Chapter Seventeen
Everybody, to me.
“Are you shitting me?” Dumuzi blinked, mere inches from Veronica’s incredulous eyes. He knew she’d heard it too. “He wants us back in that freaking meeting room, now?”
Dumuzi had remained a peaceful, laid-back soul for years and years, but all that hard-won placidity had disappeared in the last twenty-four hours, culminating in this moment. And he wasn’t about to waste it. He was ready to rip Marduk’s head from his shoulders. Seriously? Another cock-block? How many did this make for the thunder god who was going to regret he had a tongue…or a mind with which to speak? This was so not happening.
Dumuzi needed—right now…not hours from now—to be buried deep within Veronica’s welcoming pussy, pushing his way into her wet core. Not pushing around policy with his fellow gods. Surely, Marduk and company could solve whatever they needed to without him? Had he ever, in the past two thousand years, rocked the boat and gone against the tide? Hell, no. He’d always just let them flap their jaws and complacently gone along with whatever they decided. That record was about to be broken, right the hell now. Enough was enough with the interruptions.
Busy here, Marduk, Muze sent out, nipping his intended’s chin and receiving a delicious shiver in return.
Not giving you a choice, Marduk barked back. We have visitors. This can’t wait.
Marduk threw up a mental wall, so it would do no good to argue further, the boss god wouldn’t even hear him. Fuck. A quick decapitation or a slow evisceration? Muze would have to think on it. Marduk had however long it took him to get downstairs to remain intact.
Dumuzi gently placed Veronica’s feet on the floor. Exhaling a pained sigh, he quickly zipped his pants.
“Don’t think this resets your opportunity to ‘lead,’” he warned, sending a quick hand around to grasp her sweet little ass and give it a predatory squeeze. He wanted to roar. She’d had his cock in her mouth twice already, and he had yet to get her out of a single piece of clothing. That would change the very next instant they were alone.
“Wouldn’t think of it,” she breathed, and it sounded sincere.
“Fine.” He was satisfied he’d be in charge when the next private opportunity arose. He didn’t mind her dominance…as long as he had equal time. “Then let’s go see Marduk,” he huffed, every inch of his body on edge, crying out for hers. “And he better make it fast.”
He took Veronica’s hand, pulling her to the door. Halfway there, her stomach gave a deep rumble. Dumuzi stopped. He laughed. Sexual tension broken.
“Okay, with a quick stop in the kitchen so you don’t pass out from hunger when Marduk gets long-winded…because I’ve decided not to kill him.” His sudden need to provide for her, protect her shouldn’t have surprised him considering her Chosen status, but he was nonplussed nonetheless.
“I’ve just had my protein for the morning,” Veronica teased with a satisfied purr. “It’s you who’re going to need the calories…for later.” She dropped his hand and exited the room with an exaggerated sway of her hips.
Damn. Hard again. The sexy, bossy woman made his whole being come alive with her innuendo. Dumuzi couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt so aware, mentally or physically. Way back in ancient times, he’d successfully shut himself down, never again over the centuries seeing the world in color. And now? Not only had colors suffused his existence since Veronica’s arrival, they were accompanied by bloody fireworks.
When the whole “find your Chosen” thing had first been unveiled, he’d assumed he could remain aloof from whomever he was supposed to partner. Dumuzi shook his head. What a fucking dolt. None of his mated brothers had been successful with that during their mating frenzies, so why had he thought to be any different? Maybe because he hadn’t really been paying much attention…but now? Well, now his eyes were open—wide open.
He followed his authoritative woman down the hall, catching up with her as her foot hit the first step downward. Roaring his best he-man roar, he scooped her up aggressively and threw her over his shoulder.
“Muze! What are you doing?” she squealed.
“Establishing my dominance,” he mock-growled, giving her a slap on her derrière. He expected an argument or perhaps hands beating his backside in return. What he wasn’t prepared for was her howl of laughter.
“This isn’t dominance, you cave-creature…”
Hmph. Smart woman, realizing he’d never be a cave-man.
“…this is strong-arm tactics.”
Dumuzi grinned because it sounded like Veronica was enjoying herself.
