The Tainted Web (The Godhunter, Book 7) (11 page)

He'd presented me with yet another magical mystery dress. This one was done in the obvious colors of fire, red, orange, and yellow, but that's where the obvious ended. Instead of hanging to the floor, the sheer fabric seemed to defy gravity and drifted into the air, constantly moving like it was actual fire. For modesty's sake, it came equipped with a red lining that behaved normally and just draped downwards as it should. The rest of the dress, however, was constructed of these gravity-defying panels that flowed around me while somehow avoiding becoming an irritation.

“Vervain,” he raised one perfectly winged brow at me.

“
Yes, I'm happy too,” I looked away and bit my lip. “I don't know if I'll ever be happy enough to have children though.”

He was quiet and when I finally glanced up, I'd thought I'd find him frowning but he was smiling. He kissed me on the forehead and stopped dancing to hug me.

“We have forever now,” he laughed. “You don't have to think about children yet. I'm still supposed to be romancing you, right?Yes, of course I'd like to have them soon. It's a responsibility to the House of Fire that I never thought I'd be able to fulfill and I desperately want to fulfill it but not at the price of your love. Take all the time you need.”

“
And if I never decide?”

“
Then I'll be forever trying to sway you,” he grinned lasciviously.

“
Thank you,” I sighed. “That was exactly what I needed to hear.”

“
You can do what with your tongue?” Aidan, one of my lions, was dancing next to us with a water fey. She was very pretty, even with the tentacles twirling around her arms.

“
That, however,” I glared at Aidan but he just laughed and escorted the girl quickly out of the room. “I did
not
need to hear at all.”

“
They are enjoying themselves,” Arach looked around the room and I followed his glance.

He was right, my lions were having a roaring good time. There wasn't a single one of them without a partner, with exception to those who I knew had partners waiting for them back in the Human Realm. My boys were a hit. Ask me if that surprised me... no. Hello, they're all freaking gorgeous.

“So will you be returning to the Human Realm with everyone else tomorrow?” Arach asked quietly.

“
Yes,” I smiled to ease the sting, “but I'll use the ring to return on the same day, so it'll be like I never left.”

“
I think I can handle that,” he grinned. “I guess we won't need to use the mirror anymore.”

“
Huh,” I huffed. “I hadn't thought of that. I guess you're right. We probably wouldn't be able to if we tried because by the time I tried to contact you, I'd be back already, and that sounds like it would mess with something the ring wouldn't allow us to mess with.”

“
Yes, probably best not to try.”

“
I'll be the one missing everyone,” it finally occurred to me that even this magic had a price.

While everyone wouldn't miss a moment with me, I'd still be missing time with them. I could leave Arach for a year and yet he'd never know it because I could return to the day I left, but I would still have that year without him. Oh, who was I kidding? What a stupid thing to gripe over. Missing people was a hell of a lot better than never being with them at all. I was fortunate in all kinds of ways. In fact, one of those fortunate ways was dancing with me right that very second.

“Yes,” Arach said and it took me a second to realize he was referring to my earlier statement and not my internal dialog. “But you get to have all of us to miss.”

Ain't that the truth.

Chapter Twelve

Getting back into my normal routine wasn't easy. I kept thinking about what it had been like with Arach back when he'd stolen my memories and I'd thought he was my only love. A part of me wanted that back and now, with the help of the ring, I could live that way with him. I could be with only one man, live and love with him for as long as I wanted and still come back to everyone else.

I frowned as a thought occurred to me. I couldn't stay in Faerie indefinitely, even with the ring, because at some point, Trevor would start to die. I'd have to determine the limit for my visits and make sure I didn't exceed them. Yes, it all needed to be sorted but it could be done later. I had other loves to distract me and other business to attend to.

One of my responsibilities was moderating the Intare. Now that Samantha was married to Fallon, she was allowed to sit in on our little meetings and I was glad for the female company. It was nice to have her perspective there. Sometimes when you're surrounded by a bunch of guys who just don't get you, it helps to have another woman to back you up.

So it went fairly smoothly. They'd been too overwhelmed by their visit to Faerie to start any new shit with each other, so it was a pretty quick meeting, no childish complaints. The last issue was strange though.

“Tima, my girlfriend Alana had her identity stolen over the Internet,” it was Lucian, with his short dark hair and even darker eyes. “They took everything, her money, her stocks, her apartment. I've never heard of anything like this. So I found a guy who could trace these kind of things and he said it was professionally done and virtually impossible to prove but he recognized the pattern in it and said he knows hundreds of people who have had similar problems and all with the same pattern, no matter what the crime was. He can't do anything though, because he's unable to trace it back to a source.”

“
Internet crime?” I frowned. “That's not exactly Pride business, even if it did happen to your girlfriend. I'm sorry, Lucian but I have no idea how to help you.”

