The Odd Job Read online

  Chapter 9

  The remainder of the drive home happened without incident. I had actually been expecting another attack of some sort and my shoulders had started to bunch toward the base of my neck. The first thing I was going to do after speaking to Aphrodite, was check out the ensuite bathroom and see if it actually had a bath. If it did, I would be soaking for at least an hour. I shook my head at the thought as I realized that I was planning a bath after chatting with a god.

  Oh yes, my life had definitely changed. As to whether or not it had actually changed for the better remained to be seen. Sure, I was bumping elbows with gods and demigods but my life would also be at risk on a daily basis. The moment I formulated this question in my mind, I remembered the look on Elena's face when she saw the change in her appearance. The doubt quickly faded, I was doing the right thing. I was where I should be I thought as I pulled into the parking garage.

  I turned the engine of after thanking Sam and placing her in park. I grinned as I thought of my father and what he would be like if he had to thank his car for its service on a regular basis. He'd probably walk a lot more.

  "Egg, why don't you go and hang out in my room while I speak to her loveliness?" I asked of Egg while I held the door for him to climb out. Egg gave a little trill and disappeared with a slight whoosh. I did the same as I fixed the image of the carpet outside Aphrodite's door in my mind. The familiar sounds and pressure change in my ears accompanied the transition.

  'Oh my god,' I thought, 'that's what the whoosh and pop must be, air displacement!' It actually felt good to have figured something out without having to ask Wellington. Now all I had to do was give my report and then I could have a good hot soak. I was struck with a sudden feeling of trepidation as I thought that Aphrodite might have wanted me to act as the answer to Elena's prayers. There was only one way to find out.

  I barely rapped at the door when it opened. The goddess of love and beauty stood before me in the long luxurious lingerie that she probably wore to bed. "Well," she said impatiently, "come in." Aphrodite stepped aside and shooed me through the door.

  Stepping briskly, I entered the chambers and was immediately hauled by the hand to the daybed where I had sat with her earlier. "You must tell me everything," she urged. "Leave nothing out,” she said with excitement.

  I began to relate the events of my first mission. I was stopped when I reached the point in my tale where I had begun to brush Elena's hair. "You actually took the time to brush her hair?" the goddess asked in surprise.

  "Was that wrong?" I asked concerned.

  I was shocked breathless as Aphrodite lurched forward and grabbed my face in her hands. The kiss she planted on my lips left me lightheaded. Once she had finished kissing me into submission, she hugged my shoulders and rested her head on the side of my neck.

  "Please finish," she asked.

  I had to clear my throat a couple of times before I could speak but was finally able to finish my story. "Thankfully she didn't see me slam my head as I popped into the car,” I said in ending. This caused the goddess to bury her face in my neck and giggle for a moment before she could compose herself and speak while looking me in the eyes.

  "I should have taken more time explaining godly travel to you,” Aphrodite said annoyed with herself. “Wellington didn’t mention anything about our form of travel?" Aphrodite asked with a mixture of concern and humor.

  "No,” I replied flatly, "other than to mention that the shoes were spelled. I don't think he expected me to be leaving The Estate this evening."

  The elder nodded sagely with slight grin spreading across her lovely face. "The first thing you want to remember about stepping, as some of us call it, is that it truly is more mental than physical," Aphrodite said, suddenly taking on the mannerisms of a science teacher. With those words she disappeared from beside me and appeared sitting on her bed, only to vanish and appear standing in front of me. "You can envision not only the place you wish to transition to but your relation to that place," she schooled patiently.

  "So, place and posture?" I asked.

  "Place, posture, speed and movement,” she said with a devilish grin. As my eyes lifted from her cleavage to her eyes, she disappeared to reappear five feet away and two and half feet off the ground. As Aphrodite landed she executed a spin and jumped again. At the apex of her jump she disappeared and appeared beside me, once again sitting on the couch. Aphrodite giggled as her sudden appearance startled me.

  "Ok," I said, as I jumped slightly, "that is really cool! So, I can transition as fast as I can think?" I asked, my mind buzzing with possibilities.

  "Yes, and you can be executing any movement you can imagine as you transition," she finished.

  My face lit up as I imagined telling Belinde. "I can hardly wait to tell Belinde,” I said, immediately after thinking the words. “You did send word that I was going out didn't you?" I asked as an afterthought.

