Kulla’s lips tipped upward. Huh. Angie and Tiny. The enormous man, an ex-colleague and mentor to Jake, ran a gym and refuge for troubled kids back in LA. When the entire group had been out there for Candy and Enlil’s wedding, there had been a rumor that something might have been percolating between the big guy and Angie, but when she returned to the east coast, nothing more had been mentioned. They’d all written it off to an impromptu liaison brought on by the romance of a wedding. Now he knew differently.
“We’ve been Skyping every night, and he’s finally made it clear that he wants me.” The blush suffusing her cheeks looked familiar and charming. “So I need to make sure it’s real.”
“Can’t you…” Kulla waved his arm around in a ‘casting-a-spell’ kind of way. Angie knew what he asked.
“No. Neither mother nor I can magic from place to place. Our powers are limited to scrying and conjuring. If I go to him, it has to be in the traditional, human way.”
“That’s a shame,” Kulla shook his head. “Things would be easier if you could just poof there.” He reached out a hand and covered Angie’s own, which twisted in his bed-sheets. “First thing’s first, let’s call Marduk and see what arrangements can be made.” Hey, boss man? You got a minute? Kulla sent the head message out.
Marduk quickly misted in. “Hey guys. What’s up?” He took a bite of an apple he held.
Kulla gave a sigh of relief they’d only interrupted the god snacking. Angie always remained tongue-tied in front of Marduk, so he jumped right in. “You remember Tiny in LA?”
Marduk nodded, one eyebrow going up.
“Well, he and Angie have been, uh, building a relationship. Long distance. And they want to see if it’s going to go anywhere.” Kulla’s diplomatic skills were rusty, but he knew Marduk would be on board with folks finding their true partners. “She needs to get to LA.”
A frown passed over Marduk’s face. But before he could form any protests, Kulla continued. “She’ll only need protection until she gets safely on the plane. If she’s not followed from here, Beletseri can’t pick up on her witch-signature, and besides, Tiny will keep her safe once she’s in LA.”
“True, but you’ll need an escort to the airport.” Marduk’s brow creased as he addressed Angie. “And it can’t be a god or a Lauernley because the watching demons will grab onto that energy and follow.” They’d determined that a constant Hell-spawn contingent of six to eight guarded at all times. The evil group didn’t stop the immortals from coming and going, but kept constant vigil, leaving all the residents to wonder why. They were clearly waiting for something.
“What about my father?” Angie finally spoke up. She knew Dorian would be displeased at her leaving, and overprotective once he found out her reasons for heading west, but he was one of the most powerful beings here, and she’d be safe.
Marduk snorted. “Great idea, if dear-old-Dad knew how to drive.”
When Angie looked perplexed, Marduk filled her in. “He’s spent millennium popping in and out of locations at will. It never occurred to him that he should get behind a wheel.”
Angie laughed. “Then I’ll drive, and he can ride shotgun. We’ll leave the car at the airport and he can spell back.”
“Not that I don’t think you have great driving skills, Angie,” Marduk reproved, “but if things get tough, I’m not sure you’d be good at evasive maneuvering.” She looked like she would argue, so Kulla cut in before things ramped up.
“What about Ken?” They all knew the human couldn’t be traced, and as an agent, he probably had all kinds of artful driving skills.
“That’s actually a great idea,” Marduk agreed, and turned his attention to Angie. “Done. When did you want to go?”
Now Angie looked completely angst-ridden, and Kulla knew why. She hadn’t let one hair of the cat out of the bag to the people in her life who mattered. “Uh, as soon as I tell Mother, Lenore, and my father.”
He felt her pain.
Kulla did some self-congratulations as the two of them disappeared, when, within minutes Ken knocked on his door and stuck his head in, supposedly to provide Kulla with some entertainment and chat about the airport trip. Before long, the agent not-so-subtly changed the subject. His questions for Kulla were generated in an oblique manner over an impromptu game of poker.
“So, Kulla, do you think that a goddess could be interested in a human?” Ken asked while making a big show of picking up a card.
