Marduk handed over his license, as did Tess and Anshar. Glory’s ID was in her purse on the floor of the car, and Marduk managed to compel the trooper—while they hovered over the back seat—into believing he had seen identification from Lahar and Enten. It wasn’t easy with the rest of the rescue personnel securing the scene, but Marduk managed.
“Thanks.” The trooper closed his notepad. “If you want to see my report, it will be on file at the barracks. You’ll be hearing from us in a few days. We’ll need you to appear in court for those two.” He jerked his head in the direction of Matthew’s henchmen, who hadn’t had a chance to get away. “We’ve already run them through the system and they both have rap sheets as long as your arm. Trouble is, they’re usually hired help. We’ll have to see what we can get out of them in regard to who employed them for this job.”
Emesh smiled grimly toward Marduk. Looks like the Plymouth compound is about to become a thing of the past.
About fucking time too. We’ll have to let Erra know so he isn’t inadvertently noticed by the police. Ishkur had been standing aside from the action, but put in the reminder. Marduk was happy for the immortal’s attention to detail. With Ishkur’s brain cranking, there would be no messy loose ends to clean up.
His musings got interrupted when he heard one of the paramedics speaking to the lieutenant. “We could bring them to Harrington General, but I don’t think this one’s going to make it. He’s damned cold, and his vitals don’t look good.” The man had his gloved fingers probing the bullet wound at Enten’s throat. “Better medevac them both to Mass General.” He was clearly disturbed by Enten’s condition, but there was no way to reassure the guy that, for the god of winter, those vitals were pretty damned normal.
Enten’s spinal cord hadn’t sustained any damage, so once they removed the bullet, the god would be right as snow in a few weeks―instead of having to endure a prolonged regeneration.
But Marduk kept his mouth shut about the human’s plans for his winter friend. He wanted to get Enten and Glory to Boston…together. If Enten was sent to a different place than Glory—in a different vehicle—a hundred yards away from her he would cease to be. For the hapless humans monitoring him, this would not be good. There would be no possible explanation, and the corporeal gods would have to compel too many humans into thinking nothing unusual had happened. Better their injured both be sent to Boston in the same chopper. Once there, Marduk hoped Enten and Glory could be released into Dani-Lee’s care and brought back to the compound.
Another thought. Marduk called over to Ishkur, who kept track of logistics. Get Glory’s mother released from her facility and get her safely to the Blue Hills. Make it Huxley’s job, but be sure Emesh goes with him so as not to scare Kate.
On it, boss. Ishkur took off, immediately.
Marduk stood by and listened as the medics called for the helicopter. The dogs arrived to try to track Matthew, and everyone was free to go. The nice officer had offered them all a ride, but one problem remained. Lahar would be history as soon as the helicopter took off with his tie to the physical world onboard. How would they explain that?
Marduk looked around. Just up ahead there was an overpass, and with his super eyesight, he caught the name on the bridge abutment of the street above.
“Officer,” he approached the one he’d already compelled. “Thanks for the offer of a lift, but we actually have friends right up ahead on Bemis Road,” he lied. “We’ll borrow a car and drive to Mass General from there.”
“Sounds good.” The trooper looked relieved Marduk had handed him an easy solution, and the thunder god felt confident enough about the care Enten and his mate were receiving, that he wouldn’t mind hoofing it for a bit.
Both had IV drips going by this time, in addition to a tourniquet around Glory’s upper thigh. When it looked like she might be coming around, Marduk saw his wife kneel down and hover over her again until her eyes flickered open.
“It’s okay, Glory. We’ve told the officers you were kidnapped from your mom’s place and none of us know why. We also told them your struggling with the driver of the car is what saved the day when you forced him to the side of the road.”
Glory’s eyes blinked in understanding. Thank the gods, thought Marduk, the woman was bright.
