by Jaye Shields
Damn. Why the hell am I so sex-obsessed lately? I’m like a predator.
“That’s right,” she tossed back at Sodor. “I’ve heard that blood and guts can be quite the aphrodisiac. Makes sense since nothing is hotter than a sweaty man.”
“I’m glad you approve.” Sodor winked at her, his suave smile lighting up the room.
“I approve, too!” Melissandra returned the winked in caricaturist style.
Rowen appeared beside Sodor in the doorway. Flecks of blood dotted his face, but Sparrow barely noticed. Instead, her gaze slid downward. His leather pants clung to his athletic thighs, and his whole body was damp, as if it had been drenched by a wave. Beads of water dotted his strong chest like a sky filled with stars.
Was she staring?
What kind of sick person stared at a ripped, glistening torso instead of a blood-splattered neck and face?
A horny one.
Melissandra seemed to notice the sensual tension filling the room and Sparrow’s quick silence at Rowen’s entrance. “Should we go above deck and help these knights clean up a bit? Obviously there appears to be a blood and guts issue.”
Sparrow blushed because she knew her skills with Wiccan were not at the same level as her aunts. To be honest, she wished she could whip out a really cool spell and impress Rowen with her abilities. After all, who knew what kind of otherworldly women he was usually surrounded by?
Morgana took the cue from her sister and pushed past the knights before they could answer. “We’ll have this place clean in a jiffy. Although if my dear niece’s telekinesis skills were up to par, her bedroom wouldn’t look like a disaster zone.”
Sparrow blushed once more as everyone else headed above deck. Only Rowen stayed behind, and she wondered if he’d sensed her discomfort.
“I’ve seen your talents in action. You flew brilliantly.” He smiled. “Who needs telekinesis?”
She laughed, comfortable around this stunning man for the first time. “Thanks.”
“Shall we go above deck for some air?” Rowen gestured for Sparrow to go before him.
As she walked past his form, Sparrow became all the more aware of how his body filled the space. The scent of blood and a strange odor, probably demon guts, drifted through the space, a reminder that the gentle voice belonged to a deadly warrior. She halted next to him.
He was so tall, Sparrow had to tilt her head up to gaze at his face. She smiled lightly when his aqua gaze recognized her close proximity. Her hands hovered just above his cheeks. Sparrow gazed at him and began chanting in her head until a subtle glow emanated from her hands. The light reached the skin of Rowen’s cheeks and buffed away the flecks that had dried on his skin.
As she finished chanting and the glow dissipated, Sparrow thought she saw a hungry look pass through Rowen’s expression. Lust?
Sparrow smiled and withdrew her hands. “See, I’m not completely useless.” Happy to pull off the simple cleansing spell, Sparrow did her best to saunter seductively down the hall. After all, she didn’t want that to be the last time she received that hungry look from her warrior.
Chapter Nine
Later that night, the gang was crowded around an above-deck fire. The knights had insisted upon making dinner for them, but Sparrow hadn’t been eager to devour the chicken after watching it roast over the top of the fire. Something about curdling flesh just didn’t whet her appetite.
Beside her, Morgana shivered, and Sparrow wondered if it was from the cold, or if she too had gotten the heebies watching their dinner go from dead to deader.
“I would offer you the shirt off my back, but … ” Sodor trailed off as he smiled, mischievously referring to his bared chest. Hot.
“Let me get blankets.” Rowen stood to descend below deck for the cold women. Hotter.
Sparrow watched his form extend as he stood, his torso hard like granite against the dark night backdrop. Morgana smiled at the attention he paid to her.
“And grab the Hvergelmir,” Sodor called out to his disappearing comrade.
Michelle’s eyes went wide in the dark. “Tell me it’s not true. Hvergelmir?”
Sodor laughed, impressed. “What does a were-jaguar know about ancient booze?”
“You are familiar with the World Tree, right?” Her aunts nodded, and Melissandra pulled a necklace from the crevice of her bosom, and dangled it for all to see. Most Wiccans across the world were very familiar with the World Tree.
