Royally Screwed

by L. J. Vickery

  “No.”

  Dani jumped at the harsh bark. Huxley was still not onboard.

  “I don’t like it. Even if Dani’s wired and I stick close, too many things can go wrong,” he growled.

  “And that’s where I’ve got you fucking covered.” Candy then outlined a plan that, to Dani’s ears, sounded not only plausible but damned good. Everyone—including Enlil, but not Huxley—eventually agreed to the scheme as long as Candy checked out as legit.

  The meeting broke up just before midnight, with the agreement that nothing would be put into action until Nergal made contact with Ereshkigal again. This time his conversation with her would be scripted, and how they proceeded would be determined by the queen’s answers. They would work out the details the next day.

  Candy followed Dani up to their room, the two having first made a stop in the garage—with Marduk and Enlil as escort—to retrieve Candy’s suitcase from her car. She’d been given back her cellular device with the caveat that Lahar would be able to monitor all signals leaving the compound, and they would know if she called anybody. Dani smiled, recalling what the petite agent had done the minute she’d gotten her phone back.

  Candy had stared up…way up, defiantly at Marduk, hit speed-dial and put the phone to her ear. The thunder god had twitched but didn’t stop her.

  “Yo. Boss. CL here. I’m going off the grid for a few days. Wanted to let you know.” She’d listened for a few seconds. “Yeah. Golden. Sure. Talk to you.” Candy punched the button to disconnect.

  “There. Now the boss won’t be looking for me,” Candy had assured Marduk. Dani noted that Enlil still looked at her with tremendous suspicion.

  Candy stretched upon entering Dani’s bedroom. “This is shitloads better than my hotel room in Maine.” She grinned, and threw her duffel on the bed Dani-Lee indicated to look around.

  “Fucking sea-green, lady curtains, and beds with matching comforters,” she marveled. The agent slowly took in the cream-colored walls, indirect lighting, and a state-of-the-art entertainment center, then pirouetted in one bemused circle that ended with her facing the bathroom door. Candy grinned and practically skipped toward the room, followed by a smiling Dani.

  Dani looked at the room with fresh eyes. Marble covered every surface; cream colored with gold and deep-green veins running through the stone.

  “This is the balls,” Candy exploded. “No. Wait.” She bent down and looked at the tub. “This is the balls. I’m usually a shower girl all the way, but tomorrow I’m going to soak forever in this frigging indoor pool. It must be the fucking Great Lakes of bathtubs.”

  In the midst of Candy’s love affair with the plumbing, a knock sounded on the door.

  “I’m going to use the facilities if you want to see who’s there,” Candy told her.

  Dani scooted from the room and Candy closed the door all but a crack. Dani-Lee nearly snorted. Of course the agent would listen. Dani had been around the gods long enough to know how naturally suspicious people operated.

  “Hey, Dani-Lee.” Holly’s soft voice would carry across the room.

  “Hi, Holl.” Dani couldn’t keep the amusement from her voice. “What’s up?”

  Holly shuffled in her pocket. “I have something I think you might need.” Holly looked back over her shoulder, and Dani-Lee’s near chortle turned to a groan. Great. A secret.

  “Just before I got taken to the Underworld, Ereshkigal gave this to me.”

  Dani maneuvered her body so that Candy wouldn’t be able to see the item…just in case. “It let me in and out of Hell when I wasn’t a goddess, but when I tried to give it back to the queen, she told me to hang on to it. That it might come in handy sometime soon.”

  Dani took the item out of its soft pouch and studied it.

  “I figure it must have some magical properties, so it should go with you. None of us are in danger here, but you’re putting yourself out there, and you should have every advantage.”

  “You know what this is, don’t you?” The doctor hefted it, wrapped in its bed of velvet.

  “No. Well…I mean, maybe?”

  Dani nodded. That made sense. During the mating ceremonies, the Chosen got sedated, and those in attendance sat far across the room from the item in question. Dani, however, had her hands directly on one, or at least half of one, every time she performed the mating operation.

  “It’s an amulet.” She looked at Holly and tapped her left shoulder. “You know.”

