The morning sun was too bright and rolling over, I made a mental note to get better curtains. Curling my arms around Logan, my cheek pressed against his back as I rubbed alongside him. So warm, and for some reason, he smelled extra good today. I could faintly hear the familiar murmur of my parents voices, the occasional clang of a pot or pan, as Mum made breakfast. On cue, the tempting aroma of bacon cooking filtered into my room, and as he rolled to now hold me in the crook of his arm, we both sighed with content.

I'd come home tipsy, slightly argumentative over the state of the world and all the injustices of it, to which he had merely opened his arm in reply to, and I disappeared into that tiny bubble of peace he offered. Of course, once I'd settled down, I had been too wired to sleep, and thankfully we found a way to use up some of that energy until we'd settled in each other's arms with everything alright in our little section of the world.

I still haven't found anything incriminating about the coven. The distillery in their basement may not pass some liquor licensing laws, but they did make one hell of a vodka, and I wasn't the police. The only thing I had found that sounded a little suspicious was the big event they were apparently stocking up supplies for. Ivy said she'd tell me closer and I had wanted to strangle her. It's like they knew that I knew they were up to something and were on the best behaviour now.

My hand drew tiny circles across Apollo's bare chest. His skin had goosebumps on as I followed the structure of his abs, he shivered. Sliding a leg over him, I end up resting on his hips and looking down at what was truly the most exceptional male specimen I had ever seen. And he was mine. Leaning down I kiss his stomach, leaving a trail of kisses until I reach his collarbone and finding that sensitive little spot on his neck, he flinches; the straight face he had been managing to keep disappearing as he broke out into a smile and finally opened his eyes.

"Morning, Bunny."

"Morning."

In seconds I'm back on the bed, with him now hovering over me as he returns the gesture. I giggle as he doesn't kiss, but lick my neck and try to push him away.

"Yuck!"

"You love it," He teases.

"Is that you I hear Elise?" I hear Mum call out from outside the door.

"No!" I answer, and Apollo shakes his head.

"Breakfast in ten if you're hungry."

I was starving, only it wasn't for bacon. Apparently, my appetite from last night wasn't completely satisfied.

"Thank you!" The words just leave me before I'm made speechless. His mouth on mine, hands touching me exactly where I need to be touched as all of him, becomes all of me.

He goes to shower first and comes out of his room as my Dad requests when we stay here. I take my time, feeling completely renewed by the time I join everyone at the table. The bulk of the food is gone, but I wasn't too hungry anyway.

"Good morning love," Mum greets, coffee soon following as Jordan passes a cup over.

"Isn't it though?" I smile back at her. The fake cockroach that was floating on the surface not bothering me as Jordan watches closely. I take a sip, grabbing it with my teeth before throwing it at my brother. "Really? That all you got?"

"At least Mum pretended to be surprised," He grumbled.

Apollo got up and went to the toaster, and picking up Dads paper, he smirked at me.

"Oh wow, did you guys see this?" We all looked at him. "After breaking things off with Justin, she wants to date a regular guy and is going to be in our city tomorrow undercover, looking to see if she can find, the one."

"What?" Jordan frowned. It was obvious and lame, but the secret Gomez fan had taken the hook.

"New reality TV show. Undercover Bachelorette celebrity edition." Apollo lied.

"You aren't actually-" Dad started, but I shushed him, while Mum sipped her tea to hide her smile.

"I call bullshit." Jordan snapped, getting up to snatch the paper off Apollo. He read the article. He got out his phone to google it. "This actually looks legit. See, she has been spotted with the producer of the Bachelorette."

"No way!" I gasp.

"You might actually get to meet her." Apollo enthused.

Jordan was blind to the joke.

"Hey, there's more on the other page," Apollo pointed out the arrow at the end of the article and read out the new headline. "Rumoured filming locations."

"No way!" He quickly scanned the locations.

Then he stopped.

"You asshole!" He snapped and taking a peek, Aprils Fool, You Idiot, Hardy Har Har, Jordan, were all listed on the page. "Using your freak abilities is cheating!"

