by Gini Koch
I didn’t reply, in part because biting him kept my mouth occupied and therefore me still on the side of quiet. Jeff let go of my wrists and wrapped his arms around me, while I did the same to him. Have no idea how he managed it, but he moved us from a prone position to upright, with him on his knees.
“Crazy Little Thing Called Love” by Queen came on, and Jeff bounced me to the beat. Pretty soon I was as ready as Freddy, and I squeezed my legs tightly around him as he took me over the edge and came along with me.
I opened my mouth and drew in breath, but Jeff covered my mouth with his again, and instead of screaming out loud, I screamed into his kiss, while he erupted into me and I crashed against him.
As our bodies slowed down, and Jeff ended our kiss, I was able to take another deep breath and let it out silently, while Vanessa Carlton sang about the “Afterglow” and Jeff lay us down again.
“You were amazing,” he murmured against my hair. “And I’m proud of you for staying so quiet, too.”
“Hard as it was, you definitely made it worth my while.” Rolled onto my side so I could nuzzle the hair on his chest. “And speaking of amazing, takes one to know one.”
He chuckled. “Always nice to be appreciated.”
We stayed like that for a little while, just enjoying being naked and satisfied together. But as “We Close Our Eyes” by Oingo Boingo came on, we got dressed. Even putting the clothes we’d been in for days back on didn’t ruin the afterglow, which was nice.
“You need to sleep on top of me?” Jeff asked.
“Tempting as that is, probably not a good idea, and it would be uncomfortable for you, wouldn’t it?”
“Nah.” He rolled me on top of him. “You were such a good girl, I think you deserve to sleep on top of me, not the ground.”
Put my face into his neck. “Whatever you say, Leoalla.”
Jeff laughed softly. “I say that I’m going to make you purr more often.”
I’d have told him that I had no argument with that, but I fell asleep before I could.
Had no idea how long I’d been asleep when I woke up, but I felt like I’d had some rest, so figured it had to have been a few hours.
Jeff’s arms were wrapped around me, and he was still asleep but was stirring too, meaning it was either time to get up or we were being attacked.
“Knock, knock,” a familiar voice said. Jeff and I separated and sat up as Reader came into our room. “Wanted to get a minute alone with you two before we start everything else.”
“Sure, James,” Jeff said, as Reader sat down on the floor with us. “What’s up?”
“I think I got a message from Paul.”
CHAPTER 56
“REALLY? Did he say anything about Jamie?” Remembered that we were talking about Reader’s husband. “And is Paul okay?”
Reader gave me a shot of the cover boy smile. “Paul’s a grown man and Jamie’s a little girl—it’s okay that you’re more worried about her than him. I’m more worried about my goddaughter and namesake than my husband, too, though not by much. However, I’m a little less worried than I was before. But I’m not sure that I should be.”
“Mind explaining that?” Jeff asked as he yawned.
“Yeah. I was asleep, so this might just have been a dream. But I saw Paul, and he was with Jamie. But they weren’t alone. I couldn’t tell who was with them, though. Or where they were. But . . . I don’t think they’re on this planet. What I could see looked much more . . . technological than this planet.”
“Did it look familiar?” I asked. “Like a room or a ship or a city?”
Reader shook his head. “I didn’t get a lot. What I saw was fast, and what I got was more of a feeling. I felt like . . . I guess as if Paul was trying to tell me to hurry up. But it wasn’t to hurry up to rescue him and Jamie. I didn’t get any feelings like they were in danger.”
“That’s it?” Jeff asked.
Reader sighed. “It’s lame, I know. That’s why I only wanted to talk to you two about it.”
Jeff and I hadn’t turned my iPod off, and I focused on the current music suddenly—“The Winning Side” by Oingo Boingo was on. That song definitely wasn’t on any of my Sexy Times playlists. Meaning Algar was warning me, because the lyrics were about war.
Thought about everything we’d been hearing from King Benny’s Gypsy Clan, the katyhoppers, and Fancy. “We need to get up to the All Seeing Mountain, and we need to get there fast.”