“And now you’ve thrown down the gauntlet,” she snickered, wiggling her behind―which was mere inches from his face―provocatively. “I’m a master at this, Dumuzi,” she chortled. “You’ll never come out on top.”
“Sweetheart, you’ll be begging for me to be on top before I’m finished with you.”
“Oh, you did not just call me sweetheart? You will pay for that, mister…”
The banter continued all the way down the stairs and into the kitchen where he allowed her―still ass-up, over his shoulder―to snag a couple of bagels before heading to the now too familiar meeting room, setting her on her feet only before they entered.
In the collective gods’ first four hundred years in the compound, they’d used the room perhaps once a month. Now, it had become a multiple-time a day occurrence. Figures. Just when he had better things to do.
“Thank you all for coming…again.” Marduk, the asshole, actually smirked over at him as they found a spot on the wall that wasn’t occupied. “I’m sure I didn’t interrupt anything important.”
Oh, he was so going to pay.
“As you can see, Marla and Jeremiah are back with us.”
Dumuzi felt Veronica wedge herself firmly behind him, peering out at what was probably a very odd sight. Despite her sexual dominance, she really was fairly timid, he could see how she might be freaked. How often did one have a full-sized male lion in the house? It was a good thing Sienna, Riley, and the feisty Frank hadn’t been invited to the meeting. Sienna, for one, would be all over the fierce feline with multiple questions and eager hands. Dumuzi wasn’t sure how Jeremiah would take that.
The vegetation god smiled and stroked Verrie’s arm reassuringly, but she still kept herself partially hidden. In this situation, it wasn’t a case of like mother like daughter.
Marduk continued, “Nergal has also rejoined us.”
In Dumuzi’s opinion, the king looked a little worse for wear at having to flip back and forth between realms so many times in the past few days…or it might be fatigue from dealing with his very pregnant queen.
Jake and his group of agents strode through the open door with Matthew in their midst. “Okay, Marduk. I think we’re all here,” Jake nodded. Dumuzi knew he meant with the exception of Shamash and Lahar who were probably, at the moment, knee deep in ancient ruins.
“Marla, would you like to take charge of the meeting?” Marduk sat down and gave the room over to the Feline Operations Agent.
“Thank you, god.” Marla’s Slavic accent was easier to bear, now they all knew she was on their side. “Since getting communication from enemy, Ridhwan, and finding he thinks prisoner he holds is Queen of Nergal.” She inclined her head toward the king but speared Matthew with a quelling look when he gasped at that news. “Oh yes, frumos baiat, I see they have not told you. Our Bel is smart one, yes? She is taken and makes herself more valuable to Ridhwan, posing as wife to Underworld ruler.”
Dumuzi explained briefly to Veronica. Ridhwan is a new enemy, and while trying to kidnap Sham and Quinn for the purposes of fulfilling some fucked up prophecy, he ended up taking Matthew’s mate, Beletseri.
Muze wondered at Marla’s familiarity with Matthew. She had called him a handsome boy, if his language skills weren’t rusty, then tagged Bel with a possessive “our.” Was there more to the trio’s connection than everyone knew? Marla had been held by the pair for a short while a few weeks back. He’d be quite interested to find out what occurred within that short amount of time.
“We confiscated laptop of Quinn and have received more…instruction…for return to us of fake queen. First, we know Ridhwan wishes to trade for me―because of hate―and cat god Shamash and goddess Quinn for prophecy.” She gave a truncated quote of said prediction. “It is written that cat-goddess will be born and will join forces with full cat god. That couple will be salvation of all.”
Marla explained her position once again, “We cat shifters believe it true, and Ridhwan also believes. His interest, to gain control of realms by seizing Shamash and Quinn, two he thinks are named in prophecy. Bad cat shifter believe if he rules rulers, he is ultimate power. And why does he want me?” She shrugged unemotionally. “Me, he will kill.”
“So, what are these new instructions?” Marduk asked, ignoring the prediction of her demise.
“Here is where thing gets tricky,” Marla nodded pointedly. “King Nergal is supposed to bring us to designated swap area, trade us for would-be queen, and is done. Ridhwan has three strong cat friends. We each have personal thug-guard while Ridhwan uses special power to transport us one by one to lair. All done. End of story. He owns cat god and goddess. He rules world.”