"Don't hate us cause you ain't' us!" I grin as he pouted. "Good coffee by the way."

"Oh, Jordan." Dad sighed, shaking his head before leaving to go up to the Academy.

"Maybe next year love," Mum kissed his forehead as she passed to go too. "Dishes guys. Do you know who that Selena Gomez person is?"

I laugh as Dad can't answer her and he gets out his phone.

"You two can do the dishes after that little stunt." Jordan huffs. "I've got to get ready anyway. Finally got a location for those shifters last night, so we're off on yet another fun-filled adventure."

"What shifters?" I ask.

"New pack in what was Selene's old territory," He shudders at the mention of her. "We're meant to be checking in on them as nearby nymphs have been complaining. Late night rituals and whatnot, keeping them away at all hours of the morning. Last time shifters were involved in something like that-"

"You ended up on the run and then in their basement dungeon hideout as part of their required blood sacrifice." I cut in.

"Exactly. So this time, we're more prepared as we know what we could be dealing with." He shrugs.

"Want us to come too?" I offer. "Saves me having to save your ass later on?"

"Funny. And no. CJ is coming with me, and I think Penny. A couple of Trackers too."

"Great, so I get to save all of your asses and not just yours." I sigh. "I have to go and see Ailin this morning. Can you try not getting into trouble until this afternoon?"

"It happened one time. We'll be fine. The nymphs could just be making a big deal out of nothing."

"At least go check in with Oz when you get up that way." I insist.

Jordan smiles. "Promise we will. I'll even keep Anni close by."

Once he's gone, I'm sending my bear shifter friend a message to keep an eye out for them just in case Jordan forgets. And as an additional backup should the mutts need to be put back into place.

"You're actually just going to let him go there?" Apollo asks, following me to the sofa.

I shrug. It doesn't bother me today. "He's a big boy. He has a whole team and an Annipe with him."

I look out the sliding, glass doors and it's a beautiful day outside. I change my path from the sofa to outside and walking onto the grass, slip off my shoes.

"What are you doing? What time did you have to go see Ailin?"

"Later," I shrug. I wiggle my toes against the grass. It's damp, they'd been rain overnight, and the air feels cold like you can feel each breath filling your lungs. "It's so nice outside."

"Want to put your shoes on? It's not exactly warm out here?"

"You're always so serious. You're like, my Dad, always telling me what to do and what not to do." I huff.

I like the cold. It feels good to be out here.

"I don't want to-" He starts, following me.

"Then don't. Just come on, let's just, let go for a bit." I stop, smirking at him as I meet his gaze. "Or you chicken?"

I hold out my hand, and of course, he takes it.

I know he will always take it.

There could be a fire between us, and he will walk through it just to get to me. Whatever I ask of him, he will do it. Ivy claims that men seek to control us. Keep us beneath them. She obviously has never been the one in control. Had the power that made them obey. She didn't know what love could do to men. I did.

We leave the cold behind, and Apollo looks around. We're at the beach. We've been here before. No one is around. The moon sits on the horizon, and the waves barely tickle the shore as the ocean, so wild and fierce, is still like a pond. It's warm here. We breathe in the salty air, and I dip my bare toes into the ocean.

"I dreamt we came back here last night," I tell him as he stands behind me, his shoes gone. "Who said dreams can't come true?"

"Bunny, are you, feeling okay?"

"Yeah? I just, I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Lets, just enjoy this. There can be good in this world, there used to be some anyway. It doesn't have to always be, disaster after disaster. We need a break. We need to be at our best for whatever is next." I decide.

"And sneaking off to a deserted beach on the other side of the world is going to help you do that?" He asks, but now he isn't worried. I feel him relax. His guard drops.

"Before the mermaids came, it was so nice here. Wasn't it?"

I look up, and he's staring out at the ocean looking as peaceful as I woke up feeling. Shrugging out of his hold, I walk further into the water. My feet sink into the sand, and my pants are instantly soaked up to the ankle, then higher as I keep going.

