Of Another Dimension (24 page)
"No need to snap at me!" I snapped back.
"I don't see what is so horrible about sitting with me!"
"Have you
met
yourself?" I asked incredulously.
Teivel growled angrily and muttered something under his breath.
The clouds churned and water started to pour down on us suddenly, big fat droplets rushing down on us from the murky sky.
"Great. Just great," I lamented.
We rode on for another hour, our clothes soaked to the bone, my butt beyond sore, skin starting to chafe.
I let out a whoop of relief when I saw a house in the distance.
"Almost there, Lil," Teivel whispered into my ear, giving my hip a comforting squeeze.
A small cabin came into view and I glanced around, looking for the owner.
"Gostach!" Teivel called, "We need your help, my friend!"
"Teivel!" A big voice boomed from somewhere behind the cabin, "Come
, my friend. What is it you need?"
His voice was impossibly deep, deeper than Sieren's and I wondered what the owner to
said voice
looked like.
I didn't have to wonder for long as Teivel hopped down and helped me off, his hands firmly on my waist as he set me down on my feet.
A huge being lumbered around the corner and my jaw dropped at the sight of him.
Teila gasped off to the side of me and I h
ad to agree with her sentiment.
That fella is massive.
A milky white complexion covered a body packed with so much muscle it seemed to take him a while to get around. Yet he did it with a smooth, graceful gait that had me intrigued.
Gostach, the being in front of me, had a thick strip of hair that went from the top of his head and down to the base of his neck, trailing long and thick, the ends of hi
s mane reaching his lower back.
T
he hair itself was long and lustrous, even paler than his skin.
He had thick peach fuzz all over his entire body and a long, opalescent spiraling horn
jutting out from his forehead.
His nose was long and widened at the end, his nostrils slightly hooked.
Good grief, he really makes me think of a horse.
I marveled at him, gaping at the behemoth of a unicorn man.
"Oh, wow," I breathed in awe.
Gostach heard me and glanced at me curiously, his jet black orbs taking me in from head to toe.
"And what have you brought with you, Teivel?" Gostach asked his friend, a teasing note in his voice.
"We need to use a transmitter and wait out the weather. A storm is coming." Teivel put his hand on my shoulder and squeezed, letting me know without words that he wanted me to stay put.
No problem with that,
I thought, still gaping at the unicorn man.
Awesome he may be, but he's also extremely intimidating.
He's even taller than Teivel!
"Then come in
, my friend." He smiled, gesturing for us to go in. "And new friends too," he chuckled, winking at me.
I scooted a little closer to Teivel and laughed nervously, hurrying to follow him inside.
"Come, sit!" Gostach boomed out after Teila trudged in behind me, "I have food and drink! Warm your bones and talk with me. Then you can wash and rest."
He hurried out of the room and came back a few moments later with three warm blankets.
I wrapped mine around me and looked up to find Gostach watching me intently.
"Uh, thanks," I said awkwardly.
He grinned, a wide friendly smile.
"She speaks,
" he teased, laughing.
"Yes and 'she' doesn't like to be referred to as 'she'
, unicorn man. My name is Lil," I grumbled.
Gostach let out a big belly laugh and walked over to ladle soup out of a big pot into four bowls.
He set the bowls down and motioned for us to sit.
Teila and I sat across from each other and Teivel and Gostach took seats opposite each other.
"What is this unicorn man you speak of, youngling?" Gostach asked conversationally.
"Youngling? I am not a youngling," I informed him primly.
"Oh, and how old are you, little one? Seventeen revolutions? Sixteen?" He grinned, chuckling.
"Twenty nine," I dead panned
and took a big bite of stew.
Gostach stopped with his spoon halfway to his mouth and looked at me like he thought I was having one over on him.
I kept chewing, studying the small tidy room.
Let him think what he wants.
I'm short, not a baby.
W
ell, short compared to all of them.
"And why don't you have a mate
, sweet Lil?" Gostach asked curiously, his voice deeper and rougher than a moment ago.
Okay, he's making me uncomfortable now.
"I have a mate," I put in quickly.
A slow smile spread across his face and he ate his bite, chewing slowly, a thoughtful expression on his face.
This guy makes me nervous
, I thought, glancing at Teivel.
Teivel was gripping his eating utensil tightly in his hand and his knuckles where flushed a darker red.
"And where is he now?" He glanced at Teivel, then back at me, raising a brow at me questioningly.
"
They
are busy. They went to the inlet to put the shaxnas to auction," I said stiffly.
"An enchanting little thing like you," he purred, getting my hackles up, "I don't blame them for leaving you behind. Could be dangerous for such a pretty female."
"Oh, yes," Teila sniped, "She's a regular charmer."
"And who might you be
, my sweet?" Gostach flirted, shifting all of his attention to Teila.
Teila glanced at me watching them and smiled viciously.
She turned back to Gostach and put her hand to his bare chest, running her hand over him suggestively, tittering when his eyes glittered at her hungrily.
I wanted to grin, realizing she thought I was into Gostach and wanted to have at him now too.
