Chapter Ten

Dani watched the gods with interest. She’d only been invited to a select few meetings, but Huxley had insisted she attend this one. Several things were decided over the course of the next few hours.

The group decided to alleviate Huxley’s problem by paying Miranda Worthington her entire balance due. Huxley was mortified, but he finally told them how, several years ago, he’d been dead broke when he’d wanted to start his gym. And how some sketchy acquaintances had put him in touch with Miranda Worthington. Dani noticed he didn’t tell them all of her terms, but he laid the financials on the line and they all agreed the outline of her loan was a total rip-off.

Once that was unanimously agreed upon, the gods turned their attention to Candy and whether she should be put back in her cell. The for-it males became quickly overridden by the much smaller band of you’ve-got-to-be-shitting-me females, which showed just how much power the women wielded.

“Fuck, no.” Lenore became the most vocal. “I suggest that each of you spend some time in that crap-hole with the vermin and see how you like it.” She turned angry eyes to her husband. “Hey, honey.”

Trouble. Dani could tell she didn’t use her “honey” voice.

“I tell you what. You go sleep in the third cell from hell, and Candy and I will bunk together. That should make you happy. You’ll be comfy on your own, and she’ll be under watch all night.”

Anshar’s eyes turned dark and Hux, sitting next to him, leaned back from the irate god. “Not going to happen, ssssweetheart.” His tongue forked out in a hiss.

She risked a glance over at Candy. That little display blew the agent’s fucking mind. But…

“Yo. Lenore. Babe.” Candy quickly schooled her face and looked askance at the platinum-blonde spitfire. Dani hid a grin at how quickly Candy recovered. “Are you crazy? Your husband has that in his mouth? Oh no. You do not leave him for a second.” The pictures in her head probably flashed XXX ratings.

“She can room with me,” Dani-Lee spoke up in the midst of all the mated women stepping up to say they’d take Candy in. When everyone quieted, she continued, “It makes the most sense. I’m the only single woman in the main house, and I have an extra bed.”

That seemed to settle things with all the rest of the residents, but Huxley clearly didn’t like it. “No, Dani. You’re human. She could easily get the drop on you.”

“And I still don’t trust her,” Enlil added his two cents.

Dani shook her head, exasperated. She’d been around long enough to know how things ran in the compound. She sought to assuage her self-appointed saviors.

“Then have Lahar turn the surveillance on in my room.” Because of the volatility of the males when their powers became unleashed, all of the rooms came equipped with emergency cameras. She looked around. No one found fault with her suggestion, and it shut Huxley up. So she turned to her new roommate instead. “Are you good with that, Candy?” she questioned.

Candy shrugged and nodded. “If it pisses off Braid-Boy, it sounds good to me.”

Dani almost groaned. Enlil was not someone Candy wanted to tick off, but to give Enlil his due, he took a deep, visible breath and bit his tongue, ignoring the taunt.

Dani was happy when Marduk quickly switched to the next order of business: plans for how they would approach rescuing the queen. Candy listened carefully, but Dani detected the agent’s ears perk up to an even greater degree when Dani’s earlier suggestion got rehashed.

“It’s a fucking great idea,” Candy agreed. “Look at her.” Candy pointed to Dani who felt herself blush. “She’s a cherry-assed brainiac.”

Dani wasn’t sure if she should be happy at that description.

“Nobody’s going to think she’s a plant. They’re going to think she’s hauled ass on you guys because you’re arrogant pricks.” She turned to Nergal. “No offense, your greatness.”

He nodded, attempting—and failing—to keep a small smile off his face. Candy kept talking.

“Believe me, you won’t even have to go out of your way to try and find them, Doc.” Her reasoning seemed solid. “Once you’re out of this place and onto their radar, they’ll pick you up so fast your breakfast won’t have digested. A sip of orange juice then bam. You belong to them. They’ll be creaming their pants. Nothing says ‘capture me’ quite like time spent in the enemy camp.”

“No.”

Dani jumped at the harsh bark. Huxley was still not onboard.

“I don’t like it. Even if Dani’s wired and I stick close, too many things can go wrong,” he growled.