"There's a difference between now and then though."

"What's that?" He asks, slowly taking a step after me.

I lose my jacket. My shirt. My bra. My pants. All of its gone until only the ocean touches my skin. A cloud passes the moon, his face in its shadow but I can feel his eyes on me as I turn around and go deeper.

"You don't have to be careful with me this time. I'm not broken anymore."

Diving under the water, I'm instantly lost to the vastness of the sea. It's dark and quiet, and then he is there. We break the surface together, taking a deep breath as though we hadn't been able to do so for much longer than the time we were under.

"I love you," He tells me again and again as he finds his feet and holds me close.

I know he does. Was this what Portia meant about him keeping me in his light? I stop myself from thinking and just let myself get lost in the water, the moonlight and him.

______________________

"Why do you look like you've been shipwrecked for a week and only just been found?" Ailin asked, still typing away at her computer as I appeared in her office.

"Is it the hair or my coconuts?" I look down at what I had managed to conjure up as I left the beach. "The shell thing wasn't going to work for me."

My hair was damp, sandy, and already feeling dry. I'd probably need more conditioner than humanly possible to fix it. The grass-skirt and coconut bra combo weren't what I had been going for when thinking beach chic either, but if the coconuts fit!

"I am aware you enjoy partaking in April Fools gags. Please laugh and then make yourself more presentable." She instructed.

"This wasn't a joke. I literally just came from the beach."

She stops typing and looks me up and down, shaking her head. "Never a dull moment with you is there?"

"I've heard it's one of my worse traits, but I do make a good whisky on ice."

"That's literally just whisky in a glass with ice cubes?" Ailins frown gets deeper.

"And I do it well." I hold out my hand and thankfully, that is what appears. "See?"

"Please put on appropriate attire. Brush your hair at least. Please stay sober, unless it's already too late to ask?"

I close my eyes and try to focus on the task at hand. Looking down again, its less Ailin acceptable office wear and a little more, Elise decided to be professional but couldn't be bothered. I have shoes on now, so it's a good start; my favourite pair too with the thin, high heel and red sole. Black, faux leather pants and a white blouse with a red bra underneath. I touch my head, and my hair is up in a messy bun, with all signs of the ocean gone. Damn.

"Better?" I ask, doing a twirl.

"Much." Ailin doesn't look happy, but then, does she ever?

She talks as we walk, and I hate the plain white halls. No windows. No plants. There isn't even a fish tank in reception. It's so, sterile.

"Elise?" She snaps.

"Yeah?"

"What did I just say?"

"I'm not sure, I didn't study for this quiz." I shrug.

"Where is your head at today?" Ailin comes closer, looking me right in the eyes. When she puts her hands on my upper arm, I'm worried she might start shaking me. "You're different."

"No, I'm not. I just, don't care anymore." I look at the wall behind her, and a bright, colourful painting appears. She doesn't notice. "It is, what it is, right?"

"Come on, let's see if we can survive this. Please, just try. For me, if nothing else."

Genzo is in the nice meeting room. He stands by the window looking out over the carpark. It isn't a great view, but the light here is warm and natural. I check for empty champagne bottles, but find none and relax as I follow Ailin towards him. Slowly he turns, nodding once at her in greeting before he looks at me.

"This world. It is, something." He says slowly.

I think that's meant to be insulting, but I am not entirely sure.

"There are many things to enjoy here," Ailin tells him, standing at his side. "We have travelled far, and seen all its wonders, yet it still manages to surprise us every day."

"The humans. You are fond of them?"

"Very." She nods.

"I have spent little time here. It is not the same place I first saw." He sighs. The weary kind of sigh I'm noticing most of these god-like creatures seem to share. "I ate at a McDonalds, last night. I quite enjoyed it."

"How did you-" I start, and before my eyes, the blue Shrek disappears.

The man that took his place is still taller than me, and would easily be taller than the average person. His face was plain and unassuming, his nose small and human compared the snout of the Oni. The only blue found now was the startling colour of his eyes and his hair. He dressed like Justin Beiber.

