I shrugged. “It looks and feels like a spa to me. Plus, it’s big enough to fit me and at least three other people.” He walked in and sat on the edge of the tub trailing his hand in the bubbling water. I swallowed the nervousness I was feeling and asked, “Would you like to join me?”
He smiled at me and then disappeared from the bathroom. I heard low quick whispers and then he was back in the bathroom wearing a pair of swimming shorts. I stared at his muscular body and couldn’t help the reaction of my lower body. I sat up straighter as he climbed into the spa. He frowned. “Isn’t this a little hot for you?”
I shook my head. “No, but if it’s too hot for you I can turn it down.” I reached behind me to the complicated controls and hit the down arrow to decrease the temperature. Sometimes modern technology is a godsend.
He smiled at me. “You look great in that bikini.”
I blushed and looked down at the water. “Thanks.” I started swirling the water with my hands and felt the water move as he shifted across the tub.
He sat down beside me and whispered, “I know this is all new to you, and I’ll try to be as well behaved as I can.”
I turned to him and saw the desire in his eyes. I suddenly reached up and kissed him on the lips. He kissed me back and heat exploded between us. He wound his hand through my thick hair and gripped the back of my neck pulling me against him. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and ran my hand through his hair. His hair was as thick as mine. Our kiss grew until he pulled back to gasp for air. I smiled at him and ran my hand across his sculpted chest. He flexed his chest, but it didn’t appear to be on purpose, simply a reaction to my touch. I leaned forward and kissed his lips again, and he stayed perfectly still. He slowly released his grip on my hair and slid his hand away from my neck to rest beside him in the water. I could see the need in his face and could tell just how much he was holding back by the stiff posture and the white of his knuckles as he made a fist. I hadn’t ever been with a boy or man before and didn’t know what to do or not do. I kissed his cheek then his lips and climbed off of him to sit beside him. He exhaled, and I realized that he had been holding his breath. I stared at the water and wondered what he thought of me and my moments of hormonal insanity.
He stayed very still for a few minutes then turned to me. His eyes blazed with power and he asked deadpan, “Why did you stop?”
I smiled at him. “You were holding your breath and I didn’t want you to die.”
He smiled. “With you touching me I would fight death to the end.
I frowned at him. “You can’t die.”
His smile faded, and he wrapped his arms around me holding me against him. “I won’t die as long as I have you.”
I sniffed and realized I was crying. “You’re all I have.”
Someone cleared their throat and Ares and I turned around slowly, with Ares keeping his arm around my shoulder the entire turn. I wiped my face with the back of my hand, but that only spread the water from my hand on to my face. Koda and Matt stood in the doorway smiling. Koda spoke with a soft voice that had an Irish lilt to it. “You have more than Ares. You have us, too. We’re pack now and if Ares leaves or dies we will still be with you.”
I stared at him, realizing that he was opening himself up to me. I waved at him to come closer and Matt and Koda jumped into the tub still wearing their jeans and t-shirts. Water splashed over the sides of the tub and onto the floor. I moved forward and hugged them both at the same time. They inhaled and I did too, taking time to memorize the smell of my pack. They both smelled like the forest and underneath lingered a scent of crisp clean grass. Koda and Matt hugged me for a while then let go and pushed me back towards Ares. Ares put his arm around my waist and squeezed me against him. “See Artemis, you aren’t alone anymore and you won’t ever be again.”
I started to cry again, and they all held me in the center of them in a group hug. My wolf swirled inside me and reached out with some invisible force to touch each of their wolves. I could see all of their wolves staring at me and I wasn’t afraid. These wolves won’t hurt me. These wolves are my pack and they will do everything to protect me and keep me happy. I realized it was my wolf’s thinking and frowned at her, but she was too happy to pay attention to my feelings. We sat in our huddle for a few minutes longer as my tears faded and then everyone got out. I dried off then sighed at my now wet bag on the floor. I started to pull everything out when something cold fell into my hand then began burning. It felt like acid burning my skin, but it was solid, not liquid. I dropped to my knees and screamed in pain trying to pull my hand out.
