not exempt me from my role in this. Even if I had not known, I gave her the tools to accomplish what she did. I mean, I was the instrument she used to cause all the chaos. Slowly, Rem reached for me, stopping only when I flinched.

I was changing in her eyes, yet I did not know if I deserved that. My memories would be the only thing that freed me from that. Even if my father said I did not know. The only person who knew was dead.

I expected her to pull away, instead she…

“I’m sorry, Vivian.” She mumbled, triggering my eyes to land on her again.

Her expression was gentle.

“Earlier, it seems you were right. I was so focused on what you were. Instead of who you’ve become. My anger blinded me like it usually does. You could ask anyone here.” She chuckled, trying to accept me.

That’s…

This was… Everything went blank the moment I felt her touch my head.

“Can you forgive me?” her voice was so soft that I…

There’s nothing to forgive. We’re enemies!

Closing my eyes, I held them there for a minute. It felt like she was apologizing for much more than I knew. Yet I had to do something. This union had to happen. Even if it blew up later. Thea was right. We had to work together.

This war was not one I would lose. Slowly, I handed her my father’s shattered crystal. She glanced towards it, taking them in her hands with the vial. Filling it, she closed the little glass bottle before tying it around with a piece of thick string.

“I would have liked it to be metal, but our fire elf doesn’t have to spare. I tried to find some. Even mom helped.” She simpered, grabbing onto my hand.

Rem did not know what this was doing to my heart. My father’s death… No, his words had brought my greatest enemy. No, my greatest ally to her knees. She was allowing me in while I was at my weakest.

Luckily, I did not have my voice to ruin anything. Though, I doubted I would have said anything at this point.

“Mom enchanted the string. So, it won’t fall off that easy.” Rem informed, putting it on my wrist.

One too many things happened in less than twenty-four hours. Bridges were made, and some others were lost. This hybrid was more than what I first realized. She always seemed like a wall that I would never climb.

But today, it shattered, allowing me to reach her. Before I knew it, my body moved. I launched myself at her, only to find myself in her arms. The warmth that filled my being differed completely from what I ever expected.

Fenrir… you… aren’t that bad after all.

Tears that I had been fighting to stay in flowed out of me. I felt safe in her arms, and part of me wanted to stay there. Memories of when I first met her all those years ago flowed into me.

Would it have been different if she captured me that day so long ago? Or was this the only way our paths would’ve met into one?

I did not know if I still was a monster in her eyes. But I knew I was not the same one she saw all those years ago. Not after I saved her children more than once. That night, I slept in Loki’s and Eli’s warm embrace.

They spent the next morning trying to figure out how I could open my mother’s grimoire without alerting the gods. Sadly, it seemed it was going nowhere. Well, until my Lilith tried to pick a fight with Rem.

Once again, it was her trying to bait aggression. Though Rem denied her that. Instead focused on our task, triggering Lilith to suggest something useful.

“Why not just get me a moon crystal? That way I can make the barrier thicker.” She mumbled under her breath.

This was meant to annoy them, but Rem’s eyes sparkled upon hearing it.

“That’s it! We need to find one of those!” the hybrid declared; unaware those things were...

Alijah noticed the bait Lilith laid for Rem. The elf was laughing out of her mind. I could not help but slap her head much like my father used to do. However, it was pleasing to me.

“Vi! You’ll abuse me too?” she frowned.

She was not sorry, and neither was I. But I would try to keep her in check in place of my father. That was why I sat next to her. Of course, Loki took the other seat next to me. Rem seemed confused by our interaction.

“Back in my era, those crystals were rare. Now, I bet they’re impossible to find.” Alijah sighed, bursting Rem’s bubble.

Of course, her temper flared again. Something Lilith enjoyed. If this was her way of getting back to Rem for stealing a love of hers, I would not know. This elf was too hard to read.

“Why would you suggest something so stupid!?” Rem growled, slamming her hands on the desk.

In front of her was my mother’s grimoire. Yet opening it like this would be a death sentence for everyone. What Lilith suggested, though, was not a bad idea. But it was an almost impossible task. Moon elves would use those crystals to enhance their powers.

This meant it could help her enhance hers. Though she was not an elf either. Something I would have pointed out, but sadly, that would have erased any hope we had. It was not like it mattered. Much like Alijah said, these things were rarer than a god artifact.

If anything, a rich elf might have one. They were a onetime use, though. So, no one would allow us to borrow one. However, that did not mean we could not steal it. Or perhaps impending doom was something that would change people’s minds.

“Fuck it. I’ll look for one. With Aiden’s help, I’m sure we can find one.” Caden declared, turning everyone’s gaze towards the wolf.

Such a brave fool.

This wolf could go through a portal his mother made for him. Though with the descent of the gods, that was something that came with risks. I rested on Loki’s shoulder, unable to do anything to help them.