  The light dawned on Holly’s face. “But this one is…”

  “Yeah. It’s empty.” Dani turned it over and over. Strange, it felt slightly warm in her hand. “I don’t know what it can do empty, but it can’t hurt to have it.” It was sweet of Holly to make the gesture. “Thanks, Holly. I’ll make sure I tuck it into a safe place and bring it with me.”

  “Good.” Holly looked a little sheepish. “It sounds crazy, but I swear it’s almost been calling to me all day. Every time I approached my room.”

  Dani smiled then laughed. “Which probably means it was. I don’t discount anything that happens in this house.”

  Holly grinned her agreement. “Who knew a few months ago we’d ever think there was such thing as gods, let alone that we’d be living with them?” She looked back into the hallway. “Listen, I’d better go. I told Dagon I was only headed for a midnight snack, so he’ll be looking for me soon.” She squeezed her hand around Dani’s where it held the talisman. “Be safe, Dani, and keep my brother safe too.”

  “I’ll try, Holly.” Dani held back a sigh. She would do anything to keep Huxley safe, even if the man was the most difficult, confusing, and frustrating male she’d ever met. Her fingers curled tighter around the amulet. She’d sew it into her bra of choice first chance she got. Dani figured once she got “captured,” she’d be wearing the same one for the duration.

  Candy had certainly witnessed the whole exchange, and emerged from the bathroom to catch Dani sticking the pouch in a drawer, just as another knock came at the door.

  Candy did an about face. “Great,” she huffed, clearly having been about to ask Dani what the amulet meant. “I’m going to take a shower.” She rolled her eyes at Dani. “You good?”

  “Fine.” Dani-Lee shrugged. “But what a funny time for Grand Central Station.” She pulled open the door.

  “Hux.” Dani hoped he didn’t notice her slightly elevated voice. Here we go again, she huffed, swallowing her nervousness. Another episode of “what the fuck.”

  ****

  An hour later, Dani came back into her room flushed and shaken.

  “You look like shit. No offense.” Candy lay on the bed, catching up on what had to be a day’s worth of phone texts.

  “I was with Huxley,” Dani offered, and then proceeded to relate the whole story.

  Flummoxed by Huxley’s late night visit, Dani—at his request—had followed Huxley the short distance down the hallway to his room. She believed his intention had been to talk her out of the scheme they’d all agreed to, but screw that. Dani had already made up her mind. She resolved not to be left out of the plan for a couple of reasons. One, she was tired of being the person left behind; tired of being on cleanup duty only, patching everyone up after their big adventures. And two, after watching the residents of the compound for the past few months, she’d realized she needed some adventures of her own.

  As it turned out, talking wasn’t what Huxley had wanted at all.

  “In,” he had grunted, opening his bedroom door.

  Dani had slipped through and faced away from him with her arms crossed over her chest. “Don’t think you can—”

  The words had died in Dani’s throat as Huxley’s hand came to the side of her neck. He had caressed gently upward toward her cheek then back down to her collarbone, pressing her gently backward against him.

  “Hux?” she had asked shakily. “What are you doing?”

  “You said you wanted me,” Huxley whispered in her ear, and it had sent shivers down her spine. “I’
m going to make sure you get me.”

  He’d bent and scooped Dani up behind her knees, bringing her up into his arms. She had twined hers around his neck, but he’d disengaged them as he carefully laid her on the bed.

  Dani’s eyes had riveted to him as he gracefully stripped off his shirt. Even in the dim light of his room, his chest was magnificent—hard and bronzed, with not a hint of hair. Dani’s heart had beat rapidly. Hux resembled a god in every way.

  He’d lowered himself next to her prone body and then leaned over to remove her sneakers. Hux targeted her jeans next. His fingers had sneaked up to the waistband of her pants then run back and forth across the soft skin of her belly. She’d held her breath when he popped the snap and inched the zipper down.

  Dani had felt the material whisper down her legs, leaving her lower half clad in her barely there, green silk panties.

