Frozen Stiff

by L. J. Vickery

  “Think about this,” Lenore continued. “If we throw the net over Enlil, it will trap the power of the wind funnel beneath it, and he’ll be able to crawl out, leaving the tornado behind.”

  Anshar grabbed his Chosen and planted a big kiss on her neck. “I married a genius,” he said proudly.

  “She always was the most devious of my employees,” Dagon added with satisfaction.

  Lenore rolled her eyes. “Let’s just say I’m thinking outside of the cyclone here, shall we?”

  Marduk was clearly eager to try Lenore’s plan. “Is it in the basement, Shamash?” he asked. At the nod of the other god’s head, Marduk continued, “We’ll need four or five of us to carry it up. If I remember correctly, it’s a heavy son of a bitch.”

  Enten and a half a dozen volunteers accompanied him to the subterranean cellar, and wrestled the unwieldy thing upstairs and into Marduk’s office.

  “Away from the wall, Enlil,” Marduk ordered, once they were all in place.

  Ishkur and Absu quickly grabbed a table and easy chair that were in close proximity, dragging them out of the way before they could be sucked up.

  The wind god and his whirling cloak moved farther into the room.

  “On my count,” Marduk instructed. “One…two…three.” The gods heaved the net over Enlil’s head, and even as he braced, it sent him crashing to the ground, the tornado twisting and bending like a living thing over his prone body.

  Ishkur quickly rushed to the downed god’s side. “Are you all right, Enlil?” He put out a hand toward the swirling mass, attempting to touch the engulfed immortal. “Can you hear me? Can you move?”

  His answer was a small shifting of Enlil’s barely visible head and a hesitant forward motion.

  “Dig deep, my friend,” Marduk yelled as they watched the wind god slowly move, inch by inch dragging himself across the floor.

  “It’s working,” cried Tess. “He’s leaving it behind.”

  As if imbued with a life of its own, the viscous vortex desperately attempted to cling to Enlil’s body, but the weight of the net thwarted its efforts. Enlil’s head was free, followed by a hand, and eventually a forearm.

  The gods rushed over and lifted the edge of the net ever so slightly to accommodate Enlil’s free bits, but not his wind. As Enlil got more and more of his body out, the twister made one last effort to wrap itself around his legs, but with a violent kick, Enlil wrenched free.

  The immortals in the room watched as the wind, deprived of Enlil’s energy, twisted in upon itself, shrank downward into a minor squall, and finally disappeared.

  Enlil lay on the floor on his belly, breathing hard. Enten knelt down beside his head.

  “Are you all right? Can we get you anything?” Enten could hear actual warmth in his own voice.

  The wind god flopped over onto his back. “Food,” he groaned. “I’m so fucking hungry I could eat anything…” He threw a hated gaze over toward the net. “…as long as it’s not fish.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Now that the crisis with Enlil had been taken care of―and gods only knew when the king would call on them for help rescuing Ereshkigal―Enten was only interested in locating Glory on the compound’s grounds. He wondered where Emesh had put her, figuring her new living space might be in one of the two cottages Kulla had completed recently on the property. Dagon and Holly were ensconced in one, and the witches along with Glory’s mother in the other. He’d try the latter first, assuming Glory would want to be close to her mom.

  He found Kate happily ambling around the new, state-of-the-art stainless and white kitchen, having just fed Wizarr what might be his fourth bowl of cat food for the day. Three used bowls had been knocked far under the shiny black lacquered kitchen table, and Enten knew it hadn’t been by accident. The sneaky feline obviously didn’t mind taking advantage of her impaired memory.

  “Kate.” Enten was pleased to see Glory’s mother up and about. “I’m looking for Glory. Is she here?”

  “Well,” the older woman said vaguely. “I do recall seeing her some time ago. She wanted to make sure I’m being well taken care of, which I am.” She beamed. “Douglas has been around several times to see to my needs and now Angie and Addie May are home. Did you know I’m going to be living with them?”

  Enten didn’t have any idea who Douglas was, but he was sure no one by that name would have slipped through security. It had to be some confused cross-connection in Kate’s brain. He did know the witches were home and figured he might get more accurate information from them. Enten nodded at Kate and dismissed himself, moving to the front hallway.

