The Tiger's Offer

by Lila Jean

  Flynn chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. “You go right for the jugular, wow. You don’t mess around, Tina.”

  She shrugged, sitting up and leaning back on her palms as she waited for the demigod to answer. “You did say you would teach me.”

  “I did, and I will.” He smiled, all charm and muscle. “God-magic is universal in some ways, so the way to access it is the same for all of us. Yours will be far more powerful than a demigod’s, and the more you use it, the more magic you’ll find.”

  Tina grinned. “That’s awesome.”

  “It’s truly incredible.” Flynn rubbed his beard, his warm eyes roving briefly over her body. “To access your magic, you simply need to feel for it. It exists, always, deep in your core at your connection to your goddess.” He set his palm against her abdomen, his palm warm and soothing, and she leaned into his soothing touch as he spoke. “Listen for Damara. Feel her, right here.”

  Tina closed her eyes and listened hard, focusing her attention on the space beneath his warm palm. As she did, a flicker of energy snaked through her from the spot, leading her deeper into her own mind. Her body hummed to life, vibrant and alive, aching with need and sensation. Her sense of smell sharpened, and the earthy scent of cut grass and the sweet scent of running water wafted by. The twitter of a little animal running through her garden caught her attention, and the gentle scratch of the grass beneath her fingers reminded her of the joys of being alive.

  “Good,” Flynn said softly, his deep voice shooting a shiver of desire and need down her spine. When she was this connected with her world, warmth spread between her thighs, and her body ached for him to reach up her skirt.

  After all, he was so much nicer, so much kinder, so much gentler than she had expected he would be. Around the others, he was a controlling leader who did what needed to be done, but around her, he was his true self, a kind man who she enjoyed being around.

  “Listen for my heartbeat,” he said.

  Careful to take deep and steady breaths, Tina listened and remained connected to her goddess. Slowly, the distant drum of a pulse filled her ears, finally building to a crescendo. She paused, pulling away from the sound. “I don’t want to hurt you,” she said.

  “You won’t.” On her abdomen, his thumb gently brushed her body. “I trust you.”

  With a grateful smile, she connected again to his heartbeat. It pounded like thunder in her ears, close and willing. Like a new driver behind the wheel for the first time, she tenderly tapped the accelerator, careful not to make his heart race too quickly. It obeyed, speeding up as she controlled his body.

  Once again, her body hummed with lust. It radiated from her, and beside her, she felt Flynn lean in closer. He breathed harder, his fingers twitching slightly on her belly from the strain.

  Careful not to hurt her demigod, Tina pulled back, tapping on the brakes and slowing his pulse slightly. The thunder of his heartbeat began to slow, and his breathing eased once more.

  She smiled, opening her eyes, almost disbelieving. “I did it! First try!”

  Flynn smiled and pulled her into a hug. “I’m so impressed!” He kissed her scalp, the tingle of his lips on her skin riveting her in place. Her eyes fluttered closed as she enjoyed his powerful arms around her, holding her close, keeping her safe. “I knew you’d be a natural, but it’s something else entirely to feel your power.”

  “Thanks,” she said, a little embarrassed.

  He nodded. “Keep practicing, but don’t push yourself.” He ran a finger along her jawline as he watched her with a mix of admiration and pride. “A little bit every day goes a long way. If you’re okay with it, I think we should pause for now and try again in a bit. That work for you?”

  Even though Tina felt fine, like she could go again and maybe hold it for longer this time, she figured he had a point. If she was controlling hearts, she could kill people, and she had to be careful not to make a fatal mistake. “Okay.”

  He ran a hand through her hair, and she leaned into his electric touch. “The more you focus on that connection, the longer you’ll be able to hold it and the more bodies you’ll be able to control at once.”

  “Good.” An impish grin crossed her face. The sooner she learned to control her magic, the sooner she would be able to protect herself.

  “What would you like to do today, Tina?”