  She had tried to grab for Hux, making a small sound of protest as he slid off the bed, but he’d paid no attention. Instead he went to his bedside table and brought out a bottle of oil. Keeping his eyes fixed to hers, he’d popped the top and poured the liquid into his hands, rubbing them together slowly. Torturously.

  “I think—”

  “Shh,” he had said. “No talking.”

  No talking? Dani recalled her eyebrows flying up. Was that normal?

  Before he had applied the oil, he’d lifted her foot and delicately sucked each one of her toes into his mouth, laving them with his tongue and teasing each with eager tugs. Dani had never felt anything like it and she writhed on the bed, becoming a tingly puddle of anticipation. She didn’t tell Candy about the tingly puddle.

  Huxley, his breathing as erratic as hers and a hard bulge apparent inside of his tight jeans, had then started his massage at her instep, his hands warm, caressing her skin, gliding over it with slow, firm, strokes.

  Dani had moaned in pleasure, and Huxley huskily echoed the sentiment.

  He had worked his way up her calves, one at a time, first the right, then the left, lavishing each with equal attention. He led with his tongue, following with his hands. His magic fingers squeezed and strummed while sweat shone on his bare chest, letting her know he shared in the tension that coiled within her.

  When he made it to just above her knees, he placed his hands gently on her thighs and spread her apart. Holy shit.

  Still, not a word had been spoken, and Dani had to bite down on her tongue to keep his name from slipping out as he continued his caresses.

  Every languorous stroke of his thumbs had brought him closer to her aching pussy. Dani had whimpered, and fumbled down to his shoulders, wanting to drag him up, wanting to fill her mouth with his tongue, but he hadn’t allowed that. He’d growled at her instead, leaving off with his exquisite thumbs and grabbing her hands.

  He placed a long series of kisses on her swollen cunt, encased as it still was in material, but eventually he’d eased up. Holding her wrists together over her head with one hand, he worked her panties down and away, demanding with his strength that she bend her knees to open her pussy up to him.

  Yes. Yes. Dani had been certain that when he let her go, he’d take off his jeans. But she’d been wrong. He didn’t remove his pants. Instead, his one free hand adjusted the enormous erection that pressed at his zipper then travelled down her body, preceding his lips which now trailed kisses to her exposed navel where he’d inched up her T-shirt.

  Then—and still with no words—Huxley had brought his mouth down to her exposed nether lips. He’d lightly licked, he’d sucked, he’d inched back and blown soft air across her wet pussy which had pushed her even higher. She hadn’t been able to hold back his name.

  “Hux.”

  “Quiet,” he’d barked gruffly against her flesh, before tasting her again and growling into her splayed pussy, the vibration curling her toes. He’d dipped down once again, tasting. Then he’d lapped as if she was the most delicious meal he’d ever consumed, before stretching her farther to plunge his tongue up inside. His hands had shaken as he finally let her wrists go to reach up and fill his hands with her breasts. His moan filled her completely just before he’d pinched her bra-clad nipples.

  Dani had believed she was coming apart. His attention to both her pussy and her nipples had overwhelmed her. Too much, too fast. She longed for a moment, just a moment, to catch her breath and touch him back. But except for his soft, blond hair, which she tugged at desperately with seeking fingers, it seemed like she was not allowed her roaming hands as he resisted every effort she made to pull him higher. Dani had been beside herself.

  Huxley continued, fast and sure. Abandoning her breasts with one final squeeze, he’d knelt on the bed, a look of half-lidded, carnal pleasure on his face while he lifted the lower half of her body up to his mouth. He hadn’t stopped until she cried out, spasming against him with an orgasm so intense it lasted an eternity. His hands had gripped her ass tightly until she’d finally become limp in his hands. What could only be called a chuff of satisfaction blew across her tender pussy, and Huxley’s big body relaxed as if he had been the once experiencing the orgasm.

  Before she could process his movement, he’d lowered her back to the bed and was there with a warm washcloth, wiping her between her legs, soothing her wildness, calming her flesh. She’d breathed out shakily. It had been amazing; the ultimate in a man taking care of a woman.

