Rock Hard (19 page)

Marduk nodded. “If he were so inclined. He can do the same quick-trip thing we can when we’re invisible.” Marduk looked to Enten. “You have the address. Sorry to screw up your ride, but can you take the fast way and make sure everyone there stays safe until we arrive?”

Enten saluted coldly, as was his way. “Consider it done.” The god dissolved into mist.

“He’ll be there in minutes. Let’s get moving,” Marduk nodded to the rest of the guys.

“Wait,” cried Tess in distress. “Can he speak in your heads from so far away?”

“No,” said Marduk, but not in the least bit worried. “We have a range of about ten miles. After that, we lose reception, although Shamash has been trying to figure out a way to tie us into cell phone towers so we can get world-wide coverage.”

“And you’re not worried Enten will run into trouble?”

“He’ll take care of anything that comes up,” Marduk was confident, so she would have to take him at his word. He turned and straddled a bike, one of two that looked more substantial than the rest. She realized that, even though she could see all the others, any cars on the road, would see only two motorcycles making the trip. Confusing! She wouldn’t think about that right now, actually, couldn’t wrap her brain around anything but Marduk.

Tess was consumed with the way his black leathers hugged Marduk’s enormous thighs; thighs that could engulf her the way they wrapped around the seat of the bike. It was difficult to get her breathing under control. She’d teased Marduk about being able to keep her hands to herself, and her wayward comment had been more accurate than she’d imagined. Her fingers ached to touch his hard places already. This was going to be a very long ride.

Absu and Emesh had opted to stay behind, and there was some minor squabbling amongst the other gods over who got what bike, but it didn’t take long before the group was on the road.

Tess loved the feel of the beast beneath her, and the one between her knees even more. Once she was used to the movements unique to his skill on the machine, she relaxed against Marduk and fed her hands deep into his jacket pockets. This was about as close to her happy place as she’d been since she was a kid.
Loving this!
She laughed aloud, knowing he could hear her thoughts, and gave his sides a little love pinch through the lining of his jacket. She felt his muscles jump and thought she might actually purr.

You’re just lucky my hands are busy, little mouse. Am I right in assuming you like me helpless so you can have your way with me?

The question left Tess breathless. She did kind of like it. She could touch him without fear that the tables would be turned. Tess took her hands from his pockets and skimmed them under his jacket, then found the edge of his T-shirt, and dared delve beneath that too. She allowed her fingers to play over the taut muscles that lay across his ribs, moved to his stomach, and grazed her hands over his smooth flesh. She loved the power she wielded as his abdomen clenched under the caress.

We’re going to have an accident, Tess. You need to behave.
The tension in his voice was delicious.

She reluctantly moved her hands away, purposely skimming the top of his rampant erection on her way by. Marduk groaned. She’d better stop baiting him or she might regret it later. She settled in with her hands once again comfortably in his pockets.

I-95 was a long haul, but the exhilaration of her god-group kept Tess buoyed for the entire trip. Marduk and Enlil had to behave themselves, due to being of substance, but the other immortals clowned around and took breathtaking risks as if they were—well, immortal! On several straight-aways, once the traffic had lightened over the Maine border, there was much taunting about which bikes could go faster, corner tighter, and move quicker off the line. Again and again the inviso-riders would stop, only to tear by them, accelerating at mind boggling speeds. Seeing these guys, powerful, in control, and packed into black leather was enough to make anyone swoon!

“The Japanese bikes always win,” Marduk called back over his shoulder, “but that doesn’t stop the others from playing.”

Tess enjoyed herself immensely. She was almost sad when Route 69 came into sight. Well, maybe nervous was more like it. How was she going to explain all this to Dad and Hux? It wasn’t like she was 100 percent sure she wasn’t crazy, and she’d had little time to assimilate. Her somber mood must have been catching, because the antics stopped and the gods moved sedately through town, following Marduk as she gave him directions to the family property.

She noticed the lights on in Hux’s studio on Main Street as they passed. Good. It would give her time to talk to her father before an additional dose of testosterone was introduced to the situation.

A short while later as they pulled up the drive, Archie came bounding off the porch, barking excitedly. They stopped in the yard.

