14. Chapter 14
Bec
I wanted to walk around after dinner so Jack suggested I explore the property. He promised it was safe, and we could go any place that didn't have a locked gate or door.
Mila and her men had already left to tour the industrial kitchen in one of the houses. The night was too perfect to be inside.
No one was surprised when Danzig and Marduk got up from the table and walked with me.
It wasn't long until we were in an orange grove that was full of flowers and the air was heavy with the sweet scent of their blooms. I was used to seeing annual crops, like corn and soybeans. Fruit producing trees were a novelty.
“This must take so much work,” I marveled.
“Skyler is a nymph,” Danzig said. “She can commune with the ground and the plants. She’s the reason everything around here grows so well. Someone told me that the first time they visited this place, she drove all the gophers out of this grove.”
Marduk shifted from foot to foot as I looked around, as if he was uncomfortable.
“What’s wrong?” I asked him. “Are you allergic to something here?”
“We’re not allergic to anything,” Danzig said. “He’s feeling restless.”
My gaze bounced between the two of them. “Restless?”
“It’s been a while since I’ve slid into my scales,” Marduk said. He looked down at his feet and toed a bit of soil. “This is my favorite kind of ground to slither over.”
“And this a good place,” Danzig said. He pointed, and I followed his finger to see a massive gray wolf staring at us. I’d never seen a wolf outside of a nature documentary or a zoo. It was alarming to see intense, predatory eyes focused on me.
I froze.
I’d never thought I’d know what it was like to feel like a rabbit. Now I did, and I didn’t like it!
As if sensing my fear, the wolf’s mouth opened and a long, pink tongue lolled out. His cuteness helped me relax. I wasn’t in danger. I was with Marduk and Danzig. I couldn’t imagine any wild animal attacking them.
As I watched, the wolf dropped into a playful bow, tail wagging. Then the wolf ran off, disappearing into the dark.
“I’ve never seen a wolf do that,” I said.
“That was Miller,” Marduk said.
My mouth dropped open. “What? No! We were just talking to him.”
Even as I said that, another wolf streaked by. Then another one.
“I think that was Manny and Kayla,” Danzig said. Marduk made a sound of agreement. I believed them, but it took me a moment to come to terms with seeing the people I’d been hanging out with only moments ago as wolves.
My introduction to the magical world happened abruptly several months ago. I’d tried to stop some men from kidnapping Mila and ended up being taken with her. To save us, Carter and Gio had gathered a bunch of help, including Danzig. He'd hidden in a bag of ransom money as a tiny snake.
He’d gotten much bigger and used his coils to keep us safe from the bullets and fighting. That was the first time I’d met him and also when he decided I was his mate. It occurred to me that I’d never seen Marduk shifted.
“I want to see Marduk’s snake form,” I blurted and immediately regretted it. Was that an appropriate thing to say? Or had I done the equivalent of “I haven’t seen you naked yet” in a completely unromantic and demanding way.
“That was rude. I’m sorry, I….” My words faded as I faced Marduk and found him tugging his shirt off over his head. “What are you doing?”
Why did my voice sound so high-pitched and squeaky?
“He’s stripping down so he can show you his serpent,” Danzig said.
Marduk handed Danzig his shirt. “My beast is eager to meet you!”
“And I was worried I’d been insulting,” I murmured, watching him pull off his shoes.
“You’ve seen Danzig’s form, but not mine,” he said. “I didn’t want to force myself on you, but it's been hard to wait. I’m honored you’ve finally asked.”
When he pulled off his pants. I caught a glimpse of his long cock that must’ve been tucked down the leg of his pants.
Feeling my face go red, I looked away. I didn’t know what to say or do so I looked at one of the trees, only to see yet another wolf run by.
When I heard a strange, soft whooshing sound, I looked back.
Marduk’s clothes were in a pile on his shoes and next to them was a snake about the size of a large python.
He was green, like his brother’s snake form, but a slightly darker shade with white at the tip of his tail. He was loosely coiled and watching me with unblinking eyes, his forked tongue flicking out.
“He won’t approach you,” Danzig said, standing off to the side as if to give the two of us a little room. “He can also make himself smaller or bigger if you like.”
Keeping my eyes on Marduk, I addressed Danzig. “How big can you guys get?”
“Undetermined,” Danzig said. “One of our distant relatives made himself so large that he was able to put his tail on Norway and his head on England, but he only did that once, and it took him years to recover. Or at least that’s the story Mom told us.
