Part 24 (1/2)
”I'd like to leave a message for Justin Tree,” Breanna said. ”Can you get it to him?”
”Where is he now?”
”At Castle Zombie.”
”I will relay the message there.”
”Thanks. Just tell him I'm delayed in Mundania, but I'll be back as soon as I can. Tell him not to get fresh with any zombie nymphs tonight.”
Terian smiled. ”I shall.” She glanced again at David, then faded out. The screen went blank.
”Wow!” David said.
”Don't get your hopes up,” Breanna warned him. ”Not only is she committed to Tristran Troll, she's a literal mouse.”
”The kind that squeaks?” he asked, astonished. ”She sure looked human.”
”She a.s.sumes that form when dealing with humans. I understand her kisses are divine. But she really is a mouse. Com Pa.s.sion's mouse, in fact.”
”Well, it was nice meeting her, regardless. Anytime she wants to breathe in my direction, I'll look.”
”I figured you deserved something for letting me use your connection.” Breanna looked around. ”I'm tired. I'd love a good shower, a meal, and a night's sleep.”
”Oops,” he said.
”OOPS?”.
”I just realized: There's only one bed. Well, I'll sleep on the floor.”
Breanna pondered half a moment. ”Can you keep your hands to yourself?”
He understood her as readily as she had understood him when he asked about seeing her panties. ”Yes, when I have to. And I guess I do.”
”You do. Then we'll share the bed. I won't tell Justin, and you won't tell your mother.”
”Agreed.” He glanced at the phone. ”I'll make a reservation for dinner while you take your shower.”
She went into the bathroom, stripped, and got into the shower. It was a glorious experience after the day of travel. Then she grabbed a towel, rubbed herself dry, tossed it aside, and stepped into the bedroom to fetch her comb. She had left it in the bag Mary Baldwin had thoughtfully provided her, along with a change of clothing.
David was sitting by the phone, staring at her, jaw dropped. ”Oops,” she repeated. ”My error.” She turned around and went back into the bathroom to recover the towel.
”I'm sorry,” David said, blus.h.i.+ng. ”I didn't mean to peek. I a.s.sumed you would be clothed.”
”Not your fault. I just forgot I wasn't with Justin.” But as she spoke, she wondered. She was secretly rather proud of her body; she might not have the figure of a nymph or the frontal oomph of a filly centaur, but she did have the female stuff. Had she really forgotten, or had she wanted to flash him? She had flashed Justin in times past, theoretically by accident. She had flashed her panties at both Justin and Edsel two years ago, just to show Pia how it was done. This time she had given David solid frontal and backtal views. Maybe it was in her nature.
They went to supper, and it was fun eating well in a nice setting, even if several other diners did let fly a few covert stares. It was that black/white thing, she knew; they thought they were an interracial couple. Well, tough beanbags! Let them think what they wanted.
Back in the room, David showered while she watched the Mundane news on the television. There were wars, floods, fires, earthquakes, and some negative items. Also a piece about rescuing a lost cat.
”Say, didn't you have a cat?” Breanna asked as David reappeared, suitably garbed.
”Oh, I still have him. Midrange. He helped Nimby and got a pa.s.s to Xanth.”
”That's right! We helped with the magic dust at the Xanth end.”
”So now Midrange takes Tweeter to Xanth on visits. I'm sure they enjoy it. But when they return to us, they can't tell us what they did there. It's frustrating.”
”For sure.” She paused, then looked at the bed. ”Which side do you want?”
”Are you sure this is-?”
”Long as you stay on your side, I'll stay on my side.”
”Okay. I'll take the left side.”
They got into their sides and settled down for the night. Breanna really was tired, in mind more than body. She was soon asleep.
She woke in the morning, refreshed. David was still asleep. He had stayed on his side; he hadn't cheated. She appreciated that.
They had breakfast, then checked in, in time to catch the plane to Phoenix. This one ran on schedule, and made the connection with the flight to Los Angeles.
The flight to Honolulu was the long hop. The airplane was large, ten seats wide, with two center aisles, a movie, and a meal. But there was an extra charge for earphones to receive the movie sound. ”Is it worth it?” she asked.
David frowned. ”It's Incredible Hulk Vs. Little Shop of Horrors IV, so I doubt it. I saw the first two and didn't bother with the third. The earphones are germy too. Anyway, just looking at the screen without the sound can be just about as interesting. You can fill in your own dialogue.”
”Fine with me,” she agreed.
They watched the silenced movie. It started with a medium-small man evidently traveling somewhere. He carried a small black bag, and there was a stethoscope dangling from his neck, so he had to be a doctor. He entered a public lavatory-and there were three toughs with knives. They threatened him, wanting his money. He gave them that, but when they went after his black bag, he resisted. When he tried to escape, one caught him and threw him against the wall. They didn't even bother with the knives; they started beating on him with their fists. He was getting mauled.
The Ring of Fire opened an eye. ”Wow!” it murmured. ”Some fiasco.” It seemed Metria was watching too, and she probably had the right word this time.
”This is G-rated,” David remarked, disgusted. ”If there's any s.e.x, or a bad word, it's R-rated just like that, but a little healthy violence is considered okay.”
”This is Mundania,” she reminded him unnecessarily.
”That's why I want to visit Xanth again.”
”To see the nymphs and bare-breasted centaur fillies?”
”You know it's so. If I could catch and tame a nymph-”
”They don't have much mind. All they're good for is just one thing.”
He glanced at her. ”What's your point?”
She laughed. ”I hope you catch one.”
After the doctor had taken enough of a beating, he became annoyed. Then he swelled up hugely, bursting out of his s.h.i.+rt, and became a giant green man. He laid about him, quickly smas.h.i.+ng the three thugs through the walls.
”I didn't know they had green ogres in Mundania,” Breanna said, intrigued.