“Archie, baby!” Tess removed her helmet and dismounted slowly from the bike. Ouch! Her legs felt stiff and her back was a little cranky. How long had it been since she’d had such a long ride? She could use a nice long soak in the hot tub out back after the sun went down.

The dog went nuts, careening around in circles and nipping at her boots playfully until she went down on the ground and hugged him. His long wet tongue laved the side of her face lovingly before he squirmed away to see who else had arrived. He sniffed suspiciously at Marduk’s boots as they hit the dusty drive, then did the same to Enlil.

When he moved to Ishkur and down the line of the other six, Tess realized the dog was actually aware of her invisible companions. Huh! When Archie finally came to Dumuzi, he nearly wiggled inside out and then glued himself to the god, refusing to move from his side.

“Dominion over animals, right?” Tess pointed.

“Your dog is as good as his,” snorted Marduk. “Sorry.”

They spotted Enten, having kept vigil on the steps with the dog. He gave them a thumbs up, indicating all was well.

Tess heard the creak of the door and looked to where her dad emerged. Without another thought, she launched herself across the lawn. She wrapped her arms around his neck then pulled back, smiling up at him. Her father was slight, no more than seven inches taller than Tess’s five foot one, and graying, with brown eyes that sparkled behind dark-rimmed glasses.

In a nice, clichéd kind of way, he smoked a pipe and wore a comfortable, well-aged and faded blue cardigan sweater. She loved the hell out of him, and was suddenly worried. How would he take Marduk and Enlil?

All the gods, except for the two her dad could see, were divesting themselves of their leathers. Apparently they had donned them just in case a corporeal issue came to pass while in the presence of her father, but when that danger expired, they chose to be more comfortable in their little robes. It was something she was starting to get used to.

“Come meet my father.” Tess gestured to the two large deities hanging back on the lawn. “Dad, I’d like you to meet my friends. This is Marduk.” The god stuck out his hand and grasped her father’s firmly. “And Enlil.” The wind god did likewise, but in a slightly less ferocious way.

Tess could see that her father was taken aback. Ever since her episode with Gage, he’d never seen her give any man the time of day. Not that she hid from the male species; she worked out in Hux’s gym all the time. She just never actually talked to men, let alone allowed herself to be friends with them.

She could see him glance at her surreptitiously and frown at the stitches on her face, but Tess knew he wouldn’t ask or pass judgment until she offered up details about her injury. She wasn’t ready to go there yet, and let Marduk take over.

“Nice looking spread you have here.” It had been a long time since Marduk had made small talk with a stranger. He reverted to his lexicon of “things people said on television.” He indicated the house with a nod of his head, appreciating the weathered, gray clapboard structure with its wide front porch, then turned his eyes to the surrounding farm land.

“Why thank you.” Mr. Abelard seemed pleased with the comment, which had Marduk relaxing a bit. “We have ten acres, although most of it is leased out to a local organic CSA.” At Marduk’s puzzle glance, her father explained. “That’s the community supported agriculture group in town. We haven’t farmed the land, ourselves, in many years, but it’s nice to see someone else get some use out of it.”

Tess hooked her arm through her dad’s and headed into the house, gesturing for the gods to follow. Marduk and Enlil crossed the porch and used the door. The rest just kind of “came to be” inside, where Mr. Abelard led them into a spacious, country kitchen.

“Would anyone care for a drink?” he asked, genially. “You’ve had a long ride. I can offer you cider or beer?”

“Cider would be fine.” Marduk loved the stuff and hadn’t had it since Merrymount. His mouth watered in anticipation!

“I’ll have cider too, thanks.” Enlil agreed.

Tess stood back, enjoying the feel of the comfortable space that housed so many happy memories. The red checked gingham curtains still hung cafe style on the windows as they had since she was little. She wondered what the immortals thought of the well-loved, scratched, and gouged kitchen table surrounded by six mismatched chairs, and the riot of cast iron pans that hung from wall pegs all around the room.

She wore a huge smile as she watched her insubstantial eight pick up and acquire things from the cluttered wooden counter-tops then replace them to become visible again. All this was done without her father once noticing.

Enlil spotted a green tractor out the window and began questioning its merits with her father, while Ishkur fed the specs for an opposing make into his ear, sparking a lively debate.

