by Lila Jean
Draven snorted in annoyance. “At least I can show her a good time. The rest of you are so tedious.”
Tina frowned, annoyed with how quickly the exchange had devolved. She didn’t answer, instead choosing to allow the princes to continue bickering, more curious than anything else to see how they would handle the situation. It would tell her a lot about their character to see how they handled bad news.
Draven shrugged, the first few buttons on his shirt open, tempting her to run her hands along his gorgeous chest. “Maybe you should give us each a week. It’s hard to get to know us well one day at a time.”
Killian bristled. “Gentlemen, that’s enough. Tina’s making the choices here, not you.”
Zane nodded. “I agree. Back off, guys.”
“But—” Draven and Flynn said in unison.
“Stop it, all of you!” Tina shouted, having let this play out long enough.
Draven groaned. “Tina, please, just listen to me.”
Frowning, Tina stood and glared down at the princes who were already ignoring her rules. “This is my contest. You only participate if I allow you to, and you’re not impressing me right now.”
Draven’s jaw clicked shut, and he bowed his head in surrender. “I apologize.”
She shifted her gaze to Flynn, who also bowed his head in defeat. “I, too, am sorry. I merely hoped—”
“Don’t even start, Flynn.” She glared at the demigod, silently daring him to continue. She didn’t want to send someone home on the first day, but she would.
He sighed and crossed his arms, finally conceding to her.
“You four will draw straws,” she repeated, her tone firm and unwavering.
“I’ll go find something we can use,” Killian said, bowing deeply to her before he jogged out into the hallway. It took a few minutes for Killian to procure a straw from the kitchen, but he came back with one he cut into four short stems with slightly different sizes.
The four remaining princes drew their straws from her hands, though Draven tried to peek into her palm for an advantage. She smacked his hand, but he merely winked. “Had to try.”
She chuckled and shooed him away. “Troublemaker.”
When the last straw was picked, Tina brushed her hands off on her skirts. “Very well. The order will be Anthony, Draven, Flynn, and then my day off. After that, it’s Killian, Zane, and my second day off.” With that finally settled, she let out a small sigh of relief. Reining in these men would be a challenge. “On your day with me, we don’t leave the temple grounds unless you ask me first. I’m still getting used to this whole people-want-me-dead thing, and I want to stay in familiar territory for a while.”
“Understandable,” Killian said, glancing around the temple like he was looking for possible intruders.
“Lastly, ‘no’ means no regardless of what you’re asking me to do. Respect my boundaries. If anyone pisses me off, I will send you packing, and you, as well as your kingdom, will be out of the running.”
Draven grinned. “Keep you happy. Got it.”
“We’ll start with a group dinner tomorrow to kick everything off, and my first day with Anthony will happen the following morning. Understood?”
The men murmured in agreement as Tina set her hands in her lap, studying the princes’ faces. Each of them tensed in small ways, in the jaw or by the eye, as if they were trying to figure out how to word what they wanted to say. Killian opened his mouth as if to speak, but he didn’t say a word.
Flynn took a step forward, his dominating frame commanding attention as he spoke. “We will do our best to honor your wishes, Tina. I am not my father.”
Tina offered him a slight smile, too exhausted to do more. From what she had seen so far, Flynn seemed like a good man and true leader, and she was grateful for his kindness.
A flicker of worry snaked its way through her brain as she wondered if she would have to think about more than her own happiness in this arrangement.
Do I have to pick the man who’s best able to lead? With my magic, he’ll have an advantage over the others. Does who I pick matter on a global level?
Hot damn, that was a lot to think about. She didn’t know much about politics and lines of succession, but it all seemed like a heavy burden to place on herself after the day she’d had. It could wait.
For now, she let herself enjoy the view. The five mouth-watering men in front of her stoked the embers in her soul, riling up the goddess fused with her body. Warmth shot down her thighs, and a longing ache slithered through the space between her legs. She blushed, but only slightly.
Bit by bit, she was growing accustomed to the impulses and needs this goddess threw at her. And soon, she might not be able to tell her own desires from Damara’s.
The thought brought a playful smile to her lips.
13
Tina
Tina paced the small room that was generously deemed as Epara’s library, though honestly it was barely more than a few bookshelves set against the wall of a ten-by-ten-foot room.
She ran her finger along the spines, wondering which, if any, of the books would help her learn the most about her newfound powers. It was crucial that she get the hang of her magic before anyone else came to kick down her door. Five pissed kings were enough, thanks, and she needed to be a lot stronger before she met with any of them again.
One title caught her eye: The First Hosts of Damara.
Even though it was a pretty lame title, Tina shrugged. “Might as well start at the beginning.”
She plucked the thin red tome from the shelf and sat in a nearby armchair by the only window, which gave her a perfect view out at her beautiful gardens. A magnificent pool of water stretched out toward an expansive green field. A raised walkway cut through the lily pads in the lake below, the path lined with stone lanterns every few feet. In the distance, a thick growth of twisted trees and a canopy of emerald leaves blocked the horizon.
All hers.
