Enten looked at Glory closely in the dark, aware of the myriad of emotions passing through him. He was happy; he was replete; and he was―as scary as it sounded―going to make Glory his goddess as soon as possible. She looked to be drifting off, so he needed to finish up quickly. He inhaled the essence of his woman, and finally, putting all of his new heat into the words, spoke from his heart.
“I love you, Glory.”
Glory stirred. Enten’s declaration came out of nowhere as she moved toward sleep. She forced her eyes open, lids fluttering. “Did you…did you say something?”
She must have been dreaming. According to the other goddesses, it would be very difficult to hear those words from a god without a lot of posturing and prodding.
Enten stroked her face. “I said I love you.” His earnestness was breathtaking and she lifted her lips to his, brushing them lightly before pulling away, happiness and warmth suffusing her whole being.
Her eyes shone toward his. “I love you too, my glorious god.”
His body hardened in and around her again. Her lips twitched.
“Oh yeah,” she smirked. “I think round two might be nice in a bed, but if you can’t wait…” Her hips rocked up toward him and they lost themselves in welcoming warmth once more.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Marduk and Anshar didn’t hang around long. After being alerted by their goddesses that something bad might go down between Enten and Glory involving the magic collar, the two had kept watch.
When angry words had arisen from Enten’s bedroom, Marduk had been all for going in, but Anshar had stopped him, reminding him of how it was with them when they’d been “magic-ked.”
“Okay. Unless snow starts pouring out from under the door, or you hear polar bears, we’ll wait this one out,” Marduk agreed, but when Glory had come running out of the room, eyes wild, looking scared out of her wits, no words had been needed between the two on vigil. Anshar followed Glory, and Marduk stayed to deal with Enten.
The winter god hadn’t even noticed he had company, he was that far gone. Blizzard conditions had caused a whiteout as Enten flew down the stairs after his Chosen. Marduk couldn’t miss the lethal, cold intent on the god’s face, nor the raging hard-on pressing high above Enten’s low-slung jeans. Damn it. Winter meant business and it wasn’t going to be good.
The two invisibles had watched while Glory hid and Enten tracked. Marduk had known it wouldn’t be long before they’d have to make a decision. If the gods intervened, Glory would stay scared and mistrustful and things might never be right between her and Enten. But if they left things too late, Enten would do something to his Chosen for which he’d never forgive himself. It was a tough call, but the incorporeals stuck it out.
They were poised when Enten drew Glory from between the boulders. They watched as he tore off his clothes. They materialized when Enten forcibly stripped Glory and neared when Enten knelt over her where she had fallen on the blanket.
But her soft words fell like gifts on Marduk’s ears.
“I love you,” she had said, and the crazed, cold grip that had held Enten lifted almost instantly. As soon as the two kissed, Marduk hit Anshar in the shoulder, knowing it was all good.
“Let’s go.” He turned to mist out, but Anshar remained rooted.
Hey asshole. Marduk didn’t shout it out loud for fear of interrupting, so he yelled into Anshar’s head instead. What are you, some kind of fucking voyeur?
Seriously man. Anshar said as they watched Glory’s hands come up and grasp Enten. This is freaking beautiful. Marduk smacked him, but Anshar persisted. No, really. If you only knew the times in the ancient past I’ve been out with Enten and seen him dropped cold by some fucking whore, you’d understand why I need to see this. The guy is tight. He’s my friend and he deserves this so much.
It wasn’t often Anshar went all girlie on Marduk, so he took it as it was meant. He clapped the all-sky god on the back.
He’ll be all right now, Anshar. Everything is going to work out for him. Marduk growled. Now get back to Lenore and paddle her ass for bringing out that collar in the first place. If I don’t hear some squealing from your room in the next hour, I’ll take her to the basement and punish her myself.
Anshar’s serpent eyes went black. You wouldn’t want to do that, my friend. He cautioned. She’d probably like it…and the Lady Tess would not.