  "I did," the goddess replied. "She was quite unhappy that you left her behind. Actually, she threw a tantrum,” the elder finished with a disturbed look that left me suddenly concerned.

  "You didn't turn her into a monkey or a newt or anything, did you?"

  Aphrodite suddenly covered her mouth as she sparkled with spontaneous laughter. "Nothing of the sort,” she said, once she had regained control of herself. She began to color slightly as she spoke. "I kissed her," she admitted. She smiled as my mouth dropped open. "It was one hell of a kiss, I must say, even by my standards," she finished as she held out a hand while inspecting her manicure.

  "Is she ok?" I asked.

  Aphrodite raised an eyebrow and regarded me with a mischievous expression. "She is quite a talented lover, I must say,” Aphrodite commented. “You really should consider a dalliance with her." It was my turn to blush.

  "That's not what I meant,” I said.

  "I know, Declan." the goddess said, rolling her eyes. "Don't be such a prude. Other than a lingering urge to write me a few verses of poetry, she is quite well," Aphrodite said as she straightened a bit of lingerie that had ridden up to expose an exquisite thigh. "I left her sitting on her bed in a bit of a swoon," she finished proudly.

  My shoulders sagged in relief. I felt responsible for Belinde. She had been dragged into this whole affair because of me. My thoughts caught up with the present and I asked out loud. "What the heck is a dalliance? Is that like an affair?" I questioned.

  Aphrodite gave a small unladylike little snort of laughter before answering, "Yes Declan, I am referring to an affair."

  "You do remember that she's a succubus, right? What happens if I fall asleep afterwards? Who'll step up be the adjustor then?" The elder goddess broke down into full laughter and slumped against my shoulder as she jiggled away, laughing shamelessly.

  "Oh Declan," she said, still convulsing slightly from residual laughter, "your trusted retainer will bring you no harm." With that she rose, indicating that our meeting was at an end.

  I received a kiss on the forehead before leaving by the door. Once outside, I transitioned to my room. Egg was curled up on the floor in front of a fireplace I hadn't known existed. I nodded to the little dragon who had raised his head at my arrival. Crossing the room I pressed the panel Wellington had indicated was the door to the bathroom. Wow! These people knew how to put together a bathroom! I stared in wonder at the marble bathtub, the sink and mirrors and the matching toilet with bidet. I could easily throw a party in this bathroom; all I would need was a few chairs, a card table and some music.

  The far corner of the bathtub had a large overhead shower apparatus but no apparent curtain or doors surrounding it. I'd have to look into that later. For now, I wanted to soak away my crazy day in this prince of bathtubs. In moments, I had the drain closed and the proper temperature of water running at full blast to fill the massive tub. By the time I returned from hanging my suit in the closet, the tub was almost full. I chuckled briefly at the thought of trying to fill this tub with the pathetic water pressure at my old apar
tment. It would easily have taken an afternoon.

  I found a small grotto at one end of the tub that was practically form fitted to my body and stretched out to let the heat soak into my bones. After a few minutes my eyelids crept open and I started looking around the tub for soap, a back brush, anything a person might use to get clean but couldn't find a single item that fit the description. "Ok, that's odd,” I said out loud to myself. "How does a guy get clean?" The water in the tub began to swirl and froth around me. I felt every pore being scrubbed out, including the underside of my finger and toenails. 'Why fight it?' I thought and lowered my head beneath the churning water.

  As I came up for air, the water calmed and returned to the placid steaming pool it had been moments before. I noticed the temperature difference on my head immediately and reached a hand up to make sure I still had hair. I suddenly realized with a little shame that my scalp was just sensitive because every single pore had been scrubbed out, probably for the first time since birth. Most of us don't have magic bathtubs at home. I couldn't help but think of The Estate as a grownups Hogwarts. I felt very lucky and especially spoiled in that moment.

  Stepping out of the tub, I looked around for a towel and saw nothing. "Ok, how does a guy get dry?" I asked out loud. 'I should have expected this.' I said to myself as gusts of warm air patted and buffed me from all directions. When the wind died down I ran a hand over my arm and noticed it was dry. Checking my hair I noticed it was also dry, though it was sticking out it every direction. I went over to the sink to search for some type of hair product to calm my unruly mop yet found nothing but a single brush.