Michelle continued, “Well, the roots of the trees were said to extend down to three bubbling fountains. Each fountain held sacred drinking waters. Hvergelmir is the nectar of joy. Or so they say.”
“Nectar of joy, huh?” Sparrow threw her hair behind her shoulder as she leaned closer to the warmth of the fire. “We sell that at Tera’s coffee shop. It’s called red wine.”
“Well, maybe we can bring some of this stuff home to the shop.” Tera raised a brow at Sabin.
“Sorry love, the Hvergelmir is only for accomplished immortals. There is a very limited supply, you see. It is not meant for the masses.” The knight kissed the auburn-haired beauty before she could protest. Which, she would.
Rowen’s head re-appeared as he ascended from the stairwell carrying a heap of blankets and a large bottle of evergreen-tinted liquid. He looked like a man that Sparrow could hole up with for a month and be content to never see the light of day. It was all too easy for her to picture curling up on the soft heap with the hard body beside her, with only a bottle of joy juice to keep them company. She could just imagine the kind of joy the knight could bring upon a heap of blankets.
As he handed Sparrow a blanket, his finger touched hers. Electricity. Glancing up at him, his bright aqua gaze penetrated the night and sent shivers of desire down her spine. She instantly forgot the golden eyes of the Quetzalem that had hijacked her dreams.
Sodor gladly took the jug from Rowen and took a swig before handing it to Morgana. “I’m sure this will keep you warm. Or distract you. Either way, it’s good stuff.”
“What does it taste like?” Sparrow asked as Morgana thanked Sodor and took a slow swig from the bottle.
“Whoa!” As soon as Morgana’s lips came away from the bottle, her gray-blue eyes went wide.
“My turn, sister.” Melissandra grabbed the bottle and took a sip. “Oh, that is good.” But a second later her eyes watered from the potency.
“Glad it is to your liking. But do be careful — it will catch up to you.” Rowen winked at Melissandra as she handed the bottle to Sparrow.
Sparrow took Rowen’s warning as a dare, and she titled her head to swallow the nectar. Her inner vixen went to work as she slowly let the Hvergelmir slide down her throat. Her hair cascaded behind her as she threw back her head, and held the bottle vertical against her lips.
She heard a groan, and hoped it was from Rowen.
She used a bluesy purr when she finally paused. “Ohhh, it is warm.” Sparrow enjoyed the warmth against her tongue once more, and hoped her double-entendre had tantalized the knight.
The smooth warmth of the liquid turned to scorching hot fire. Don’t cough. Don’t cough. “This is like rum, whisky, and amaretto on steroids.” This time when her voice came out, it was a high-pitched wheeze. Melissandra snickered.
Damn it.
“Lemme try, Sparrow.” Michelle reached out from her spot on Duncan’s lap. Putting the bottle to her lips, Michelle took a long, slow chug of the liquid and licked her lips afterward. Duncan watched her with an intense hunger in his eyes.
Guess I’m not the only one on the horny side.
Sparrow decided to stretch her legs and made her way over the railing to gaze out into the fog.
“Tell me more about your world. How does a group of human females end up fighting a demon battle on Alcatraz Island?”
The silky dee
p voice could belong to none other than Rowen.
“Human females? You mean you would have preferred a bunch of UFC fighters instead?” Sparrow raised a brow, teasing him.
He grinned down at her. “I know not UFC, but I know that if I were a man in your world, I would not have let you go alone but fought by your side.”
“Yeah, there’s no men in my world. Not real ones, anyway. I dated a UFC dude for like a week and a half, but he didn’t get along with my cat. Major deal breaker.”
Rowen laughed, and the hearty sound sent butterflies soaring within Sparrow’s stomach. “I’m very fond of animals. In my home realm, Aerion, we are a place of wild horses. It is truly beautiful. I hope you will be able to visit someday.” His gaze lingered on her for a moment. “And what of your father?”
“I never knew him. And neither did my mother.”