“And that’s where I’ve got you fucking covered.” Candy then outlined a plan that, to Dani’s ears, sounded not only plausible but damned good. Everyone—including Enlil, but not Huxley—eventually agreed to the scheme as long as Candy checked out as legit.

The meeting broke up just before midnight, with the agreement that nothing would be put into action until Nergal made contact with Ereshkigal again. This time his conversation with her would be scripted, and how they proceeded would be determined by the queen’s answers. They would work out the details the next day.

Candy followed Dani up to their room, the two having first made a stop in the garage—with Marduk and Enlil as escort—to retrieve Candy’s suitcase from her car. She’d been given back her cellular device with the caveat that Lahar would be able to monitor all signals leaving the compound, and they would know if she called anybody. Dani smiled, recalling what the petite agent had done the minute she’d gotten her phone back.

Candy had stared up…way up, defiantly at Marduk, hit speed-dial and put the phone to her ear. The thunder god had twitched but didn’t stop her.

“Yo. Boss. CL here. I’m going off the grid for a few days. Wanted to let you know.” She’d listened for a few seconds. “Yeah. Golden. Sure. Talk to you.” Candy punched the button to disconnect.

“There. Now the boss won’t be looking for me,” Candy had assured Marduk. Dani noted that Enlil still looked at her with tremendous suspicion.

Candy stretched upon entering Dani’s bedroom. “This is shitloads better than my hotel room in Maine.” She grinned, and threw her duffel on the bed Dani-Lee indicated to look around.

“Fucking sea-green, lady curtains, and beds with matching comforters,” she marveled. The agent slowly took in the cream-colored walls, indirect lighting, and a state-of-the-art entertainment center, then pirouetted in one bemused circle that ended with her facing the bathroom door. Candy grinned and practically skipped toward the room, followed by a smiling Dani.

Dani looked at the room with fresh eyes. Marble covered every surface; cream colored with gold and deep-green veins running through the stone.

“This is the balls,” Candy exploded. “No. Wait.” She bent down and looked at the tub. “This is the balls. I’m usually a shower girl all the way, but tomorrow I’m going to soak forever in this frigging indoor pool. It must be the fucking Great Lakes of bathtubs.”

In the midst of Candy’s love affair with the plumbing, a knock sounded on the door.

“I’m going to use the facilities if you want to see who’s there,” Candy told her.

Dani scooted from the room and Candy closed the door all but a crack. Dani-Lee nearly snorted. Of course the agent would listen. Dani had been around the gods long enough to know how naturally suspicious people operated.

“Hey, Dani-Lee.” Holly’s soft voice would carry across the room.

“Hi, Holl.” Dani couldn’t keep the amusement from her voice. “What’s up?”

Holly shuffled in her pocket. “I have something I think you might need.” Holly looked back over her shoulder, and Dani-Lee’s near chortle turned to a groan. Great. A secret.

“Just before I got taken to the Underworld, Ereshkigal gave this to me.”

Dani maneuvered her body so that Candy wouldn’t be able to see the item…just in case. “It let me in and out of Hell when I wasn’t a goddess, but when I tried to give it back to the queen, she told me to hang on to it. That it might come in handy sometime soon.”

Dani took the item out of its soft pouch and studied it.

“I figure it must have some magical properties, so it should go with you. None of us are in danger here, but you’re putting yourself out there, and you should have every advantage.”

“You know what this is, don’t you?” The doctor hefted it, wrapped in its bed of velvet.

“No. Well…I mean, maybe?”

Dani nodded. That made sense. During the mating ceremonies, the Chosen got sedated, and those in attendance sat far across the room from the item in question. Dani, however, had her hands directly on one, or at least half of one, every time she performed the mating operation.

“It’s an amulet.” She looked at Holly and tapped her left shoulder. “You know.”

The light dawned on Holly’s face. “But this one is…”

“Yeah. It’s empty.” Dani turned it over and over. Strange, it felt slightly warm in her hand. “I don’t know what it can do empty, but it can’t hurt to have it.” It was sweet of Holly to make the gesture. “Thanks, Holly. I’ll make sure I tuck it into a safe place and bring it with me.”

“Good.” Holly looked a little sheepish. “It sounds crazy, but I swear it’s almost been calling to me all day. Every time I approached my room.”

