Colel Read online

  Without hesitation his mouth clamped down on the crook of her neck. She flinched from the pain, but as he sucked, she began to feel another sensation.

  “Ohgods. That’s wonderful.” Her grip on his shoulders tightened, and he sucked harder. “What are you doing?” It was like being fucked from the inside out, each draw of his lips sending an orgasmic pulse wave into her core that radiated through her. “Don’t stop.” She felt his hard cock begin to move inside her slick canal in time to the draw of his mouth.

  She’d never imagined her entire body could be turned into an erogenous zone. Every corner of her mind and physical being was lighting up for him.

  Harder, faster, he moved with unapologetic demand, taking everything he could, but giving back in equal measure.

  The suction of his mouth finally broke, and he threw back his head, climaxing hard. She felt his hot cum flooding her once more, sparking one final chain reaction of sinful contractions.

  Their two bodies stilled while they breathed like horses who’d sprinted across a wide open plain.

  “That was amazing. How did you do that?” She gazed into his hypnotic eyes.

  “It felt natural.” He planted a leisurely kiss on her lips. “And it felt good.”

  It certainly had. Even better was the glow in her heart. She’d won him. Not through deception or games, but by being true to what she’d felt was right. She’d been willing to give up everything for his happiness, and there was no greater satisfaction than winning with pure intentions. He’d chosen her. Of his own free will. With all other options on the table.

  He pulled out and stretched his large frame beside her in the sand to stare into her eyes. “I realize that we don’t really know each other, and that this kind of love shouldn’t happen because it’s impossible, but I swear on my life, Colel, a part of me knew from the moment we met that I would spend the rest of my life with you.”

  She grinned and pressed her lips to his, wanting to say what was in her heart: I love you. However, the moment didn’t feel right. She was still trying to digest how this could be real.

  She felt his hand slide to her underarm and then…

  “What! No. Stop!” She laughed. “I hate being tickled.”

  He stopped moving his hand. “Are you sure you didn’t like it?”

  He had once suggested that she hated being tickled because it hadn’t been done by the right person.

  She gave it a moment of thought. “Actually, I think I kind of loved—”

  “Colel, are you down there?” a deep, familiar voice echoed from the natural stone skylight above.

  “Brutus?” she called out.

  “Yes.”

  “What are you doing here?” she yelled.

  “I was in the neighborhood doing some shopping,” he replied sarcastically, sounding extremely agitated.

  Shit. Fuck. Shit. “Votan asked you to come get me, didn’t he?”

  “Yes,” Brutus replied. “And if it were not for my feelings, I would be glad to collect you for your punishment.”

  Rys looked at her. “What’s happening?”

  “I will explain later, my love. But if you care for me, and I know you do, you won’t make matters worse. Just let him take me.”

  “Why?” Rys questioned.

  “Because you asked me to give everything for you, and I did it. Willingly. Never forget that.”

  Before he could respond, the cavern filled with smoke. A black jade bomb to subdue a god.

  “Take good care of my babiees…” she mumbled as she passed out.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  More than ever, Tula wished Cimil had never been taken by those mermen. Because honestly, I think I could forgive her for my death, but losing Zac to Minky? It was the sort of bizarre predicament only Cimil knew how to handle.

  During the entire drive in Zac’s black Mustang up Highway 1, which skirted the Pacific coastline, Tula wanted to say something to him—What’s the plan? How are we going to get out of this? But who knew if that crazy beast might be listening. She could be riding on top of the car or sitting in the backseat.

  One thing was certain, Tula could not wait to see her redheaded bat-poop-crazy boss again.

  Plus, I miss taco Tuesdays. Which were always on Fridays, of course, because, well, Cimil. She could never do anything according to the norms.

  “This must be the place.” Zac slowed his car and turned right, heading inland away from the ocean, down a small dirt road that appeared to be for fire access. The chain-link fence had been busted open.

  “Listen, Tula, whatever happens, I want you to know that I meant what I said to Minky. There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you, and that includes making sure you’re whole again.”

