Kougar, Savanna - Kandy Apple and Her Hellhounds (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour)

by Savanna Kougar

  At the same time, Zin streaked them toward the three Auroras. In seconds, the ET technology crafts phased to invisibility, looking like mere ripples in the sky.

  His Kandy stiffened and Zol felt her draw in a sharp breath, then hold it while she held tight to him.

  “Learn who your master is, pups,” he and Zin growled, their supernatural force igniting.

  Zol shoved his palm against the red glowing circle the instant the hybrid pilots used their minds to machine-gun plasma pulses at them.

  In the blink of an eye, Hades’ tectonic force slammed into the volley like an impenetrable wall. Plasma sprayed outward, the droplets incandescent in the blue sky.

  Zin lessened their speed, and they watched their scatter beam smash into the Auroras. Now visible, the boomerang-shaped crafts arced in haphazard directions, their systems neutralized.

  “Flung like toys,” she whispered.

  Zin eased the Twilight Mirage past the helplessly floating Auroras. Once they were clear, he swung them back on course.

  “My formidable hellhounds.”

  The tender lilt of her tone spun with terrific force through Zol, as he knew it did Zin. This was what it meant to have a witch of their own, and to feel her praise.

  Other hellhounds had attempted to express it with words, with poetry and ballad, or even with a mind-meld. But it had always been lacking. Until now.

  “Yes, yours. We are yours,” he and Zin chorused when they could speak again.

  “My Zol and Zin vanquished the enemy. Oh-so fierce, both as men and as hellhounds.”

  She slipped her hand along Zin’s jaw, then wriggled backward, inside Zol’s embrace, his Kandy Apple.

  “And, beyond wow, I have to say Hades knows how to magickally supercharge. The Twilight Mirage is freaking unbelievable.”

  “Hades’ powers remain victorious, even with the rise of the false gods, as you observed, Kandy darling.” Zin reduced their speed, soaring them between two mountain peaks.

  “The chameleon agent from your last mission? He served the false gods, right?”

  “Yes,” Zol answered. “However, we have yet to investigate who is behind this attack. Not to worry, love, I have completed a psi-scan. Clear sailing, as they say.”

  “For how long? I mean…does Hades update his power?” she asked minutes later, once they flew above a meandering valley.

  “Hades is a strong traditionalist. However, he is in agreement with the other gods and goddesses. They constantly explore new ways to use the forces of the universe.”

  Zol stroked his palm over her hair to lessen more of his Kandy’s tension. Superbly fond of how the delicate tendrils seduced him, he stroked her tresses until she settled against him.

  “Zol and I are examples of updated hellhounds, if you will.” Zin drifted his fingers through the flyaway strands of their Kandy Apple’s hair, without wavering his gaze.

  “Nice updates,” she softly drawled. “And nice flying, Zin. More than nice. Phenomenal might be a much better word.”

  A hint of their Kandy’s spunky nature lived within her tone. Zol rejoiced. Their precious witch certainly owned resilience.

  “Updating could be compared to the Olympic games on Earth,” he began. “Competition remains high in the pantheon. Hades is ever in search of mystery sources to increase his strength.”

  “And the wisest use of his powers,” Zin added.

  “I hope so.”

  His Kandy’s fragile voice had Zol pressing a kiss on top of her head. She clutched his hand, caressing, her caring heart obvious.

  “Kandace love, Zin and I are kept apprised by those who serve Hades. We are trained in the use of new powers.”

  “Goddess knows, the false gods, as you call them, are insatiable in their search for bigger, badder, and better tech and sorcery. All to destroy. I never realized how much they must hate humanity,” she paused, a sigh shuddering though her. “Do you know why?”

  “Ah, quite a convoluted story, indeed, my Kandy.” Zin offered his palm, and she slipped her hand onto his.

  “Oooh, I do like this. Holding hands with you two. It’s said traveling together is a fast way to get to know someone. So is being in a Red Baron-style dogfight with my hellhounds.” After wiggling restlessly, she shook of her head. “So, what about the hybrid pilots…are they dead?”

