by Lila Jean
“She’s far superior to you,” Anthony said, drawing a glare from Frederick.
Embarrassed by the compliment, Tina shifted uncomfortably in her seat. This was exactly what she didn’t want, a bunch of aging royals fighting over her as if they had any say in her fate.
King James shook his head, and his long silver hair brushed his shoulders. “In the past, Damara chose to live with my ancestors. It might be best if she once again joins the cat shifters in Cimarron.”
King William snorted in disgust. “The girl and Damara fused in Wolfcrest. She belongs with the wolves.”
Tina frowned as a bubble of annoyance festered within her, threatening to pop.
King Frederick gestured to Tina. “She is a goddess. She belongs with us. With her kind.”
King William laughed. “Hardly! She belongs—”
“Enough!” Tina shouted, her anger getting the best of her. She stood so quickly that she knocked her chair over. The deafening bang caused the bickering men to gape at her as though they hadn’t realized she could speak.
“I’m not a steak for you to fight over!” Tina snapped, hands on her hips. “Who are you to make these choices for me?”
For a moment, no one spoke. King Frederick of the demigods was the first to break the silence. “My dear, do you know what you’re capable of doing?”
“Of course,” she lied. Truth be told, she had only the barest scraps of clues as to her true potential, but these assholes didn’t need to know that.
“You’re a threat to us all,” King James of the eagles said, his eyes narrowing.
Every head turned toward him, but he glared at Tina with a hatred she didn’t understand. Even Killian watched him incredulously, as if surprised by his father’s outburst.
She forced a laugh. If they feared her, maybe they wouldn’t dare try to control her. “You’re right. I’m dangerous. I’m powerful. I’m also curious as to why you all feel entitled to make decisions about my future?”
King James nodded silently to himself as if she had confirmed something for him. He watched her like she was prey, as though he could strike at any moment and effortlessly close the distance between them faster than she could run away.
Chin held high, Tina tightened her hand into a fist in an effort to keep calm.
“That’s exactly the problem, my dear.” King James gestured at her. “Seeing as Damara was forced into our dimension by an unknown party with unknown intentions, I believe the goddess should be returned to her dimension.” He pointed to Tina with a thick finger. “And the girl killed.”
9
Tina
The sudden and deafening clamor of men arguing in the ensuing uproar that followed King James’ suggestion made her want to run and hide, but instead she stood her ground, meeting King James’ glare with one of her own.
She knew some thought of her as too powerful to be left alive, but the idea of a king blatantly suggesting it right in front of her … well, she hadn’t been prepared for that.
“Come on,” Ray whispered, reaching out to take her hand so she could lead Tina through the chaos in the throne room.
“Listen to me, all of you!” Anthony snarled before they could move more than a step. As the room turned toward him, he jumped onto the platform and stepped between her and the eagle shifters’ king. He bristled, shoulders squared as the edges of his powerful frame shimmered with the threat of a shift. “If you so much as bruise her, you’re declaring war against all of Wolfcrest.”
“On that, at least we can agree.” Flynn pushed his way past his father and joined Anthony to stand between Tina and the eagles, blocking her view of King James and Prince Killian entirely. “No harm must come to Damara nor her host. To even think of it is blasphemy.”
The uproar grew louder as Flynn’s statement sparked more heated debate. She could only catch snippets of the arguments, and each voice worried her more than the last.
“… what kind of army can she possibly have in this tiny …”
“… you only want a new queen, William …”
“… the temple can’t possibly withstand an assault …”
No. This wouldn’t work. Half of them were still thinking about her like a weakling they could do what they pleased with, and the other half was running on full blown fear. If this continued, a fight would break out and that wouldn’t solve anything.
Running on instinct alone, she pushed her way through Anthony and Flynn to find the five groups of men at each other’s throats. Forms shimmered as men prepared to shift.
“ENOUGH!” she yelled. Her voice resonated with more power and authority than she had ever heard in her life. It bounced off the walls, filling the room with her command. The arguing men went still.
As she spoke, her skin glowed white again. This time, she once more felt the overwhelming, almost orgasmic connection to her surroundings that she had experienced back in the altar room under the strip club. She could hear every heartbeat. Sense every breath. Feel every sultry swish of her dress against her thighs.
Her world came alive.
With the sensation, however, came a powerful surge of energy. Moved by instinct, she lifted her hand toward the men gathered below her overturned throne. With the gesture, the overwhelming thunder of their heartbeats sped up. The sound hit her ears like an erratic drum beat, wild and unnatural.
Most incredible of all, though, was how her body hummed with lust. It radiated from her like perfume, infecting everyone nearby. No one spoke. No one moved. They could only watch as she ensnared them, her newfound power trapping every man’s complete and undivided attention. Though she would never take any of the kings, she could at least put them in their place.
Every man in the throne room stared at her, frozen as if he wanted to rip her clothes off right then and there. She smirked and stepped off the platform, weaving through the immobile royal as she scanned each hungry expression.