  The brush reminded me of a masculine version of the one I had delivered to a young lady this very evening. Oh well, it was all I had. Of course the moment I began running the brush through my hair, my hair became soft and compliant. I should have known that everything in the bathroom would be enchanted. Thankfully I didn't have to use the toilet, the very thought made me quite uncomfortable.

  Leaving my magical bathroom, I was about to check the closet for pajamas when I heard a knock at the door. I looked around but wasn't fortunate enough to find a robe hanging from a hook or bed post. Great, I was standing in my own bedroom trapped by my nakedness. "Who is it?" I called, hoping that it would be Wellington who answered.

  "It's me, Belinde," Belinde whined from outside my door.

  Grabbing a pillow from the bed to hold across my waist I approached the door. "Bel?" I asked in surprise. "What do you want? I just got out of the bath and I can't find a robe," I complained at the door.

  "Declan, I'm hungry," Belinde whined outside the bedroom door.

  "We just had a feast not two hours ago," I replied.

  "Not that kind of hungry," she whined.

  "Then forget about coming in! I'm sleepy!" I said, sincerely concerned as I started pacing back and forth in front of the door. "Bel, I had an amazing night and I don't know how much longer I can stay up!" I said, hoping Belinde would listen to reason.

  "I've had a pretty amazing night myself and believe me; I can keep you up as long as I want!" Bel snapped from outside the door.

  I had been carrying a torch for Belinde for over a year only to find out that if I was unlucky enough to fall asleep around her, I might never wake up again. Now I had to deal with the situation because if she really wanted in, I sincerely doubted that the bedroom door would be strong enough to keep her out. If I could send her away before I fell asleep, I stood a chance of surviving until morning.

  I opened the door, still holding the pillow across my waist. Belinda was leaning against the door jamb dressed in lingerie with her arms crossed under her ample bosom. She lifted her chin to indicate she was displeased with being held at bay outside my room. The effect was somewhat countered as she lowered her eyes to glance mischievously at the pillow I was holding over my groin. I felt like a lobster in a tank at an expensive restaurant. The girl of my dreams was standing outside my bedroom door and I was not reacting anything like I had in well over a hundred fantasies.

  I was awarded a stunning view of the lingerie that Bel was wearing under the diaphanous robe as it billowed outward when she stormed past me into the room. It had been hard enough seeing Belinde in that amazing gown but I knew I was doomed seeing her in lingerie that would make a Victoria’s Secret model jealous. Belinde turned to face me with her back to the secretary desk beside the bed, far too close to the bed for my liking. It wasn't like I was a prude or anything but it had been a long day. If anything happened between Bel and I, I'd be fast asleep in no time and she had already admitted to being hungry.

  "Why are you being such a chicken shit?" Belinde demanded.

  "Come on Bel, you already said that you were hungry! If I fall asleep and anything happens, who is going to do my job? They'll probably burn you at the stake or turn you into a newt or something," I said, trying to convince Belinde that eating me was a real no-no. "I'm protecting both of us!" I practically shouted in closing.

  Belinda let out a scandalized squeal and grabbed my pillow to swat me across the head with it. With her near vampire strength, I was glad she had chosen something soft. At least I was glad until I realized I was standing in front of her completely nude. In a desperate attempt to cover myself I grasped Bel's waist and lifted her up onto the secretary desk and moved in to block her view. Possibly not the best decision I could have made since she immediately wrapped her legs around my waist. I could feel the heat of her against my most sensitive parts. This wasn't going to end well.

  "Bel." I began, before being interrupted.

  "Declan, shut up. It doesn't work that way and I've taken an oath to protect you, even with my life," she pleaded.

  "Can you control yourself and not go too far?" I asked, expecting Belinde to admit the danger of our position.

  "Normally, no,” Belinde admitted. “That's why I've always had to trick men into forcing themselves on me." She exhaled a deep sigh, which I'll admit was wonderful to watch. "The more passion, the greater the risk I'll take too much," she finished. Then Belinde looked up and met my eyes with hope and expectation. "The goddess Aphrodite has assured me that the bond will keep us safe." Belinde blushed furiously as she mentioned the elder goddess.