“What are you thinking?” Jeff asked me.
“Every being with us right now that’s a native of this planet has seen ships in their solar space somehow, or is following orders of someone who has. Maybe someone’s figured out that this planet has far more value than previously believed.”
“Then why aren’t they on the planet yet?” Jeff asked.
“Maybe they’re waiting to attack and that’s why Paul wants me to hurry up,” Reader suggested.
The music switched to Motörhead’s “Civil War.” Wanted to tell Algar that I was aware that we were about to start a civil war on this planet. Then I thought about it. “Um, I’ve got a really bad feeling about this, guys. We’re forgetting that we were dragged over here without a by your leave and us landing on this planet probably wasn’t anyone’s plan. So, that means we had a different destination. What if Paul and Jamie actually arrived at that destination?”
“Then we’d better hope there really are ships in space around this planet,” Jeff said dryly. “Or we’re not going to be able to get off and find our daughter.”
Decided we were wasting time Paul, and therefore ACE, felt we didn’t have. A mindset Algar clearly agreed with, too. Besides, seeing always tended to be believing. “Get everyone up,” I said to Reader. “Fast. Food can be eaten on the run. And I mean that literally. I want us all linking with Christopher and getting up to the top of the mountain as soon as possible.”
“Do we still want Fancy and King Benny with us?” Jeff asked.
“Yes. James, can your Black Wolverines stay here? Someone nasty needs to be guarding Usha in case she breaks out of her butt candy shell.”
“Zanell won’t want to stay. He came in part to make sure that Fancy, as you call her, was okay. Plus if he’s left behind he’ll lose face with his warriors. The rest can stay, and I’m sure a lot of them want to. Some of the others are close relatives of some of the outcast Lecanora.”
“Yeah, I could take the leap that the otters and the skunks were looking for their family members. Hope they’re glad King Benny’s in charge and that Skunky’s his right paw man.”
Reader chuckled. “Yes. Everyone was relieved to find the outcasts here in Haven, by the way. That helped solidify our Godhoods to the, ah, Black Wolverines. Don’t tell them you’re Wolverine With Boobs, by the way, girlfriend. They won’t get it.”
“Miles ahead of you on that one. But let’s get moving. Chop, chop, time’s a wastin’. And I think Paul sent you the ‘hurry it up, man’ dream because we’re running out of it.”
Gathered up our stuff. Put my speakers back into my purse, but I didn’t drop the iPod back in. Instead I pulled out my earbuds, clipped my iPod to my jeans, and put the earbuds in.
“Really?” Jeff asked.
“Really. I need the tunes right now.” Like Jeff wouldn’t believe, because I couldn’t tell him. “I have the sound down low, I can hear everyone and everything, trust me.” My iPod was playing “Civil War” on repeat, though it was on low in terms of volume. Algar really wanted me to get a message on this one. The worry that my suspicion was right grew.
Jeff didn’t look happy, but he didn’t argue. We joined the others, and said that we wanted to get a move on. Fancy had passed the “looking for a new homeland” idea around, so the Gypsy Clan didn’t object too much to King Benny going with us.
True to expectations, Zanell insisted on coming along. We let hi
m, because it was easier to bring him along, and him joining us made many of the Gypsy Clan, and all of the Black Wolverines, feel happier, so that was one small one for the win column.
Katyhoppers and strautruch were coming with us, which was fine. Ginger and Wilbur wanted to come, too. Had the feeling they were worried that I was going to leave them and not come back. Felt totally guilty, because, ultimately, that was what was probably going to happen. After all, I’d had to leave Stripes behind in the other universe.
Jeff picked it up. “Bring them,” he said gently. “We may need them and that way you’ll have more time together. And they obey you, so they won’t cause problems.”
Hugged him tightly. “I love you so much.”
He grinned. “Always good to know.”
Fancy’ Ferrets, Skunky assisted by Nanda, and the Black Wolverines were put in charge of protecting everyone and keeping Usha quiet. But at the last minute, Chuckie changed his mind. “We need to bring her with us.”
