by LJ Vickery
Bee-Dee looked concerned, but certainly not the least bit intimidated.
Absu heard Marduk take a minute and order Kulla to stand down and make himself scarce.
He heard Kulla’s highly disgruntled voice answer the boss. Headed back to Boston, but tell Obedience this isn’t over.
Already done, the thunder god assured him. But he didn’t have time to pass Kulla’s words on to the witch, because Marduk’s wife was calling him from home.
Sweet-ums? Absu and every immortal except the witches heard the endearment in their heads. Tess wasn’t being cagey. She wanted everyone to hear her.
Marduk groaned. First, he hated it when Tess outed him on things like pet names on a global brain chat; and second, he hated it even worse when Tess worried about him. Yes, my love?
I sense you’re in pain. Did you let a demon get you?
Absu knew that was a jab at all who should have been working overtime to protect the boss, and she, as his mate, could sense that his wounds weren’t bad. So she was also ragging on him for being careless. Absu saw Marduk get an evil, sardonic look in his eyes.
Nothing to worry about, sweet-ums. He repeated his wife’s blandishment. I have a lovely, naked redhead tending to my bodily needs and making everything all better.
Absu held his breath, waiting for the tirade.
Ooh. A real redhead? Anyone I’d want to meet? Her tone was sassy, and not what Absu―and clearly Marduk―had been expecting. The thunder god sighed and gave up, changing the subject.
Is there anything else you wanted, other than to torment your loving husband? he asked.
Okay, fine. Be a spoilsport. She loved to tease. I’ve just had a call from Jake. His plane’s been on the tarmac for hours. The snowstorm that came up out of nowhere today has grounded everything out of Logan. Luckily, though, my dad landed safely. He should be home any minute.
Greg Abelard had been on another of his world cruises, but Absu knew how much he’d wanted see his newborn grandson. Hence the visit.
Jake wants to know if you’ll ask Enten to cut it out with the weather.
Marduk gave her the answer everyone already knew. Our winter god is agitated he had to leave his pregnant Glory. I think you’re in for a blizzard until we get back.
Absu confirmed that by taking a quick glance at Enten’s glowering presence.
Tess spoke again. Then I’m telling Jake to use his credentials to get himself off the plane. He should come home. Unless you need him there?
Tess had been told about the circling demons, but Marduk clearly wouldn’t tell her that there were more than twenty of the invisible ones.
Marduk turned his gaze to Waylon, while something churned in the god’s eyes. He absently responded to his wife. Uh, tell Jake he’s clear to get back to the compound. It shouldn’t prove a hardship, considering how the agent and your mother were looking at each other last night. Gotta go, babe. Talk to you later.
“Waylon.” Marduk had been fully bandaged by this time and stepped away from his witchy nurse. He wasted no time getting to the point Absu had seen growing in his head. “You see invisible demons.”
The Lauernley turned from the window where he kept watch. “Of course,” he answered. “And I just found out that you don’t, which—”
Marduk cut him off, pointing into the air, out the window where Waylon stood. “Correct. But Beletseri doesn’t know you can spot her incorporeal minions.” He grinned. “This could come in very handy.”
“Yes, but—” Waylon started to say something, but was brought up short again as his nose twitched in the air. The blue king’s face hardened and his nostrils flared. “I’ve detected ore. Your evil goddess has arrived.”
****
Back at the compound in the Blue Hills, Gregory Abelard was just approaching the compound. The snow had made the driving difficult, and he was having trouble negotiating the long fire road that wended its way toward the gods’ home. “I’m nearly there,” he said to his daughter Tess, who had been talking to him on the phone. “Your barrier is about ten yards ahead.” He pulled over, waiting for the all-clear from Tess.
“Lenore says the shields are down.” She and Glory were splitting computer and perimeter duty with Shamash away.
“Coming in.” Her father put his foot on the gas and the tires spun. “Aw, hell.”
“What’s up, Dad?”
