by C. M. Owens
He snaps my head back to get a better angle at my chest, and I stare from my upside-down tilt into the mirror so I have a full view of the surreal beauty of our bodies intertwined.
Devin’s eyes meet mine through the mirror, and just like that, the game is over, and the moment we’ve both building up to can’t wait any longer.
His lips claim mine once more when he pulls my head back to him, and I don’t care who the fuck walks in. I don’t want him focusing on anything but me right now. My fervent ambition grabs him, and the water sinks back into hiding.
Now… He’s all mine.
“Well, that was… Wow,” I murmur a little too dreamily in my overly relaxed, energy-depleted, and incredibly sated state.
He breathes out a bit of a laugh for my stammering proclamation.
“I think ‘wow’ is a rather understating word for the epic, surreal, inconceivably outlandish, and blistering passion entangled in that session,” he breathlessly counters.
I blush lightly and giggle at his overly fascinated tone. His lips softly caress mine, and then he sighs loudly.
“Cover up,” he gripes. “Deacon is coming in.”
I quickly jerk the sheet to my chin, and Deacon does just as Devin foresaw. I laugh a little at his reddened face, and he shakes his head.
“I assumed the two of you would be finished by now,” he grumbles. “It has been hours, and we’re still waiting on you to finish up the details,” he admonishes to Devin.
“Yeah, I know. I’ll be out in a minute,” Devin assures with a quirky grin.
“I swear,” Deacon murmurs in distaste as he heads back out, and I giggle lightly while I snuggle up closer to the rebellious caretaker.
“Are you sure you want to stay the caretaker?” I tease. “You seem to be having a problem finishing your meetings.”
“I don’t trust anyone else with your safety. Lana is just jealous because she was Deidra’s caretaker for centuries. She feels a little ousted now, but I don’t even trust her. I need to know every detail of what’s going on, and more so, I need to control it so I can be certain each move is in your best interest,” he murmurs in his silky tone.
Chills lightly spread over me upon hearing his attentive devotion, and I can’t help but want yet another encore when I see his mouthwatering body being revealed to my scandalous eyes as he pulls on his jeans.
“You have to stop looking at me that way. I’ll never get back to work if you don’t,” he snickers out.
“I think we should get more mirrors in here,” I murmur mildly.
“Why?” he muses as he slips on his shirt.
“Because I loved watching you when we were still in the bathroom,” I provocatively release, and I see him now swallowing the imaginary lump in his throat.
“You’re never letting me out of here, are you?” he smolders, and I smirk as he flashes back to the bed.
His lips devour mine with carnivorous ambition, and then his hands slide their scorching heat against my legs as he slips the sheet up.
“Fuck,” he breathes into my mouth with frustration, and then Kry walks in unannounced.
“Sorry, but this is a little important,” he mutters in aggravation. “Lana instructed me not to leave until you came out with me. She’s sending Theia in next. You want your mom to see this?”
“I’m coming,” Devin growls, and then his lips grace mine with a lighter tug before flashing out of the room.
I giggle lightly, and then I pick up the shards of my scorched clothing. Now Devin’s having problems controlling the fire he taught me to suppress.
I can’t help but smile as I stare over at the huge charred mark - evidence of our torrid sexcursion. The sheets are singed, and the walls are still whining about their forced wilted state.
My phone rings, and I almost leap out of my seat when I see it’s the one meant to call my parents from. I stumble over my own feet that are moving too fast in their flashing approach, and I crash into the wall while grabbing the phone - bits of sheet rock chunking up and crashing to the ground.
“What? Is Aster okay?” I panic.
“Angel?” Nadia’s sweet voice whimpers.
“Nadia? What’s wrong? Where’s Mrs. Titan?” I prompt anxiously.
“Angel, I had a bad dream,” she says with a tearful hint.
My heart sinks to the floor, and I try to think of a way to soothe this child while coaxing out the information in a way that doesn’t upset her more.
