Nergal waited. He could tell Ereshkigal had paused to let all that sink in. “If you truly love me and want to make me happy, you would do one thing for me. I’m asking you to aid my sister.” Nergal cocked his head, indicating to his wife that he listened.
“Erra needs to travel to the Overworld to romance my sister properly, but you have to give your permission.” She looked up through her lashes at Nergal. “Will you do it?”
Nergal sighed. He was all for furthering Erra’s relationship with the goddess of the dawn, and Ishtar had been patiently waiting for her chance with Erra for several thousand years. But the fact remained: an unidentified threat still lurked between Earth and the Underworld; and having Erra, his war god, keeping an eye on things was imperative. Ereshkigal would understand, but it wouldn’t make her happy.
“I need Erra on duty.” He sighed. Ereshkigal started to speak. Nergal cut her off. “But I’m willing to make a small concession. I’ll let Erra visit the Overworld for one week, but afterward he’ll have to return with Ishtar to attend the meeting I’ve called with all the Underworld gods. Depending on what we uncover, he will probably have to return to duty in Plymouth.”
He could see his wife’s gears spinning. A week should be plenty of time. After a moment, she smiled in agreement. “If I know Ishtar and her new-found determination, she should have Erra properly wrapped around her finger by the end of even that short sabbatical.” She stood on tiptoes and kissed her husband full on the mouth. “Thank you, husband.”
Nergal wanted nothing more than to get lost in his wife, but he had business to take care of before he could enjoy her company. “Let me set those things in motion, and I’ll join you a little later.” His gaze ran up and down her lean body.
“I need to go bathe in the pools.” Ereshkigal gave him a knowing glance. “Being away from home always makes me feel dirty.” She turned with a wink and sashayed away with a provocative swing of her hips.
Gods, what that woman could do with a double entendre. Nergal shook his head. He called on his new head of security, Lavarette.
Join me in the throne room, Lavarette? The king sent out.
Certainly, my liege. I will be there presently. The glowie in charge of patrolling the Underworld for inappropriate activity answered instantly.
Nergal called in the opposite direction for his secretary, wanting the status of his proposed gathering. “Beletseri.”
“Yes, your highness.” Beletseri entered the room, tugging on her long, black dress and running a hand through her hair. If Nergal wasn’t mistaken, he’d awakened his employee from a nap.
“Sorry to interrupt your leisure time,” the king barked sarcastically. “But I need an update.”
Beletseri looked anything but contrite, managing to arrange her face into professional lines, bowing slightly with her composure wrapped solidly around her. “What do you need, my king?”
“How many Underworld gods and goddesses have accepted my invitation?”
“You have summoned seventy-eight, and seventy-seven have complied.”
“Who has refused my request?” Nergal hadn’t expected any dissension. The god unwilling to come forth raised a red flag.
Beletseri seemed to cringe at Nergal’s tone. “Nedu has not sent a reply, my liege.”
“Hmph.” Nergal was not overly alarmed now that he knew who ignored him. Nedu was a minor god of the Underworld, one of four gate-guardian brothers who, in the last thousand years, had been given god status. This particular immortal from the north was known for being scattered and unorganized. He’d gained his god-card by single-handedly keeping an enormous horde of undead, who had wanted to feast on souls of the dead, out of hell. Nergal had entertained doubts when Nedu had been elevated, but the board had voted against his wishes. Ah, well. Water under the bridge at this point, but he couldn’t be allowed to miss this meeting.
“Contact him again, and tell him his presence is required,” Nergal snapped.
“Yes, King Nergal.” Beletseri bowed without speaking further and readied herself to leave as Lavarette entered the room. It wasn’t Nergal’s imagination. Beletseri eyed the glowie distastefully. He knew she hated the cheerful beings. Since their elevation to his security staff, the secretary had stayed as far away from them as possible.
Beletseri scuttled back to her office. Good. She’d send a missive to the gate-keeper, Nedu. It wouldn’t do for him not to show up at Nergal’s summons.