“Damn car’s stuck,” he informed her. “Don’t panic. Should only take me a minute to work it out.” He was from Maine after all. Getting stuck in the snow was not something that would stop him. It was only extremely embarrassing. He pressed gently on the gas while rocking the vehicle from forward to reverse, over and over. After a few minutes, he reluctantly admitted defeat.
“Dad?” Tess asked the question into the silence of the car after a very long pause.
“Okay. Who have you got who can help me push?” One god should do the trick.
“All the guys are away, but we have one non-pregger goddess who can help. Oh. Make that two. I didn’t have a chance to tell you, but Jake found our birth mother. Oh. You knew we were looking for her, right?” His daughter sounded uncustomarily hesitant, but he had never been the thin-skinned type.
He laughed. “Of course, I knew. And, really? It turns out she’s a goddess? That’s a story I’d like to hear over a cup of hot chocolate. Send out the troops.”
No more than a minute later, Dani-Lee appeared, along with a woman who was almost a carbon copy of his girls, but with a mop of blonde curls in Huxley’s shade. He poked his head out the window.
“Dani. Nice to see you.” His hair was promptly covered with snow. “And you must be Anna,” he called out, grinning. The look she shot him was pure sheepish but impatient Tess.
“I know we have a lot to catch up on,” she raised her own voice over the storm, “but why don’t we do it indoors, after we get you unstuck.”
“Good plan.” He opened the door and started to get out, but Dani-Lee stopped him.
“You man the controls, Greg. Anna and I will push.”
It was hard for his human brain to let chivalry take a backseat to goddess muscle, but he understood the efficacy in her suggestion. He gave a thumbs-up and closed himself back into the warm car. It took five seconds and one strong shove to get the car moving. He didn’t let up on the gas until he was safely in the driveway where he opened the door and was greeted by Tess, Holly, Dani, and the newly met Anna.
“Thank you, ladies. I am in your debt.” He got out of the vehicle and his daughters came over to give him hugs and cheek kisses, urging him forward to meet Anna. He left everything in the car―his luggage, the keys. But what could he do under his daughter’s insistent tugging? Anna smiled up at him and he was charmed. And how could he not be? For him, it was like meeting a third daughter.
****
While the gods put their heads together, most assuredly coming up with a plan to deal with Teri, uh, Beletseri, Charlie looked around at the lodge that was packed full of immortals. Some were clothed, some not. The naked ones didn’t seem self-conscious, except for Dorian, who had begged an extra-large T-shirt off Enlil’s back. He’d muttered something about not being able to conjure clothes, since he’d willingly taken them off, which had sent Bee-Dee into gales of laughter. A good thing. She’d been a bit morose since the strange reveal that she could be Kulla’s Chosen. Wait until Charlie got a hold of her. Aunt Bee-Dee had listened while Charlie spilled the beans, but had not let on about her own involvement. Unfair.
Charlie chuckled to herself, overhearing the women snickering behind raised palms that the Dorian scenery was even more inviting when one was only able to catch a quick glimpse of an ass cheek or a testicle, depending on which the way the warlock stood. Charlie worried that, if the stern being figured out how much attention he was receiving, he would spell their eyes shut.
Taking further stock, Charlie noticed Enlil and Absu taking leave of the few humans who had made it into the clubhouse during the initial excitement.
The clerk and five others had previously huddled together, terrified behind the check-in desk. But Enlil, on his way back to the windows, told Charlie they had compelled the bunch into thinking the large group of visitors were with a weightlifting convention, and any activity outside had been balloons and fireworks to celebrate their arrival. The young lady clerk had since become so relaxed, she’d gone back to answering the phones as if the large males were an everyday occurrence.
Obedience clearly worried about the rest of her guests scattered out around the property, and so with the help of Dorian, wove a sleeping spell, which had them all staggering back to their cabins and yurts to snooze the rest of the day away.
Charlie hoped it wouldn’t take that long to rid the property of the intruders. With a reluctant Maity clutched tight in her arms, she had been avoiding Absu ever since he’d popped into the room. With so many things going on at once, it hadn’t been difficult. But now that things had settled down to wait-and-see mode, he strode purposefully across the room toward her. Maity scrambled in Charlie’s arms.
