by Peter Glenn
I resolved then and there that if there was a next time I wanted to do something stupid—and I was sure there would be—I’d be sure to run it past her first before agreeing to it. It was the least I could do.
“So, what does that thing even do?” Mei asked a moment later. She was frowning at the little jaguar statue.
Isaiah shrugged. “I’m still not completely sure. It can open a portal to bring back a dead god, apparently, but I don’t know if it has any other benefits. So far, my efforts haven’t brought forth much fruit.”
“But it’s still a font of endless money, right?” I asked, feeling hopeful.
Isaiah laughed. “Sorry to disappoint, but no. I found the origination of that particular theory a few days ago. Turns out, it had been put out by the Death’s Head cult so they could get more people to hunt for it. That, and its rumors of granting good luck or wishes were nothing but fluff.”
My heart sank to the floor. “But… that’s the whole reason I went searching for it in the first place!”
“I know,” Isaiah said. “But such is life. Sometimes the artifacts in real life don’t measure up to what we make them out to be in our heads. It’s harsh but true.”
“But… my endless money…” I could hear my dreams going down in flames as Isaiah clapped me on the shoulder and shrugged again.
“Sorry, mate. It’s just how it goes.”
I lowered my gaze, staring at the counter in front of me. I’d had plans for that money. Of course, Isaiah had still paid me a good sum, and I’d put it to use, but the things I could have done with a font of money…
Oh well, there was nothing for it. I guess I had never been that lucky.
“Cheer up, moron,” Mei said a moment later. She pushed something under my chin.
I stared at the glass like it was a gift from heaven. Which it totally was.
“On the house,” she whispered with a wink. “For the floor show.”
Well, now it was even better. I picked up my Manhattan and took a good long drink. The sweet flavors washed over me, perking me up and brightening my mood in a way that only Mei’s drinks ever could. And add to that the fact that she’d given it to me for free? Well, now. That was even better than a font of endless money. You couldn’t buy happiness like that.
Out of all the bars I’d ever been to, none of them had ever come close to Mei’s.
“So, what are you going to do with that thing?” Sevin asked Isaiah, pointing a hesitant finger at the jaguar. He looked disturbed by its very presence for some reason.
Isaiah shrugged again. “Don’t know, really. I figure I’ll put it through a few more tests, and if nothing comes of it, I’ll shatter the thing so no one can try and revive the dead god again.” He shuddered. “I’d hate to go through something like that twice.”
“Fair enough, Isaiah,” I replied. “Fair enough.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Allie shake just a bit as Isaiah mentioned the summoning ritual. I went over to where Allie and Sheila were sitting and nudged her on the shoulder.
“Hey,” I said, “you doing okay?”
I saw Sheila’s hand snake into Allie’s and squeeze her fingers, then Allie slowly nodded. “I think so. It’s just… you know someone your whole life, and then…”
“That’s got to be rough,” I offered. “Well, look, if you ever need anyone to talk to, I haven’t been through quite what you have, but I’ve seen a lot in my three hundred years on this rock. I’m just saying, I’m available.”
Allie’s lips curled into a half smile. “Three hundred years…?” Her voice trailed off as her eyes took on a glazed look. Then she snapped back to reality and reached up and patted me on the cheek. “I’ll keep that in mind, big boy.”
For once, I didn’t mind her bizarre, patronizing behavior. Maybe she was growing on me after all. I grinned back at her. “Now there’s the Allie I’ve come to know and love!”
Allied eyed me up and down. “You only wish you could be good enough for this package.”
I chortled. “Whatever. I’m going to go back over to LaLuna now.”
“That’s right. Leave in tears. You know you want it.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
At least I’d been able to cheer her up a little bit. And with Sheila’s help, I could see her overcoming her own personal demons in time. I had hope for those two.
I took my seat next to LaLuna and had another sip of my drink. I glanced at Sheila and Allie for another moment. Sheila was whispering something into Allie’s ear, and Allie’s face was beet red. I turned away. They were going to be just fine.
“Sorry things didn’t turn out like you hoped,” Isaiah said a moment later, turning his attention back to me. He’d been talking to Hank about babies, of all things.
I shrugged. “It’s all good. I should have known, really.”
“Well, you were pretty handy out there when we were searching for the Jade Jaguar, you know?”
“Yeah?”
Isaiah nodded. “Yeah. If you ever want to go into the artifact hunting business full time, just let me know. I’d have a permanent spot for you.”
I looked up into his eyes, thinking hard on it for a moment. Did I want to run off with him again? Part of me said yes. Hell, it had been quite the rush. But the other part of me kept thinking of LaLuna and Grace. They needed a more constant presence in their life.
“Look, I appreciate the offer, but…”
Isaiah shrugged. “No worries, mate. I understand. But if you ever change your mind about it or want to get serious about learning magic, you let me know. I’d be happy to show you to the god I’m pledged to. I’m sure he could use another follower.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
With that, Isaiah turned and left. I knew I’d see him again sometime soon, but it was still weird seeing him go after spending so much time with him.