“
Tima,” he sighed. “Alana is suicidal from all of this. I had to put her in the hospital.”

“
That's awful,” Samantha said softly.

“
It got me thinking,” Lucian continued. “Isn't that what the gods do? Make people kill each other? A suicide would count as a sacrifice, wouldn't it?”

“
I guess,” I was still trying to follow where he was going with all this.

“
I went to see some of the other victims,” Lucian swallowed hard. “They all look drained, like something has been siphoning off their energy. Tima, this is about a god taking these people as sacrifice, I know it.”

“
Okay,” I frowned. If he was right, this was huge. A god using the Internet as his own personal altar? The possibilities were astounding. “I need to talk to the God Squad about this. Gather everything you have on this together, including a list of the people you contacted and what happened to them, and I'll go contact the others.”

“
Thank you, Tima,” Lucian smiled like everything would be  fine now that I was on it. It was a little intimidating, that kind of trust. No pressure or anything.

Chapter Thirteen

“
I think the lion's right,” Horus looked over the laptop Lucian had brought in. “From what he says and what's here, I'd say this is the work of a god.”

“
Really?” I grimaced. I'd been hoping it was something else, something more mundane and very human.

“
It's brilliant actually,” Blue looked over Horus' shoulder and then back at me. “I'm surprised no one's thought of it sooner. We aren't just a magical race, you realize. We have great technology as well. It makes perfect sense that one of us would use this tool for taking power.”

“
There have been other occurrences,” Thor put a folder down on the dining room table in front of him. I caught the flash of his ring and my stomach churned. I don't know why it was bugging me so much lately. “Two weeks ago, one of the U.S. Naval ships fired on  Israel. Luckily, the missile hit just off the shore and no one was injured. The U.S. was able to contact the Israeli government and assure them that it was a computer glitch and not an act of war, the ship fired all on its own, but if the Israeli government hadn't been so understanding, it could have been very bad indeed.”

“
That could have very easily started a war,” Brahma looked around the table grimly.

“
That's not all,” Thor was just as grim. “Someone hacked the Washington Post's twitter account and reported that the U.S. President had been killed. It started riots and sent the stock market crashing before it was determined to be false.”

“
All because people thought the president had been killed?” I blinked.

“
Think about it,” Trevor looked over at me. “It riles people up, unsettles them, makes them look for someone to blame. It's the most intelligent plan I've come across for taking power from humans.”

“
And if this is just one god doing all this,” Persephone's eyes were as big as mine felt.

“
They're going to be very powerful,” I thought back to Acan, a god who was moonlighting as a drug lord. He'd been powerful but Pele had killed him, his power hadn't been any match for her anger. “But we've taken down the powerful before.”

“
I don't think this is going to be like anything we've ever dealt with before,” Pan whispered and I knew it was bad when I saw how serious the usually chipper god was.

“
So where do we start?” I looked over them all.

“
Do you think he's actually inside there?” Horus peered at the laptop suspiciously. “Wandering around wherever he likes.”

“
Close that,” I pointed at the device as chills ran over my body.

Horus took one look at my face and snapped the lid of the laptop shut.

“Is it possible?” Blue peered at the computer like it was an open door to a new world. “Could we do it, do you think? Travel through this stream of knowledge like the Aether.”

“
The Aether is a place of knowledge, of consciousness, a place we witches use to manifest our magic,” I whispered. “Fuck, that's it. The fey created the Aether and some humans have traces of fey blood within them. So humans created a new Aether with the magic of our ancestors and that,” I pointed at the silent computer which seemed to lurk on my table like a black hole, “is a tracing point. Humans created it but this god has found a way in.”

“
Then so can we,” Thor spoke with resounding finality.

Chapter Fourteen

“
It's been
ten
hours,” Brahma groaned, his slick suit starting to look a bit rumpled as he slouched in one of the library's chairs.

We'd moved into the library at Pride Palace after the first fruitless hours of trying to insert ourselves into the Internet. The laptop now sat discarded on the floor as we brainstormed. I'd suggested that the device was unnecessary as it was really the signal we wanted to access and as long as we had wi-fi, which we did, we should've been able to connect to it.

Concerns were raised that if we were unsuccessful, I should shut down our Internet connection for the time being. I agreed wholeheartedly. If this god could access the Internet, he could get anywhere the wireless connections did, wards or not. It was a troubling notion.

“
Maybe we should give up on this for now,” Thor agreed, rubbing at his eyes. “And I think you should go ahead and disconnect your Internet, Vervain.”

“
Yeah,” I sighed, “you're right.”

“
You may want to contact Faerie and tell them to hold off on connecting as well,” Blue frowned. “The last thing we need is this leaking into their lands at such a critical time.”

“
Oh hell,” I swore, sitting up straight in my chair. “I hadn't even thought of that. Or the imps,” I started to smile. “I bet they know how to get into the Internet.”