What they chased was for them to do. In fact, all of us, eighteen and under, were silent through the entire meeting. After many more arguments, the only thing we found to move was to find a damned moon crystal.

Caden would leave as soon as he said goodbye to his wife and daughter. The only communication he would have with us was through a radio he would carry. It seemed this was not his first-time doing errands for everyone. But this was the first time the stakes were high.

The sky was still blood red. It alerted the world that something was wrong. Yet the gods had not made their move. I suspected Yama was waiting for me to fuck up. Something that we both knew was unavoidable. He was a hard god to understand, though.

Fortunately for us, the soul cairn was already unstable. It leaked into our world on occasions. So, opening a gate was not that eye-catching for the living gods. Especially if summoned a god with a grudge against them.

My freedom seemed to cost more every hour that passed. Yet it was the one thing keeping this world standing. There was no way to know if Yama would let everyone live in the new world. Or if he even could do that.

Right now, he lacked the power to destroy the gods and the world. Part of me wondered if his allies knew that. Or perhaps they thought they would be spared in his vision. The way he was, it would take him years to exterminate every living thing.

Of course, this was all theory. Elias was sure that was what Yama was after. Sadly, I was not sure if that was what he wanted. No… I thought he was going for so much more. Something with eternal silence fit him more. Or at least I thought.

To me, he was something I wanted to avoid ever meeting again. Yet I knew our fates were going to clash. Luckily, it was in everyone’s interest to keep me away from the rogue god.

Dad said this was a race against time. But how long did we have until they found us? Surely, there were gods already looking for us. Eventually, we would be found. The more time anything took, the higher the chances we would be found.

And not only that, but I also probably pissed off Metnir’s father. I could only hope Mulriac did not care for his offspring. Most gods did not feel like we mortals did for our babies. No, most of them were indifferent after they birthed one into the world.

This was because they did not carry them in their wombs. No, when a god wanted to make an offspring, they would collect their energies. Sometimes even mix them with another god of their same category. With that alone, they could bring forward many god-like beings.

I was the first to come from two different gods. And how Yama came to be was something only he knew, but it was not natural like me. Surely, it had to do with his history. We were unique beings. Yet our views on what had to happen were completely different.

Closing my eyes, I fell onto the bed. Loki and I had been sharing. He was out looking for food after our cuddly shower. Yes, endearing. We did not go past a kiss or grope since coming here. Though last night, he held me so close to his chest.

 It was enough for me to feel safe. After my father’s passing, I could want nothing more than that. Eli cuddled with me in bed, waiting for Loki. My mind was a storm, one that knew no bounds. A knocking sound got me out of the bed, heading for the door.

Much to my surprise, it was Alistair, standing on the other side, wanting to speak with me.

“Hey little lamb, mind if I come in for a bit?” he smiled.

I nodded my head, allowing him in. Sitting on the bed, I gazed at the elder prince, who glanced at me tenderly.

“Vi, I got a call from the castle. Well, from grandfather.” He began.

Shit… I forgot to speak with Zoe.

Yet, I could not find the will to feel guilty about it. With everything that happened, it slipped my mind. Something Alistair did not know. Not that it mattered.

“He said Gerta is in a coma. And apparently, the queen is dead.” Ali informed.

Gerta… why…

“Those who were around witnessed the queen attacking Gerta. She almost drained the blood out of the poor woman.” He continued, sitting next to me.

That bitch… Gerta probably had enough of her.

“It pisses me off, though. People were witnessing the entire thing. But it was the queen. So, no one wanted to help, scared of fucking backlash.” He growled, clenching his hands.

Bystander effect…

“Well, all but a young witch who stumbled into the scene. They said she cast quick-freeze spell.” He paused, shaking his head a bit.

“She then stabbed the queen in the neck, though it wasn’t enough. To kill blood pumped vampires, it requires more than aiming for a vital spot.” He sighed, biting onto his lower lip.

“That young witch almost became her next victim. Luckily, a warlock blond came out from the shadows and saved her.” Alistair gazed at me, tapping the bed.

I could not help but feel responsible for Zoe. My order almost got her killed. I never thought of the consequences of my words before. But I should have known the stupid girl wanted to impress me.

What a fucking mess of a goddess I am.

“A second later, the queen’s head was gone. They disappeared into a shadow portal soon after. That was Zoe, and your dad, wasn’t it?” He concluded, knowing my dad’s strength after seeing it in action at the colosseum.

I nodded. Part of me was thankful that dad probably went towards her first. She was closer to him than I. And I was glad. He saved her just like he did with me. Though it seemed Dad also rescued these vampires without even knowing it.

Though in reality, another would replace the viper.

Asher… what will you do now?

