Sun God Seeks…Surrogate? (Accidentally Yours #3)(19)
Author: Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

Helena stood behind him with one fist parked on her hip. Her golden spirals were piled into a ponytail atop her head, and ribbons of black swirled in her bright blue eyes.

She was pissed.

And considering she was wife to the most powerful and feared ex-vampire ever to exist—Niccolo DiConti—meant she was one tough cookie. Thank goodness Niccolo and Helena were good friends of his.

Kinich stood and beamed at his prize, Penelope. “My clothes are resting comfortably back in my hotel room. As for her, I was merely going to bathe her. Then perhaps rub her down with scented oils.”

“Oh no you won’t. I’m not letting you take advantage of some poor unconscious girl. Not in my house,” she scolded.

Kinich grumbled. “She is far from being a ‘girl,’ and I was planning to behave like a perfect gentlemen.”

Sorta.

Helena wagged her finger. “Uh-uh. Unless she’s written a note specifying you as her official spokesperson or personal bather, you’re not touching her. What the hell happened, anyway? Is she hurt? She’d better not be.”

“She was attacked, but is uninjured. I thought she could do with some rest so I voiced her. Should wear off in about an hour. Or twenty. I’m not sure; I was a bit distracted.”

“I don’t like the sound of this. Attacked by whom?”

Kinich didn’t wish to see Helena’s face when he spoke the words, so he focused on the ceiling instead. “A Maaskab.”

“Oh shit!” Helena cupped her hands over her mouth and then whispered, “ Maaskab? Here in New York?”

Kinich nodded.

“Does Niccolo know?”

“Not yet,” he replied. “I planned to call after I tend to Penelope, a task I am greatly looking forward to. So if you do not mind—”

“Oh no no, señor! I’ll take over from here. You go call the General. This minute!”

Helena grabbed Kinich’s arm and urged him toward the door. “Use the phone in the study. Dial pound three.”

“But—”

“Stop acting like someone took your favorite new car, you big baby.”

But that’s exactly how he felt. He growled, “Okay. But, no biting.”

“Out! I can handle her myself!”

About one year ago, Helena, who’d been told by Cimil she was going to die saving Niccolo, cheated death by becoming a vampire. And for an added fun twist, Niccolo had been unknowingly turned from a vampire into a demigod—compliments of Cimil. They now had a baby girl, little Matty, who was half vampire.

He shook his head. Soon we’re going to need a species scoreboard to keep track of this mess.

Especially since Cimil seemed to delight in turning people’s lives upside down. Her guise of “Hey! Just keeping the wheels on the universe’s bus,” really meant…I’m so bored! Let me entertain myself by watching some poor souls jump through hoop after hoop, only to find their darkest fears become reality. And if they don’t play nice, I’ll turn them into an insect with irritable bowel syndrome.

Sure, it was fun to watch when Cimil’s victim was some vile filth and phlegm of humanity—a ra**st or thug—but sometimes she went too far to prove a point. It was only a matter of time before the universe invoked another law of balance: karma. Payback would be a substantial bitch for someone like Cimil.

Helena’s hissing snapped him back from his vengeful thoughts. “Just because you don’t know the meaning of restraint, doesn’t mean I don’t. Besides, I only like nibbling on my hubby, Niccolo.” She licked her lips. “But if you don’t do as I say, I could be persuaded to try a new flavor. You’d be surprised how hungry I get on this new blood-only diet”—she stepped forward parting her lips—“and I bet a full-fledged god tastes pretty damn good.”

Kinich backed away toward the door. “I am told my blood is very spicy. Fire hot, actually. You would not enjoy it.” He regarded Penelope once again, taking in her beauty. “I leave her in your care, but if a hair on her head is—”

“You really like her, don’t you?” Helena’s jaw dropped.

Frankly, he wasn’t sure what he felt. It was all very…foreign.

“I’m a god,” he replied. “We’re hardwired to care for humans.”

“Sure. Right. I saw that look.” Helena shut the bedroom door in his face.

Sulking, Kinich marched into Niccolo’s office and picked up the phone.

General Niccolo answered immediately, “Hi, my sweet. Are you missing me? Because I’m missing not only you, but those silky, soft thighs, too.”

Kinich cleared his throat. “Wow. I’m flattered, but I assure you my thighs are neither silky, nor soft. They are, however, firm, muscular, and untouched by male hands. I intend to keep them that way.”

“Who the f**k is this?” said Niccolo.

“Nick. And before you say any shit you might regret, your wife made me call you.”

“What the f**k for?” Niccolo responded.

“Maaskab attacked my woman,” Nick said, and then rebuked himself instantly. Why the hell had he called Penelope “his woman”?

“A Maaskab? You sure? Wait…You have a woman? Is the end of the world here already?” Niccolo responded.

“Fuck you, Vampire. And yes, I’m sure it was a Scab. I don’t make mistakes, unlike you,” Kinich fired back.

“I’m no longer a vampire, you f**k. And I’d be damned careful with that tone of yours,” Niccolo warned.

“I’m pissing myself, Demigod.” He chuckled. He loved taunting Niccolo and could normally go on for days, but the situation was serious. “I need to find out why they are after her.”

“Can’t help. I’m here with your Uchben, training them on the subtle yet exhilarating art of decapitating sifting Scabs and Obscuros.”

That was the reason he’d wanted to talk to Niccolo in the first place. Normally, Kinich would call on the gods’ human army (and all-around eyes and ears), the Uchben, for this sort of work. But Cimil had recently advised everyone that the kickoff for the Great War grew near. If their side did not win, it would mean the end of civilization as they knew it. The apocalypse.

“Yes. I’m aware the Uchben are occupied. That’s why I’m calling you. I need you to send someone to track down a Maaskab and bring him to me. I will torture the truth from him.”

Niccolo made a deep rumbling sound. “What happened to the one that attacked her?”