“Nadia, it’s just a dream. Dreams aren’t real,” I murmur with lack of conviction, considering, in her case, it’s a lie.
“My dreams come true. Even when they’re nightmares,” she murmurs with a nearly inaudible tone, and chills consume every inch of my body as the hair on my head slowly crawls and attempts to stand on end.
“Nadia, sweetie, please tell me what you saw,” I plead in a choking whisper.
“I saw everything, everyone, and the hero didn’t save him in time in this dream,” she utters with fear straining out more prominently.
“The hero didn’t save who?” I urge softly.
“Devin,” she sobs, and my heart plummets to the floor as hot and cold rush me in a tingling unison. “Last time he saved him, this time he killed him.”
“Nadia, that doesn’t make sense. Maybe this was just a regular nightmare,” I say comfortingly, but I’m not sure whom I’m trying to convince - her or me.
“It wasn’t. I got the fever. Mrs. Titan gave me medicine, but I didn’t tell her it wouldn’t help.”
There’s no way this is definitive. They said we couldn’t change the outcome of a dreamer’s vision, but her vision changed. That means there has to be a way.
“Why did Jace kill Devin?” I ask warily, though I shouldn’t be pushing her young mind to revisit such a dark place.
“Because of the shadow,” she murmurs softly, and then I get sick.
Rhea can control and possess an immortal. That’s how she made the others hate Kronos. She possessed him and then forced them to think he was a tyrant, when all along it was her and her trickery.
She’s going to possess Jace and kill Devin.
No. Hell no.
I don’t care what they say, I can’t let this happen. I won’t let this happen.
“Can you stop the dream?” she asks hopefully, bringing me back from my silent panic attack, and I have to wipe away the burning tears from my cheeks.
“Of course I can,” I force out, and my body crumbles to the ground from the exhausting revelation.
“Nadia,” Mom calls from a distance.
“I have to go. I won’t tell Mrs. Titan,” she promises, and I hear her forced maturity ringing out too loudly.
She’s never had the naïve bliss of a child, and now my moment of forgotten woe has returned with a striking vengeance.
The phone goes dead, but I hold it in a suspended state while trying to fully fathom all I’ve just had unloaded on me. They’re not like visions, and Devin told me sometimes they mingle with real dreams. Maybe she’s wrong.
Maybe she was having a nightmare mixed with her premonition.
Maybe I’m just trying not to accept the possibility of anything else.
I pick my phone back up, and I keep my eyes glued to the back of the padded door so no one surprises me by walking in on my secret conversation.
“Adisia?” Slash asks with bemusement.
“I need you to meet me in thirty minutes,” I almost command.
“Okay. Where?”
“The beach. I’ll text you details.”
“See you then,” he replies with curiosity still etched into his tone.
I slide the phone into the pocket of my jeans I threw on, and then I steady my breath before walking into the packed living area.
There are so many more people than I even knew were here. Eyes flash to me expectantly, and now I feel a little on the spot.
Devin struts over to me with a proud smirk when all the men who’ve barely seen me lose their
breath.
Damn Aphrodite zing.
“What’s up, baby?” he playfully chirps, and I force out a grin before beginning my lie.
“I’m going to go get some air.”
“Okay. Let me grab my shoes,” he offers before flashing into the bedroom.
I follow him in and shut the door behind before continuing my deceitful endeavor.
“Actually, I’m just going to take a minute for myself.”
His eyes looked worried, pained, and confused when he glances up from his crouched position.
“Why? Did something happen? Did you see something?” he prompts anxiously.
“No. I didn’t see anything,” I mutter. At least that’s not a lie. “I just need a minute to breathe outside before the next storm hits. Speaking of storms, I still can’t draw in the wind, and it’s starting to irritate me. I want to take a minute and see if I can’t figure out what’s holding me back.”
“I don’t want you going out alone,” he counters so protectively as his arms wrap around my waist to pull me to him.
