Tendril Hearts (Immortals Book 11)

by LJ Vickery

  “Uh. No thanks.” The girl looked at Bel askance. “You need the sleep way more than me, and that pile’s not big enough for two. Damn. It’s probably been pretty tough being here with the extra worry you have. I can’t imagine trying to get weird food to stay down even with a normal constitution,” she prattled. “I had a friend who couldn’t keep anything in her stomach for weeks. She had to rely solely on prenatals.”

  “Prenatals?” Bel had never heard that term before. Was there a thing available that would settle her constantly churning stomach?

  “Yeah, you know. For your…” Riley looked at the sentry and got a cagey and knowing look on her face. Oh, yeah. They’re not supposed to know.

  Now Bel was really confused. Not supposed to know what? she asked.

  You don’t have to pretend with me. Everybody at the compound has heard, and Matthew is ecstatic…when he’s not screaming for everyone to come rescue you.

  Young lady. Bel gave her best, strictest face. She hated being in the dark. She hated, even more, when the darkness had to do with her. Explain this very minute exactly what you’re talking about.

  Riley looked at her incredulously. Duh. Your pregnancy, of course.

  My… It was a good thing that Bel was sitting, or she would have fallen over. Her head spun, and what the fuck? Part of her knew instantly Riley was correct. But the other part? Oh no. This could so not be right.

  What makes you think I’m pregnant?

  I have ears, you know, Riley smirked. It was Marla who told everybody about it. Those cat shifters have great noses, and I think she whiffed some hormonal thing on you before you got snatched.

  My gods. I’m pregnant. Bel started to laugh. I haven’t been sick all this time, I’ve been gestating. Her laughter turned edgy as she thought back to all her “symptoms.” I should have known. She shook her head. I’m such an idiot.

  Wait. You didn’t know? Now it was Riley’s turn to look bewildered. You’re a grownup. She threw up her hands. How could you not know?

  Bel’s laughter was spiraling out of hand. And much to her chagrin, she couldn’t seem to stop. It had taken on a certain hysteria, and she could see worry reflected in the girl’s eyes. When tears began streaming down her cheeks, she knew she was screwed. Bel couldn’t stop thinking about a baby…her baby…and captivity…and Matthew. It was all suddenly too much.

  A stirring outside their vine enclosure had Bel vaguely knowing the guard approached, obviously to find out what was wrong. Her laughter grew louder. Dammit. She had to get a grip. She didn’t need another back-hand that might…oh, hell no.

  Bel slammed her mouth shut. She decided right then and there she wasn’t going to be tossed around anymore. No way. She had a baby inside her who needed protecting. No more fucking hysterics.

  “What’s the problem in here?” their jailer stalked in and asked. “As if I give a shit.” His eyes were cold. “Shut the hell up, or I’ll do it for you.”

  “That won’t be necessary,” Bel clipped, biting back her emotions and wiping her eyes. “We…”

  She was about to finish her apology when something beyond their grotto caught her eye. Shit. Reinforcements? One cat was bad news, but two were worse. She’d had her share of torment at the hands of Ridhwan’s commanders, and even pregnant, she’d weathered it. But she doubted whether the tender human could withstand their rough treatment. She scrambled to her feet, grabbed Riley up and thrust the girl behind her. “Call off your friends. We’re going to settle down now and go to sleep. I promise we won’t make any more noise.”

  “My friends?” The guy looked suitably confused before a large, disembodied rock came down on the sentinel’s head from behind. He fell to his knees, struggled to get up, but was pushed back to the ground…by nothing Bel could see. He grabbed at this throat clawing and gasping for breath.

  Bel looked carefully for the cause but saw only shadows in the trees. She didn’t know what was going on.

  As she puzzled, the cat’s eyes rolled back in his head, and he slumped, lifeless, face-first into the dirt. Bel was no fool. She wasn’t about to waste a gods-given, perfectly good opportunity. She grabbed Riley’s hand.

  “Let’s go.” she cried. Paying attention only to the horrified girl who looked at the unmoving body at their feet, she urged her to move. Bel tugged and got forward momentum. Then ran up against a solid wall of hard flesh.