Dani smiled then laughed. “Which probably means it was. I don’t discount anything that happens in this house.”

Holly grinned her agreement. “Who knew a few months ago we’d ever think there was such thing as gods, let alone that we’d be living with them?” She looked back into the hallway. “Listen, I’d better go. I told Dagon I was only headed for a midnight snack, so he’ll be looking for me soon.” She squeezed her hand around Dani’s where it held the talisman. “Be safe, Dani, and keep my brother safe too.”

“I’ll try, Holly.” Dani held back a sigh. She would do anything to keep Huxley safe, even if the man was the most difficult, confusing, and frustrating male she’d ever met. Her fingers curled tighter around the amulet. She’d sew it into her bra of choice first chance she got. Dani figured once she got “captured,” she’d be wearing the same one for the duration.

Candy had certainly witnessed the whole exchange, and emerged from the bathroom to catch Dani sticking the pouch in a drawer, just as another knock came at the door.

Candy did an about face. “Great,” she huffed, clearly having been about to ask Dani what the amulet meant. “I’m going to take a shower.” She rolled her eyes at Dani. “You good?”

“Fine.” Dani-Lee shrugged. “But what a funny time for Grand Central Station.” She pulled open the door.

“Hux.” Dani hoped he didn’t notice her slightly elevated voice. Here we go again, she huffed, swallowing her nervousness. Another episode of “what the fuck.”

****

An hour later, Dani came back into her room flushed and shaken.

“You look like shit. No offense.” Candy lay on the bed, catching up on what had to be a day’s worth of phone texts.

“I was with Huxley,” Dani offered, and then proceeded to relate the whole story.

Flummoxed by Huxley’s late night visit, Dani—at his request—had followed Huxley the short distance down the hallway to his room. She believed his intention had been to talk her out of the scheme they’d all agreed to, but screw that. Dani had already made up her mind. She resolved not to be left out of the plan for a couple of reasons. One, she was tired of being the person left behind; tired of being on cleanup duty only, patching everyone up after their big adventures. And two, after watching the residents of the compound for the past few months, she’d realized she needed some adventures of her own.

As it turned out, talking wasn’t what Huxley had wanted at all.

“In,” he had grunted, opening his bedroom door.

Dani had slipped through and faced away from him with her arms crossed over her chest. “Don’t think you can—”

The words had died in Dani’s throat as Huxley’s hand came to the side of her neck. He had caressed gently upward toward her cheek then back down to her collarbone, pressing her gently backward against him.

“Hux?” she had asked shakily. “What are you doing?”

“You said you wanted me,” Huxley whispered in her ear, and it had sent shivers down her spine. “I’m going to make sure you get me.”

He’d bent and scooped Dani up behind her knees, bringing her up into his arms. She had twined hers around his neck, but he’d disengaged them as he carefully laid her on the bed.

Dani’s eyes had riveted to him as he gracefully stripped off his shirt. Even in the dim light of his room, his chest was magnificent—hard and bronzed, with not a hint of hair. Dani’s heart had beat rapidly. Hux resembled a god in every way.

He’d lowered himself next to her prone body and then leaned over to remove her sneakers. Hux targeted her jeans next. His fingers had sneaked up to the waistband of her pants then run back and forth across the soft skin of her belly. She’d held her breath when he popped the snap and inched the zipper down.

Dani had felt the material whisper down her legs, leaving her lower half clad in her barely there, green silk panties.

She had tried to grab for Hux, making a small sound of protest as he slid off the bed, but he’d paid no attention. Instead he went to his bedside table and brought out a bottle of oil. Keeping his eyes fixed to hers, he’d popped the top and poured the liquid into his hands, rubbing them together slowly. Torturously.

“I think—”

“Shh,” he had said. “No talking.”

No talking? Dani recalled her eyebrows flying up. Was that normal?

Before he had applied the oil, he’d lifted her foot and delicately sucked each one of her toes into his mouth, laving them with his tongue and teasing each with eager tugs. Dani had never felt anything like it and she writhed on the bed, becoming a tingly puddle of anticipation. She didn’t tell Candy about the tingly puddle.