“I see. If Zoe hadn’t intervened, Gerta would have been dead. And because she intervened, she almost died, too. What a mess that could have been.” He sighed.

Knowing Gerta, she probably could not hold herself any longer and gave the queen a piece of her mind. That old woman was always close to the edge. Seeing Loki and Alistair die probably push her past the limit.

I could only hope she would wake up.

“I never knew the queen was cold, but to do such an act.” Ali shook his head.

He probably had minimal interactions with that woman. She always used others to bend them to her will. All while keeping her hands clean.

Despicable.

Grabbing a notebook from the side of the bed, I wrote on it. It was the same one I had been using to communicate with everyone the entire day. Eli wrapped around my neck, gazing down at the page.

When Gerta wakes up, ask her about her life. I showed.

“Why?” he mumbled.

She has a lot to say to you. You two have more to know about one another.

“Well, if we survive, that is.” He sighed, shaking his head.

Though I knew that was not the only thing that bothered him.

We will. And I know Lucas will forgive you, too.

Upon reading that, his eyes glossed a bit. “I’m sorry, Vivian.”

I gazed at him, confused by where he was headed with this. After all, those words were not the ones I expected.

“For not understanding you, for judging you before I knew you. I never apologized for that. Especially with how rude I was to you.” His voice seemed brittle.

Idiot…

Reaching to my face, he cupped one of my cheeks in his hands.

“And I don’t care if you’re some divine being.” He declared with a soft smile.

I tilted my head, feeling surprised by his words.

“You’re my one and only friend. So, let’s survive this together.” Ali simpered.

Before I knew it, I jumped at him, snuggling myself into his chest. I did not know what came over me, but I wanted to show my affection to him. For a moment, he did not know what to do, but he quickly hugged me back.

Once again, this warmth filled my being. I glanced up to meet with his gaze. There I was met by his forehead pressing against mine.

This boy deserves everything and more.

“And thank you for saving me. Oh, beautiful goddess.” He chuckled, enjoying the affection I was showing him.

A sharp smile rose on my lips. I was feeling one of the purest emotions that ever rushed through me. He was precious to me. My first friend. One who didn’t have to serve me. Or that was linked to me.

He was everything and more. Something was changing within me. Something I was unaware of, yet it would free me from everything. This love would free me from everything I feared.

My desires were changing. Strengthening.

What will I do to save these mortals? Anything… and everything.

At that moment, the door slammed open, revealing an annoyed Loki. His eyes twitched.

“Oi… What the fuck is this?” he huffed.

Alistair chuckled, turning to him. I tucked my tongue out at my jealous vampire.

Jerk, you’re the one who left me alone with Eli.

The snake was probably the reason he rushed back.

“Oi… Vivi… you…” Loki’s eyes twitched again.

I let go of Ali, who stood up from the bed.

“Jealous little brother?” he smirked teasingly.

Loki seemed speechless to refute anything back to the older brother. It filled him with envy.

“Seeing how you’re out of words. I’m going to go for the night. See you two tomorrow.” Alistair crackled, leaving the room.

The moment the door closed. Eli snickered at his other half. Loki’s gaze at me felt like I should have been feeling guilty about something, but I did not.

Arms crossed, he huffed. “Oi… I leave you for a second. And you’re already going on some other man?”

I scowled at him for a moment before shaking my head slightly.

Are you stupid? Ali likes men. I don’t have a dick. I wrote, presenting it soon after.

His eyes twitched.

“Do you remember he has fucked girls before?! Even if he likes dicks and is finally being true to himself! I don’t care! Don’t get so close to men like that! Especially if you’re alone!” he growled, giving me a container.

This foolish vampire. I wasn’t alone. Eli was here.

A soft sigh left my lips. Turning my focus on the container, I saw there was a nicely packed sandwich inside. Whoever was the cook of the ship seemed to make good meals. Nothing like Ro, though. I was missing her flavors.

Sitting next to me, he opened his to reveal the same meal. Although I wanted to chuckle at him, no sounds left me. Instead, I leaned on him, resting again on him. It triggered a soft sigh to leave his lips.

“Do you have to make me jealous?” he mumbled, taking a bite out of his sandwich.

I shook my head, snuggling myself against him.

He's an idiot. But he’s my idiot.

After finishing our meals, Loki stood up to put the containers on the table. Watching him, I allowed myself to fall on the bed. Closing my eyes, it was not long until I felt the sheets sink under my vampire’s weight.

A second later, I felt his lips on mine. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I deepened the kiss by sticking my tongue into his mouth. It tangoed with his, until he tugged away, revealing a thin string of saliva connecting our lips.

A soft smile rose on my lips. I lifted off the bed to lick it off him. It triggered him to meet with my tongue once again. Soft moans came from his lips before he pushed me down onto the bed. His eyes glowed slightly.