King James stood farthest away, still as a statue as he silently fought against her powerful control. She moved closer to him, running a slender finger along his neck. As she touched him, his pulse quickened, and glee rushed through her at the vile man’s discomfort.
“Do you still want to kill me, King James?” she asked softly, her voice like silk.
He swallowed hard. “No,” he admitted, his voice barely a whisper.
Still toying with her food, Tina leaned in closer, as if she hadn’t been able to hear him the first time. “What would you like to do to me instead?”
His cheeks flushed red, and he glared at her with barely masked hatred even while his gaze brimmed with desire. His hands reached for her waist, but Tina shoved him roughly away before he could so much as touch her. Instantly, it was made clear to everyone nearby exactly what he wanted to do to her.
“You’re not good enough,” she said with a dismissive wave.
“Don’t you provoke me,” he said breathlessly and grabbed her wrist, the grip painful and tight as he yanked her toward him once more.
“How dare you!” she yelled, easily ripping her arm free of his grip.
Her instinct flared once more with indignation and disgust at his brazenness. Everything in her reeled away from this man, hated him with a passion. She stood taller, glaring at him with the full weight of her magic shooting through her body. The uncontrollable sensations worsened, sucking her deeper into Damara’s powers, but that was fine. In this, they were in agreement.
With the second rush of her magic, the thundering sound of heartbeats in her ear grew louder. She was connected to every one of these men, in that moment, and she could almost feel their pulses. No, she didn’t just feel them. She could control them.
Tina instinctively tightened her hand into a fist, and King James held his chest as if she had ripped out his heart, sinking to one knee as he gasped for air. Behind him, each of the other kings followed suit. Shortly thereafter, the princes knelt, until every man in her throne room bowed before her.
You can kill them all,
Tina, her intuition screamed.
Furious at their blatant attempts to control her, Tina pushed through the overwhelming sensations flooding her body and glared at the men at her feet. “You all think I’m helpless, but you’re the weak ones. Look at you, at my mercy and bowing at my feet. You’re only alive because I say so. Is that clear?”
King James gasped, his mouth forming words as his heart raced faster. “Yes!” he gasped, his words a strangled jumble of lust and fear.
“Very well.” Tina looked around the room, making a point to exact a nod from everyone who had dared to think they could tell her what to do. As she reached the end of the line, she smiled. “You will find I can be a benevolent goddess, but should you displease me again…”
In a sudden rush, the thundering heartbeats faded, and the world around Tina calmed. She could hear normally again, feel normally again.
At her feet, the men gasped with relief and held their chests, while several of the kings glared at her with a mixture of fear and hatred, they were doing their best to hide it. Really, though, it didn’t matter. They had seen what she could do. They were right to fear her.
Setting her hands on her hips, Tina lifted her chin defiantly as she cast another glance over the royals in her throne room. Truth be told, she wasn’t entirely sure what to do next. Perhaps she would benefit from having an ally, even though she would have to make sure her ally didn’t try to control her.
An idea began to form in her mind, and she followed her instinct. After all, she and Damara had to look out for each other.
“Here’s what we’re going to do,” Tina said, sweeping her gaze along the row of kings as a small smile tugged at her lips. “Despite your disgusting behavior, I will allow each of the princes here today to participate in a contest. I will pick the best of them as my mate, my protector, and I will use my magic to guard his kingdom as I see fit.”
For several moments, no one spoke. She scanned each face, waiting for one of them to dare defy her.
King Frederick, Flynn’s father, was the first to break the silence that followed. “I would require—”
“None of you can make demands of me,” Tina interrupted him. “You may either participate or not. That is the only choice you have.”
The demigod king’s eyes shifted briefly to the floor. Beside him, King James rubbed his jaw. The eagle king’s shoulders relaxed, and he briefly studied Killian’s face as if weighing the boy’s chances. “Can we at least have a deadline?”
Tina smirked, though she didn’t feel joy so much as righteous justice being served. Barely ten minutes ago, the asshole had threatened to kill her, and now he was asking her permission. Oh, how the mighty had fallen. “I will choose in three months. Ray, make sure the kings leave within an hour.”
Tina shot a fierce glare at the eagle king, her hatred simmering dangerously close to the surface. Her body ached with fire and fury, and she felt the need to break something. Preferably the eagle king’s face. For now, however, she would restrain herself.
Without so much as another word, she strode into the hall and returned to her room, leaving the kings to obey her command.
10
Draven
Draven stared after Tina as the incredible woman stormed out of the throne room. Back straight, chin lifted with the air of a queen, Tina had stolen his heart with her sheer power.
Even after she left the room, he watched the empty hallway. His inner dragon stirred at the lingering floral notes of her perfume and the alluring curve to her hips. He could already feel his hands on her waist, hiking up the fabric of her skirts as he explored her.
And good Lord, what a woman to explore.
Fire. Power. Authority. She had it all.
He and his dragon were both smitten. Heat churned beneath his skin as his dragon huffed deep within his core, eager to horde her like a treasure. A puff of black smoke escaped his nose as his inner fires raged hotter. No woman had ever riled him up like this, but Tina wasn’t a normal human woman. She was a goddess and a fertility goddess at that.
