I say nothing. I try to reconcile the laughing, teasing god in front of me who just waved my vibrator to make me laugh with the one he is telling me about, the one who withholds magical wolf-skins if people don't do his bidding.
"I am telling you this, Carly," Kassam says softly, "because I could force you. I could lay you down on this bed and use everything in my power to coax you to stay at my side. I could use my tongue and my cock to make you beg for anything and everything. But I will not. I welcome your refusals, and your challenges, and your questions, because you are my wife and my partner. We are friends. I am sharing the foul things I have done as a god, because I have forced others to my will, but I am not forcing you, and I want you to know the difference."
I nod. It's something that has occurred to me as well. For all that he thinks he is “helpless” here, he still has some degree of magic. The vines outside my window and the clusters of birds that follow us everywhere attest to that. "I'm very aware of the power disparity between us, trust me. But…thank you. Sometimes it's good to have it pointed out." I hesitate for a moment, and then continue on, since we're laying it all on the table. "I'm a little worried about Seth and his motives."
"Who isn't?" The look he gives me is wry. "But we cannot control his actions. It makes no sense to stress over them. If he is going to use this opportunity to attack us, there are easier ways to go about it. We can only control our own actions, Carly."
"Some of us can't even do that," I mutter, and gesture at myself.
Kassam throws his head back and laughs, all delightful, smiling god once more, and I have to admit, seeing him smile like that makes me feel better. Somehow it helps to hear that he's just as wary as I am. That yeah, we don't trust Seth, but screw it, we're doing this anyhow. The god rubs my arm, and then his expression turns from playful to aroused once more. "Do you want to fuck before Seth arrives? One last fling before we cross over? It could relax you."
Typical man to offer that. I give him an apologetic look. "No, but if you're offering a hug, I won't turn it down."
To my surprise, he spreads his arms wide, inviting me in. Kinda feels like a trap, like the moment I get closer, I'm going to find a hand on the back of my head, urging me downward into a blow job, but I go in for the hug anyhow. I'm delighted when he wraps his arms around me and hugs me tight. Just hugs me.
He keeps on hugging me, too, one hand rubbing slowly up and down my back as I cuddle against him. It feels amazing. Other than my mother, I can't remember the last time someone hugged me. Just hugged me to share affection, nothing more. He rests his chin atop my head and just holds me, for as long as I need it. And as Kassam hugs me, I keep waiting for him to turn it into something more, but he never does.
For that, I'm incredibly grateful and pleased. It was nice of him to make this all about me and my needs. When I pull away, I give him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you for being sweet. The hug really did help."
Kassam touches his cheek, thoughtful. He looks surprised at my kiss, as if it was the last thing he was expecting. It's nice to surprise an immortal. Makes you feel powerful as hell. I'll have to surprise him again sometime, I decide.
If I ever get a chance.
25
I get the first inkling that things are going to be a problem tonight when Seth shows up to my apartment with a blind date.
"Shall we go?" Seth asks, his arm around a stranger's shoulders. The woman looks younger than me, maybe early twenties. She's shy looking, an awkward expression on her face, and wears a retro floral swing dress that she looks deeply uncomfortable in. Her hands clutch a tiny matching purse and her cheeks are flushed as she glances shyly up at Seth, who is wearing a button-down shirt and jeans. Today, when he smiles, his teeth aren't sharp.
I smell a trap. I eye the woman. "Hi, I'm Carly. You are—"
"My companion," Seth says smoothly, squeezing the woman's shoulders. "Again, shall we go? The best window for our project is soon, and we don't want to be late."
“Project,” huh? I glance over at Kassam, who hauls my enormous backpack off the couch (I might have overpacked, but whatever) and slings it over one brawny shoulder.
"I'm Margo," the girl says. She blinks at Kassam for a long, hard moment and then focuses on my jeans and hiking boots. Then, she looks back at Seth. "Is this an activity date? I didn't realize."
"Date?" I echo. A fucking date? I look over at Seth, narrowing my eyes. "So does she realize where we're going?"
"To a park," Seth says, glaring daggers at me. That ominous sensation returns, the one of danger, and I know it's coming from Seth. As he glares at me, his pupils flash red, as if he's warning me off. "Do you have a problem with me bringing a date? I thought the intention was to double. You and him, and me and her."
My mouth opens and then snaps shut again. I look over at Kassam helplessly, but he just watches me, clearly not seeing the problem here. I turn back to Margo—pretty, awkward Margo who looks both trapped at Seth's side and flushed with excitement. "Can I ask how you two met?"
"Tinder," she says sweetly. "This is our first date."
I shoot a look at Seth. Did this asshole really pick up a stranger on a dating service just so he could have an anchor in the other world? Does this woman have any idea of what she is getting into? As she gives me a cheery smile, I realize no, she has no fucking clue. This is a problem. This is a big, big problem. I grab Kassam by the front of his shirt and haul him away from the door.
He chuckles at my impatience. "Did you decide you wished a quick orgasm before we leave after all?"
"No!" I hiss, ignoring the tendril of lust that flirts with my pulse. "I have a problem with this situation."
Kassam looks confused. "With what?"
I want to grab him and shake him. Instead, I pull him closer, dragging him toward the doorway to my bedroom. "He can't show up here with a blind date. She has no idea he's a god, and I'd bet ten bucks that she has no idea tonight is about crossing over into the other world. And I have a serious problem with that."
"But she is his problem," Kassam counters. When I put my hands on my hips, he sighs heavily. "Fine. I shall speak with him before we get started." He lifts his head and gestures at the other god. "A word, Seth."
Seth's sharp features are all annoyance as he strides over to join us. "Time is of the essence here, you two. Can we get moving? Lachesis is waiting to meet us and she's not going to sit around all night."
I look over at Kassam, pleading. I can't go along with this unless we're all on the same page.
"My Carly has issue with your anchor," Kassam says. "Have you bonded to her yet?"
The trickster god crosses his arms over his chest. He smiles, but I suspect it's more for Margo's benefit than mine, because the look he's giving me is full of daggers. "A human bond isn't required for me to be in this realm," Seth whispers. "She's my fallback. If I have to bond with someone in your world, she'll be my solution. If not, well, then she's extraneous." He shrugs. "So what's the problem?"