“You’ve come up with a plan?” Marduk asked.
Marla shook her head. “We at first think we all go directly to Ridhwan’s secret place to make trade and use special necklace to bring invisible, undetectable god with us to defeat him. Now is not possible. We meet at neutral location, and god cannot travel as quickly as Ridhwan from meeting point to lair.”
Dumuzi quickly told Veronica, Gods give off a distinct energy whether visible or invisible. We have a necklace which blocks that. The problem is gods have to travel, albeit quickly, from place to place. Ridhwan has a special ability to make any trip instantly. So, with a remote location involved, no god―even with the necklace―will be able to follow.
“That doesn’t mean I can’t go,” Dorian, the resident warlock spoke up. Dumuzi felt Veronica shiver behind him. Why the dark, magic one had that effect on women, he didn’t know.
“My invisible energy is undetectable, and I should be able to follow Ridhwan easily. Furthermore, I can transport one other being with me who can wear the necklace.” His eyes went around the room, assessing who should accompany him.
Jeremiah the lion’s imperative roar cut through the room. All eyes turned to Quinn for translation. She complied in headspeak. He say that make three of you. Quinn was yet to be fully fluent in mind-talk, but she got more proficient all the time. He travel instant and invisible as well, and his feline scent will blend with Ridhwan’s other cats. Make him undetectable.
“That’s all very well,” Marduk interjected. “But about the ones Ridhwan wants? We know Sham will go, but we’re taking it for granted Quinn will agree to be included.” The thunder god looked at Shamash’s goddess. “You don’t have to go if you don’t want to. We can find another way.”
Hah. Try stop me, the bold little pixie postured. Where Sham go, I follow. No need to change plan.
Marduk nodded, convinced by her conviction and was just about to bang the proverbial gavel for dismissal when Candy cleared her throat. The thunder god raised his brows.
“I know we should be done here, so forgive me for asking,” Candy interjected, standing up and facing the crowd. “But why exactly are we all warm and fuzzy, running to rescue Bel now? If I’m not mistaken, she’s the bitch who’s been making our lives a misery, holding goddesses against their will,”―she looked at Dani-Lee―“and torturing agents.”
Nobody needed that reminder of what had been done to Ken.
This time Nergal answered. “That’s a fair question,” he exhaled a deep sigh, “and I’ll try to answer as honestly as possible.”
Did the big deity look pained?
“I’m afraid when it comes right down to it, I might have been partially responsible for making her into the woman she’s become.” This time he turned and spoke directly to Matthew who had been listening avidly to all that had gone on. “It seems I was guilty of exploiting her before she turned on us, sequestering her away from any semblance of a real life…for millennia. She was very good at her job, and because of that, I saw her as having only one use. Even when she tried to, uh, convince me otherwise, I chose to brush her off. Hence, she was vastly overworked, completely ignored,”―he gave each and every god a cold stare. He wasn’t about to take the personal rejection of Bel all on his own shoulders―“and eventually, I accused her of a crime which subsequently I find she did not commit.”
Nergal’s baby was killed in his crib, and it was thought Bel was the murderess…which she was not. Dumuzi told Veronica.
“Furthermore,” Nergal kept on, “it has been ascertained the goddess Beletseri is now with child, and despite the other crimes for which she will still stand trial, her young godling should not suffer.”
Matthew listened silently to this, head down, gripping his hands into tight fists.
“Okay,” Candy snarked. “Long-winded much? You could have saved your breath. You would have had me at ‘preggers’ if you’d thrown it out first…your wordliness.”
The king’s lips curled up at Enlil’s wife. There was no denying it. The irreverent goddess/agent could get away with murder where the royal was concerned. The two had a stare-down.
Dumuzi swore if the pair weren’t married to others…
“Fine then,” Marduk spoke into the awkward silence. “It’s decided then. The only thing left to do is draw straws to see which one of us piggy-backs with Dorian.” He looked around at all the eager faces. Adventures had been hard to come by until recently, and all the immortals craved action in any form. “But just a reminder, we are on hold until Sham gets back from his fact-finding mission in Mesopotamia with Lahar. Marla, will you be able to put Ridhwan off for a while?” he questioned.
