North

"You saw him," I said, sucking in a painful breath.

Helios gave me a sympathetic look. "I saw his consciousness. He's trapped North. Kaylie turned him into a hollow. His life force no longer belongs to him."

"What does that even mean? Are you telling me that my husband is gone, that he's a fucking zombie?" I yelled, my hands gripping the back of the chair so hard it cracked. "And what do you mean they shoved Deimos in him?"

Helios sighed, but it was Nyx that answered. She nodded at Queen who came and stepped in front of me pulling my arms around her waist. "Brandon isn't dead, but he's very much trapped. To create a hollow, the caster strips the life force from the vessel. That means she is in possession of his life force. It can be taken back, but it might kill her in the process. As for Deimos, well the entire purpose of a hollow is to seize souls or consciousness. Brandon trapped Deimos inside his vessel."

"Then how was he able to reach out to Helios?" Queen asked. I could feel her confusion and concern. I rested my head on hers, breathing in her scent to calm me.

"That's what's crazy, he shouldn't have been able to. Hell, he shouldn't even be able to think, but he can. Deimos is right, you've found a way, Eveleen. Somehow the connection you have to all of them is stronger than any spell or magic the girls or Erebus, hell even Deimos himself has been able to cast," Helios said.

"It's love," Gabe said quietly. He looked at her with complete devotion. "It's the love we share with her and for each other. I know it sounds corny and even a little Disney, but it's true. Think back to the first time she and Owen died in Faire. My love, our soul connection, tethered her to us. You said it yourself," he said looking at the Morrigan. "She needed her heart and soul to continue. Well, we are all that for each other. If one of us falls, we all feel it. Our connections are so crisscrossed and intertwined that we are stronger than the damn shadow magic they used. I'll lay odds that little wolf has far more than just shadow magic, even if she is a dark goddess now."

Nyx gave a wicked sneer, "Care to test his theory, Eveleen?"

Queen matched her smile, "I think that would be fascinating." I groaned and she looked up at me, "What? Can a girl cut loose and have some fun," she giggled.

"Sean, are your healing powers in full control?" I asked.

He laughed, "Between the two halves, I think Morpheus and I can handle their wounds."

Eveleen

Nyx and I stepped into an open area outside the chateau we were staying in. Loki stood between us, "I would ask you ladies to fight fair, but I'm a realist. The idea here is to test Eveleen's new abilities, not kill her, Nyx. Either of you are free to call the sparring to a halt at any time." He walked toward me, "Ástvinur, listen to your body and trust yourself. If I'm correct, you will be stronger than any of them eventually." He placed a soft kiss on my forehead and I felt a surge of his power weaving through me, calming me.

I smiled at him as he turned to walk away and giggled, when I flicked my finger, planting a swat on his ass. He jolted slightly and turned around mouthing, "Cheeky girl."

"I'm not planning on holding back, so you know," Nyx grinned.

"I'd expect nothing less," I snorted and relaxed my body. She launched a wave of magic that sent me reeling. "Fuck," I muttered.

Pay attention to her body language, Jewel, I heard Victor's voice in my mind.

I let out a breath and nodded for her to go again. Her movements were quick but just before she released the energy, her eyes seemed to shift. I spun, forming a funnel around myself that refracted most of the magic while absorbing the rest. I grinned and shot her own magic back at her. Her face morphed into rage as the wave sent her flying backward. She let out a feral roar and hurled shadows at me. My hands shot up shooting out a wave of light similar to what Corey and Brandon could do. It was blinding as it dissolved the shadows - except one.

I hadn't noticed the shadow that had circled behind me. Pain shot through me and I whimpered for a moment. Then I got pissed. I let out a scream and felt my own shadows manifest. My eyes closed yet I could still see everything and everyone - only, I couldn't. It took me a minute to realize that I wasn't seeing with my own eyes, but those of my husbands. They had been spaced around the field, most near their patrons, while Owen and Victor held our sons. I was seeing what they were seeing. I watched as the shadows surrounded Nyx but then also formed barriers around my loves. My instinct was not only to fight, but to instantly protect what was mine, and

They. Were. Mine.

My fingers curled as I made my shadows dig into her until I felt Axel's hands on me, "Dove, stop." My body instantly relaxed. I could feel his power swirl around me as I leaned back against his chest. "Call them back to you," he whispered. Not a sound passed my lips as I felt them return, settling somewhere deep inside of me. "Now, I want you to listen to my voice and focus. I want you to reach out to the others, to Marc, Corey, Brandon, Raven, and Deimos. I want you to try and see through their eyes like you did to us."

I felt Silas move in front of me, his hands wrapping around me as they held me cocooned in their embrace. "Use us as your anchors, Seirína," he cooed, his eyes blackening.

