The Tainted Web (The Godhunter, Book 7) (18 page)

“It's okay vith me,” Kirill smiled.

“
How about you take us to Shehaquim,” I used the term for Azrael's domain, the third Heaven. “And then we can think about the figurative.”

“
Okay but just remember,” Azrael winked at me, “I can only carry one of you when I fly, so we'll have to stay grounded.”

“
I vould like to fly,” Kirill said seriously and then looked Azrael over, “but not in vay you fly vith Vervain.”

“
Don't worry, I'm only into female passengers myself,” Azrael laughed.

“
Oh great,” I rolled my eyes. “You two are going to be making puns about this experience forever, aren't you?”

“
It can't be avoided, I'm afraid,” Azrael led us out of the bedroom and over to the tracing point as he and Kirill continued to make witty plays on words involving threesomes, Heaven, and flying.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Kirill was in Heaven.

He gazed around himself with the softest expression on his face, one he usually reserved for me. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, taking in the crisp air of Winter and the cool sweetness of Spring since he stood at the merging of the two seasons, in the Garden of Eden.

The garden was set up in a half-circle around two trees. The Tree of Life was gold, not an autumnal gold but a true metallic gold, with plum colored fruit wafting a richly sweet aroma. It was the fruit that made the angels immortal. The second tree was the Tree of Knowledge, completely silver in the way that Life was gold, it had tear drop shaped fruit that looked like cut crystal and shimmered in the gentle sun of Heaven.

Around these two trees was the Garden of Eden, divided into the four seasons. Starting with Winter on the left, the barren trees and shrubs were stark against the snow covered ground but their coating of ice crystals made them sparkle beautifully. There wasn't a lot of movement in this part of the garden, most of the animals preferring the warmer sections, but the pure white stream gurgled softly through it, ending in a pool of Heaven's milk.

Next to Winter was Spring, the cold season warming slightly and merging into the renewal of Spring with gentle ease. The snow became patchy until it disappeared entirely and the dark earth was revealed. Grass replaced the snow and buds were barely sprouting on the trees, while a few flowers stretched out their petals as if rising from sleep. Birds chirped there and some smaller animals would peep out occasionally from hollowed nooks. In the center of it was a pool of anointing oil, fed by a stream that ran through Heaven beside the other three.

Beside Spring was Summer. There the full magnificence of the garden came to life, blossoming and fruiting to scent the air with robust smells. The trees were lush and so was the undergrowth, full of animal life that lifted their voices in praise of the beauty of Summer. All sorts of birds flew through the trees while deer wandered unmolested beside predator cats on the ground. There were no lambs to lay down beside the lions but if there had been, I was betting they'd be safe to do so.

Through Summer ran a stream of wine, though I thought wine the wrong word to use to describe it. It was ambrosia, a delectable drink that hovered over your tongue long after you swallowed and warmed you as it strengthened you from within. It was even better than the wine of Duat.

On the end was Autumn, its trees rustling with drying leaves in rust, gold, orange, and brown. The animals seemed to like Autumn almost as much as Summer, gorging on the nuts that littered the garden floor and gathering around the pool of honey that flowed in on a golden river. The air was crisper there but nothing like the chill of Winter.

I've never been a lover of the cold, having been raised in Hawaii, and the river of milk running through Winter cinched my dislike for me, but the anointing oil that meandered in a stream through Heaven and ended in Spring, was another story. Azrael and I had enjoyed it thoroughly and the thought of adding Kirill to the mix made my face heat.

“Maybe we should show him the rest of the Garden,” Azrael nudged me from my fantasies, “and then let him decide where he'd like to tarry.”

“
Oh, sure,” I gave him a nervous look.

I'd been with both of them many times in the past but walking through the Garden of Eden with an angel and a werelion, contemplating where to make love to them both, at the same time, made me feel like I was being very naughty.

“Come along, Kirill,” Azrael gave me a look that said he knew exactly what I was thinking. “There's a river of wine that ends in Summer and one of honey in Autumn.”

“
Really?” Kirill glanced at me with a boyish grin.

“
Really,” I nodded, “and if we're very good, Azrael may let us have a drink.”

“
I can be very good,” he stalked over to me and slid his hand around my waist as his head dipped and he quickly bit my ear.

“
That's being very bad,” I laughed as I grabbed his hand and pulled him along to where Azrael was waiting for us.

“
I can appreciate that too,” Azrael grinned. “You know I'm kind of the bad boy of the Angelic Host.”

“
Aren't bad angels called demons?” I smirked at him.

“
Only if you want to make them angry,” he raised one brow at me. “And I don't recommend making an angel angry, we've been known to rain fire and brimstone.”

“
I thought that was the Christian god,” I looked at him skeptically.

“
Nope,” he lifted his nose in the air, “that was us. God's kind of a back seat driver. He prefers to drink wine and watch movies all day.”

“
Well who doesn't?” I laughed. “Plus, he has a river of the stuff, might as well drink it.”

“
Can I use cup for to drink wine?” Kirill was really excited, his Russian accent was getting thicker.

“
Help yourself,” Azrael put an arm around me and led me over to where Kirill sat on the banks of Summer's river.

Kirill scooped up the deep red liquid and held it to his nose to inhale appreciatively before taking a sip. Then his eyes shot open and he gaped at me. I thought he was overwhelmed with the flavor of the most amazing drink I'd ever tasted but the words that came out of his mouth were totally unexpected.

“I'm sorry, Tima,” he huffed, “I should have offered you first sip.”

“
Oh please,” I laughed, “go ahead, honey, I've already had some. I can wait.”

“
Not for zis,” Kirill shook his head, “you shouldn't have to wait for zis.”