Though he stopped the moment I reached for my notebook. It had been a whole day since I last drank my rose tea. Though Alistair could not care less about how I smelled to him. When he came into this room, he probably was thinking about Lucas. Or of Gerta…

I still could not believe that bitch put Gerta in a coma. At least she probably had Asher looking after her. Well, from what he could do. At least he had the best people caring for her. I knew he cared for her from the way he gazed at her.

However, my smell was probably why Loki was so possessive of me. Not that I minded it. I did not want anyone else but him to drink my blood.

Bite me. I wrote, smirking.

His cheeks flared up a bit.

“You… You don’t even know what you’re saying.” Loki mumbled, touching my cheek.

I must smell so good to you right now.

His eyes twitched, reading that.

“And yet you got close to Alistair knowing that?” he huffed.

He wouldn’t bite me.

He rolled his eyes. “Vampire’s sometimes lose themselves to their thirst. Especially when angered.”

But the medic in the boat is asking for people to donate to you and Ali. And he wasn’t angry.

“I hope you didn’t.” He growled.

I huffed, feeling like chuckling at him. He was being so cute. I did not mind his possessiveness.

I won’t. Mine’s only yours.

His eyes gave off a light hue for a moment. “you know I don’t like the taste of others. I haven’t drunk any blood since…”

It reminded me of when he lost control, when we…

Drink mine. Or will you lose yourself to your thirst? Will you drain me?

“Never. I’ll never hurt you.” He assured.

I smiled, brushing my lips against his. These new feelings… I could become addicted to them. Pulling away from me, he shook his head.

“What if a god attacks while you’re in…” he trailed off, feeling my hand on his cheek.

Even though I was the only blood he could drink without feeling horrible, he always treated me gently. I did not know if that frustrated me. After all, I was not that brittle. If anything, I was dangerous, even if I was hiding from the gods.

I’ll be fine. Your venom makes me feel good.

A soft smile rose on his lips, “Fine, I’ll fuck you silly.”

I shook my head, making sure his blue-purple orbs were on me. After everything, I did not want wrongfully to label this anymore.

No, make love to me, I mouthed.

His eyes glossed a bit, cheeks flushing red.

“Yes, I’ll make love...” He did not finish his sentence before kissing me again.

Before I knew it, Eli tugged off my pants and underwear with his tail. Loki raised my shirt, exposing my breast. However, my brooch had to stay on me. It was the only reason I still had it on.

“Are you sure you want this?” my vampire asked.

Eli coiled around my legs. At any moment, he would pull them apart for Loki. A soft sigh left my lips. I felt warm in his embrace, safe. It was all that mattered. Though I understood his concerns, my father died the previous day, and I lost my voice. But this was no time to mourn.

I had to be strong. And what better distraction than the love of my life holding me? So, yes, I wanted this more than anything. In response, I pulled him into another kiss, one he reprecipitated by fumbling with my soft lumps in his hands.

Hot, breathy sounds left me with no voice to follow it. Instead, all the sounds I heard were his soft moans and groans. Tugging away from my lips, he trailed kisses down my neck. Eli spread me for his other half, before snuggling on my cheek.

I never asked what their mother had to say to them, but it did not matter. It seemed like she was accepting reality. And what we meant to one another. That was more than what I thought would happen.

Diving into my bosom, my vampire licked and suckled on my nobs until they were tender. The saliva dripped down the sides when he pulled away from them. That was when I received my first bite. His eyes glowed brightly before biting into my left breast.

Right where the mark was.

“Why do you taste so fucking sweet? It’s like you’re getting more addicting with every day that goes by.” He mumbled in between bites.

Shudders ran down my body as a gasp left my lips. In an instant, warmth rushed through me, triggering me to clasp onto his shirt. All it did was make him sink more into me. I wanted him to take off his shirt.

Unlike me, he did not need to have it on. And I liked the feeling of his skin on mine. However, the only thing I could do was tug on in. Luckily, he gazed up at me, pulling away from my breast, allowing blood to drip down his lips and onto my chest.

His eyes were glowing brightly, yet I could tell he was there. The way he gazed at me was lovingly. Though, his love was always more feverous after he tasted my blood. Licking his lips, he lapped the blood off me before sitting up.

Gazing at me, he took his shirt off. His mark was slightly glowing, too.

“Feeling it already, my love?” he chuckled, loving my expression.

It probably showed pure desire. The warmth was making the itch I had the day before worse. And he was taking his sweet time. Biting onto my lip, I enjoyed the view in front of me. One that I loved more than I ever thought I would.

“I know, I am.” My vampire chuckled.

The puncture wounds on my breast healed in the seconds he pulled away. Eli left my hands free, allowing me to grasp onto Loki’s heat through his pants. A tent had formed in his sweatpants.