What do I need with a scary unicorn man?
Have at him
, Teila!
He is all yours
, girl!
I relaxed when Gostach lost all interest in me and worked on wooing Teila.
Have at her, big guy.
"There are extra t
hings in the wardrobe in the spare room. There is a bathing bowl in their as well. Feel free to use them, my friends. Teila can use mine," Gostach said graciously without looking away from a preening Teila.
I finished eating quickly, ready to wash up and get warm.
The weather raged on outside and the little house shook as thunder boomed overhead, rattling the windows.
"Looks like you are stuck here for the night
, my friends," Gostach told us happily.
Teila eyed me, waiting for my reaction.
If she figures out I'm not interested in Gostach, she might not make a move to try and sling her hooks into the big hulking creature and he might return his focus to me.
I shuddered at the thought.
No way am I gonna add the hulk of unicorn men to my list of conquests.
I looked at Gostach and smiled sweetly.
"Thank you for your hospitality. If it's all right with you, though, I think I'll retire for the evening."
"Would you like me to show you where
everything is?" Gostach asked politely, a hint of interest lacing his tone.
No!!
I wanted to shout
, I'd rather kiss a dead shaxna bum!
"Not necessary, I think I can..." I started.
"You can show
me
around," Teila purred, giving Gostach a sultry, inviting smile.
"There is only one bed in the spare room," Gostach stated,
eyes riveted to her, "someone can come share mine if they wish. It is big enough for more."
"Teila doesn't mind shari
ng with you, Gostach," Teivel chimed in, slapping his friend on the back. "Now, if you'll excuse us," he started steering me towards the hall, "we need to wash up and get to bed."
Teila spluttered and went to comment, but Gostach put his huge
hand on her shoulder, staying her.
Teivel ushered me down the hall and into a tiny room with a small bed and a bathroom off to the side.
I eyed the bathroom as Teivel closed and locked the door behind him.
"Don't even think about it
, miquatka. I call dibs first."
"How do you figure?" I demanded, inching my way towards the bathroom.
"I won't be long. I'm tired and I just want to wash up and go to sleep."
"And I'm not?" I huffed, "A gentleman would let the lady go first."
Just a little closer, Lil, you're almost there.
"I am
not a gentlemen. I am Sodraden. A warrior. I don't make compromises," he said cockily.
"Ohh, big speech
, evil eyes, I'm shaking in my dress," I taunted, giving a fake shudder.
We both glared at each other and glanced at the door.
A stare down ensued.
I fidgeted and he fidgeted, neither of us willing to break.
It wasn’t long and I don't know who moved first, but we both made it to the bathroom at the same time, rushing over to the bathing bowl, both trying to beat the other there first, elbows and arms our weapons of choice.
Checking him hard in the gut,
I hopped in fully dressed and stuck my tongue out.
"Ha! Beat that!" I exclaimed victoriously.
Rubbing his sore stomach, he scowled at me.
I smiled at him smugly.
His eyes strayed to the dealie-ma-bob that turns on the water and I followed them, watching him.
What is he up to?
He grinned at me evilly and turned the water on.
Oh, nuh-
uh!
I gripped the sides of the lip of the tub, ready to do battle with the stubborn Sodraden.
It’s mine!
I was ready to snarl.
Water started to pour in fast and I moved my legs around, realizing just how different this one is from the one I normally use.
This bathing bowl is a lot smaller than the one at home
, I observed while the tub filled up.
Teivel smirked and
leaned in, sidling closer to the rim.
I did it right back, matching him tit for tat.
How do you like that, buddy?!
He
can move.
Like a little water will deter
me.
I was here first, I am not moving!
"Enjoying your bath, miquatka?" Teivel asked sweetly, pulling back to stand up.
He
started undoing his pants, shoving them down his thighs to reveal a wealth of smoothly muscled red flesh.
"You are not coming in here," I said vehemently, my grip on the tub rim turning my knuckles white.
He said nothing, acting like he hadn't heard me.
I refuse to cave!
'Clomp', his boot hit the floor.
He wouldn't.
"You're bluffing."
'Clomp', the other boot fell.
"We can't
both
fit," I said reasonably.
He just smiled and stepped out of his pants, pulling his shirt over his head.
My gaze traveled down his tight, abundantly muscled chest, thick roping muscles bulging everywhere in an enticing display that I refuse to acknowledge.
I glanced at his 'package' and flushed, quickly averting my gaze from his thick, rising erection
A movement caught my attention and I watched as his tail uncoiled its self from around his leg.
So that's how he hides his tail.
"Who's bluffing now, female?" Teivel taunted.
"No idea
, evil eyes, why don't you use your tail and go fuck yourself while you wait for me to get out," I said in a syrupy sweet voice, smiling at him with all the 'cotton candy up my ass' attitude I could muster.
Teivel's response....
He growled at me menacingly and stalked towards me.
Well
, shit.
"This isn't how I had planned on spending my evening," I muttered, wondering if I should 'accidentally on purpose' hit him in the testicles.
"Me either," was my tub buddy's reply.
"This is awkward," I complained.