With a happy sigh, Tina sank into the chair and cracked the cover. She scanned the first few pages to find artfully drawn portraits, one to each page, each featuring a different beautiful woman. Some wore sheer gowns with plunging necklines, while others wore elaborate dresses lined with gold and jewels. Their eyes seemed to follow Tina as she passed, their mischievous grins hinting at secrets she couldn’t wait to learn.
Tina read the footnotes aloud, mostly to keep herself company. “These are the previous women Damara has fused with.” She ran a finger over the portraits and continued reading. “Damara has been to our world hundreds of times over the millennia, sometimes under different names. Each time she comes to Earth, she also brings immense power.”
She flipped the page, eyes still scanning the text. “Most humans don’t know much about the gods and goddesses, even to this day, which is a shame, considering how the gods and goddesses prefer to merge with humans over shifters and demigods.”
Tina blinked in surprise as she processed that last note. She scanned the small library, biting her lip as she realized what it meant. “Damara chose me. I thought it transferred to me when I touched Amy, but Damara must have chosen to fuse with me instead of Amy when offered the choice. Wow.”
A warm-fuzzy kind of feeling swam through her, a beautiful blend of gratitude and mischief. With a grin, she patted her own abdomen, grateful for the goddess who had given her such a killer new life.
Tina dove back into the book, eager to see what else she could learn. After scanning a few chapters of nothing but names and dates, she finally came to something interesting.
“Many humans over the centuries have asked why gods fuse with an earthly body at all. This is because their homeworld is in a dimension very unlike Earth, and they cannot exist in our world as their natural selves. They need a vessel to exist here and experience the pleasures our world offers, many of which don’t exist in their dimension. In exchange, they bring their power and wisdom to us. It’s a true merging where two souls become one for a time.”
&n
bsp; Tina set down the book and absently tapped her cheek with a finger. “The more I learn about you,” she said to the goddess sharing her body, “the cooler you get.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Zane said from behind her.
Tina twisted in her chair to find Zane standing in the doorway, hesitating as his gaze shifted between her and the books along the walls.
A little annoyed that he was breaking her rules yet again, Tina lifted one brow in suspicion. “Come on, Zane. We both know you didn’t walk in here accidentally. You knew I was in here, so don’t play dumb.”
He grinned and ran a hand through his wild hair. “I really was just looking for the library, honest.”
Uh huh. She smirked and returned to her book. Leave it to Zane to find loopholes in her rules.
“What are you reading?” he asked, peeking over her shoulder. As he neared, her skin began to tingle with need at the memory of his lips on her forehead, of his hands holding hers the night before. Of his sweet offer to keep her safe, no matter what happened.
Despite her momentary annoyance, she relented. He seemed genuinely kind and wickedly clever, and she enjoyed his company. To answer his question, Tina closed the book and angled the cover toward him.
“Ah, smart,” he said with a nod. “You need to learn everything you can about Damara.”
“And her magic,” Tina said, nodding along.
“Any luck so far?”
Tina shrugged. “A little. Nothing much in here about her abilities or how to control them. That’s what I really want to know.”
Zane set a hand on her shoulder, the touch shooting warmth and fire through her as she unconsciously leaned closer. The more time she spent with him, the more he made her feel nurtured. Smart. Capable.
She had to admit, she had grown pretty fond of her nerd. She smiled at him, letting her guard down as he knelt beside her. For a few moments, they paged through the book, Zane adding commentary here and there as he shared information not included in the text.
This close, she could smell the clean scent of his cologne washing over her like a cascading waterfall, the soothing scent reminding her of clean clothes and fresh sheets. It made her feel calm, connected. Safe.
She leaned her head against his and savored the warmth of his body being so close to hers. He ran the back of his knuckle along her bare arm and leaned his mouth toward hers, inviting her closer as she pretended to read the same sentences three times. This close, his nerdy charm pulled her in.
He paused when his mouth was barely an inch from hers, and she closed the gap between them. As their lips connected, desire curled within her, urging her to lose herself in his touch. Zane relaxed into her, releasing a small happy sigh as he leaned into the kiss.
When they begrudgingly pulled apart, Tina ran her fingers over her lips, smiling as the memory of his kiss danced along her tongue. “Wow.”
“Yeah,” he said breathlessly, and she lost herself in his blue eyes. “Tina, I’ve never—”
“Caught you cheating, Zane!” a familiar voice said from the doorway.
Tina peeked around Zane’s thin build to find Draven learning against the doorframe, arms crossed. As their eyes met, his gaze drifted south and swept over her body, and a hungry expression crossed his face.
She clicked her tongue and set her book on the windowsill, annoyed with his interrupting her amazing kiss with Zane, yet still admittedly happy to see her dragon. Apparently, she wouldn’t have a moment to herself today. Standing, she set her hands on her waist and leaned her weight on one hip. “Draven, you’re cheating, too. Both of you need to leave.”
“Can’t do that,” Draven said, shaking his head.
Tina laughed. “You will if you want to compete. Now scoot. Zane and I were … talking.”
“I bet you were.” Draven winked. “And I want nothing more than to compete and win your heart, Tina,” he said, closing the distance between them with slow and seductive strides. “However, I’m also worried about you. You need to learn how to fight. I’m the best swordsman in the five kingdoms, so I’ve taken it on myself to teach you.”
