by LJ Vickery
“I’m waiting for you to tell me it’s okay. That you want me as much as I want you.” Marduk’s voice was a little edgy, and Tess gave a nervous chuckle. His frustration was apparent. What if she didn’t let him proceed? Would he have to masturbate to relieve his growing need? Tess caught her breath. She’d never seen anyone do that before!
I’d rather not, Marduk sent into her head. But if it would please you…
Tess squeaked and tried to move away, but his hands would not release their gentle, yet firm hold. She drew in a breath, and pictured his big hands working their magic on himself…on her. She barely whispered the next words.
“Can you…will you…” Was that her voice, coming out so painfully? “…stop if I want you to?” It was so embarrassing to ask, but her only other experience had been one of pain, and she wasn’t sure she could handle this.
His answer was to swoop down with a ready tongue, softly pulling one of her tight buds into his mouth. “At your command,” he assured her, licking gently then lifting his head. He pulled her hip closer to his cock, which twitched at the contact. She wanted so badly to touch him; to wrap her hands around the length of him and see if he was as large as she imagined. Any normal woman, finding herself up against such a magnificent body, would have explored every inch of him already.
You’re not every woman, Marduk assured her. Do what you want, but don’t do anything that will make you uncomfortable.
Tess could see into Marduk’s head, too. She knew how much he wanted her fingers around his dick, but she couldn’t bring herself to move. Besides, the things he was doing to her breasts had her nearly incapable of thought.
Marduk lulled her into a state of arousal. Kiss one peak, thumb the other—she was being swept away to the point where she was willing him to work her swollen nipples a little harder. The sensations were all new, and she didn’t know how to deal with the feelings swamping her body. Part of her wanted Marduk to continue, and part was scared as hell. She finally abandoned herself to the pleasure he stirred up, confident he would stop if she thought he was going too far.
Marduk didn’t know who the asshole was who had mistreated Tess. He did know that he would make it up to her a thousandfold if she would let him. He kissed up her neck to her mouth, and she opened for him, meeting his tongue thrust for thrust. Gods! She was letting go, lowering her barriers.
Unbidden, she slowly lifted from his lap, turned and sat, legs finally splayed around his hips. Her heated core now brushed against his rampant cock, causing a deep rumble to escape from his throat. He grabbed her ass and pressed her closer, rubbing against a moistness that had nothing to do with the water surrounding them. The pressure was glorious; her warmth beckoning. He lowered a hand between them, reaching for her sensitive core. Would she allow his touch? He felt Tess draw back, watched her gulp against her panic, then felt her become oddly determined.
“Go ahead,” she swallowed. “I…I can do this,” she said, offering herself to him. He saw the sheen of tears brighten her eyes, and it nearly broke his heart. She shuddered. His little mouse was brave, proffering her body to him. She was willing to go against every fiber in her fearful body, just to please him.
“Come on,” she whispered bravely. “Waiting is the worst part.”
Marduk closed his eyes and willed himself to stop. He didn’t want her like this. If he worked hard, she might lose her anxiety and enjoy what they could do together, but he wanted her smiling, willing. Gently, he moved her from his lap, floating her away from his pulsing need. He tucked her up close to his side under a protective arm. She turned her head to question him.
“What did I do?” The heartbreaking hesitancy in her voice nearly had him roaring to the stars. Whatever had happened to her was so wrong!
“Nothing. You’re perfect.” He swooped and allowed himself one last kiss. “Let’s just enjoy the night, shall we?” He had trouble saying the words. He wanted Tess in a way that he had never wanted any other woman, and it took all his resolve to bring his libido back under control. It was worth every particle of effort it took. When he was finally able to face her again, she was looking at him, tearfully amazed.
“I’d like that.” He felt her sigh of relief to his very bones and knew he had done the right thing.
Marduk mentally conjured every evil demon he had ever encountered, counting them off one by one, to take his mind off her naked nearness. Damn his clueless prick for stirring again. Hideous teeth. Gore covered claws. Subside, damn you! His cock was not behaving. We will not be having her tonight, do you understand? I will find out what’s got her so tied up in knots, and work slowly to make it right. I will not just take what I want.
