Fate slowly walked forward until she stood before him. “Instead, I gave her a child descended from the womb of a Goddess, descended from one of the fiercest Indian chief’s your world ever knew. One whose heritage is one of the most noble to ever exist. A child with a soul of a warrior.
“I saw your soul the day my eldest chose which body you would inhabit for your earthly stay and knew I would never see another with your passion to live, to… survive. I knew when that woman chose you that day what you would have to suffer, what you would have to endure, but I knew you would survive. Not whole or pure as you once were, but alive, even stronger than before because now your soul had been forged in the fires of hell.
“Yes, it was my entire fault that you were the one to suffer.” Fate took a step closer to him until she was able to reach out and touch his chest where his heart laid beating. “In return, I gave you my gift. One I did not know if you would be able to treasure or abuse, even in this you did not fail. You love my daughter. I may not be the mother-in-law you want, but I chose you for Cara. No other could give her the protection, passion or love that you feel for her in your heart.”
Fate’s hand dropped away. Pride shown from her eyes for him that he had accepted the worst humanity had to offer, overcome every challenge, and even when hitting rock bottom with no one to depend on, had a strength that would not allow himself to be defeated. The soul of this man was worthy of her daughter.
Jericho stood speechless. All the hatred he felt for her slipped away, replaced with the love he felt for Cara. He couldn’t hate her when Fate was the reason he had Cara. That terrible day she had given him to the monster had set him on a journey toward Cara. She had been responsible for the worst times of his mortal life, yet in return, she had given him an eternity filled with love.
Fate reached out and wrapped her arms around Jericho, hugging him as his mother and his adoptive mother never could have, as a son who was loved and cherished. Fate gave to him what had always been absent from his life. A mother’s love.
Jericho hesitantly returned Fate’s hug. “Thank you. I will cherish Cara, always.”
Fate gave him a sincere smile. “I know you will.” Jericho laughed at the arrogant woman, knowing if he screwed up she wouldn’t hesitate to set him straight.
On the other side of the darkened doorway, Cara brushed away her tears. She didn’t want Jericho to know she had been listening, but she was determined to get her fair share of the hugs before getting down to the business of bringing her sisters home. Cara wanted all her family present when she married Jericho.
Cara pasted an innocent smile on her face when she stepped out and looked away from her mother’s knowing eyes to Jericho’s suspicious ones and gave the pretense up. It wasn’t going to be easy getting things past these two.
Sometimes, it just sucked having all these Gods around.
Epilogue
The smell of antiseptic clung to the air in the small, private room. The hospital had quieted down with the arrival of the third shift.
Edward had closed the door to give them a sense of privacy where it did not exist. Their last moments together were precious; the doctors had warned him that Mary’s time was near. He sat in a chair by her bedside, holding the frail, cold hand wearing the wedding ring placed on her hand decades ago. She had been restless all evening and had slipped into a light sleep that her evening medication had produced.
“Edward.” Startled Edward looked up from Mary at the gentle voice. He recognized her as the strange woman Jericho had brought to his home. Now she stood in Mary’s hospital room in a flowing white gown with Jericho by her side.
Shocked to see the man who had disappeared weeks ago, Edward got to his feet.
“Jericho, where have you been? The whole town has been looking for you.” As he questioned Jericho, he noticed for the first time that Jericho and Cara were both surround by a glowing light.
“Edward.” Cara’s soft voice once again drew his attention. “We’ve come for Mary.” Protectively, Edward moved closer to his wife’s bed.
“I don’t understand. Mary is ill; she can’t go anywhere with you.” The sadness in their faces had Edward turning back to glance down at Mary. She was lying still in her bed, the hand in his growing colder. Tears fell down his exhausted face.
“Mary is no longer there, Edward, but with us.” Edward was able to catch a glimpse of Mary’s form wavering in the light beside Cara.
“Please don’t take her. I can’t live without her.” He wasn’t ashamed to beg.
Sadly, Cara shook her head and motioned to the chair by Mary’s bedside. Edward didn’t want to look, but felt as if he had no choice. They might leave with Mary if he didn’t do as they wished. Afraid more than ever before, Edward turned to the chair and saw himself sitting there as still as Mary in her bed. His memory came back to him in a rush, remembering taking the pills. Edward had hoarded the pills carefully, and as he had watched Mary’s breaths slow, he had swallowed them.
Edward saw a dark force enter the room and terror filled his soul. Exhausted as he was, words were not needed to understand who Grimm was and whose soul he was there to collect.
Cara had tried to warn him. Mary would be taken from him after all.
“Grimm, please,” Cara greeted her rival, preparing herself to watch him take Edward. It would be useless to ask him to leave without the soul in which he had been dispatched to retrieve.
“Cara, it is good to see you again. Jericho.” Grimm gave Jericho a curt nod.
Grimm moved towards Edward, but found his way blocked by Jericho. “Move.” Grimm again moved toward Edward’s soul.
“No. You can’t have him.”
“You can’t stop me. Cara doesn’t have the power to take his soul from me. He took his own life. The consequence is inevitable. He is mine.”
“Cara might not have the power, but I do.” Jericho’s hand reached out and took Edward’s hand within his grasp and placed it within Cara’s waiting one. Instantly, Edwards’s soul became ethereal and floated to Mary’s by Cara’s side.
Grimm began to fade, becoming a dark shadow moving toward the couple now holding each other close. Jericho reached out, grabbing the shadow before he could reach his goal. At Jericho’s touch, Grimm’s body appeared again.
“From now on, things are going to be different.” Jericho pointed towards Cara. “She gets first choice.” Grimm’s fury filled the room. Cara was worried; however Jericho gave her a reassuring look.
“Once dispatched, I can’t return without a soul,” Grimm growled out between clenched teeth. Jericho gave him a mocking smile.
“You shouldn’t have to wait long; you’re already in a hospital.” Grimm didn’t appreciate Jericho’s sarcastic humor.
Grimm watched impotently as Cara and her souls moved through the waiting doorway. He just couldn’t resist a parting shot. “No one takes a soul from me.” Grimm gave Jericho a small warning. The last he would ever give. “You take one meant for me and then I’ll take one meant for Cara.”
Jericho moved before Grimm could disappear and with a hard punch to his face, sent him flying across the room where Grimm lay stunned on the floor. “Fuck with Cara, fuck with me.” With a wave of his hand he had Grimm back on his feet. “You didn’t lose Edward’s soul to Cara; it was never meant for you. They were soul mates. Mary’s love for him held him to her in life and death. Edward miscalculated that tonight wasn’t Mary’s time to go, but when she woke and saw what Edward had done, she quit fighting and allowed herself to die. Her love for him held her to life, prolonging her agony. Without Edward binding her soul, she was released from the unending pain. By doing so, we reached them before you could. If she had died a minute sooner or later, you would have won. Perfect timing, wouldn’t you say, Grimm?” Jericho turned, walking to the doorway that Cara was waiting impatiently behind.
“What makes you think I will tolerate your interference?” Grimm was pleased he was able to get his sarcastic words passed his sore j
aw.
“Fate.”
Grimm’s mouth dropped open in surprise. Not only was he up against Cara and her obnoxious demigod lover, but Fate had interfered. He hadn’t stood a chance.
***
Mother Nature laughed, waking Chronas sleeping beside her. He turned, taking his wife of centuries into his arms.
“Why are you still awake?”
“Making sure Cara and Jericho return home safely.”