  “Angie?” he called up the stairs, admiring the boxy walnut newel posts, slat-shaped balusters, and the pyramidal post cap where his hand rested. Kulla had spared no detail to the arts and crafts styling in the interior of the cottages.

  “Yes, dear?” Angie stuck her head out over the upper railing. “Oh. It’s you, Enten. I thought it would be Anshar bringing in the rest of our things.” She smiled down at him. “Can I help you?”

  “I’m looking for Glory. Have you seen her?”

  “Not since we first got back. She sat with her mum, but took off to get her belongings settled as soon as we told her we’d take over.”

  “Where did she head? To the other cottage?”

  “Oh, no dear. I do believe she’s in the main house.” She waved a hand in that direction then pulled her head back out of view. “If you see Anshar,” she called back, “tell him we’re ready for some help.”

  Enten let himself out. He didn’t see the all sky god as he continued back into the foyer of the main house. He took the stairs two at a time and paused by Anshar’s suite. From the noises that came from within, he wasn’t about to deliver the witch’s message. Guttural roars mixed with breathless giggling…yup, Lenore and her man were busy. He kept his feet moving.

  Now, where had Glory disappeared to? Every room was filled, as far as he knew. They were so close to capacity that they’d had to double up when company from the Overworld had shown up. That, of course, had been before the cottages were dedicated. Now they had room for a lot more gods…or humans…or witches. Whoever else would show up.

  Maybe they put Glory in with Dani-Lee. He walked up to her door prepared to knock, but heard Huxley’s voice inside, and Dani-Lee’s. He thought better of it. What he didn’t need right now was the confusion of that relationship…or non-relationship…screwing with his head. The thing between him and Glory was messed up enough.

  Okay, so not the cottages, not with Doctor Dani. Hmm. Dammit. He knew Emesh well. There was only one other possibility. With reluctant feet, he made his way to the door of his own suite. Sure enough, he heard noises from within.

  He drew his new cell phone from his pocket and spoke softly into it. “Note to self,” he began. “Kill Emesh at the earliest opportunity.” He pocketed the device, and steeled his backbone, gave a quick rap on the door and walked in. Glory’s slender figure knelt by a box on the floor beside his big, king-size bed.

  “Enten.” She looked up, pushing a few disheveled locks out of her face. “What are you doing here?”

  He walked reluctantly across the room and dropped into a sitting position on the bed. “Here? You mean here…in my room?” he asked in a strangled voice.

  “What?” She looked around as if to find evidence of a previous occupant. There wasn’t a thing that looked remotely used. “But…but there’s nothing here.” Her brow wrinkled.

  Coldness pooled around him and drifted to her position below him.

  “You forget,” Enten looked pained. “I haven’t been visible for very long. But this is definitely my room, my bathroom…my bed.” He wished he felt relaxed enough to lay back, staking his claim.

  “But…but clothes? Shoes? Toothbrush?” She slowly got to her feet and waved her hand around.

  “You’ll find a couple pairs of jeans in the corner of one drawer. And my sneakers? I have them on.” He wiggled his extra-large feet in h
er direction. “Until we figured out we might become physical, none of us exactly needed clothing.”

  Enten watched Glory’s eyebrows go up.

  “We also didn’t need to eat, brush our teeth, or use the bathroom facilities, all of which I’ve taken care of elsewhere since gaining a body. The only thing I ever used in this room is the bed, and did that just to stay in the habit of laying down every night to sleep.” He put a hand out to the deep, blue-gray satin comforter. “I’ve never once been able to feel how soft this is,” he mused.

  Glory took a deep breath. He could tell by her face she thought that was sad.

  “What senses do you have while you’re invisible?” she asked him softly.

  Enten gave up the fight and sank back onto the mattress, staring at the ceiling. “We can see and we can hear,” he offered. “But we can’t smell, taste…or feel what we touch…other than my invisible god friends, and once in a while an anomaly like Lenore’s witchy folks or your mom. You get used to it,” he rationalized, running his hand over the material again. “But having it all back is unbelievable.”

