We ported back home with Levi and Venus. I am worried about how we are all going to work together. We had barely walked into the living room when Vincent taunted, “Well, that was fast! I expected more from you, brother.”
Vlad starts to lash out, “Why you!”
Venus grins, “Let me,” as she giggles and steps from behind us. Completely nude, she sauntered over to the group. She sat on Vincent's lap and wiggled her hips. Bells chimed from all around. A mist flooded around the house. Suddenly, we were all ported to a different realm.
In the midst of the fog stood a huge willow tree. I felt pulled to this tree as if it were alive not just as a tree but as a being. Everything is illuminated by the mist. There is complete silence too as if we are in a vacuum.
Venus looks at me, “This is where the men go before we consume their souls.”
“It's beautiful!” She nods to my comment as I feel my pull to the tree grow. I walk to the tree. I caress it. I feel familiarity and immense sadness.
Vincent glares at Venus, “Don't fucking think about it, you evil witch!”
She giggles at his threat. Morgan goes over and climbs Vincent so that she can look into his eyes, “She isn't a witch you stupid boy! She's where magic began on
land. Mermaids and Sirens brought magic to the seas but were virtually powerless on land. She is an Ielele. Since you still look confused, they are similar to faeries, with great seductive power over men, with magic skills and attributes similar to nymphs, naiads, and dryads found in Greek mythology.”
Vlad looks at his brother, “Like I told Eva, she is not evil unless she needs to be.”
“Like us all,” I reply as I hug the tree, “Come forth.”
Sam yells, “Eva!” as the tree suddenly begins to shake and it pulls its roots from the ground. The leaves began to turn colors and took on a brilliant glow. There's a bright flash and instantly a man in white linen stands before us.
He has dark sandy blonde hair and sky-blue eyes. He also has a faint glow about him too. “Well, hello. I am Gabriel,” he says as he circles his neck and shoulders while he hums with contentment, “It has been eons since I could do that!”
Venus is stunned. She drops to her knees and begins to sob. He approached her and brought her to her feet gently as he wiped her tears, “There is nothing to be sorry for.” He came and stood in front of me, “At last, we meet.”
Vincent spats, “He better not be another mate.”
Amira runs to Venus and gives her a high five as they fall to the ground in a fit of laughter. Between outbursts she says, “Looks like Batboy is jealous.”
Venus giggles, “I didn't get a rise out of him until his soul came into play either.”
Vlad jokes, “Wouldn't he need one in the first place?”
Vincent yells, “You fucking asshole!” as he put Morgan on his shoulder and sent a beam of water from his left hand and a bolt of lightning from his right. Both beams were directed at Vlad.
Gabriel laughs, “I am going to need the popcorn. That's what you all say, isn't it?”
I laugh, “Sort of. We say, pass the popcorn because this is about to get good!”
Vlad sent a bolt of fire to turn the water to steam and he made a shield with the other to deflect the bolt of lightning. Yes, I could let them duel it out, but I'm curious about this new guy as he seems familiar even though I know that we have never met. “Enough!”I throw up my hands and just freeze both Vincent and Vlad from the shoulders down, “Until I know that you both will behave, you will stay like this!”
Sam chuckles. With a glare I turn to face him, “Mountain man, I suggest you keep that thought to yourself!”
Eric started to laugh but covered his mouth, “Sorry but it was humorous.”
Katie giggles as she cozies up to Cassian, “I'm so glad that I have just one mate!”
Gabriel looks around, “Now that is interesting.”
“I know that I'm strange.”
Cassius nods, “This is all strange, sis.”
Gabriel smiles. Then he hugs us. That's when I saw him standing beside a woman that looked like me. She was holding two infants, a boy, and a girl. I shake my head, “But you are not our father.”
Gabriel sighs, “No I am not but I am your uncle. Your mother was my sister.”
“Was?”
Gabriel nods sadly, “Yes, they killed her, and I was made into that tree. I became the Tree of Lost Souls known as the Tree of Pain.”
“But we aren't that old.”
Gabriel rubs my back, “Your current bodies aren't but your souls are.”
Cassius gasps, “Who was she? What was she?”
Gabriel says, “I was the Angel of Ardor before I was cursed. Her name was Inanna. She was closely related to
romantic love, but also familial love, the loving bonds between communities, and sexual love. She is why the mating bond exists.”
“I so wish that I could have a word or four with her.”
Eric kisses my cheek, “There's no unfriend button, Eva.”
Gabriel nods, “He's correct. When she was killed, so was her magic that created the bonds. Even your father can't break the bond.”
“You know Mormo?”
He chuckles, “Yes, very well. We were supposed to be enemies but because of your mother we became good friends.”
“Why is all of this happening? Why now?”
Gabriel looks at us sadly, “Wars like the one your mother was killed in. Over the eons, Gods and Goddesses have faced extinction many times. It appears that you and Cassius will fix that.”
Cassius exclaims, “Wait! No! I'm part wolf.”
Gabriel shakes his head, “You're part everything just as your sister is. You are your mother's son just as Eva is her daughter. You're twins just with different fathers.”
Holy shit! Who knows how long my soul has been kept from my family? Did our parents do something to protect our souls allowing us to remain hidden until we are needed?