by Lila Jean
The strippers. The ritual. The glowing.
Heart hammering in her chest, Tina bolted upright. The soft blanket fell off of her, revealing that her jeans and tee shirt were gone and had been replaced with a white satin robe that gently brushed her skin with every movement. Her body hummed, the pain long gone and replaced with buzzing energy that left her a bit lightheaded. The sensation reminded her of standing up too fast or the thrill that came with the first plunge on a rollercoaster.
She had passed out in the strip club and woken up in a strange place she didn’t recognize. Worse, she had no idea who had brought her or who had changed her clothes.
Ready to figure out where the hell she was, Tina swung her legs over the edge of the bed. She threw open the curtains, squinting as brilliant light blinded her.
“Dammit,” she said under her breath and, throwing up one arm to block the light, waited for her eyes to adjust, only before she could, someone pulled her into a tight hug.
“Tina, oh my God. I’m so glad you’re okay,” Amy cried, squeezing her even tighter.
“Jesus, you scared the fuck out of me,” Tina said as her friend nearly bearhugged her to death.
“I scared you? You scared me,” Amy replied, easing off the pressure. “You don’t have any idea how worried I was.”
“What the hell happened, Amy?” Tina asked. “The last thing I remember was the fight.” She swallowed, but before she could say more, a man’s voice filled her ears.
“Don’t worry. You’re safe.”
Tina flinched in surprise, her gaze swinging toward the man standing by the window. Despite the bright light streaming through it, she managed to squint enough to see him. He leaned against the elaborate golden wallpaper, the lush greenery of the treetops outside a sharp contrast to his black button-down shirt and slacks. Her gaze trailed over his handsome face, from the striking blue eyes to the dark hair and delicious line of stubble along his chin.
Amy gestured to the stranger. “Tina, this is Anthony. He saved our asses, and I owe him a drink now.”
“More than a drink.” He scoffed. “You owe me a banquet and a new car.”
Ah, so this is the elusive Anthony.
Good God, he was gorgeous.
Tina couldn’t stop herself from staring, but she tried to at least join the conversation to keep from seeming like a comatose idiot. “Thank you for rescuing us. I can’t thank you enough. If you hadn’t come when you did …”
“Don’t mention it,” he said with a slight bow of his head. “I was kidding about the car. Amy’s going to get into trouble no matter what I do, so I figured I should at least bail her out if I can.”
Tina shifted her gaze between the two, confused. “Are you guys secretly dating or something?”
Amy cackled so loudly that Tina jumped in surprise. The laugh quickly faded as Amy yanked the curtains open and sat on the bed. “No, Tina. God no. He’s a childhood friend. That would be like dating my brother. Gross.”
“I’m not that repulsive, woman,” Anthony said with an eye roll.
No, you most certainly are not. Tina bit her lip as he slid his hands into his pockets. “If you guys are so close, how have I not met you for five years?” she asked.
Amy shrugged, toying with the ends of her hair. “As he took on more responsibility at the palace, he was just too busy being a prince to hang out with us common folk.”
“Said the billionaire heiress.” Anthony chuckled.
Tina’s eyebrows shot almost into her hairline. At this point in their friendship, it really shouldn’t have surprised Tina that Amy was friends with so many rich and powerful people, but it still did. Amy’s childhood friend was the prince and sole heir to the Wolfcrest kingdom, and yet she had never bothered to once mention that in all their years of friendship. Sometimes, it seemed like she didn’t realize how charmed her life truly was.
Anthony pushed himself off the wall. “Speaking of, I really must be going. I’m glad you’re safe, Tina, and I wish we could’ve met under different circumstances.”
She nodded again. “Thank you, Anthony. I owe you one.”
“You don’t owe me a thing.” He shot her a charming smile, his gaze lingering on her as he headed for the door. His eyes fell to her lips briefly before he left the room altogether, and Tina couldn’t help but wish he had stayed.