  The room had chilled considerably since Enten’s arrival and the air-conditioning had cycled off. He could save some serious electricity.

  Glory moved to the large credenza and slowly removed things from a box, putting them into the first drawer she came to.

  “If you want, I’ll get Emesh to find you a room of your own.” Enten’s eyes had strayed to her busy hands. “I’d kind of like to keep this one. Habit you know.”

  She raised her eyebrows and continued her unpacking. “I’m not going anywhere,” she said.

  “Excuse me?” Enten wondered if he’d heard correctly.

  “I said I’m not moving.”

  Glory had given the whole situation a lot of thought. From the time Enten and Absu had taken off to do whatever it was they felt they needed to do to Pete, and all the way here on the quiet drive from western Massachusetts, she’d had plenty of time to think.

  As crazy as it seemed, Glory had to be honest with herself. Since the day she’d met Enten on Rainsford Island and he’d kissed her silly in the cabana, her feelings for him could not be denied. She’d kept the picture of him in her desk, dreamed of him at night, and when he’d finally shown up to take her on that motorcycle picnic, her heart had already been lost. Once she’d decided that, even though he exhibited control issues―but not in the horribly overwhelming and dysfunctional way her father and Pete had―he had good reason. And she’d begun to let her defenses down.

  The god thing and the winter thing had thrown her for a loop, but still she couldn’t help but crave his company, his nearness, and the body she had only managed to get a piece of―dammit―while whacked out of her mind on pain meds.

  If she hadn’t admitted it before, she had finally faced the truth when waking up from her nightmare to find Enten holding her. He made her feel safe. Safer and more cherished by a man than at any other time in her life. She was in love with the god of winter. Glory let out a small smile along with a sigh as she let all of her reluctance go.

  Yes, she loved everything about him. His slow, careful smile, his quiet demeanor, the way he and his friends joked and teased each other. Enten was a good person. He just didn’t realize how good or what a fantastic husband he would make, and―she chewed the inside of her cheek nervously―she’d decided to stick around for as long as eternity to show him.

  Okay. So the eternity thing freaked her out a little more than everything else, but other than her mom, she had no one else she’d leave behind. And her mother would have passed on before her anyway.

  If she got lucky, and it seemed like it would be the case, she’d make fast friendships with all the other goddesses and gods who lived here. She couldn’t wait to meet them all. Lahar had explained she’d be able to see the invisible ones as soon as she completed the amulet ceremony―which she still didn’t know anything about―and she wondered if they were all as nice as those she’d already met. She assumed so.

  Enten looked at her with resignation on his face. “Fine then. I guess I kind of owe it to you to give you the room you want,” he complained gruffly. “I dragged you into this and now you’re stuck here until the Underworld crisis gets sorted.” He started to lift up from his prone position on the bed. “I’ll find another place to crash.”

  Glory flew across the room and launched herself onto Enten’s chest, pushing him down into the mattress. He dropped backward with a grunt.

  “You’re not going anywhere, Enten, god of winter,” she breathed. “You told me I’m your Chosen, which means we’re supposed to be together.” He hadn’t filled her in on what had occurred while he was down below, but she’d be damned if she’d leave when the Underworld problems were solved.

  Glory drew small circles on Enten’s broad shoulders. He was her man, and she was his Chosen, and it was time she showed him she believed it.

  “I like it when you light up,” she purred, nuzzling the side of his neck and inhaling his wintry pine forest scent. “I wouldn’t mind seeing it again.” Glory knew perfectly well Enten only glowed when certain things happened between them, and she made it clear as she wedged one knee between his thighs what she looked for. It was time to consummate this relationship. Glory wasn’t afraid.

  “Sweetheart, you need to move.” Enten’s voice lowered toward guttural as she insinuated herself between his legs. She could feel the cold, hard length of his cock rubbing deliciously on her lower belly as she wiggled.

  “Enten,” she said prettily. “I am moving.” She shimmied an inch down and an inch up his incredibly taut body, her nipples puckering against him. His hands came up of their own volition and found her small warm orbs.