Ares, Koda, and Matt surrounded me and started growling. Ares reached towards the bag, but jerked his hand back at the last second. “Victor!” Ares yelled.
Victor appeared over me and hissed, flashing his fangs. The others moved back some ways to give him room. Victor reached down and pulled the bag off exposing my hand and what was attached to it. I stared at the silver photo frame with a picture of a tall slender woman with purple eyes and wondered how it had gotten into my bag. Victor started to pull the frame from my hand, but it was burned into the skin and hurt like hell. Ares growled and Victor frowned. He spoke in soothing tones to the wolves surrounding me, “I have to get it out of her hand before this enters her blood and kills her.”
Ares nodded, but was still snarling at Victor. Koda had dropped down and was cradling my head in his lap. Apparently, I had fainted at some point. Matt held my other hand as Victor yanked the frame from my hand. I screamed and blacked out.
Chapter Nine
I woke up surrounded by heat and tried to kick the blankets off, but kicked empty air. I was fully clothed when I had previously been in a bikini. I turned my head and realized I was surrounded by Koda on my right, Ares on my left and Matt at my feet. I started to sit up when searing pain made me whimper and stare at my bandaged hand. All three men sat up at once and stared at me. They were all wearing blue jeans and no shirts, making me look from one muscled chest to another. Ares stroked my face and frowned. “You’re sweating.”
I nodded. “It’s too hot.”
He gave a single quick nod and Matt and Koda climbed off of the bed, letting a cool wave of air hit me. I inhaled and then coughed, nearly gagging. “What is that smell?”
Ares stroked my cheek. “Your burnt flesh.”
I groaned as I remembered the picture frame. “I didn’t even pack that. I’m guessing it was silver and that’s why it burned me?”
Ares nodded. “Silver is our weakness. I’d like to know how it got into your bag.”
I frowned. “I don’t know, but I think it was a picture of my mom. Can I see it?”
Ares shook his head. “Victor had to destroy it.”
“What?!” I gasped. “He couldn’t have just taken the picture out and then destroyed the frame?”
Victor spoke from behind me, “I did not have time. Your pack’s instinct to protect you was on overload. They might have attacked me if I took too long.”
I whimpered. “I didn’t even get a good look at her. I only remember fragmented memories. Enough to know that I look like her.”
Victor sat one hip on the edge of the bed beside me. He was wearing a pair of black slacks and a dark blue button up shirt that looked like silk. He smiled. “I am sorry that I did not think about what you would have liked. I just wanted to get it away so I didn’t have to fight your pack.”
I nodded and turned my gauze wrapped hand around. “Thank you.”
Ares asked, “Why would Darren have had a silver frame anyway? He wouldn’t have been able to hold it either.”
I smiled. “It was my mom’s frame.”
“How do you know that?” asked Ares.
“Dad said he only had one thing of hers and never let me see it, so I’m guessing the picture frame was it,” I responded quietly.
Ares whispered, “I’m sorry we didn’t keep the picture for you.”
I shrugged. “It’s alright.” I felt something tingling
on my hand under the gauze and squeaked like a scared mouse. “What the hell?” I started unwrapping my hand and Ares and Victor tried to stop me. Once I had it unwrapped, I stared in shock at the mutilated skin that used to be my hand. The tingling increased and the burned skin shed off on to the floor as a new layer of skin replaced the old. “What happened?” I gasped.
Ares smiled. “Interesting.”
Victor said, “It must be because of her other—” Ares growled, stopping him from speaking further. Victor bowed his head and continued, “It must be from her mother. Perhaps silver is not a permanent problem for our little goddess.”
I frowned at Ares. “Why won’t you let me know what my mother is and what I am?”
He smiled. “I will soon, but for now it’s best if you don’t know.”
I didn’t believe him, but decided not to press the matter. I ran a finger over my newly healed skin and smiled. “Wow.”
Koda walked over. “The seamstress is here with the clothes for Artemis to choose from.”
