What a Goddess Wants

by Stephanie Julian

The man sitting in front of the woman on the bed—which actually looked more like some funky huge chair with no actual seat that he could see—had time for a scowl before turning back to the laboring woman.

  Cal moved to stand behind Tessa, careful not to move too fast. He wasn’t squeamish about childbirth. At least he didn’t think he was. He’d never actually seen a baby being born, but he’d seen men die in bloody, awful ways. He’d killed some of those men with his own hands. Surely the birth of a baby couldn’t be that bad.

  Cal couldn’t help himself. He looked down.

  Maybe he needed to revise his opinion. Holy fuck, that looked painful as all hell.

  Tessa’s calm voice soothed the other woman. Hell, it soothed him and he wasn’t the one giving birth.

  “Okay, here comes another one. Push, Flavia. The baby’s crowning.” The doctor smiled down at the sweaty, pale-faced female on the bed.

  Cal had watched enough ER repeats to know this meant the baby was close to being born. He found himself moving closer to Tessa and the bed so he could see the baby. Just not close enough to really see what was going on down there.

  Hell, the woman should have some privacy.

  Tessa stood next to Flavia, her body supporting the smaller woman, and breathed in rhythm with her. Frentani said something that Cal didn’t catch because he was fascinated by Tessa. She wore the most peaceful expression, damn near beatific. She was completely in her element, her voice a low, comforting hum.

  The little gianes had a death grip on Tessa’s hands. She breathed when Tessa told her to breathe, pushed when Tessa told her to push, and relaxed when Tessa told her to relax. Actually, she looked more relaxed than Cal would have ever imagined possible.

  He knew a lot of that was Tessa’s doing. Cal felt some kind of power flowing between the two women, something that must have acted like a sedative on Flavia.

  “Okay, Flavia,” Frentani said. “Push now.”

  Cal kept his gaze on Tessa. He saw her smile grow wider, and then he saw that flash in her eyes, the glow he’d seen earlier when they’d made love. Her goddess powers had kicked in.

  A thin, high wail jerked him out of his thoughts, and his gaze shot to the end of the bed where Frentani held a tiny, wriggly infant in his hands.

  “A girl, Flavia.” The doctor smiled up at her. “A true beauty, like her mother.”

  With a choked little cry, Flavia reached for the child and Frentani laid her in her mother’s arms.

  Damn, the baby looked really… gross. All white and red and splotchy. Thin arms and legs waving and a little round belly. The baby had no hair at all, and with its mouth open and screaming like it was, it looked like one of those alien babies from The X-Files.

  Flavia stared at it with the most amazing smile on her face, as if it were the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen. After seeing what she’d gone through, Cal would’ve thought she’d want to rage against that little bit of flesh that had given her so much trouble.

  Instead, Flavia crooned something under her breath. It sounded like a lullaby. Or a prayer. Then he realized Tessa had joined her. He knew enough Etruscan to realize that’s what they were speaking but not enough to know what they were saying. But he did feel the emotion behind the words.

  Then Flavia gasped.

  “Tessa, take the baby.” Frentani positioned himself at the end of the bed. “All right, here we go again, Flavia.”

  Cal’s eyes flew open as he looked at the guy.

  Again? What the hell?

  “Here.” Tessa turned to him, and before he could protest, placed the now blanket-wrapped baby in his arms. “Hold her for a few minutes. Don’t drop her.”

  He looked down into the tiny face of the baby in his arms.

  “Ah, Tess, I’m not sure—”

  Flavia cried out as her contractions began again and Tessa returned to her position next to her. He looked back at the baby, its little face screwed into a scowl before it let out an ear-piercing howl.

  Oh shit.

  ***

  Cal stood over the bassinets next to Flavia’s bed, hands in his pockets, his gaze locked on the two babies.

  Tessa had been watching him for the past few minutes while Eric finished up with Flavia. The second birth had been more difficult than the first, and Tessa’s leg muscles ached, as did her arms and shoulders.

  All worth it.

  She walked over to stand next to Cal. “How’re you holding up, big guy?”

  Cal looked up, his gaze locking onto hers. “Are you okay?”

  She tried to dredge up a smile for him, but weariness hung on her like an ill-fitting coat, heavy and uncomfortable. “I’m fine.”

  “No, you’re not.” His gaze cut toward the bed. “How’s Flavia?”

  “She’ll be fine.”

  “Thanks to you.”

  Oh, this man was way too observant. “She’s young and strong. I just helped her along.”

  “No, it was more than that. This little guy,” he lowered his voice as he nodded toward the baby boy who’d given his mother so much trouble, “probably wouldn’t have made it if not for you.”

  She shook her head. “No, that’s not true. Eric is a wonderful doctor—”

  “But you made the baby breathe. I saw what you did, Tess.”

  Her lashes lowered as she remembered those few seconds when she thought she might lose the boy. He’d had an obstruction in his esophagus that had cut off his air supply. With the tiniest surge of her power, she’d dissolved it before he’d suffocated.