  Tina tapped her finger on her cheek, thinking for a moment as her eyes scanned the distant forest. “Well, since you asked, I would like to explore Bali. You know, the real tourist experience. Show me every tourist trap, every photo op. I want to see it all.”

  “Done. I’ll call an agency to put something fun together for us. Until then, are you hungry?”

  Though she hadn’t eaten yet today, only a mild hunger gnawed at her stomach. For the most part, her only hunger since fusing with Damara had been of the primal sort. She shrugged. “Sure. Let’s go raid the kitchen. I’m pretty sure you’re going to eat me out of house and home, though.”

  He laughed and helped her to her feet, and the warm grip of his hands around hers stirred the embers of her soul. Deep within her, the scintillating desire she had felt when she first met him returned.

  I want them all, it said.

  21

  Tina

  The day sped by almost too quickly for Tina, filled as it was with private cars and the flashing of Flynn’s cell phone camera. With his long reach, he quickly became the selfie king as he posed with her in front of temples, beaches, and tourist traps.

  There was something surreal about a demigod snapping selfies. Tina chuckled to herself each time he did it, prodding him to take more and more simply so she could watch his smile flash on the screen afterward. He obliged her each and every time.

  “Can you tell me a bit about Olympus?” she asked over lunch. They sat in a private room at a restaurant near the water, the white tablecloth spotless beneath the glass of red wine the waiter had delivered mere seconds after her arrival.

  Across from her, Flynn towered over the table and filled his chair to the brim. His muscular bulk commanded the space, and she was growing to love the way he had to duck to go through doorways.

  He nodded enthusiastically at the mention of his home. “Olympus is stunning. Mountains and waterfalls, forests and skyscrapers. It’s a blend of science and nature you have to see to believe. Descendants of all the gods and goddess live there.”

  She leaned her elbows on the table, tucking her fists beneath her chin as she leaned toward him. “And who are you descended from, Mr. Muscles?”

  He laughed. “Odin, actually.”

  Her eyebrows shot into her hairline. “Odin? The Odin?”

  “Well, there’s only one.” He winked.

  She stuck out her tongue at his sarcasm. “Wow, Odin. That’s incredible. I don’t know about all the gods, but I know him. He was really powerful. God of war, death, wisdom, and the sky, right?”

  Flynn shrugged one shoulder modestly. “That’s him. Being his heir has its perks.”

  “Ah, well, what kind of magic do you have??”

  A playful smile spread across Flynn’s face. “You know it’s rude to ask about a demigod’s powers, right?”

  She blushed. “I didn’t, actually, but come on, humor me.”

  “Well, it’s nothing quite like yours,” he said with a gesture toward her. “What you did to us in the throne room left me in awe. I control storms, mostly. I can summon or dismiss them.”

  “Can you manipulate lightning?”

  He shook his beautiful head. “I’ve had a few successful shots here and there, but by and large I can only make the air ripe for a lightning storm and hope my enemies stand under a tree.”

  Tina laughed and nearly spit out her wine.

  He chuckled along with her. “I’m good for a laugh now and then too.”

  Tina smiled and took another sip of her wine. “So, what else is in Olympus? Why are only gods and demigods allowed there?”

  “The shifters will
tell you it’s because we’re elitist assholes.”

  “Are you?”

  “Hardly.”

  “Then why are only demigods allowed?”

  “I shouldn’t tell you.”

  “But you’re going to.”

  Flynn chuckled. “What makes you so sure of that?”

  “Because you want me to trust you,” Tina said, reclining in her chair with a teasing smile.

  The demigod prince nodded, eyebrows raised. With a wary glance at the door, he lowered his voice. “Only gods and demigods are allowed in Olympus because Damara is, in fact, not the first goddess to visit Earth in hundreds of years.”

  Tina gasped loudly in surprise.

  “Shh,” Flynn said with a wary wave of his hand.

  “Sorry,” she lowered her voice and leaned closer, eager for more.