“Lavarette.” King Nergal smiled at the glowie who was known as a champion. She was part of a collective of beings numbering more than two thousand, whom Dagon had come across accidentally during his time in hell. They had been ensconced well below Nergal’s level in the Underworld, barely eking out an existence amongst the hot, stifling rocks. They were polite and intelligent, as well as loyal, and had quickly become an integral part of Nergal’s command.
“How are the preparations coming for next week’s gathering?” He wanted to make sure everything went according to plan.
“We’ve readied all the sleeping quarters for the visiting gods, and with the help of the immortal Shamash from the Blue Hills compound, have added something called audio surveillance to each room. He has also bugged all common rooms and the dining hall.” Lavarette smiled. “Which means I’ve learned all bugs are not just for breakfast,” she teased. “And speaking of food, I’ve put my most accomplished chefs in charge of nourishment and drink, and I think the gods will be comfortable spending a good deal of time in the eating area. With the potent wine we will be serving, lips should be extremely loose.” Lavarette nodded in satisfaction. “My best people will be standing by to take transcription of every word that is said.” Again, she eyed Nergal with a grin. “They would have been using rock slabs and charcoal before this, but our new friend Shamash has equipped and instructed us on the use of laptops. We have some trouble with the small keys, but have become experts with mice.”
Nergal laughed. “I think you mean the mouse.” Although he himself had not totally embraced the use of computers, they remained a necessary evil every now and again.
Lavarette shrugged and continued. “Are you sure you want us to copy everything that is said? Your undergods may have discussions about you that are less than complimentary.”
“I like to hear the bad along with the ass kissing.” Nergal chuckled, dismissing his glowie with a wave of his hand. “And by the way,” he added, “nice work catching up with the twenty-first century.”
Nergal wondered how he had managed everything before the glowies had entered his realm. They had changed the whole climate of the place, bringing an unaccustomed aura of happiness and good cheer. They were so agreeable, he could become downright complacent if he didn’t watch out. Nergal put a hand to his flat stomach. He’d have to talk to the chefs as well, before he started to develop that middle-aged spread to which humans became susceptible.
His pleasant interaction with Lavarette reminded him of something else agreeable that might be waiting.
“My queen has returned to the Underworld,” Nergal called out to the retreating Lavarette. “She’s currently at the bathing pools, and I will be joining her. Can you see to it we are not disturbed?”
The head of security gave Nergal a cheeky grin. “I’ll make sure no one is even within hearing distance.” She snorted, turned on her heel, and fled before Nergal had a chance to stop sputtering.
The king left his office, traversed several stone corridors, and approached the baths quietly, wanting time to observe his wife. She was so amazingly beautiful and exquisitely proportioned. No wonder he’d fallen in love with her the moment they’d met.
They had been married for almost four thousand years, but it had been three thousand four hundred and twenty-two since he’d penetrated her luscious depths. It wasn’t his wish, but circumstances demanded it. Nergal shook his head. He had to be a super god, else how had he resisted her allure for all these years? Granted, she had only started teasing him sexually in the past ten mont
hs, which had brought their situation catapulting out of mere-hell status into out-and-out torment.
He lusted for her with a vengeance. His massive seven-foot body quivered, along with his prick, as he caught sight of her now. She floated on her back, naked in the pool. Her breasts buoyed up, high and proud, her pink nipples stood erect. He could easily see the vee of her thighs, slightly spread, beneath the clear water and his breath caught. He dropped his gilded loincloth and, with panther-like stealth, entered the bath opposite to where she floated. He took a deep breath, and silently dove.
****
Ereshkigal replayed in her head the time she had spent away from the Underworld. She congratulated herself on a job well done. She’d be really surprised if things between her sister and Erra didn’t move in the right direction. Sometimes it just took the proper kind of persuasion to make things happen. Eresh closed her eyes. She was doing the right thing.
Nergal’s head suddenly appeared between her splayed legs, and the queen yelped in surprise. She would have floundered if not for his strong hands keeping her in place.
