“Ah, wise, indeed,” her hellhounds echoed each other.
Feeling somewhat dazed, she asked, “What now?”
“Now, my witchy woman, we will discuss tonight’s party. Then, you and your guardian can indulge in a cat nap.”
After an amused chuckle at himself, Zol opened the passenger door. In his usual debonair manner, he lifted her and swung around, placing Kandace on her feet.
Zin emerged, closing the driver’s door. “Zol and I will follow through on arrangements for tonight’s party.”
Given that her knowledge about her winged guardian remained absent, Kandace inched toward Vresc, offering her hand.
“The Twilight Mirage proved most excellent in performance.” Zol spoke behind her.
“Indeed, brother.” From the corner of her eye, Kandace watched Zin smooth his palm affectionately over the super car’s roof.
“Kitty, kitty,” she crooned, feeling rather ridiculous.
Vresc smiled as she’d seen him do in her vision. He lowered his head and nuzzled her palm delicately. When she responded by pressing his muzzle, he rubbed her hand with his entire velvety face.
“Good, kitty…good, guaruvyr. Good…whatever. Oh, I don’t know what to call you. Besides your name.”
Moving beside her, Zol claimed her arm, and Vresc sat on the hood. The guaruvyr tilted his head studying her, his eyes great luminous orbs.
“Meowsssh. I only wisssh to be called.”
“A cat with an Enduoirian accent, who sounds like a lion cub.” Kandace smiled.
“Roarsssh,” her guardian imitated.
A sweet tenderness filled Kandace, similar to how she’d felt about her pets, yet stronger. “Come on, Vresc, let’s go inside. I’ll bet my hellhounds have mission business to take care of.”
“We do, darling.” Zin moved toward them, carrying both food sacks, his manner fastidious.
Vresc hopped down beside her as she and Zol walked around the Twilight Mirage. The guaruvyr’s head came to her waist and had to be larger than her own.
Kandace stroked the top of his head, between his cute feline ears. “Hungry?” she asked, thinking her guardian might need an infusion of her energy.
“Meowsssh…your presencessh feeds me.” Matching her stride, Vresc wound the tip of his tail around her wrist like a furry bracelet.
Kandace grinned. She’d never known this lovely feeling of completeness, this whole sense of herself as a witch, and as a woman.
Together, she and her hellhounds, and her winged cat moved into the élégant front room, now alight with the glow of afternoon sun.
“I believe a sustaining tea brew is in order.” Zin strode toward the kitchen.
“Pardon me, love.” Zol released her arm, moving toward an art deco coffee table.
She watched him sweep up the large, ancient-looking parchment laying on top. Once he finished reading, Zol let go and the message dissolved back into the ethers. “Hades’ instructions for the Mitchells’ party.”
Kandace gave a nod, then yawned despite herself. “This witch is exhausted.”
Rumbling purrs, Vresc circled her and rubbed her legs like a domestic cat. On impulse, Kandace bent down, hugging his neck. Their cheeks pressed together, skin against soft thick fur, and Kandace felt her guaruvyr’s affection surge straight into her heart.
“Wow, big kitten, you pack one sweet punch.” Rising, she stroked Vresc’s long neck, then asked, “Anything I need to know? Or was that for hellhound eyes only?”
“Shall we discuss it in the comfort of the bedroom?” Moving to her, Zol embraced her loosely, yet with a passion Kandace found oh-so romantically heady. The kiss he placed on her forehead made her feel even more swoony.
“You’ve convinced me,” she murmured. Her arms had looped his neck, and Kandace caressed his nape. Goddess, did she love the strong sleek frame of him.
“Zin and I require a period of communing. Afterward, I’ll retrieve a fresh shirt for you, darling, and we’ll have tea.”
“Yes, the ladies’ room is calling. And so is the bed.”
Her breath whooshed out of her as Zol suddenly swooped her into his arms. “Kandy, love,” he growled with primitive desire.
“Oh, yes, race and fizz my blood, playhound,” she whispered, as she feathered her fingertips along his jaw.
With long strides, Zol carried her inside the bedchamber, then to the Arabian Nights archway. As if they ballroom danced, he swung her onto her feet.