Marla gave her signature shrug again. “He has not indicated timetable for trade. We will stall…” The FO agent’s words broke down into nothing more than a buzz in Dumuzi’s head as Archie nudged up against him. At the same time he registered the clenching of his stomach that was the precursor to a transformation. Bloody hell. The fucking demons were getting ready to push him right now? Hadn’t this full moon already caused three separate episodes?
Otherworldly screeching filled his brain. He attempted to take deep breaths through his nostrils while alerting his friends. “Marduk! Changing,” he growled. “Find Sienna. Protect Veronica. The demons are…making contact.”
The last was no more than a howl, but he hadn’t lost consciousness yet. “Lock me away. Quickly.” Archie was at his side, whining. He reached down a hand and felt the dog’s soft tongue licking his wrist.
Wait. Why was he still tacitly aware? Normally, when he reached this point, he was a goner. And voices taunted him, but Veronica stood still, unaffected.
Gaddawah degga? Who is the monster? he heard.
Dumuzi struggled to answer. Uggel e gun gaddawah nugta. I am a god, not a monster. Gralt geh ech dubt glah e tat. Leave her or I will kill you.
A part of Dumuzi, still rational, communicated with the fiends from hell. How was that possible? Had his monster picked up their language from years of listening to them? It had to be the answer, but why, if he had been aware of them all this time in his alternate form, hadn’t they been able to contact him?
Now, not only was he linked up to them, his only semi-change persona had him certain the demons were leaving Veronica and Sienna alone this time. Veronica. She stood next to him. He felt her, and the foolish woman had a strong hold on the arm Archie wasn’t licking. She needed to run, or…maybe not. He hadn’t hurt her last night, and he felt her now, knew her now. He was all…different.
I’m here. He heard her words and understood them.
We’re all here, Marduk’s voice penetrated as well.
Dumuzi looked around the room, and through a thick green haze, he made out the faces that ringed him. He could name each one. Still, his hackles were up as he tasted potential danger on his tongue.
Voices back, he warned.
That’s right, Muze. We’re hearing them through you. We need to find them. Keep them engaged. Dumuzi nodded his big, heavy head. His head. He blinked. Wow, he’d never been aware of it before, but his monster’s cranium was damned large and weighted.
Degga bah glah? Dumuzi asked. Who are you?
Ut nught dwigg ent. Do not seek us.
Muze was dimly aware that Dagon…or was it Nergal…was now interpreting for the group.
Uggla ga tat dubt. We will kill the goddess.
Dumuzi howled. Glah bah dubt gol. You are the ones who will be killed, he promised. Ga beh bagga-glah, Gaddawah-Uggel tat ned-paggech. When we find you, the god-monster will make you pay.
Apparently, that scared them. The connection was severed.
Dumuzi’s mind, unfettered by demons went strangely quiet. He stood in the meeting room. He knew he was the monster. A terrifying grip twisted around his heart. What would his monster do now? It always took him hours to come down from his altered state. Should he be confined…or let loose in the woods to run it off? Dumuzi realized he was scared of this new awareness.
Marduk? His voice was a plea to the god who always had the answers. He was floundering and needed guidance. But it was Veronica’s voice he heard first, requiring something different of Marduk…of his friends.
“What do you all do when you change into your other selves? What helps get you back to normal?”
“We usually go kick the shit out of somebody…or each other.” Anshar sounded pleased.
The answer was something Dumuzi heard and expected. He’d helped them all through their alter-egos.
“What…?” Verrie hesitated. “Isn’t that crazy? Don’t you get hurt?”
Dumuzi looked toward the all-sky god and not only was the jokester grinning, ear to ear but if his green miasma wasn’t playing tricks on him, there was a definite snout emerging from the middle of the other god’s face. Well, hello and hell, yeah.
Want to meet a serpent in the gym? Anshar growled, his fangs gleaming as they descended.
Or maybe two? Dagon’s dorsal fins were not far behind, and the dark serpent looked downright gleeful at the thought of joining the fight. I always fancy a little mud-wrestling.
“Really?” Veronica’s voice rose beside him. “This is your answer? To go beat the shit out of each other?”