“Why?” Christopher asked. “She’s captive here.”
“Yes, but if she gets loose, no one here is safe.” Chuckie rubbed the back of his neck. “I can’t tell you why I know she needs to come with us, but I know she does.”
“Sounds like one of Kitty’s explanations,” Tim said. “Meaning we should probably do it.”
Jeff nodded. “Alcalla has his reasons.” He’d said this because we had a very interested audience in every Lecanora within audible distance.
So, once Fancy had given the exit code to Chuckie—who, of course, could both visualize and memorize it immediately—Jeff and Chuckie got Usha and carried her like they had a few hours prior. I tapped on her shell again. “Seems less dense now.”
Saffron waved antennae. Yes, it would be lessening due to her not applying another coat. So Chuckie’s decision was definitely the right one. I wondered if he’d come up on it on his own or if ACE or Algar had shoved the suggestion in. Figured it was even odds for either. Or both.
The rest of us did the linkup thing, but because the road out wasn’t all that wide and because the strautruch and katyhoppers were more awkward to bring along at hyperspeed, we linked up in groups, each A-C taking a couple of humans or Planet Colorful beings with them. The strautruch were the hardest—Christopher and the katyhoppers were already practiced at hyperspeeding together—but that was solved by the Poofs. The five Poofs who belonged to the flyboys jumped onto the Big Bird backs and none too gently suggested their owners join them. Lorraine, Claudia, and Serene took King Benny and Kevin, Zanell and Tito, and Tim and Brian, respectively.
Bruno took the lead, then Jeff and Chuckie, then the girls, with the strautruch following.
Put Reader between me and Fancy, she carried Ginger, and I hefted Wilbur up under my arm. We brought up the rear, and I was glad for both hyperspeed and enhanced strength, because chochos weren’t exactly tiny, and Wilbur definitely weighed more than Ginger.
“Sure you don’t want me to carry your pig-dog?” Reader asked as we started off.
“Nope, I have this. At least for now.”
Turned out that for now was a relative term. I had to stop about halfway and put Wilbur down. It was that or drop him.
Reader picked him up. “Whoa, he’s been eating well, hasn’t he?”
“Normal for chochos as far as I’ve seen in the limited time we’ve been here. But yeah, Wilbur’s a big boy.” Gave him a pet, which he loved.
I moved between Reader and Fancy, and the five of us started off again.
We reached the door.
It was open.
And no one was there.
CHAPTER 57
“WELL, this is different.”
“How’s that?” Reader asked as he put Wilbur down, while Fancy did the same with Ginger. “I mean, I ask because I have to assume you’re thinking what I’m thinking, which is that we’re in trouble. Again.”
“Oh, I am. But there’ve been people at the other doors, either trying to open them or coming in. This is a first for no one being at the special door.”
“Perhaps they did not wait for us,” Fancy suggested.
“Possibly not.” Pulled out my Glock. Safety was off, go me, Most Careless Gun Handler in the Galaxy. “Civil War” was still playing. Not sure what that meant for this situation, but figured caution was always the better part of avoiding getting my head blown off. “However, I’m not betting that way.”
Reader pulled his gun, too. “Kitty, make sure the animals stay behind you and stay quiet.”
“Wilbur, Ginger, you two stay with Fancy and protect her. Only help if Kitty and James need it. James, I’ve got hyperspeed, Jeff, Chuckie, and Christopher aren’t here, and I outrank you, so I’m leading.”
He sighed. “Fine.”
“And the ocellar, chocho, and I are coming, too,” Fancy said. “In case you’ve forgotten, I’m a warrior, and a leader of warriors.” Apparently they had sarcasm knobs on Planet Colorful just like everywhere else. Fancy was at a good seven on the scale.
“Yeah, yeah, sorry. Just follow James and let’s all stay very, very quiet.”
“I doubt we’re hunting wabbits,” Reader said.
“On this planet, dude, truly, who knows?”