Tess ran a tentative hand across his abdomen, carefully avoiding what he was still having difficulty bringing under control. He bit back a groan.
“You know,” she said conversationally, “you’ll have to fill me in on all the peculiarities of gods one of these days.”
“Nothing much different between a god and a human in these circumstances,” he admitted wryly, his words dragging from the back of his throat. Marduk’s eyes were closed, and he was attempting to relax his head back on the edge of the tub.
“You’ll excuse me if I disagree.” She sounded more sure of herself, and Marduk wondered what she was getting at. He didn’t have to wait long to find out. Tess brought her hand up over his chest to a spot just above his left pectoral. “I’ve never seen a human male glow red before.”
Marduk’s eyes sprang open, and the water splashed as he sat up and nearly leaped to his feet. It couldn’t be! He looked to where Tess gently tapped his skin.
Thousands of years had passed since he’d witnessed this phenomenon, and never did he think it would happen to him. He gazed down into eyes that shined up at him in rapt attention.
My gods! How could he tell her? He could barely acknowledge it himself, but there was no mistaking it. A god’s body never lied. For now and all eternity, whether Tess liked it or not, she had just been declared his Chosen.
Chapter Nineteen
The next morning in the kitchen, blissfully unaware of Marduk’s turmoil and released from the next step in discovering her true bloodlines, Tess thought it a grand time to show off her little town to whichever gods would be interested. She bent over to pull on her boots before going outside and felt the back of her neck itch, instantly suspecting she was being observed. She glanced, upside down, between her legs.
“Don’t mind me,” Marduk smirked. “I’m just enjoying the view.”
Tess blushed crimson. “Nothing to see,” she intoned. “Move along.”
“And not appreciate the delicate contours of your flawless fanny?” he questioned incredulously.
Tess snickered. “Nobody uses the word fanny anymore.” Although, coming out of his mouth, it sounded way cool. She stood and looked at him, enjoying the view of his muscled chest wrapped in a black silk, long-sleeve T-shirt, and then there were those leathers. Sinful!
Marduk looked puzzled. “Of course they do.” He became quite insistent. “You, yourself told me while in the cemetery that I was to rummage in your fanny pack.”
“Well, yeah,” Tess agreed. “But that’s a fanny pack, not…” How would she ever explain it to him? “Never mind,” she conceded. “Fanny it is.”
Marduk looked smug and approached to pat the body part in question. “Nice jeans this morning, miss.” He bent to nuzzle her neck and was rewarded with a turned head and a quick kiss pressed to his ready lips, before Tess backed up a step. Wasn’t she feeling bold this morning!
“Enough of that,” she said, saucily. “You, me, and Enlil are headed to the Sunrise Diner for breakfast and, after that, I thought I’d show you around town, then maybe take a trip into Bangor to get you and Enlil some cell phones.”
“Cell phones,” he repeated numbly.
“Sure. Since it looks like the two of you are going to remain solid-like, at least around me, a means of communication wouldn’t be a bad idea.�
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“You have a point,” he pondered. “I’ll have to ask Shamash for information on how to pay.” Tess let that sink in. Wow, the guy had probably never used a credit card before!
“Do any of your friends want to join us?” Tess wondered how she would keep herself from talking to the invisibles out loud in public. A good number of the townspeople were suspicious of her already, considering her far-from-stellar past. Adding schizophrenia to the list just wouldn’t do. She’d have to watch herself.
“I have a couple of them still stationed around the property on guard duty, and the rest have already left with your brother to work out at his gym.” He laughed happily. “It’s a huge treat for them to spar against someone whose every move they don’t have memorized. That’s one of the problems with being by ourselves for so long. Lack of diversity has made us stale.”
