I assured her, “You will.” I healed her and stepped back. Maximus handed me a sandwich which I gratefully accepted. He said, “So, that wasn’t good.” I said, “He abused her and was making her Demon weak. I thought I’d have to call in mom.” He ordered, “Conjure yourself more food. How long has she been here? Could your healing light tell?”
I admitted, “I hope I’m wrong.” He asked, “Why?” I said, “Because I think some of those injuries were twenty plus years old.” He jerked, “Good god. Iblis’s son was looking for him. Hopefully he will…” He trailed off and we both drew weapons as a shimmer started.
Iblis raised an eyebrow, “You did call me, young Maximus.” Maximus snorted, “I am not young.” He glanced past me and grinned. He said, “I see Bjourn had you kill him. Good.” He hadn’t noticed the woman who hadn’t regained consciousness after my healing.
Iblis asked, “Why on earth are you eating so much, Alexander?” His eyes looked like a flame when he asked, “Did this whelp hurt you?” I answered, “No, we found her.” He turned and gasped, “Asmodeus, above.” I asked, “You know her?” He nodded and tears filled his eyes.
He picked her up and she blinked. She snorted, “You look like King Iblis. Not that I met him. I was going to, then I was put into this hell.” He said, “I am Iblis, and my son has not been the same since your death.” She snorted, “Uhh I did not die.”
He admitted, “He did not believe you had, but we found all the evidence. Your family buried what was determined to beyour burned body. My son has not stopped searching the realms for you and we thought he’d gone mad.”
Which son? Oden snorted, “There really is no way of knowing since he has so many.” Maximus offered, “If you’d tell me who to call, I’ll get him.” Iblis said, “You’ve never met him. We’ve barely seen him because he refuses to quit searching. My children wanted me to order him to do so, but I could not. I have given the full funds to continue his search to do what he feels is needed.”
She sobbed, “He got close several times. I miss him so much.” Iblis said, “He loves you and you both already had my permission to be spears then, and now that can happen if it’s what you wish.” Oh shit. Someone faked the death of Iblis’ child’s chosen mate?!
Oden snorted, “He’s lucky we ripped his throat out then.” My dad linked, “You felt weak earlier. Why? Are you ok? You feel shocked now. What’s going on?” I answered, “Maximus and I liberated a woman whose been in captivity for quite some time and she happens to be someone a child of Iblis’ wanted as his chosen mate.”
My parents popped in. My mom glared at Iblis. She pointed, “You know if people would FUCKING TELL ME SHIT, I would solve their damn problems.” He explained, “She was supposed to be dead. We had evidence. My son couldn’t let her go, or so I thought. He had no proof she wasn’t dead. Or none that he gave to me. I would’ve asked you to pop to her if I thought she was alive.”
My mom sighed, “Fine. I accept that answer because you mean it. Which son?” He admitted, “You never met him.” She muttered, “Because you have so many damn kids.” He laughed, “You are one to talk.” She snorted, “Are you fucking serious right now? You have A SHIT TON more kids than Eric and I.” He winked at her and fired off a text on his phone.
He admitted, “I don’t know if he’ll read it. He’s out of touch a lot.” My mom rolled her eyes and popped out and back with a man. He said, “I don’t know you and…” The woman whispered, “Astaroth.” He whirled and put a hand to his heart before grabbing her out of his dad’s arms.
He held her tightly as though she may disappear. He sobbed, “Lamia. I knew it. As Asmodeus is my witness, I knew you were alive. I have been searching for you far and wide across all realms. Time has stopped moving since you were taken from me. I’m so sorry I didn’t protect you.”
She told him, “You kept me going.” He asked, “What happened to you? What are you wearing?” She snorted, “That evil spawn preferred human women from the fifties. I guess he fancied himself in love with my grandmother, who smiled at him in school once for the week he was there. He decided to take me and turn me into the perfect nineteen fifties human wife. Though I don’t think he understood humans back then. It didn’t go well.”
