Page 89 of He Who Sleeps

Emerson shrugged. “I was told to keep the place safe, like a safehouse. The Elders think it was burned down, as I told Leo.” He looked to Kendrix. “Unless you told Stephan.”

“I haven’t told him anything. Not that he asks about my life or my plans...only really contacting me when it’s time for the big devotions.”

"Then it stays between us," Finn said firmly. "This is a secret only we know, even when this is all over. The God might be on our side, but that doesn't mean the Elders don't have people hidden in every rank of The Order."

"Amen to that," Carter agreed fervently. A safehouse would benefit them all, especially if they could keep their Petra there.

“I think that was dad’s intention. So...” Emerson said as he pulled the last book off his shelf. “Nothing so far. Maybe...” He grinned. “Maybe we ask for help?”

“From Him?” she asked, intrigued. “How?”

“Well..” Emerson grinned. “He responds to several things...perhaps an offering?”

“Of pain?” she asked softly.

“No. I think of pleasure,” Emerson said. “Something to sweeten Him?”

"Fucking typical," Finn snorted. "You search one shelf and you're already focused on fucking. I swear you're like a fucking teenager."

Emerson laughed. “Your brain went to fucking, mine didn’t.”

“What do you mean, if not that?” she asked her grinning lover.

“I did say sweeten Him, I didn’t say satisfy Him,” Emerson offered. “Something to let Him know His efforts with us, I mean we are all in agreement that He’s the reason we are all here, right? So something that lets Him know we appreciate what He sent us.”

“And what’s that?”

“A kiss?” he offered, “From each of us, to our sweet little victim.”

"If you're really that bored with searching, go and entertain Petra somewhere else," Easton sighed. "Did you forget we declared war on the Elders? Remember? The guys that killed our parents? That landed me in that shitty hellscape? There's a time for playing and this ain't it."

"It's not the worst idea he's ever had," Leo pointed out. "A little extra energy from us might give Him enough power to communicate across the veil."

"Then go and fuck her properly," Easton snorted. "A kiss won't do shit. Finn's right. Emerson just wants to dip his wick while the rest of us get on and do the actual searching."

Emerson shook his head. “I... I honestly didn’t...”

She shook her head. “It’s okay...maybe that’s not a good idea,” she said, looking at Easton. She knew he wasn’t ready to kiss her yet and was surprised Emerson had even suggested it. Her Snake wasn’t exactly touchy-feely with his brothers, either. “Maybe not now.” She went to another lower shelf and started to pull books out. She wasn’t getting between them in this. Easton, her sweet damaged Easton would always be the hold out ‘til he was ready not to be. She had to respect that, although it made her wonder if the rest of the guys knew he had never willingly kissed her.

“Maybe energy isn’t a bad idea,” Jack pointed out. “And no, I’m not suggesting we run a train on her. There has to be other ways to manifest. I mean we were taught blood, we have learned sex...maybe there’s other ways? Personal sacrifice? Other acts... I can see why Emerson suggested a kiss, it connects two people, with connection comes manifestation, but...”

"You know what would really help with that kind of knowledge? Finding more books," Easton snapped and Finn placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Easy there, brother. I know you're hurting, but we can look and have a conversation at the same time, okay?" Easton didn't look happy, but he just shrugged and went back to searching shelves, methodically moving books and tapping the side and rear walls of the bookcases.

"I think we might be limited by transference," Finn said thoughtfully when he was sure Easton wasn't going to lash out. "During the festival weekend, we absorb the energy using the tattoos and then pass it to the God by dripping our blood into the well. Raising energy with Petra here is all well and good, but how do we transfer it? There isn't a well here. Can we drop blood anywhere? It was something I was going to speak to the priests about when we see them next—how the energy was transferred to the God in the old days when He was feeding all the time."

"This would all have been a lot fucking easier if those wrinkly old bastards had told us all of this when we asked," Leo said sourly.

"Maybe they had to be sure that Petra is the one?" Finn suggested, his tone still thoughtful. "I mean...I don't know. You're the one that's read the books we've found so far, Emerson. Has there been anything about how the feeding works?"

Emerson stopped his search and then turned and raised a finger, and walked out the room. Rix arched a brow at her and then Finn. “I hate it when he gets like this.”

“This happen a lot?” she asked Rix.

“It did in school. His research meter would go off and he would do shit like this then come back and have some info none of us had come across. Bookish asshole.”

She laughed and shook her head. “I mean him saving the day right now...”

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