  There were so few Fata in the world, so few being born. They couldn’t afford to lose the babies. “I didn’t realize you were watching so closely.”

  “I was watching you.”

  She smiled in spite of her fatigue. “You say the nicest things.”

  He moved closer and bent his head close to her ear. “No bullshit, Tess. Are you okay?”

  Truthfully, she wasn’t, but she couldn’t allow Eric or Flavia to know that. First rule of being a goddess: Never let ’em see you sweat.

  “I could do with a recharge.”

  His eyes flared with heat. “I’ll recharge your battery any time, Goddess.”

  Sweet Mother Goddess, the man could turn her on with just a few words. What she wouldn’t give for a few hours alone with him. Hell, right now, she’d take a few minutes. As if he’d read her mind, he took a step closer. Then another.

  She had to tilt her head back so she could keep eye contact, her breasts barely brushing his chest. The look in his eyes suggested he was about to ravage her, and she wasn’t about to turn him down.

  Instead, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her against him, tucking her head under his chin. His hands slid under her shirt at the waistband and splayed across her back, his cool skin warming against hers. She’d meant to ask him why his skin always felt chilled but she’d never gotten around to it. There was always some other drama.

  “Tessa.”

  Eric’s voice tried to cut between them, but she held on to Cal as he stiffened. “Is something wrong?”

  “Flavia would like to speak to you alone.”

  She pulled back to give Cal a smile. “We’ll finish this later.”

  He nodded but didn’t say anything. Instead, he shot Eric a look. Something passed between the men and they headed for the door in unison.

  Damn, the testosterone show was about to start. Too bad she’d have to miss it.

  ***

  “Tell me again who you are and why you’re here.”

  Frentani had led Cal down the hall to an office and shut the door before turning on him with a scowl that probably intimidated other men. Cal fought back a sneer. The good doctor felt he had a prior claim on Tessa. Tough shit.

  But this was Frentani’s domain, and Cal was not an unreasonable man. He was willing to trade some information. And Tessa obviously trusted the guy, so he couldn’t be that bad.

  “I’m Tessa’s protection.”

  Frentani scowl
ed harder. “And why does she need protection?”

  Cal crossed his arms and leaned against the door at his back. “You’ll have to ask her that. If she tells you, fine. Now, I need to know if you’ve got a drug that’ll knock her out so she can sleep but not dream.”

  “Why?”

  “Because she needs the rest.”

  The doc’s eyes narrowed. “Yeah, I can see that.”

  For a few seconds, Frentani stared at him and Cal thought maybe he wasn’t going to answer, which would just piss him off. Then the guy surprised him.

  “No. I don’t have anything that’ll work on her. The deities look like us, but their physiology combined with their magic makes them damn near immune to everything except certain specially made drugs. Only those created by the deities themselves.

  “Since the Etruscans were cut off from Invol, they’ve been unable to get the ingredients for any drug they might have made to help themselves. As far as I know, none of the medicinal herbs had been brought over from Invol . Only Fufluns’s vines produce grapes capable of being made into wines that can intoxicate a deity, and he can only grow those in a specific area of Tuscany.”

  “You know an awful lot about deities.”

  “I’ve made it my business to know.”

  Yeah, Cal bet he had. Probably because of one beautiful blonde goddess still in the room with Flavia.

  “Look, maybe if you tell me exactly what’s going on, I may be able to help.”

  Cal hesitated, but he knew in his gut that the guy would do anything for Tessa. Then again, so would he. And right now, she needed to get some rest.

  “Tessa’s being hunted by Charun while she sleeps. So far he hasn’t caught up. But when he does, he’ll consume her powers and may be powerful enough to leave Aitás. Apparently, this would be a very bad thing for the world, but my main concern is Tessa. She needs to rest or she’s going to burn out while I figure out how to get Charun off her ass.”

  Frentani paced a tight circle as he listened, scrubbing his hand through his hair as if he wanted to tear it out.

  “Why the hell didn’t she tell me?”

  Because she’s a goddess and you’re still just a man.

  Cal had enough sense not to say that out loud, considering the same could be said for him. “Doesn’t matter.”

  Bullshit.

  All right, yeah, it mattered, but Cal didn’t want to get into a pissing match with the guy, especially since Tessa would be pissed. And she didn’t have the strength to be pissed at him right now.

  “Look,” Cal continued, “I’m running out of options. Do you have any suggestions?”

  Frentani continued to pace, rubbing a hand along the back of his neck. “One, but she’s not gonna like it.”

  “Depending on what it is, she wouldn’t have to know.”

  The doc sighed as he came to stop in front of Cal. “Find one of the Roman deities and ask for Nectar. The Etruscan and Roman deities are closely related. Physically, the Romans are pretty much copies of the Etruscans, although they’ll never admit it. Their Nectar should have the same sedative effect on the Etruscans that it does on the Romans.”

  Damn. Why the hell hadn’t he thought of that?

  And double damn, who the hell did he approach?