“Now, that’s romance.” Standing on tiptoe, Kandace planted a quick smooch on his mouth.
She whirled around before she threw herself at him, and hurried inside her pink pearlescent lounge. Thinking to look for her winged guardian, Kandace half turned.
Vresc sat in front of the archway like an elegant statue. Meowsssh, I wait for you, mistress.
“No, need to call me mistress, Vresc,” she called out.
As you desire. Do you have a preferred title?
“No…let me think.” Kandace wondered what the heck would work. Somehow, it didn’t feel right to have him address her by name. “If I knew my Enduoir name…do you know it?”
No. I was not told. You are in need of rest. I will wait until you decide.
“Thank you.” Kandace blew him a kiss.
As she moved inward, major disbelief grabbed her. Even being a witch, who would have believed all that had happened since meeting Zol and Zin? Closing her eyes, Kandace mentally reviewed the dark-fantasy highlights.
In a lightbulb flashing moment, she realized it was good to be a witch. Because of what she’d been through, she could be herself. Finally.
Elation tingled Kandace, enhanced by her pink phantasmagorical surroundings. She caught sight of herself in a tall oval mirror, and moved closer, fascinated by the otherworldly glisten.
Raising her arm, she enjoyed the beautiful fluidity of the fringe on her buckskin shirt. Kandace smiled. Still, another yawn had her stretching high.
Feeling draggy now, she undressed quickly, and stepped beneath the showerhead. As she’d done previously, Kandace pressed between the medallion images.
“Crap, so too late now.” She’d forgotten to lift her hair up. Shrugging it off, she spun slowly beneath the warm pulsing water.
Curious, Kandace pressed a bit closer to the hot-symbol image. Heavenly steamy water sluiced over her, and somewhat revived, she continued rotating so that every inch of her body felt rewarded.
Moving from the shower, Kandace murmured, “Being spoiled is a good thing.”
She backed up, recalling that she’d rushed out to save Merri. Sure enough, the water stopped. “Now that’s magic.”
Tickled, she padded toward the folded towel on a dainty pink ottoman. Once she’d wrapped herself in the luxurious towel, she psi-opened her mind for what she called a sneak peek.
Merri, where are you?
An image of her sister closing up the gallery for the day formed quickly, and Kandace blew out a breath of relief. “Thank the Great Goddess.”
And thank Goddess for Zin and Zol. As she dried herself, Kandace remembered all the ways her hellhounds had taken care of her, including the high-end white T-shirt on the ottoman.
“Oops!” she burst out.
She’d forgotten about the Mitchell party when she’d let the shower have its way with her hair. Bending at the waist, she patted it dry while wondering how to make her incorrigible tresses presentable.
Resorting to magick had not proven to be her best idea, either. Kandace grimaced at her memory. An F4 tornado might as well have torn through her mane. Worse, it looked like she’d poured an entire bottle of Little Orphan Annie dye on it.
While struggling to suppress her laughter, her mom had kindly smiled, and asked if she could help. Kandace had thrown herself on her bed, wailing in despair. That is, until she’d decided to entertain them both by imitating the comic Carrot Top.
Dropping the towel, Kandace combed her fingers through her hair, checking the wetness. Her eyes popped wi
de open, and she shot straight up. Gazing in the mirror, her suspicion was confirmed.
“Holy mercy, Batman, a good shock for once.” Kandace twisted back and forth, admiring her electrically charged tendrils, the intense shine, and the way her hair cascaded down her back.
Unable to resist, she sifted her fingers through her sex-mound curls. “Oooh, yes. Zol and Zin will love this territory.”
Snagging the towel, then hanging it up, Kandace reached for the cotton T-shirt. Once she slipped it over her head, she shook her hair like a wild thing.
I feel free in my soul, she thought. I feel uninhibited.
Stunned by her appearance, she stared for several moments at her reflection. “I’ve never looked so witchy, so enchanting.” Spontaneous and true, her whisper flew past her lips.
Figuring she was being too vain, Kandace turned away. It wasn’t her body so much as the rise of her powers. Her new star-sparkly aura enhanced her face and her physical charms.
The sudden realization caused Kandace to halt in her tracks. Her Enduoirian mother, Pharrilya, possessed a similar aura, only more glittering, more golden-hued.
