"I will."
"Wish him well for me. Should you ever want to visit, I promise a more…welcome time."
Mmm. I might if I ever need a recharge. I could get used to all this magic. "Let me know when things have settled. If you need anything…"
She held out her hand to the guard on her left. He reached into a pouch at his side and pulled a key from its depths.
"Take this with you. You shall have the ability to return whenever you wish."
Did she really just give me the key to the city? I looked at Dar.
That's what they do for heroes. I'm sure it is a key to one of the broom closets. Maybe the privy.
"My thanks, Princess."
"Fare thee well."
"Come on, Dar. Take me home."
∞ ∞ ∞
The clearing still had the ruins of Cedar Falls littering it, but it was part of home and I smiled. We were almost there.
Our guard left us, disappearing back into the forest. It was the last kind gesture of the Princess. Or, she wanted to make sure we went home without breaking anything else. I was good with either of her possible motives.
At least Dar and I finally had a chance to speak.
"What was all that?"
"What?"
"The Fourth Rite?"
He blushed and shifted into his Shepherd form. Just when I was getting used to the elf. Nothing.
That was not nothing, Darling. I grew fangs and claws and turned into a big kitty thing.
The Fourth Rite is… It is a challenge.
What kind of challenge?
A hunting challenge.
Did I pass?
Is Renlynn dead? Did you not feast upon his flesh?
Yes.
Then yes. You passed. With flying colors.
So, what do I get? Money? A condo in Miami?
Nothing so grand.
Dar. You have three seconds to tell me what the hell happened to me.
He gave a mental sigh. The Fourth Rite is kind of like a mating ritual. A challenge is issued. If the female of the species hunts and kills an apex predator of the male's choosing, she wins.
Wins what?
That is up to her…
"What the actual fuck? You issued a mating challenge to get me to kill the king?"
He shifted again but chose his blue demon form. "Well. You were being a pansy. I had to do something to get you motivated."
"So, you used a mating ritual?"
His cheeks turned purple. "It was all I could think of."
"You don't want to mate with me? You just used it as an excuse."
"I… I…"
"You do want to mate with me? Until today, you have never even once complimented me on my looks. I actually thought you were gay."
He turned to me, shocked and sputtering. "I am not," he finally managed to stutter.
"Oh."
"Yes."
"Yes, what?"
"I do find you beautiful beyond words. It is why I spend most of my time in the form of a canine. It is easier to deal with."
"So, you were afraid of walking around with a demon boner."
"What?"
"Boner. It's an erection."
"I know what it means. Why would you assume I would walk around with one?"
"Cuz I'm naked a lot."
"This is true." He gazed at the ground, thoughtfully.
"Why do I get the feeling you're not telling me the whole truth?"
His aversion to my eyes told me everything I needed to know. There was a lot more to this Fourth Rite than he was telling me.
"We better not be legally married in Gehenna or something stupid."
He swallowed, but shook his head, not elaborating further. I'd get the truth out of him, eventually. Even if it killed him.
Deciding to let it go for now, I bumped his naked blue hip with mine. "I'd totally mate with you."
"You would?"
"Yeah. You're hot?"
"Which form?"
"Well, not the dog's, obviously. But this one, definitely. The elf one is kind of hot, too."
"Which do you prefer?"
"This one. The handle bars have promise."
"Handle bars?"
"Horns."
"Why would you refer to my horns as handlebars?"
"Because that's what you hold on to when you're riding something."
"Oh. Oooh."
"Caught my drift?"
"Yes, Master."
"Good boy. Let's go home."
"Woof."
Epilogue
Reaching out, I wrapped my hand around the door handle and blinked when it was ripped from my hand. There was a blur of motion and then I was suddenly engulfed in vampire. We landed on the ground outside my door as she buried her face in my chest and whimpered. Dar chuckled above us, but managed not to get any shepherd slobber on me.
"You are in so much trouble, but I've never been happier to see anybody in my entire life."
"I missed you, too, Yuki." I patted her head and let her get a recharge of master-juice. It had been well over a day since she'd seen me. Her batteries must have been pretty low.
"I felt everything. Even though you were in another world, I could still feel your hands. I even felt you die."
"Yeah, but you didn't die. So, I wasn't really dead."
"Not funny, Master."
"I know." I ruffled her hair.
That's when I saw Candace and Shea standing in my doorway, tears flowing freely. Josie came up behind them, wrapped her arms around them, and started with the waterworks, too.
"Yuki. The ground is cold and hard. And I need coffee."
She sniffled, rubbed her nose against me, and lifted herself off me. At least she offered me a hand and hoisted me up off my back. Giving one last glance around, I waved at the two neighbors who had paused unlocking their door to witness the spectacle of me getting sacked by my vampire. They quickly finished unlocking the door and ran inside.
I chuckled and went up my steps again.
Shea was next in the hug line. He threw in some kisses, but winced when he noticed the smell still emanating from me.
"Sorry. Long story."
"One I am sure you will be repeating numerously before the night is over. The others are on their way. Josie informed them of your return."
She shrugged over Shea's shoulder. "I was threatened with pain of death if I didn't let them know you were back the moment you returned."