When the door clicked shut behind him, Amy’s entire demeanor shifted. She grabbed Tina’s hands and leaned in, her grin fading. “Tina, look. I’m grateful for what you did. I’m grateful that you didn’t leave me down there with those men, and you proved to me that you’re the best friend I could ever have. But seriously, girl, I don’t envy what you stepped into when you grabbed me back in the altar room.”
Tina’s heart skipped a nervous beat. “What do you mean?”
Amy nodded to a mirror sitting in the corner of the room, on the far wall of windows. “Go have a look.”
Hesitantly, Tina stood and closed the distance between her and the mirror. As her reflection came into view, she gasped at the soft glow of her skin. It reminded her of a subtle version of the brilliant white light she had seen in the altar room, as her skin now glistened with the barest iridescent glimmer.
More than that, she couldn’t stop staring at her own face. She recognized her eyes, her hair, her jawline, but everything was infinitely more beautiful than before. There was a softer tilt to her nose now. More color to her cheeks and lips. A sharper angle to her chin.
Her eyes roamed her body in the mirror, and every stubborn pound she had ever tried and failed to lose was now gone. She must have lost a good thirty pounds overnight. Her hips now had voluptuous curves, and her breasts had even grown a size or two.
She looked hot as hell, and none of it made a lick of sense.
“What happened to me?” Tina asked, unable to look away from her reflection. Part of her feared that the moment she did, her newfound hourglass figure would melt away forever.
“This happened.” Amy joined her by the mirror and pointed to a white ink circle on the underside of Tina’s right wrist. The faint silhouette of a woman with broad hips and a tiny waist filled the circle, a large spiral covering her thighs. The ink shimmered like water on a pond, almost moving with a life of its own.
“Thanks, Captain Cryptic.” Tina huffed in annoyance. “What is this thing, and why did I wake up with a tattoo?!”
Amy hesitated, as though she wasn’t quite sure how to word what she wanted to say next. “It’s the sign of being fused with a goddess, Tina. Each god and goddess has their own symbol, like a family crest, and it appears on the human they possess. Anthony and I think that you interrupted a powerful ritual, one that called on seriously dark and ancient magic to force a goddess over into this world.”
She sighed softly. “This is dangerous stuff, honey, the kind people will kill for. For some reason, I was supposed to be the one merged with this goddess, not you. You somehow took my place when you touched me, and I’m so incredibly sorry you got pulled into this.”
Tina gaped. For several moments, she couldn’t think of a single thing to say. When she did find her voice again, her brain hadn’t quite caught up. “Fuck.”
Amy pursed her lips and nodded. “Pretty much, yeah.”
The door swung open and slammed into the wall, making both girls flinch with surprise. A regal woman stood in the doorway, her black hair pulled into an elaborate braided bun. An ornate red dress covered her thin frame. The neckline plunged almost to her waist, revealing ample cleavage and a black version of the tattoo on Tina’s wrist. She clasped her hands in front of her and lifted her chin ever so slightly as Tina caught her gaze.
Amy let out a relieved sigh. “Oh, good. Tina, this is Ray. She’s helping us.”
Tina pointed at the pattern inked between Ray’s breasts and lifted her own newly branded wrist. “Are we connected somehow? Are you helping me because we have the same tattoo?”
Ray nodded her graceful head. “Indeed so. It’s the mark
of Damara, the goddess of fertility, might, and magic. I’m the high priestess of her temple. Welcome to Epara.” She smiled in a way that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I’ll be helping you during your transition to goddesshood.”
Tina let out a shuddering breath and crossed her arms, leaning against the wall as she stared at the floor and tried to process everything that had just been thrown at her.
“I’m freaking out a little bit,” Tina admitted quietly. “I mean, I sort of know about gods and goddesses … but …” She flailed a little. “I didn’t know this could happen. Like, goddesshood? What’s that even mean?”
Ray tilted her head in contemplation. “You’ll feel different. Though I’ve never met someone fused with a god or goddess before, I have researched it extensively. You will have uncharacteristic urges and desires that will be difficult for you to control. Namely, you’ll have sexual desires that may be, shall we say, a bit startling to you because of Damara’s abilities and previous experiences.”
