Chapter 21
Blair
Before I found my way back to my glorious broom closet, I stumbled upon the smell of something sweet and followed it down the hall to a corner room and ducked in.
Inside was the same T. rex I’d seen earlier.
She was still firmly strapped to the operating table, snoozing away.
In the corner of her room, a machine stirred what smelled like chocolate in a container large enough to be a hot tub.
“Wow, they really weren’t kidding about the chocolate.”
Curious, I swiped my finger along the edge of the tub and gave it a taste.
Then nearly retched at the harsh, bitter taste.
I spat out what I could and used my sleeve to wipe the rest of it off my tongue.
Never been a huge fan of dark chocolate, but this is so much worse.
This was like oblivion chocolate, no sweetness at all.
Dorothy would crash out if they tried to pay her in this.
Dreams of midnight chocolate firmly dashed, I carefully approached the sleeping giant for a closer look.
She was held by the same black bands that had Osid captive earlier.
Another black band was tied firmly around her mouth, and what looked like an IV drip was tucked neatly into the band under her neck.
My heart thudded in my chest at being this close to something as huge as a T.
rex. The ancestors screamed for me to turn my Black ass around.
But then another, much louder ancestor screamed to touch the wild animal.
Probably the Scandinavian one I always ignored when it came to things like cooking or whether or not to put a sweater on a pit bull.
Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to indulge Astrid a little here.
Seeing as the T. rex was literally tied up and knocked out.
My fingers itched to try to touch her. Giving into the feeling, I worked up the courage to slowly reach my hand toward her snout.
“What are you doing?”
I jumped, startled. Osid raised a brow behind me and crossed his arms over his chest.
I put a hand to my own and tried to study my frantic heartbeat. “We need to put a bell on you or something.”
“How could you not hear me coming? My hooves clack on this floor.”
“Well, I wasn’t paying attention to the sound of hooves clacking. That is not a normal sound I have to watch out for.”
His lips quirked. “Don’t get upset with me just because you’ve terrible hearing.”
“I am not angry,” I snapped. “Shouldn’t you be in bed?”
“Shouldn’t you?”
“If they wanted me to sleep in that damn broom closet, they wouldn’t have given me a rock for a pillow.”
“You got a pillow?”
“You didn’t?”
Osid scoffed. “No, just a pile of blankets laid down on the floor.”
“Ain’t that some shit.”
“Truly. Now kiss me so we can go stay in the nice room.”
“So you can put more of your stink in my hair? Fat chance.”
He searched my face, then tilted his head. “Is a fat chance…favorable odds?”
“It is not.”
“Obstinate menace. You liked my stink well enough before that accursed Biwban mentioned it lingering on you. A woman should be proud to carry her lover’s scent. It proves that she is coveted.”
I put my hand over my chest and sighed, “Wow, so romantic. Careful, Your Majesty, sweet-talk me any more and I’ll swoon.”
“Don’t humans like kissing? It’s your mating ritual. Besides, it sounds like your accommodations were just as abysmal as mine. I don’t think either of us want to face the next challenge with a bad back. Swallow your pride and kiss me.”
“I would rather kiss that knocked-out T. rex.”
Osid looked at the prehistoric beast with a considering expression. “Your children would be hideous.”
The T. rex opened her eyes. The giant beast groaned, the black band around her mouth straining as she tried to yawn. Her pupils dilated as she looked between Osid and me.
I pointed to the king. “He said it.”
“She’s tied up, you coward.”
“Yeah well, you would know a lot about insulting women when they’re tied up, wouldn’t you?”
“You’ve got to let that go.”
“I really don’t.”
“For fuck’s sake.” Osid took my chin and lifted my face up to his and tried to kiss me.
I decked him.
He fell into the T. rex, and their lips met. I couldn’t tell which one of them hated the kiss more. Before I could find out, sirens went off, and moments later, we were both strapped to those moving chairs again.