THE forest had certainly not changed. It was still dark and creepy - especially now that Mikki knew what lurked out there. Of course now she was a goddess, so the Dream Stealers would have a whole new ball game to play if they tried to trap her again. And they would - Hecate had already warned her about that. Just because she was an immortal now, it didn't mean she wasn't still fallible and able to be manipulated by darker emotions. Hecate herself had been proof of that. Mikki shivered and wrapped her purple palla around her shoulders more tightly. She'd be careful.

Weird that she didn't feel any different. Or at least not that much different. She'd felt the roses when she'd returned. Really felt them. Embarrassingly enough, they had rejoiced when she entered the realm. Although now that she knew they had real emotions and bright little spirits, she felt decidedly less ridiculous about all those years she'd talked to her bushes. Still, it was a wonderful yet odd sensation that she'd have to get used to.

The handmaidens would be really glad to see her, and Mikki was looking forward to surprising them in the morning. But not tonight. Tonight there was only one person she wanted to see - only one place she wanted to be - and that was in Asterius's arms.

Mikki could feel that he was out here somewhere, gathering the threads of reality to take to the Dream Weavers. She could have waited for him in his home. She could have called him to her bedroom in the palace. She hadn't wanted to do either. She would come to him because she loved the innocent joy he so obviously felt every time she chose him. And she wanted him to know she would keep choosing him for all of eternity.

A flicker of light drew her to the right. She followed it, and the flicker became a torch. Holding her breath, she made her way slowly and silently toward it. He was standing with his back to her, combing the limbs of the ancient tree above him. Glittering threads appeared within his hands, and he pulled and spun them into a luminous mound of magick on the forest floor.

She moved closer and then stopped when he made a low moan. He turned to the side with a sudden flinching movement, as if the thread he was weaving had caused him pain. But he didn't drop it. Instead he stared at it with an agonized expression filled with despair and longing.

Mikki looked within the thread and saw herself. She was heavy with child, which was truly a shock, but her shock shifted to joy as she watched Asterius enter the frame and pull her into his arms. He kissed her and then dropped to his knees, placing his lips gently against her swollen belly. In the dream vision, Mikki saw herself smile contentedly and reach out and stroke her finger down one of his ebony horns, just as she had done long ago.

With an anguished cry, Asterius hurled the thread away from him. "Why do you torment me?" he roared.

Mikki stepped from the shadows. "It torments you to think of me being pregnant? I think I'm the one who should be tormented. I mean, the whole horns and hooves issue in utero is a little daunting."

Asterius didn't move. He only stared at Mikki with eyes filled with hatred. "Begone apparition! I will not fall prey to your evil lies." Growling menacingly, he started moving stealthily toward her, holding his deadly claws before him like blades.

"Asterius! It's me! I just wanted to surprise you."

His look darkened. "I said begone, nightmare creature!" He closed on her.

Mikki squealed and stepped back, blurting the first thing that came in her mind. "The first night we met you put a rose in my wineglass!"

As if he'd run against a wall, Asterius halted.

"Mikado?" he said tentatively.

"That's what I've been trying to tell you." She sighed when he still didn't seem to thaw. "You know, as often as you've rejected me, it's a wonder we've ever gotten together at all."

"Mikado!" He lunged forward, pulling her into his arms.

His powerful body was trembling so hard he didn't seem to be able to do more than just hold her and repeat her name over and over again. She held him in return, touching him and murmuring wordless endearments, until his shaking stopped and he was able to loosen his grip on her.

She looked up into his beautiful, terrible face, which was wet with tears.

"How did this happen? How can you be here?" he asked.

"Hecate gave me a choice."

"But the realm - your blood - it is safe, eternally. The goddess said that after your sacrifice, no other Empousa's blood would be needed to make the realm thrive, not for an eternity."

"I know. I chose the eternity, and I chose to spend it with you."

At first his eyes were blank and then understanding flashed joyously across his face. "We will never be parted?"

"Never," she said.

"Then the threads - they were not tormenting me. They were showing . . ." He broke off, unable to speak through the swell of emotions.

"They were showing you our happily ever after. And, yes, my love. That particular dream has finally come true."

Slowly, he bent and kissed her, cupping her face between his massive hands. Mikki wrapped her arms around him and held on to their future - their eternity.

In the shadows, Hecate smiled and patted one of her great beasts on his dark head.