Tina blushed, but it quickly faded. “So, it’s like sharing my body with someone else?”
Ray shook her head. “Quite the opposite. You won’t hear her thoughts, but you’ll feel her needs and impulses. It will be strange in the beginning, but over time you won’t be able to tell Damara’s desires from your own. As you grow together, you’ll learn to control her many powers. She even grants magical abilities to those she sleeps with.”
“This is too much to process all at once,” Tina admitted, rubbing her temples to stem a rising headache.
Amy rubbed Tina’s back, and the soothing sensation helped ever so slightly. “It’s going to be okay.”
“Is it, though? Those men kidnapped you. Hurt you. I heard gunshots outside that altar room, Amy. People died, all because they want this goddess.” Tina touched her chest. “The goddess living in me, and oh god, I’m going to die.”
“That remains to be seen.” Ray stepped closer, her stern expression unchanging. She gently took Tina’s right hand and turned it over to expose the tattoo on her wrist. With a delicate finger, she pressed the center of the tattoo, and the veins in Tina’s arm glowed white.
Tina flinched and pulled her arm away, causing the white glow to slowly fade. “What the fuck?”
Ray sighed deeply. “That mark is how your friends knew to bring you to me. You possess an incredible magic now. I’m afraid that puts you in a terrible position. You’re correct to think there are those who would kill to control both the magic and you, but that does not mean you cannot defend yourself.”
“You’re not helping,” Amy said, shooting daggers at the woman. “Tina doesn’t need to hear about people after her.”
“I merely speak the truth,” Ray said with a faint shrug. “None of those responsible for Amy’s kidnapping were taken alive, and we don’t know who is behind the illegal ritual that forced Damara back into our world. Some will want to control you, and others will want you dead. Even in Epara, I’m not entirely certain I can keep you safe. You’re free to go, of course, but if you leave, I can guarantee your life and freedom are in danger.”
She paused for a second. “Then again, maybe you’d prefer it. After all, the only way to separate yourself from the goddess is to die.”
4
Anthony
Anthony reclined on a penthouse sofa at an Indonesian hotel not far from Epara as his father yelled at him yet again.
The King of Wolfcrest paced by the window overlooking the private pool as a cool breeze rolled past him, ruffling his salt and pepper hair. He paused mid-stride and glared at Anthony while stroking his thick beard. “You should have brought the goddess to me.”
“Taking her to the temple is the law, Father.” Anthony shook his head in annoyance. He’d expected this from his father, but even still, he’d hoped for the better. “Why would I have brought her to you? Did you forget it’s an act of war not to take a newly fused god or goddess to their temple—”
“I don’t care,” the king snapped. “You aren’t king yet, boy, and you should have brought this decision to me. The ritual happened in my kingdom, and by default, she belongs to Wolfcrest.”
“A goddess doesn’t belong to anyone,” Anthony snapped. “You know what would have happened if the other kingdoms found out we’d kept her.” He took a step forward, glaring at his father. “They’d be marching on us right now, desperate to get her.”
“Perhaps.” The king turned on his heel and began pacing once more, muttering about rituals and rightful ownership, but Anthony tuned him out, his mind already wandering to the dark-haired goddess he’d helped save. The last time he’d seen her, she’d been dressed in nothing but a white silk robe, and despite everything he’d done in his life, the sight had made his inner wolf stir.
It wanted her.
And not just because of her beauty. Everything about Tina intrigued him, her loyalty to Amy, her courage, her allure. Here was a human in shifter territory, surrounded by werewolves and still committed to saving a friend with nothing but her phone and a can of mace. That took guts.
A sharp knock at the door interrupted Anthony’s thoughts. Richard, the gray-haired human servant who faithfully tended to the Wolfcrest royal family opened it a second later and stepped inside.
Anthony stood as he took in the normally jovial man’s frown. “What’s wrong, Richard?”