Dumuzi thought he should be feeling a bit ashamed in front of Veronica, but mostly a delicious blood-lust began to wash over him. He quickly forgot about propriety and rumbled pleasurably, deep in his chest in answer to the serpents calls.
“I guess I have your opinion,” she snorted and un-twined her hand from his…vines.
The goddesses stuck up for the way of the immortals. “Don’t knock it girl, until you’ve watched the show.” Glory came over and hooked her elbow through Verrie’s. “Hot gods, hot monsters. Oh, yes. Totally lickable. There’s nothing like a good knock-down-drag-out to take the tension off and ramp libidos up. Come on,” she urged, pulling Verrie through the door. “Quickly now. Or all the good seats will be taken.”
Dumuzi stretched to his full eight-foot height. Oh. This was good. There had never been a time in his life where he could remember feeling so anticipatory…so in tune with himself. Meeting his monster like this, acknowledging his other half was like finding a part of himself that had always been lost. It felt damned good, and as he settled into the sensations, he seemed to gain even more control. It was a heady awareness.
Green tendrils shot to the ceiling in lush celebration, and Dumuzi laughed…actually laughed…as the spirals came cascading back down toward Anshar and Dagon to begin poking relentlessly at the duo. In reply, they looked extremely annoyed. Hah. His coils had a sense of humor.
The beings in the room who had yet to file out thought this was hilarious, and bets were placed to see if money could be made on who would come out on top. Marduk one-upped the pot, telling the gods only the ones who bet on the winner would be entered into the “go-see-Ridhwan” lottery. It added to the general, overall reckless enthusiasm.
What a billing, thought Muze who was still amazed his mind remained his. Serpents vs. Mud-monster. GWF. Gods Wrestling Federation and this was the Saturday Morning Slam.
Within minutes, everyone amassed in the huge gym which encompassed the entire middle of the compound. Weight equipment was quickly moved and mats rearranged. Dumuzi noticed―he actually noticed―Nergal had called his wife Ereshkigal up from hell for the festivities. It had become an actual event.
He turned his green, murky eyes around the room and found Veronica. She wasn’t looking exactly happy, but she wasn’t scowling either. He postured and pulsated in her direction like an egotistical boggy-body-builder and won a small twist of her lips. Shit. He was ready to win this thing. It sure beat his normal being out-of-control rampaging. If he could continue to keep himself from running amok, he was going to seriously kick some serpent ass.
Enlil set himself up as referee, going over rules that had no meaning to Dumuzi, probably not to the snarling serpents either. The wind god had barely moved his tender flesh out of the way when fang met fang, and claw met claw. The battle was on.
The twin cousins tried tag-teaming him for a while—one sitting out while the other took him on—but they quickly gave up on that as Dumuzi dominated, using all the peripheral growth on one arm to encircle his victim while the other pummeled the helpless sea-creature. His opponents swiftly came to the conclusion two on one was a much better strategy.
In the end, they still didn’t stand a chance. Dumuzi just had too many moving parts, and serpents were…well, serpents, and better suited to water than land. Since both Anshar and Dagon were stubborn ‘til the end, neither would call uncle, and Enlil finally had to step in to end the match.
Well. Almost.
Dagon attempted to land one last slashing blow to Dumuzi’s mid-section, amidst the hisses from the disgruntled audience, but his arc was deflected by Anshar―who, oddly enough had put money on Muze to win―and the errant claw dug a nasty furrow down the arm of the hapless referee.
So much for the match ending.
Enlil, enraged, turned bull and went after Dagon. Not to be left out, one by one, all the other gods morphed into their various bodies, plowing into the fray, and a fully joyous free-for-all was born.
Dumuzi, remembering his earlier cock-blocking vendetta against Marduk, ardently took on the thunder god, and managed a few good roundhouses before being clocked in the head by a giant polar bear.
As he went down, he caught Nergal pouting imploringly to his wife, who gave him a mock-mournful nod of her head. With a whoop, the king dove in with relish to join the fun.
An hour later, all bashed and bruised when their bodies came back to normal, the group chuckled and wheezed. For Dumuzi―relaxed but not out-of-it for the very first time with his brothers―life had never been so sweet.