I looked around Koda to see a girl, no older than twenty, standing beside a rolling clothes rack filled with dresses. I looked at Ares and groaned. “A dress? You’re making me wear a dress?”
“Don’t you want to look nice for the King and Queen of the Vampires?” Ares asked.
I folded my arms across my chest. “The King has already met me. I’ve never even worn a dress before.”
Ares kissed my cheek. “Then this will be a good learning experience for you. Besides, don’t you want to look nice for me?”
There was no winning this argument, so I sighed and walked towards the girl. She looked from my toes to my head and then back again, frowning nonstop. “She is the one I am supposed to dress?” Her thick accent caught me off guard and it took me a moment to decipher what she had said.
Ares bowed at the waist to the girl. “Hello, Lucy. It’s always an honor to see you.”
Lucy folded her arms over her chest. “Flattery will not win you any points with me, Ares. I’m not a magician you know.” She looked at me in disgust again. “Am I to bring our beautician in as well? She looks to need it.”
I opened my mouth to call her one of the rude names I could think of, but Ares spoke before I could say anything. “Lucy, it would be wise to remember your place as well as what mine is. She is my passt genau; treat her with respect. Your insults of her are direct challenges to me.”
Lucy’s bottom lip quivered, but then she shook her head and straightened her back before turning back to me. “I apologize for my insults. I’m old and ’ow you say? Cranky, yes, ’zats the word.”
I looked at her face and frowned. “Old? You don’t look old.”
Lucy smiled. “That is one of the benefits of being a dhampir.” She saw my puzzled face and frowned at Ares. “You bring ’er to the vampire’s ’ome without training as to what we are?”
I waved my hand at her. “I know what a dhampir is, half-vampire and half-human. I’ve just never seen one before. And I thought you were supposed to be enemies with vampires?”
Ares said, “I have much to teach her, Lucy. I only found her a few days ago.”
Lucy turned back to me. “Dhampirs and vampires are enemies, but my father is very powerful and ’as enough pull to keep me alive and ’appy as long as I don’t kill any of the vampires.”
“I understand,” I told her.
She sighed heavily. “Let’s get started. We ’ave only an ’our to prepare you.”
She walked to the dress rack and tapped her chin thoughtfully. Ares walked towards her, and she hissed. “Go get ready. I do not want you breathing down my neck while I prepare ’er. I will do my best to make ’er perfect for you.” Her French accent seemed to grow stronger whenever she spoke to Ares.
Ares sighed. “Fine. Koda will stay in the room with you, Artemis.”
Lucy blinked at Ares. “You do not trust me?”
Ares smiled. “I don’t trust anyone to be alone with her.” Ares walked over and kissed my lips quickly before hurrying to the bathroom. My skin began itching, and I began breathing faster.
Koda walked over to me and touched my shoulder. The smell of forest and wolf slowed my breathing, but the desire to run after Ares was still very strong. Lucy smiled. “Interesting.” She turned back to the dresses and picked out a purple one and held it up to my face. “It matches your eyes, but I am not sure if it will work. Put it on.”
I pulled off my jeans and t-shirt, trying hard to ignore the fact that Koda was right behind me, and pulled the dress on over my head. The bust was a little tight, but manageable and the material was soft against my skin. I spun in a slow circle for Koda and Lucy. Lucy tapped her chin and turned to Koda. “What do you think, Wolf?”
Koda smiled. “It’s perfect.”
Lucy frowned. “Hmm…per’aps I will like it more once the makeup and ’air is done. I’ll fetch the beautician.”
She pushed her cart out of the room leaving me alone with Koda. The bathroom door cracked open and Ares asked, “Did you find a dress?”
Koda answered, “Yes and it’s very nice.”
Ares asked, “Did Lucy leave?”
“Yes,” I answered.
Matt walked out of the bathroom with a towel tied around his waist. I found myself staring at his abdominal muscles and remembering what it felt like to touch Ares in the tub. Ares growled softly. “Artemis, what are you thinking about?”