  “This is crazy,” he mouthed, finding her lips and brushing his iciness against them. “You don’t want me agitated, Glory.”

  “Yes,” she said from her perch atop him. “Yes, I do.”

  His breath came out in a long, white hiss, and he grabbed her waist, spun her about, and swiftly rolled her beneath him. His teeth found her earlobe and frostily nipped. One hand braced himself from putting all his weight on her, and the other wiggled up under her shirt to tug her bra down off one breast, cupping it and teasing her eager nipple.

  Thank gods he finally remembered to plunder her mouth. Her lips needy, she’d been just about to bite him on the neck in frustration. Enten sought with his tongue and found her heat. Glory didn’t retreat, but gave him back lustful pressure and met his tongue’s invasion with thrusts of her own.

  Gods, he was so cold. Her hands went to his shirt, tearing it away, up over his chest. Her own was now bunched up around her neck and he removed it with one fast tug. The frigid skin of his chest rubbed up against her flushed belly, and they both gasped with pleasure.

  “More,” Glory whimpered, grabbing his hips, unable to feel enough of him through his jeans. She made a small cry as he pushed away from her, rising to his feet by the side of the bed to toe off his sneakers. She watched his zipper snake down, his hands making quick work of his jeans until he stood naked and glorious before her.

  Glory remembered vaguely that he had seemed large and thick, but the air stuck in her lungs as she witnessed the actual tumescence of him. Her insides quivered and a rush of warmth flooded her pussy. All that wonderful, hard coldness would be buried inside her within minutes. She fumbled with her belt buckle but was too impatient. Screw it. She just needed to feel him. Glory rose to her knees and inched toward Enten where he stood, wrapped her hands around his muscular ass, and drew him forward. Her lips met their target as she bestowed a soft kiss on the smooth skin on the head of his cock. She felt his flanks tense and his prick twitch. She didn’t wait for further invitation.

  Her scorching mouth came down over his coldness, her tongue flicking as she went. Her mind short-circuited. He was like a frozen dessert. She’d never wanted to do this before; had always been subjected to her husband’s soft prick in her mouth, but this was something different, un
ique. Enten tasted incredible and she took him deep, unable to get enough.

  Enten let his fingers thread through her hair, and knowing he could scare her, gently held her in place, trembling beneath her ministrations. It felt so fucking good. He took over where her clothes were concerned, and while she swallowed him whole, her slick tongue dancing down the sensitive vein that throbbed his entire length, Enten rid of her bra and pants, marveling at the bare expanse of her warm, dark skin.

  A groan escaped his lips. He’d thought her hand magnificent―so much better than his own―but he’d never had a mouth on his cock before. And hers left him slack-jawed. He wasn’t going to last long. He felt every pull of her crushing lips all the way down to his balls, which now hard-packed themselves with snow, tight to his body.

  His dick became solid ice in her mouth and she glided faster, smoother, up and down his length. He knew his ass under her hands had become glacial, and Glory groaned as she worked his dick. Enten had somehow conjured a snow squall around them he was powerless to stop. He worried for her bare skin, and sure enough, his mate couldn’t suppress a shiver as a trickle of melted snow slid down her back and into the deep, luscious crevice of her ass.

  Enten yanked himself out of her mouth and backed across the room, horrified at himself.

  “Glory. Gods. I’m so sorry.” He looked at her swollen lips and her dazed expression, seeing pain. “I’m…I’m a freak. Dangerous…” He fumbled on the floor for his pants. “I didn’t mean to…shit.” Her nipples, sharp like diamonds in the cold, told him all he needed to know. She was well on her way to frozen. He struggled into his jeans. What had he been thinking?

  “I can’t apologize enough. I’ll be back to get my stuff later. I won’t bother you again.” Without fastening his top button, Enten turned and fled.

  ****

  Glory sat back on her heels, incredulous. Also unfulfilled. What the fuck had just happened? Enten had been totally into their sexcapades. No doubt at all. So why the hell had he panicked and walked out? Did he still think she didn’t want his cold, after she’d just showed him how much she liked his icy ass?