  “But, Mr. Zac, you also said you would take what you could get, even if it meant accepting me like this.” Being invisible was no picnic because she was truly a people person. Not having the ability to converse or help others felt like living in a prison, but if she had to choose between this or losing Zac to a hornicorn, she’d take invisibility.

  “It is my own fault, Tula, for being so damned tempting that Minky felt the need to steal me away from you. But what’s done is done. And as naively as I gave my word, I gave it. I only want you to know that when Minky has her way with me, I will be thinking of you.”

  “What?” Tula snapped. “No, Zac. Don’t say that. You cannot fornicate with that—”

  “Careful, Tula. You do not wish to anger my new woman.”

  He can’t mean it. Tula’s mouth went slack as the jealousy inside her sizzled. He loved her. How could he even say such…

  Hold on. Of course he doesn’t mean it. He was simply playing along, biding his time.

  She drew a tiny breath and folded her hands neatly in her lap like the good, nonconfrontational girl her momma raised her to be. “I will bear the pain as well as I can, Mr. Zac—while dressed in my vintage, high-neck Gunne Sax dress with long sleeves.” It was her full-on Little House on the Prairie look, and it drove him mad with lust.

  Zac tightened his grip on the steering wheel and swallowed hard. “And I will do my best not to think about it.”

  Ah, I see. He’s playing the opposite game. Kind of like speaking in code. “And I will not think about you not thinking about me in that dress while we are apart forever. With no hope. No plan. No aspirations of being reunited.”

  “Exactly.” He kept his eyes glued to the road. “All right. This is the end. Minky said we’d find the drum about a hundred yards down that trail.” He pointed to a path that disappeared into a ravine up ahead.

  “I hope you brought a flashlight.” It was dark outside—no moon or stars—but more than anything, the isolated location simply screamed murder waiting to happen.

  Oh, wait. I’m already dead. “Never mind. Let’s go.”

  She popped from the car, not bothering with the door.

  Zac killed the engine and exited, too. “Just remember, whatever happens tonight, I will be okay. And all that matters is helping you.”

  “We’re not doing that whole reverse-meaning thing right now, are we?” she whispered.

  He shook his head no.

  She nodded, but didn’t agree. All that really mattered was Zac being free from that sex-starved, pervert horse with the giant dildo stuck to its head.

  She followed Zac down the dark narrow trail for over ten minutes without a word. The entire time Tula kept telling herself to be prepared for anything. Unicorns were conniving, magical creatures.

  “Are you sure we’re going the right way?” she asked, finally breaking their silence.

  “Yes.”

  “How did Minky get the drum all the way here?” Wherever here was. From the grass covering the trail, there was no indication that anyone had been this way in weeks.

  “I’m sure she has her sneaky Minky ways,” he replied. “Look. Up ahead.”

  Perched on top of a large boulder was a black steel drum.

  “Is that her?” Tula aske
d.

  “It appears so.”

  “Wow. It’s so small. Those mermen don’t mess around.” The barrel was only large enough for one medium-sized person. “I can’t imagine being unable to stretch my legs for eternity.”

  “That’s the point. It’s supposed to suck, but Cimil had it coming. Not so sure about the children. Of course, if she gave a shit about them, she wouldn’t run around pissing everyone off.”

  She knew Zac was still upset for the things his sister had done, but not even he could justify allowing Cimil to give birth inside an oil drum sitting at the bottom of the ocean.

  “How are we going to get her out?” Tula asked as they approached the black container.

  “Not sure. Roen told me they used some sort of reinforced steel strong enough to hold any one of his men.” Zac froze. “Motherfucker.”

  “What?” Tula peeked around Zac’s seven-foot frame. “Uh-oh.” The drum had been split down the middle. The odd thing was, the metal had been sliced clean open. “Did she break out, or did someone break in? I can’t tell.”

  “Who the bloody hell knows? Minky! Show yourself!” Zac bellowed. “This was not our deal. You said you’d deliver Cimil, and she’s fucking not here!”