Her husband’s long, chestnut ponytail dripped across one of her thighs as he raised her, hands filled with her bottom, her sex poised just above the waterline. His deep, bottomless green eyes stared at her pussy as he licked his lips, bent over at the waist, and lowered his tongue to catch her clitoris in a quick, aggressive swipe. Ereshkigal’s juices instantly flowed.
“Nice of you to join me,” she whispered, rapture filling her body as he used his massive shoulders to part her thighs almost to the point of pain. She moaned at the contact.
“Fuck me,” she screamed in need and frustration.
“You know I can’t,” he ground out, alluding to the situation that had driven the pair apart so many thousands of years ago. He abandoned her pussy and flipped her body over, encircling her waist. He dragged her to the edge of the pool where her soap and lotions waited, keeping a firm hold with his forearm while his fingers rested on her clit. He used the pump to squirt apricot-scented lubricant into the palm of his other hand.
Ereshkigal held her breath. What was her husband doing?
He rested the top half of her body on the edge of the pool, her ass lifted and exposed to the air and Nergal’s lustful gaze. He slowly took his lubed fingers and ran them ever so carefully from her quivering pussy, up the entire length of her ass crack. All the while, the hand teased and tapped her engorged nub. Ereshkigal panted. He would send her over the edge very soon.
Nergal withdrew the hand that stroked her ass, and lifted Ereshkigal upright, to press her back against him. He lodged his aching erection between her lubed cheeks and started to rub up and down, never letting up on the frontal assault with his fingers that had her writhing madly. The more she squirmed against him, the better it felt. With high expectations, she spread her legs, and thank the gods, he breached her creaming pussy with two fingers, once, twice, deep… She came, screaming his name.
He ground against her, his breath coming in short pants now. His penis hardened even further and quivered between her cheeks. He moaned and quickened his movements, increasing the friction by hauling her even closer.
Nergal stiffened, and Ereshkigal sensed her husband’s pending orgasm with the roar that she could feel building in his chest. She reached back between her legs to cup his balls, wiggling her ass harder against his turgid sex, rubbing his length. Egging him on. Her other hand gripped his ass, and the minute she dug in sharp nails, he came with a tumultuous jolt, groaning as hot cum shot up between her ass cheeks and over her back.
His legs buckled slowly and the two, still holding onto each other, sank down into the water. Nergal nuzzled the back of her neck, sighing his contentment.
“I missed you, my sexy queen,” he said playfully.
“I missed you too.” She couldn’t help the satisfied smile that quirked about her mouth.
There was no denying it. Ereshkigal loved having a cock inside her, but after years of not having any attention from her husband, she’d take this from Nergal any day. If it was all he could give, she’d make do…for now. She smiled in a very pleased manner. The way things were going, it wouldn’t be long before he lost all control.
Chapter Twelve
“I’ll go.” Enten tried to shrug the tension from his shoulders as Lahar raised his hand. They were having an impromptu meeting in Marduk and Tess’s room the next morning at their hotel in Northampton. “I’ve only had that one chance to enjoy myself being corporeal. If I’m the one guarding Glory, it’ll give me a chance to get to know her, and I’ll have the bonus of being able to eat real food.”
“What will you use as your excuse for being there?” Enlil clearly couldn’t see any way Lahar could explain his presence to Glory.
Enten, who remained morosely silent, received a glance from Lahar. He’d confided in Lahar the previous night―after being relieved by Anshar―that things between he and his Chosen had gone badly, and nodded now in answer to Lahar’s silent question.
“Enten had, uh, some trouble on his date yesterday, and wouldn’t mind if I went as an advocate to find out where he stands with his woman.”
Anshar, who had taken the overnight shift watching Glory, then given over his duties to Absu during Glory’s breakfast this morning—post shower—spoke up to concur. “Her mood was shitty all evening.” He looked accusingly at Enten. “I don’t know what you did, but I swear she cried half the night after turning out the lights.”
If anything, Enten looked more pained. None of the gods could stand it if their Chosen suffered unhappiness.
“This can be fixed.” Lahar sounded positive, turning to address Marduk. “If I can get Glory to agree to see Enten again, he needs to explain who he is, and what we are.”