“Da,” she wailed until Charlie put her down. Her little legs churned toward Absu, who swung her up easily, and got two enthusiastic, sticky-with-sand hands on his face for his efforts.
“Maity, my sweet.” He gave her a kiss, despite the dirt, and abruptly changed directions. “I’m going to give you to Grampa Ishkur, while I speak to Mommy, okay?” He didn’t wait for an answer, but deposited the now happy toddler in Ishkur’s arms while Charlie quivered, her body alive with anticipation. “Be back shortly,” he said to the fire controlling god.
“Take your time.” Ishkur drew a sandy hand into his mouth. Ignoring the grit, he pretended to growl and bite. Maity squealed her approval.
Absu prowled back across the room. “Charlie?” She could hear the question in his voice, and clearly, he wanted her to start the conversation. She bit her tongue instead.
“Okay. We’ll play it your way.” His eyes gleamed. “So I suck in bed, is that a correct statement?”
Her mouth dropped open to hear him using such modern vernacular, but by the small, wicked grin playing about his mouth, he knew just what he was doing. Charlie felt color slid up her face. “Well, I…” She didn’t know how to answer.
“And you’ve been faking orgasms, telling everyone but me the particulars. Did you not think it prudent to inform me of these things?”
Charlie gulped. So yup. His friends had told him.
He stepped forward and Charlie scooted back until her bare bottom hit wainscoting. She sputtered and he continued.
“My friends all believe I lack prowess in bed. My fine reputation with women has been demolished.” His eyes held a delicious sparkle that sent shivers down Charlie’s spine and tightened her nipples into hard buds. Absu put a hand to either side of her head where she stood with her back to the wall, and bent his head to her ear, whispering for her alone.
“I should take you into a back room and spank you silly for your misdeeds.”
Wetness pooled between Charlie’s legs and a heaviness overtook her limbs. She stifled a groan. Moving closer still and blocking her body from the view of the rest of the room, he took one hand off the wall and trailed it down the side of her neck.
“I know that idea excites you.” His hand slipped farther to thumb one erect nipple, and when he dropped his fingers, she almost begged for more. “What you don’t know,” he breathed warmth into her ear aided by the flick of his tongue, “is that it excites me too. Now that you know what I am, and I know what you want, I think I can accommodate every one of your fantasies…and some of mine as well.”
Charlie was ready to melt into a puddle on the floor. “I…I know you’re a god.” Her voice came out hoarse and tenuous. “But I don’t know what you…” She hesitated to say it. It was so surreal. “…like in bed. And I don’t know what you turn into.” Charlie dared look him in the eye, and saw challenge.
“Be assured that I will make you fully aware of both those things before we take our mating any further.”
Charlie dropped her eyes. She finally figured out why women swooned. Absu had said “mating,” and she came close to passing out. Dammit. Why did the room have to be full of people? She wanted to go down on the floor in front of Absu this very minute. This was a different man…god than she’d seen before. This one was arrogant, aggressive, and dare she say…domineering? She loved it, and didn’t he just know it.
“You don’t mind that I enjoy…what I enjoy?” She barely had the words out of her mouth before Absu brought his head down to nip her ear.
“That’s like asking if a man delights in breathing.” He set her straight. “I’ve never been tentative in the bedroom until you, my Chosen, came along. I’ve always wielded a firm hand, and known exactly how things should progress. And now that I know I’ve made a huge mistake, I relish debunking every preconceived notion you have of me.” His voice hardened. “And you will make certain to please me from now on, which means having real orgasms when I tell you to. Do I make myself clear?” he ordered.
“Yes, sir,” Charlie breathed, ready and oh-so-willing to obey.
His posture relaxed. “And I will make sure to please you, my little one, in every way possible.” His voice changed, holding gentleness and promise. “Now, do me a favor, would you?”