I asked, “How long have you been down there? The injuries I healed suggest at least twenty years.” She answered, “Twenty-three years, nine months, and twenty three days. I would tell you the hours, but I only got calendars, not a clock. Maybe because I had one and cracked the glass and cut him. One could not say.”
Astaroth laughed, “Did I not tell you about her fire and humor, father?” Iblis kissed his son’s forehead, “You did. I am sorry I did not believe you, son.” He looked pretty upset with himself. Astaroth said, “You thought I had lost it yet you gave me everything I needed.”
He squeezed his dad’s hand saying, “Many called me crazy, but you simply called me your son. You were worried about me and gave me everything I needed to do what I had to do. You argued I had to do this and let me do so. Thank you for coming to her.”
He turned to me and Maximus, “You both have a marker from me for anything you need.” Lamia cried, “A marker? For me? After all this time?” He said, “I will love you through space, times, realities, and one life to the next. You are it for me and you will always be. I pledged that to you then and I meant it. I truly never stopped looking for you.”
She said, “I knew you had because we moved multiple times.” I said, “It’s probably why he had such intense soundproofing. I couldn’t hear her heartbeat upstairs. My sister saw her when she heard about my mission and told me to save her.”
My mom handed her a card. She said, “I will speak to you anytime you wish, free of charge.” Iblis replied, “I will pay you, Haley. She has the weight of my family behind her. I was going to mark her as one of mine and give my son permission to take her as his spear. Astaroth told me how much he loved her, then proved it every single day for over twenty years.”
My mom shrugged, “It’s not necessary.” He disagreed, “It is.” He turned, “Lamia, you are now a daughter to me.” He marked her as one of his and nodded to his son. Iblis asked, “What do you want to do Lamia?”
She snorted, “Are you serious? I want to have sex with my man. Do you know nineteen fifties women aren’t allowed to masturbate and that fucker wanted me to beg him to have sex? When I tell you your son is magic between the sheets, I mean it. I haven’t had sex since I was taken.”
Oden blew out a sigh of relief and I had to admit, I did too. I would’ve hated for her to be raped. My mom busted up laughing. She waved, “I’m sorry. I can just imagine how fucking pissed off your captor was when you refused to beg.” Lamia winked, “It was the highlight of my day.”
My mom squeezed her hands, “You’re a warrior and a survivor.” Lamia’s eyes filled with tears while my mom continued, “When you have times where you fear this is not realand you’re not free, call me. Or speak to Astaroth. Find your person to center you and remind you this life is real. I struggled with that myself when I went to my Hackura family.”
Uncle Bjourn portaled in and asked, “Little one, are you ok? You pulled me and Gunner had your location with Alexander and…” He trailed off and asked, “What’s going on here? Astaroth you’re…” He stopped talking when he eyes landed on the woman in his arms. He asked, “Is that Lamia?” I answered, “Yup.” He rubbed his temples.
Iblis said, “I find myself wondering if anyone is really dead. I need to go to speak to Asmodeus.” He turned, “Are you ok, son?” Astaroth grinned, “For the first time in a long time I can tell you I am fine.” Iblis nodded, kissed the top of his son’s head, then shimmered away.
My dad put a hand on my shoulder. He said, “You did really well tonight.” I asked, “And where are we on the rogues?” My mom shot a sharp glance at me. My dad replied, “I have places for you to go if you need to do that.” Oden growled, “I do.”
I whispered, “She was a prisoner so long, but he never gave up. Even when all the odds were stacked against her.” My dad hummed. I added, “He never stopped loving her.” He nodded. I vowed then and there, I would be the same way about Melanie that Astaroth was about Lamia.
I would meet Melanie one day because I was stubborn, and I wasn’t giving up on her and us. Oden grumbled, “I’m so glad you admit that she’s ours now.” I said, “We will know in person someday, but there is nothing to say if she’s not we can’t be chosen mates.” He hummed, “Except she’s ours.”
Either way, I didn’t think it could go any other way at this point. We were both set on her, much like my dad was set on my mom. Oden growled, “Yes, because like Mom and Thor SHE IS OURS!” I had to stifle my smile at that.