A soft sigh left his lips. “You want to touch me? Or do you want me to please you?”

Instead of an answer, I pulled myself up to meet with his lips. I knew he would not let me take him in my mouth. Once again, the taste of iron filled my senses, not that I minded it. My lover was a vampire, after all.

Within our feverous make out, I pushed myself into his mouth, exploring every nook and cranny he had to give. It was not long before he pushed me down onto the bed again, trailing kisses down my neck.

Of course, he did not stop there. No, he kept going until reaching my groin. A sharp sigh left me when his lips met with my intimate ones. Lapping them once before sucking on my sensitive bell. Harsher breathing sounds huffed out of me.

Though Eli was watching my reactions to make sure I was in no pain.

Foolish…

Before that thought finished, my vampire’s fingers invaded my depths. Without my voice to quell the noises of our actions, I heard squelching coming from where his limbs caressed my walls. Feeling embarrassed by the sounds the filled the room, I turned my head to the side.

Not quite satisfied by it, Eli freed my face of any rogue hairs.

“Cute,” the snake chuckled.

A second later, I felt another bite. It was like a fire was relit tenfold. Gazing down towards where my vampire was, his eyes met with mine, triggering me to shiver. He had bitten me on my thigh, eyes glowing.

His fingers did not stop caressing me, either. Pulling away from where he had bitten, he went back to licking my bell. A knot formed, getting tighter with every stroke of his fingers. Though, before it reached its end, he tugged away from my depths.

Licking his lips, he positioned himself between my legs. Softly, he leaned towards my ear.

“Ready for me, my love?” he murmured lovingly.

I nodded, gazing at him. Though I felt flustered. My cheeks could fall off at any moment. A soft smile rose on his lips. Before I knew it, I felt him press against my entrance. Instead of slipping it in, he slid it through my slits, teasing me.

I guess annoyance flared in my face, triggering him to chuckle.

“What? Do you want me that badly, Vivi?” he teased, smirking.

This mortal must have forgotten who he was talking to. If only Eli did not have my legs bound, I would… Instead of flipping the table, I grabbed onto his heat, triggering him to huff in surprise. A soft smirk formed on my lips, aligning him with me, thrusting my hips into him.

In a split second, he was in me. His cheeks turned bright pink, not expecting that from me.

“Fuck! You’re always wild!” he chuckled nervously.

“The best!” Eli flicked his tongue close to my neck.

My hips trembled when Loki shoved himself the rest of the way in. Caging me under him, his movement came to a stable rhythm. Soft moans left his mouth close to my ear, making me wrap my arms around his back.

There I clasp onto his shoulder blades, triggering him to thrust at an even faster rate. More naughty sounds came from where we were connected. Feeling him plunge into me, I gasped, feeling the knot become tighter with each caress.

In a second, my hands were no longer feeling his skin, but his feathers. His beautiful white wings were out again. The feeling of his chest on mine was pushing me over, too. It did not matter how sweaty we became, either. Neither of us would pull away from one another.

“I love you, Vivian,” he murmured.

I responded the only way I knew how. By stealing his lips in a feverous kiss. That did not stop his movements. No, it made him go deeper with each thrust. So much that I felt him caress my cervix. Unable to voice my satisfaction, I feverously kissed him.

Soft moans left his lips, causing me to smirk within the kiss. However, the moment a knock came from the door, he pulled away from my lips, annoyed. Glaring at the door, Eli went for the sigil of the room, turning it off.

Sadly, we could not afford to ignore who was on the other side. They could have had information or recent developments.

“What?” Loki growled, not wanting to stop.

Feeling the heat and everything else that coursed through me, I licked his fingers, wrapping my legs around his waist. His eyes shifted towards me.

“We’ve lost communication with parts of Celnaer and Raman. It seems the gods are making their move.” Oswald informed.

I sucked on his fingers, triggering him to sigh. Though I did not stop there, I also ground myself on him. It was shameless, really, but I did not care. It felt good, and I wanted to find my release.

“Were they destroyed?” my vampire asked, cheeks bright pink.

He was watching me instead of the door. Though Oswald would not come in.

“No, they’re still on the map. And the phones ring, but some people are acting weird. Rem thinks they’re taking control of them.” He continued to inform.

It seemed Yama was moving pieces to see how we would react. If I was not so jacked up on Loki’s Venom, I would have… In that instant, a thought crossed my mind. Aiden, his offspring’s, and Caden would be safe because of Fenrir’s blessing, but everyone else.

Gerta… Lucas, are they…

I snapped out of the trance I was in, triggering my vampire to guess more or less what I wanted to know. I guess the surge of emotions that flared alerted him.

“Is Night city still up?” Loki asked, pulling his fingers out of my mouth.

“Yeah, everyone there’s fine. It seems to be concentrated on the outer parts. You were right, Yama doesn’t want to hurt anyone unnecessarily. He’s a strange god.” The twin sighed.