  Maybe this was a blessing in disguise. “Let’s get out of here. We’ll have to find Cimil on our…”

  Two red fireballs, high in the night sky, appeared before them. Either Minky was ten stories tall now, or she was floating up there for effect.

  “Minky, where is Cimil?” Zac snarled.

  “Deal,” the beast roared. “Deal.”

  “No! No deal!” He pointed his finger up at her. “You didn’t keep your side of the bargain.”

  A plume of fire erupted from Minky’s invisible mouth.

  “Let’s go,” Tula pleaded. “I’d rather keep you than my body, anyway.” She attempted to grab Zac’s arm, but it was no use.

  “You think she’s of use to anyone without a body? Do you?” Zac roared at the demonicorn. “Either you fix this, Minky, or tell me where my sister is.”

  “Zac?” Tula stumbled back, feeling the shock of his words deep inside her soul. “But you…you said…that you didn’t care if I had a body.” Was all of this for her happiness or for his? “Zac, answer me!”

  He turned and yelled, “What?”

  “If all you care about is my body, so you can finally have your way with it, then I don’t want—”

  “No,” he protested. “That is not what I meant. I will love you no matter what, but I’d like to love more than just my hand for the next eternity.”

  In that moment, Minky grunted something horrific, far too dirty for Tula’s virgin ears. But the gist was that Minky intended to use Zac in many ways and cure him forever of any desires he harbored for another.

  “Minky…” Tula balled her tiny fists. “I might be a good girl, but that does not mean I won’t fight. Drop this whole thing right now, or so help me gods, I will follow you to the ends of this earth, and whatever realms I have access to as a disembodied human, and make your existence a living, breathing, fiery hell of epic proportions!”

  Minky chuckled. “I’m going to make you my bitch, Zac.”

  They disappeared into thin air.

  “No.” Tula covered her mouth. “Zac? Zac! Answer me!” Sadly, only the crickets replied.

  What am I going to do? She couldn’t ask anyone for help. Heck, she wasn’t even able to write a note on a foggy mirror like a respectable spirit. With no one able to see or hear her, there was no one to turn to.

  Cimil. I must find Cimil. She could talk to the dead. The question was, where had she gone?

  Tula gave it some thought. There was only one place Tula knew of where Cimil would go. Home.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  Tula hid in the bushes of Cimil’s Hollywood Hills palace, hoping her intuition panned out. Her home was the sort of fortress a famous movie star would live in if they needed a big basement to hide lots of dirty secrets, and it was definitely the kind of place Cimil would run to after escaping from a bunch of cranky mermen. High walls, surveillance cameras, and an alligator-filled moat.

  Tula approached the well-lit window at the front of the house. At this late hour, Cimil’s children would be awake, doing their schoolwork, being half vampire and all.

  Tula moved closer and got onto her tiptoes. Inside, she could see Roberto—a tall, dark-skinned, handsome ex-pharaoh—playing some sort of game with his four children.

  “They’re getting big, aren’t they?” Cimil chirped proudly beside Tula.

  “Oh gods!” Tula jumped.

  “Shhh…they’ll hear you.” Cimil slapped a hand over Tula’s face.

  “You can see me?” Tula mumbled.

  “Uh, yeah. Note the hand over your piehole. Oh, by the way, you’re looking snappy in the new non-body body.”

  Tula narrowed her eyes. “Not funny,” she mumbled.

  The porchlight turned on, and the front door flew open. “Cimil! Is that you?” barked a deep voice.

  “Do you think he’s talking to me?” Cimil asked Tula.

  “Possibly. But why don’t you ask him to be sure,” she said sarcastically.

  “Cimil! Come out right now, or I swear I will—”

  “Okay. Okay. Hold the mega-manphone. No need to yell.” Cimil raised her two pale hands into the cold night air and stepped onto the porch.

  “What the devil’s gonads are you doing…” Roberto’s dark eyes locked onto Cimil’s stomach “…here? You’re pregnant. For real.”

  “No. I just binged on Nutter Butters and Netflix from the comfort of my watery living room. Captain Nemo was there with me.”