“Also, don’t worry about your mom. We’re going to go back and take care of her.” Tess patted Glory’s arm and leaned down, whispering in a voice the gods could hear but the cops could not. “We’ll be bringing her to our compound in the Blue Hills, so she’ll be safe.” A resolute expression crossed his wife’s face. “As soon as you get out of the hospital, you’ll be joining us.” She said it as if it were a done deal, and Marduk beamed proudly at his take-charge spouse. “And just to make you feel better, our friend, Dr. Dani-Lee, will be meeting you in Boston, so don’t worry. Both you and Enten will be just fine.”
The chopper overhead cut off anything else Tess might have said. Marduk pulled her to her feet, and urged her to follow Lahar and Anshar down the road, where they had hurried to cloak Lahar’s disappearance. Marduk strode over to Glory and gave her shoulder a final squeeze. “See you soon.”
The helicopter descended. The crews became busy. The gods and one goddess walked off into the distance to disappear.
Chapter Sixteen
Glory gazed up at the serious face of Doctor Dani-Lee. It had been a very long day, and the savvy doctor took one last look at her before going home. Dani―as Glory had been told to call her―wasn’t specifically on her case or Enten’s. They were both being overseen by the Mass General staff. But Dani had been given permission―as the pair’s private physician―to be present for treatment and consultation.
She’d just told Glory her recovery would progress nicely now that the bullet had been removed from her right thigh. There was nothing to be done for her two broken ribs, but it had been determined there was no additional damage to her lungs or surrounding tissue. The only thing that bugged Glory? She remained seriously gorped up on the pain killers they’d given her, and she didn’t like the feeling of not being in control. And of course, because she wasn’t in her right mind, before the doctor left, she’d forgotten to ask if the dosage could be cut.
One thing Glory did remember was the comforting feat Dani had accomplished. Earlier in the day, she had written the order for Glory’s mother to be released from her assisted living home and into Huxley’s care. Glory had signed that paperwork. Dani, before leaving, assured her that her mother had transported well, and was excited to be ensconced in Quincy among the many gods whom she was able to see and with whom she could also converse.
This had kind of freaked Glory out, knowing her mother had the ability to interact with all of Enten’s cohorts, while she was still in the dark. But Dani let slip that she too was only able to see the gods who could become physical. Still, Glory’s mind refused to properly process the whole thing.
She’d admitted to Dani that the lunatic who’d kidnapped her obviously believed in gods. That she’d seen two of Enten’s friends appear out of thin air into a moving car, and she’d heard Mr. Cold’s voice inside her head. But did that really prove their existence as gods?
She could have been drugged and imagined the events of the morning…even though, as Dani pointed out, her leg and rib as well as her hospital stay said otherwise. She’d wanted more answers from the doctor, but Dani-Lee just laughed, assuring Glory that the two of them remained human, and it was not her place to enlighten Glory on any of the gods’ particulars. That was up to Enten.
This had led to further questions in Glory’s head. Why was Enten the one who had to explain? He’d cryptically said something about a Chosen in those final minutes before all hell broke loose. She had yet to see him for clarification because between the thigh wound and the drugs, it seemed beyond her strength, at the moment, to get out of bed on her own.
Thank goodness Glory had asked for―before Dani had finally wished her a good night―an update on Enten’s condition.
The damned nurses had been so tight lipped.
Dr. Dani assured Glory that Enten had undergone a successful surgery and recovered rapidly. Although she’d chuckled and passed on a story that still had Glory shaking her head.
Apparently, Dani-Lee had encountered resistance while trying to convince the attending surgeon Enten wasn’t going to die, despite his low body temperature. She’d said, as his primary care physician, she’d treated him for a number of years, and had made a study of his unusual condition.
Once the surgeon had been skeptically onboard, Dani convinced the woman Enten would fare better under the scalpel than an individual with a normal temperature. That he’d have less blood loss and a zero percent chance of infection. Eventually, the operation had been smoothly and seamlessly performed under Dani’s watchful eye. Enten was well on his way to recovery far more quickly than any human. The only thing he had yet to regain was his voice, but Dani had every indication that this too, even with his larynx having been shattered, would heal in record time.
