Taken By Storm

by L. J. Vickery

  ****

  The breakfast table the next morning was strewn with hardware. Knives of all sorts, various shaped blades, and throwing stars littered every bit of space that didn’t hold the ubiquitous omelets. Everyone was quiet, except for some small talk they all figured Dagon would expect to hear if he was listening.

  Tess had already informed Huxley, outside of Lenore’s auditory range, that Dani would be ready for him at noon.

  Marduk recognized that Hux still looked put out, but the human agreed to meet the doctor at the hospital. He was probably just pissed that, if Dani was held up, he might miss the action. Hux liked to be in the thick of things, but today it was possible that he’d just be a courier. That had to be what was eating at him.

  Finally, Marduk gave the silent signal to Lenore that would put things in motion.

  “Hey! What does everyone say to going out for some ice cream after lunch?” she asked brightly, without any hint that there might be something darker afoot. “I mean, of course, those of us who can eat. Sorry inviso-boys!” She looked around where the invisible and the visible were nodding.

  “Sounds like a great idea,” seconded Tess. “We could go to the beach, or we could hit the soft serve ice cream place down by Fore River. I love soft serve!”

  “Ice cream sounds good. We’ll all go.” Anshar sounded agreeable and, to lend more credence to the conversation, he added, “I haven’t indulged my tongue enough since regaining my body,” he paused, leering at Lenore. “But I’m certainly ready and willing.”

  “Good luck with that!” Emesh smirked. “The great and powerful Dagon’s not about to let you get down with that, if you catch my drift.”

  “Thanks for the reminder.” Anshar glowered.

  Lenore ignored them both. “And how about a brisk, calorie-burning walk in the Blue Hills before we mist out? I adore hiking and it might be fun.”

  “Gods don’t count calories,” Marduk supplied. “But if you really like hiking…” He was eying her spiky heels and shaking his heads at the blatant lie. But as long as Dagon believed it…

  Lenore looked slightly offended. “I do!” she huffed and changed the subject. “Listen, Tess and I are headed to the second floor sauna to have a little girl time before we leave.” Lenore crooked a finger at Tess.

  “Any chance of a brother joining you?” Emesh sounded hopeful.

  “Nope, sorry. We’re going to do each other’s toes and work on our Kegeling.” The two misted off with a smirk.

  Marduk was glad he wasn’t the only one who was confused. The gods—except for Emesh, who looked like he would have snorted milk out his nose if he could drink—were stymied. Emesh calmed himself enough to explain.

  “Exercises…” he began. Marduk saw the instant disinterest that settled over everyone’s faces. Some gods even turned away.

  “…for the pelvic floor,” Emesh continued, gaining back their attention.

  “So the ladies can grip your dicks harder with their naughty bits.” He fanned himself, loving the shocked looks. “Named after Arnold Kegel, who was obviously into such sexual escapades with his wife! Mmm, hmm?”

  “How would they…” Marduk’s face was flaming, envisioning how they could practice such a thing.

  Anshar’s blush let him know that his friend was picturing something equally as erotic.

  “Oh for goodness sake! It’s a solitary exercise boys.” Emesh cleared things up. “It’s not like they stick vibrators up each other’s twats or anything.”

  Marduk nearly went cross-eyed. Now there was a picture to be stuck in his head for the rest of the day.

  Enlil cleared his throat, obviously trying to break free of the same vision. “Do you want to know how this afternoon will go? Anshar…Anshar?”

  The all sky god inclined his head, but was plainly still imagining sex toys and wondering how he might get Lenore to practice with him.

  Marduk laughed.

  Anshar’s mental shake translated to an all over body shudder. He was surely the last to let go of the fantasy but now was not the time for sex. It was time for strategy.

  Marduk got down to business and outlined the afternoon’s battle plan. Eventually he could see Anshar come up to speed. He’d been warned to keep his mind perfectly blank so that Lenore wouldn’t know details she might have to give over to Dagon.

  The gods spent the rest of the morning sharpening blades and practicing the art of acquiring and unacquiring weapons while dispatching the enemy. They were confident they could protect themselves and the women.