Huxley, his breathing as erratic as hers and a hard bulge apparent inside of his tight jeans, had then started his massage at her instep, his hands warm, caressing her skin, gliding over it with slow, firm, strokes.

Dani had moaned in pleasure, and Huxley huskily echoed the sentiment.

He had worked his way up her calves, one at a time, first the right, then the left, lavishing each with equal attention. He led with his tongue, following with his hands. His magic fingers squeezed and strummed while sweat shone on his bare chest, letting her know he shared in the tension that coiled within her.

When he made it to just above her knees, he placed his hands gently on her thighs and spread her apart. Holy shit.

Still, not a word had been spoken, and Dani had to bite down on her tongue to keep his name from slipping out as he continued his caresses.

Every languorous stroke of his thumbs had brought him closer to her aching pussy. Dani had whimpered, and fumbled down to his shoulders, wanting to drag him up, wanting to fill her mouth with his tongue, but he hadn’t allowed that. He’d growled at her instead, leaving off with his exquisite thumbs and grabbing her hands.

He placed a long series of kisses on her swollen cunt, encased as it still was in material, but eventually he’d eased up. Holding her wrists together over her head with one hand, he worked her panties down and away, demanding with his strength that she bend her knees to open her pussy up to him.

Yes. Yes. Dani had been certain that when he let her go, he’d take off his jeans. But she’d been wrong. He didn’t remove his pants. Instead, his one free hand adjusted the enormous erection that pressed at his zipper then travelled down her body, preceding his lips which now trailed kisses to her exposed navel where he’d inched up her T-shirt.

Then—and still with no words—Huxley had brought his mouth down to her exposed nether lips. He’d lightly licked, he’d sucked, he’d inched back and blown soft air across her wet pussy which had pushed her even higher. She hadn’t been able to hold back his name.

“Hux.”

“Quiet,” he’d barked gruffly against her flesh, before tasting her again and growling into her splayed pussy, the vibration curling her toes. He’d dipped down once again, tasting. Then he’d lapped as if she was the most delicious meal he’d ever consumed, before stretching her farther to plunge his tongue up inside. His hands had shaken as he finally let her wrists go to reach up and fill his hands with her breasts. His moan filled her completely just before he’d pinched her bra-clad nipples.

Dani had believed she was coming apart. His attention to both her pussy and her nipples had overwhelmed her. Too much, too fast. She longed for a moment, just a moment, to catch her breath and touch him back. But except for his soft, blond hair, which she tugged at desperately with seeking fingers, it seemed like she was not allowed her roaming hands as he resisted every effort she made to pull him higher. Dani had been beside herself.

Huxley continued, fast and sure. Abandoning her breasts with one final squeeze, he’d knelt on the bed, a look of half-lidded, carnal pleasure on his face while he lifted the lower half of her body up to his mouth. He hadn’t stopped until she cried out, spasming against him with an orgasm so intense it lasted an eternity. His hands had gripped her ass tightly until she’d finally become limp in his hands. What could only be called a chuff of satisfaction blew across her tender pussy, and Huxley’s big body relaxed as if he had been the once experiencing the orgasm.

Before she could process his movement, he’d lowered her back to the bed and was there with a warm washcloth, wiping her between her legs, soothing her wildness, calming her flesh. She’d breathed out shakily. It had been amazing; the ultimate in a man taking care of a woman.

****

Dani looked Candy right in the eye as she finished her story. She’d left out the most intimate details for the agent, but gave her some of the goods, as well as the gist of his no-talking, hands to yourself scenario.

“I wanted to reciprocate, you know? But, just like before when I went for his buttons, he captured my hands and wouldn’t let me touch him.” She clenched her fists with frustration, remembering.

She’d lain still, stunned, as he’d found her silk panties and worked them back up her legs, followed by her jeans. He had given her the sexy smile that made her heart skip, but as she sat up to capture his mouth, he’d wrenched back, dragging her up with one hand.

When she finally went face-to-face with him, he’d positioned his arm across her hips and spun her around, pressing his front to her back. Huxley had then walked them both to the door. He’d given one last lick up the back of her neck, opened the portal, and gently pushed her out. The door had given a quiet click behind her, and she’d walked, shaking her head, all the way back to her room.

