Chapter Fifteen

There was a flash of black and we appeared on the bridge of Bodhi's ship. Bodies littered the floor.

I looked around in horror. "Oh, my God! What has she done?"

"Aphrodite put the entire crew to sleep, and we are in a war zone," Hothar rumbled.

Meow! Meow! Meow! Meow!

"The mess hall?"

Meow.

Poof. We appeared at the edge of a gigantic spider web. Yikes! The babies had been very busy.

Bodhi and three silk encased Askole warriors hung from the ceiling. From their muffled growls, they were beyond pissed.

Her eyes rolled back in her head; Aphrodite was glued to the food processor.

The babies were busy eating mealie bugs off the floor.

Chirruping loudly, Hitch scurried over to them.

I dug a smelling salt capsule out of a side pocket and broke it under Aphrodite's nose.

Her eyes popped open, and she started screaming.

"Be silent," Hothar roared.

Aphrodite fainted.

"You've got your scary face on," I said.

Hothar raised an eyebrow. "It does not frighten you."

"True, but I was raised around Coletti warriors, and she wasn't. Why don't you get Bodhi and his men down and I'll handle the suicidal twit."

"Deal." Hothar drew his weapon and fire. Laser beams zapped the silken threads attaching them to the ceiling.

Thump!

Thump!

Thump!

The growling got louder.

Aphrodite's frantic gaze locked on me. "I didn't know this would happen. I didn't. I didn't. I just wanted a pet. Please help me."

"Why should I? You stole the babies! Not only that but you made Uncle Saul and Zarek squawk like chickens."

"They were being assholes," Aphrodite spat.

I stared at her in disbelief. "You do realize you're a dead woman walking."

"But I'm pregnant!"

"Assaulting the Overlord is an automatic death sentence," Hothar stated coldly.

The color drained from Aphrodite's face. "My spell caused them no physical harm."

"They're squawking like chickens," I repeated.

Tears rolled down Aphrodite's face. "I tried to reverse the spell, but I can't remember all the words."

Vorian, Skye, Uncle Saul and Zarek teleported into the mess hall.

Holy hell, were they pissed.

"Cha-caw, bah-gawk. Cluck, buck caw," Uncle Saul bellowed.

The fury in Zarek's eyes had me stepping closer to Hothar.

Skye hurried over to Aphrodite. "What spell did you use?"

"I can't remember. I can't remember."

Carrying a metal canister, Tihar entered the mess hall and sprayed Bodhi and his men.

I was amazed at how fast the webbing melted away.

His tentacles squirming wildly, Bodhi jumped to his feet. "What have you done, female!"

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry," Aphrodite sobbed.

Enough was enough. If I was going to have any kind of honeymoon, this had to stop. I let out an ear-shattering whistle. "Shut the hell up!"

Everyone stared at me like I had lost my mind.

"Anyone with a penis needs to leave. Now."

"She is my mate," Bodhi protested.

I bared my teeth in a snarl. "I don't care. Get out."

On our private link, Hothar said, "I hope you have a good plan."

"Sorta. I'm winging it."

Hothar sighed.

That's when I noticed Uncle Saul, Vorian, and Zarek were staring at me in surprise.

"What?"

"They are admiring your fangs," Hothar answered.

Fangs? I touched my teeth. Sure enough, I had nice sharp ones. "That was fast."

"The General has been giving you his blood since you were eleven, I know Zarek has given you blood, and you have fed from me."

I frowned. "So, you saying I was already halfway to being converted?"

"Yes."

Uncle Saul's eyes narrowed, and he clucked at me.

"Get your mind out of the gutter. Today is the first time we had sex."

His clucks got louder.

I glared at Uncle Saul. "You want to talk about insulting? You had Shrek scan me to be sure I was still a virgin. Now, that was insulting."

Uncle Saul nodded and kissed my cheek.

"I'm still mad at you. You all need to leave. It's the only way to calm Aphrodite down."

Zarek, Vorian and Uncle Saul teleported away.

"Be quick." Tihar handed me the canister, grabbed Bodhi and zoomed away.

Hothar seized the two Askole warriors and teleported them away.

I sprayed Aphrodite with the baby Pam.

She collapsed to the floor. "I don't want to die. I don't want to die."

Hitch hissed at Aphrodite.

"Why did you take the babies?"

"They're so cute, and I've always wanted a pet."

I rolled my eyes. "How would you feel if Hitch took your baby away from you?"

"I would kill him."

"Hitch also wants you dead."

"He can't hurt me," Aphrodite shot back.

I rubbed my aching forehead. "Hitch's venom is deadly. The only reason you're still breathing is because you're pregnant. Apologize. Now!"

"I'm so sorry Hitch. This curse kicks up at the worst times and I can't control my actions. I do horrible things."

Skye snorted. "Ya think?"

I dug a treasured chocolate bar out of a side pocket and gave it to Aphrodite. "While you're eating Cerreta's best, concentrate on the spell you cast on Uncle Saul and Zarek."

"I'll try."

"You will do more than try," Skye snapped.

Aphrodite finished the chocolate. "I know it had ono maelus remme engoo in it."

"That's a start."

While they figured the spell out, I sprayed baby Pam on all the webbing. Within ten minutes, the mess hall was back to normal.

"Casey! We've got it," Skye called.

God, I hoped so. Zarek was beyond pissed. I linked with Hothar. "Skye thinks she has the reversal spell."

"Good." Twenty seconds later, Vorian, Hothar, Uncle Saul and Zarek appeared.

"It won't happen again. It won't happen again," Aphrodite babbled nervously.

Vorian's scary index shot off the charts. "You are right. It will not." He clamped a silver bracelet inscribed with strange symbols on Aphrodite's left wrist.

"What are you doing?" The color drained from Aphrodite's face. "My magic is gone!"

Skye shook her head. "Not gone, nullified."

"No! You can't do that."

Without an ounce of pity, Vorian replied, "We can, and we have. You are a menace."

Sobbing hysterically, Aphrodite collapsed to the floor.

"I have the reversal spell," Skye stated. "Are you ready?"

Uncle Saul clucked.

Zarek nodded.

"Ono maelus remme engoo aliud est sepulcrom," Skye shouted.

The air shimmered around them.

"Did it work?" I was dying to know.

"Yes." Uncle Saul smiled. "It did."

"Great!" I grabbed Hothar's hand. "We're leaving on our honeymoon. Do not contact us for the next two week."

Uncle Saul's eyebrows rose. "And Hitch and the babies?"

"Are coming with us." They were too cute to leave unguarded.

Hothar held out his left arm. "Come children." The babies swarmed up his arm.

Zarek's feral gaze settled on Aphrodite. "We need to talk."

"Let's go Hothar."

There was a flash of black and we were back on his Talon fighter. Hothar quickly typed coordinates into the navigation console.

Meow. Meow. Meow.

"Will two bowls of mealie bugs be enough?"

Meow.

"Good. Hothar and I are going to be in the sleeping quarters. Under no circumstance are you or the kids to come into the room. We will be kissing and stuff."

Hitch made a noise like a cat hacking up a hairball.

"I want your word."

Meow.

I gave Hothar a come-hither smile. "We have one hundred more sex acts to try out, my love."

Hothar scooped me up. First, he kissed the tip of my nose, then my eyes before taking possession of my mouth.

Kaff kaff.

God, I loved my crazy-ass life.

THE END