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EPILOGUE
Slowly the house returned to an almost quiet. Almost because, there was still emptiness where both Torin and Sapphire had once been.
William had returned from Cerberus's realm, blindly trying to make up for what he had said to Azrael. Sapphire had reached beyond the grave to bid both him and Zak goodbye, reaffirming the love that she had, and still felt for both of them. And in doing so, William knew that wherever she and Torin were, there was something out there, other than just the blackness of death.
Azrael cried with him as he struggled to relay what he had felt and heard. "I'm sorry Azrael, I was wrong, Robby made me see how wrong I was. I don't know where they are, but wherever it is, they're happy and they're together."
"I know that William, she was with us briefly, Tori as well. My life is still with me, because she bid Loki to live." He looked down at the body of Topaz. "I am sane again because of her little sister here. She will rise at sun set, and will be my Childe." He kissed him.
William lay against him. "Zephyr is going to be thrilled." He smiled. "Hell, I'm thrilled and I'm not one of you yet. It's going to be so weird, having a family again."
"Will," Azrael shorted his name as he had heard Gabriel, Sapphire, and Torin do so many times. "You already have a family, child. We became your family the night Gabriel took you as his husband, and his Chosen.
"Yeah, you're my in-laws for now." Then a soft, sad, smile "as Robyn, or maybe I should call her, Sapphire, would have said, ga'damn, but, what a wild bunch of in-laws." Then he nodded at the dead girl on the bed. "Warning, you might want to get ready, Morgan, I mean, Topaz is going to call you, 'Daddy', that's the way that girl is. She lost her parents at a real young age, like Christian lost his. And sometimes, when I'm passing David's room, I hear him calling David that. He probably called his first Sire that."
"I know that, William. If she does, I will accept it, as what it is meant as. I will also still have a continued connection to both Torin and Sapphire, with it." He looked up, to, where Zak stood, with, Shadow and Cain as Michael introduced the three to their aunt and uncles. "Where are you sleeping tonight pet?"
"I don't know, probably, alone. Why?"
"You sleep the day with Gabriel. If I asked you to come and be with Loki, Selene, and I. You would not have trouble sleeping through the day, would you?"
William shook his head. "No, just because I didn't sleep with any of the men here, didn't mean I didn't sleep with Selene and Anna. Over the past year, when ever Tori was sleeping with Casey, Zak had a tendency to sleep with Michael and Jason." He stopped. "I know he's Shadow now, but back then, he was still Jason. So unless she was with you, I stayed with her, and when she was, I slept with Anna." He smiled, ever so slightly. "You inviting me to go to bed with you?"
"Only if you feel it would not threaten you." Yes he wanted this boy to sleep with him and Loki wanted to share his love with another that had loved his precious one.
William turned his head, "Zak."
Zak looked up, "Will?"
"See you tomorrow night. I'm going to go and stay with Azrael and Loki." He leaned back against Azrael. Comfortable for only the third time in his life, to be willing to be loved by a man that wasn't Zak. And only the second with his mind clear.
Loki sat with Selene as they tried to calm the three mortals' in their care. Casey most of all. Torin had been something of a rarity for him, a real friend. And now with his friend gone, he was so hurt. And even though Torin had bid him goodbye before the connection was finally severed and he was fully gone, it still hurt so much.
"Casey?" Selene tried to get him to look at her.
"Mistress?" he looked at her.
"Are you going to be okay honey?"
Casey just lay against her, crying. "I-I miss him." He cried. "I loved him so much, I miss him." He had learned over the last year, that, his mistress really knew what fear and pain was. She had begun to help him, almost as much as Torin had, learn to live again. "I can't believe he is gone."
Selene sat there, holding Casey in her arms, rocking his slowly. Sharing in his pain, his loss, and his tears, as they cried together.
Loki tried to calm both Willow and Kell down. But Kell wouldn't believe that he hadn't done something to hurt Torin. That it wasn't his fault that the man that had not only helped them by healing both he and Willow, but by seeing to it that, their, tormentor paid for his crimes. "Please," he tried to pull back as Loki gathered him into his arms. 'Please, Master, I didn't mean to hurt him. All he wanted me to do is make love to him. Please, believe me, I didn't mean to kill him."
"Kell." Loki struggled not to harm the boy as he made him be still in his arms. "You did nothing wrong. And you most assuredly didn't kill him." He hushed the boy's protests with a kiss. "No, more, you must let it go. The pain is still too new and too raw."
"But he died." Why couldn't he make this man, his master, understand. "I touched him, and he died."
Loki closed his eyes, trying to gather himself, trying to keep from touching that part of his heart that hurt so much. "Kell." He whispered. "You did no wrong, if anything, both Azrael and I have you to thank. You were willing to share pleasure with him, be open to him. Torin would have died, no matter what you did or didn't do, but feel comfort in knowing that before he died, he shared his pleasure and his love with you."