  He and Zin glanced at each other, wondering which question of hers to answer first.

  She flashed her awareness inside their minds. “Hybrid pilots, first.”

  “We don’t know, Kandy love,” Zol answered. “Most likely, their existence has been terminated. Or they have been placed in temporary stasis.”

  “They are not human in nature. Nor do they possess a human soul, even though they are partly composed of humanity’s genes.” Zin spoke as he careened through a narrow section of a mile-deep valley.

  As the walls of rock closed in, he slightly tipped the Twilight Mirage on its edge. Within moments, they slid through a small gap and over high-mountain grazing land.

  “Like drones,” she thoughtfully murmured. “But, I sense they have been infused with a fighter pilot’s top-gun personality.”

  “Yes. The memories are downloaded as they mature. We haven’t investigated precisely how.” Zol twined his fingers with hers, fondling.

  “Definitely another subject for another time. A woman can only take so much before her brain pushes the eject button…is there an eject button?” Their Kandy Apple’s gaze fastened on the dash.

  “No eject button on the Twilight Mirage, darling,” Zin teased, his tone playful.

  “Convoluted story?” she inquired seriously. “I do really want to know…the basics, at least.”

  “Genetics gone bad to put it simply,” Zol replied. “Eons ago, a war like race arrived to plunder Earth of its mineral resources. They brought another human species with them, but had to genetically alter their bodies for the environment. A population grew from those who escaped, or were released.” “Fast forward to the time of the gods and goddesses, and their arrival on Earth, approximately fifteen thousand years before the known history of ancient Egypt.” Zin maneuvered the Twilight Mirage through a long serpentine stretch.

  “The iconic book Chariots of the Gods by Erich von Daniken…when I read it, I knew. The history was like a flash download. Only I didn’t see where they came from.”

  “As opposed to the stars, Hades’ ancestors created portals to various mountaintops, and arrived from what are called parallel Earths,” Zin revealed. “Once they built a temple city, they began bio-engineering part of the newly created human population.”

  “Humans created by the gods and goddesses from the escaped population?” she asked.

  “Yes,” Zol picked up the story. “Humans made more in their image, yet retaining their Earth indigenous genetics.”

  “I have so many questions, they’re popcorning. But, go on…please.”

  “There has been a critical timeline change,” Zin announced in his Spock voice.

  Zol connected completely with his twin. “Yes, I see. Our attendance at the Mitchells’ party is required.”

  Chapter Thirty-Seven:

  Two Hellhounds and a Giant Winged Cat

  Zin frowned. The progression of the new timeline appeared troublesome, indeed.

  Slipstream, he and Zol mind-spoke together.

  “How is a party required? Is it a mission? And who are the Mitchells?”

  When neither he nor Zol answered immediately, their precious witch lapsed into silence. Zin felt her concern rise.

  Triad, she mentally announced, joining her mind with theirs.

  Yes, triad, they both spoke, as they searched for a time-stream that would deliver them closer to home.

  Branches of silvery light flowed from time’s central canal. Appearing to move in a straight line, the divine construct merged with itself like the Celtic symbol of the serpent swallowing its own tail.

  Time forming itself, Zin explained.

  We
must return home as fast as possible.

  Zol scanned the slipstreams with light-speed while Zin traveled the canal, watching for new formations.

  In a matter of Earth seconds, he and Zol selected the stream, then surrounded the Twilight Mirage with their supernatural force. Once they opened the grayish field, they mind-steered inside the slipstream.

  Foggy windows, their Kandy mind-spoke with awe, as they whizzed through what resembled a colossal glass tube.

  Zin concentrated on the unfolding construct around them, ensuring they would emerge at the correct coordinates. While Zol protected them from any intruding timeline.

  Keep feeding us energy, love. Zin acknowledged their darling witch.

  In a giant wink of light, the Twilight Mirage surged through a veil-like barrier, entering real time again. About fifteen minutes away from their isolated home, they cruised above the forest treetops.

  Mentally disconnecting from the field, Zin checked their exact point in the timeline. “On schedule.”

