{"id":6603,"date":"2019-05-15T05:59:55","date_gmt":"2019-05-15T09:59:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.penandkinkpub.com\/home\/?p=6603"},"modified":"2019-05-13T15:27:47","modified_gmt":"2019-05-13T19:27:47","slug":"lesser-gods-looking-for-love-chapter-one","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.penandkinkpub.com\/home\/lesser-gods-looking-for-love-chapter-one\/","title":{"rendered":"Lesser Gods Looking for Love: Chapter One"},"content":{"rendered":"

Perhaps you picked up your copy of Lesser Gods Looking for Love<\/em> yesterday when it first became available to the world. In that case, you’re way ahead of the game because you’ve probably already read this. However, if you hesitated to get your copy yesterday because you weren’t sure if this was the book for you, we’ve got you covered. Now you can read the opening chapter of the first of three novellas included in this book right here, right now. For free.<\/p>\n

Enjoy!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

WHEN DEMIGODS COURT DEATH<\/h2>\n

Chapter One<\/p>\n

Chandra stepped outside, closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. Her neighbor\u2019s balcony was in bloom with so much flora that it was difficult to pick out individual scents. Sweet as honey. Sharp as an exotic bloom. Rich as a rose. And green. She\u2019d never realized how crisp and earthy verdant green foliage smelled. It all mingled together in a fragrant bouquet that seemed more typical of a greenhouse than an apartment balcony in downtown Seattle. It was like nothing she\u2019d ever experienced.<\/p>\n

Possibly because nothing grew like that for her. Ever.<\/p>\n

It was a good day when Chandra managed not to kill anything\u2026 or anyone.<\/p>\n

Every time she went to Urgent Care to see someone about this persistent fatigue, all hell erupted. People clutching their heads or hearts. Coughing up blood for crying out loud. And that was before she even got checked in. So she left. Every time. Chandra was the opposite of a lucky rabbit\u2019s foot for those in poor health.<\/p>\n

At least she seemed to be doing better lately. It\u2019d been over two weeks since she\u2019d Googled her symptoms and come up with everything from iron deficiency to the plague. She might not die.<\/p>\n

The sliding glass door of the apartment beside her swooshed open and closed behind her neighbor. The air was heavy with humidity though not particularly warm, but Chandra swore steam rose from her skin whenever she saw him. Her whole body flushed with heat\u2014heat that pooled deep inside her and made her mouth dry. She\u2019d never had this significant a reaction to anyone. She wanted to press herself up against him and lick his skin.<\/p>\n

Chandra swallowed and chewed on her lip. She certainly was wide-awake and lively now. Maybe her libido had just been in a decline and it wasn\u2019t that she had chronic fatigue syndrome or the bubonic plague.<\/p>\n

When he turned his head toward Chandra, her neighbor didn\u2019t look surprised to see her. A slow smile started in one corner of his mouth and spread to the other, pinching the ends of his green eyes. \u201cHello.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHey,\u201d she said, straightening up. Their small, railed balconies were only five feet apart, but a veritable forest sat between. She nodded at his plants. \u201cHow is it you manage to have everything look like you\u2019re a gardener in your spare time?\u201d<\/p>\n

He motioned with his chin at the cloudy sky. \u201cIt is Seattle. It\u2019s been raining every day all week.\u201d<\/p>\n

She rolled her eyes. \u201cYeah, but that hasn\u2019t helped me. I swear, everything I touch\u2026 dies.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n

She squinted. \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know what you mean. Some people aren\u2019t as good with plants.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chandra snorted at that understatement. \u201cI\u2019ve killed everything. I\u2019ve had betas, frogs,\u201d she ticked them off on her fingers, \u201cguinea pigs, turtles\u2026 a snake. It\u2019s like they give up their will to live. I finally got a tarantula thinking that if it died, it might not bother me as much. It lasted a whole three weeks before it somehow pulled a Houdini and escaped my house of death. And it was looking sickly near the end. I\u2019ve been afraid to move on to larger mammals like cats or dogs for fear of feeling like a murderer.\u201d Hell, she was lonely, but not lonely enough to kill off small animals.<\/p>\n