Tess was surprised at the admission. From what she’d seen, they had done a damned good job adapting to the world around them, using computers and television….and those motorcycles! She hadn’t thought of the physical handicaps they faced. It was something she couldn’t quite fathom.
“I’m glad Hux could help,” she said sincerely. “But I hope the guys don’t wear him out, taking turns trying to beat him to a pulp.” She brightened instantly. “Maybe we could go there later, and I could do some fighting too!”
“You can’t touch them like Huxley can,” Marduk reminded her.
She smiled as she pushed past him and held open the door. “That’s true,” she teased. “But I can touch you!”
Marduk looked sucker-punched. While color moved up into his neck, Tess gave his tall body a good long once over, and the bulge in his leathers grew. Sparring with Marduk could have some decided benefits. Tess watched and barely controlled her mirth as he attempted to discreetly adjust his erection before they both headed outside. Enlil was waiting beside the bikes.
“So,” Enlil rubbed his hands together. “Bacon and eggs and…”
“Coffee!” The two men intoned together. Tess couldn’t hold back her amusement this time at the look on their faces. She’d never once before considered coffee orgasmic.
“Let’s move, boys, before you find out there’s a coffee machine in the house, and I never get you out of here.” She could have sworn Marduk took a short step in that direction before changing his mind and swinging his leg over his seat.
“Point the way.” He kicked the engine to life with a roar, and Tess eased herself up behind him. He was fresh from the shower, his hair still damp, but his natural smell of threshed wheat and ozone had her burrowing her nose in his back.
“Helmet.” His voice was gruff, and she knew if she had the courage to reach around she’d find him hard again. Tess pulled the helmet over her head.
The problem, she pondered, was him. Well, all right, it was her, too. She was okay with staying away from men for the rest of her life, but he was making it so effortless for her to like him. He was trustworthy, not taking her further than she wanted to go. For such a powerful god, he could easily do whatever he wanted, but that was one of the things she liked about him. He didn’t use his power in bad ways, and demonstrated amazing restraint. It was pretty seductive.
She actually trusted him. And what’s more, Tess trusted her other gods too. It had been a very long time since she’d put herself out there for anyone but family. Once again, she wished for her sister. She knew, instinctively, that Holly would love these supernaturals as much as she did. Tess peaked around Marduk’s large frame.
“Next left,” she yelled over the whine of the bike, then remembered her head-connection. Next left. Tess threw back her head and laughed. She hadn’t felt this free in a long time.
If Tess was going to continue to be a part of the god’s lives, and it looked like that might happen, then she wanted to know all about them. Over breakfast, she decided, it would be time for more background.
She hadn’t really thought about it, but why had the gods been slaves at the auction in England? Where had they been before that? And now that they’d solved the puzzle about Enlil’s blood connection, what was the deal with Marduk becoming tangible? Then, just last night, a new mind fuck. What was that red, glowy thing all about? She figured that was the easiest thing to start with, so she wouldn’t hesitate to bring it up over breakfast.
Arriving at the diner, the gods parked their bikes, settled into a booth, and ordered what Tess could only describe as a huge pile of food. She had her doubts whether it could all be consumed.
“I’ve got a question for you, Marduk.” Tess shoveled scrambled eggs into her mouth, but couldn’t keep up with the speed at which he and Enlil were downing theirs.
“So good!” Marduk’s eyes might as well have rolled back in his head. He completely ignored Tess and looked for confirmation from Enlil.
Enlil was on board a hundred percent. “I’m calling the waitress to put in another order. Do you think if I offer to blow the chef, he’ll stay and cook for us all day?”
“You guys!” Tess had completely underestimated how much the two could eat. She understood the food attraction, but where were they putting it? She couldn’t imagine being on Earth for so many years without eating, but still, they needed to stop ignoring her. She had things she wanted to know. Stabbing another forkful of eggs, she jumped in before they got going again.
“Marduk! Why did your shoulder glow red last night?” Two utensils came to an abrupt halt. Enlil’s actually dropped with a clatter onto the table. The blond god slowly turned—was that a growl?—and blazed an incredulous, accusing stare at Marduk. Thunder rumbled nearby.