“So, big boy,” LaLuna whispered into my ear. I grimaced a little as she said those words. I knew she was trying to be playful, but still…
“Got any plans for celebrating your victory later?” she added.
My ears burned as my desire for her returned. Gosh, it had been too long since I’d seen her. “As a matter of fact, I do.”
The dinner had been excellent. There had been a little money left over after paying rent and utilities and buying a few surprises for LaLuna, so of course I’d splurged and taken her to our favorite restaurant in all of Seattle—Pho ‘Que.
I’d tried the dish with the garlicky broth and the smoked chicken this time. It was to die for. Might be my new favorite. Plus, you couldn’t really beat the ambiance.
We had just finished dinner—I’d probably eaten a little too much—and were taking a stroll down one of the sidewalks in the heart of the city. There wasn’t much to look at, but I wasn’t really looking at my surroundings, anyway. It was all about LaLuna.
I stared at her for a moment, admiring the way her blue hair fell slightly over her ear, obscuring it just a little but somehow leaving the pointy tip visible. I had no idea how she did it, but even in the most mundane of moments, she was completely gorgeous.
Her eyes caught mine for a half a second, and I smiled, big and bright. She grinned back at me, and in that moment, I wanted to take her into my arms and kiss her. I didn’t care who was watching. She was mine, and I was hers, and it was perfect.
But I held back. I wanted her to see the surprise first.
“So, what’s next on the evening’s plan?” LaLuna asked me.
“Oh, you’ll see in a moment.” I liked that I’d been able to keep it all a secret. Of course, that had meant keeping it a secret from Mei, too—the two shared everything, it seemed—but it would all be worth it when I saw the look on her face.
“Very mysterious. I like it.” She grabbed my hand and squeezed it gently. “Just… don’t keep me waiting too long, okay?”
“You got it.”
We kept walking, going slow and admiring the sky and each other as we we
nt along. It was another mostly clear night, which only made it all more perfect.
A moment later, LaLuna’s perfect, smiling face changed into something of a frown.
My heart fluttered, and I felt like I was going to sink into the ground. “Did I do something wrong?”
She glanced at me and let out a slight laugh. “No, silly. Nothing like that. It’s just… are we heading back to your apartment again?”
There was a hint of distaste in her voice.
“Uh, yeah.” The tension in my chest eased. If that was the only problem, I was still doing great. “I thought it might be nice. Give us a chance to finally do option two and all that. You don’t mind, do you?”
LaLuna sighed. “I suppose not. It’s just… last time it was kind of, well, you know.”
“Messy?”
She nodded.
“Trust me. I cleaned it up a bit. You’ll barely recognize the place.”
“You know I always trust you, Damian.”
No sweeter words had even been spoken. My heart about melted right then, and there. “You’re too kind, LaLuna.”
She shoved me gently on the arm, and I gave her a little nudge in return. Then we walked in silence for several moments.
I opened the door to my apartment complex, and we filed into the elevator. I was so close to LaLuna that I could feel the heat and arousal rolling off her. She glanced at me and smiled as if to deny it, but I knew it was there.
Just another minute or so, and she’d finally see the surprise. It would all be worth it, then.
We made our way over to my apartment door, and I began to fiddle with the keys.
LaLuna’s hand slipped over mine and squeezed. Her lips brushed the back of my ear, and she whispered “I love you” into it.
I turned to face her, my pulse pounding harder than it ever had, the door suddenly forgotten. I almost dropped my keys as her lips met mine, and we plunged into a deep, soulful kiss. The kiss lasted for several moments, then she finally pulled away.
“We can go to my place if you want,” she offered. “I’ll still be up for option two for a while.”
“No, really. It’s okay.” I shook my head. “Promise, I have a surprise all ready for you and everything.”
LaLuna lightly bit her bottom lip, then finally nodded. “Okay. Should I close my eyes?”
“Yes, please.”
She did as I suggested, giggling a little at the same time. “Okay, now what? Do I just wait here or something?”
“Give me one minute.”
I turned back to the door and got the key into the lock in one try. Oh yeah, things were going to work out well tonight. I could just feel it. I slid open the door and flicked on the interior lights, then pushed LaLuna into the middle of my living room.
“One more second,” I urged her.
“I feel a little silly like this.”
“Me too.” I laughed. “But it’s all good.” I took one last look at my apartment, then turned to face her again. I didn’t want to miss this moment. “Okay, now look.”
LaLuna opened her eyes and instantly gasped, her jaw practically dropping to the floor. Her eyes lit up with a mixture of surprise and delight.
I hadn’t lied. I’d picked up the apartment quite a bit. And a little more, besides. The kitchen and the floor were spotless. I had Seattle Maid Service to thank for that. There was a brand-new, brown leather couch against the wall. I’d tried the cushions myself. They were extra comfy. There wasn’t much I could do about the gaming chair, but I had a new LCD TV that was a good forty inches and didn’t have any obvious splotches to accompany it, and I’d cleaned up the gaming mess.