“Another dignitary has gone missing,” the old man said, worry leaking into his voice.
The king snorted. “So? What do I care if another dragon emissary disappeared in the cat’s kingdom, or another eagle dignitary disappeared from the demigods’ island?”
“This time, it’s one of ours.”
Dread shot clear to Anthony’s toes. He had been afraid this would happen. Since the first one had gone missing two months ago, he had been asking for resources to investigate the matter. His father had refused each time, assigning him to useless tasks to keep him busy.
And now, his fears had been realized.
His chest tightened as his wolf snarled to be let loose, to break bones until he got answers. “Who is it, Richard?”
“Emmett Williams, ambassador to the eagles.”
Anthony nodded solemnly. He didn’t know Emmett very well, but the ambassador was still a wolf shifter and a citizen of Wolfcrest. It was his duty to find the man and bring him home.
Richard wrung his hands nervously. “Emmett’s room was ransacked, and there was so much blood—”
“I never thought it would happen to us,” the king interrupted, rubbing his chin, clearly upset by the news.
“We have to send out a search party at once,” Anthony said as he rolled up his sleeves.
“No,” the king ordered.
Anthony stopped dead in his tracks and stared incredulously at his father. “What do you mean, no? This is a citizen—”
“I know damn well who and what he is,” the king snapped.
“Then why—”
“We need to handle one emergency at a time. These disappearances have been happening for months, but the goddess’s arrival is the first in centuries. She is more pressing. The other kingdoms may already be at her temple. Hell, they may have already convinced her to leave with them.” The king shook his head. “As much as I liked Emmett, we can’t let Damara fall into the enemy’s hands.”
Anthony grimaced. “We haven’t been at war for a hundred years, Father. Ours may be a tense peace, but ‘enemy’ is too strong of a word.”
The king met Anthony’s eye without so much as flinching “You’re not that naïve, boy. Anyone with power to match ours is a potential enemy.” He sighed, stroking his beard. “Maybe we should withdraw our other ambassadors until we figure out who is behind Emmett’s disappearance.”
Anthony rubbed his face in frustration. “They’re necessary to keep the peace, Father. Every time a kingdom has withdrawn its dignitaries, war and bloodshed has followed.”
“You make a valid point, son, but with the rise of Damara, it is a risk we must t
ake, unless you’d like to lose more of our people.” The king waited a beat and when no one said anything, he turned toward Richard. “Please draft the order, Richard.”
“Y-yes sir.” The servant hesitated, his eyes flitting nervously to Anthony as though wondering if he’d say anything, but when he didn’t Richard nodded, spun on his heel, and raced out of the room, pausing only long enough to close the door.
“I know you don’t approve, Anthony…” The king hesitated, his eyes narrowing. “We have a goddess on Earth, boy. I can guarantee you there will be a war regardless of the missing dignitaries. As my heir, it is your duty to protect Wolfcrest and keep our kingdom thriving. I sometimes suspect you have forgotten that.”
Anthony hadn’t forgotten. He knew full well his loyalties lay with Wolfcrest, but they did not always lie with his father and his hot-headed decisions. This had always been their fundamental argument: doing what was best for the kingdom, rather than for the king. Every argument ended with the king fuming, and Anthony eager to take the throne and fix what his father had broken.
“Your plan might start a war, Father. I hope you have prepared accordingly.” Without another word, he left. Hands in his pockets, he headed to find Richard. He couldn’t undo what his father had done, but he could stall for time and order a few of their spies to begin looking for information on Emmett’s whereabouts.
If he couldn’t run the search party himself, he could at last coordinate one from afar.
His father was right about one thing though. With a goddess on Earth, war was a possibility. Now that Tina had the power of a goddess, she would have a target on her back.
5
Tina
As Tina walked through each of the four rooms adjacent to the main chamber of her bedroom, she couldn’t help but smile. Sure, she might have been infused with an all-powerful goddess she didn’t quite understand, but at the same time, the goddess’s suite had a living room, a dining area, a closet, and a bathroom the size of her old apartment.