"Nope. The idea of an hour in the car with fifty-three rats doesn't sound like my idea of fun." I swatted at his hand. "Don't start something you can't finish, big guy."
"Later." He leaned down and kissed me again, a wonderfully thorough job this time.
"Mmm. I'll keep that in mind." I pushed him back.
"It's up to sixty-seven rats now. They were supposed to be segregated in the lab but obviously somebody messed up." Penny carried in two crates. "Anyway, we've had some developments, so they are really crowded."
"I'll get the other crates." Jerry charged off down the hall. "Gloriana, you might want to air the place out while we're gone."
"Sure, after I get back from church." I got up to take my empty bottle to the kitchen.
"You're going to church?" Penny stopped in the open doorway.
"I told you I went. I thought I'd already proved to you that I'm not the fanged monster the comic books or movies portray, Penny. I pray, sing hymns, and there's a church that has night services. Maybe next Sunday, you can go with me." I went to the kitchen sink and rinsed out my bottle, then dumped it in the recycle bin.
"Yes, I'd like that. And it would make my folks feel good if I could tell them we go to church together." She glanced down at the rats. "If I didn't have to take these tonight, I'd go with you. Definitely."
"Fine, we'll do it. But the rats have to leave. I'll get started on your bedroom when I get back. Keep your window open now and the fan going. Spray air freshener." I smiled as Jerry came out bearing the last of the crates. "Anything else left in there rat-related?"
"Just some food and things that we'll stick in the car and take to the rescue people along with these creatures. Go ahead and take your shower." Jerry followed Penny to the door. "I'll get her settled in the car and come back up for one last load. Leave the bathroom door unlocked." He winked. "She can wait for a few minutes."
"Bad man." I smiled and strutted toward the bathroom. Why not? I had printed out a short list of places he could go to start work on that jealousy issue. So maybe a little advanced reward was in order.
I got the water temperature adjusted, jumped in and started shampooing my hair. I'd just done the second rinse when I felt a hand on my backside.
"Now who could that be?" I sighed as it stroked down to insinuate itself between my legs. "And such curious fingers." I gasped and leaned against the tile wall as he plunged first one, then two fingers inside me.
"Face the wall. Don't turn around. This is your lover, come to take his due." His voice was rough, not like him. But I forgot that as his body rubbed against me and I felt how hard and ready he was. His other hand snaked around me to grasp one of my breasts and he squeezed my nipple, a little too tightly.
"But I want to see-"
"No!" He pressed his cock into the crease of my buttocks and slid it up and down, up and down, the water making the passage slippery and entirely sensual. His fingers swirled inside me, finding that tender center that screamed for him to play with it, to press against it. He pinched it between his fingers, then released. Over and over again until I shook, my head falling to my chest.
"What do you want me to do?" I panted as I bent over and widened my legs, trying to bring him inside me, needing for him to fill me. But only his fingers worked me, teasing me and making me writhe against him.
"Open for me, wider." His other hand slid from my breast and he grabbed the showerhead, pulling the detachable piece loose and aiming it at my exposed center.
"Oh, my God. Oh, my God."
"Quiet." The harsh command made me bite my lip, but I jerked at the pressure of the water on my sensitive flesh and I was willing to do whatever he said as long as the pleasure lasted. This was Jerry's game and clearly he was making up the rules as we went along.
Jerry's game. I inhaled and reached a trembling hand for the shower gel as my knees wobbled. At the same time he released me to turn the knob on the showerhead to pulse, teasing me with the firmer stream until I screamed and jerked the hose from his hands. I whirled, the gel in my hands, and aimed for his eyes, squeezing the bottle as hard as I could.
"Son of a bitch!" He threw up his hands and fell back against the tile wall.
"Out!" I dropped the bottle to shove him away from me. "God! God! God! Get away from me!"
Lucifer grabbed a washcloth and wiped his red and streaming eyes. "Not a problem." He looked me over. "What was I thinking? Your kind doesn't belong in hell. He can have you." With that he vanished. A simple now you see him, now you don't.