“
Huh,” Trevor looked up from where he was napping on the couch. “I wish you'd thought of that a lot sooner.” He lifted his head suddenly, catching sight of something on the arm of the couch. A little spider. He reached over to kill it and I grabbed his arm.

“
Killing a spider in your home is bad luck,” I admonished him as I scooped up the little guy.

“
What are you going to do, keep it as a pet?” He laid back down on the couch, smiling indulgently.

“
No, I'm going to take him outside.”

“
You vill go back to Faerie, then?” Kirill sent me a serious look.

“
After I release the prisoner,” I laughed and held up my cupped hands. “Yes. Don't worry, I'll be fine. The people who wanted to kill me are either dead or in faerie jail.”

“
Tima,” Kirill stood, “there is alvays someone who vants to kill you.”

“
Well, at least I can count out this guy,” I laughed as I went towards the front of the palace to release the spider.

Chapter Fifteen

I realized that I didn't even need to go to the tracing point. All I had to do was ask the ring to take me back to the Faerie Realm a few minutes after I'd last left it. Arach should still be at The End of the Road, where he'd seen us off. He was expecting me back after all.

I admit I was vain enough to take a quick shower, spritz myself with some perfume, and put on a little make-up. I put on a pair of jeans since Arach had yet to see me in a pair, and a red cashmere sweater over them. Low heeled leather boots completed the outfit but I also put on the emerald necklace Odin had given me, just in case.

It was a strange feeling, traveling back through time. Like being pulled across a slick floor while wearing socks. It was a controlled movement but I wasn't the one in control. My surroundings became a blur, color washing out to a bright white, before everything settled and came back into focus.

Then I was standing in front of the great tree at The End of the Road and sure enough, there was Arach, waiting patiently beside his carriage with a smile plastered on his face. He looked determined and excited. Right, the challenge. He was ready to win me over. Well, he'd have to wait a bit on that.

“
A Thaisce?” Arach came forward. “Is something wrong?” He touched my forehead where I probably had a little crease going on.

“
I need you to send word to the High King,” I began before he could even kiss me hello. “Tell him to wait on establishing an Internet connection for the laptop I gave him.”

“
There has been trouble with this net of knowledge you spoke of?” He gestured to a goblin waiting nearby and relayed the message I needed delivered.

“
Yes,” I sighed. “I'm afraid this won't be a long visit. I need to speak with the imps who returned from the Human Realm. I need their help on getting into the Internet and tracking a god who we believe has been using it as a means to hurt people.”

“
I'm sure they'll be more than happy to help you,” he shook his head. “They'll probably have a great time. We'll ask them as soon as we get home,” he gestured to the waiting carriage, “I sent them ahead with everyone else.”

“
Okay,” I let him hand me up into the padded interior, taking a deep breath of the cleanest air I'd ever breathed. I relaxed back into a seat as he climbed up into the carriage. I was actually thrilled to be back in Faerie, my blood zipping through my veins with anticipation. My body knew I was home and it wanted to stay.

“
Tell me more about this problem,” Arach settled beside me, “and I shall fix it for you.”

“
Were all dragons as arrogant as you are,” I smirked at him, “or am I just lucky?”

“
You're very lucky,” he smiled, “but I suspect you already know that. I've changed my mind though, before you tell me your problem, tell me what exactly you're wearing. I think I like these breeches of yours, they make your ass look like sin.”

Chapter Sixteen

I told Arach as much as I knew about what was going on in my world and why I needed the imps, along the ride home. He seemed frustrated that he couldn't simply solve my problem with a wave of his hand. So frustrated in fact, that as soon as we'd climbed the stairs to his bedroom in the top of Castle Aithinne, he'd taken to pacing the length of it like a caged beast.

Thankfully, Meilyr appeared rather quickly, the laptop I'd given Arach still tucked beneath his arm. He grinned at me and then lost his smile when he saw how agitated his King was.

“
My King?” He looked back and forth between us. “My Queen?”

“
Your Queen has need of you,” Arach waved his hand to me.

“
Meilyr,” I smiled to try to put the imp at ease. “I have a problem in the Human Realm that I hope you can help me with.”

“
Yes, my Queen?” He walked a little further into the room, sidestepping Arach's angry path.

I outlined the issue for the imp and watched as his eyes grew round. He nodded vigorously, his red fur reconfiguring into odd spikes, and set the laptop down on the table in front of me.

“Not only can I show you how to travel the waves of knowledge,” he grinned broadly and climbed up onto the seat across from me so he could stand upon it and raise himself closer to my seated level. “I know of the god you speak.”

“
You do?” I gaped. Could it really be that easy?

“
Yes,” he stroked the front of his shirt proudly as he puffed his chest. “Me and the others have seen an unknown energy traipsing about through the Inter Realm. It must be he.”