“I know, but you need to stay here and keep running the show. I’ll be fine on my own, and I’ll stay close. I promise.
“This week has been rather eventful. I had to watch our daughter go into hiding, I spent days in the belly of a volcano, I came face to face with the bitch who was after our daughter, and we found out Rhea is waiting for the perfect moment of weakness to claw her way back. Right now I just want to clear my head. We’re going to need me to be functioning properly,” I mumble, and with the exception of my lie by omission, I’m telling him the truth; I really am a little overwhelmed.
He sighs a little reluctantly, and then he gives a begrudged nod to assert his hesitant approval.
“I understand. This hasn’t been easy on me either though. I was there to see Aster go into indefinite hiding. Then I had to search for my abducted wife. I spent days worrying I was too late. You have no idea how relieved I was when Camara’s eyes were finally on you, and then how terrified I was when she told me what she was seeing.
“I can live without so many things in my life, but you’re not one of them. You’re my air, my water, my fire, my world. Now our daughter holds a strong place as well. The two of you are my only reasons for living, and I lost both of you in the same day,” he chokes out, and now I feel like a selfish, petty, whiny bitch.
“I’m sorry. I know you’ve been thrown into hell with me. You should get out and take a minute for yourself as well. I think we both need it,” I whisper softly as my lips caress his.
“I don’t want a minute alone. I want every second I can have with you,” he honestly reveals, and my tears begin trying to creep out.
I feel so terrible about deceiving him. I really don’t want to be alone either, but I can’t let him know what I’m doing.
I’ve chastised him so many times for lying to me in order to shield me or protect me. Here I am being a complete hypocrite by doing the thing I made him promise to never do to me again.
My mind flashes back to our bonding ceremony - our immortal wedding. His words scroll through my mind with their promising taste.
“I, Devin, vow to be eternally bewitched by you, Adisia Cole, and I swear to always be forthcoming and honest in our lives no matter what the consequences or the danger. You’re my world, my life, my breath, and my desire. I will never leave your side, and I’ll never stop loving you with all my strength. I promise this now, forever, and beyond.”
I sigh as I stare into the smoky eyes looking down into mine, and I force myself to lie yet again, even though it’s almost excruciating to do.
“Let’s do something together tomorrow, away from the house and the others. I’ll go for a run right now, and I’ll be back before you have time to miss me,” I murmur encouragingly.
“I doubt that,” he sighs. “I feel as if you’re holding something back, and it’s starting to worry me. Is there something I’m missing?”
Drat! He knows me too damn well.
“No. Like I said, I’m just a little overwhelmed. I love you,” I quickly interject.
“I love you,” he says warily, and then my lips pull his to mine with over eager propulsion.
The passion sparks and offers an indefinite depth for how far this could lead, but I have to find the strength to draw back. Slash will be waiting, and it’s time to end this.
Devin’s arms grip me tighter, and his hands dig into my sides. He lifts me slightly, and I finally force my lips away.
His eyes show their concern, suspicion, and disbelief more profoundly now, and I try to cover the emotional surge begging to flow out.
“I’ll be back soon,” I shudder out, and his lips claim mine again before I make it out the door.
“I know you’re holding back. You wouldn’t have pulled away from that an hour ago. What’s wrong?” he insists, but I just shake my head.
“I’m just worried about our future. I don’t want to cry in front of everyone, so please just give me a minute,” I whimper.
He huffs again, but I can tell he’s not as convinced as I would like him to be.
“Take your phone. Call me if you’re going to be gone longer than a couple of hours, please. I’ll be worried if you don’t.”
“I promise,” I murmur softly, and my lips graze his once more with a sweet farewell before I flash out the door.
I give a smiling wave to the others in the room while flashing out of the house before they can interrogate me on my intentions. I can’t tell them.