Tomorrow, she told Glory, she would see them both discharged into her care, with the lie that they’d be admitted to a private facility where she would continue to monitor their progress. It would be a little tricky, considering the Blue Hills compound was on no one’s map, but with the help of a little “compelling” by a god or two, she assured Glory it would be a done deal.
****
Enten became aware of the very minute Dani left the doorway to his room. He counted to one hundred, hoping that would render her far enough away so he wouldn’t be read the riot act for what he was about to do. With his god-like hearing, he knew Dani and Glory had finished talking, and the doctor headed home for the night. If no alarms sounded, he could make it to Glory’s room without detection.
He swung his big legs out of bed, shaking his head at the length of the hospital gown, which barely made it half way down to his knees. Apparently they didn’t have one for men his size. When he rose up and felt warm air on his posterior, he knew his ass was on full display as well. He shrugged. It wasn’t going to stop him.
He lifted the IV from the hook over the bed, and attached it to a pole with wheels. It was the only medical device violating him, Enten having eschewed the catheter successfully—with the help of Dani—before his surgery. No way they’d thread anything down his cock without it going totally dick-sicle on them, which would have blown everyone’s fucking minds. Bad enough Dani had to surreptitiously feed the special god-knock-out cocktail into his IV drip.
In deference to the hour, the lights remained low in the corridor, and Enten padded on bare feet the short distance to Glory’s room. He slipped in and partially closed the door behind him so he’d have a little privacy.
Glory turned to him instantly, perhaps having felt his chill. “Oh. What are you doing here, Enten? You should be in bed.” The bandage wrapped around his neck, which he knew showed some blood leakage, probably alarmed her. She tried to take a stern tone, but the effect got overshadowed by her cute, wrinkled nose, and the fact that the meds they had her on made her voice come out all low and mellow. “You almost died today.” She struggled to sit up and failed. “If you don’t leave right now, I’ll push the button for the nurse.” Her hand fumbled beneath the sheet, attempting to reach the device wrapped around the bed rail.
Enten trod quickly to her side and shifted the button away from her hand. He lowered the railing and indicated with his chin that she should move over.
“What?” Her eyes widened as she took in the brevity of his attire. “You’re not…getting into bed with me.”
A slow smile spread over his face. He nodded an affirmative, and saw a tremor of something move through Glory. He thought she’d argue more, but instead she giggled a little giddily and inched over.
It had to be the medication.
“You can’t talk yet, can you?” she questioned softly, her voice slurring a little.
I can talk like this, but I don’t want to scare you.
Glory actually snorted. “It’s a little late for that, don’t you think?”
I didn’t mean for things to come out this way. Enten raised the meager covers and gently slipped into the small bed beside her. Even on his side, he took up an enormous amount of space, and could feel the heat of her body pressing into his.
“None of us actually had a choice once those guys took me,” she allowed. He was flush up against her gunshot side, not her bad ribs side, but she must have felt no discomfort because she was able to snuggle into him, sighing her contentment at the contact. All he wanted to do was roar with pleasure at the closeness.
“You know I have a lot of questions for you,” she stated, but in the next moment she looked puzzled.
Wow. Those meds had quite the effect on his normally put-together mate.
“Umm. I just can’t remember any of them right now.” Her brows drew together. “Maybe tomorrow,” she mumbled, her lids lowering. “I like the way your cold feels against my boo-boo’s,” she added.
I’m glad, Enten told her back. And damned if he didn’t too. He controlled his interested dick with difficulty, not wanting to scare her like he’d done before. Tentatively his hand came up and slid cautiously over her belly. And yeah, we’ll talk tomorrow. Was she awake or asleep? Enten wasn’t sure because she remained still beneath his touch. He tested the waters. Tell me if I’m hurting you. He questioned, smoothing slow circles across her abdomen.