  “Ah, shit. Never mind.” Not bothering to glance at the new threat, she pushed Riley behind her again, steeling herself for the cuff she knew would be coming.

  It didn’t.

  “Dorian?” Riley’s voice squeaked high and excited from behind her. “I’m so happy to see you. How did you get here?”

  “Dorian?” Bel repeated numbly. “As in the warlock Dorian?”

  She looked up. Way up. Which was unusual for a goddess who was five-foot-eleven.

  She’d never before had the pleasure of a formal introduction to the dark, powerful entity who’d joined forces with the Blue Hill gods, but damn. He gave off some highly dangerous vibes. She backed away slowly…very slowly.

  The girl behind her had no such trepidation. She moved quickly around Bel and wrapped her sweet little human arms around the big guy's waist.

  “Oh my god, I’m so glad you’re here. We’re safe.”

  “For the moment, and only if we move quickly,” Dorian said in a low, controlled voice. “I came in on the energy of the cats as they moved through the barrier, and we’ll leave the same way. We’ll use this one’s body to open it up to us again, but we need to do it without alerting all the guards.”

  Beletseri found her tongue now there was action afoot and dropped right into scheming mode. “All the sentries except this one and the pair who were just here are simple cat-shifters with plenty of strength but no powers. Between the two of us, we should be able to overwhelm them if they become aware. What we don’t need is the very bad cat you came in with getting wind of what’s happening. He travels like you do which means if he hears anything, he’ll be on us. Next to Ridhwan―who thank the gods is not here―that puss is the nastiest alpha in the sandbox, and if he shows up, we’ll have a hell of a fight on our hands.”

  Dorian nodded at her in quiet acknowledgment and silently hoisted the downed panther’s body up over one shoulder. “I’ve already taken out the two border guards who were behind your pen. If we go quickly, there’s no reason anyone will even know we’re leaving. Come on, Riley. You’ll have plenty of time to give in to emotion when we get you home.”

  Bel looked over and watched the shivers beginning to move over the girl’s body in waves. She slung an arm around her shoulders and pulled her forward.

  “We’re all in this together, right, brave girl? And seriously? What better company could you have than a pregnant goddess and an arrogant warlock?” She looked up and saw an amused spark in Dorian’s eyes before he turned and walked away. She drew Riley along at her side, cajoling her and matching the large male’s steps.

  The barrier had an odd shimmer which alerted residents when they were about to come in contact with it. Dorian approached purposely. By slinging the shifter’s lifeless body across the divide, the force field would be deactivated, and they’d be free. Sort of. Because what would they do once they were in the jungle?

  “Warlock, what’s the plan once we cross over,” Bel whispered.

  “I am able to take one person with me when I dissipate,” he told her. “Of course, that will be Riley. You will have to mist out in the way of gods and find your way home. I understand the trip is two-and-a-half hours long for your kind.”

  “Fine, but I’ll have to be one hundred yards from here to make it happen because of Ridhwan’s barrier spells. Damn. It’s a good thing I’ve suddenly found new strength,” Bel lied. She wasn’t about to tell him that in her depleted state, she’d be lucky to make the needed dash to one hundred yards. And if by some miracle she did and was able to dissipate, her trip home would take a damned long time.

 
But she wasn’t about to complain…nor balk at having to turn herself in to be held captive with Matthew. If by some miracle she made it.

  Bel let herself have hope. Her husband’s embrace was so close she could almost taste it…and its flavor was a lot better than raw beetles.

  Dorian took one look back at both women, signaled, then flung the body across the barrier. Just like that, a doorway opened.

  Bel gave a sigh of relief. Almost there.

  Dorian gestured for Riley to go first, and…fuck. An alarm immediately sounded.

  “Shit,” Dorian clipped out, pushing both of the women through the opening. “There must have been additional security protocols I didn’t anticipate.”

  Guards began streaming through the woods, amassing behind them.

  “We need to move,” the warlock growled.

  Bel gasped as the head-cat―the abusive bastard―suddenly appeared in front of them. He made to grab Riley.

  “Oh no, you don’t.” The goddess was quicker.

