Page 54 of The Last Slayer
“High.”
Well, that stood to reason. If I were a frigid male demigod who was being maneuvered into bedding the Goddess of Kinky Sex in order to obtain one enemy mortal’s head, I probably wouldn’t kick too much. “She’s still our only way into the Mystic Forest, right?”
“Unfortunately. But it’s not her style to attack overtly. She games to amuse herself, so if you can play your part right, you may come out ahead.”
I grimaced. Diplomacy and whatnot weren’t my strong points. What did I know about Nahemah other than what Ramiel had just revealed? Nothing except what I’d read in the ancient texts. They said little about the demigoddess except for her lust for power, mortal slavery and degenerate sex. She liked it really kinky—even with animals.
Very little to go on when I faced her.
“Do you know anything that might help me make a deal with her?” I asked.
“Do not agree to her first offer. Nor to her second. The more innocent the offer seems, the warier you should be.” He looked over. “She never makes a losing bargain.”
Lovely.
The amphiteres navigated into the now starry night, into which the moon had recently made its appearance. We didn’t have much time. I had no idea how long it would take to negotiate with Nahemah.
I thought about Jack. He’d probably gotten my note by now. I’d promised to bring Valerie back, and I’d never broken my word to him. Even knowing that he could slip into divination that could mess with my head, I wanted to seek his guidance. He wasn’t the kind of father who kissed your owwie and made it better, but his advice, especially in non-diviner moments, had always been good. And—if I was honest with myself—a comfort. Surely he could offer something to ground me in the surreal situation I was in.
Finally a floating dragonhold came into view. Its sheer beauty took my breath away.
Unlike Besade and its sturdy Gothic castle, the Lunar Garden had ornate free-standing Corinthian columns. Some of their tops had been artistically “ruined,” but nothing that had really been destroyed could look that good. A river of silver moonbeams coiled around and through dark green foliage, finally turning into cascading falls near the entrance to the Garden. Sex and the moon permeated the air with an intoxicating combination. According to the texts, it was one that mellowed minds and enchanted hearts the way a well-aged brandy affected sommeliers and alcoholics alike. It certainly had that effect on me. My worries began receding, and a languid peace descended on me. It was an effort to stay focused on the job at hand: saving Valerie.
Our amphiteres landed in a clearing between the entrance and the moonbeam falls. Night insects chirped in chorus, toads adding a base counterpoint to the nocturne. Our feet touched soft grass and the amphiteres departed. I looked around. There was no sign of dragons, not even a small one like Toshi. Ramiel and I walked toward the gates.
A young woman stepped out of the darkness from our right, and almost made me jump and reach for my sword. She was stunning, her dark olive skin flawless against the red of her hair. It was cut short, about half an inch below her ears. She didn’t seem concerned about her complete nudity.
I might not have been either, if I’d looked like her.
Her gaze skimmed over both of us until it rested on Ramiel. “What a surprise. Lord Ramiel.”
“Take us to your mistress,” he said.
The woman pointed at me. “Who is she?”
Mortals don’t rank high among the supernaturals, but that was just rude. “She is Ashera del Cid,” I said, taking a step forward before Ramiel could answer. “Now will you announce us to Nahemah?”
She looked me up and down with languid disdain. “Mistress is no longer accepting new liliths.”
“Works out pretty well, since I’m not looking to become one of her slaves.”
“Enough,” Ramiel said before she could respond. “Announce us to your mistress or we shall go in ourselves.”
She stared at us, giving us her flawless beauty. I guess it worked on others, but Ramiel and I met her eyes without blinking. Finally, she bowed to Ramiel, pointedly ignoring me. “Allow me to make your presence known.” She disappeared through the entrance.
We didn’t have to wait long before a tall graceful woman in a translucent robe came walking toward us. With each of her steps, she exuded a timeless decadence and hedonism, the kind that the Persian and Ottoman Empires, the Sun King and old Hollywood had tried in vain to imitate and possess. Her long curls held no color except black. It was as if someone had spun the night sky into strands of silk and graced her head with them. She held five satin leashes in her left hand. Three naked men crawled on their hands and knees, while two Dobermans trotted beside them. Fresh lash marks crisscrossed one of the men’s otherwise flawless skin. My stomach turned over, and not entirely from revulsion. A small part of me was mesmerized by the display, and I hoped nobody noticed my sordid fascination with the slaves.
The men were all young and movie-star handsome. They had no reason to humiliate themselves like this. Perhaps they considered it an honor. Their looks of utter worship as they gazed up at Nahemah made my skin hot. I didn’t know what to make of my reaction. Whips and chains weren’t my thing…or so I’d thought all these years.
Nahemah’s rosy lips curved into a smile, her sapphire eyes amused as they rested on us. “Lord Ramiel. Showing up unexpectedly…and without an invitation! You do like to play dangerously, don’t you? Well, never mind. I’ve been waiting for you…and the daughter of Leh as well, of course. Ashera, isn’t it?”
“You know who I am?” I said.
“Why would Ramiel come here to seek my help finding the last slayer if it weren’t for you? Everyone knows about the vow he made and how much he hates me.” She glanced toward Ramiel, and her voice took on a just-us-girls tone. “It’s such bad form to hold a grudge over a trivial matter that happened more than four hundred years ago. But what can one do?”
“Thank you for your kind welcome, Nahemah,” Ramiel said, his voice flat.
She extended a slim alabaster hand, and he brushed a kiss across the marble-smooth skin. Her smile widened.