Draven smirked.
He wanted her in his bed more than any woman he had ever seen. He wanted to hear her scream his name, to feel her tighten and tense as he gave her pleasure she could only dream of. Of course, his father would consider the political need for Draven to win this contest, but Draven just wanted her for himself.
A sharp prod to his shoulder snapped him out of his daze. His father glared at him briefly as the din of arguing men grew louder. Draven suppressed an annoyed roll of his eyes.
Politics. Ugh. Even when he was king of Mersarth and all dragons, he would forever hate the red tape and tiresome obligations that came with power.
His father yelled at the king of the cats, his eyes glowing red with the threat of unleashing his inner dragon. Though the five kings rarely met all at once, they argued any time they did, even now after being so humbled before Tina. As a child, it had scared him to see so many powerful men at each other’s throats. As an adult, however, it had become the most obnoxious thing in the room.
Best to just let it fizzle out.
After a few more minutes of incoherent arguing, the demigod prince Flynn jumped onto the platform and raised his hands. “Enough! Enough, all of you. Damara has spoken, and she has made her desires plain. Unless one of your great kings wants to test her resolve, the contest is plain. Though I have to ask, King James, which of your sons will compete?”.”
Draven rolled his eyes. He could always count on Flynn to try to control the situation and anyone nearby. It would be admirable if it wasn’t so boring.
King James of the eagles snorted. “I thought you were smarter than that, demigod. It’s obvious that Killian will represent the eagles. He isn’t married, and each of us wants powerful grandchildren.”
Unfazed, Flynn jumped off the platform as the men slowly formed a circle below the throne. “It occurred to me, but I assumed your obedient little son was betrothed before he was born. That’s what you expect your eagles to do, isn’t it? Obey blindly?”
Draven chuckled at the demigod’s snark. The eagles were prone to pride and vanity, and it was almost too easy to get under their skin. Flynn was just trying to ruffle their feathers and seeing the eagle king bristle was always a treat. In another life, Draven might have been friends with the demigod prince, but there were no friends here.
Though King James fumed at the insult, his son Killian merely smirked. “Hardly, Flynn. We protect what’s ours, and Tina’s mine. I’ll slay any beast that comes between me and the goddess.”
With that, the eagle prince looked sharply at Draven. He inwardly seethed at the bitter reminder of the honor-bound eagle knights finding any excuse to slay his dragon ancestors. It might have been centuries ago, but the wound on his people was still fresh.
“You all disgust me.” Anthony’s calm demeanor shifted, and he crinkled his nose in revulsion. Without another word, the wolf prince strode from the room despite the muffled protests from his father. King William scowled after his son but to no avail. After a moment of fuming, he chased after Anthony and disappeared into the hall.
Draven frowned as he watched the wolves retreat. He and the other princes had grown up at the same time, raised from birth to despise each other, and he knew their personalities better than most. So, he knew that Anthony was a lone wolf, a soldier who had few allies in this world and few romantic conquests, and yet he seemed to have some sort of connection to Tina.
Of the princes, Anthony had just become Draven’s biggest competitor.
King Frederick of the demigods gave Draven a once-over. “And what about you, boy? I suspect you’ll be too distracted chasing every skirt in the temple to have any chance of winning.”
“At least someone here is experienced enough to please a fertility goddess,” Draven said with a wink.
Draven’s father adjusted his tie, chin lifted in disdain. “Nothing more can come from standing around and bickering like hens. Come, Draven.”
For Tina, though, he wanted to do more than merely charm her. He wanted to win her. To earn her. Her heart. Her loyalty. And yes, her bed.
Draven cast one more cursory look over his shoulder at the assembled men. The kings once more began to bicker, and the princes rolled their eyes. As the argument began, however, Zane slowly snuck away from the rest and disappeared through a door in the wall Draven hadn’t previously noticed.
Draven smirked at the studious tiger shifter’s ambition. Zane’s nerdy obsession with books and chemistry sets left him at the bottom of the running, and Draven barely considered the cat kingdom as a threat in their little race. However, Zane was up to something, and sooner or later, Draven would find out what it was.
The game had begun, and Draven didn’t play by the rules.
11
Tina
Back in her room, Tina threw a lamp against the wall. Glass shattered and clanged against the ground beside the remnants of a dresser. Fuming with revulsion at the kings, she searched for something else to throw. Fueled by rage, she didn’t care what she destroyed.
Mature? No. Cathartic? Yes.
“What assholes!” She grabbed a vase and threw it out the window, envisioning the eagle king’s face as she did. A second later, she heard the distant plunk of something heavy dropping into a body of water.
Exhausted from the drain of Damara’s magic flooding her body, Tina finally slouched against a wall and rubbed her eyes. The anger slowly seeped from her limbs until she could barely stand.
“No,” she said under her breath. She took a deep, steadying breath as she stared out over the beautiful sunset.