“
It must,” I gave an amused huff. “We should leave right-”

The rest of my words were cut off by a terrified screaming. I looked up to see a pixie run into the room. She was tiny, even smaller than the imp, and so was her voice but it was loud enough to do damage at the pitch she was using. We all turned toward her in surprise.

“Lissa, what is it?” I asked as I slid off my chair so I could lower myself to the floor.

“
Drowned!” She jumped into my outstretched hands. “They've been drowned!”

“
Who?” Arach was suddenly beside me on the carpet.

“
The pixies,” she sobbed.

“
Where are they?” I stood up with her in my hands.

“
Laid out in front of the castle,” she was fully crying, her hands over her face and her tiny shoulders shaking.

“
Okay, okay,” I cradled her as Arach, Meilyr, and I ran down the stairs to the cave below the castle that served as an entrance. How had Lissa climbed all those stairs on her own? I frowned, now was not the time to ask, it was probably some kind of faerie magic.

I ran through the cave entrance, the gate was raised as usual so I didn't have to stop. I continued over the drawbridge which crossed the moat of lava that ran in front of the castle, and then stopped short. Three little bodies were laid out in a row in front of the drawbridge like a sacrifice. My mind tried to make them into something else, child's dolls discarded after playtime, but the denial didn't last long. I knew they were fey creatures,
my
fey. Their eyes were open, staring up in horror at whatever had done this to them, and their skin was pallid. I knelt before them and put Lissa down.

“
Who could have done this?” I looked back at Arach as I touched a finger gently to the male on the right.

“
Water fey,” he frowned. “They're the only ones who drown their victims.”

“
I thought the only ways to kill a faerie was beheading or staking them with something not of their element?” I stroked Lissa's hair as she leaned against my leg.

“
I didn't say that,” Arach shook his head. “I said the surest way to kill one of us is to stab us through the heart with a tool made from an element not our own. I never said there weren't other ways. We're immortal but not invulnerable. You can kill us using another element in other forms as well.”

“
So drowning kills every fey except water fey.”

“
Who can't drown, yes,” he nodded. “Lissa, did you see who did this?”

“
No,” she shook her little head. “I just found them here, my King.”

“
It's alright, Lissa,” he crouched down and gently picked up one of the miniature bodies. He held it beneath his nose and sniffed gently as he closed his eyes. Then his eyes popped open in surprise and narrowed. “Kelpie,” he growled. “Fearghal!”

In moments we heard a heavy pounding which resolved itself into the footsteps of a red cap who came running out of the castle.

“My King?” He stopped in front of us.

“
We've been attacked,” Arach lifted the body to show the redcap. “Three of our own have been murdered and I believe I know who their murderer is, though I don't see how he could have escaped prison in the Castle of Eight.”

“
Kael?” I asked in surprise.

“
Who else?” He glanced at me before returning his attention to the redcap. “Summon the Host, then pass these bodies amongst them. Tonight we hunt.”

“
Yes, my King,” Fearghal's eyes gleamed in anticipation as he ran off.

“
Lissa,” Arach sank back down onto one knee. “Where are the rest of the pixies?”

“
There,” she pointed back to the underbrush lining the clearing in front of the castle.

“
Come out, wee ones,” he called and they emerged hesitantly. “Know that I take this threat seriously. The Wild Hunt will ride tonight to avenge your dead but for now, I need their bodies to lead us to their murderer. After everyone has caught the scent, I promise to have your dead returned to you for the proper rituals. Until we have the murderer caught, I wish you to all move into the castle.”

“
The castle?” A little man stepped forward, holding the hand of the tiniest girl I'd ever seen. “We haven't the magic to protect us from fire, my King.”

“
I know,” he frowned, “and I wouldn't see you moved forever, it's just until we know it's safe for you again. I promise that no fire shall harm you within the castle. It's easier to prevent within Castle Aithinne than in the Kingdom of Fire itself or I'd just move you into the Kingdom fully. I refuse to lose anymore of my people.”

A startled wave surged through the pixies. When I'd first met Arach, he wouldn't have thought twice about the pixies, much less insist they move inside to be safe. I smiled to myself, liking the man he'd become. The pixies however, were unsure of this new King and they stared at each other in confusion. Then the man who'd addressed Arach nodded and shooed the others back. They all left, to gather their belongings, I supposed.

“We thank you for your consideration,” the pixie said as he walked forward and came to take Lissa's hand. She went into his arms quickly and I wondered if he was her husband. Was the little girl their child? Funny, I thought I'd known Lissa but what did I really know beyond a few conversations? I made a mental note to get to know my people better. “We will move into the castle for now but we do not wish to stay there, cowering behind your walls of stone. We ask to join the Hunt tonight.”

Lissa blinked in shock, then a determination settled over her face and she looked up at me and nodded. I looked to Arach but he was staring at the pixie in consideration.