Kandace swallowed hard seeing the image of her witch mother before her mind’s eye. A pang of longing cut up her middle and struck her heart. “Mother.”
What if she could contact her now?
Mother, she telepathically shouted. There was no answer.
Like a panicked child, Kandace mind-screamed for her mother. After each cry, she listened for a response, but heard nothing.
With unshed tears stinging her eyes, she mentally yelled once more. Kandace sniffled, knowing it was useless to continue. Goddess, it felt like embers had been shoved against her eyes.
Perversely, she denied her tears, rubbing at the hellacious pain with the back of her fist. She straightened her shoulders and sniffled loudly, determined to get over her desperate outburst.
Before she could open her eyes, Kandace felt her knees buckle. She landed against something soft, furred, and warm. Her knees barely impacted the floor.
Solid and strong, her guaruvyr supported her. Kandace wrapped her arms around his neck. “Vresc…oh, thank you.”
Her guardian felt so huggable, Kandace hung on, gathering her emotional strength. “I’m not draining you, am I? I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Meowsssh, you cannot harm me. Only a long separation drains me.”
Even the lion-grrring sound of Vresc’s voice soothed her. She stroked the giant cat’s side, his lush coat pure sensory pleasure. “How long of a separation?”
“You would call it a week, as I understand it.” Vresc purred loudly, vibrating, and Kandace sank her fingers into his thick fur.
“Kandy love.” Zin and Zol called to her, their voices alarmed. “Darling, we came as quickly as we could.”
Zol lifted her upward, his manner tenderness itself. At the same time, Zin wrapped his arm around her, holding her close against his tall, deliciously virile frame.
“Our apologies, Kandy. We were communing with Hades.”
Zin patted Vresc’s head. Even though his movements were uncharacteristically stilted, his gratitude was obvious.
“Something important?” Kandace snuggled against them both, comforted by how muscly strong they felt, even through the maroon smoking jackets they wore.
“Yes, my darling. One of the DOD’s human-wolf hybrids will be in attendance at the Mitchell party.”
Feeling thunderstruck, Kandace stared at Zol.
Chapter Thirty-Nine:
Compared to a Flamethrower
“They’ve advanced that far?” Horror filled Kandace at the thought, and she shuddered.
“Yes. There are only six Hades has become aware of.” Zin stroked her back, his touch calming to her.
“This is a new wrinkle, Kandy love. The decision to test Odarran’s social skills was made about forty-five minutes ago.” Zol slid his fingers lightly through her hair, his touch soothing rather than enticing.
“Hey, what is in the water? I didn’t need any shampoo.”
“Our water source is the Elysian Fields, darling. Specifically, a river where platinum rays are collected from the center of the Milky Way.” Zin twined a swathe of her hair around his fist, and gently tugged.
“Too cosmically cool,” Kandace enthused, meeting his dark, I-want-you gaze.
“Your tresses glow. You glow from the starry essence.” Zol’s velvety growl further revved up her desire.
“Oh. And I thought it was because my witchy powers have increased.”
Kandace watched Zin connect with Zol, their gazes snapping together.
“Never mind,” she began. There were definitely far more important issues.
“Kandace darling, the water simply amplified your aura. We misspoke.”
The sincerity of Zin’s tone had Kandace searching his face, his lava flaring eyes. She drifted her fingers through his irresistible hair.
“Odarran is the human-wolf’s name I take it,” she uttered several moments later.
“Major Odarran.”
Zol claimed her arm with a natural gallantry that Kandace was coming to adore. Stroking her hand from Zin’s hair, she linked arms with him, as well.
“Why don’t we have a spot of tea?” Zin’s imitation of a movie English Lord made Kandace smile, as they led her toward their bedroom suite.
“May I say, my playhounds are urbanely sexy,” Kandace affected in return.
“You may, darling,” they both intoned.
“Mmm…Cary Grant in stereo. And a silver tea service! Impressive, my gentlemen hellhounds.”
As they approached, she noticed the freshly made bed had already been turned down. However, Kandace couldn’t take her gaze off the teapot. Highly polished, antique-looking, it sat on a beautiful mahogany tray.