I can’t tell them Devin is destined to die at Jace’s hand. That’s the premonition our sweet dreamer had to endure, and they would all join me in keeping him and Jace safe from Rhea’s grasp.
I can’t risk their lives to save my own. I have to do what I was meant to do. This is why I was created, and I can’t leave our daughter an orphan. She’s going to need one of us to guide her through our world when the time comes, and Devin is the best one to do that.
I’d give my life for him and her, and if that’s what it takes… then so be it.
“Adisia,” Slash calls from the beach bar when he sees my eyes searching for his face.
I jog over to him with mortal speed, and he looks absolutely terrified when I finally approach him.
“You look like a man full of dread,” I criticize.
“Well, no offense, but when you called to ask me to meet you in secrecy, I knew it had to be something terrifyingly dangerous or torridly scandalous. I would be a fool to hold out hope for the latter of the two options, so I can only assume my Emperian is about to ask me to stand in the line of fire… again. I’ll have to agree to whatever you ask, so you might as well just tell me what to do,” he huffs.
I feel a little burdened by the inherit power I never wanted and the loyally obedient followers forced to do my bidding without option.
“You can tell me no, and I won’t persecute you for any reason. Let’s get that on the table first. This meeting is secret because the task is incredibly dangerous for almost anyone but you. I’ll keep you safe, and then you can run once I’ve cleared away the first threat,” I murmur in a whispered tone.
His eyes narrow and he looks around to make sure there are no prying ears trying to listen in on our conversation.
“I’ll do whatever you need me to do. If you feel it necessary, then I trust you’re doing the right thing,” he devotedly offers, and I still feel like a dictating queen bitch.
Damn Emperian bullshit.
I don’t have time to wallow in the guilt stream though. I have a limited amount of time to put this plan to work before Devin starts wondering where I am.
“I need you to come with me to Athena’s garden. I know it’s here, and I know it’s close. I tasted, I saw, and I lived for a moment through Rhea’s eyes. I gained insight on her scheming plot, and I know what she’s waiting on. I’m going to provoke her out of her entombed grave that can no longer hold her down,” I mutter, and it’s so quietly delivered, he almost has to
read my lips to see rather than hear my words.
The color washes from his face, and I know he’s fully understood the contents of my muted request whether spoken or mouthed.
“That’s… so… but… I’m a little confused. You’re saying you want to take on Rhea with just the two of us? Why?” he asks with complete bewilderment.
“I don’t want us to take on Rhea. I’ll be taking on Rhea by myself. I need you to draw her out. How good are your acting skills?”
“You’ve seen my best, and as I recall, I didn’t do too well to convince you I was Devin,” he grumbles.
I smirk a little at the memory I’m almost fond of these days.
“I don’t need you to convince someone you’re somebody else, I need you to convince them you’re dead - that I’m dead,” I murmur very cautiously.
“Who?” he muses.
“Rhea has two spies in our group. I’ve kept it secret because I plan on using it against her. If Devin and the others knew of about this, they would kill them before we could use the information to our advantage. It’s how we were constantly being found so easily even after the demise of the daughters of Athena.
“It’s how Pyrrha knew to find us in Greece, but she couldn’t find me when I was in Phoenix. Our daughter’s birth was strictly limited our immediate group, keeping Pyrrha from learning about her birth. The facet I was Emperian was a simple oversight because Pyrrha doesn’t speak with them regularly. Fortunately, my daughter’s birth and whereabouts were only made known to our most trusted friends.
“These two spies knew what direction we were going when we took Aster to safety; they just thought I was going to see my family. They had no idea my daughter was in tow. It’s amazing we’ve avoided the disasters intended to kill us, and it makes me feel validated with my extreme paranoia for my daughter’s safety.”
“Wow,” he gasps in a whisper. “Who?”
I dare not say the names out loud, and I scribble on a napkin in front of me while covering it with my free hand to obstruct stray eyes from catching a peek. I turn it over and slide over face down.