“Why,” Kulla questioned. “Do you have someone in mind?” He didn’t let on that Bee-Dee had told him of Vesca’s championing the mortal in the kitchen the day before.
“Ah, no. No.” Ken shrugged offhandedly. “Just a thought.” In a strangled voice, he managed another question. “I wondered if you guys have certain…uh…skills that maybe mortal males don’t have.”
“Are you talking about in the bedroom?” Kulla tried to hide his amusement.
“Well.” Ken huffed. “You all have super strength, which I’m okay with. I can pretty much hold my own in a fight.” He’d battled Enlil and hadn’t been killed. “And some of you have control over different elements. I’m also aware of the compelling thing.” He looked less than happy at that one, then uncomfortable. “So, yeah. I’m asking about…sexual prowess,” he sheepishly admitted.
“Geeze,” Kulla loved teasing the human. He scratched his head and proceeded to lead Ken on. “I think you should talk to one of the mated women about that.” He stroked his chin, thoughtfully. “Let me call Candy in on this one. She and Enlil are hanging around for the day.”
“No.” Ken looked panicked. “Don’t bother Candy.” The two agents had worked together for a long time, and it became pretty obvious that the last thing Ken wanted was to talk sex with his colleague.
“I’m just kidding, Ken. I wouldn’t sic Candy on you.” Kulla didn’t think he’d ever talked “guy equipment” with anyone before, but he’d do his best. “Okay. Listen. In the size department…down there…none of us are small, but as long as you’re sporting eight or ten inches, you’ve got it covered.” He wouldn’t go into when a god morphed into his alter-self, how big a prick could get. Definitely TMI.
Ken looked relieved, and he continued. “And yeah, we can get it up a bunch of times in a row, but a good goddess would know how to help you out with that…if you catch my meaning.”
“And FYI. Until you’ve mated with a goddess? She can’t get pregnant, and immortals don’t carry or catch communicative diseases. So no condoms necessary.”
Kulla caught Ken’s look of interest, but by this point, the divine architect had grown a little skeeved with the conversation, and switched gears. “So you’ll be driving Angie to the airport?”
“Yeah. She’s out on the first flight tomorrow morning.” The agent seemed happy to drop the sex subject, as well. “I guess her mother and daughter were really happy for her. If anyone’s having a hard time with it, it’s Dorian.”
That figured. Warlocks were very territorial. If Kulla had to guess, he’d say that Tiny would get a visit sometime today from the overly protective father. The big, mortal guy had better watch his ass.
Kulla napped for a while after Ken left. He hadn’t meant to, but with the sun streaming in the window, and the hush in his wing of the house at this time of day, he succumbed without a fight. A small noise brought him back to consciousness.
He looked up to see Obedience hovering in his doorway. “Hi,” he mumbled sleepily. He’d been having the most delightful dream about his little witch. He gave her a dazzling smile and watched as her breath hitched.
Kulla wondered what went through her head. He wanted to laugh. Ever since he told her that he refused to consummate their new relationship until he finished building his ziggurat to her, she’d been thrown for a loop. She wanted to move on with things physically, but Kulla rejected going there. He needed to create trust between them again. He wanted time for Bee-Dee to get to know him in the present century, and he wanted to find out what she’d been doing f
or the past four hundred years. The couple of months it would take him to finish building seemed like the right amount of time to win her back. He’d dedicate the structure, do his three day stint in the Underworld as required, then return to her…and never let her go. He didn’t think that waiting a few weeks was too much to ask, but apparently she did. She’d been mad at him more often than not since he’d made his proclamation. Same familiar Bee-Dee, quick to anger and a joy to soothe.
“Hi yourself,” she answered, and finally entered his room. Bee-Dee seemed decidedly on edge visiting him in his personal environment. “I just thought I’d see if you needed anything.”
Huh. An excuse, and an unnecessary one. She knew he could call to any god or goddess via head-link for anything he wanted. Kulla fought back a smug grin. She just wanted to be with him, and he craved her presence more than any other. He picked up the remote and switched off Ellen, who had been muted while he napped.