Dani regarded Candy, still bemused. “So can you tell me what just happened? Because I sure as hell don’t know.”

Candy coughed, and if Dani-Lee wasn’t mistaken, the agent choked back what she had been about to impart and changed the subject. “You, uh, tend to overshare a little bit, don’t you?”

Dani blanched. “Yeah. Oh. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. TMI, wasn’t it?” She shuddered, mortified at her behavior. She’d never had girlfriends before this Blue Hills experience, and really didn’t know how much intimate information dumping was proper.

“No. Not necessarily,” Candy quickly backpedaled. “It’s just that usually women end up sharing shit like that after a few pops, but no. It was cool.” Which meant it was totally uncool, and Dani felt ready to melt down into the carpet.

Shit. She felt the need to explain. “Before living here, I became pretty good at hiding my thoughts and feelings. I’d never formed any female friendships because for me it was always about going for the degrees, focusing on my career. This whole being with the gods and goddesses thing happened so fast, it’s cracking fissures in my normally staid resolve.”

“Cracking fissures.” Candy giggled. “More like fucking earthquakes.”

Her face must have registered horror, because Candy swiftly patted her on the hand. “No, really. I’m sorry. Bad joke. It’s all cool.”

Dani figured she might as well keep going. She couldn’t possibly make things worse.

“Growing up, there was just me and my dad,” she stated, forcibly leaving her emotions aside this time. “My mom left us when I turned seven. Just slipped out one day and didn’t come back.” Dani purposely kept her expression blank. “Even though it devastated me, Dad didn’t seem to miss a beat. I remember every word of the short conversation we had that day.”

Candy waited patiently.

“He’d always been about work, and in the aftermath of her departure, he told me we were better off without my mother. That she was just a distraction. That he’d never been able to trust her. Then he turned back to the stack of papers on his desk, and our discussion just…ended.” Her musing became pragmatic.

“He’s an academic. A research academic, and he never had any time for drama. Actually, he wouldn’t put up with any histrionics. I quickly learned that the only way to hold his attention was to be brilliant at my school work, and keep my speech patterns to the plain and simple while addressing him. As soon as he would notice emotion creeping into my voice, or if he discerned I didn’t give him a full disclosure of facts on something that had happened, he would shut down.” Dani gave a shrug. “I was schooled to be totally honest with him, which kept me on the straight and narrow, so I never learned to lie or prevaricate.”

“And how has that worked out for you?” Candy questioned, rather gently.

“Well, it went very well with him.” Dani-Lee smiled, but then her smile slowly faded. “Not so swimmingly with…others.” Dani forced herself to brighten. “But my attitude served me really well in medical school and now in practice. People seem to appreciate a doctor who will tell it like it is.”

“So not to get personal again but…” Dani pretty much gave the agent the go-ahead to probe away. “Have you ever had a relationship before? With a guy, I mean?” Candy tipped her head, waiting.

“Oh, yes,” Dani exclaimed, laughingly. “I was married.” Dani could tell she’d shocked her roommate. “Only briefly, though, to a very nice man I met in medical school.” Dani wasn’t distressed to reveal that. In fact, having been married probably made her seem a little more normal.

“Briefly,” Candy repeated. “So what happened?”

“Come to find out, he was not so good with marriage, or relationships, or sex. Don’t get me wrong,” Dani demurred. “He was…uh is, a lovely man. It’s just that I found out a little late he didn’t know how to be married any more than I did. His idea of marriage was that we’d both work, I’d cook, and then we’d spend the rest of every evening reading.” Dani looked a little pained. “He didn’t appreciate the fact that I became honest and told him I believed we should be more adventurous…”

“With sex,” Candy provided. “Damn girl. I’ve only known you for a few hours, and I’ve already figured out that you have hormones shooting out your fingertips. Fucking moron,” she muttered.

“Well, yeah. I figured there had to be more to the whole thing than what we’d done, since I’d read plenty, and have had some very, uh, interesting talks with patients.” Dani shrugged. “So our sex wasn’t awful, it just wasn’t inspired. We only did missionary position.” Dani paused to think. “Orgasms? I thought I did, but now that Huxley has given me one, I’m pretty sure I never had one before. As a doctor, I understood the particulars of the act, so I just patiently kept waiting for it to get better.”