  Aphrodite's words from earlier in the evening came back to me. Belinde timidly placed a hand on my chest. Her eyes were moist and for the first time I actually saw her vulnerable. I had wanted this more than anything I could imagine for what seemed like a lifetime. As I leaned forward I could feel her heat and moisture. Little puffs of breath came from Bel's nose and mouth to play about my chin and lips. The time it took for my body to travel the few inches separating our lips lasted a moment and a lifetime. The rotation of the planet must have slowed to a crawl, and separate molecules of hydrogen and oxygen were plinking against each other like billiard balls on a pool table. Finally our lips met with an electric spark of passion that should have ignited the furniture around us.

  Belinde was beginning to grind herself against me. I had felt heat and moisture before but now she was hot and passionately wet. I could no longer resist and began pushing against her. Bel let out a moan of pleasure as she felt my hardness pressing against the wet lingerie between us. Thrusting her tongue into my mouth, she reached down and tore her own panties away in a single motion. The sound of rending fabric seemed to ignite her passion further and she began frantically kissing me while grinding ever harder against me.

  I dug my fingers into Bel's hair, wrapping thick locks of her luxurious hair around my fisted fingers. She was starting to tilt her pelvis each time she ground herself against me. Penetration came unexpectedly and easily from ample moisture. Belinde arched her back forward and began to slowly tilt her pelvis, savoring the moment as she took me entirely into her. When I had finally entered her completely, she began a slow rocking back and forth rhythm, tilting as she came forward.

  A gentle yet primal purr began to release itself from deep within Belinde's chest. The sound was affecting me at a cell
ular level. I had never in my life felt so aroused, so vital, and so hungry for the passion of another. Pulling Bel tightly to my chest and forcing myself deep within her, I picked the diminutive little succubus up off the secretary desk and transferred her to the bed.

  Not a single moment passed where Bel's rocking, tilting rhythm of animalistic passion was interrupted. Now, with my weight upon her, she seemed to deepen her lustful yet controlled frenzy. The purr in Bel's chest had taken on the lusty overtones of a growl that spread to her throat. The sound itself was igniting an animal need within me that was truly a force of nature.

  I buried my face in Bel's cleavage and was rewarded by an intense feeling of softness and strength. A mingling of scents tickled my nose; jasmine, lavender, honey and something I really liked but couldn't quite identify. Without breaking our rhythm, I lowered a hand to Bel's waist and pulled the sash of her robe loose. The whisper thin fabric fell away exposing more of her tiny yet dramatically proportioned frame. Another more delicate sash revealed itself from under the robe and I pulled it loose as well. With the release of the thin layers of fabric, I was finally able to see all of Belinde's exquisite figure and it literally took my breath away.

  In the brief moment that I was shocked into inactivity, Belinde flipped me quite suddenly onto my back and straddled me. Her rocking, tilting and thrusting motion began anew with greater urgency and power. I was at Bel's mercy and I couldn't have pulled away from her even if I had wanted to. Making love to someone of near vampire strength was teaching me something. All of Bel's muscles were near vampire strength and I do mean all. The two of us were moaning openly now and I was amazed that neither of us had climaxed yet.

  "Can we come together?" Belinde asked breathlessly.

  "Yes," was my only reply. Not much of my brain was still functioning and even more of it shut down when Bel leaned forward and planted a savage kiss on my open mouth.

  I knew that I was close to a monumental orgasm as I felt Belinde’s lips begin to travel down my neck. Moments later I felt a slight prick at my neck and it was like a fuse had been lit. Belinde released my neck a second later and her back arched dramatically. A silent scream was on her lips as I suddenly exploded into her. Over and over again my body was rocked by wave after wave of ecstasy as I experienced the longest orgasm of my life.

  Belinda let out a loud moan of complete rapture and gripped my body with her thighs. She was slowly grinding against me once again, with slight shudders consistently breaking her rhythm. Finally she leaned forward and rested her ample bosom against my chest and sighed into my neck. I could feel Bel's perfect little nipples still hard and pressing into my chest. The feeling was welcome and stirred something within me. I made a motion to roll her over and kiss her but found I was completely devoid of strength. I couldn't even lift my head. "Bel, I think you went too far,” I said without concern, I felt far too satisfied to be concerned, "I think I'm dying."

  Belinde lifted her head and looked into my eyes. "Your heartbeat is strong. You'll survive," she said with a grin as she levered herself up from the bed. Selecting only the diaphanous robe from the remnants of her lingerie, Bel covered herself and slipped out my door.