“I was going to tell you.” Tess watched Marduk face Enlil’s angry disbelief. He answered the silent charges, sounding resigned. “It was the first time it happened and…”
“How could you withhold this?” Enlil’s ferocity started to build. Tess looked down. Even the wind god’s plate of food was forgotten as his eyes sparked dangerously gold. “Here is our other answer.” He threw his napkin to the table. “You should have shared this with us right away.” His look was furious. “And why did it have to be you?”
“Excuse me! It was pretty much a shocker to me, as well.” Marduk was now becoming irate. “And pardon me for saying that it’s kind of personal and not the stuff that fucking bed time stories are made of!” Both of their voices were going nuclear.
Tess interrupted, afraid they would come to blows. “Outside,” she hissed. “Outside, the two of you, right now!” The last thing she needed was a scene in her home town cafe.
The thunder god threw a fifty on the table. “Enough?” he barked. Tess nodded blindly as she headed for the door. The three marched rigidly outside.
“What was that all about?” Tess had waited until they were on the sidewalk before having an eruption of her own. “Do you guys attempt to make a scene no matter where you are?”
“I’m sorry, Tess,” Enlil gritted between clenched teeth. “But Marduk should have let us know about the glowing.” Marduk watched his friend’s eyes go to Tess, then back to him. Enlil’s body seemed to deflate. If the asshole had just thought before he spoke, it would have been obvious why Marduk had not filled Tess in. Marduk nearly snorted at Enlil’s dawning consternation. Right. Not an easy reveal. Let the wind god be the one who ruined her day.
“It’s just that the red aura is a…it indicates…”
Marduk crossed his arms over his chest, enjoying the god’s inability to complete the thought.
“It gives us a clue as to why Marduk has regained his body,” Enlil ended lamely.
“Do you want to share?” Tess glared at the pair.
“Uh, not until we’re more certain of the, um, repercussions. Also,” his eyes hadn’t lost their golden tint as he faced Marduk, “we need to find the rest of our brothers and fill them in on this breaking news.” Marduk knew Enlil was daring him to disagree, and his emotions were still not quite under control. Low thunder grumbled nearby, but at least no storm seemed imminent.
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“Fine,” Marduk agreed, turning to Tess but very much put out. “Take us to Huxley’s studio.”
“It’s only a couple of blocks from here.” He could see that Tess was decidedly unhappy with the non-disclosure of information when she deliberately turned her back on the pair. “We’ll walk.” She set off briskly down the sidewalk.
They reached the gym, and noticed Hux had put out the “closed” sign. It was a good thing because, upon entering, they were met with the sight of gods flopped on mats everywhere in various states of sweaty and pulverized. Her brother was bloody and gasping for breath. From an outsider’s point of view, it would look like Huxley had done an awful number on himself. Hard to explain. Hence, the closed sign.
“Up! All of you.” Enlil took charge. If the gods found it unusual that Marduk would stand back while Enlil barked orders, they didn’t let it show on their faces. One by one, they came to their feet, and Enlil motioned them all to a spot at the far end of the gym. Tess approached Huxley.
“You look like hell,” she stated, unconcerned because he was obviously still standing.
“Thanks.” Hux reached for a towel and mopped blood and moisture from his face. “You try fighting them! I’ve never met anybody that could keep up with me before. Now I’ve got eight guys who want to take turns making me their punching bag.” Far from looking disgruntled, Huxley actually looked like he was enjoying himself.
“What’s up with the group huddle?” he asked, angling his head toward the god pack.
“You got me,” Tess responded in frustration. “One minute they’re eating their way through the menu at the diner, the next they’re ready to beat the crap out of each other over something I said.”
“Must have been a big something.” Huxley stared at her intently. “What did you say?”
“I mentioned that Marduk had, uh, glowed red when we were…” Damn it, she didn’t want her brother to know she’d been in the hot tub with the hunky god. “When we were hanging out last night.”