Relief washed over me. At least they were safe for now. But for how long?

“He’s always been like that. That bastard kills only those who try to stop him. Anyone else can live their lives until the end.” My vampire’s voice was full of hatred towards the god.

I had never heard the tone of voice he used to talk about him. Probably watching Yama hurt me, placed him at the top of his black list.

“Well, I’ll keep you guys updated.” Oswald finished.

“Just text me.” Loki sighed, turning his gaze back onto me.

“Oh? Did I interrupt something?” The warlock caught on.

In an instant, my vampire flashed annoyance on his face.

“Shut up!” he growled.

Eli shifted the sigil before Oswald could say anything else. Once again, I was my vampire’s focus. It seemed the world was running out of time, too. Though it was not something we could change. We could only wait until our hand was pushed.

“Stick your tongue out, my love.” My vampire murmured.

Doing as he asked, I was met with him. Again, my breath was stolen by him. Picking up his previous pace, it took a few more thrusts to send us both over the edge. And it was not like we stopped there. No, I spent most of the night under him, filled by him.

Of course, with my frozen womb, it did not matter. Though that did not stop Loki from burying himself in me each time. The next morning, I woke up on his chest. Feathers surrounded us, though I did not know if they were from him or Eli, who rested behind me.

Lifting myself off Loki’s chest, I saw the most peaceful expression on his face. It was thanks to the light coming through the window. With a clearer mind, I remembered what the twins had talked about.

Has Yama always been like that? I mean, he didn’t kill Fenrir. No, he took his love instead. Isn’t that a fate worse than death? After all, we gods could only love once.

The gods… were not any different from the mortals. Fenrir with his brother, Yama with the woman mortal. We were cursed to only love once, and that was his downfall. The older gods were right. We should not mingle with mortals.

I got lucky that the man I fell for was another divine reincarnated. But what if my life would have been like Yama? Would I have felt the same? Betrayed? Sadly, feelings did not matter. We knew nothing could bind mortals to our laws.

And even some of us, divines, broke it. Some gods grew to hate those we once loved. Though this was rare, and they would not love another. They were like one of those on and off relationships. Love one night hated the other.

This became more prevalent in the war when morals clashed. Part of me wondered if any of the living gods would fight against Yama again. I mean, some would have to. This would also affect their world. Though the thought of creating a new world was something that allured me too.

This world was fucked up as it was. So, perhaps Yama was not wrong. But this was a useless thought. There was no doubt in my mind he would kill everyone on our planes when he ripped it apart. A restart… was not what we needed, either.

There were good people on both sides. Elias, Midnight, Fenrir were all examples of what a god should be. Selfless beings… Yet there were others who were not. They were pitiful, much like Mulriac, who took away his children’s power because they insulted him.

My mother told my father it was because a vampire fell for a Lycan. Mulriac never got along with Fenrir. Thus, he abandoned his children because of it. It was such an idiotic reason. One I would not understand, but grudges were something common among our kind.

Most of us were not forgiving beings. No, it seemed we were the one thing wrong with this world. Gazing at my vampire, I could not help but smile. He was the main reason for me to want to save this world. For him and his family.

They would have to be my strength to face anything that came. Climbing on top of him, I straddled him, triggering Eli to roll on the bed, waking him up. It seemed the snake was using me as his support for sleep.

Though, Loki was still out cold, it seemed. Everything we did the night before seemed to have tired him out. He made sure I was satisfied in every way he could. Eli slithered up my back. On it there was a golden version of the mark I used to have on it.

Though instead of the infinity symbol, I had a circle. One that looked like a sun. It still responded to Loki’s touch, even though he changed to the golden flower. Oswald’s bond with me evolved the moment he protected me.

Exactly how it changed was yet to be seen. Though, the fact Oz sealed a god away in the soul cairn showed something else. After the battle, the young warlock said the information flowed to him in the heat of the moment.

However, I had more pressing matters in mind. Thanks to my vampire’s morning wood, I could slip him into me. If this was not a wake-up call for him, I did not know what was. The instant he slipped within my walls. His hands clutched onto my hips.

“Fuck, Vivi,” he moaned, fluttering his eyes open.

Taking it as a go, I swayed my hips, triggering him to sit up slightly. I pressed my hands on his chest, pushing him down. Soft sighs left him, allowing himself to sink under my weight. Shifting his eyes to the desk beside us, he reached towards his phone.

It did not stop me. I continued to buck my hips, enjoying the feeling it gave me. Taking a few moments to scroll on the phone, he quickly threw it to the side. Glancing back at me, he clasped onto my hips again.

