Accidentally in Love with…a God?(Accidentally Yours #1)(34)
Author: Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

After several minutes, the house fell silent. When he emerged, there was no sign of Cimil, and the remaining live Uchben were gone, too.

“I unwrapped Emma,” Tommaso explained, “but when she came around, she started screaming at the sight of all the blood. So I took her up here, to the only untouched room in the house.” His tone turned apologetic. “I swear, I was only comforting her, and maybe using her to keep from falling over. Cimil’s touch packs quite a punch.”

“Not really,” Emma said.

“What do you mean?” Guy asked.

“When she came into my room,” Emma elaborated, “she tried to do that thing to me. You know—that feels like being hit with a stun gun. But nothing.”

Guy was fascinated. “It didn’t affect you?”

Emma shook her head no. “Not at first. Cimil looked kind of confused. Anyhow, she did it again later, and it hurt a little, but she didn’t knock me out. In fact, I was able to shake it off completely after a minute.”

Guy stared at her, unable to make any conclusion.

“Guy?” Emma asked. “What am I? Please, you have to tell me.”

“I’ll give you two a minute,” Tommaso stood to leave.

“Tommaso,” Guy said with short tone. “Gather up weapons and supplies; we’re leaving for the compound. The Maaskab will be back soon for their unclaimed prize.” Guy looked at Emma: the prize.

Tommaso nodded and left the room without glancing once at Emma, but she watched him until he was out of view.

Irritated by this, Guy pointed to the couch. “Sit.”

“Thanks, but I’d rather stand.”

Of course she would. She hated being given orders. Stubborn little thing. “I meant—please, sit down. I have much to say, my sweet.”

Chapter TWENTY-TWO

I was dumbfounded as I searched in Guy’s stunningly surreal turquoise eyes for an answer. Why had he kissed me? Of all the absurd things. We were surrounded by death, yet he felt that was the appropriate response? That, and acting like a dog fighting over a bone? Obviously, I was the bone in this analogy.

In any case, his reaction to the hug was so over the top. Tommaso was preventing me from wandering off the edge of sanity. I didn’t know how to deal with the shock of what I’d just seen: flying knives, guns going off, and blood, limbs, and other body parts exploding. All the while, I was tangled in that net, which was draining the energy from my body. I was alert, still able to move, yet I could barely gather the strength to scratch my nose. I just laid there like a wet noodle until Tommaso pulled me into the closet.

The next thing I remembered was Tommaso holding me, acting as psychiatric glue—the extra-strong, anti-meltdown kind—and then Guy showed up armed to the hilt, doing his impression of Conan the Barbarian on steroids. Only, he was dressed in a dark gray commando outfit, complete with black leather boots, military style cargo pants, and a dark gray, tight fitting t-shirt. Could Guy possibly look more menacing at a worse time? It was the exact opposite of what I needed to see…more ferocious, scary men. He even smelled angry, like a smoldering, chocolaty campfire. Okay, maybe that part wasn’t so bad. Who doesn’t love dessert-scented campfires?

Sadly, I should have been infuriated by his misogynist display of insensitivity, but now, now he was staring at me with his docile eyes, his straight, black brows shrugged worriedly together. And what was I thinking of all ludicrous things? After days of fantasizing what I’d say to him or do to his neck—like breaking it—I was thinking about how angry I was because he’d left me alone to face the monsters. I felt relieved to see him again. I needed him. I’d never believed in the Boogieman until today, and lucky me, there wasn’t just one, there were fifty. And bonus! They all shopped at the same Boogieman-Outlet so they could coordinate their scary costumes. Just thinking about those dreads or crusty muddy bodies dressed in loincloths…yack!

But being with Guy somehow made it all better. Like being home. “Well? Tell me?” I prodded.

“I—uh.” He turned away and scratched the black stubble on his jaw.

“Oh, for crying out loud.” I sat on the edge of the leather couch and waited as Guy paced the length of the room.

“I supposed I owe you an explanation—”

“Or two,” I added.

He frowned. “But we don’t have much time.”

“Exactly, so spit it out.”

“Right. You remember the story I used to tell you about the evil king who stole the young maidens, and then they were rescued by a handsome prince?”

I nodded, fearing where this conversation was heading.

“Well,” he continued, “that’s not this story.”

“Shocker.”

He pulled the thick black braid from the back of his head and began nervously twiddling the end. “This one doesn’t have a happy ending for everyone, and the good guys might not win. And the young maidens, well, most of them die.”

Was he really doing this to me? Trying to explain this lethal situation in the context of a fairytale? “Enough! Just tell me!” I exploded. “What the ever-loving-hell is going on? Who the hell are you? And where the hell were you?”

He continued pacing, shaking his head from side to side. “Hell, woman, that’s a lot of hells.”

I stood up and blocked him from pacing, planting my palms flat on his chest. I quickly snapped them away. Touching him felt like shoving a fork into an electrical socket.

“Yes,” I answered with a forced calm. “And you can go there if you don’t start giving me answers.”

“The bond.” His eyes drifted off momentarily. “You and I are bonded.”

“Bonded? Thanks, that just made as much sense as an inflatable dartboard.” Yes, those really exist.

“It means…we are connected and you are under my protection,” he elaborated.

For once, I finally understood why I needed protection, but…“How did we get ‘bonded’?” I asked.

“You inherited it from your grandmother. We met in 1940. She was just a child, but I bound myself to her light. It followed her lineage.”

“Why her?”

“She was special. I thought it would protect her. It didn’t.”

This conversation was moving way slower than I liked and my patience was over. “Guy, Votan—whoever you are…”

Anger flickered across his face. “Who gave you my old name?”