“So your husband was your first and only?” Candy prompted.

“He was. But I’m not stupid. After he told me that my libido was out of whack and suggested I look into some drugs to take care of it, it seemed prudent to part ways.” Dani had at least gotten that right.

“After my divorce, I buried myself in work and never found the time to explore with anyone else…up until now.” Dani didn’t tell the agent she’d taken the “you’re a freak,” rejection thing from her ex a little too hard to try for another relationship.

“So Huxley?” Candy led again.

“Huxley.” Dani-Lee sighed. “The first time he showed interest, he actually kissed me, which makes me wonder what his reluctance with lip-locking was all about tonight. It was in a dressing room at a lingerie store. And he touched me too. You know?” she added.

“It felt really good, and I let him know how much I liked it, but he stopped, so I figured I must have been doing the pushy thing.” Dani-Lee’s eyes clouded a little, remembering his off-putting diatribe afterward.

“Any other times?” Candy clearly wanted the whole picture.

The doctor nodded. “When we visited Northampton, he was extra sweet. He kept us out of danger by finding this little efficiency motel room, and I got to fall asleep in his arms.” Dani grew teary, remembering. Despite Huxley’s obvious sexual experience, Dani felt sure them sleeping together had been a first for him. He’d seemed a little freaked, but besides some spooning in the dark, she’d managed to keep her libido at bay and not jump his bones. She continued for Candy.

“We were still groggy in the morning and he started getting amorous, almost like he forgot himself. We kissed like crazy, and it was so good. We’d just gotten to some hot touchy-feely, above the waist stuff, when we were interrupted with an appearance by one of the gods.”

“Did you tell him you liked it that time too?” Candy kept probing.

“Absolutely. I made sure he knew it.” Dani had figured it could only help for him to know; even if he considered her too forward, she needed to be honest. “And I also told him how much I liked it after he kissed me and used his fingers on me yesterday after a workout.”

Candy blinked at that revelation. Yeah. Huxley had let down his barriers again, but that situation got truncated by Candy’s appearance on the compound’s outer grounds.

“Okay. So here’s how I see it.” Candy’s face took on a speculative cast. “Huxley is a decent guy, and he obviously has feelings for you that he just can’t come to grips with.”

There was still something the savvy agent seemed to have figured out, but wasn’t telling her. Dani sighed and let it go.

“You want my advice?” Candy asked.

“Please.” Dani-Lee looked at her earnestly.

“Take what he can give you without question, and I guarantee that if you play it cool, you’ll end up getting more.”

Dani’s next question would make her sound more like a teenager than a doctor, but what the hell. “Should I still be honest and tell him I like it?”

“Absolutely. A guy—any guy—likes to know he’s a hit in the sack. But a caveat with Huxley… Don’t pressure him with what he’s not ready to give. I swear that before you know it, he’ll come around.”

“It sounds like good advice. Thanks, Candy.” Dani felt warmer inside, now that she’d had it from someone who obviously knew about men. She couldn’t help it; she yawned big. It was after two in the morning and even though they had a full day of rest prior to King Nergal’s next three in the morning conversation with Ereshkigal, the house would still be stirring fairly early in the morning.

“I think it’s time for lights out.” Candy read her fatigue.

Dani nodded, shedding her clothes and slipping into bed. Candy turned out the light.

“Thanks, Candy, for letting me talk.”

“No problem, Doc. Any time.”

****

Candy waited in the dark for the fifteen minutes it took before Dani’s breathing became slow and even, indicating that the doctor slept. The whole Huxley scenario had been hot as hell, and now she needed to take care of business.

It sucked she couldn’t use her vibrator, but it remained stuffed deep in her duffel, and she couldn’t risk that the noise would wake up her roomie. She remembered the camera surveillance in the room that she had agreed to, and wondered about infrared. She shrugged, undeterred. Fuck ’em if they wanted to watch.

Fingers would take a little more time but, as Candy slipped her hand under the waistband of her pajama boxers, she found herself already wet. And the face that popped into her head as she worked herself to a fast climax? Not Huxley’s.