We moved forward slowly. Hyperspeed meant I could go out and do a fast reconnaissance. However, for whatever reason, speedy just didn’t feel like the way to go. My iPod switching to “Slow” by Fuel being a large part of why.
As we edged out, noted that there were no snakipede bodies around anymore. Maybe the Poofs had eaten them—it was possible and my Poofies had to be hungry. However, I didn’t bet on that. There was also no blood around—the snow that never fell here was pristine.
The Amazonian Ancient’s body was still there. This was weird. Maybe something had eaten up or cleaned up the snakipede bodies. But if so, why leave a different carcass around?
“Fancy,” I whispered, “do the Snow Globe Beetles eat dead animal remains?”
“Yes, Shealla,” she replied in kind. “It is my understanding that every region has insect carrion eaters who eat the remains of the dead. They would eat the blood, too, in case you’re wondering why the area is again clean and clear.”
“Yeah, I was so wondering.”
“Then why is that body still here?” Reader asked. Wasn’t sure if he was somehow in on the mind-reading plan, or if it was just such an obvious question, but since I saw no katyhoppers around, assumed it was the latter.
“No idea,” Fancy replied. “At all, Leader of the Nihalani.”
Interesting that Reader had the leader title for his warrior group. Made sense, but again, we were all slotting far too well into this world’s Assigned God Roles.
However, we had other problems, and I focused on them. The others were literally nowhere to be seen.
I looked at the dead body again. The eyes were opened, and it had been moved. “James, Fancy, Wilbur, and Ginger—stay where we are, but focus on the body. Is there anything on or near it that could be considered to be a trap? I ask because everyone else is gone but last night the body was in a different spot, and I know that, because I closed her eyes.”
“Why?” Fancy asked. “Why did you close her eyes, I mean?”
“It’s a sign of respect for the dead where we come from.”
“Ah. The Gods respect their enemies as well as their friends.”
“I can’t see anything out of the ordinary, girlfriend, but I’m the last one of our group to be able to, so . . .”
Wilbur was sniffing like mad, and he whined softly.
“Wilbur can’t see anything, but he smells something wrong. He can lead us around the wrong so we don’t touch it. So, everyone, single file behind Wilbur. Fancy, please carry Ginger, just in case.”
Ginger made a soft growl-meow. She wasn’t a kit, thank you very much.
�
��No, Ginger. I think we may have to launch you at someone or something. I’m having Fancy hold you so that she can use you as her weapon.”
This earned a purr. Ginger was fine with being a commando.
Wilbur led us out slowly and he gave the body wide berth. I could see lots of footprints now. They reached spots near the body and then they just disappeared.
“The body’s trapped in some way for sure.” Nodded my head at the footsteps. “Meaning everyone else has been captured. They were moving fast enough that they’d have run or flown right into it.”
“Why wouldn’t Bruno or the Poofs, or the katyhoppers and strautruch have spotted it?” Reader asked.
“Too fast, too hidden, they don’t have pig-dog noses, would be my guesses.”
“Chochos have incredible senses of smell,” Fancy confirmed, as we got around the body and we all relaxed a bit. “What do we do now?”
Considered our options. “We have no idea who took them or where they went. Our force is now down to five and however many Poofs are in my purse.”
Checked. We had a lot of Poofs. Meaning the Poofs had been able to escape the trap. Or rather, the Poofs had been captured, and were now with the team who could perform the rescue. Only they were all snoozing. Pointedly. Meaning rescuing the team probably wasn’t Job One. The song changed to “Band on the Run” by Paul McCartney and Wings. Rescuing the team clearly wasn’t Job One.
“You want to go to the top of the mountain, don’t you?” Reader asked.
I did, and not just because Algar and the Poofs were giving me such broad hints. “Yes, because ever since we’ve heard about it, something has been stopping all of us from getting there. I think we need to see what’s there, and if that means it’s just those of us here who see it, then so be it.”
“The fastest way is quite steep, Shealla,” Fancy said. “The chocho in particular will have a difficult time.”