There, Eli pushed me into Loki’s chest. A second later, my vampire was thrusting into me. Once again, naughty sounds filled the room, along with the sound of our skins slapping on one another. Even though the pleasure was muddling my thoughts, I reach for his phone, curious about any updates.

I thought he would have said something, but Eli pushed it away from me.

“Focus on me, nothing has happened.” Loki murmured, triggering my eyes to shift back into him.

His movements sent waves of pleasure through my body, to the point I felt like I would squeal if I could. The knot got tighter before it suddenly released. My body convulsed on him, triggering him to chuckle.

“Does it feel good? I mean, you woke me up for this, right?” he tried to tease.

I pouted, biting into his neck. It triggered him to shudder. His movements became sloppy before he found his release within me. Pulling away, I yearned to see his expression. And it was one to see. A soft smile rose on my lips upon watching the pleasure on his face.

It allured me in ways I did not even know I could feel. Though, perhaps it had to do with the venom in me. It did not matter in the end, I would indulge in my vampire until I could not have anymore. We spent much of the morning like this. Well, until my belly growled.

At that point, my vampire took me to eat. This was the first time I met with the chef of the ship. It was a blaze elf with a fiery attitude. Though his love for cooking was inspirational. I watched him prepare our meal while he chattered with Loki.

It seemed this had been the same team on this ship since they were babies. Everyone thought of each other as family. It was nice to see every race getting along. As for us outsiders, Zoe would not leave Lilith alone.

In the afternoons, I would spend some time with them and Alistair. Of course, my vampire, Eli and Oz were there too. It was fun to sit idly by while the adults were working on something. Living on an airship had its positives, too. I mean, I got to see the sky every day.

Though it was pure red. But even then, it held a beauty I never expected it to have. Sometimes when I left my two coven mates, I would notice Leo by the entrance, hesitant to go to Zoe. This would be something I would not intervene in.

Zoe could decide without a deity to command her. Surely, anything I tried to do, she would allow. And that was not right. Sometimes I would spy my mother’s grimoire on the meeting table where the adults would talk.

Unfortunately, Loki never allowed me to go near it. All I did was get better at writing on the board. They got me on our third day on the ship. There was still no word from Caden or anyone else. Every hour that passed, it felt like our world was going towards its end.

Every intervention the gods made to find me caused more fractures to appear. If we did not find a miracle out soon, this world would merge with the celestial plains. Something that Yama was aware of. If this occurred, it would destroy both worlds.

Something Yama wanted, but this would leave no survivors. Not even the gods. Something he did not want. Or at least I thought he did not. To me, he sounded like the type to create a world of his own. Though there was no doubt in my mind he would take that risk.

If I could do what he wanted, I did not know. Not that it mattered. My powers were always for someone else to use. Even as they developed, my bind was still present. Surely, now they could see more than the future.

Something Yama knew. Perhaps getting into this body was a mistake. Laying my head on Loki’s shoulder, I gazed at the adults, hoping to see the phone ring. It was not long before Rem’s fiery temper rose. She slammed her hands down onto the table, startling everyone in the room.

I could not blame her for feeling like this. It had been over forty-eight hours since we heard from Caden. And it had been twenty hours since we heard from everyone down below. Alijah comfort his wife, before calling it a day.

It seemed we were stuck. No matter how much I tried to sleep that night. I jolted awake. It felt like the world was on my back, something I never wanted. Sadly, this world never worked as one wanted. However, even like this, it was beautiful.

Gazing towards the side, I noticed Loki sleeping soundly. I slowly leaned to kiss his lips, only to be received by him clasping onto my head, sticking his tongue into my mouth. A soft gasp left me, indulging in his affection.

I did not realize he was awake. Though this was a surprise, I did not mind. We had been in each other’s arms before I had fallen asleep. Separating away from his soft lips, I gazed at him. A smile rose on his lips.

“Did you have a nightmare?” he asked, trailing his thumb on my cheek.

I shook my head. Before I knew it, I was under him again. His hand found its way under my pajamas and onto my breast, cupping them. A soft sigh left me, enjoying the feeling of his lips on my skin.

They were trailing my neck, up to my lips, where he stole them for a quick kiss.

“Anxious?” he asked, pulling away slightly.

Reaching for his cheek, he leaned into my hand, searching for my warmth. Unable to help it, I simpered, knowing he knew exactly how I felt. He did not need to ask. Recently, he had been helping me mellow out rather than panicking, but even then, I hated having my emotions manipulated by him.

Or by anyone. That I needed him annoyed me, but I knew he would be there for me. And that I was safe in his arms.

Kiss me, I mouthed.

In an instant, his lips were on mine. Sometimes, actions were better than words. Eli slithered behind me, alerting me he was awake, too. Exploring my cavity ended with him pulling away from me, trailing his hand down to my crotch.

“Do you still want more?” Loki smirked, stopping by my inner thighs.