“I’m sorry. Your family has raised a strong woman all the same. I no longer remember my family; they were not immortal.”
“So you’re not born immortal?”
“Not I. Knights of the Fog gain immortality when they have died an honorable death. Breasal finds us within the Nether Realm; he chooses the old souls that have died honorably in every life they’ve had. I was one of those people. So when Brennus Hy-Breasal, the king of the land we’re traveling to, offered me the chance to contain the violence of traveling demons in the portal realm, I was happy to serve.”
“Sounds dangerous.”
“Not when you’re immortal. At times it seems unfair fighting beasts that cannot kill me, but it’s imperative that many of these demons are contained to certain realms. I was in prison when the demons were set free by the Goddess of Chaos into your realm. These things happen sometimes. Too many gods means much trouble when they get bored.”
“You were in prison?”
Rowen smiled, flashing white teeth that glinted in the darkness of night. “A story for another time.”
• • •
The rest of the night became a blur. Thanks to the fantasizing she did amidst storytelling and conversation, Rowen’s hands had already been all over her. She could only imagine what dirty thoughts her aunts were thinking about the sexy young Sodor. Well, not young, only young-looking. Her mind slurred through coherent thought.
Please let me be able to stand. Sparrow prepared herself for the battle that lie ahead. Stand up, and walk like a seductress. No falling on your face like a chick that can’t hold her Hvergelmir. Make Rowen dream about you.
“Should I escort you?” Rowen’s deep, seductive voice was a welcome sound. Very welcome.
From where she sat, Sparrow watched him offer a hand to her oldest aunt. Morgana wasn’t bothering to hide her tipsiness. Sodor hadn’t been kidding — the Hvergelmir had done a number on all of them.
Gripping her chair, Sparrow stood. Success! Okay, now time to saunter. “Thanks for the great night, guys.” Well-practiced seductive tone? Check. Not letting Hvergelmir take me to the floor? Uh-oh.
She stumbled, but Sodor steadied her. Rowen looked back to her from where he guided Morgana. His gaze bore into her and she thought he glared at Sodor.
The sound of Morgana’s slurred voice interrupted the scene. “You get all your dates hopped up on Hvergelmir, don’t you?”
“Only the prettiest ones.” Rowen smiled and Sparrow’s world titled a little bit.
Duncan disappeared with a passed-out Michelle in his arms. Sabin tried to carry Tera, but she refused, and instead took his hand in her own, and did her best to walk an even line down the hallway to their room.
As she entered her own, Sparrow leaned against the wall and sank to the ground. So much for joy juice.
• • •
“She’s even hotter when she’s not half-dead. Am I right, my friend?” Sodor laid down on the wooden plank of the boat and stared up at the passing fog. Together, they communicated in the language of the knights as the others were finding their rooms below deck.
“She is.” Rowen agreed more than his comrade knew. Sodor nearly earned himself a punch in the face for bringing up her fall from the sky on Alcatraz Island.
“All this couple-on-couple action certainly does make a solitary man get the need.”
Rowen glared at his friend’s lazy posture. “We’ll be arriving in Hy-Breasal soon enough.” And the ladies there would flock to the knights as usual. “You know you’ll have your pick of plenty and probably won’t have to settle for just one at a time.”
His comrade stood up and stretched the muscles in his arms, cracking the bones in his vertebrae. Sodor grinned and Rowen knew his mind was filled with crude endeavors.
“Actually, I had another conquest in mind.”
Rowen stood immediately at the announcement. “I don’t think so, friend.”
This caught Sodor’s attention. “Are you calling dibs?”
“She’s a guest,” he clung to his composure, letting the words escape slowly as he grit his teeth. Sparrow was more than a guest — she’d stirred Rowen’s blood with only a glance. She was something special.
Sodor slapped Rowen on the back. “You insult me, brother. As our guest, I will make sure that she is most comfortable.” Sodor turned from Rowen and smiled into the distance, apparently appreciating the sight of the colorful fireflies lighting up the fog. “And since she’s a guest, there’s a multiple orgasm guarantee.”
