11. CHAPTER
CHAPTER
ELEVEN
Indy surrendered, a prisoner to the passionate press of Mr. Heiss’s hot mouth. The kiss was urgent, desperate, and he couldn’t do much more than let himself be entirely consumed by it.
It was incredible.
Heat coiled inside of Indy’s body and reached temperatures that rivaled the flames still burning around them, and his hands trembled as he cupped the sides of Mr. Heiss’s face.
He moaned when Mr. Heiss’s tongue slipped in and curled around his own, and there was something that very much felt like a second tongue moving there too.
Oh, this was stupid.
So very stupid.
And yet, Indy couldn’t bother to even consider stopping.
Mr. Heiss was equal parts frustrating, maddening, and utterly irresistible. The glimpses of the man—well, demon—beneath his prickly exterior were charming and sweet, and Indy wanted to pick away all those sharp edges to fully reveal the gorgeous creature beneath.
And also ride his dick.
Like, a lot.
Really hard.
Mr. Heiss brought the heated makeout session to a close with one final sweet kiss, murmuring against Indy’s lips, “You really couldn’t have waited ten more minutes, hmm? Had to summon your pets and set an entire dimension on fire?”
“Fuck you.” Indy grinned. “How was I supposed to know you’d actually come rescue me?”
“It is becoming a bit of a habit.”
“Well, you seemed pretty busy beating up that rat. So, I decided to handle things myself.”
“You’re terrible for my business.”
“You’re fucking terrible at… Whatever.” Indy couldn’t even think of anything else to say, too eager to steal another kiss.
Mr. Heiss allowed it, but he grumbled softly as if annoyed. Not annoyed enough to stop kissing Indy though.
Someone cleared their throat.
Mr. Heiss and Indy parted once more, and Indy realized Mr. Heiss had lowered his wings. Their audience may have missed the first kiss, but they definitely didn’t miss this one.
Azazel’s mouth hung open, Jimjam the werewolf found the ground interesting, and Luke just grinned.
“Oh, excuse us,” Indy cooed sweetly. “We were just discussing some business. Yes, so many very important business type things. With tongue.”
Mr. Heiss sighed.
Azazel shut his mouth and swallowed hard, maybe trying to stifle a laugh. He looked like he was dying to say something, but a cautious glance at Mr. Heiss confirmed he wouldn’t dare share it.
“Take Jimjam back to work,” Mr. Heiss said calmly. “He has a job to do. After all, he’s been newly promoted to manager.”
“And the rat?” Azazel asked.
“Luke, are you still hungry?”
Luke smiled wickedly.
“Good. We’ll need him later.”
“If we can figure out who his supplier is, we can find them and track the source,” Azazel said. “And before you ask, yes, I’m all fucking over it.”
“No.” Mr. Heiss nodded at Luke. “Luke will take care of that. Won’t you, Luke?”
“Would be my pleasure.” Luke bowed.
Azazel made a face and scoffed. “Well, what am I supposed to do, sir?”
“After you and Luke return Jimjam and take care of the rat, continue to search for Mr. Mitternacht. As soon as Tanze and Underwood have recovered, they are to join you.”
“Yes, sir.”
Mr. Heiss scowled. “The coward has already fled from this world, but I imagine he is still close.”
“Waiting to snatch up my beautiful little body?” Indy suggested.
“Waiting to snatch up your weak, soft sack of meat attached to the Artifact, yes.” Mr. Heiss set Indy down but kept an arm around him as he addressed the others. “Go. Now.”
Azazel grabbed Jimjam’s arm and vanished along with Luke.
Indy wanted nothing more than to pounce on Mr. Heiss and get back on that tongue action, but the mention of the Artifact brought a much more immediate need to his attention.
“Shit.” Indy whirled around. “Where’s Dill?”
“I imagine he is the charred ash all around us,” Mr. Heiss drawled. “So, he’s there. And over here. There too—”
“No, seriously!” Indy rubbed the ring frantically. “He can’t die, right? He’s already dead.”
“I believe the conflagration exhausts the spirits, but no, it will not consume them.”
“How can you be so sure?” Indy rubbed the ring more desperately. “He saved me. Him and Aodnait both. And Debbie—” He cringed. “Fuck, poor Debbie.”
“What’s a Debbie?”
“He’s that little rabbit monster. He helped me try to escape and told me all this shit about the Ides—“
“The Ides?” Mr. Heiss bristled. “What about them?”
“That they’re the pissed-off rebel faction of the already pissed-off rebel mostri ribelli. That they are responsible for all the nasty crap killing off monsters, like the plague and some weird music thing.”
“What else did he tell you?”
“Uh.” Indy squirmed as he tried to recall. “They want the Artifact to make contact with some guy whose father is named Cobbledick.”
“Johnson Paulet Marshall.”
