Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 111898 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 559(@200wpm)___ 448(@250wpm)___ 373(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111898 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 559(@200wpm)___ 448(@250wpm)___ 373(@300wpm)
Without thought, she reached up to stroke the ruby choker. “My sweet Red.”
Rathbone’s groan filled her head, and her blood heated. Perhaps they should focus on his craving, after all. Then a thought hit, bringing a boatload of fear, and she chilled in a hurry. He’d faced betrayal from his mother. Betrayal from his wife, not that he fully accepted it yet. Soon, he would face betrayal from Neeka. She’d told herself he would forgive her. But what if he didn’t?
“There’s nothing we can do with our past but learn from it, let it go, and grab hold of a better future,” she offered, wrapping her fingers around the gemstones, as if they fought to get away. “We can’t move forward if we’re always looking back.” Advice she should apply to her own life.
—Are you trying to tell me something, carrot?—
The beloved nickname, uttered so intimately, unleashed a hurricane of delicious sensation. Her knees quaked.
“I don’t know,” she admitted, starting forward. She drew up short when she cleared another arch and spied her new surroundings. Okay. Wow. Cages. They were scattered throughout a rose garden, dangling around a royal dais where a teenage boy reclined on a cushioned lounge, eating potato chips fed to him by a female dressed as a (topless) cat.
Though on the puny side, the boy possessed red skin and mátia. Not Rathbone’s kid? Ha!
—So I’m a father.—Amazement, resignation, and regret dripped from each word.
“Oh, yeah. You’re a father.” But how had Maximus remained a teenager so long, without maturing mentally or emotionally? Because he absolutely had not matured. That was evident as he slapped a woman’s butt cheek, snickered, and made a lewd hand gesture. “Do you see the mother?”
—No. But I doubt she lives. Hera would’ve viewed her as a liability.—
So they had no idea what kind of power and abilities the kid wielded outside of what he’d inherited from Rathbone. Well, no matter. “I’ll be gentle with him,” Neeka vowed.
The choker vibrated, making her feel as if she were being hugged.
Determined, she glided forward, stopping just in front of the dais. She caught Maximus’s notice along the way, and he jolted upright with a scowl.
“You’re wearing a top. Why are you wearing a top?” he grouched, brushing aside the next chip offering. “That’s an offense worthy of death!”
“He’s worse than a tool,” she muttered.
—But is he wrong?—
She snorted. Another funny from Rathbone. Her lips curled in a smile.
“You find my wrath amusing, wench?” the kid sputtered.
Focus! Right. “Where’s your Gam Gam, sport? Or a guardian? Whatever. Who’s in charge here?”
“I am.” Each of his dark eyes narrowed. “I’m Maximus the Dread, god of incredible power and might, with abilities your paltry mind cannot yet fathom, and you dare to question me?”
Neeka snickered with delight. Dude. Now a funny from the kid! The apple certainly didn’t fall far from the tree. “Lookit, boy-o. You own a special bone, and I want it.” Good. Blunt and to the point. “Give it to me, and we can have a tea together before I abduct you to another realm.”
“I’ll give you a special bone. It’s right here.” He grabbed his crotch. “So why don’t you come take it like a good little girl?”
—I don’t know what to say except, meet young Rathbone.—
She thought over the boy’s offer, shrugged, and nodded. “Okay.” Take the bone? Very well. “I accept your invitation.”
—You said you’d be gentle with him.—Rathbone groaned the words.
“I tried my hardest and got nowhere,” she whispered as she motored up the dais steps. “I know you await results, so I changed course. You’re welcome.”
—Neeka. Carrot.—
“I won’t kill him, Wrath Boned. Honest!”
The punk’s irritating smirk returned as she drew near, as if he’d won a great war.
The self-proclaimed King Hotness patted his thigh, expecting her to take a seat there. Instead, she canted her head, smiled—and punched him in the face. He flew from the lounge, crashing to the dais with a heavy thud. A pained groan left him. As blood spurted from his broken nose, the chip feeder rushed off.
“Now then,” Neeka said with all the sweetness she could muster. “The bone I seek is an ilium with symbols carved throughout. You will give it to me. Your condition when we leave with it is up to you.”
“You hit me. You hit me!” The boy scrambled to his feet, his mátia wide with astonishment. “You’re going to pay so hard.”
“Will I? Because I kinda feel like I earned a reward. Maybe I should do it again.” Wings buzzing, Neeka leaped over the lounge and punched him again. Again, he flew backward, landing with a thud. She followed him over and pinned him down, pressing her knees deep into his shoulders. “Still feels like I earned a reward.”
He struggled without success.
“Look, kid. Here’s how things will progress. I’m going to break your bones every ten seconds you fail to hand over the one I seek.”