  I was starting to nod off when just a few moments after leaving, Belinde returned with a tray of cheese, crackers and grapes. Pouring a small glass of wine from a small decanter on the tray, Belinde lifted my head and poured a few sips of wine into my mouth. "My god! That is delicious!" I exclaimed.

  Belinde placed a small wedge of cheese on a cracker and placed the morsel on my tongue. I began to chew greedily and as I finished one tasty snack Bel would be waiting with another. My little nymph seemed to take great pleasure in watching me enjoy each tasty morsel of food. I couldn't help but wonder if a moment could ever be more perfect.

  Together, Belinde and I snacked from the tray she had brought from the downstairs kitchen. It took a few moments for me to realize that my strength had returned. "You got this stuff from the pantry, didn't you?" I asked.

  "Of course," Belinde replied, "it works well, doesn't it?"

  "It's got to be enchanted," I reasoned. "All the food in that pantry must be. Hey! You bit me!" I exclaimed as one thought verbally interrupted another.

  Belinde looked at me with a shocked expression and replied, "I asked first." And with that, she tilted her chin up and away from me in a haughty fashion.

  "When?" I asked, knowing full well that I had missed something.

  "I did, when I asked if we could come together," she finished with a pouty display. Belinde knew she was busted.

  "Don't give me that! You little scoundrel," I snapped with a big smile completely destroying the gruffness I was trying to project. Belinde broke out into girlish laughter, her bosom bouncing joyously along to the cadence of her mirth. "How about, in the future, we just pretend that I don't know anything at all about vampires?"

  "Succubae," she interrupted to correct me.

  "Those too," I finished, with a stern look. "Ok?" I asked when she didn't answer right away.

  "Yeah, ok," she pouted. "I just got so worked up after the goddess kissed me tonight and I haven't fed for so long." She was beginning to look emotional.

  Like any normal guy, I started to panic the moment it looked like a woman might cry. "Why doesn't it seem like you really took any blood at all?" I asked before she could get weepy.

  "Oh, we don't need much. That's why our fangs are so much smaller." she gave me a winning smile and suddenly a delicate set of fangs slid down into the groove between her third and fourth teeth on each side. The fangs retracted as quickly as they had appeared and she said, "The blood is our bond to the energy. We take only enough blood to create that bond and we draw the energy out during orgasm."

  "Oh my God!" I exclaimed. "The legend is total crap or ass backwards! You don't feed while we sleep, it's while you're sleeping with us!" I was tempted to smack a palm off my forehead. Belinde was rolling back and forth on the bed with a grape between her teeth, giggling like a fool. "Chew that grape before you choke on it, smartass," I scolded.

  "Usually that legend works pretty damn well for us, you know, 'Oh we'll just have to keep you awake then,' or, 'I'll find some way to keep you up.' " Both of us were chuckling by that point.

  "How about, 'Believe me, I can keep you up as long as I want!' huh?" I said as we simultaneously burst out laughing.

  "You know I could have just carried you into the bathroom,” Belinde said, “and dumped you under the shower for a minute afterwards."

  "What?" I asked. "Water restores your victims?" Belinde slapped my shoulder slightly at this.

  "No, you twit. 'Victims'. Ugh!" she muttered before continuing. "The shower is connected to what they call ‘The Spring Eternal’. It's not just any water. I think it might be the Fountain of Youth. Anyway, all the baths and showers are connected to it in some way."

  That explained a lot. Between the food and the water, it was no wonder that Romeo and Wellington had been able to work for the elders for so long. "Well, why didn't you?" I asked, remembering just how weak I had been after her feeding. "Too played out after our sport?" I asked a little smugly.

  "No, I'm a lot stronger now than I was before I fed." She looked into my eyes and even though I deserved a little reproachfulness for my attitude, I saw only warmth. My heart went out to her at that moment. "I thought a snack would be nice and I didn't want to bruise your ego by carrying you,” she said with touching sincerity. “Thank you,” Belinde added softly.

  “For what?” I asked.

  “For not treating me like I was cheap, for making love to me and not just using me,” the tiny succubus said in vulnerable yet proud voice.

  "How about you save some of those grapes for later," I suggested, "or you could just carry me into the shower afterward, as long as you stay and wash my back," I finished with a wink.