“Not really. You need a better bed.”
“Whiner.”
A New York Yankees baseball hat obscured Skuld’s face, but Didi knew she smiled. She was the Veiled One, but apparently she got real tired of those things and had moved onto hats, hooded sweatshirts, whatever. Some days she looked like the Unabomber.
“I’m assuming there’s a reason you’re here.”
“Yes.”
Skuld leaned her back against the headboard of Didi’s bed and crossed her long legs at the ankles.
Sighing, Didi walked closer to the bed. “And I’m sure you’ll tell me what it is before I turn fifty.”
“And that’s right around the corner, isn’t it?”
Officially pissed, Didi glared at the goddess. “It is not!” She still had six years to go before that hell on earth started.
“What is it? Why are you here? Besides your desire to go through my porn collection.”
“And a very extensive collection you have too.”
“Skuld.”
The goddess laughed. “Okay. Okay. I’m here because of you.”
“You are?”
“Aren’t I?”
Didi shrugged. “I thought about calling to you, but I figured you’d ignore me…it wouldn’t be the first time my pleas went unanswered.”
“True, but this time is different, isn’t it?”
“I’ve spoken to all the Clan leaders. They know I’m retiring.”
“But?”
“But, they keep asking who will replace me. I’d like to be able to give them an answer.”
“It’s good to want things, Daughter.”
Didi sighed in exasperation. “Is there a problem you have with Neecy I’m not aware of?”
“Her guilt bores me.”
“Why? Because she cares about what she did in the past? Because she cares about making it right?” Didi shook her head. “I don’t understand you some times. You’ll never find anyone more loyal to you. She takes her commitment to you more seriously then I ever did.”
The goddess pushed her baseball cap back on her head a bit, allowing Didi to see her face. Wow. She was gorgeous. Didi always forgot that.
“I know. But I don’t need a slave. I need a leader. A battle chief, in fact.”
“Neecy’s the best warrior you have and we both know it. She’s willing to sacrifice everything to serve you and the Gathering.”
“I know. I know. Still…I need to see she can do this. I need it proven to me.”
Didi’s body tensed as she realized something. “You sent the Hunters after us.”
“Of course I didn’t!”
“But you didn’t cloak the Crows, did you?”
Skuld eased off Didi’s bed. A tall and overwhelming female, Skuld once rode with the Original Seven. As tempted as she may be to start some shit with the goddess, Didi knew better.
“No. I didn’t cloak them.”
“You’ve put us all at risk for Neecy’s Trial?”
“I no longer need a politician Didi. That’s what you are and a damn good one.
During peace time, there’s no one else I’d consider to lead the Jersey Crows. But things are about to change. And the Gathering must change with it. I need to know she can handle it. I need to know she’ll help my Daughters survive.”
So angry she could barely see straight, Didi clenched her hands into tight fists.
Skuld walked up to her and leaned down until their faces were barely a few inches apart. “Tell her what’s going on, Didi…and I’ll make sure all of you regret it.”
“But…”
“No. You keep your mouth shut. This is Neecy’s Trial. You interfere, and as much as I love you, I’ll squash you like a gnat. Understand?”
Didi’s eyes narrowed, but before she could say anything, Skuld had her hand around her throat and lifted her off the floor. The goddess stood to her full height, which meant Didi’s drop to the floor would be quite lengthy.
“Understand?” she asked again.
Gritting her teeth against her anger, Didi spit out, “Yes.”
“Good.” Skuld dropped her to the ground. Didi stumbled back, her ass almost hitting the floor, but she didn’t want to give the cranky bitch goddess the satisfaction of seeing her sprawled out on the hard wood.
“Now,” Skuld said with a smile. “I’m off.” She held up the Penthouse Forum.
“Mind if I take this?”
Chapter Fourteen
The week was fuckin’ endless. Every day that passed, Neecy’s stomach knotted up more and more. She hadn’t seen Yager since their all-‐Sunday marathon. He’d fucked her witless than put her in a cab and sent her home. “You’ve got school tomorrow, and if you stay I won’t let you sleep.”
Considerate motherfucker.
All this time she thought nice guys were dull, predictable…ordinary. Yager was anything but dull, predictable, or ordinary. Still, he was definitely the nicest guy she’d ever met.
In just a few hours, she’d be catching the Long Island Railroad out to some place called Westbury where she’d meet Yager who’d then take her to his house in Old Westbury—ugh! She hated leaving the City but if she wanted to get laid, she had no choice.
Neecy piled all her term paper outlines together, shoved them into her desk drawer, and locked it.
She hadn’t met up with Yager since that Sunday and to say she was a horny mess truly was an understatement. Every cell of her body demanded his attention.
For a week she’d gone to school during the day and hunted at night. She never saw Yager. If any Ravens showed up—and they always did at some point—they came without him. But every night, as soon as she’d fallen into bed for a few hours sleep her phone would ring.
“You okay?” that deep voice of his would ask her as soon as she picked up.
“Yeah,” she’d respond.
“I miss you. I can’t wait to be back inside you.”
And Neecy’s eyes would slide shut and her whole body would throb desperately.
“Talk to you later, baby.” Then he’d hang up. No phone sex. No invite over.
Nothing to help alleviate the almost painful ache between her legs. She knew what he was doing, too…ensuring her presence Friday night.
The bitch of it was…she was going to make sure her ass was on that train tonight.
How did she let this happen? How did she let this man get to her? But she did and she had no one to blame but herself.
The only thing she could say with any pride was that at least she hadn’t lost her edge in battle. If anything, she was a damn bitch meaner. Apparently abstinence really honed those fighting skills.
She couldn’t keep going on like this, though. Her crew had started to give her quite the wide berth lately. Especially Arri. Her and her damn color reading.
Arri would take one look at her in the morning and practically run the other way. Actually, just that morning she did run. Like the wind. She didn’t know the girl could move that fast. But the previous night had been particularly rough.
She dreamed about Yager all night with absolutely no relief.
This weekend, though, she and Yager would get a few things straight…after she fucked the living hell out of the man, of course. Once she did that…she’d settle whatever it was between them. Yager needed to accept the fact that she could never be what he wanted. No matter how much she may want to give in.
Sighing, Neecy stood up and grabbed her jacket. The phone on her desk rang and she picked it up.
“Doctor Lawrence.”
“Hey, Doctor Lawrence.”
She hated the smile that spread across her face at the sound of his voice. “Hi.”
Christ, even her voice changed when she realized it was him. Lower. Huskier.