“How kind of you,” Tina said dryly, not at all impressed.
Zane set one hand on Tina’s shoulder, his grip tightening possessively. “If you want to train Tina, save it for your day with her.”
Now they were getting possessive, and the fun was quickly evaporating. It seemed as though her moment with Zane had faded, and if he was going to get pushy, she would rather use her day off to be alone. “Both of you need to leave. Wait to spend time with me on your allotted day. Right now, I just want to read my book.”
Draven’s cocky smirk faltered, and his gaze dropped to the floor. “Tina, I’m sorry. Look, I know I’m breaking your rules, but hear me out.”
He gently reached for her arms and pulled her closer, his touch shooting ripples of desire through her core. He leaned in, closing the distance between them, and she inhaled his smoky cologne. It took everything in her not to lean into his hard chest, but he was breaking her rules, and she had to lay down the gauntlet.
Beside her, Zane stuttered in protest, but she didn’t need his help.
She pushed the dragon shifter away. “Draven, no.”
He pressed on, regardless. “I wish there were a way for me to only train you on my days, but one doesn’t become a swordsman by practicing once per week. I need to train you as often as possible.” He lifted her hand and kissed it, and desire smoldered within her at his touch as he continued. “You are a beautiful, powerful woman with incredible abilities, but I will always want to keep you safe.” His voice lowered to almost a whisper. “I saw how exhausted you were after your display in the throne room. I know how much energy that sapped from you.”
Tina’s jaw tensed nervously. It seemed most, if not all, of her men had seen how much effort and energy her powers took to control. She wasn’t sure if she liked them knowing she didn’t have her full powers yet.
“I will always strive to protect you.” Draven gently brushed his nose against hers, his voice still a gruff whisper as tendrils of desire snaked beneath her skin at his warm touch. “If I can’t be at your side every day to guard you, I can’t sleep unless I know you can handle yourself with a blade. Please, Tina. Please let me train you.”
She sighed, weighing her options. She didn’t want to reward Draven for breaking her rules on day one, but he had a point. She needed as many new skills as she could master, in as short a time as possible. Until she could control her magic, mastering her skills with a blade would have to do.
“Very well,” she said with a nod. “But from now on, you will behave, Draven. Don’t test me.”
“Thank you,” Draven said, letting out a slow breath of relief.
Zane sputtered. “But Tina—”
She interrupted the tiger shifter’s train of thought with a well-timed look over her shoulder, daring him to challenge her. He hesitated and ultimately sighed in defeat.
“Let’s begin, Draven,” she said, heading for the door and gesturing for him to follow.
14
Draven
To Draven, Tina was already his woman, and it was his solemn duty to keep her safe at all costs. With the kinds of people after her and her power, she might be put in a compromising position when he couldn’t help her, and he needed to make sure she would be all right on her own.
Thank the gods she had agreed to let him train her.
“Keep your elbow in,” Draven said, correcting Tina’s form as they stood in Epara’s training room.
She nodded, her right elbow shifting closer to her torso as she lifted the elegant white-and-gold knife he’d had custom ordered for her and rushed to the temple. At least the high priestess had been kind enough to grant an expedited order to the best local blacksmith when she’d found out who the dagger was for.
Mirrors lined the wall around them, the one behind Tina betraying the ample lines of her perfect ass beneath the tight black pants. She had changed so they could pr
operly train. Tina’s hair was pulled back into a slick ponytail, the long strands curling over her shoulders as she studied him, waiting for the next command. He circled her, breathing in her radiance and beauty as he checked her stance.
She stood tall as a queen, confident and regal. Her skin was radiant, almost glowing. Her eyes sparkled with mischievous energy. She radiated power, and he wanted nothing more than to explore every curve on her body.
He wondered if she had sex with one of the other princes already. He mercifully walked behind her as the realization hit him, and he was able to hide an envious grimace from her and the mirror. While it was highly unlikely, it wasn’t impossible. It stung that he was the one best known for his sexual prowess, and yet he might not have bedded her first. She and Zane certainly seemed chummy, not to mention her obvious history with Anthoy, and Draven hated to think he had lost in any way to the stoic wolf or the nerdy tiger shifter.
Draven shook his head to clear himself of the jealousy and focus on the task at hand. With everyone after her, both inside and outside of the palaces, she desperately needed training.
Tina tilted her head toward him as he finished his circling. “Is this form okay?”
He nodded, though his eyes drifted again to the line of cleavage in her mercifully low-cut top. He’d never had such a dazzling training partner, and his pants tightened ever so slightly as he imagined relieving her of the clingy shirt. “Try the jab again, Tina.”
She glared at the air in front of her and stabbed the blade into the empty space with precision, this time keeping her elbow close to her body until the last moment.
“Good. Very good,” he said. She was a fast learner, and those were his favorite students to teach.
Draven, however, was an easily distracted teacher. As he circled her yet again, his eyes drifted down to the curves of her hips and her alluring rear end. He closed the gap between them, her ass brushing the growing bulge in his pants as he reached for her wrists.