  Huxley had joined in, proving to Marduk that he deserved a spot in any melee that occurred. But being corporeal, Hux had other duties. Marduk had to thrust him out the door as noon approached. They needed Dr. Dani-Lee.

  ****

  Huxley waited in front of the hospital, bike idling, and looked at his watch again. Where the hell was she? Dammit! She was twenty minutes late. He finally pulled into a parking spot and, not having Dani’s number, texted Tess. Another slow fifteen minutes passed before he heard back.

  She apologizes, but had an emergency operation. Has just finished, but needs to stay until patient comes out from anesthesia. Will be another half hour.

  Forty minutes later, Dr. Whitehill walked out of the hospital. She’d obviously dressed in haste to accommodate her ride. He wasn’t about to tell her that she’d buttoned her shirt wrong, and that the thin sweater she was pulling over her head wasn’t going to keep her warm on the bike. He did approve of her leather boots; low healed and serviceable, they covered her from toe to knee. Her jeans clung lovingly to her hips. No. Not hips, he mentally hit himself. Doctors don’t have hips.

  Hux straddled the bike and used his feet to walk it back out of the parking place. He knew when Dani-Lee spotted him because she gave a little wave. As she approached, he picked up the spare helmet he carried, along with his own which had been balanced behind him, and held it in her direction without a word.

  “Hi,” she said with that breezy way she had. “Huxley, right?”

  “Yup. Do you have sunglasses?” He didn’t acknowledge her greeting in any way. When she shook her head in the negative, he looked annoyed and pulled his off, handing them to her.

  “Thanks. What will you use?” Dani perched the too-big lenses on her proper little nose.

  Again, not speaking, he reached back into one saddle bag and pulled out a thin shield he could attach to his helmet. It wasn’t shaded, but it would save him from bugs.

  “Get on,” he said, kicking the bike to life. Apparently she was choosing to ignore his brusque attitude and gingerly approached, looking for a place to put her foot. Huxley pointed to a peg and sighed.

  “Ever been on a bike before?”

  “Nope. First time.” She placed her foot where he indicated but clearly didn’t know what to do next.

  Huxley shook his head in disgust but grabbed her forearm, and Dani instinctively used it as leverage to pull her leg over the seat. Once on the bike, she perched as far away from him as possible, backbone straight, then reached behind to grab the chrome sissy-bar that would help her stay on.

  By the time they puttered to the far reaches of the parking lot, Hux could tell that Dani’s body was not happy. He had only taken two corners at very slow speed, but she clearly didn’t know whether to stay upright, lean, or fall off.

  Huxley stopped the bike before entering traffic. Exasperation tinged his voice.

  “Listen,” he called back over his shoulder. “Get closer and put your arms around me. Then just move with me, okay?”

  Dani-Lee did as she was told, gripping first around his chest, but when she had trouble making her hands meet, she lowered them to his waist and, gods help him, it felt too good. Hell, did she just rub her cheek against the back of his leather jacket? When her chin finally settled between his shoulder blades, he took off, slowly at first, to let her get used to the bike’s movement, but as they moved, she squeezed his hips between her knees. Well, he’d told her to get closer. It
was his own fucking fault.

  He couldn’t help but tense up as her inner thighs gripped him and he was pretty sure she had to have heard his breath hitch. Screw it. He wasn’t going to let his discomfort dictate his ride. He gave it some gas, and she moved even closer. Her crotch rubbed up against his backside. Who knew that riding a motorcycle with the doctor would feel so damned erotic??

  After the first hundred yards, Huxley figured that Dani must have decided that she loved motorcycles. Her body relaxed, and she snuggled closer to him as if seeking his warmth. Hux nearly let her enjoyment get to him.

  Was she as in tune to the growl of the machine under her body and, most of all, the feel of being sandwiched against him, as he was? She quickly got the hang of leaning with him and clearly trusted him in the curves not to fall over, even though—with the deep dips he was purposely taking—it appeared that they would. It was all so freaking unlike him. He was feeding off of her exhilaration.

  Huxley opened up the throttle for a few brief minutes on the highway to give Dani the full sensation of flying. He couldn’t imagine someone reaching her age and not having experienced this. Hux hoped he’d shown her how awesome it could feel.