He tilted his head. \u201cWhat are you having for dinner?\u201d<\/p>\n

Raising her eyebrows, Chandra asked, \u201cHow did you get \u2018dinner\u2019 from a discussion about murdering small animals? If the topic of dogs and cats makes you hungry\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

He laughed\u2014a throaty sound that made her shiver slightly. \u201cNo. I ordered Thai food and it should be here in a few minutes. I was going to invite you over to my balcony to share it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t even know your name.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, but you know where I live\u2014isn\u2019t that more significant?\u201d He flashed her another grin. \u201cIt\u2019s Aster. Aster Slone, and I don\u2019t bite.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chewing her lip, she said, \u201cI might not like Thai food.\u201d This aggressive friendliness disarmed her and attacked her social walls, something she wasn\u2019t used to anyone trying.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yeah?\u201d<\/p>\n

She shrugged.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo the Pad Thai delivered to my door by mistake last week was you paying good money for food you despise?\u201d Aster glanced toward his door. \u201cUhh, someone knocked on the door.\u201d He inhaled. \u201cI think I can smell extra peanut sauce.\u201d He pointed at her. \u201cOkay, wait here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to pay for the food and then come out and eat it in front of you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Grinning, she capitulated. \u201cFine. I\u2019ll come have dinner with you. My name is Chandra. Chandra Linton.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know. Last week\u2019s delivery guy got two tips that night.\u201d<\/p>\n

She raised her eyebrows. \u201cI\u2019m not sure I like devious men.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course you don\u2019t. So, come over to my place and tell me about it.\u201d He disappeared inside. It was a nice exit line.<\/p>\n

Shrugging, she grabbed her keys and a couple of bottles from her fridge on her way out. At least she could bring the drinks.<\/p>\n

He was waiting, holding the door open.<\/p>\n

She glanced around her as they passed through his place. Inside his apartment was as green as outside\u2014either through d\u00e9cor or houseplants. He\u2019d decorated in bamboo and a deep jungle jade that suggested she\u2019d stepped into a rainforest. It made her minimalist black and brown next door exude dreariness. Even her walls were gray. Bland. Boring. Dying. \u201cWhat do you do for a living?\u201d Maybe he was a gardener.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m a doctor\u2026 a fertility specialist.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHuh.\u201d From his sly grin as she passed him to go outside, Chandra knew he\u2019d purposefully lingered in the doorway so that their bodies brushed. It sent a shiver dancing across her skin.<\/p>\n

Aster followed her outside, shutting the door, walling them into the lush surroundings within its confined space. He had a tiny round table, barely larger than a pizza stone, with two wrought-iron chairs. Her porch looked roomy in comparison. Roomy and desolate. She had two reclining loungers but that\u2019s it. This was like a tropical paradise, right in the middle of Seattle. Of course they\u2019d be rubbing knees the entire time they were eating.<\/p>\n

\u201cMost women have an opinion about me being a doctor for women,\u201d he said, grinning, and holding out a chair for her. \u201cLet alone a fertility doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose it is unusual\u2014seeing as you\u2019re single.\u201d She paused in the act of scooting in her chair and looked up at him. \u201cYou are single, right?\u201d<\/p>\n

He raised his eyebrows. \u201cI am.\u201d Sitting down across from her, he slid in so their knees were, indeed, touching and set the bags of Thai food between them.<\/p>\n

\u201cI work from home\u2026 mostly,\u201d she volunteered. \u201cWebsite design. I used to work for a bigger business, but their building had that sick building syndrome or mold or something. We all kept getting sick. They repeatedly cleaned the building, and I hear it\u2019s better now, but I just freelance.\u201d Reaching out, she touched a nearby leaf as he pulled out boxes. \u201cThis feels\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMagical?\u201d he asked when she struggled for a description.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d It really did. \u201cAre you magical?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course. You should see what I can do with my hands.\u201d Aster smirked, but then split his chopsticks apart. \u201cSuper-human strength. Would you like me to break yours too?\u201d<\/p>\n

