Hooked [Complete]

Epilogue

Here it is: the Conclusion of Hooked.

Song for this Chapter: God's Not Dead by the Newboys

"You're kidding, right?" Ceryn swung around in accusation at her godly parents, a dramatic hand extended to the Crone's shack. "This is our new house?"

Cerridwen smiled sweetly, "Well, the house isn't much, but the cell phone service here is excellent."

Ceryn let out a frustrated growl and snatched her brother by the arm. "What's a cell phone? Come on, Noon. It looks like we need to find another tree to live in."

"Stay within the wards," Cernunnos called after them, as he reached up to take Faerie from his shoulders and set her on the ground to toddle about. "If you run across any boar—that's a kind of shortlegged, fat beastie with a snout--leave them be, for now. They are wicked vicious." Then he smiled down at Cerridwen. "You are evil, Witch. Our daughter is horrible enough at this age, without you riling her up."

Cerridwen's laugh tinkled, "She makes it so easy, though. Oh Horny, it's so good to be back!" She looked down at Fairie, who was bundled against the winter mountain weather in skins and furs and roughly fashioned moccasins. She snapped her fingers and reclothed her in an adorable fuzzy sherpa suit with ears on the top, and soft little boots. Faerie immediately sat down to inspect and pull the shoes off.

"No baby, leave them on," Carrie said. Faerie laughed and took them off. Cerridwen snapped them back on. Faerie screeched, pulled them off again, and ran away sock-footed from the offending shoes.

"It will be a bit of an adjustment, huh?" Cernunnos grinned pulling his goddess close and nuzzling into her hair. "Are you going back to your modern look, love? I'll miss my wild witch, if you do."

"I can't walk around in skins, just because you've gotten in touch with your inner beast again."

She snapped fingers, replacing her skins with jeans, boots, a sweater and a dark red pea-coat. She did not recall her modern glamour of pure porcelain, but she did tame her hair and add a little make-up.

Cernunnos kissed her nose. "I'm glad you are leaving the freckles." He opened his arms, gesturing down his bare chest. "Will you do me?" he said with a grin. Carrie smiled sweetly. "Always." She adorned him in dark jeans, docs, and a thickly cabled gray sweater. Cernunnos rubbed down his hidden stomach and shirked his shoulders. "Stag, it feels weird to wear a shirt."

"Hmmmm, I like it," she said, running her hands underneath, up his sides. "It's like...you are a majestic secret only I know." She nipped at his bottom lip and pushed him away gently. "All right, let's put the place in order. The key?"

"I don't have the key," Cernunnos said blankly. "Don't you have it?"

"No, my love, I'm sorry, I didn't have it strapped to my soul when Mercury decided to murder me," she replied with a touch of sarcasm.

"Hey," Cernunnos put his arms around her. "You know he will never hurt you again, right? I'm issuing a divine restraining order against him, effectively immediately. I'll make sure he knows he has used up all the mercy I will ever extend him. If he comes within a hundred miles of my domain, I will fucking end him forever." Cernunnos eyes grew dark with pin pricks of light, like the Universal Altar, and Cerridwen felt positive he was more powerful than any Roman god, for their communion in Sacred Space.

And that meant she was more powerful, too. She wrapped her arms around him. "I have no fear of Mercury. Leave him be. You say yourself we will have to work together with the Romans. Of all of them, he might actually be the most tolerable."

He rubbed her back. "Aye, but you don't ever have to see Mercury again, unless it is your choice."

She nodded, letting the matter drop. "Well, let's see...who would have the key?" She smiled and snapped her fingers.