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“Something funny, Ni?” Her raised eyebrow said it all.
“Where’d you grow up, Jez?” he gently asked.
“Earth, fairly remote, and no we didn’t often socialize with anyone. I was always told it was best we remained hidden, for as long as we were permitted to hide, and so we did. Still didn’t stop Jimmy Tucker, the little fucker, from spying on me while I swam in the lake when I was sixteen.” She smiled wickedly. “Aunt Rai Rai hexed him so bad. Sorry, I tend to ramble. Why?”
“Oh, Jezzie, you’ll either love it or hate it, there is no in between. Come, let’s see which way you go.” Novarian hooked his arm through hers and dragged her across the white and gray marble foyer.
She didn’t know what she’d expected; football, golf, basketball, but it certainly wasn’t almost naked harpies, pretty much mud wrestling in the center of a primitive makeshift arena in the middle of what looked like a jungle. Breasts bounced everywhere, legs were waving. Nothing seemed to be off limits as they bit, scratched, and yanked whatever they could get a grip on. Including nipples, apparently.
One harpy had her thighs wrapped around another’s neck, squeezing tight until her opponent’s knees buckled. At the last second, before her knees hit the slick ground, she shifted her weight and flipped the thigh strangler over, sending her flying onto her back. Taking full advantage of the switch in positions, she raced forward and leapt into the air, and as her body hit the sprawled out harpy, she landed a vicious blow to her solar plexus. This sent the men into a frenzy of cheering and revelry, their eyes fixated on the large cinematic screen mounted to one wall. Grimm sat front and center. He didn’t cheer as loudly as the others, though. He actually looked kind of serious. This guy and fun seemed kind of polar opposites.
As Jezzie looked around, she rolled her eyes, turned away and muttered to herself.
“Of course, I get stuck with a bunch of misogynistic neanderthals.” All the while shaking her head.
“You don’t like it, Red, you’re free to leave the room,” Shaggy coldly advised.
Nithe and Rian followed her out the door, but Jezzie couldn’t resist one last parting shot.
“Enjoy the circle jerk, boys.” She smiled over her shoulder.
Faint muttered words reached her ears as the doors closed behind them.
“Bloody women just don’t understand the artistry of war games.”
“Told you you’d either love it or hate it. Now, not to be insensitive or offensive at all, but you guys kinda stink. Didn’t really notice before, but yeah . . . you could both use a shower, and some sleep. Nithe, sorry dude, but you look almost dead on your feet, my man.”
“Why, thanks, Rian. Way to make a girl feel good about being shoved into the Nether, forced to fight off hideously terrifying creatures, and being subjected to Shaggy’s stellar personality disorder,” Jezzie laughed. “Lead the way, fairy man. I just want a nice hot shower, to wash my hair, and to crawl into bed for snuggles with my own personal hot water bottle.” The last was said with a wink at a suddenly alert Nithe.
The fairy signaled to a passing gorgon, who slithered out of the room and returned a few moments later, sans the linens she’d been carrying.
“Vestia, please escort our honored guests to the Black Room, and provide them with whatever they may need for the duration of their stay with us.”
The gorgon nodded her head, the snakes, posing as hair, hissed and squirmed, striking at the air around her, even going so far as to sink tiny fangs into her cheeks without care.
“As you wish, Your Highness.” Oh, there was definite snark in her tone; it was unmistakable.
Rian leaned in and whispered softly, “Don’t worry, they can’t turn you to stone if you look upon them. The Almighty took the ability from the ones sent here for their crimes.”
Odd, but with everything else going on in her crazy mixed up world right now, the possibility hadn’t even crossed her mind.
“Tell me you aren’t going back in there to watch it with the rest of them? I mean, yay for female warriors, battle skills, and empowerment and all, but I highly doubt the men watching are doing so for that reason. Especially the naked parts.”
Jezzie wasn’t sure why she had such a problem with it at the moment. Normally she wouldn’t. Maybe, it was a build-up of all the shit she’d had to deal with from men in the last eight or nine years? Maybe, she was simply tired, grumpy, and the rank smell of her own body was pissing her off? Fuck, she’d kill for a nice glass of Moscato and some strawberries right about now as she soaked in a hot bath full of bubbles.
“What time is it?” Nithe asked, changing the subject quickly.
“It’s currently one in the afternoon. I’ll have a tray sent up. We don’t expect to see you until the morning. Portal jag is a real thing in this realm, what with the way time works so differently. Jezzie, get some rest, you obviously need it.”
Rian’s tone was gentle as far as rebukes go, but Jezzie felt ashamed all the same. Who was she to judge them when she’d been salivating over Nithe’s cock all day? She agreed, she was obviously overtired and stressed because even though it was one in the afternoon, it sure felt like well past the witching hour to her bone-tired body.
Nithe placed his arm around her waist, and together they followed the surly gorgon up the lavish staircase. Jezzie couldn’t help running her fingers over the gold inlaid, ebony handrail as they ascended to the first floor. Smooth and cool to the touch, it made her feel like a fairy-tale princess. A giggle slipped out as she recalled her earlier reaction to the chandelier. Okay, so, it was possible she’d started to get a little manic. Honestly, she was a little surprised she hadn’t gone completely crazy in the last eight years alone, but the last twenty-four hours surely should have tipped her over the precipice and straight into a padded white cell.
When the gorgon opened the door to the dubiously named Black Room and stepped aside, Nithe tugged Jezzie inside, said a quick thanks, and closed the door in the surly cow’s face, all while her snakes hissed and tried to strike at them. From the light thump against the ornate wood, Jezzie was pretty certain one of the vicious little things had been hit, fangs first, by the unexpected closure. Jezzie looked at Nithe, Nithe looked at Jezzie. Lips quivered, eyes gleamed, it was enough to send Jezzie into a fit of giggles, Nithe chuckling along beside her.
The feel of his warm, calloused finger under her chin sent tingles through her tired body. She looked up into his eyes of liquid gold, threaded with flashes of green fire. Her breath froze in her lungs, until he turned her face toward the center of the room, at which point it rushed out as she took in the black, red, and gold furnishings.
A four-poster bed, made of what looked like the same wood as the handrail she’d stroked her palm over on the way up, sat on a raised dais against one wall. Gold vines twisted and twined their way up each one before trailing along the edges of the canopy. Jezzie peeled back one of the thick, red curtains to expose sheer black curtains which hung from hidden rails. They were tied back against each post to reveal a turned-down, luxurious, red blanket, black and red silk sheets, and matching pillows. She just wanted to throw her tired, aching body into all that toasty softness and sleep for as long as possible.