“The pleasure of having you here is all I could possibly want.” Color crept up her neck. God, he loved his redhead. Her skin never left him in any doubt as to her thoughts. This particular flush bespoke a storm rising.
“Then why don’t you want to see all of me?” She hissed her displeasure, getting right to the meat of the matter. “How can you want to wait? If what you’ve told me is true, you haven’t had sex since the last time we did it. What normal male could go that long and drive away an open offer?” Clearly she’d worked her ire up again. He chose to placate, instead of fight.
“A male who wants you to know you are loved for more than your beautiful body.” He let his gaze wander slowly up and down her curves. “I need to pay proper homage to my goddess.”
“I’m not your goddess…yet,” she allowed testily. “And maybe I won’t ever be,” she said, nervously. Kulla held out his arms to her, but she stuck out her tongue and refused to budge.
“Unbend that stiff neck for a few minutes and let me kiss you.” Kulla let his pent-up emotions show through his gruff tone. He was only immortal, after all, and Obedience had been denying him any kind of contact, trying to force his hand into an all or nothing scenario, and it took its toll on him. “I promise I’ll make you feel marvelous.”
“How marvelous?” she asked suspiciously.
Would she take him up on his offer?
“Come over here and I’ll show you.” He scooched over in the big bed to give her room. Kulla could tell she debated. She probably weighed the possibility that if things got rolling, he’d be unable to control himself. It’s just what he hoped she’d think. “Well?” He didn’t want her contemplating for too long.
Obedience flicked a hand in the direction of his door, and the lock snicked closed. He let out the breath he hadn’t known he held. Now to figure out how to get rid of her clothing without losing a stitch of his. Granted, he only wore a T-shirt and boxers, but if he let his cock out, his resolve would be toast. He moved back the covers, to show her the interest that his erection took. It might convince her that she had a shot.
He felt her survey that vulnerable appendage, and then look curiously lower. Kulla couldn’t blame her. The regeneration process for limbs came across as pretty incredible. Not as incredible as his penis, but noteworthy, nonetheless. Instead of fledgling growth sprouting from stumps, or skinny appendages appearing and beefing up to become heartier with time, any missing parts on a god appeared as ghostlike impressions of healthy, muscled limbs. Over time, those shadows were filled in, almost like a crayon adding color to a child’s picture. They became brighter and brighter until one day they became, once again, completely solid. The process continually amazed―no matter how many times they’d seen it―both he and his friends. And it had to be a first for Obedience.
“What if I try to touch?” she breathed, and his cock twitched. Shit. She meant his legs. He looked down.
“At this stage, it would be like putting your hand through water. The regeneration is viscous, but not yet solid. It doesn’t hurt anymore.” He saw her nod. Apparently it was enough. She moved forward with purpose and kicked off her shoes. He salivated with anticipation. He would get a taste of Bee-Dee after all this time, and he couldn’t wait.
As soon as she slid into bed, he yanked her across the foot of space she’d left and covered her lips with his own. Yup. A goner. He remembered wrong. Drowning in the feel of her soft lips and probing tongue, he acknowledged that his imagination hadn’t kept up. The real Bee-Dee presented warm and pliant, molding her lower body to his, while biting his lip and meeting his tongue, thrust for thrust. His hands cupped her lush bottom, and thank the gods she’d worn a skirt. His hands dropped lower and found the hem, easing it upward, caressing her plump thigh while all the while she stroked him through the thinnest of cotton.
Kulla found what he wanted. The top edge of her panties were now captive to his eager fingers…fingers that wanted to explore other places. He gently pushed her to her back, her azure blue eyes hazy with passion, “Kulla?” she implored, her voice a low moan.
“Shhh,” he told her. “Let me.” With shaking hands he lowered the nylon barrier. His fingers brushed through her soft nether-curls and he shifted his gaze from her pleading face, to the small triangle, now moist with her arousal.
So sweet, he thought, parting the copper whorl. He couldn’t imagine a prettier package than her pussy wrapped up with silky auburn. His clever fingers parted the thatch and found her small bud of excitement. He swept across it with the pad of one thumb. She arched up into his touch.