He brought the cup to my lips and suddenly I was surrounded by men. Kirill was staring at me intensely as he held the cup to my lips and pressed his body to mine, while Azrael pushed up against my back, his wings coming down to enfold us all.

“Sharing this wine is done only between lovers wanting to make clear their commitment to each other,” Azrael put his hand over both of ours. “Vervain and I have shared the wine and I would be honored if you let me be involved in your communion.”

“
Commitment?” Kirill looked from Azrael to me. “You'll do this with me? Commit to me?”

“
Kirill,” I touched my forehead to his briefly. “I'm already committed to you in my heart, this will only be a confirmation.”

“
Vervain,” his free hand slid up to my cheek. “I... zis means everyzing to me.”

“
Hold your hands over hers,” Azrael moved Kirill's hand from my cheek to slide over my hand on the cup. “Now offer her the cup as you offer yourself, pour yourself into the wine for her to drink of you.”

I glanced back at Azrael, a little surprised. I didn't remember doing all this with him but then that day had started with him marking me with his claiming kiss. I may have been just a little loopy from that rush. Azrael smiled at me, obviously remembering the same moments I was.

“Look at your lion, Carus,” Azrael whispered. “Know that you accept all of him when you accept this wine.”

I smiled at Kirill, something inside of me was bright with joy over taking this step with him. I wanted this for both of us, a connection beyond the Intare, something that was entirely him. His eyes shone and he swallowed hard as I raised the cup to my lips, his hands hot over mine. I took a sip and closed my eyes, my senses reeling from the vibrancy that lit me up from inside. It felt strong and safe, solace and loyalty, and steadfast love. It was Kirill, a part of him flowed into me, sinking into my cells like it had always belonged there. I looked back up at him with wide eyes.

“Now you, Carus,” Azrael directed us again. “Switch your hands so that yours are above Kirill's and do as I bade him, send yourself into the wine, give of yourself to your beloved.”

My magic rose up, the butterflies, the lion, even War and Victory, but that wasn't me. The true Vervain was housed in a hybrid now, a white jaguar who had aspects of dragon to her, and it was her I needed. I called her up and felt her race through me, felt her face raise beneath my chest and her paws reach down my arms until they dipped into the wine. I lifted the cup for Kirill to drink.

He kept his gaze on mine for as long as he could, until the gold rim blocked me from him for a second. I saw his throat work, felt the wine surge into him along with a part of myself, and then a heatwave rose up between us and I knew I was as deeply embedded into him as he was in I.

“
Azrael,” I whispered but I kept my eyes on Kirill. “I don't remember feeling this with you.”

“
Because I didn't take it this far,” his lips found the racing pulse in my neck and he kissed it gently. “I'd already claimed you that day and you seemed so startled by it, I didn't want to push you with the full ceremony of the sacred wine. We shared a simple commitment, not the depth of sharing that you just experienced with Kirill.”

I exchanged a quick look with Kirill and he nodded. My lion was always so understanding and frankly, he seemed so happy to have this connection with me, I don't think it bothered him to share the moment with Az.

“Would you like to go further?” I turned in their embrace, so I was facing Azrael with Kirill pressed against my back.

“
Vervain,” Azrael put his hands over mine, “I would like nothing more.”

He lifted the cup between us and I took the wine into my mouth, taking in Azrael with it. It lit my senses like fireworks, sizzling down into me and exploding in my chest with a pure brilliance. It was all Azrael, so different from Kirill but just as treasured. Here was laughter, affinity, intensity, and the love of a soul-mate. He sank into me, becoming a part of me as Kirill had, and I looked up with a smile, ready to reciprocate.

I called my Nahual again and felt her happy little cat dance as she swished forward and slid her paws up my arms once more. I felt the magic surge out of me and into the wine, filling it with my essence. Then I lifted it to Azrael and he drank of me, completing our holy communion.

Azrael gasped, throwing the empty cup aside and staring down at me with flashing diamond eyes. He turned me around with a forceful twist, putting my back to his chest once more, as his wings urged Kirill forward. I felt it then, the connection had overlapped. The men had pieces of me and I had pieces of them but the magic of the communion had sealed all three of us together somehow, wrapping around us like Azrael's wings. Heaven had given us its blessing.

Then Kirill's mouth was on mine, his hands along the sides of my face, as Azrael's hands roamed over me, divesting me of my clothing. It happened so fast, one second we stood basking in the communion, and the next we were writhing on the soft carpet of grass, sunlight warming our bare flesh where it shone through the trees.

Kirill was beneath me, his hair spread out like a blanket behind him, his eyes staring up at me with more love than I felt I deserved, and I touched his cheek gently as Azrael stroked my skin with fingertips and feathers. Beneath my skin the magic rose, a tingling warmth that seemed to meld us together, sinking into one man and then leaping through the air into the other until we were all connected in a passionate circle. Then it was a tangle of mouths and limbs, hair and wings. I found myself astride Kirill but facing his legs so that I could take Azrael into my mouth as he stood over us.

It made a memory flash through my mind, of back when Azrael had first asked to court me. He wanted to be sure he could handle sharing me with other men and had asked to watch me with Kirill. I'd indulged him but hadn't told Kirill, making love to my lion while the angel stood before me, visible only to me. I'd wanted to do this then but knew it was too much of a betrayal to Kirill, bad enough he was being observed without his knowledge, to actually bring another man into bed with us without him knowing, would have been too horrible to contemplate.

But now Kirill knew and my angel stood proud before me, available for me to touch and taste while I held Kirill inside me. It occurred to me that our previous experience was probably why Azrael had been okay with sharing me with Kirill. He already knew what it would be like but now, this communion we shared had created a special bond between us that would ensure it would always be this way.