****
After a wonderful second round of sex in the moonlit woods, Enten brought Glory to her feet, shook off the blanket, and tucked it around her naked form. Her clothing had been destroyed, so she needed covering in case anyone was still awake in the house. His jeans were still serviceable, so he stepped into them quickly, letting Glory pull up his zipper, as she couldn’t seem to keep her hands away from him.
He picked all five-foot-nine of her up, cradling her in his arms as if she weighed nothing, and trod on bare feet back to the front door. He didn’t feel the rocks and sticks poking into his soles, so great was his contentment.
He hadn’t been able to wait for a discussion of the things he’d done. As he’d lain in the aftermath of another world-class orgasm, he apologized up and down to Glory, vowing to make everything up to her, to never hurt her or scare her again. She’d shushed him and soothed him, taking the blame on herself for using the stupid collar in the first place, but he was having none of that. She was human. He was a god. He was definitely the one to keep things under control.
Enten was quick to dismiss her guilt for another reason as well. He kept it to himself, but at this point he was pretty glad that magic had come into play. If it hadn’t been for the collar, he probably would have packed up his few belongings and moved on. And he had ached so badly, thinking he couldn’t have her.
The collar certainly and irrevocably brought things to a head. It had eventually shown him he wasn’t capable of hurting his Chosen, even if it had been a close call. Now he was able to contemplate the future, plan for a life with Glory and perhaps, a family. The ideas were so foreign to him, he let them go, focusing instead on getting them back to their room without being seen.
Enten tiptoed up the stairs with Glory still against his chest. Hearing noises, they paused briefly and curiously outside Anshar and Lenore’s room.
“You’ve been very bad, wife.” They heard Anshar’s guttural serpent tones, followed by what sounded like a slap and a moan. Lenore’s voice followed, practically panting.
“Yes, Anshar. I have. I may need to be punished all night.”
“Two fingers or three?” They heard Anshar ask, but Enten didn’t wait to hear the answer.
He exchanged an astonished grin with Glory and ran the rest of the way to their room.
His mate’s voice, when she finally found it, came a little breathlessly. “People do that punishment thing and like it, don’t they?”
Enten lowered her feet to the floor. He had certainly grown hard again from what he’d heard, and Glory’s tentative question caused a delicious chill to move over him. “They do if they trust each other completely. I’ve heard it can be…uh…fun.” He was unable to look at her.
The cold poured off him and he knew Glory could feel it.
“So.” She stood on tiptoe and whispered in his ear while whirling her tongue over his lobe. “Would you use your hand or a paddle?”
Enten drew his head back and looked hard at Glory, trying to see if she joked. Damn. She was not only dead serious, she was hot as hell. He cleared his throat.
“Which would you prefer?” His head searched around the house and he remembered where they’d stored the ping pong table and all its accoutrements.
“Surprise me.” She winked back over her shoulder as she headed toward the bathroom. “I’m going to take a quick shower.”
Shit. Enten would love to go for the paddle, but he had trouble walking due to the large, aching impediment in his pants. He’d settle for his hand this time, but make no mistake about it, the bedside table would be well stocked for future fun. W
ho knew his little Glory would want adventure. He waited, not so patiently, for her to emerge from the shower.
****
“More?” he whispered to his woman who lay spread eagle and face down on the bed. Her lovely ass was a dusky shade of red and Enten’s two fingers poised at the apex of her as she squirmed.
“Don’t tease.” She wiggled to get the contact she needed.
“Don’t move then,” he ordered, bringing his hand down again, but this time he gave her what she needed. As his hand connected to her posterior, his fingers breached the warm folds of her cunt. He’d kept them cold―which he’d quickly realized was now under his control―and altered his temperature to suit her mood. He pushed them up inside her wanting pussy. She ground down onto the mattress, craving the stimulation. Enten obliged. She was so fucking wet.
Enten removed his fingers and Glory groaned in protest, but before she could question his intent, he positioned himself above her and moved the head of his cold prick up and down her slit.
