Page 29 of The Goddess is Awakened
So were Church and West, apparently. They were waiting outside my dorm room when we all stepped out. They both looked like they’d been out there a while, but hadn’t knocked because they didn’t want to rush me. Matilda poked me.
“See? They totally don’t give a shit about your dad,” she hissed.
My twin was maliciously helpful sometimes. I’d never bring this up to either of them because I didn’t want to accuse them of something just because of my past and end up losing them. Some people could have a civilized conversation about that and some of them couldn’t. It was an entirely uncomfortable conversation I wasn’t sure I’d ever want to have, even though it was always going to hit me in the face if it happened.
Shepretendedlike that was just for me, but West and Church had enhanced hearing, so they would have heard that from down the hall. I pinched her back.
“My revenge will be epic,” I whispered.
“You’ll thank me later,” Matilda said with a ponytail flip.
She strolled down the hall arm in arm with Mags toward Halliwell Square. West and Church flanked me on either side. West had a picnic basket and Church was carrying blankets.
“I met your dad once,” Church said. “Your uncle Loki, too. My grandfather took me to some dinner right when I first ran away and they were there with your mom and aunt. My grandfather told me to act normal around both of them. Aside from the initial introduction, I didn’t really talk to them. I would have been more impressed if he had brought his beautiful daughter with him.”
“I’m sure your dad is cool and everything, but he’s not nearly as hot as you with all those beautiful dodgeball statistics in his head. We probably wouldn’t vibe as well. We’re all in Azren’s lessons getting our minds blown about the gods. They haven’t outright said it, but I’m pretty sure the gods have limits to what they can do,” West said.
“And even if theydidhave unlimited power, I’m pretty sure using their kid to get a cosmic favor is a great way to get cosmically fucked,” Church laughed.
Theygotit. I always handled it myself and never told my dad. I swore my mom to secrecy, too. My dad would conspire with Loki to fuck up that kid’s life foryearsbefore he ended up never heard from again.
“Sorry, my sister is protective, and it was a thing in high school.”
“Well, it’s not here. I can speak for Church when I say we’ll beat someone’s ass if they do it here.”
“Definitely.”
Halliwell Square had been totally transformed. The witches and fae had conjured floating lights everywhere. Some of the shifters had built fires and were grilling. Some of the witches made their fires and were dancing naked around them. There was a band made up of sirens performing for everyone and they were as entrancing as you’d expect for sirens.
Church nodded to the band, and they broke into my favorite song ever. I had five dads, four uncles, and extended family in Hell. They made sure I got exposed to a wide array of music from classical onwards. Balthazar exposed me to this eighties punk band of vampires that Iadored.They were pretty obscure and most people hadn’t heard of them unless they had invites to vampire raves.
“Did you do this?” I asked Church.
Church just smirked at me.
“Is it proper stalking if I didn’t get on your social media and find out everything about you, including your favorite song ever so I could bribe the sirens to play it for you at the moon orgy?”
Holy shit. I wasn’t even mad he creeped on my social media. No one had ever done anything like that for me before.
“Send me a request. What did you promise the sirens in exchange for the song?”
Sirens wouldsometimestake requests when they were singing, but they expected something really big in return.
“Nothing. The lead singer is a massive music snob and was so impressed I was taking someone that loved that song, they agreed to play it for free. He said sometimes, they play at the vampire raves, so they already knew it.”
“Ialsodid some stalking and I happen to know that your mom is a big fan of a sandwich shop near campus and she took all her kids. I got you the Reuben and a vanilla latte,” West said.
“You’dbothbetter send me requests if you’re all over my social media.”
Church snapped the blanket out and threw a few pillows down. West set the picnic basket down and flopped on his back.
“Come snuggle with us while you enjoy your song.”
I dove in while Church snuggled into my back. This was perfect. There were only a few pixies at this school, but some of them were flying naked in the air playing in the lights. I swear to shit, I’d better not see my brother’s bare ass up there or I was going to zap him until he got out of my line of sight. I closed my eyes. West and Church smelledamazing.West was purring. Fucking lion.
West was stroking my arm and Church was playing with my hair. It was perfect.
“Are you making me feel so content?” I asked Church.
