Page 26 of The Phoenix

Chapter Six

Wearing flowered capris along with cute new Italian leather ballet flats, Jace perched on a couch in the gathering room at the Covenkirk stronghold, her fingers caressing a worn text while she addressed the invited women. “Welcome to the first meeting of The Path Book Club.”

Beside her, Celene tucked her stylish chin-length blonde hair behind her ears, fingering multiple diamond studs on her lobes. “While Jace and I were in captivity, one of the few things we could do was read. Several volumes of The Path kept us from getting bored. At the same time, we learned more about the bastards who imprisoned us.”

Jace held her place in the book with a finger between the pages. “We read the first three volumes together. After I escaped Cerberus’s clutches, Celene finished the fourth on her own.” She glanced around the room. One of their group was missing. “Let’s wait for Chiara.”

Indigo skyrocketed off the floor. “I’ve got snacks in the kitchen. Help, Galena.”

Denim questioned Sabine while the two exited to get goodies. “Where’s Nico?”

“He said something about not wanting to be around so many hormonal vaginas.”

“How do you tolerate him?” asked Braelyn.

“He’s hot in bed. Besides, you should talk. Rein’s hardly the poster boy for women’s lib.”

“True. I love him anyway. He’s learning.”

Galena plunked glasses and three open bottles of wine on the coffee table while Indigo passed around a platter of cheese, sausage, and crackers. With a snack in hand, the quirky witch accepted a glass of pinot, settling onto a floor pillow.

A breathless Chiara rushed through the door. “Sorry, but somebody let a fucking cat loose downstairs. My babies went wild chasing it. The wolfhounds had the thing cornered when the critter reared onto its hind legs, claws out. It scared the shit out of my guys. Anyway, all’s calm now. Who’d bring a cat here?”

“Sorry,” Galena apologized from her seat on the floor near what was known as the big-ass coffee table, picked out by Margo when she redecorated the place. “My fault. It was the only way to get the witch Karla to the stronghold. I’ll tell her to keep a better eye on the feline.”

Dax, seeking forgiveness at the time, had brought Chiara’s four Russian wolfhounds to the stronghold to keep her company. Everyone loved the humongous beasts.

“We’re about to start, Chiara. You’ve missed nothing.” Braelyn sipped from her glass. “Before Rein and I mated, I read the first book of The Path at his place.”

“That’s when you were Miss Hotpants, trying to snag my nephew.” Indigo’s comment was met with hoots and hollers.

Brae smirked, waving off the appraisal but not denying it. “Supposedly, the stories are a record of what Ohngel told the Cambion. Later, they were translated into English. Anyway, Gahya, a minor goddess in Vast…”

“Where?” asked Margo.

Jace leaned forward. “It’s a place ruled by the OneCreator, where immortals live. They like to bet a lot. And screw. A lot.”

“Who’s Ohngel?” asked Fin.

Jace answered the question. “He’s a smoldering hot, fire-winged assassin, one of the Feard. Badass. Studly. Works for the OneCreator.” She wiggled deeper into the couch, the book resting in her lap. “Moving on. Because Gahya won a bet, she created Aeternals, making her the Genitrix.”

“When?” asked Skyler.

Jace scratched her head. “I’m thinking two hundred thousand years ago.”

“Here’s my take,” said Celene. “Gahya’s a capital B bitch. She drops her creations onto Earth but ignores them. Ohngel is ticked. He wants her to, you know, give them some values, rules. She prefers screwing, betting, and primping. Since her Aeternals are far from perfect, the OneCreator gets pissed and sends a virus which shortens their lives. Next comes a second wager which a guy called Gabriel wins. He gets to create another species. Humans.”

“Oh, good,” said Fin. “We were done on a bet.”

“You know you aren’t completely human, right?” said Chiara.

Thorn’s mate shook her head. “Close enough.”

Celene added, “Here’s the kicker. Gabriel used a drop of Aeternal blood to create Homo sapiens.”

“Wait.” Braelyn raised a hand. “We have their blood in us? We aren’t a separate species?”

“Not totally,” said Celene. “I guess that’s why we’re sexually compatible.”

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