He asked so nicely, Charlie was eager to comply. She looked again into his earnest face as he unbuttoned his shirt. Surely he didn’t think they could…
“As much as your naked body is a delight to my eyes, I fear my cohorts have looked their fill, and we gods are a very jealous bunch. Would you be so kind as to take my shirt and cover your charms before I resort to fisticuffs so the miscreants will avert their glances?”
Charlie breathed a sigh of relief. She hadn’t known the rules among immortals, and she’d heard of the orgies held in ancient Roman times. She frowned. Was Absu a Roman god? She hadn’t asked. But if he had possessiveness issues, she’d be happy to put his mind at ease.
“The only one I want, is you…Master.” Charlie donned the proffered shirt and reveled in the little nipping kisses placed down the side of her neck as she did so. Oh yes. She could get very used to that.
****
Absu forced himself to move away from Charlie before he ravished her in front of everyone. He needed to get Marduk’s take on when this might be over. If his dick got any harder, he’d be powerless to help in a battle.
His boss and Waylon stood at the window, and the king looked troubled.
“Do not interrupt me this time.” The blue king scowled at Marduk. “You gods are unable to see the invisible demons.” He canted his head.
“And we’ve already figured that out, so―” Marduk waved in a way that looked as if he would continue, but Waylon ran a hand across his throat in a threatening gesture.
“Can’t you cede the floor for one moment?” he roared. “I believe I have failed you.”
That shut Marduk up.
“When I was in your compound, I noted that there were several of these invisible demons lurking outside, but I assumed you knew.”
Marduk’s jaw fell and he took a staggering step backward. Waylon had his answer, and Absu groaned. Things that were shit here, were about to turn equally bad back home.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
“No.” Marduk’s bellow tore through the air, giving pause to every conversation in the room and eliciting a squeak of fear from little Maity. “My gods. How could we have been so complacent?” He opened a channel back to his mate on the East Coast, making his words available to all the other immortals in the room.
Tess. Goddesses.
Absu could feel his fear.
What’s wrong, my love? Tess, who had probably been enjoying the meeting between her father and birth mother, couldn’t help but hear the panic in her husband’s anxious voice.
Tell me you haven’t lowered the protective barriers surrounding the property.
Well, I can’t do that, Marduk. My father dr
ove in from the airport and he…
How long were the limits down? Seconds? Minutes?
Lenore, who was also listening in, spoke up. Looking at the data in front of me, she informed everyone, about seven and a half minutes. Mr. Abelard’s car got stuck in the snow and required assistance. She sounded instantly alert. Why? What have we got?
Waylon took over because, Absu noted, Marduk was having a small, thunderous seizure.
Three, maybe four, invisible demons are now likely inside your perimeters. Get Addie May, Angie, and Kate out of their cottage and into the main house.
It took her only a second to contact Glory, who was with the witches and human. She agreed to hustle them all over immediately.
Waylon continued, Is anyone there familiar with this type of demon: ethereal when visible, many razor-sharp teeth, three fingered?
I know the ones, Holly replied.
Absu knew that Holly’s knowledge had been gained during her stay in Hell when she’d gone for Dagon.
They’re the type that attacked Absu a few weeks ago. They stay cloaked unless they have to physically engage with another being. We also believe they can’t conjure their sleeping gas breath unless they become substantial. And their life source? It’s in the roof of their mouths, behind those rows of pointy pearly whites.
Absu translated all the head talk for Charlie and the witches.
Marduk entered the conversation. They could be anywhere on the property by now, but my guess is they’ve been told to extricate the prisoner.
I’m looking at the camera in Matthew’s cell now. So far, he’s where we left him, Lenore supplied. If I were the bad guys, I’d try to create a diversion to grab him by heading for the most vulnerable person in the house… Oh my gods. That’s Girin.
Her supposition spread like wildfire, and within seconds, Absu’s head was filled with screams and Vesca’s frantic cries. Left alone with the baby, the nursemaid was under attack and putting up a fight.
Marduk was frantic. What’s happening? he howled. No answer. Talk to me, Tess, he ordered.