  She sent a leg up and landed a strong kick on the shifter’s wrist, sending his arm up into the air. Bel followed up with every last bit of her goddess strength, landing a punch at the kitty, mid-chest. His body flew fifteen feet away, and he seemed momentarily dazed.

  Bel turned to the warlock. “Dorian. Grab Riley and go. You’ve got about ten seconds before he’s back on his feet.”

  “But what about you?” Riley was the one who asked.

  Clearly, the sweet child didn’t know the history between Bel the immortals. None of them would give a damn she was left behind.

  “Don’t worry about me. I’ll hold him off until you get away. Then I’ll do my thing. No problem” She stalked forward. Maybe she could land a foot to this guy’s gut while he lay prone, then make her escape. Yeah. Right. And pregnant pigs fly.

  The male had already morphed into a badass cat and bunched his haunches for a spring.

  Bel frantically turned to the pair who seemed to hesitate. “Go,” she screamed.

  Dorian gave her a look. He knew as well as she did there was no way she would make it.

  “Good luck, Bel.” He gave her a quick bow, seized Riley’s arm…and they were gone.

  Chapter Thirty-one

  “Gram, we can’t just leave her there.”

  Verrie watched the ineffectual comforting Frank attempted to impart to her granddaughter. Riley remained incensed Bel had been left behind. She’d accepted all the hugs and tears shed for her homecoming but hadn’t let go of her incredulous anger.

  Riles turned to Dorian whose wife Addie-May clung to his arm, having returned from her futile search to find her husband already at home.

  “Bel didn’t get away,” the girl spat, but asked for final confirmation. “Did she?” Riley skewered Dorian with a demanding look.

  He didn’t even think to condescend. “No. There was no way in her depleted state she would have been able to get by the cat and make it one hundred yards,” the warlock answered honestly.

  Riley turned to Marduk. “Now that we know where she is in Malaysia, you’re just going to leave her there? She’s really sick, you know. She looks awful. I could tell even in the dark. There were bruises on her face and arms from getting knocked around. They’ll beat her worse now because she helped me get away. She could lose her baby.” Tears leaked out of Riley’s eyes.

  Verrie saw Marduk raise his brows at Dorian. The warlock gave a helpless shrug but confirmed Riley’s assessment. “She looked quite ill, and yes, there were signs of abuse…some old, some new.”

  “And this business about Bel helping you two get away?” Marduk questioned Dorian regarding the testimonial Riley had delivered earlier.

  “It was odd that is certain. But Bel did attack the cat-man when he made a grab for Riley and kept him away long enough for us to depart,” Dorian admitted.

  “She also got between me and our guard earlier when the guy was pissed off. She was protecting me.” Riley’s mouth set firmly even as tears continued to drop. “You have to do something,” she snapped. “You’re gods, and witches, and…blue guys. You know where this asshole’s hideout is now. Just go back and get her.”

  “It’s not that easy, Riley,” Shamash spoke up. “They have a barrier that holds us out. Ridhwan could sit inside and pick us off, one by one. Don’t think that with his years of studying gods, he doesn’t know exactly where our vulnerable spots are.”

  “So you’re just going to give up? Leave her there? You’re supposed to be the good guys.” Sienna moved to Riley’s side and looked just as pissed off as her friend.

  “I didn’t say we’re giving up,” Marduk attempted to soothe the girls. “But right now, we’re in the process of dealing with a group of women he’s kept prisoner for a lot longer than Bel. We’re moving them into our cottages. It’s a delicate process.”

  That was certainly true, Verrie thought. At the moment, Dani-Lee was taking charge of the females with help from Mamitu and Rephaim, the two women’s advocates Nergal had recommended.

  “Well, I for one don’t want anybody making trips outside the compound until Verrie and I have mated,” Dumuzi spoke into the uncomfortable silence, surprising everyone by looking extremely fierce. A shiver of lust went down her spine. This strong god was the man she’d marry and live with for the rest of eternity. Hell, yeah. She felt like she needed to howl…in a good way.

  But wait. Why was he in such a hurry to get them mated?

  “What’s your rush, Muze?” she asked, rubbing his back to calm him.