  Flynn licked his lips, watching the door as he spoke. “When the gods left Earth because the humans and shifters abused their divine power, we demigods couldn’t go with them. We are a blend of two worlds, not really welcome in either, so we created a home of our own. When the gods saw what we had built, some returned in secret. It was safe, a way for them to experience Earth again in a controlled environment.”

  Tina’s eyes widened with hope. “So, there are more people like me? I’m not really alone?”

  Flynn hesitated, studying her with an uncertain expression. He seemed to be internally battling over something, and the longer he waited to answer her, the faster her hope dissolved. “No, you’re the only one,” he admitted with a sigh.

  Tina’s shoulders drooped. “I guess I was hoping—well, it doesn’t matter.”

  Flynn gestured toward the water outside the window. “Olympus is still the safest place for you. It’s an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, which gives us added security against invasion. If someone attacks, we can see them for miles and evacuate to the tunnels and bunkers if need be, but no one is stupid enough to attack the descendants of gods.”

  “King James might be.”

  Flynn shook his head. “If you’re in Olympus, the eagles will never touch you.”

  Tina leaned back in her chair, scrutinizing him. He had charmed her, took her down the first steps to controlling her magic, and his touch sent delightful crackles of energy and desire through her body, but the way he was talking sparked a flicker of doubt. “You seem to want me to go to Olympus pretty badly. You’ve mentioned it several times now.”

  He froze, his wine glass halfway to his mouth. “Tina, I’m not trying to make you do anything you don’t want to do.”

  “Smart, because you can’t.” She ran her pointer finger absently over her thumb as she studied his face. “But you’re trying to convince me it’s worth doing. That’s why you hesitated, isn’t it? If you had lied to me and said there was another god or goddess in Olympus, you know I would have gone in a heartbeat.”

  “But I didn’t lie to you,” he pointed out.

  “True, but you considered it.” She tilted her head, still piecing together his motivations. “And that pisses me off.”

  “Tina, I would never, ever lie to you.” Flynn sighed and set the wine glass on the table. “I simply lost myself in thought for a moment. Lying to you is what my father would have wanted me to do, but like I said back in the throne room, I’m not my father. I apologize if I seemed forward.”

  He reached for her hand, and she allowed it, still enjoying his warm touch even while temporarily wary of his intentions. “I’m merely trying to keep you safe. I don’t have much control over your temple, though I have been monitoring the perimeter. No one’s getting in without my knowing, but I don’t know your staff. Your priests and priestesses could be spies for whoever brought Damara into this world against her will. I simply don’t know.”

  Tina frowned at the idea, but she couldn’t deny it was a possibility she hadn’t considered before.

  Flynn shoved his wine glass aside. “Tina, you saw the way the eagle and werewolf kings were staring at you. One wanted to hike up your skirts right there on your throne, and the other wanted to send a sword through your heart.”

  She scrunched up her nose in disgust. “Don’t spare me the gory details or anything.”

  Flynn leaned toward her, and the fresh scent of his cologne crashed over her again. “You’re new to the world of gods and goddesses, but I was raised in it. If I were you, I would want answers, and those answers are in Olympus, not here. That’s all.”

  “Fair enough.”

  “You’re right to be suspicious, though. Everyone wants something from you.”

  “And what do you want from me?”

  His eyes roamed her face, and a small smile played on his lips. “To show me who you really are. To see if we’re compatible.”

  She couldn’t resist the smile that spread across her face. “Smooth save, Flynn.”

  He shrugged, grinning. “It’s the truth.”

  The door opened to a white-gloved waiter carrying a silver tray with an ornate lid hiding whatever lay beneath. He set it on the table with a flourish and lifted the dome to reveal an elaborate plate overflowing with fresh fruits.

  “Oh, we didn’t order this,” Tina said with a gesture to the exquisite appetizer.

  “On the house,” the waiter said with a bow. He retreated into the hallway and gently shut the door behind him.

  Tina stared after him, a little confused as to what had just happened.

