Rock Hard (10 page)

“Looks to me like that ‘frigging pilgrim’ set things up pretty well.” Dagon sneered, bending down and getting right in the human’s face. “As a matter of fact, I’d say he must have been a bloody genius…except that he forgot to exclude pussies like you from being on the payroll.” Dagon liked the word “pussies.”

As his brain delved deeper into his new lexicon and found other meanings, he liked the word even more. His fantasies were spinning. Sex could side-track even the best after 400 years of abstinence.

“Okay, asshole, time to back off.” Cold steel pressed against Dagon’s temple and an arm snaked around his throat. “Let him go and move away. Very slowly now, and I’ll think about whether or not to skewer your brain.”

Dagon grinned. Ah! The letter opener. He had underestimated his platinum beauty and, as much as he couldn’t be killed if she plunged the blade into his cranium, it would cause an awful mess and probably incapacitate him for longer than he would like. He dropped the man’s wrist.

“Fine. I’m moving away.” He raised both hands and purposely pressed his muscled back into her warmth. She never so much as flinched or took a distracted breath. Hmm. For some reason, it didn’t feel all that good to him either. All business this one. He might have to reevaluate his opinion about a woman being in charge.

“Matthew, pick up your knife and get off the goddamn floor.” Lenore’s voice was hard as nails. “We’ve trained for this.”

“Yes, Matthew,” Dagon taunted. “Do get up and join us. It seems that the little lady is showing more balls than you. Very embarrassing.”

Matthew lurched to his feet and rammed his left fist deep into Dagon’s gut. “Hold him, Lenore, and I’ll feed him his pretty teeth.”

“As fun as this is, my new best friends,” Dagon wheezed, regaining the breath that had just been knocked out of him. “I’m afraid I have to take charge again.” He spun so fast that Lenore was not even aware that they had changed positions and the instrument she had been holding to his head was now poised at her throat. At the same time, Dagon looked deep into his vice president’s eyes, using his power to compel.

“Do not move another inch!”

When Lenore regained her equilibrium, she yelled, “For God’s sake, Matthew. Kill him! I saw him materialize out of nothing. He’s one of the pagans we’ve been warned of, risen again to destroy us all.”

Dagon’s laughter filled the room.

“Oh no, my dear,” his voice caressed. “I am not one of the pagans come to decimate you.” He tipped her chin up with the point of the letter opener until she looked deep into his midnight blue eyes. “I…” He paused, forcing her to stop her struggles. “I am your sweet savior.”

“Prove it, you fucker,” Lenore spat.

“Such pretty language coming from such sweet lips.” Lips that didn’t intrigue him in the least, Dagon mused. “It’s a good thing I like spirit in those I employ, or you’d both be dead right now.” Voice hardening, he threw Lenore across the room, bouncing her off the wall, and checked his white shirt for errant blood stains. “Good. You haven’t soiled the material.” He was quite fond of his new clothing.

“Now, back to business.” He compelled Matthew to sit in the unoccupied chair next to the large desk. “Which one of you is in possession of the parchment with the red wax seal?”

Lenore rubbed her shoulder where she had slammed into the wall, but remained in place. “What do you know about it?”

“I know that I sealed it in the year 1630 with orders that it not be opened until I reappeared.” Dagon let his words sink in. “I’m anxious to know if my wishes were obeyed.”

“Also,” he continued languidly, “the parchment includes a password that will confirm I am the one you’ve been waiting for.” Once again, his demeanor changed in a heartbeat. “Do you have the parchment or not?” His words were clipped with irritation.

“It’s in the safe.” Lenore took two steps toward the desk where Matthew now sat.

“Don’t do it, Lenore! It’s some kind of trick.” Matthew struggled to rise and failed. “He’ll just take what’s in the safe and then tell you what you need to hear after he’s read the document.”

Lenore pursed her lips. “Matthew has a point,” she conceded. “Why don’t you tell me what I’ll find before I open the safe?” She crossed her arms under substantial breasts.

“If only you’d issued such a civil reception when I first arrived.” Dagon fixed a disappointed stare at his numbers one and two. “Although, I suppose I should appreciate your suspicious natures.” He paused. “I would hate to think that just anybody could come in and take charge.” Once more, Dagon looked pointedly at Matthew, knowing already that the human male fancied himself head of an empire.