Enten looked up from his despair. Would the boss give the okay?
Lahar continued proselytizing. “That’s what’s at the bottom of the misunderstandings,” He pushed. “Enten can’t tell her about being the god of winter, and without her knowing, she can’t help but freak out at his cold. And what if she wants to consummate things, and gets a load of his frosty…you know?” Lahar shrugged apologetically to the goddesses.
“Sounds kind of kinky to me.” Lenore licked her lips. “I can think of a few icicle-related activities that might be fun.” She smirked. “Care to make a donation, cold man?” Her brashness made Enten’s lips turn up in a brief smile, as she probably planned.
Anshar grinned and rumbled his response. “Enten, I think my Chosen is right. The cold thing isn’t the total turn off you think.” He winked at the winter god and his eyes went purposely to his wife’s nipples now protruding through her shirt at the thought of some cold-play. The hardened nubs, although not enticing to Enten, gave him some hope.
“The funny thing is, until our picnic, Glory didn’t seem averse to my temperature.” He scowled, pondering out loud. “Maybe if Lahar can talk to her, get me another chance…if I can ease her into the whole “cool god,” thing I’d have a better shot.” His eyes went expectantly to Marduk who remained silent.
“Would it be simpler if we broke the news?” Tess scrunched up her face, also regarding her husband while pointing at herself and Holly. “We’ve been on the other end of the immortal mind-fuck, and know how it feels.”
Holly nodded her agreement, probably remembering how the whole group had sprung it on her mere minutes before battling demons from hell.
Lenore snorted, putting in her two cents. “I knew all about Anshar and what he was, but I still couldn’t wrap my head around it.”
Anshar burst out laughing, remembering things a bit differently. “Maybe not your head babe, but you certainly wrapped your hand around it fast enough.” He smoldered in her direction. “You had me peeled naked stroking my cock before I even knew your name.”
Lenore moved closer to her god and pinched his ass—hard—with her sharp fingernails, causing him to yelp. “In my defense, I didn’t say you weren’t hot,” she said, her eyes nar
rowing. “It’s the arrogance I had trouble with.”
Marduk witnessed the exchange and held up a hand “I’ve got a question before I cave completely to the peer pressure.” He sent a frustrated glare toward his wife, putting something to the three goddesses. “There was no doubt on our side of things that each of you were our Chosen. We became visible and drawn to you without question.” He stroked his chin. “But I wonder now. Did you ladies feel an immediate attraction to us?” It was a query, as far as Enten knew, that none of the men had put to their Chosen. He was acutely interested in the answer.
Lenore replied first. “Anshar just gave you proof of my instant attraction. I really did have my hands on him the minute he was at my mercy. I’d never felt that kind of a pull from anyone before. My mouth watered to lick every glorious inch of his hot body and he couldn’t have scraped me off if he’d tried…which, luckily, he didn’t.”
Tess interrupted before the couple could spontaneously ignite. “I thought Marduk was the oddest, most beautiful man I’d ever seen.” She gave her husband a knowing smile. “I was instantly attracted to him, even though I didn’t want to be. From the moment I met him, he was all I could think about.” She caressed Marduk’s arm, leaning into him as she gave a happy sigh.
Holly took a turn. “I couldn’t wait to get Dagon to take me home.” She sidled up to her man. “I’d never felt anything more strongly than my immediate need for him.” Her pale-blue eyes raked Dagon from top to bottom and his visage darkened with a growl.
Enten felt infinitely better. Odds on, Glory had to be feeling a need for Enten if she acted true to what these ladies had experienced.
Dagon interrupted his thoughts. “Let Lahar smooth things over first, so Enten can get back with Glory. He should be the one who explains everything to her.”
Murmurs of agreement chorused throughout the room.
“The quicker he can fix this, the quicker she can be invited to the T-Taj, and we can all go home.” Dagon wasn’t happy being in Northampton. Enten knew that―more often than not―the serpent god’s assignment and Holly’s took them away from each other, and they were the newest of the newlyweds. Enten knew how Dagon felt, even though he’d not done anything more than kiss his future mate.
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