After releasing her arm, Zol turned and gripped her waist, then swung her onto the bed. Kandace slid backward until she felt the pillows. Just to make certain, she peered past her hellhounds.
Sure enough, Vresc lay beneath the arched entrance. Regal as the sphinx, he observed her.
Kandace smoothed her hand over the satin coverlet. Instead of white, this one was dusky violet in color. She draped it over her legs, then simply marveled at her surroundings. “I must be living inside a late forties film.”
“No, love. You’re living with us,” Zin teased, his tone smoky and sexy.
“I am, aren’t I?” Kandace tilted her chin, flirty smiling as Zol and Zin seated themselves on the bed’s edge.
Zol placed the tray between them, then poured the tea, thin amber-colored streams. Kandace caught the musky scent of catnip beneath the lighter fragrance of chamomile, spearmint, and passion flower.
After wiggling into a comfortable position, she accepted the dainty cup and saucer from Zin. “Is that why you two are such party animals? Intel for Hades?”
“Also, intel for our missions. We find that humans talk without inhibition, and many supernaturals, as well.” Zol picked up his cup and saucer. “Try it, love.”
Kandace shut her eyes and inhaled first. Once she’d savored the tea blend’s flowery aroma, she tasted.
“Ohhh…heavenly.” She took a longer sip, glad the temperature was on the edge of hot.
For quiet moments, they all drank their tea, and Kandace realized she appreciated this calm civility. Feeling her muscles relax and her tension dissolve, she sighed.
“A let-the-good-times-roll atmosphere, plus alcohol does loosen the tongue. Mine included. That’s for your ears only, my hellhounds.”
“Loose lips sink ships,” Zin wryly quipped. “Or, loose lips will give us the right tips at the Mitchells’ tonight. More tea, darling?”
“Don’t mind if I do.” Kandace held out her cup and saucer.
Zin poured the tea with a precise flourish, then filled his porcelain mug and Zol’s. Suavely, they saluted her.
After a long soothing sip and a toss of her hair, Kandace asked, “I assume it’s a Halloween costum
e party.”
Zol set his mug on the tray. “It’s a chichi Samhain party, darling. Glamorous nineteen-thirties or forties witch and warlock costumes are required.”
“Oh. And me with nothing to wear…well, there is that one cream silk and gold lamé gown I have. But, it’s hardly witchly beguiling.”
Kandace thought fast about her predicament, the one no woman wanted to face. Her hellhounds locked gazes for instants. Then Zin reached for her empty cup and saucer.
“Love, we have an unforeseen problem in providing a costume for you. Within the current timeline, there is no gap for a shopping trip. We require another solution.”
Kandace blinked to stave off panic. “Maybe, I should conjure up a gown? I’ve never tried before…I mean, what if something goes awry, and it vanishes? Like that’s all I need, to be Cinderella after midnight.”
“Kandy darling, even though your powers are restored, it would be wise—”
Her impatience flared, and she interrupted Zol. “Yes, I know. I need to save my magickal energies. And a nap is in order.” Hugging her knees tight, she asked, “When is this glamor shindig?”
“When else?” they both crooned. “The witching hour.”
Pointedly, she glanced at Zin and Zol in turn, then gave them a sassy grin. “Our estimated time of departure, my party animals?”
“Elevenish, my darling,” Zin replied.
“Hmmm…no makeup, no gown, no shoes…oh, and no witch’s hat, what’s a woman to do?”
“Leave it to her hellhounds, of course,” they chorused.
Uncertain, Kandace studied their expressions. “You two are supernaturally astonishing, no question about that. I must admit, your fashionista sense outdoes mine…still…”
With the touch of a lover, Zol clasped her hand. “Hellhounds reside in the fashion capitals of the world, darling. Our brethren will offer assistance, unless otherwise engaged.”
A tingly anticipation took over Kandace at the thought of wearing a vintage gown. Though, it was hardly the purpose for attending. Gently, she squeezed Zol’s hand, then lifted her shoulder in a shrug of acceptance.
“Must trust hellhounds,” she crooned the takeoff on must love hellhounds.
Kougar, Savanna - Kandy Apple and Her Hellhounds (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 22