“When you retrieve the document in question, you will see my seal that depicts an underwater serpent.” Now his attention was focused completely on Lenore. “You will open it to find the password, which is also the name of every god that our organization will now have the pleasure to hunt down and eradicate from the face of the earth.” In the next breath, he spewed the roll-call with venomous hate. “Enlil, Lahar, Kulla, Absu, Marduk, Enten, Dumazi, Emesh, Shamash, Ishkur, Ninurta, Anshar. These have been my enemies for more lifetimes than you can imagine. I am Dagon, and you will see my name, signed in blood at the bottom. Now go to your safe for confirmation, and then we will begin to plan.”

Lenore needed no further prompting. She stepped behind the desk and swung a portrait of Myles Standish away from the wall to reveal the small safe. Putting in the first two numbers, she turned to Dagon.

“Matthew is needed to put in the final number.” She was calm as she moved aside.

“You have my permission.” Dagon released Matthew again, and the man rose and clumsily worked the dial with his left hand, his broken right still cradled uselessly against his chest.

Matthew inclined his head in Lenore’s direction, signaling for her to open the safe, which she did without hesitation. Both president and vice president were familiar with the scroll, having handled it reverently on many occasions, although strict instructions made sure it had never been opened. The seal was indeed a serpent, staring back at them with the same malevolence as Dagon’s face.

The god tossed the letter opener carelessly onto the desk. “Open it,” he ordered.

Lenore slipped the blade under the seal and the red wax cracked to powder. The parchment unrolled with some difficulty, bits of paper breaking off as words were revealed.

Lenore looked up at Dagon. “Say the names.”

Once again, Dagon chanted the hated monikers, venom dripping from every syllable. “Enlil, Lahar, Kulla, Absu, Marduk, Enten, Dumazi, Emesh, Shamash, Ishkur, Ninurta, Anshar.”

Lenore nodded to Matthew.

Now it was time for some questions from Dagon.

“How many followers do I have?” he asked pointedly, knowing he had interrupted an argument that might have decreased that number.

“You have fifteen employees ready for the field, if you include me and Matthew,” Lenore answered. “Another five individuals sit on the board, making decisions on investments and logistics.”

Dagon had hoped for more, but would take care of that in short order.

“Now that I am back, we will dispense with the board members.” He turned to Matthew. “Your surety in the vote you were discussing makes me think you have some incriminating information regarding each one?” When Matthew nodded, he continued.

“Good. We’ll use your knowledge to fire them without repercussions.” He liked the word “fire.”

“I’m assuming they’ve been receiving compensation, so we will redirect that money into more ground troops.” Hmm. Ground troops…another fine description that suddenly sprang into his head.

“The gods we are set to battle will be difficult to defeat. I hope you have fomented enough hatred for their kind that my followers will relish their disposal.”

With another nod in the affirmative, the human male, Matthew was finally on board. “Just tell us how we get rid of them.”

Chapter Nine

The ride back to Tess’s apartment was hellish for Marduk. In the police vehicle on the way to the hospital, he had been far too concerned about Tess’s injury to think about his own discomfort. In the cab afterward, it seemed liked the driver delighted in stopping short at every opportunity, then propelling the vehicle forward, foot mashed to the accelerator.

To make matters worse, the stupid back window only lowered six inches, so he couldn’t hang his head out for fresh air. It was a damned good thing Marduk liked the spicy aura of the operator, or there might have been a driver-less taxi on Newport Avenue.

By the time they reached her home, Tess didn’t appear to feel so chipper either. The anesthesia must have worn off, causing her cheek to throb where she’d been struck. Hopefully, she’d have some medication at home to reduce the pain and discomfort. Marduk felt better the second his feet hit the pavement.

He was able to take Tess’s arm and quickly peruse the neighborhood—a mixture of single family and multi-family dwellings on a tree-lined street just off the main road. Tess’s house was of the multi-family variety, white with black trim, and her apartment was to the right on the first floor. Marduk took the key from her unsteady hands and fit it in the lock.

“Couch for you, young lady.” Marduk’s voice left no room for argument as he took in the combination kitchen/living room that was her main space.