"I was only gone a couple of days. Sheesh. They're addicts."
"Dot… It's been a week."
"What?"
"You left last week."
I looked down at Dar.
Time travels differently in different realms. The same is true for Gehenna. A day in the mortal realm was akin to three days there.
No wonder everybody was having shit fits.
I looked at Yuki. "You went that long without me?"
"Barely. And you would not believe the amount of blood I imbibed to still be able to move." She blushed, embarrassedly. "I used your card to pay the blood bank. I'm sorry."
"Don't be. Well, if the rest of you will excuse me, as you can smell, I need a shower." I left them standing there and headed for my bathroom. The coffee could wait fifteen minutes.
Unsurprisingly, Yuki followed me, stripping as we headed for the bathroom. I guessed I was getting my back washed, or she hadn't fully recovered from the separation anxiety.
"Sorry I was gone for so long," I said as I lifted the dress over my head. It was a shame it was covered in blood, I might have worn it again. Maybe I could magic it back to its former glory.
"I'm just glad you are safe. I don't feel so bad about leaving you back there."
"You didn't leave me, I commanded you to go."
I turned on the shower and didn't wait for it to warm up before plunging under the spray. Yuki silently washed my hair, while I scrubbed the stench of the past week away. She even scrubbed my back for me when I was done. I was definitely keeping her
. She even dried me when we were through.
Sweatpants and hoodie were donned before I left the sanctity of my bedroom. Candace handed me a cup of steaming coffee as soon as I walked out. A cup I almost spilled, as Jimmy wrapped me in his arms, sobbing silently.
"You, too?"
"A week, Dot. It was a fucking week."
"I'm sorry," I said and kissed him, soundly. Letting him get it out of his system.
Finally, he pulled away, and everybody was standing around me, just watching me. "What?"
"Did you win?" Josie motioned to me to tell the story.
"Yes. Wait. Where's Jaeren?"
"He delivered us here and then headed back to rescue you. Did you not see him?" Candace sounded confused.
"No?"
"That is strange. He did not really wish to return to our world to begin with. It was only your wish that we get home safe that drove him here. We were barely through the door when he vanished."
"Must have just missed him. His sister will fill him in."
"So, what happened?" Josie was getting impatient.
"I'll tell you when everybody else gets here. I'm not telling and retelling the tale over and over again. I'm sorry."
She sighed but nodded. Luckily, there was a knock at the door.
"That must be them," I said and walked over, carrying my mug and opening the door.
There was an elf standing there, blinking under the bright sunlight.
"Delron?"
"I see you have returned. I was expecting an arrow."
"I literally just got home."
He closed his eyes and tilted his head. "I see you have returned with the gem."
"You mean the one you sent as a betrothal gift to the seleighe court?" Everything started to make a little more sense. "You sent it to create havoc."
"Yes. We figured it would be easier to get the princess to marry our prince if her father was out of the picture. We did not expect the brother to intercept it."
I felt the flames of anger flare inside me. He was two seconds from getting scorched from the mortal realms. "Do you have any idea of what you have done?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"I was not speaking in jest when I said we would not stop at nothing to find a new queen."
"Even asking a witch?"
"Do you have the gem?"
"I do."
"Then the betrothal gift has been accepted. Would you accompany me to the unseleighe court?"
"The gem was not yours to gift in the first place. But nice try."
"You know what it is?"
"No. But I have an idea. It belongs to me."
"You could come to the unseleighe court to find out what we know…"
"Or, I could just do some research here. Sorry for not trusting you after you nearly destroyed a kingdom."
He smirked, amused at the outcome. I really didn't like Delron.
"I think you shall."
"I think you've been smoking crack rock if you think I'm going anywhere with you."
"We have your elf."
"Say that again?"
"Jaeren, Prince of Elfhame Autumn Glade. He is in our dungeon as…insurance."
I fucking hate elves.
Bonus Scene
Enjoy this scene from chapter 14 in Jimmy's point of view!
A Feast of Plenty
"How the hell did you find enough stuff in my pantry to make all of this?" Dot was staring at the three plates of food with something like admiration in her eyes. She should have known that a fireman could cook, even when the supplies were limited. She was lucky I loved her enough not to make her my four alarm chili.
"Don't thank me until you try it. It might suck for all I know."
She gave me a doubtful look that I couldn’t help but find sexy. There wasn't a look in her repertoire that I didn't find sexy. Or a body part. I found myself in a place that I never expected to be, or wanted to be, in. I was in love with a witch.
"There isn't a single thing of yours I wouldn't eat."
I loved that she had meant it in the most innocent way possible. It made my retort that much sweeter. "Ditto," I said and wiggled my eyebrows.
That earned me the look. I tried not to chuckle as I took a bite of my dinner.
"This is very tasty. You are quite a cook, James."
"Thanks, Sheamus," I said with a smile and tried not to stare. He was as confusing as Dot was frustrating. Sweet as anything you could imagine, which is a rarity in a guy, but prettier than ninety-seven-point-nine percent of the women in the state, too. I'd never considered myself bi-sexual. I mean, sure, I liked looking at cocks in porn, but I'd never had the desire to see one up close and personal in my life. Sure, I'd seen them at the firehouse, and Dennis', but it's not like we did circle-jerks or buddy-sucks on Thursdays and Sundays.