Tess was just starting to relax when she noticed Archie starting to wag his whole body toward the door, although not budging from his spot near Dumuzi.

Here comes Hux,
Tess thought. She saw Marduk tighten. Dad was easy to win over, but now the thunder god and Enlil would have to pass a harder test.

Huxley stepped through the door and, for a moment, she just stood back and appreciated her spectacular brother. Tall and muscular, he was the antithesis of their slight father. Coffee-brown eyes looked out from beneath a thick fringe of blond hair, which hung longer in the front and short cropped in the back.

My God! She hadn’t thought about it before but, with the two of them in the same room, Hux looked an awful lot like Enlil. Their hair was an identical shade and, even though their eyes were a different color, they had the same shape. The nose was a dead giveaway.

Fucking weird,
she heard one of the gods say. Tess agreed.

Hux looked first to his sister and then slowly around the room. His mouth quirked into a disbelieving grin. He went to the refrigerator and stuck his head inside, muttering over the poor selection. He came out holding an apple and took a big, crunchy bite. His gaze landed directly on Enten and Ninurta.

“How come nobody told me it was clothing optional?” His eyebrows raised.

Marduk dropped his glass of cider.

Chapter Sixteen

“Huxley? What are you talking about?” Their father looked perplexed, while Tess quickly moved to clean up broken glass. Huxley narrowed his eyes.

“It’s pretty obvious, Dad. These…”

Tess cut him off abruptly, scooping bits into the trash. “Pops, you don’t mind if I take Hux outside for a minute and show him my friend’s motorcycles, do you?” She shot Huxley a sisterly look he would recognize that said “shut up or I’ll make your life a living hell.” He smartly zipped his mouth.

“Sure, honey.” Her dad was so wonderfully agreeable. “Why don’t they take their bags to the guest house while you’re out there? It’s all cleaned out and warmed up.”

“Thanks, Dad.” Tess dropped a shaky kiss on his nose and ushered everyone, mortal and immortal alike, out the door.

“What was that all about, Tess-puss?” Leave it to Hux to bring up that hideous nickname right away. “And who are all your friends? Did you join a biker gang…or a toga party?” He laughed, but Tess could see the underlying concern as he assumed a slightly more aggressive posture.

“Why is it that I never have popcorn when things start getting good!” Anshar’s humor did nothing to dissolve the tense and expectant mood.

“First of all,” Tess quivered, “how many guys do you see, exactly?”

“What?” He quirked up the side of one cheek. “Ten, of course.” Tess rubbed her brow.

“How many bikes do you see?” she continued.

“Two very sweet rides.” Her brother nodded his approval, looking around. “But how did the rest of them get here?” Hux turned the question back to Tess.

Marduk didn’t wait for her to answer.

“Brothers, go ‘un-acquire’ your motorcycles.” He turned back to Huxley. “Sorry if this next bit screws with your head, but I can’t think of a better way. Should I get one of the guys ready to catch your ass?”

“Nobody touches!” Hux narrowed his eyes and assumed his most ferocious look.

“I’ll be damned,” Lahar barked out a laugh. “Enlil makes the same face when he’s pissed off.”

Sure enough, Tess and the others looked toward the blond god who, at that moment, began to scowl, and everyone did a double-take. If Tess had doubted the blood tie before, she was now a total believer.

“Just manifest the damn bikes.” Enlil looked decidedly uncomfortable. “We can rattle his remaining brains later.”

One by one, the gods walked to their motorcycles, and each lost their “film-over” look for Tess. Apparently this was a full reveal for Huxley, whose face abruptly lost all color. She did a quick scan of the house. Her father’s study light came on in a back window, meaning the excitement out front was out of his line of vision. Good. Last thing she needed was Dad having a heart attack on top of everything else.

Contrary to the quiet bets that had been rapidly placed, Huxley remained on his feet.

“What the fuck?” He moved his reluctant feet to the first bike that had become unveiled and touched it, feeling the warmth of a hard ride still wafting from the cowling.

Tess hissed at the gods, “Get rid of them again, before anyone else sees.” Even though the road was empty behind them, she worried about drawing unwanted attention. The bike Huxley touched, and its companions turned to nothing beneath her brother’s hand.