Taking the package from him, she shook her head. \u201cSomehow, I think I can manage.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, you\u2019re not sick anymore? Now that you\u2019re not working there?\u201d<\/p>\n

Chandra pursed her lips. \u201cLately, I\u2019ve been better. I think it just took some time away from there. I never bought into stuff like that: black mold, sick buildings, and so on, but everybody kept getting sick. My section was especially bad.\u201d She rubbed her chopsticks against each other to remove the slivers. \u201cBut, don\u2019t worry, I\u2019m not contagious or anything. At least, I don\u2019t think so. Besides, like I said, I\u2019ve been feeling fine lately. Great, in fact.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI heard about your building, I think. Stewart tower? On Fourth?\u201d<\/p>\n

Nodding, she craned her head to see the contents as he opened boxes. \u201cYeah, I didn\u2019t realize it\u2019d made the news. I guess replacing all the ductwork in three floors is kind of a big deal. And the carpeting. Oh, plus repainting the walls.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have an interest in medical anomalies so I heard about it. You didn\u2019t find it strange that it was just three floors out of twenty?\u201d<\/p>\n

She dished herself some of the yellow curry and Pad Thai. \u201cI suppose. I guess you\u2019d know more about it than me. I swear the world is getting sicker. Super bugs and antibiotic resistance. The previous owner of this apartment was fine until the last flu season. He wasn\u2019t that old\u2014in his fifties. He moved to Arizona for his lungs. He just emailed me and suggested I move down there with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou really shouldn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

She\u2019d started to eat, but paused with her chopsticks halfway to her mouth. \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe sounds far too old for you, and that\u2019s a little pushy, don\u2019t you think?\u201d<\/p>\n

Chandra rolled her eyes. \u201cAnd you\u2019d know nothing about that.\u201d<\/p>\n

He winked at her. \u201cNothing.\u201d Aster gestured around him, his green eyes sparkling. \u201cTell me, where in Arizona are you going to find someplace like this? Besides, you\u2019re feeling better.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am,\u201d she agreed. Plus, her far-too-pushy and just-the-right-age neighbor was becoming more appealing by the second. \u201cBesides, if I do get sick again, at least I\u2019ll have a doctor next door.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cExactly, and even though I prefer to focus on different parts of you\u2014I\u2019m sure I can handle listening to your lungs or whatever else you\u2019d like me to check out.\u201d<\/p>\n

She laughed. His flirting was so obvious. It was refreshing.<\/p>\n

He unscrewed the top off his bottle, leaned forward, and tapped it against hers. \u201cTo playing doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n

The bottles chinked as she shook her head at his audacity. \u201cYou are trouble, Aster.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am. And I need you to save me, sweet Chandra.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hmm. Maybe.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Sometimes, he was a lucky bastard. Finding Chandra was one of those times. Impossible to believe that hours upon hours of research, hunting through dry statistics about clusters of sicknesses, and keyword searches on social media had led him to the beautiful woman across from him whose corkscrew brown hair made him want to bury his fingers in it. Her coppery skin was due to a mixed ethnicity rather than the sun, and he wanted to touch it, warm it with his hands like the ever-hiding Seattle sun. It\u2019d be soft as velvet\u2014that he knew.<\/p>\n

Holding off this long before approaching her had been torture. A month ago, he\u2019d narrowed his search down to the woman in front of him. Finding out the apartment beside Chandra was vacant was a godsend\u2014though not a surprise. If she wasn\u2019t living on the end of the building, the apartments on either side of her would most likely be perpetually empty from here on out. Her skin had been greyish and Chandra\u2019s face slightly gaunt when he\u2019d first moved in next door. Now, she was healthier and his neighbor had a bounce in her step when she walked. He\u2019d taken time off work to \u201cmove\u201d but, really, he\u2019d wanted to spend more time with just a thin wall between them to confirm what he\u2019d already suspected: he\u2019d met his match. Now, he needed to convince her that living side by side was good for both of them, but living together would be even better.<\/p>\n