But, then there was Shea. He looked like a flat-chested, tomboy supermodel jedi. I wasn't sure if he had a lightsaber, but every time I stared into his overly large dark eyes, let's just say the force was strong in little Jimmy. I hadn't told Dot, I couldn't tell Dot, that I'd had two dreams about him already. I woke up screaming from the last one. Screaming and ejaculating in my boxer shorts. In my dream, he had male and female sex organs and he knew what to do with both. It was horrible. And wonderful. And very, very confusing.
"Sheamus?" Dot raised an eyebrow and flashed me a sexy little smirk.
"It's a joke. He called me James earlier, so I called him Sheamus. It was the first time I'd seen him smile," I answered honestly.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?"
Shea looked kind of uncomfortable with us talking about him like he wasn't even there. Of course, I had to up the level. "It is. I gushed."
"Do I want to know which way?"
"Little bit of both."
"You sure you haven't ever slept with Dennis? Because Derek's accent gives you a chubby. Shea's smile makes you gushy. I swear I'm going to have to keep an eye on you." She even added a little exasperated sigh. She didn't look worried at all. Not even a little bit. Maybe a little hopeful. Just like that, she let me see her tell. She had exposed another one of her kinks to me. The foolish immortal.
"That should be easy to do. You want to watch."
She stared at me for a moment. "Your kinky-sense is tingling?"
"A lot of things are tingling right now. Want a list?" I opted for the truth.
"Not while I'm eating."
Shea, the beautiful bastard, was chewing his food and watching our exchange. "That conversation made no sense to me, whatsoever. But it was entertaining to watch."
"Jimmy has a thing for guys and he thinks you're cute," Dot told him without a hint of reservation.
"Oh. I see." He took another bite of food like it was the most normal thing in the world. Maybe for him, it was. But, I'll be damned if watching him eat pasta wasn't one of the most sensual things I'd ever seen. I felt myself stiffen in my pants.
Dot looked at him. "Want some wine?"
He nodded at her. "Would you like some more elderberry?"
She lit up like a Christmas tree. "Fuck yeah! That stuff was like liquid crack."
I was confused. "Elderberry? Wine?"
She nodded at me. "Yeah. Had some over at Shea's place. Wow."
"I shall return in a minute," he said, stood, and disappeared into the shadows by the door. I didn't think I would ever get used to seeing him do that.
"I don't think I'll ever get used to that," Dot reiterated my thoughts.
"It's freaky but cool. Know how much fun I could have with that power?" I wasn't lying. I wanted that power.
She turned and stared at me, narrowing her eyes. "This is why I don't teach you things like the pleasure spell."
"Cuz you're mean?" I was trying to phrase it as a question. I was more accusing in my heart.
"No. Because you would do nefarious things with them, super perv."
She was so cute when she didn't have a clue. "I cannot deny this. At least I'm not boring."
"This is true." She had barely gotten the words out when Shea made his entrance, two bottles in his hands.
"You trying to get us drunk?" She stared at him incredulously.
I didn't get it. It was just wine.
"What?" Shea flashed her a cute little frown. "No, Lady. One is for now, one is for you as a gift."
Well, we definitely ain't getting drunk off one bottle…
"Awww, thank you."
"You are more than welcome."
He set the bottles down and Dot got up to grab some glasses. I used the opportunity to check out her butt. It never ceased to amaze and mesmerize me. Shea was watching me watch her…and whipped out a knife, cutting the glob of black wax off the top.
"Need a corkscrew?" Dot asked Shea from the kitchen.
"She calls me the kinky one," I muttered to Shea.
"Yes, please," he answered and gave me a small smile.
She handed him the corkscrew and sat back down, never taking her eyes off him. I might have been a little jealous if I wasn't watching him, too. He turned opening a bottle of wine into a sexy ceremony. My mind kept flashing back to the dreams…
He broke me out of my reverie with a final twirl of burgundy liquid in the glass as he handed it to me, flashing me another one of his smiles. He might have meant it as a friendly gesture, but it was having a thicker, longer effect than being reassuring.
"Thank you," I managed to say.
"Most welcome," he said and lifted his glass to the both of us.
I tilted the glass and let a little splash across my tongue. "Holy shit." It was like liquid sweetened fire, burning like booze and warming me like magic.
"See?" Dot gave me a nod.
"Wow."
"I am glad you like it," Shea said and nibbled on some chicken.
I was focused on the wine instead of Shea, wanting to gulp it down but taking sip after sip to prolong the experience and not seem like a junkie.
"You're gonna get hammered if you don't eat," Dot warned.
That was the thing about wine. It was like beer. I would get full and hurl before I got drunk off it. "Sweet wines like this don't have enough alcohol in them to worry about it."
"Yeah. Keep telling yourself that," she answered dryly.
Shea just chuckled.
They knew something I didn't. I decided to take their advice… "Thanks for sharing the wine with me," I told him.
Fourth Rite: A Reverse Harem Tale (Lovin' the Coven Book 4) Page 21