It was like the shadow magic that had transformed them called to mine. I felt myself sway as I reached out, just as I'd done the day Idris and Ash were born. My eyes stayed locked with Silas, but I wasn't seeing him any longer. I trembled as I became a shade in Demios's kingdom, slipping through walls and chambers as I was pulled to each of them through the bond. I found the form of Demios on the cell floor, looking like a discarded suit as it lay lifeless, then turned to see Brandon's emaciated form staring at it. His eyes were a milky white, but when the wisps of my magic touched him, I caught a quick glimpse of both him and Deimos. I felt myself being pulled away as I searched for the others. A growl caused me to stop my movements, my eyes landing on the creatures Raven and Corey had become. Their yellow eyes were feral with no semblance of humanity as they snarled and snapped in my direction. Ciúin - I projected to them as they lowered their heads with soft whines. Then I felt myself being pulled again as I drifted down a dark corridor.

A slithering sound of scales halted me. The giant snake reared up and bobbed back and forth, its mismatched eyes locked on me. It looked through me, then hissed and lunged. I felt a rush of euphoria as Marc's venom flooded my senses and my eyes closed.

Silas

I watched her eyes shift as she located each of them. Her eyes would match theirs as she moved - white, yellow, then serpentine mismatched eyes met mine and my heart clenched - Marc.

"Dove!" Axel roared as her entire body suddenly stiffened. She let out a loud moan and fell against him. She was writhing and thrashing about as her eyes stayed just like Marc's, then she went completely limp sagging in our embrace. "What did he do to her?" Axel whispered.

"Bit her most likely," Loki said as he pressed a hand to her head. "His venom has always been powerful, but now... We need to keep an eye on her, and you two need to keep your tether around her. If she doesn't wake soon, I'll try and follow her down the rabbit hole.

Eveleen

I heard the slithering of his coils and felt something pressed against me. I'm not really here, so how is this happening, I wondered but kept my eyes closed.

I know you're awake, Minx, I heard his voice in my mind, But you might want to keep your eyes closed. I'm not sure seeing me like this is what you want.

I could hear the heartbreak in his voice. I reached out and ran my hand, well the shade's hand along his scales. I'm not exactly myself either, mo bhaile, I explained.

It's why I attacked. I thought Erebus had managed to put your soul in a shade and I was furious, but when I felt you... I'm sorry, Minx, so sorry.

Shh, you've done nothing wrong. It's okay, we're all going to be okay, I tried to reassure him.

His laughter was edged with a hissing sound. I'm a fucking snake, baby. How the hell is that okay? Not to mention Corey and Raven are well, hell I don't even know what they are. Silas and Axel are like squid things and really fucking violent - do you know they can devour life essence now? It's creepy as fuck to watch. I have no idea what happened to most of the others. So tell me dear wife, how is any of this okay? He let out a huff like a spoiled toddler and I laughed. What exactly is funny?

You mo bhaile, you're what is funny. You are ranting and pouting like a spoiled child. All is not lost, you just can't see what I know. Yes, you're a snake, Corey and Raven are changed, but Silas and Axel are safe, love. So are most of the others. Matter of fact, only you, Corey, Raven, and Brandon remain here now. We've managed to rescue everyone else and for the most part, undo or mitigate what spells were cast.

A...Axel and Silas are okay? He sputtered.

Yes love, they are. Matter of fact, they're my anchors at this very moment. Come closer, please. Touch me and reach out to them. I felt him hesitate, then finally wrap himself around this form. I pushed my own magic toward him and then called out to them.

Silas, Axel, can you hear me?

Yes, Dove. Who's with you? Axel asked. I heard Marc make a strangled sound. M...Marc, is that you, love?

Axel, he breathed, please tell me it's really you, he begged.

It's really us, our beautiful boy, Silas said, his voice filled with emotions. Come back to us

I...I don't know how, Marc sobbed. I reached out a hand to touch him and sighed.

An idea popped into my head and I opened my eyes, meeting Marc's serpentine ones. You're going to have to trust me on this, my loves. Axel, Silas, I need you to get the three of us in water and allow your leviathan forms to surface.

Dove? Axel questioned.

Please, just do it. Have Gabriel teleport you if needed, but just do it and don't break the tether. I felt my form jostle as they did what I wanted. It was as if I could feel this form and my true one simultaneously. I also felt a strange pulling sensation as they both shifted. Fuck me, I muttered softly as the rush of lust filled my mind.

Silas chuckled, Seirína are you sure you're ready for this? If you are about to do what I think, then you won't be walking any time in the near future.

I groaned internally. He wasn't wrong. Between the pheromones in Marc's bite and now their leviathan forms, I was a goner the moment this worked...if it worked.

Okay, on three, I need all of you to bite me at the same time.

Author's Notes:  Smut ahead!