  “And no enemies on the horizon,” Zol reported.

  “Bizarre, this whole time rearranging thing you two do.”

  From his peripheral vision, Zin watched his Kandy shimmy-shake her entire body. For long moments, her tresses waved with electric abandon.

  Caught in the firm jaws of lust, Zin ached to lick his Kandy Apple, and passionately mate with her. She flipped him a knowing glance. As she angled her shoulder in a sassy flirtation, his balls squeezed together. Hard.

  “So, what about the Mitchell party, my Cary Grant hounds?”

  Zin glanced at Kandy as Zol slipped his hands around her waist. “Intelligence gathering for Hades, my sexy darling. There will be several DOD insiders present. They keep a low profile, and are rarely accessible.”

  “DOD. You mean the Department of Defense?”

  “Yes, or Dicks on Display. A crude reference Zol and I amuse ourselves with. The top echelon are often boorishly pompous.”

  “Truth spell time,” their witch sang. Purplish light emanated from her palms wafting along the dash. “On second thought, I wish I could zap the global cabal with lightballs.”

  A puff of purple shimmer formed above her hand, morphing into a small dense globe. “Pow. Right between the eyes. Let the truth spill from their lips like Niagara Falls. So, the whole world would know All their secret plans.”

  “Righteously tempting, love,” Zol growled softly. “However, much of humanity remains in a trance induced by the false gods.”

  “You’re saying most people don’t have the ears to hear.”

  Zin lowered the Twilight Mirage, skimming mere inches above the tallest trees. Anyone flying overhead would be less likely to detect them. “Much of the human world considers hellhounds to be a myth. Yet humanity has been taught to believe in a world that has been, and is, controlled by lies and myths. Odd, indeed. Yet so it is.”

  Dispirited, she hissed a sigh, and her spell light vanished. “Yeah, lies. Or, it’s like when Jack Nicholson’s character says, ‘you can’t handle the truth.’ It’s true. There are many people who can’t handle the truth.”

  “Precisely. If you demonstrated your magick, darling, how many would believe?” Zol inquired, his tone tender.

  “Not many. They would say it’s a magic trick. Or, they would believe it’s some new cutting edge tech.” She gave a little shrug. “And yet, I see my friends becoming aware of their psychic abilities, and using their intuition more often.”

  “Yes, love, the Age of Aquarius. Humanity is awakening to their sixth sense, as evidenced by the craving of many, for everything placed beneath the paranormal umbrella.” Slowing their speed, Zin prepared to enter their mountain cave garage.

  “I realized a couple of weeks ago,” she thoughtfully began, “that the veil is not only thinning this All Hallow’s Eve, it’s lifting permanently.”

  “Indeed, it is, and this will assist many in awakening from the trance.”

  Zol placed his palm on the center of the dash, activating the garage entrance.

  “That reminds me. Genetics gone bad created the false gods, right?”

  “Yes, Kandy love. Space travel was normal at that time on most of the Earths. Galactic rivals of the gods and goddesses followed them to this Earth. They established bases on the moon and also underwater. To gain a quick advantage, they cloned another human race from the population designed by the gods, then inserted their genes.

  “Eventually, they created Goliath-type creatures who were amoral in character. They intended to use them to bring about the defeat of the pantheon.” Zin slowed the Twilight Mirage and began a gradual ascent toward their home, still several miles away.

  “Are these the giants Steve Quayle has researched? The ones with a double row of teeth, who were cannibals?”

  “There were several races of giants,” Zol answered. “Most of the Goliath line perished during the biblical flood. Afterward, the rest were hunted down, and killed. However, twelve of their offspring survived because they were the size of the demigods, and weren’t recognized.”

  “Like Hercules, but not giant sized. So, what did the inserted genes cause, exactly?”

  “Humans with monstrous minds.”

  Zin cruised higher, then mind-searched for any breach in their security.

  “Monstrous minds,” she repeated barely above a whisper.

  “The genetic brew caused what is called the god complex. As well, the neural pathways inside the brain were inadequate, resulting in a feeling of inferiority.”

