Page 23 of Pooch Planet

This time, Antoine did stumble. “That won’t be happening,” he gritted out.

“Oh?” Pierre smiled sweetly at him. “Did you already have somewhere else in mind?”

“No!” Antoine coughed into his fist. “I mean…” He ran a hand across the top of his head. “This isn’t the time to discuss such…matters.”

Pierre’s expression turned dark, his lip curling in a sneer. “Oh? Well, I’m sure you’ll be anxious to get on with our ceremony soon. Maybe we can have a civil one while we’re here, then plan a lavish event later on?”

Antoine narrowed his eyes, a sliver of dread filling him at what dastardly deeds Pierre had brewing.

“What are you getting at? Why the sudden rush? Did the heat you were supposedly in on the ship compel you to do something you shouldn’t have?”

Pierre gasped, a skill which he seemed quite proficient in. “How dare you! I’m as virginal as I’ve ever been!”

Antoine kept his expression flat. “And how virginal would that be?”

Pierre balled his fists, his features taking on a look of what could only be described as pure evil.

“I’ve had enough of your insinuations about my character and the way you keep brushing me off as if I weren’t the most desirable gargoyle in the galaxy! Why, just the other night, Claude was telling me—” Pierre’s skin flushed, and he snapped his jaw shut.

I knew it. “Just what exactly was Claude telling you, hmm?”

“W-what I meant, was I just happened to be in the Bastille café when he just happened to be there too, and he said in passing…” Pierre’s gaze flitted from the trees by the road to the sky then to the trees on the other side. “That…that…” His expression turned smug and he regarded Antoine. “That he couldn’t imagine why we weren’t already officially mated since I was the most desirable gargoyle in all the galaxies.”

It took all of Antoine’s control to keep from bursting out laughing. “He did now, did he?” You know, I seem to remember last month when you visited the Bastille, that Claude always seemed to be wherever you were, but would suddenly scurry away whenever he spotted me.” Antoine tapped a finger against his chin. “I wonder what that was all about.”

Pierre flipped his hair behind his shoulders then rubbed his arms. “Brrr. It’s a bit chilly out here. And I’m famished, aren’t you?” He tittered nervously. “I think I’ll just head over to the mess tent and grab something to eat then get back to my tent to warm up.”

He went up on his toes and made a kissy face. Antoine regarded him as if he’d lost his mind then faced forward.

“Goodbye, Pierre.”

If only that was the last time he was telling his would-be fiancé farewell. As he marched ahead of Pierre in an effort to keep distance between them, his thoughts traveled to Benji. The situation with Pierre would need to be handled the moment the bat demon was found and caught. He didn’t want Benji to get the wrong idea, but more than anything—he wanted the ceremony between them to happen before he left Pooch Planet.

* * * *

“Benji! It’s me, Shep! Open up.”

Benji groaned and rolled onto his back, doing a long stretch from head to toe, his head arching back as he tightened all his limbs. The pounding on the door continued.

“I hear you, Shep! Give a guy a sec.” Benji shook the sleep from his head. “Sheesh.”

After yanking on a pair of pants, Benji let an excited Shep inside. His buddy had the most ridiculous grin plastered on his face and he couldn’t seem to stand still.

“Details! I need details. The whole village is talking about it. What was it like? Are you pregnant? Have you picked out names yet? Ooh, what about the kibble factory. Their maternity leave there isn’t the greatest.” Shep’s features brightened. “Oh! Was he rock-hard all night?” He slapped his knee as he fell into gales of laughter.

“Enough!” Benji held his head. “I haven’t even had my morning brew yet.”

Shep kept bouncing on his toes as if he were a spring about to be launched into the stratosphere.

Benji frowned as he pulled the energy beans from the pantry. “Would you please sit down? You’re making me nervous.”

“Sorry.” Shep climbed onto the kitchen stool. “Carry on.”

“It was amazing, you get zero details, and what the hell is the matter with you? Names? Rock-hard?” Benji shook his head as he ground the oily black beans. “And another thing. I don’t give a yip about the kibble factory.”

Shep propped his chin in the palms of his hands as he leaned his elbows on the counter. “Not even one teensy detail?”

Benji glared at him. “I don’t mate and tell.”