  The ride was way too short as far as he was concerned and, when they pulled off the main road and onto the dirt drive leading to the compound, he had to fight with himself not to turn around and keep riding.

  “Shit!” The word was wrested from Hux as he saw men hiding in the trees. “Hang on tight,” he barked, and the bike surged forward. This speed was definitely not safe on the little dirt road, but what choice did he have?

  “Why are we going so fast?” she yelled in his ear.

  “Stay low and behind me!” he ordered, then goosed the throttle. He gave an involuntary grunt, and the bike swerved before he righted it. Luckily, Dani was not one to panic. She hung on and did as she was told.

  I must make it past the protective perimeter, Huxley thought, his brain on autopilot. There were armed men all around, and his only thought was for the safety of Dani-Lee. Mustn’t let her be hurt, or worse, caught by the bastards! He heard the staccato report of guns and urged the bike even faster. Didn’t all these guys use knives? Nobody had said anything about fucking guns!

  Damn the circumstances that had them arrive so close to zero hour. Hux needed to stay sharp. He’d been riding bikes all his life. Nothing on the ground would slow him down. He’d get the doctor in safely.

  Huxley gave the bike more gas amidst a hail of gunfire and plunged ahead, skidding and sliding, yet somehow maintaining control. He finally broke through the protective barrier that was coded to let him enter. He drove straight to the front door, stopped, and finally allowed himself a deep breath.

  Turning, Huxley pulled off his helmet. “Are you okay?” He switched off the bike and backed it onto its stand.

  The doctor looked grave.

  “Did they get you?” he asked, sliding from the seat. He didn’t like the frown on her face.

  She reached a hand toward him.

  “Is there a problem? Can you speak?” Why did she look like that? He reached out to grip her arm. “Are you hit?”

  A sound he couldn’t identify finally escaped from her lips.

  “No,” she gasped. “But you are!”

  He looked down at his jacket where Dani pointed and saw blood welling up through a perfectly round hole.

  “Aw, shit!” he exclaimed, before the ground came up and hit him in the face.

  Chapter Thirteen

  “Fools!” Dagon was incensed. His trigger happy humans had ruined everything. He and his men probably had less than a minute to prepare for a major onslaught now that their cover was blown, and the Blue Hills gods knew his people were outside. He misted next to Matthew.

  “Why did you not control them?” he yelled at his mortal in charge. “They were to strike gods coming out, not humans going in.” He looked at his fine invention lying on the ground by Matthew’s feet in the middle of the fire road nearest to the gods’ house. “We’ll never be able to use this now. Quickly, get some men and move it back into the car.” Dagon would have transported it himself, but it was far too heavy and cumbersome for him to move alone, even using god strength.

  Matthew grumbled a response.

  Dagon seized him by the throat. “What did you say to me?” he demanded, throwing the other man several feet. Dagon looked at his hand and turned it over, growling. His skin had darkened, his patience was thin, and his change could easily be brought on, but Dagon held onto his control. Barely.

  Matthew rubbed his throat but didn’t back down from Dagon’s anger. “I said that, if you hadn’t given me dregs to work with, I’d have a better chance of controlling them.” Matthew signaled to a half dozen of the most trustworthy men and indicated that they should help him lift their boss’s treasure back into the vehicle.

  “You’ll be lucky if we have any forces left after this, incompetent or not.” Dagon hissed. “Hurry with that. We can’t afford to lose it.” He stalked off to dismiss the marksmen who would be powerless against the invisible forces coming for them.

  Inside the compound, Marduk, who was just starting to mobilize the gods, became startled by cries on the doorstep. The group misted as one in full gear to the yard. Dani-Lee was shouting for help. Huxley was down.

  “Get him inside and up to my operating room,” she ordered Enlil and Marduk.

  “You,” she pointed at Anshar. “Go with them. You can help me get him prepped.” She jerked her head at Enlil and addressed Marduk again. “I’m assuming you and King Two will be heading right back out to see who ambushed us.”