  Zin heard Zol’s words, even as he mind-examined the rip in their protective field where their desperate witch had magickally pushed her way through.

  “That is so not a good combination. No wonder they’re mad-dog psychopaths. Oops, mad dog, sorry, Zol. Does Zin need help repairing the field?”

  No, darling, I am integrating the energy strands now, and moments from finishing.

  “The false gods were rabid, love, and able to control a population in the same manner as Rasputin, one of their descendants. When many of the gods and goddesses departed Earth to assist the population on another one of their home worlds, a core group became Egyptian priests by emulating the demigods.”

  “Okay, that explains why evil got such a strong foothold on this Earth.”

  “Yes, it is one reason.”

  “What happened next?”

  “The following generation of priests believed in their superiority. However, they came to fear the spiritual rise of humanity, and the eventual loss of their rule. Feeling like cornered animals, and unable to become fully human, they decided their destiny was to conquer the world.”

  “That reminds me of the slave masters in the old South. They believed in their superiority, yet in some ways they envied their slaves and denied them education to keep them enslaved.”

  With the shield restored, Zin added, “When the ancient world fell, the false gods used their evil cunning to establish cults. Those who had proven themselves loyal were placed in a spy network that encompassed the globe.”

  “Their tenacity and their methods were ruthless,” Zol continued. “Thus, the false gods became the power behind the thrones of Europe.”

  “They became known as the Black Nobility,” she murmured.

  “Yes, precisely, darling.”

  Zin lowered their speed to a crawl, neatly sliding the Twilight Mirage through the oval opening. After a moment of hovering above the garage floor, he settled the Twilight Mirage.

  “Home.” He and Zol enthusiastically spoke in unison.

  “My guaruvyr,” their witch announced, seconds before the winged cat landed with a solid thump on the hood. Lightbulb-bright eyes looked at them through the windshield.

  Zin felt the three of them lean forward as one, peering back. “Indeed, your guaruvyr’s odd eyes are delightfully intriguing.”

  “Quite the magnificent beast,” Zol agreed.

  After a serpent-like swish of its exceptionally long tail, the cat blinked once,
then lifted its huge paw, pressing it against the windshield.

  In slow motion, Kandy extended her hand, flattening her palm over the guaruvyr’s paw pad. “I think it’s a greeting,” she murmured.

  “I believe it may be similar to imprinting,” Zol mused, then initiated their synchronizing glance.

  Together, they altered their eyesight enough to view the energies flowing between their witch and her winged cat.

  “Darling, your Enduoir guardian will be able to recognize you and find you no matter the magickal form you assume.”

  “Oh, thank you, Zin. My Enduoir knowledge is blocked. Maybe because I didn’t have my guaruvyr growing up. Vresc,” she uttered tenderly, then paused.

  With her gaze intent on her guardian’s gray-furred face, she remained silent for several moments. “His name is Vresc. I guess he’s a he. I can’t really tell.”

  “More he than she, I believe,” Zol offered.

  “Your Vresc is born of magick. No biological parents involved.”

  Zin tilted his head, realizing there was little difference between him and the guaruvyr, except in how they had been created, their purpose, and the brand of alchemy used to form them.

  Yes, Zol telepathed only with Zin. The three of us need our witch’s love. Or we will perish.

  Vresc snapped his wings outward, a splendid silver-radiant display of affection. As fast, he folded them against his back, then dropped his paw from the windshield.

  “Wow. What woman has two hellhounds and a giant winged cat to protect her?”

  Chapter Thirty-Eight:

  Like an Elegant Statue

  Kandace mentally shook herself. Yet her gaze remained captured by Vresc’s incomparable cat face. She wondered how the guaruvyr could look both terribly ferocious and utterly adorable.

  Noticing he didn’t have a lavender shimmer like in her dreams, Kandace wondered why. Had her dream been merely fanciful, or…

  Meowsssh, mistress, I have adjusted my coat color to Earth.

  “That makes sense.” Feeling Zin and Zol’s gaze on her, she explained, “My guaruvyr has adjusted his appearance for Earth.”