And to top it all off, I had hung a picture of LaLuna and I on the far wall. It had been taken shortly after we’d become a couple. It was one of my fondest memories.
“Do you like it?”
LaLuna looked around in a daze. “Oh, Damian, I… I love it. Did you pick it all out yourself?”
“I had Sevin help a little bit. He’s got better aesthetic sense than I do.”
LaLuna nodded. “Makes sense. I can see his touch in here. But only a little bit. It’s still very you. And me.” Her face started to flush just a little bit.
“That was kind of the idea. After the last visit, I really wanted you to be able to feel comfortable here.”
LaLuna turned and looked directly at me. “Thank you, Damian. It’s certainly a very nice surprise.” She planted her lips on mine, and we kissed again for several seconds. I got so caught up in it I actually did drop my keys this time.
“One sec,” I told her, pulling away. I swept up my keys and went over and shut the main door, locking it tight. “So, do you want to watch some TV or something?”
Her eyes got a bit of a wild look to them, and she raised a brow suggestively. “Actually, I was kind of hoping I could see what you did to the bedroom.”
“Ooh.” I grinned back at her. “Right this way, madam.”
I opened the door to the bedroom and flicked on the light. It was completely clean as well, and my bed had been replaced by a nice four poster number made out of cherry wood. The brand-new mattress was covered in dark red satin sheets, and I’d even sprung for new pillows.
LaLuna took it all in, then shot me a greedy look. “Can I?”
“Uh huh.”
She practically glided over to the bed and jumped onto it, landing gracefully. She turned around and patted the bed with one hand while beckoning to me with her other finger.
“Come here, big boy.”
I didn’t need any further urging. I ran right over to her and threw my arms around her, taking her in for another kiss. My lips met hers, hot and wet, searching, hungering for more. I started to kiss down her neck as her body shivered, then we started to undress each other.
Soon, we were both naked. I kissed her again and again, moving slowly down her body and moving her backward until she was lying flat against the bed. I placed one leg in between hers, and her legs parted, letting me in.
A moment later, I was on top of her. Surging. Aching for more. I pushed my body up against hers and kissed her fully on the lips.
We spent another moment enjoying each other, then she pulled slightly back and put her mouth against my ear. “Why don’t we…”
Her suggestion was out of this world. With each additional word she spoke, my face grew a brighter shade of red, until I was indistinguishable from a tomato.
A wry grin crossed my lips. “Why, my dear, that’s even better than option two…”
I kissed her again. Tonight was going to be a very good night.
Author’s Notes
June 24th, 2021
How about that ending, huh? I didn’t see that one coming. Well, not the way it happened, anyway. But I think it all worked out for the best. One thing’s for sure, though, Allie is going to need some serious therapy.
But at least Sheila is there to help her along the way, right? I, for one, am glad the two of them got together. I’d always wanted to find a decent pairing for Sheila, and although I know Allie can be a tad annoying (mostly just to Damian), I think they’ll be a good match. They’ve both got a complicated past. Maybe one of these days we’ll even delve into Sheila’s checkered history. If you would like to see that just as much as I would, be sure to drop me a note and let me know! It’d sure be great motivation for making it happen!
Fun fact for this book - Allie was originally a guy. In fact, a lot of the plot for this book started out differently. Originally they were going to go to Egypt and meet some stodgy old guide who was only going to factor into things for a couple chapters.
It was only when I was going through the outline in my head that I felt like Egypt had been done too many times before and I wanted something a little more fresh. Then I read an article about Central American Death Ball games and a whole new idea came to me.
From there, the location moved to Southern Mexico, the guide became an annoying, sassy female, and the rest of the story really st
arted to take shape.
The fact that I’ll be going to Mexico in about a month and a half to see the places I wrote about first hand didn’t factor into it at all. :) Though I am a little more excited to go and see them now. It’ll be nice to be able to work off something more than Google and pictures for a change.
What about you? What places have you read about in books that you’d love to go see in person? For me the number one is definitely Australia, but they’re still closed to travel as of the time I’m writing these notes, so that will just have to wait.
Speaking of things you love, did you love this book? Of course you did! (I hope). Well if you did, please leave a review. They mean the world to me. I don’t make a living off of my writing (yet at least), so your reviews and kind words in emails are what I write for.
Seeing the smile on a fan’s face or hearing their praise for their favorite scene makes me the happiest person on the planet, and I gush to everyone about it. So please, leave a review. On all my books that you read. It really does make a difference.
Plus, maybe I’ll name a character after you. If you want. I’m always in search of new character names. Want to be featured in an upcoming book? Just email me at [email protected] and tell me. Heck, you could even give me a whole character profile. I’m sure I can make it work. Have at it.
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I’d love to get a shout out from you in either spot and hear about what you’d like to see in an upcoming Damian novel or short story. I’ve got another four books after this one planned already, but I don’t want to see it stop there (and I’m hoping neither do you). Plus two spinoff ideas featuring other characters. So if you’ve got a killer idea or a joke you want to see, let me know!