While he explored, he used his other hand to whisk the panties off her legs and send them to the floor. He wanted her spread before him like a banquet, with nothing in his way. Kulla moved above her, using his elbows as support, and landed a soft kiss on her clit. She gasped, and he thrilled to the sound. She wouldn’t stop him now.
He used both hands to spread her lips, watching the moisture gather between them as he looked his fill. Her core pulsed for him, and he had barely touched her. He lowered his tongue and teased her folds, catching up the nectar that she released for him alone. Her fragrance wafted headily, her taste like honey. His tongue danced across the flesh of her pussy. She moaned and Kulla felt her tissues swell. It hadn’t taken long for her response. She quickly headed for closure, so Kulla backed off.
“Uh.”
Her nearly-non-verbal plea had him back at her clit, but this time with one thick finger poised at her entrance. “Fast or slow, Bee-Dee?” He barely worked the words from his throat. He already knew what she would say…remembering how she liked it.
“Fast, Kulla. Please,” she begged.
He plunged his finger up inside her as she arched into her pleasure. Over and over he pumped, hitting the nerves that sent her into a frenzy. She thrashed beneath him as he drove and stroked, lowering his head to nip at her clit. She’d always liked it when he hinted at what to expect. The anticipation made her wild, and he thought to oblige.
“I’m going to fuck you with two fingers now,” he rasped. “I’ll make you so full, you’ll scream.” He dragged the promised extra digit down her length, teasing her just long enough to ramp up her fantasies, before thrusting into her warmth. She didn’t disappoint. Obedience let out a wail of completion that rivaled anything he’d ever heard from her, clamping her legs around his arm where he stayed, locked into her pussy. Her interior muscles grabbed and twitched, spasming out of control. He smiled, and let his fingers relax inside of her while she rode the wave downward. If her trembling body gave any indication, her orgasm had been damned good.
He felt a swell of pride. And speaking of swelling, how would he keep his vow not to fuck her? Gods. It sucked having high ideals.
Chapter Ten
Early the next morning, Marduk had one of the blue men, Cerulen, check out the perimeter to see how many demons they were hosting today. Six were counted, and the thunder god sent three teams out to engage the Hell-spawn in light battle while Angie and Ken went down the elevator to the garage, slipped out in one of
the cars, and traveled the old fire road away from the action.
The gods usually made it a point when driving, to head straight out to Route 93, but to throw off any additional watchers, Ken made for Chickatawbut Road in the opposite direction.
“It looks like we’re in the clear,” he told Angie―so maybe one of them would believe it. He wouldn’t really know one way or another until they reached the airport. Marduk had sent another one of the Lauernley ahead to make sure, once they arrived, that they hadn’t been tailed. If they were, the trip would be called off, and another scheduled. Still, he’d feel relieved when they left the woods and were on the highway. Hell, he’d feel even better when he got back to the compound, having safely delivered Angie to her plane. Especially after what happened just before dawn.
Ken had just gotten out of the shower, preparing for the early airport trip, when he heard a knock on his door. He figured it would be Marduk, making sure he’d gotten up, and didn’t bother putting on a robe. Wrapped only in a towel, slung low over his lean hips, he tugged open the door, only to be surprised by the goddess, Vesca.
“Oh. I didn’t mean to bother you…like this.” She took in the broad expanse of his chest and followed the trail of hair that led southward. When she reached the towel, she quickly averted her gaze from his semi-nudity, and drew in a sharp breath. Ken’s heart sped up.
“I thought you were Marduk, or I would have put on a robe,” he stuttered, lamely. He couldn’t get his feet to move back to the bathroom where the covering hung on a hook.
Vesca’s turquoise regard came back to his and she thrust her chin up. He could see she remained determined not to look down again. “I just wanted to wish you luck and tell you to be careful this morning,” she murmured.
“Thank you, Vesca. I will. The guys…uh, Marduk and Enlil, loaded my gun with osmium bullets, so even if I get into trouble, I’ll be well armed.” He hadn’t known if she had awareness of the element that could harm immortals, but any kind of conversation was better than remaining tongue-tied.
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