I swallowed. “Uh, nothing.”
Matt laughed. “It’s alright, Love. And that dress looks amazing on you.”
Ares groaned. “I want to see it.”
I yelled, “NO! You can’t see me until you’re ready. Plus, I’m not ready yet.”
Ares sighed. “Fine, but stop thinking whatever it is that you were thinking.”
I blushed and looked towards the bedroom door. Two soft knocks brought Koda’s attention to the door as well. He opened it to reveal a tall, thin French woman in a business suit and four inch heels. She winked at Koda. “’Ello ’andsome.”
Koda smiled. “Hey there, Madeleine. You’re looking scrumptious as ever.”
Madeleine walked to me and frowned, crossing her arms over her small breasts. “Let’s get started. I ’ave much work to do.”
I growled softly. “Why are the French so rude?”
She shrugged. “We’re French, it’s in our blood to ’ate Americans.” She grabbed my forearm and led me to the desk, carrying a large suitcase that I was sure held torture devices in every imaginable shape. I sat down in the chair, and she opened the suitcase to reveal the devices which were much worse than I had imagined. Ares walked out of the bathroom and Madeleine spread her arms out to hide me. “What are you doing? Get out of ’ere!” She yelled.
I looked through her arms to see Ares averting his eyes. “I’m not even looking at her, Madeleine. Artemis, I’m going out for a little bit. Matt will stay here with you.”
My stomach cramped, and my pulse started beating in double time. “When will you be back? Where are you going?” I asked nervously.
Madeleine sighed happily. “Aw, it’s so nice to see true love.”
Ares ignored Madeleine. “I’m just going out for a little bit. I’ll only be gone thirty minutes and Koda is coming with me.”
“Hurry, please.”
Ares sighed happily. “Of course.” Koda blew me a kiss and followed Ares out of the room.
Matt sat down on the desk and was, thankfully, wearing a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. Matt placed his hand on mine on the desk and smiled. “He’ll be back before you’re even ready.”
I picked his hand up and inhaled the back of it. I could still smell wolf fur and his smell, but the soap he had used took away the forest. “I don’t like feeling like this. I understand he’s my match and we’re pack, but I really don’t know him. My wolf is getting harder to ignore, too.”
Madeleine watched me curiously. “How long ’ave you known you’re a wolf?”
Matt answered for me as I
continued to inhale the smell of his skin. “Only a few days. As long as she’s known Ares.”
Madeleine’s eyes widened. “She must be at least sixteen. ’Ow ’as she not known?”
Matt sighed and rubbed my hair softly. “Her father chose to not tell her and kept her away from our kind.”
Madeleine looked at me with pity in her eyes. “That must ’ave been very difficult. Come, let me make you gorgeous for your mate.”
I growled. “Don’t call him that.”
Matt shook his head at Madeleine. “Don’t ask.”
Madeleine sighed. “Wolves are always full of drama.” Matt held my hand as she worked on my face. My nervousness increased as the minutes ticked by without Ares near me. Madeleine brought in another woman who brushed and fixed my hair into a half up and half down style, with everything lightly curled. Ares came in just as they made the final touches to my makeup and hair. The two women and Matt covered me as Ares walked by to the closet. I thanked Madeleine and the other woman and then walked to the bathroom to use the restroom. Madeleine had refused to let me go while she was working.
I started to come out of the bathroom, but Koda blocked my exit. “Ares is finishing getting ready. It’s your turn to wait.”
I looked over Koda’s tailored suit that fit all of his muscles nicely. His Mohawk was gelled up and the gel made the green dye seem even brighter. “You look nice,” I said honestly.
He spun in a slow circle. “Thank you.” He smiled at me. “You look great, too, very beautiful.”
I blushed and then asked, “How much longer is he going to take? I’m hungry.” A chill swept over my body as the sun set and the powerful presence I had felt the previous afternoon caused fear to close my throat. I wrapped my arms around myself and shivered.
Artemis Lupine- The Complete Series Page 23