“Aspirin, please,” Tess moaned, pointing toward the small bathroom and dropping onto the gold nightmare she had purchased at St. Vinnie’s for $10. Her couch had never felt more welcoming.

“Medicine cabinet?” he called back to her.

“Yup.” She was wasting no energy on talk, knowing that she would have a million questions for Marduk once he began to tell his story. Her only wish now was for some food to fill the void in her stomach that had last been sated by her couple sips of coffee early this morning.

Unfortunately, her refrigerator and cupboards were bare. She never felt the need to keep them full. One of the perks of living in a small city, where food was plentiful and on every corner, was being able to go out any time, day or night, to retrieve just what you craved. That wasn’t going to help her now. She was immobile.

“Marduk?” She still had trouble saying his odd name. “Could you possibly go out and get us some food?”

He entered the room carrying her pills and a glass of water. If Tess had the energy, she would have laughed. Marduk must have had a hell of a job getting the cap off the aspirin…or not. He had crushed the bottle instead. “Not a problem,” he agreed. “But first, do you have a computer I can use? I need to email Enlil and tell him to join us.”

Tess closed her eyes for a moment after self-medicating. She didn’t know if she wanted the two barbarians in her little apartment after their behavior at the cemetery.

“Will you two behave yourselves or will you be paying the landlord for damages?” She pursed her lips, waiting for his response. A chuckle was all she got.

“One never knows with Enlil, but I’ll ask him to be good.” Marduk’s reply sounded extremely skeptical to her jaded ears.

Tess pointed to the laptop perched on the kitchen table, then lowered her lashes. Strange. He didn’t have a clue how to operate a smart phone, but apparently he was okay with computers.

Marduk opened it to no power, but discovered the charger and plugged it in. It came alive in seconds.

“Password,” he commanded.

Tess hesitated but finally responded. “Largemarge, capital L, all one word.”

Marduk snorted, but when she looked up, his face remained impassive until she settled back again.

Marduk wasn’t sure how he kept a straight face, but internally he crowed with satisfaction. He knew the movie reference. He’d seen it a hundred times. She would die when he finally enacted his favorite scene!

Back to business, he quickly emailed the compound.

Shamash, tell Enlil to come to the girl’s house. She’s ready for an explanation and I’ll need back-up. While I’m thinking of it, acquire plates for all the bikes. I think we’ll be needing them soon, along with driver’s licenses. Can do? Thxs, M

He ended with Tess’s address and silently closed the laptop. The floor creaked under his feet as he drew back from the table, and he became aware that he was still wearing the tight, yellow shorts that had been amusing earlier, but now were just damned uncomfortable.

“I don’t suppose you have any clothes I can borrow,” he asked, without too much hope.

“As a matter of fact, I think Huxley’s clothes might fit you,” she said helpfully. “Look in the bottom drawer of the dresser in my bedroom. He left them when he helped me move.”

Marduk’s nostrils flared. Who the hell was Huxley, and why had he removed his clothing in Tess’s bedroom? He nearly growled his next words.

“Is Huxley your lover?”

Tess sputtered in outrage. “Of course not! Hux is my brother.”

Marduk’s shoulders relaxed. “Fine then. I would be pleased to try on his clothing.” He was gone no more than two minutes before coming back packed into faded denim, topped by flannel. He’d had to fly commando under the jeans, but Tess didn’t need to know that.

Marduk flexed his shoulders. “Big boy, your brother?”

“Um, yeah.” Marduk saw her swallow back an unexpected flash of something…desire?…when she glanced at him under her lashes. “He owns a gym, but he’s always been tall. Working out all the time, he’s filled in quite nicely.”
But not nearly as nicely as you!
This time he heard her thought loud and clear. Marduk smiled in pleasure, but unfortunately Tess quickly changed the subject.

“Food,” she pleaded. Her stomach chose that moment to growl, the noise filling the room.

“Very lady-like,” Marduk teased, keeping Tess in the dark as to whether he was talking about the stomach gurgle or her mental ogling.

“Screw you,” Tess said pointedly, refusing to be led. “It’s…” She glanced at her watch. “…three in the afternoon and, in case you hadn’t noticed, we haven’t had anything to eat all day. There’s a great deli a few blocks down on Beale Street, and if you go now, I won’t call the men in the little white coats to come and get you until after I’ve eaten.”