  Roberto’s eyes flickered with suspicion. “Is the baby mine or his?”

  Cimil gasped. “I might be a sneaky, lying, deceitful goddess, but I am no cheatin’ whore.” She paused and then toggled her head from side to side. “Well, except on taco Tuesdays, but you already knew that.” She raised a finger. “But! You know my womb belongs only to you. Plus, I’m sure no one else’s sperm could survive such a harsh, desolate environment. So yeah, they are your babies.”

  Roberto drew a breath, his wide chest rising. “They? As in five?”

  She nodded.

  “Oh, my red velvet cupcake!” He rushed to her and swept her in his arms. “Will you ever forgive me?”

  “No, but I’ll make it up to myself somehow.”

  Huh? Tula thought, watching their touching reunion from afar.

  Roberto set Cimil down, grabbed her face, and smothered her with kisses. “Muah, muah! Muah. I’ve missed you. We’ve missed you! Kids, get out here and welcome home your mother.”

  Eeesh. Are those their children? They looked to be ten or twelve. One even had a small mustache. Aren’t they supposed to be, like, two or three or something?

  Tula shrugged. “Eh-hem. Hate to break up the party, but…”

  Cimil and Roberto kept going while their kids took turns kicking Cimil in the shins.

  I hope I’m never a mother of evil half-vampire offspring. “Hey! Cimil.”

  “I’m busy,” Cimil mumbled from the side of her mouth.

  “Who are you speaking to, my love?” Roberto asked.

  “Tula. She says hi,” Cimil replied.

  “No. I did not,” Tula contradicted. “Hi, Roberto. Okay, now I said hi, and now you have to stop and help me.”

  “No, I don’t.” Cimil clung to her man like a little redheaded monkey.

  “Yes. You do,” Tula argued. “I’m dead because of you.”

  “Well, I was punished because of you,” Cimil mumbled between smooches.

  “Yeah? Well, that’s because you hurt everyone who loves you. When will you get that through your thick, childish skull?” Wow. Look at me getting brave and impolite.

  Cimil released Roberto and turned to face her. “Never. I will never get anything inside my skull, because it’s mine, and that’s the way I like it! Lots of space for ice skating!”

  �
��Hahaha,” Tula spat. “You just keep on making your jokes, but I loved you. You were my friend, and you lied to me! You said Zac wasn’t my mate and would destroy me if I gave in to my desire for him.”

  Cimil shrugged. “I got it half right.”

  Grrrrr… “Cimil, this isn’t funny anymore. I have no body, and now I’m stuck—”

  “Correction, my transparent friend.” Cimil stepped forward, pressing her flat chest to Tula’s. “You do have a body, and I made sure it would be well looked after.”

  “Sorry?”

  Cimil tapped her temple. “Haven’t you learned by now? I’m all about contingencies. I mean, how do you think I escaped Roen?”

  “How?”

  “Minky loaned me her extra horn. That shit is sharp. But I never really know which way the branch is gonna swing, so I always try to have my bananas ready.”

  “What the heck are you talking about?”

  “Your body.” Cimil rolled her turquoise eyes. “It’s fine. In fact, better than fine. I had Minky give it the extra-immortal marinade inside her tum-tum and keep it safe so you could just hop back in. Didn’t ya get the message?”

  “What message?”

  “The one I left with Minky. You didn’t think I’d fuck you over, did you, Tula? We’re friends, and friends don’t throw away each other’s bodies.”

  “What are you talking about?” Tula was ready to stomp her foot in frustration. It would pain her to act out in such an aggressive manner, but she would. Anything to make her point.

  “Cimil?” Roberto said. “What’s going on?”

  “Shush, my chocolatey nectar of the dead. Cimil is conversing right now.”

  He bowed his head and stepped back. “Come, my children. Let’s allow Mummy to finish her business. After she’s done, we can show her the swords you’ve all been making.”

  “Can we cover them in real blood instead of strawberry jam this time? I’m hungry,” asked the smallest girl, with red hair like her mother’s.

  “Yes, my angel,” he replied. “Anything you like.” They retreated inside.