“How and with whom?”
Vaia shrugged. “Ask around, read a book, I really couldn’t say more than that.”
Nico’s expression shifted from scowly to frustrated. “Where can we find Hathor?”
“She isn’t fond of this Plane, which is weird really, given she wants a big slice of it. She has a palatial abode on another Plane, and don’t ask me which one. I was blindfolded going in and out so I have no idea.”
“What do you plan to do next?” Gigi enquired, curious.
“Next?” Ouranos, in the name of the Heavens, when was the last time she hadn’t had Fate pounding away at her so she could actually think straight and make a calculated personal decision? The constant cutting of the deck, the rolling of the dice and the throwing of the bones, the only way Vaia and her sisters had found to keep themselves from going mad. But it meant they were always on, the flow of Fate always battering away at them. Not here though. Nothing but seagulls, waves lapping against the shore, and pesky locals wanting something from her.
The more time she spent here, the more Vaia was beginning to see the positives. Although of course, if the darling little for sale boutique bar did prove perfect for their needs and they really did decide to settle here, there would be a price to pay. There always was. But the idea of signing up for a war against a plotting Cabal of Deities – as much as Fate would allow – didn’t exactly detract from the tempting offer.
To be truthful, after a few weeks as prisoner of Hathor and then Qetesh, Vaia wouldn’t be averse to a little personal payback. “Given the number of bikinis in the gift bag I received this morning, I believe I get a four day reprieve to do nothing but lieon this gorgeous beach and soak up the sun. On the fifth day?” Vaia shrugged. “Whatever Fate brings I suppose.”
Nico looked like he wasn’t finished questioning her but Gigi seemed to realise that Vaia had given them as much as she could, unless they asked a question in a specific way, and even then, the chances of Vaia being able to give them a useful answer was questionable. The other woman appearing to understand that the many rules and regulations of being a Fate were quite literally burned into Vaia’s bones.
“Come on, Nico, I really need a hot chocolate or something to warm me up.”
Nico, rolling his shirt-sleeves up because he was hot, sent her a grumpy scowl, not because he was angry, Vaia thought, but because he was worried about her, this woman who was both his and not his. And again, not Vaia’s problem.
She watched the duo rise. Gigi smiling down at Vaia. “Thanks.” From under the blanket she held out a small purple and white striped box. “Just a few little treats, to welcome you to the Sanctuary.” And now she was the one giving Vaia a knowing wink. The bikinis, the matchmaker’s casual visit, the box, which according to the label was full of coffee and orange truffles, two of her favourite flavours, Vaia couldn’t help but wonder if there wasn’t a bulletin board detailing all her personal likes and dislikes up in the town square.
It would be weird, living in a place like this, where everyone knew about the Supernatural and would be poking their noses into the Siros sisters’ personal business. Though perhaps once they discovered how hamstrung the sisters were by the rules that governed Fate they’d back off. Though she had meant what she’d said earlier, Vaia was prepared to push the boundaries of those rules to their very limit to get a little payback on the deity Cabal that thought to use and abuse her.
Hmmm, but what if joining the war effort wasn’t the only price to be paid? That visit from the local matchmaker, it had Vaia’s instincts twitching. What if… what if, no. It seemed silly but suddenly she had to know, staring down at the cards, gripping them tightly, thinking about her own future, her own Fate. Ouch. Abruptly dropping the deck down onto the towel beside her.
Every card from the suit of hearts had landed face up, every other card landing face down. Statistically bloody impossible. Unless Fate was involved. Crap. The queen of hearts card in particular was looking up at Vaia with a strange mocking glint in her eye.
Hah, love and her? It wasn’t unheard of for Fate’s Maidens to meld, to marry. When they met the one, and made a commitment, it was for life. But the journey to falling in love? Every family story about a Handmaiden meeting the love of their life was full of drama, danger, adventure and deadly challenges.
Gathering up the cards, Vaia frowned, she could run, find her sisters, and the three of them could establish a new base of operations elsewhere in the world. She’d heard Barbados was nice.
The problem was Fate. It always found you in the end. Usually it was best to face it head on.
What do you know. A place to live. A new business to set up. And the love of her life soon to gatecrash it all.
Blindsided twice in a matter of months. It really didn’t bode well for the future, or this man, whoever he might turn out to be.
Bloody Fate.
Chapter Twenty
It had been a week since the baby shower, and all was quiet. Too quiet. Nico glanced over at Gigi, looking so damn happy and healthy she practically glowed, standing at the wheel of his boat, dressed in tiny yellow shorts and a white t-shirt. The breeze whipping back her pale blonde hair.
Whatever was going on with her was like that. Sometimes she needed four blankets and still her teeth chattered. Then, suddenly, she was fine. Like she’d never been sick at all.
The blood tests had come back negative. So more tests had been ordered. They’d come back negative too. Now they were chasing a supernatural diagnosis. Three days ago they’d visited Gigi’s cousin, Locke, and his meld mate, Serena. Killing two birds with one stone, Gigi had claimed, handing over a big box of cookies all shaped like prams, storks carrying babies and rattles.
The couple had held off announcing they were pregnant with twins until after Nell’s shower. But now the local grapevine was abuzz. Four months along. Twins. Which everyone agreed was normal when it came to Earth Witch pregnancies. They tended to run to multiples. All that fertility and close relationship with Mother Nature had repercussions.
Serena had chatted with them in her greenhouse, a lush space full of palms, ferns and orchids. The building located at the rear of her massive plant nursery. Dressed in what looked like a uniform featuring a dark purple top and matching heavy duty work pants and boots, Serena had listened intently to Gigi describe what was going on with her, before requesting she walk around the greenhouse twice. Then, and Nico still wasn’t sure he’d seen what he thought he’d seen. Serena had walked the exact same route and it was as if the flowers and palms reached out to touch her.
And according to Serena, the plants couldn’t find anything wrong medically with Gigi.
Next they’d tried Gigi’s Great-Uncle Herman, the local vet. He’d run this hands over her legs and arms like she was a thoroughbred and announced gravely that as far as he was concerned, Gigi was as healthy as a, well, horse.
There followed an afternoon of visiting with assorted other relatives. The Great-Great-Aunt who read tea leaves. The second cousin with the super sensitive nose, who failed to sniff out any abnormalities. And the third cousin twice removed who saw auras, who just giggled, patted Gigi on the hand and sent them on their way.