“Stay spread,” he ordered, as her legs started to come together. Her ass was extra warm against his belly from its recent paddling, and the thought turned his cold up even more.
“You want it chilly, baby?” he crooned. “Or extra chilly?” He reached down underneath her, flicking his finger across her clit.
“Icy.” She breathed, lifting her ass to him, clearly begging him to take her all the way. He pushed slowly inside, moving, filling, and letting her feel every frigid inch of him.
“If it’s too much, Glory, just say the word.”
“So good,” she murmured into the bed covers, but she stilled.
Enten was instantly alert. “What is it, baby?”
“Since you’re cold,” she said hesitantly. “Can you…” She shook her head and moved her ass again. “Oh. Never mind.”
Enten drew back. “No. Tell me.” He paused, letting her know the fun stopped until she complied.
Glory sighed. “You’re so bossy.” She reached a hand down underneath and behind her and found his testicles. She gave them a light tug.
“Can you…ejaculate cold?”
Enten’s eyes iced up. “I’m pretty sure I can come at any temperature from sleet to ice,” he promised. “Just tell me what you want.”
Glory had a little trouble breathing. “Let’s start with sleet and work our way up.”
Enten rubbed his hand across her warm ass and gave her another love spank. “I have a feeling you’re going to like it, my little vixen.” His hips rocked as he pumped his length into her again and again, hearing her small noises and using them as a guide to learn what she liked. He almost laughed as that thought crossed his mind.
So far, Glory liked everything.
He knew she held back, waiting for him to orgasm first, waiting to feel the cold cum jetting up into her. He was more than ready, slamming home over and over. With a cry, he came hard, holding her ass tight back against him and not letting her move until he was finished and until he felt the internal convulsions that signaled his mate’s release.
Glory screamed. “Oh my gods, Enten. That is so fucking good.” She dug her nails into his flesh, holding him in place until her tremors dispersed.
Enten’s cock twitched and his heart beat hard. Damn. Had anything ever been this perfect before? Glory’s contented sighs let him know he’d done everything she’d wanted and more.
He came back to earth with his shoulder blazing. Blazing. He nearly roared. He was the god of cold, the god of winter, an icy anomaly, and for the first time in his life…he was fucking normal.
Chapter Thirty
Nergal had been told the amulet ceremony for Enten and Glory was to be a quiet affair this time. Far from the pomp at Dagon and Holly’s mating, the gods’ worlds were forcibly quiet due to the evil that remained at large, and the agony over his missing queen.
Upon the kidnapping of Ereshkigal over a month earlier, he had ordered all immortal beings, except for the ones on his special task force, to return to their homes and stay put.
There was to be no travel to and from Earth by overgods or undergods, and no outside the compound movement for the gods and goddesses of the Blue Hills. This was done so Nergal could pinpoint any god energy being generated on the planet—a skill that he and a few others had mastered—by Beletseri, Nedu, and Ereshkigal, so as not to confuse it with that of others.
Nergal wasn’t sure how, but Beletseri seemed to be blocking his efforts. Each time he and his hunters thought they had a bead on her location, the small signature would disappear, and those searching would have to begin all over again. His frustration grew.
He could tell it was a surprise to the Earth gods when he showed up on the morning of the amulet ceremony. He honed in on Marduk’s energy and appeared uninvited, while the thunder god and Tess dressed for the festivities in their room.
“Whoa. Nergal. Uh…King.” Marduk moved quickly to step in front of his half-dressed, and now well into her seventh month of pregnancy, wife.
Nergal, for his part, barely noticed Marduk’s lapse of title, turning his desultory eyes only momentarily to the goddess, before sitting heavily on the bed.
“I need your help, Marduk.” He’d sunk in upon himself over the past weeks, and felt almost helpless as he made his appeal. “Nothing we have done so far has come close to locating my queen.” He massaged his deep brow with one hand.