  “With all this talk and evidence of imprisoned women, I want to make sure when we rescue Bel…”

  Verrie noted the surprised look on Riley’s face.

  “Yeah, Riley,” he assured the girl. “Have no doubt, we’ll be doing that as soon as the big-wigs here hash out a decent plan. Anyway, before I leave, I want to make sure Verrie’s a goddess, so if the shit hits the fan, she can have advantages immortals have over enemies. I want her to have super-strength and agility…”

  “And you want to have crazy god-sex with her ASAP,” Lenore smirked. “We get it, Muze.”

  Verrie was in the dark about what “crazy god-sex” might mean. Because…hadn’t they already done that? Her face must have looked perplexed because Lenore took pity.

  “Don’t worry. I’ll fill you in soon, girlfriend, just not in front of the impressionable youngsters.”

  Muze glanced hopefully at the thunder god.

  Marduk appeared thoughtful and spoke to his wife, Tess. “All this hoopla means no summer solstice celebration.” He stroked his chin. “I suppose that can’t be helped. How fast do you think we can get a mating ceremony underway?”

  “How fast do you want it?” Tess replied, looking at the clock.

  It was barely five o'clock. Verrie blinked. How in the world could so much have happened in the two-and-a-half hours since school let out?

  “Well,” Marduk pondered. “The time difference between here and Malaysia is thirteen hours. Their day is..?”

  Verrie was damned confused. What did Malaysia have to do with a mating ceremony?

  “Sunrise at seven―in just one hour―and sunset at seven-thirty,” Lahar supplied, giving over the information but looking discombobulated and far less logical than she’d ever seen him.

  Verrie wasn’t surprised. He had to be preoccupied with his visibility which they now knew was somehow connected to the women refugees. But he still hadn’t lost his intelligent edge. Verrie knew few others who would be able to do calculations in the face of a possible eternal mate nearby.

  “Thank you, Lahar. I’d like to arrive with a full contingent of gods tomorrow night by six p.m., their time. If I calculate in for just under two hours of god-travel time…” Marduk started mumbling.

  “We need to leave here at three in the morning,” Lahar answered again, not waiting for his boss to do the math.

  Verrie had confirmation Lahar was in no way compromised, knowing his future might rest right around the c
orner.

  Tess laughed, “Okay, come on, ladies. We have an amulet ceremony to accomplish.” The goddess began herding women from the room. “Eight o’clock in the chambers below,” she tossed back at her husband. “Don’t be late.”

  Marduk chuckled at his feisty wife. “Wouldn’t think of it. And while you fuss with the mate-to-be, we’ll be working out a plan of attack to rescue Bel.”

  Verrie and the girls―along with Frank―were drawn off by a group of extremely enthusiastic women. She didn’t know what made her heart pound faster—in three hours she’d be mating with Dumuzi or in ten, he’d be on his way to embark on a very dangerous mission.

  If she’d had an opportunity to ponder, she might have panicked. As it was, she was caught up in a tide of waxing, oiling, and hair styling which the Goddess League would not be denied.

  A number of them had gone on to procure special food for the banquet afterward while still others lit the “thousands of candles in the ceremonial spaces.”

  Sienna, Frank, and Riley stood and gaped a lot, except when they were shown the glorious silk gowns they would be wearing. That even perked up the introspective Riley long enough for a fashion show that had Verrie sighing. The girls were really growing up.

  Her own robes were plain and made from a rough spun linen. Lenore, a fountain of information continuously flowing from her lips, told her she and Muze would be dressed simply to show elaborate trappings had nothing to do with their love for one another.

  Verrie had been momentarily left alone to breathe and was nearly ready for her trip to the basement halls when a cacophony of angry voices outside her bedroom made her pause as she finished securing her robe.

  “No. You can’t go in.” Lenore’s raised tones told Verrie Muze must be attempting to see her. Was he having second thoughts? She moved quickly to her door and pulled it open.

  “Lenore. It’s okay. If Dumuzi needs to see me, it must be important.” Her gut clenched. She looked at her god, standing in his homespun loincloth and nothing else. He was flipping gorgeous. And the love shining from his eyes was more than she’d ever hoped for.