Being with her was heaven. Her powers unconsciously soothed his. The white-hot energy that had been flaring painfully the last few years was dampened by the press of hers on it. She was a slushy drink in the flaming desert of a fertility demigod\u2019s existence. Death had never looked so good, and she had no idea. Also, Chandra probably wouldn\u2019t take it well that she\u2019d been making everyone around her sick and might have even killed those who were already unwell. It was tempting not to tell her. On the other hand, he\u2019d kept this secret from most everyone for over two decades, and being able to share this rather singular aspect of his life was something he\u2019d been looking forward to. Sometimes, Aster called his cousin just to vent, but it wasn\u2019t the same.<\/p>\n

Besides, once she understood her heritage and saw his place in her life, she\u2019d be better off. At least, that was the supposition he was working on. All his energy had been so focused on finding her that now that he was here, and she was the right age and single, it was hard to switch gears and slow down.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d he repeated, raising his eyebrows.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou were staring at me. Do I have something on my teeth?\u201d She ran her tongue across the front of her teeth, making his breath hitch.<\/p>\n

Slow down. Slow down. It\u2019d become this constant rhythm in his head. \u201cNo. You\u2019re just beautiful. It\u2019s hard not to stare.\u201d<\/p>\n

She rolled her eyes. \u201cSo, you\u2019re a player.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not.\u201d Okay, his excitement had given his courtship an intensity she probably wasn\u2019t accustomed to. Additionally, her undercurrent of a subduing hum might put off other guys. There was almost a depression in the elements around her\u2014a humidity that was more magic than atmospheric. Compared to the heightened electricity he was accustomed to\u2014the energy that drew in people whether he wanted it or not\u2014it was relaxing. Or it should have been. His awareness of her as a sexual being was countering that to some degree. He\u2019d been in \u201clook but don\u2019t touch\u201d mode since puberty as he didn\u2019t want to repopulate the earth single-handedly. His work drew some of his extra energy from him. Clients benefited from his fertility powers, without his actual contribution. People joked that there was something in the water at the clinic he worked at due to their high success rates. No, there was something in the air\u2014and if he hadn\u2019t found Chandra, his powers would have become painful to possess, eventually killing him.<\/p>\n

Thankfully, he\u2019d found Chandra\u2014who was looking at him suspiciously.<\/p>\n

Go slow.<\/p>\n

\u201cI actually haven\u2019t dated anyone since med school,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust hook-ups?\u201d She pushed her food around with chopsticks.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo hook-ups. No time.\u201d<\/p>\n

She narrowed her eyes. \u201cSo, you\u2019ve been celibate and dateless for\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFive years, three months, and six days\u2026 approximately.\u201d For a fertility demigod to be celibate for that long was unheard of. To say he was sexually repressed and frustrated was an understatement.<\/p>\n

She sniffed and shook her head. \u201cRight. And I\u2019m a fairy godmother.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMore of a demigod.\u201d The demigod of death to be precise.<\/p>\n

Smiling, she shook her head again. \u201cYou\u2019re a charming liar at the very least.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not a liar.\u201d<\/p>\n

She tilted her head. \u201cAre you gay?\u201d<\/p>\n

In answer, he leaned forward and kissed her. Her surprised gasp provided the opportunity for him to deepen the kiss. Curling his palm around the nape of her neck, he brushed his tongue across hers. The frenetic tingles pelting his whole body that had plagued him for a decade now felt as if silk had settled across them in a cool caress. Peace. Certain parts of his body might beg to differ on the definition of peace, but they approved at the very least.<\/p>\n