“I’ve been dreaming.” He laughed bitterly. “When I can sleep. And Ereshkigal’s last words keep haunting me. There’s something I’m not remembering.”
Marduk stopped him right there. “My men and I have talked about this endlessly, King Nergal, but I implore you, now is not the time.” He indicated his gold torque and armbands where they lay on the coverlet next to Nergal. “We have an amulet ceremony for Enten and Glory to attend, and if we don’t hurry we will be late. The doctor has already begun her work, and we don’t want Glory under anesthesia any longer than necessary.” He put out a hand to rest on Nergal’s bent shoulder. “After it’s over, we’ll talk…all of us, and come up with something. I promise.”
“Thank you, Marduk.” The king sighed. “You’ve always been a good friend to my wife.”
“And to you, my king,” Marduk reminded him. To lighten things up, he added, “Even though you’ve only recently decided I’m not a lecherous home-wrecker.”
Nergal’s lip curled in a ghost of a smile. “You have to admit, you and Enlil spent more time with my wife in the few thousand years you were below than ever I did.” His face fell again.
“Don’t worry about that, my liege,” Marduk assured. “It was always you she talked about.”
Nergal stood, pulling his kingly self together, forcing thoughts of his queen to the side. “So you say Enten is about to split the amulet, eh? Could I be so bold as to ask for an invitation to watch? I never thought I would see this day.” His knew his false cheerfulness came out gruffly, but thankfully Tess and Marduk chose to ignore it.
“I’m sure Enten would love to have you attend.” Lady Tess had pulled on her dress while standing behind her husband, and now came out from behind him. She offered her arm to the king, and he took it gallantly.
“Lead the way, goddess.” He inclined his head. He hadn’t been good with company lately, but this group, strangely, out of all the gods he knew, had the capacity to bring him out of himself. He was almost looking forward to the ceremony, which would take his mind off his own troubles.
Reaching the cave-like hallway under the compound, Enten joined the richly dressed gods, moving aside to let Tess go sit with the other women in the highly decorated room where the exchange would take place. The witches had come, accompanying Glory’s mother Kate, having prepared her for what would occur.
There had been a debate earlier in the day over whether it would be better for her not to attend. But since this was the equivalent of her only daughter getting married, they all eventually agreed she needed to be a part of things. She remained surprisingly calm w
hen told about the bloody parts of it, and exceedingly excited for her daughter.
Huxley and his father Gregory also slipped by Enten and the rest of the gods to enter the chamber. The two had not attended a ceremony before, and Enten knew they had to be nervous about what they would see, but both had dressed for the occasion in their best suits and now joined the ladies, waiting for the immortals to file in.
The door opened. Enten and his friends moved forward. All the gods dressed resplendently in gold and jewels except him. His hips were draped simply with a scrap of undyed linen to show that his worth, coming to Glory, lay not with material goods. His nerves flared a bit as evidenced by the frost that clung to his extremities, but other than that, he felt inordinately calm.
The group marched him toward the stone slab, and he held himself off until it was raised to a standing position. Once it was securely in place, he backed up against the stone, raising his hands and gripping the pegs that protruded on either side of his head. His breathing stayed even, but small white condensed clouds emerged from his mouth and nose.
Marduk stepped forward. “Who will you have wield the knife, Enten?”
If his brother had been corporeal, Enten would have had him do the honors, but considering he was not, and Emesh was busy dabbing tears of happiness from his eyes, the winter god raised his gaze to the assemblage and zeroed in on Nergal.
“It would be a great honor, my king, if you would be the one to bring my Chosen and me together.”
Nergal looked to stumble a bit at Enten’s request, but recovered quickly.
“It would be my honor.” The king moved to stand beside him, picking up the osmium knife and the twist of leather beside it. He held the bit up to Enten, who took it in his mouth and closed his teeth around the twist, nodding his head.
The chanting began. Ancient and mysterious, only the gods knew of what the old songs told, and their voices raised in their heartfelt prayer for Enten and Glory’s union.
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