"Ah, so like how there is a cat demon inside you, there is this tall, late twenties - maybe, j-pop prince in him. Gotcha."

"Elise!" Ailin growled. "Have you lost your mind!"

Gozo surprised both of us with a loud, booming laugh leaving him. Ailin's face paled. I wondered why I even had to be here or if he actually understood what I said.

"I like J-Pop!" He laughed.

"You do?" We both ask, surprised.

"This one. Very disrespectful isn't she?" He asked Ailin once he finished laughing.

"She has her moments," Ailin agreed.

They both had a point.

"So, am I signing a poster or something or can I go now?"

This made him laugh again.

"I should be angry with this. But she is so, human. Look at her. No, you are like a cat. Cute to look at, soft to touch?" He smirks as I clench my hands in fists. "And you meow meow meow. "

"I've got claws too. Wanna see?" I don't meow, I growl. Looking at Ailin for a sign I can end this now. "Isn't that offensive to you too?"

"She doesn't disappoint," Genzo turns blue again and looks what I think is thoughtful.

"I told you already. She is young. A mere babe in an immortals lifetime. You poke the bear, Genzo. I do not control her. She is not one of my kind and my orders often, frequently, fall on deaf ears." That was Ailin's way of saying keep digging your own hole, cause I'm not getting you out.

"Relax, child. You are quite interesting to me, to my kind. To many of us. Humans don't do what you do. You are different from your kind too. You were the God Killer before you became a god. It has been, long, long time since powers of this kind were bestowed upon those from this realm and not already, as the land you are familiar with call themselves, a Power themselves."

"If you plan on taking me back as bait, ask the Norse people how that worked out for their kind," I warn.

"Oh, I heard. They underestimated you."

"Let me guess, you won't make the same mistake." I flex my hand, the feeling of my sword there and ready was one little thought away.

"Correct. I am not here to use you as bait. I do not want to fight, despite your constant willingness to offend me."

"Then why are you here?"

"I want you on our side. I want you as an ally."

I look at Ailin, this seems to surprise her too.

"Genzo of the Oni, you asked to meet the God Killer in goodwill. Your kind pledged their allegiance to the Treaty, and its Keepers that defend this land. You can-" Ailin was very calm. That meant she was completely losing her shit inside.

"If you did that, then we are already on the same side," I tell him.

"No. Not completely. You will put your people first and-"

"No deal. You can't ask me not to do that." Again my palm itches for my sword, but I hold back.

"So loyal, though I wonder what you would do if he asked you this question?" Genzo snorted.

"Who?"

"The Fallen King."

"Elise, you-" Ailin puts a hand on my arm, and I ignore her.

"He would never ask. The King knows I put my people, my world first."

"Is that why you left?" I wanted to wipe the smug look of his beast-like face so bad. "There is talk throughout our world of you. The Norse will not be the last to try and-"

"You do realise, he would align himself with us if it came to it. If everything manages to break into this realm, our allegiance from past years would still stand." I tell him, yet something in the back of mind shakes its head.

Cain would help me, help us, again if we needed it - wouldn't he?

"Maybe our interests are not as aligned as I thought. One thing we all believe is, on whose ground you stand, they will win." He looked between us warily. "Perhaps you are actually the ones on the wrong side."

He disappears, and Ailin lets out a long breath.

"Well, that couldn't have gone any worse."

"I could have cut that ridiculous look off his face. That wouldn't have gone great. For him, anyway." We sit, and I feel exhausted. So much for my good mood. "What do you think he is on about?"

"I don't know exactly. I'll get someone to look into it. I wonder if their allegiance still stands?" She wondered.

"Do we even want it?"

"I thought we might, I'm not so sure about it anymore. I'm not sure about much right now." She reached out and patted the top of my hand. "Thank you for keeping your claws in check."

"No worries Ailin. But, after this, I really hope you haven't lost yours. You're only our President. The great Kasha Leader doesn't have to disappear because of a new title."

"Neither does Elise Bunting, God Killer."