I reached back and found the spigots, managing to turn off the water before I collapsed into the bottom of the tub. I leaned my head on my knees. The bathroom reeked of the expensive lavender gel I'd bought as a treat for myself at the mall. Not a problem that several dollars' worth decorated the tile wall and had gone down the drain. Not a problem that the Devil himself had touched me intimately and almost . . . I shuddered and knew my legs wouldn't support me if I tried to stand. My center still quivered and, if I'd dared touch myself, I knew I'd go off. I hated that, hated that I'd responded to that creep. I trembled, disgusted and nauseated.
I pushed my wet hair out of my eyes when I heard the bathroom door open.
"Glory, not finished already, are you, sweetheart?" Jerry pulled aside the shower curtain. "Why didn't you wait for me?"
I started sobbing and couldn't stop.
"Glory? What in God's name is wrong with you?" Jerry tried to pull me into his arms but I shook my head and pointed at the fogged up mirror.
Written in the steam was a smiley face and one letter-"L." I couldn't speak.
"Lucifer? By God, are you telling me Lucifer was in here?" Jerry crawled into the tub with me and wrapped his arms around me. "Did he . . . ?"
I shook my head. "He, he came up behind me." I felt Jerry's arms tighten around me. "But somehow I, I knew." I turned to look at him. "He didn't smell right." I leaned my face into Jerry's neck and breathed in his essence. "I've been with you so long. He could have made himself look like you, I guess. But your smell." I kissed the side of his neck, my shaking finally gone. "I stopped him before . . ."
"How?" Jerry brushed my wet hair back from my face. "This is the king of hell we're talking about. He's so powerful."
"Surprised him." I reached for that bottle of gel that lay next to the drain and capped it, carefully setting it on the rim of the tub. "He thought he had me. Stayed behind me so, so I couldn't see." I buried my face in Jerry's neck. "Take me out of here. Please?"
"What was I thinking?" Jerry stood, grabbed a towel to wrap me in, then carried me to the bed. There he piled blankets on top of me. "Better?"
"A little. Don't, don't leave me." I felt raw, vulnerable. No matter what Lucifer said, he could come back, decide to finish what he'd started. I didn't say it, tried to be brave about it. But Jerry sat on the side of the bed and kept one hand on mine.
"I won't." He pulled out his phone and I heard him tell Penny to come upstairs. Then she was there, staring at me from the doorway. He issued orders like the commander he'd once been, telling her to clear out the rest of the rat paraphernalia and drive his car to San Antonio. That the destination was already programmed into his GPS.
"But what's wrong with Glory?" Penny hadn't moved out of the doorway yet. I was aware of her, but didn't look at her directly. I couldn't seem to quit doing an instant replay of the shower scene. Why hadn't I known immediately that it wasn't Jerry behind me? I'd let it go too far. I should have . . . It was an endless tape of what ifs and if onlys that made me crazy.
"She slipped and fell in the bathtub. She'll be all right but I don't want to leave her alone right now. Just go. I'll take care of her." Jerry's voice was calm, but I knew him well enough to sense the rage he was barely holding inside. Apparently the idea that Lucifer had tried to rape me, and that's what I was calling it, made him as crazy as it was making me.
Moments passed as I counted spots on the ceiling and tried to make my mind blank. Didn't work of course. By the time I heard the hall door close and Jerry was back beside me, I had tears running down my cheeks again.
"Gloriana, love." He pulled me into his arms and held me close. His warmth soothed me and I knew I was safe. But for how long?
I opened my mind to him and let him see exactly what had happened. No secrets. He stiffened and bit back a curse, then laid me carefully on the bed.
"I'll be right back." He stood and pulled out his cell phone.
"Jerry, what are you going to do?"
"Don't worry, I'm not going to kill anyone." He took my hand while he used his thumb to page through his numbers, then hit speed dial for someone. "Get over here. Gloriana needs you." He was silent for a moment. "Her place." He ended the call.
I sat up. "Jerry, quit blocking your thoughts. I can't-" "I am only doing what you asked me to do. Putting aside my personal feelings and letting you have your life. I called a friend for you. Someone who can help." He sat beside me on the bed. His eyes were hot, his fists kept clenching and unclenching like he ached for a broadsword. Yet how could he fight the king of the Underworld? How could we?