The size I was when we first met is as big as we can maintain without it being draining. ”
I nodded. “That was pretty big.”
Marduk was still waiting patiently. I took a step toward him, and he dipped his head, as if trying to encourage me to come closer. Another two steps put me within touching distance. He lifted himself up a little, then very slowly nudged my hand, a lot like Hugo asking for pets.
I ran my fingers over his head and down his back. His scales felt incredibly smooth and surprisingly warm.
He did a little shimmy so his head was under my hand again. I petted him a few times, then pulled my hand away. I swore he looked disappointed. Feeling a little guilty, I rested my palm on his head and looked at Danzig.
“What’s it like to be a snake instead of a human?” I asked.
Danzig frowned. “I’m not sure how to answer that. Human is our secondary form. We’re born in our serpent bodies and spend about a century like that before slowly learning to shift.”
I looked back at Marduk. “Can I see you get bigger?”
Marduk bobbed his head, then grew so quickly his shape blurred. I made an eep sound and jumped back, although I didn’t need to since he was careful to move his long body away as he grew so when he was finished, he was stretched around Danzig, me, and several trees.
I blinked and turned in a circle, taking him in. “That’s amazing!”
“Hey, what about me?” Danzig asked, his tone teasing. “You never called me amazing when I was keeping you safe from stray bullets.”
“You were amazing and brave,” I assured him. “But I was a little distracted at the time.”
His brows furrowed. “Yeah, that was an abrupt way to learn about everything.”
Marduk let out a huffing breath and rested his head next to me, drawing my attention. Leaning over, I put my hand on his head and felt the same texture as when he’d been small.
While I did that, Marduk moved his tail until it was wrapped around one of Danzig’s legs. Danzig nodded, then spoke to me.
“Marduk wants to know if you’d sit on him.”
“Uh, what?” I said, sure I’d misheard.
“He’d like permission to touch you and the easiest way to do that would be if you sat on his back.”
“Like a horse?” I asked.
“Sure,” Danzig said with a grin. “Your snake steed.”
My brain filled with an image of riding Marduk into battle with a sword in my hand. It was irresistible!
“Yes!” I agreed.
Danzig batted at Marduk’s tail as if his brother said something annoying.
“Take the yes,” Danzig said with a little glare at Marduk. “Stop questioning it!”
The tail unwrapped from Danzig’s leg and gently curled around my waist. He lifted me up and carefully deposited me on his back, right behind his broad head.
I let out a little “oh” and pressed my hands to his scales and tightened my legs as if that would help me hold on. I was about six feet off the ground and doubting my impulse. If he moved like a normal snake, I’d never be able to stay on.
As if reading my mind, Danzig moved to stand next to my left leg and patted my calf.
“Don’t be worried, we can keep our heads up and still as we move. You’re in the perfect place to have a smooth ride.”
“He can hear me, right?” I asked, mostly reassured by Danzig’s words.
As if to answer, Marduk moved me up and down slightly, making me flail a little. I wasn’t at risk of falling, but I didn’t feel entirely steady.
Danzig put his hand on Marduk’s side, paused, then said, “Yes, you’re right.”
“What did he say?”
“I’m going to ride with you,” Danzig answered as he kicked a leg up and seemed to magically jump high enough to take the spot behind me. His front pressed against my back and his arms wrapped around my middle. He made me feel much more secure. “How is that?”
“Better,” I admitted.
“Let’s head to the back of the property,” Danzig suggested. “Mason mentioned that it’s more open back there.”
Marduk's head remained still even as his snake body moved back and forth to propel us forward. It was fascinating to look back and see his body moving like a regular snake.
“This is amazing,” I breathed. I felt like a mythical warrior, ready to charge into battle on the back of my…boyfriend? I chuckled under my breath. That was more for a Terry Pratchett book instead of an epic fantasy.
That was fine, I’d always liked Pratchett more than Tolkien.
As we traveled between trees and over weeds and shrubs, I noticed movement around us. Wolves were loping on either side of Marduk, sometimes jumping over his tail or darting across our path.
Worry made me grab Danzig’s hand. “What are they doing?”
“The wolves?” he asked. I nodded. “They’re playing. I’ve been told that healthy wolf packs love to play.”
“What game are they playing with us?”
I felt him shrug. “I have no idea. It’s some game they came up with out of nowhere, I’m sure. It doesn’t have to make sense, only be fun.”