“Yeah, that guy! Said he went off to find his missing dad, blah blah blah, but he’s super powerful and will kick your butts ’cause Daddy was a super butt kicker or whatever. Still no clue why they have different last names. Weird.”
Mr. Heiss hummed, his brow scrunched in deep thought before he finally asked, “And why did Debbie decide to share all of this with you?”
“No idea. He didn’t get chatty until after I told him Clancy had given me the ring. Seemed like he knew who he was.”
“Clancy Carver was a powerful witch who was known to have had vast knowledge of the Artifacts.”
“Was? What do you mean?”
“He was murdered by who we assumed were the mostri ribelli.”
“Guess it didn’t stick. Also, seriously, he owes me a coffee.”
“What else did he say?”
“Debbie? Uh, more crap about Johnson trying to find his father, the wizard guy, and using the Artifacts to make contact somehow. He didn’t go into specifics, but yeah, by the way, they want him to come back and kick your family’s ass.”
“I had my suspicions.” Mr. Heiss smirked, much more smug than usual.
“What?”
“Cobbledick went into the Other. While he was a formidable wizard, he was still only a human and it is not a realm that can support mortal life. He is either dead or been driven to such madness that he wishes he was. If his son went after him, he met the same fate. Debbie and his little friends will not be able to find him no matter how many Artifacts they acquire.”
Indy snorted. “Are you sure about that? Clancy is supposed to be dead, too, and he was still feeling spry enough to stick a ring on me.”
“Sure enough that I am not concerned.”
“So, that’s why you look extra smug.”
“Where is this Debbie now? I’d like to have a little chat with him myself.”
“I don’t think he, uh, made it.” Indy stared over at the three doors. He hadn’t wanted to, but he needed to confirm Debbie was gone.
But there was no body.
Well, no rabbit monster body anyway.
“I don’t see his body,” Indy said softly. “Maybe he was able to get out… Wait.” His temper spiked. “Which means that little slut left me here? That bitch! I will fucking strangle him—”
“Worry about the rabbit later.” Mr. Heiss nudged Indy. “I believe someone else is trying to get your attention.”
“Huh?” Indy looked down to see Dill, who was barely a foot tall, pulling at his leg. “Oh! Dill! There you are!” He gently scooped him up to cradle against his chest. “Look at you! You’re so tiny! A lil’ baby!”
“Baby,” Dill squeaked.
“Oh my God. You’re the cutest fucking thing.” Indy laughed, hugging him close. “Thanks for the help, babe. Aodnait okay too?”
Dill nodded. “Okay.”
“Okay! Fuck. You’ll be able to get big again, right?
Like Groot. You’re Baby Groot now. You just need to grow back up.
Got it. Yes. Good. So, everybody is all right and—” Indy stared as a flaming, slime-covered lump of lint that wasn’t much more than a set of legs went racing by them. “Oh God. Reginald.”
Mr. Heiss snapped his fingers and Reginald erupted in a plume of fire and turned immediately to ash.
Indy groaned. “You are such an asshole.”
“That was merciful. Putting the thing out of my misery. Here.” Mr. Heiss opened his hand and there were two pennies in his palm. “Now that all of your pets are in order, we’re leaving.”
“Fine.” Indy put the pennies back in his pocket, smiling as he heard Dill squeak out a little yawn. “Aw, tired, babe?”
“Babe,” Dill echoed drowsily, his big eyes fluttering shut.
“Go on and take a lil’ nap. You’ve earned it.” Indy watched Dill vanish away, and then his heart did a little tumble when he realized he and Mr. Heiss were alone.
Well, technically they weren’t since Dill and Aodnait were inside the ring, but details.
Effectively alone for making-out purposes.
Indy let himself get pulled back into Mr. Heiss’s orbit for more of said making out, but Mr. Heiss stopped him with a gentle touch to his chin.
“Patience, Sonnenschein.”
“What does that mean? Is that German for cute little meat sack?”
Mr. Heiss only smiled, the world tilted and blurred, and then they stood in his bedroom.
The windows were all open, showing a lush green forest outside. Indy wondered if it was the same forest he’d seen before, and a shiver suddenly ran up his spine. The more he looked around, the more he realized this was not the same house.
It was all the same and yet it was different.
The air was a stale mix of must, timber, and a hint of musky sandalwood.
Warmth radiated from the sunlight pouring in through each window, and the space felt lived in though oddly stagnant.
It was as if it had once been a loving home a long time ago before being abandoned, and it had been waiting for someone to return and wake it from its slumber.
The floor creaked loudly when Indy took a small step toward the closest window to check out the forest, and the groan of the floorboards sounded like a yawn.
“This isn’t where you brought me before,” Indy said confidently, looking back at Mr. Heiss over his shoulder. “This is somewhere else. So. Where’s Gammy and King? Back at the carbon copy or whatever it is?”
“Yes,” Mr. Heiss replied with a smirk. “It is a dimension I altered and is but a reflection of this place.”