  ****

  Dani looked Candy right in the eye as she finished her story. She’d left out the most intimate details for the agent, but gave her some of the goods, as well as the gist of his no-talking, hands to yourself scenario.

  “I wanted to reciprocate, you know? But, just like before when I went for his buttons, he captured my hands and wouldn’t let me touch him.” She clenched her fists with frustration, remembering.

  She’d lain still, stunned, as he’d found her silk panties and worked them back up her legs, followed by her jeans. He had given her the sexy smile that made her heart skip, but as she sat up to capture his mouth, he’d wrenched back, dragging her up with one hand.

  When she finally went face-to-face with him, he’d positioned his arm across her hips and spun her around, pressing his front to her back. Huxley had then walked them both to the door. He’d given one last lick up the back of her neck, opened the portal, and gently pushed her out. The door had given a quiet click behind her, and she’d walked, shaking her head, all the way back to her room.

  Dani regarded Candy, still bemused. “So can you tell me what just happened? Because I sure as hell don’t know.”

  Candy coughed, and if Dani-Lee wasn’t mistaken, the agent choked back what she had been about to impart and changed the subject. “You, uh, tend to overshare a little bit, don’t you?”

  Dani blanched. “Yeah. Oh. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. TMI, wasn’t it?” She shuddered, mortified at her behavior. She’d never had girlfriends before this Blue Hills experience, and really didn’t know how much intimate information dumping was proper.

  “No. Not necessarily,” Candy quickly backpedaled. “It’s just that usually women end up sharing shit like that after a few pops, but no. It was cool.” Which meant it was totally uncool, and Dani felt ready to melt down into the carpet.

  Shit. She felt the need to explain. “Before living here, I became pretty good at hiding my thoughts and feelings. I’d never formed any female friendships because for me it was always about going for the degrees, focusing on my career. This whole being with the gods and goddesses thing happened so fast, it’s cracking fissures in my normally staid resolve.”

  “Cracking fissures.” Candy giggled. “More like fucking earthquakes.”

  Her face must have registered horror, because Candy swiftly patted her on the hand. “No, really. I’m sorry. Bad joke. It’s all cool.”

  Dani figured she might as well keep going. She couldn’t possibly make things worse.

  “Growing up, there was just me and my dad,” she stated, forcibly leaving her emotions aside this time. “My mom left
us when I turned seven. Just slipped out one day and didn’t come back.” Dani purposely kept her expression blank. “Even though it devastated me, Dad didn’t seem to miss a beat. I remember every word of the short conversation we had that day.”

  Candy waited patiently.

  “He’d always been about work, and in the aftermath of her departure, he told me we were better off without my mother. That she was just a distraction. That he’d never been able to trust her. Then he turned back to the stack of papers on his desk, and our discussion just…ended.” Her musing became pragmatic.

  “He’s an academic. A research academic, and he never had any time for drama. Actually, he wouldn’t put up with any histrionics. I quickly learned that the only way to hold his attention was to be brilliant at my school work, and keep my speech patterns to the plain and simple while addressing him. As soon as he would notice emotion creeping into my voice, or if he discerned I didn’t give him a full disclosure of facts on something that had happened, he would shut down.” Dani gave a shrug. “I was schooled to be totally honest with him, which kept me on the straight and narrow, so I never learned to lie or prevaricate.”

  “And how has that worked out for you?” Candy questioned, rather gently.

  “Well, it went very well with him.” Dani-Lee smiled, but then her smile slowly faded. “Not so swimmingly with…others.” Dani forced herself to brighten. “But my attitude served me really well in medical school and now in practice. People seem to appreciate a doctor who will tell it like it is.”

  “So not to get personal again but…” Dani pretty much gave the agent the go-ahead to probe away. “Have you ever had a relationship before? With a guy, I mean?” Candy tipped her head, waiting.

  “Oh, yes,” Dani exclaimed, laughingly. “I was married.” Dani could tell she’d shocked her roommate. “Only briefly, though, to a very nice man I met in medical school.” Dani wasn’t distressed to reveal that. In fact, having been married probably made her seem a little more normal.