  Flynn chuckled and popped a grape into his mouth. “Don’t worry, it’s safe. I have guards in the kitchen monitoring their food prep. You simply need to get used to the VIP treatment, darling.”

  A thin shiver of delight snaked down her back at the endearing pet name, but she tried to ignore it. She was still a little annoyed with him. “Do they know who we are?”

  Flynn nodded. “Sort of. They know who I am, but your identity is still secret. However, that won’t be true for much longer. You have maybe three or four months before the world discovers who you are. You’ll be an instant celebrity, so get used to being gawked over. This is your life now. You’ll always be given the best seat, the best food, the best service. You’re a goddess and a future queen.”

  With the reminder of her pending choice, Tina picked absently at the fruit platter as if hunting for a good strawberry. To be honest, any of the bright red fruits would do, but she lost herself in thought as she wondered what would happen at the end of the contest.

  Flynn reached for her hand and rubbed her wrist tenderly. “I upset you, didn’t I? I’m sorry.”

  “It’s fine.”

  “No, really. I’m sorry. I keep adding salt to the wound. Here’s the thing, Tina. You need to choose what’s best for you and no one else. Damara might be immortal, but you only get one life. Right now, you don’t have the weight of a kingdom to consider, so follow your heart and ignore anyone who tells you otherwise.”

  Tina smiled, grateful for his compassion and kindness.

  Flynn opened his mouth to continue, but he shuddered with an abrupt ferocity. His grip tightened around her hand. His jovial expression melted into focused concern, and he glared out the window with a sudden intensity that startled her.

  “What’s wrong, Flynn?”

  “A storm, and a big one at that. Came out of nowhere.”

  Tina glanced out the window in time to see thick black clouds rolling over the horizon. Lightning crackled within the growing darkness as ships raced toward the harbor beneath the ever-encroaching squall.

  “I have to help them,” Flynn said urgently. He offered her his hand and threw open the door.

  Tina raced after him, barely able to keep up with his powerful legs as they raced out the back door and down toward the beach. When they reached the water’s edge, Flynn released her and waded into the tide. He lifted his hands, the bulging muscles in his biceps tensing as he reached for the brewing storm.

  Lightning sparked over his body. His eyes glowed yellow as he focused on the clouds. The advancing tempest sl
owed, the clouds churning impatiently on the horizon as they reacted to Flynn’s magic.

  Tina gaped in awe.

  The ships continued to race toward port as Flynn flattened his palms and closed his eyes. A burst of lightning struck the water, and the clouds began to thin. Tuft by dark tuft, they floated away from each other and ambled back out to sea.

  When the last black cloud disappeared, Flynn finally lowered his arms, chest heaving as he returned to the beach and collapsed into the sand. He sat along the surf, head in one hand as he fought to regain his breath.

  Tina knelt beside him, curling her skirts beneath her as she set a hand on his back. He leaned his head on her shoulder and closed his eyes. One hand wound around her waist, pulling her closer as his breathing slowly returned to normal.

  “That was a massive storm,” he said softly. “I don’t usually get winded, but I almost couldn’t stop that one.”

  Flynn had leaped selflessly into action to help those strangers. If he hadn’t intervened, the storm would have overtaken the ships and sunk many of them. Flynn had saved the lives of men who would never know to thank him.

  As he held her close, she ran a hand through his hair. “I’m impressed.”

  “I wasn’t trying to show off, or I would have done something that didn’t drain me so much.”

  “I know,” she said softly. “That’s what impresses me.”

  22

  Flynn

  Flynn hated to admit it to himself, but Tina was everything he had hoped for and more: kind, intelligent, and feisty. Her beauty was a nice bonus. Her powers would make her more and more coveted as she grew to control them, but it was her compassion made her truly desirable.

  At the beginning of the day, he had wondered if perhaps he had stayed around for a contest that he didn’t really want to win. After spending the day with her, however, he rather liked the human Damara had chosen.