  “You bet we will,” he answered grimly. Marduk knew Anshar wanted to do the same, but the thunder god shot a look in his direction and got a reluctant nod. Anshar would stay with Huxley.

  “Tess! Don’t worry. Hux will be fine.” Marduk watched his wife attempt to get a grip and at the same time felt the confidence that oozed from the doctor. This was Dani in triage mode, and wasn’t he damned glad she was here now.

  “Lenore, hold Tess up. We don’t need a face-plant,” Dani barked. “I want you both with me.”

  The request for Lenore’s presence was more for Tess’s wellbeing, Marduk was sure. Once propped by the blonde goddess, the doctor forced Tess to look at her by grabbing her chin.

  “Listen to me!” Dani-Lee’s voice demanded Tess’s attention. “Huxley’s still breathing. I checked his pulse and the location of the wound. There’s a chance the bullet didn’t hit anything vital.”

  “Bullet?” Marduk spun around and barked the word, incredulously. A chorus of voices echoed the word back to the doctor.

  “That’s what I said,” she looked exasperated. “Your friends out there are playing for keeps with some serious firearms. I’ll tell you what kind of ammo they’re using as soon as I extract it from Huxley’s chest. Now everybody get moving!”

  Marduk had a few orders of his own as he and Enlil gently lifted Huxley from the ground. “Take charge, Absu, until I get back.” He eyed the invisible god. “Make sure the bastards pay.”

  Absu responded with a brutal sneer. “There will be naught left by the time you return.” He and the other incorporeal gods were gone in an instant.

  Dani-Lee was shaking, trying without success to control her small tremors. The thunder god was sure it was very unlike her to be rattled, but hell, she’d just been shot at while tearing maniacally through the woods on two very unsteady wheels. He was amazed, and she probably was too, that Huxley had gotten them through. Marduk hoped she was right about the extent of Hux’s injuries. He grimaced as she surreptitiously shook again.

  Damn! Was there a possibility that she was starting to like Hux? As in “like” him? Marduk had seen enough TV to know that—major rule in the medical field—you never operated on someone you felt an attachment to. But what choice did Dani have? Even if they could get Hux to a hospital, chances are he would bleed out before they arrived. Thank God for the blood bank the d
octor had made them set up on premise.

  When Anshar had gone missing several days before, Marduk, along with all the brothers, had realized the precariousness of their situation. Consulting the doctor, he had made sure that they quickly turned one room of their home into an operating theater, complete with a new, low-temperature fridge then, just yesterday—with an address provided by Dani—the visible gods had visited a phlebotomist she knew. Her pal had drawn each corporeal one’s blood into a plastic bag and processed them with anti-coagulants and solutions so it would last, refrigerated, for forty-two days; at which time, those immortals would visit again and repeat the process.

  They hadn’t drawn blood from Huxley, but they had taken some from Tess. Marduk hoped his wife and her brother had compatible blood types.

  Marduk and Enlil placed the pale mortal on the operating table and, with a nod from Dani, they both hurried back to the woods.

  Lenore stood by, watching and waiting for directions from Dani, noting that Tess had been able to pull herself together and was ready to leave the room to join the battle outside. The thunder god’s wife was either unwilling to witness Huxley going under the knife or driven to spread some retribution around for her brother’s ambush.

  Dani caught her.

  “Wait! Hang around…please. I might need additional hands.” The doctor had Tess’ attention with her next question. “I don’t suppose you know if Huxley shares your blood type?”

  Tess stopped. “Yes. Yes, he does”

  “Good. Have a seat over there,” the doctor ordered.

  It was obvious to Lenore that Dani didn’t want Tess, in her agitated shape, to go out into a fight. Luckily, the goddess did as she was told.

  The doctor continued to give orders.

  “You stay with me too, Lenore,” Dani Lee added.

  Lenore had been inching toward the door, also wanting to leave.

  “I’ll bet that…Anshar…” The doctor looked at the blond god in attendance, and he nodded—it struck Lenore that this was Dani’s first time seeing the blond god in the flesh. “…doesn’t want to stick around very long either, and I’ll need another pair of hands.” She didn’t have to tell Lenore that Tess would be useless.