*Beloved, * Loki looked up to where Azrael sat, holding William. * I am taking Topaz and this one, and seeking my bed. Will you join us? *
*Yes, I'm only trying to convince Kell that Torin's death wasn't his fault. He thinks that just because he was the last one to touch him, he killed him. *
*Let us go somewhere alone and I will make the boy understand, there was nothing that he could have done to cause or stop it. Tori's mind would not be mine. His was a flawed Gift. *
*No, love, not flawed, never flawed. * Loki was quick to disagree with his lover. * His soul, it was too strong, but it could not leave, not as long as Sapphire lived, so his mind, the only thing he could send, on, was the thing that fled. *
*Thank you. *
*Let's go to bed. Is William coming? * Loki finally noticed, whom, Azrael held.
Azrael stood, pulling away from William to lift Topaz's body into his arms. * Yes, I still have something of Torin and Sapphire in his continued love for them. *
William let Azrael lead him down the hall. He knew Robyn was okay now, even happy in her death. But he still hurt, and he knew that these two men, who were still here, they hurt too. So with them, he would share his hurt.
"Will?" Azrael whispered as the opened the door to his chamber. "Again, I must ask you. Is this what you can live with? I do not threaten you or your connection with your love?" He stroked the boy's cheek.
William looked into the pain filled, brown, eyes. "Other than Zak, you two are the only ones that really, really, loved her like I do. Zak is with those that can help him. So yes, I am sure I want this, and no, you don't threaten me. I believe you won't hurt me. Robby trusted you, and even with what she was like, she trusted you not to do her wrong. If she could trust you, like that, how could I not? Please, Azrael, I am sorry for what I said. I was wrong. I know that."
Azrael touched his face as the door closed. "I know you did not mean what you said, love. It was the pain." Even though William was willing to be open to others, Azrael felt the boys lips tremble as he kissed him. "If that is so, love, grieve with me, share the pain that we still suffer."
Later, much, later, as Azrael lay among the tangle or bodies on his bed, he closed his eyes, fighting the pain and the tears as he sought out the one Kin that he still has to tell of Torin's and Sapphire's death, * Isis. *
Her soft light touch brushed over him. * What is it Azrael. What has happened to have you summoning me as you are? *
*Link with me, there is so much I need to tell you. * He opened himself to her. And what had happened since last she had seen him played out in her mind. From his rescuing Loki and his linking his life to the wounded Kin, to the poor abused children that were brought for Torin to heal, and his subsequent challenge and victory over the one that had abused them so. The joy of the welcoming of Horus's Childe back to the fold and his making and loss of his Mageling Childe. And with his death, the loss of Sapphire as well.
*Keep your children with you and your cherished beloved for now, little one. * The pain and sorrow in her thoughts was almost too much for Azrael to bear. * Call on me if that little one you have taken does not ease your pain. I will come. *
*She has. Oh I still bleed from my loss, but between she and my beloved's new Childe, I will heal. Tori, was, not the first Childe I have been forced to release. Only the newest and most painful. *
He could feel her sob in pain down the link they now shared. * Hold my littlest, that wonderful Childe. Let her, know, as she rises that I am here, and will always be here. I am so sorry for your loss, Azrael, I know it is a mortal saying, but it is even more true for us. No Childe should die before their parent. *
*Thank you Isis. Please pass along what has happened to the others. So that not only will they know of Torin's passing, but of Cerberus's return to us. Sleep well, aunt. *
*Safe domain the eldest of my brother. *
Azrael rolled over, pulling Loki, his love, his life, to him
"Did you reach her?" Loki's voice was soft, not wanting to disturb the sleeping mortals in their room.
"Yes, she knows all I know now."
"And she knows of me? Is she upset that you chose to take me as your husband?"
Azrael pulled him close. * Yes, my most, beloved, of all, the keeper of my heart. She knows of you, and no, she is not upset. I told you, she would welcome you. Enough fear, you are with me now, and with me you will always remain. * He was so tired. "Good night love." He whispered, his arms tightening around Loki. "Sleep safe, beloved, sleep safe."
THE LAST BABBLE YOU WILL GET FROM ME, FOR A WHILE.
Okay, so now you've finished yet another of my books, the last in the trilogy. But don't worry. I've got plans and ideas for yet another trilogy, so just hold on. It's coming, I swear, it's coming,
You have no idea how hard it was killing off two of the main characters in these pages. I cried, I never realized how much these two had come to mean to me. Maybe it's just me and my twisted little mind, but they had become almost real to me, so when they died, I so wanted to do it up right. So that is how your handy erotica became serious for a while. Sorry, but with each return to this universe I make, the world in my heart and mind becomes more and more real to me.
Once again, thanks to all my friends and enemies for giving me the push to finish this mad dream. And to my editor, who is still pulling her hair out over the amount of work I keep giving her.
And, like I did in the other two, a quick note reminding you all to enjoy life and to enjoy it and all those you love, for just that, life.
See ya in a few.
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