Mmm. Glory thought it and Enten heard it. That feels so good. The tremor that had gone through her before turned into what he perceived as little shivers of delight. Nice, she murmured. Now if he’d just move a little lower.
Enten choked back a laugh. She’d forgotten that they had forged a mind connection, and he heard her errant thoughts. His Chosen drifted for a few minutes, still willing his fingers southward, but he didn’t move his icy tips where she wanted them. The drugs were in charge, and he wouldn’t go there. He moved his hand to safe, upper-belly territory.
Glory’s eyes snapped open. He could see her fuzzy brain attempting to function, and he heard her thinking again. Cold hands…cold kisses…cold… “I know why you don’t want to play,” she accused him out loud. “You’re afraid to put your cold penis in me.” In her fuddled state, she glared sternly.
Enten’s hand stilled and his mouth went slack in a been-hit-over-the-head kind of way. Excuse me? He sputtered.
“You, Mr. Freeze, refuse to…impale me with your polar express.” Glory must have thought she was quite funny because she giggled helplessly.
Enten rolled his eyes. Off the hook, at least for now.
And you, my lovely lady, are loopy on drugs.
“Yup. I am.” She put up a single finger to trace his lips, sending all kinds of warm impulses down to the penis in question. “I miss your rumbly, frosty voice,” she told him, completely changing the subject. “When will you be able to talk again?”
The innocent question was accompanied by her hand reaching down to acquaint itself with Enten’s hip, bunching the material of his hospital gown up as she quested.
Maybe never if you don’t behave yourself. And there was no mistaking his choked response, even in head-speak.
He got that Glory-giggle again, and drew in a painful breath as her hand touched bare skin. He really should warn her, but she seemed to be semi-unaware of what she did to him. He might have to put up with this…delicate torture a little longer. His cock throbbed in time to his heart.
Her hand dipped downward, finding one ass cheek, and she ran the backs of her nails over his taut muscles, causing everything below his waist to tighten and harden unbearably.
Uh…Glory? He thought it might be time to put an end to her exploration, but instead of bringing her back to awareness so she’d pull away, her eyes impaled him with sudden suspicion. It was like he’d hit a gods-damned wake-up switch.
“That’s the question you still haven’t answered.” She spouted.
What? Before he could ask what she meant, h
er hand reached quicker than Enten would ever have thought possible, and wrapped itself securely around his stiff cock.
“And see. I was right. It is cold.” She triumphantly worked her very warm hand up his tumescence, around the sensitive ridge, and up over the smooth tip of him that weeped a fine slush. Her hand stilled.
“Oh.” Her mouth went very round. “I like that.” She recovered damned quickly. “My very own snow cone machine,” she crowed in delight.
Enten reached down, using all of his inner fortitude, and attempted to remove her hand.
You are so going to regret this tomorrow morning when the drugs have cleared your system. He tried to reason with her…unsuccessfully.
Not letting go until I see what else comes out, she warned. Glory had switched to mind-speak without a second’s hesitation, and began a slow dance with her fingers up and down the length of his chilled flesh, until his mind shut down and he was no longer able to determine what could possibly be so wrong about this.
Enten lay still. Glory affected a rhythm that drew his balls up tight and sent the all-consuming arctic chill through his veins. He groaned. As his agitation grew, his control slipped, and he became more the epitome of winter, glacial and biting, unable to keep any semblance of a normal temperature. It had been nearly forever since he’d experienced a woman’s hand, and he approached the finish like a winter squall.
Moments from coming, he tried to pull back. He warned Glory. I’m going to come, please stop. He only had seconds before eruption, and he held off, gritting his teeth. Waiting for Glory to pull her hand away. He grimaced. He groaned. But if anything, her hand increased its movement. Her sexy laugh flooded his brain.
Might need one of those freezer gloves next time, baby. She paused only briefly. Taunting. How do you think that would feel on your sensitive skin?
Enten gasped at the picture, but didn’t have time to dwell as she put another, more provocative one into his head.
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