A huff came from me, feeling flustered by his question. Something he enjoyed seeing. Separating my leg, Eli coiled around it to keep it apart. Though Loki’s hand stayed on it. Instead of pulling away, he trailed it on my thigh, waiting for my answer.

Wishing I could growl, I pushed myself off the bed and onto him. A chuckle left his lips, triggering me to roll my eyes, wrapping my arms around his neck. He held me from behind too, allowing me to reach his ear.

There, I licked it before nibbling on it. A soft sigh left his lips, letting me fall back onto the bed.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Loki smirked, pinning both my hands in his, finding his way into me.

Intertwining his fingers with mine, I gasped, feeling filled by him. I had only been wearing the shirt because of the brooch. All while he was fully naked under the covers.

“Fuck! Why are you always so tight?” he licked his lips, gazing at me like a meal he was about to feast on.

I mean, he had already. His venom still rushed through my veins from the earlier night too. I clasped onto his hair, softly tugging on it.

“Ah, right… I’m your only man.” He chuckled.

His eyes glowed brightly. He was losing himself within me again. It was not just me feeling anxious. We both were, and he dipped himself within me to forget. Kissing him, I felt my body move to his rhythm.

Our sweat mixed with one another while his tongue tangoed with mine. Saliva dripped down my chin when he tugged away from my lips, burying himself into me. Breathy sounds left me feeling full once again.

Eli held my legs tighter. The same excitement was flowing through him. Grinding himself into me, my vampire kiss my neck, licking everywhere his lips touched. Letting go of one of my hands, he trailed it down my curves.

A sigh left my lips when I reached to his hair, pulling on it playfully. In a second, his eyes were back on me. A playful growl left his lips, which quickly met mine again. His tongue robbed me of my senses. Especially when he moved once again, rougher than before.

Squelching sounds and his soft moans filled me when he tugged away from my lips. This time, though, he watched for my expressions to see if I was enjoying myself too. A silly thing, because of course, I was.

Using the hand that was on his hair, I trailed it down to his chest. That did not make his eyes shift away from me, though. No, he was intent on watching every subtle thing I did. Every push into me caused a knot to form in my core.

His expressions were also being burned into my mind. It was almost unfair how much I enjoyed seeing his face filled with pleasure. It almost sent me over the edge. A tingling sensation soon grew, making my hips buck into his.

The moment I did so, a sharp smile rose on his lips.

“Want to—” My lips interrupted the vampire.

Chuckling within the kiss, his free hand travel towards where we were connected. Rubbing my sensitive bell, I feverously kissed him, feeling my breath being taken away. With one hand trapped, I could only focus on our kiss when my mind was flushed with ecstasy.

It was not long until I convulsed under him, triggering him to pull away from my lips, moaning. His member was exploding within me, too. Twitching, stimulating every fold within my core. Instead of stopping his thrust, he rode his high along with mine.

When it all ended, I was panting for air that did not fill my lungs. My body felt exhausted, much like what he wanted.

“Sleepy?” he mumbled, tracing my cheek.

I could not help but lean into his warmth. Softly, I nodded. A smile was on his lips before I suddenly found myself in his arms. Caressing my hair, I buried myself into his chest, enjoying the peace it gave me. I did not know what awakened me, but soon I found myself at ease.

It was almost as if I had worked out all my worries and was left with nothing but sleepiness. However, before I could fully close my eyes, the alarms flared up.

“Shit!” Loki hissed, getting up from the bed.

I followed him out, dressing before leaving the room together. Outside we met Oswald, who was staying in a room next to us. Before we could say anything, an explosion erupted from the deck. Worried about everyone, Oswald ran towards the sound. Loki was conflicted.

There was no way I could go towards the deck if the gods were there. However, we also had to figure out what was happening. Eli coiled around my vampire's neck, glaring towards where the commotion was.

Left with no choice, Loki picked me up in his arms, bolting towards the deck. There we met with a group; Oswald, Thea, Leo, Lilith. They were by the door of the deck. Rem and Alijah were outside meeting on whoever was our intruder. They seemed to have damaged one of our engines.

From my time here, I knew there were engines on every wing the ship had. Some of the crew were gathered by the smoke and damaged wing on the side, along with Lola. She was barking at others instead of her mother. It was not enough to bring it down, but it sure slowed us down.

Lilith and Fenris were not allowing anyone else through. Though it only took me a glimpse of them for memories to rush through me. A man with red hair and crimson eyes floated in the air, gazing at us. His skin was golden, giving off a light hue. It was almost as if a cloud in my fuzzy memory was cleared.

In an instant, I knew he was among the gods who captured Elias when he found me. He was also one god that helped kill Alijah’s past life. This man was… Yama’s right-hand man. His name… was… Chronos and he would challenge me in ways I never thought possible.