Page 130 of Monstrous Travels as Wicked as Sin

“Who knows?” Percy contemplated the matter. “There was something in that blood. I can feel it. That sex was…”

“Mmmm,” Joe agreed heartily.

“But besides that… I don’t know. But I wonder if Puss… Are we really calling it ‘Puss’?”

“For now? I guess.”

“Very well. I imagine if Puss could grant it, they would also know how to take it away.”

Joe’s head tilted against Percy’s arm as he looked up into his eyes. “Is that what you want?”

Percy kissed his forehead. “I want whatever you want. I’m with you. All the way to the end. Whatever it is. Whether there’s an end or there isn’t.” Joe snuggled in against Percy, who continued, “We don’t have to decide right now. If we’re to staythis way, I have no complaints. There’s a lot I’d like to do, and I don’t think I’d have time otherwise.”

“Ah. So you’re not planning to slow down and enjoy life? Take it easy?”

“I’d like to go back in time.”

Joe’s head snapped up. “What now?”

“I’m just reflecting. If you can open a portal to Hell, then why not to the past? Wouldn’t it be fun to go back and spend the weekend with Byron? Or commission a painting by Caravaggio and stash it away to be discovered tomorrow? Or we could attend a Regency ball and really fuck things up. Go down in the history books.”

“I already have regrets,” Joe sighed out.

Percy nudged him with his shoulder. “No, you do not.”

“I don’t.” Joe chuckled. “Why not? I gave up normal a long time ago. We could do that. Or anything, I suppose.”

“Or we could just lie here all day.” Percy stretched out his back. “It’s surprisingly comfortable, actually. How long have we got the place for?”

“Oh, shit!” Joe whispered. “Oh, fuck!” he hissed, pushing himself up to sitting, with an urgent, “What time is it?”

Percy, about ready to drift off to sleep, offered a languid, “Fucked if I know.”

“You, but—” The bells of Sacré-Cœur cut into his speech that very second.

“That makes it seven,” Percy said.

“Fuck!” Joe was up, gorgeously naked but running around like a madman.

Percy rolled onto one arm to enjoy the show.

“Aren’t you going to help?” Joe panicked. “Look at this mess! Jesus Christ, what did I do? They’ll be here any minute!”

And so it went, Joe ranting and raving, Percy watching his new husband with a smile until he really couldn’t leave it asecond longer, when he finally got up to help Joe clean away every sacrilegious trace of the utterly magical morning they’d spent in church together.

CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE

PARIS WRAP

Percy and Joe used their shirts to wipe down the altar and the floor of the church. The blood stains were impossible to remove entirely from the stone flags, but they did a very fair job given the precious few minutes they had.

When they finally made it back to Percy’s apartment, it was to Leo’s immediate and horrified, “What the fuck happened to you two?”

“Were you in another fight? You look so…” Althea stopped right there.

Arguably, at first glance, Joe looked incredibly hot, wearing only Percy’s open vest over his bulging chest. But another moment’s observance brought the eyes to the dried blood, then to the rest of the oily, powdery mess that coated his skin. Percy was able to hide a little more than Joe with his suit jacket, but he, too, was covered in the telltale signs of their surprisingly holy tryst.

“Jesus Christ,” Giordano groaned, hiding his face in his hands.

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