Chandra moaned and leaned into the kiss. Her chopsticks clattered onto the table as she reached up to cradle his face with her hands. She opened her mouth wider and their spicy breath mingled as her tongue tangled with his. Her tentative exploration grew bolder and his heartbeat increased. She was getting a taste of the heightened energy he exuded. What had grown painful for him was probably arousing to her. He wanted to ask what it felt like\u2014if it was good for her, but there\u2019d be time for that later\u2014there\u2019d be time for a lot of things.<\/p>\n

His pulse pounding, he leaned back. Slow. Down. He couldn\u2019t scare her. Couldn\u2019t allow this to send her running. His fingers, twined in her thick hair, lingered as he withdrew them. So hard to quit, but it was just for now.<\/p>\n

Chandra\u2019s closed eyes fluttered open, and she looked at him with something akin to wonder.<\/p>\n

\u201cDoes that settle the subject of whether I\u2019m attracted to you?\u201d<\/p>\n

As dark as her skin was, it flushed pink, and she dropped her hands, pulling back. Damn, he\u2019d waited too long to stop. Gone too fast. Something. Her gaze fell to her half-empty plate. \u201cUhh. I, uhh, I\u2019m not normally\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe you are\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chandra\u2019s mouth pursed and she looked up with a scolding frown.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat? You were going to say that you don\u2019t normally move so fast or do this sort of thing. I know that. You were about to suggest again that I\u2019m a player, and I\u2019m not.\u201d Aster held out his hands.<\/p>\n

Flustered, Chandra looked through the many plants on his back porch over the city. \u201cI don\u2019t\u2026 I don\u2019t want\u2026 this.\u201d She stood up abruptly. \u201cI\u2019m sorry. This isn\u2019t like me and feeding me isn\u2019t an invitation to\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

He grabbed her hand. Damn. \u201cI didn\u2019t mean it that way.\u201d Hell, too soon. Too overwhelming for a demigod of death. She was used to more suppressed energy. This was too intense to trust.<\/p>\n

Staring at his hand on hers, Chandra swallowed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll behave,\u201d he promised. \u201cWe\u2019ll just talk.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen I go back to my apartment and you stay in yours?\u201d<\/p>\n

He held up his free hand. \u201cI swear.\u201d For now. For today.<\/p>\n

She sat back down, sliding her hand from his. \u201cOkay.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou should at least stay long enough to see the sunset.\u201d<\/p>\n

She picked up her chopsticks. \u201cBecause it\u2019s that much different from ten feet to the left?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt really is. You\u2019ll want to come over every night to see it from here.\u201d<\/p>\n

She pursed her mouth, but didn\u2019t deny it.<\/p>\n

Progress. Courting Death was quite the process. But at least they both knew they were compatible. Lit matches were less incendiary. After a few more \u201cdates,\u201d maybe he\u2019d find an opening for explaining Chandra needed him so she wouldn\u2019t kill everyone around her. It was bound to be a bit of a downer of a conversation. Maybe a fourth date conversation.<\/p>\n

\n

If you enjoyed that, be sure and pick up your copy of Lesser Gods Looking for Love<\/em> right now!<\/p>\n

For a limited time only you can pick up your copy for only $0.99 but prices are going up again in just a few days!<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Get it now!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Amazon (US<\/a>) (CA<\/a>) (UK<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Kobo<\/a><\/p>\n

B&N<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Perhaps you picked up your copy of Lesser Gods Looking for Love yesterday when it first became available to the world. In that case, you’re way ahead of the game because you’ve probably already read this. However, if you hesitated to get your copy yesterday because you weren’t sure if this was the book for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[216],"tags":[217,208],"class_list":["post-6603","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-lesser-gods-looking-for-love","tag-lesser-gods-looking-for-love","tag-the-first-chapter"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.penandkinkpub.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6603","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.penandkinkpub.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.penandkinkpub.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.penandkinkpub.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.penandkinkpub.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6603"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.penandkinkpub.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6603\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6606,"href":"http:\/\/www.penandkinkpub.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6603\/revisions\/6606"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.penandkinkpub.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6603"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.penandkinkpub.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6603"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.penandkinkpub.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6603"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}