Rowen’s composure fled, and he tackled his friend from behind. Together their heavy forms collided like stone against the wooden planks of the raft.
“I said, leave her be!” Rowen released his friend and stood over Sodor, clenching his fists so he wouldn’t throw a punch.
Sodor turned over and smiled. He stretched out comfortably on the ground, his hands cushioning his head as he lay where he’d been tackled. “Does this mean you want dibs?”
Sending a lingering glare at his friend, Rowen decided to return to his room. The last thing he wanted to see was Sodor’s face, especially since now he couldn’t get the image of him and Sparrow out of his mind.
He reached the bottom of the stairwell, cursing in every language he knew.
“That sounds interesting.”
It was one of Sparrow’s quirky aunts. He had to admit, he wasn’t completely sure he had their names correct. The two women were both close in age, similar appearances, and both down right controversial. The knights were surrounded by succubi in their day-to-day activities, and yet he had never seen one blush until Sparrow’s aunts had come along. He wondered what ribald comment the woman had in store for him.
“Did you have need for more blankets?” Damn it, he knew they were not adequately stocked for the mortals’ needs.
“There’s plenty of blankets. Besides, I’m post-menopausal, for crying out loud. I get hot flashes.”
Rowen thanked the Gods he didn’t understand what that meant.
“It was just too loud. I heard a loud thud from above deck and it gave me a fright. Too much action lately has made me skittish.”
But her tone did not seem worried. As a knight, he had a sixth sense about these things. “I’m sorry, that was Sodor and I. We were … exercising.”
“It definitely does the body good.” He received an overly emphatic wink. “Anywho, I’m going to room with my sister for the night. Old habits die hard, I suppose.”
As the younger aunt walked past him, he noticed her semi-crooked gait. “Let me accompany you. We were not good hosts to let you over consume the Hvergelmir.”
“ Humph. Only good hosts let ladies over-consume while on vacation. I’ll be fine. It’s just a hallway.”
With that, he watched her make her way to the room just down the hall. The encounter left him smiling. He had to admit, the Reed family had a way of taking a man’s mind off things. The elder Reed sisters with their comedic relief, and
their niece, with her angelic beauty.
He entered the room he had meant for Melissandra. This room had a shower. After the long day of consuming every inch of Sparrow Reed with his eyes, a long shower was just what he needed. There he would fix himself as he fantasized about the feel of the young woman’s body. The soft texture of her skin, and the feel of her full lips on his … He hardened instantly.
Yes, he needed to fix himself indeed.
• • •
Sparrow clutched the bed with both hands. Maybe if she crinkled the fabric harder within her fists, the urge to puke would go away.
Next time, not so much damn Hvergelwhatever.
The effect of the drink settled heavily upon her skin. Slumber nagged at her body, causing it to feel heavy and warm, like it was smothered in a blanket. But she was wide awake with excitement. Perhaps she should visit her aunts to see if they had any suggestions.
Opening the door a crack, she poked her head out of the room and glanced both ways down the hall. Empty. She imagined Rowen and Sodor were above deck keeping watch. And Sabin was probably with Tera doing the sexy dance.
Jealous much?
Sparrow placed her hand on the doorknob to Morgana’s room, but the door whooshed open, and she stumbled drunkenly into the space.
Who says I don’t have magickal powers? That door opened all on its own.
But instead of finding her aunts, her jaw dropped at another image altogether. Standing near a large bed was Rowen. The knight was completely nude, his long length of body wrapped only in thick cords of muscle. Her drunken stupor convinced her that it was perfectly okay to look. Okay, gape.
He made no effort to cover up. Instead he stood there, raking his eyes over her. But she barely noticed. Instead, she traced her gaze over the hard lines of his stomach leading down a chiseled vee showcasing a very large penis. It hardened steadily before her eyes.
If her cheeks weren’t already flush from drinking, they were now. Her body scorched ten degrees hotter, and the space between her legs tingled and dampened with liquid fire.