  They’d just sent the obvious choice packing. Aurora had seemed eager enough to be helpful.

  Where the hell had she gone and could he track her?

  “If I go after Aurora, Tessa will need somewhere safe to stay. She needs to rest. She hasn’t had more than a few hours sleep in the last week.”

  “I think I might have a solution.”

  Cal shook his head. “‘Might’ isn’t good enough.”

  Frentani looked right into his eyes. “This facility is only known to the Fata at the Hawk Mountain enclave and to Sal. Any others who come here are brought by Sal. It’s built directly over the ley line that runs through most of this county. My mother laid the wards herself, and she’s a strega. Do you know what they are?”

  Cal nodded. “Yeah, I know about streghe.” Etruscan women blessed with magical Goddess Gifts such as healing and visions, they were closely in tune with the earth and its power. Witches, by most standards.

  “Then you know the wards will hold. Plus, I have a room—”

  Cal’s eyes narrowed, hands clenching, and Frentani gave a rueful laugh. “Yeah, ya know, I kinda figured it was like that between you and Tessa, but I didn’t…” He cleared his throat but held his ground as Cal continued to glare at him. “So like I was saying, I’ve got a safe room.”

  “And that means…?”

  “That means it’s sunk into the earth and lined with lead.”

  Cal’s breath caught in his throat for a second. “Impenetrable to magic?”

  “Yes.”

  “Has it been tested?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Does Tessa know about this room?”

  Frentani shook his head. “Need-to-know only. And those who’ve stayed there usually don’t want anyone to know they had to use it. It’s a well-kept secret even among the Etruscans.”

  “And Charun won’t be able to find her there?”

  “No.”

  Cal looked into Frentani’s eyes, trying to see just how certain the guy was. The doctor didn’t blink.

  All right. All right, he could do this. He could leave her here, just for an hour. Or three.

  She’d be fine.

  ***

  “I’ll be fine, Cal. Everything will be fine.”

  Tessa stood next to him, a sweet smile on her lips as he stood next to the solid iron door, closed to give them a few last minutes of privacy. As far as Cal could tell, the room was everything Frentani had promised. Tessa should be safe here.

  He couldn’t allow himself to believe otherwise because he needed to leave. Now. The sun had set, and he could move around outside without fear of getting toasted.

  But it also meant Tessa was at her weakest. It’d scared him that she hadn’t put up a fight when he’d told her what he had planned.

  “I’ll be gone a couple of hours, four tops.” Fewer if he could manage it, but something told him this wasn’t going to be a hit-and-run mission. “Get some rest.”

  Tessa smiled at him as if he were a puppy. Hell, he wouldn’t have been surprised if she’d patted his head and told him he was a good boy. And he’d lap it up like a good dog.

  Shit. When had the tables turned? When had he become the one who needed reassurance? And when the hell had he started to worry about his jobs like they were important to him?

  When you started sleeping with this job.

  Yeah, that had probably been a mistake, but it’d been the best damn mistake of his life. One that threatened his sanity.

  He didn’t want to leave her, and he couldn’t tell whether he had a legitimate reason to worry or if he was just being paranoid. Not all paranoia was a bad thing. Too much, though, and you started to lose focus.

  Tessa couldn’t afford for him to lose his focus.

  As if she’d read his mind, her smile dimmed until it became a bit sad. “Be careful, Cal. I’ll be very upset if something happens to you.”

  He saw worry cross her expression, and he couldn’t help wondering if she was concerned about what would happen to her if he failed. If she cared about his safety. Then she leaned in and kissed him as if she couldn’t bear to see him go. Her mouth opened over his, and her tongue touched his lips, asking for entrance.

  Like he’d ever deny her.

  Wrapping his arms around her waist, he pulled her flush against him. Her hips tilted into his; her breasts pressed into his chest; and the pressure stoked the fire in his blood. And this was no slow-burning ember. Hell no, this was an inferno that threatened to escape his tight control.

  Lust flooded his senses with heat and made his nerves pop and sizzle. His brain short-circuited when her tongue slid past his lips to tangle with his. He felt the warmth of her fingers on his scalp as she threaded them through h
is hair, each one a brand.

  Christ, he was about to incinerate.

  With a groan, he pressed her against the door and lifted her. Her feet left the floor as she wrapped her legs around his waist, pressed her mound against his erection, and short-circuited his brain.

  Right here, right now. He needed her. Right fucking now.

  Turning, he thrust so hard that he heard the door creak behind her.

  “Shit.” He pulled back to look at her. “Did I hurt you?”

  Christ, he didn’t want to hurt her. He tried to draw back even farther but she refused.

  “You’re killing me, Cal. Hurry.”

  She curled her hands around his neck, brought his lips back down to hers, and opened her mouth to him again.

  Not hurt. And so hot for him.

  The heat of her skin, of her sex, seared him even through their clothes. He had to have her. Forcing a hand between their bodies, he pushed her skirt up roughly, causing her to moan his name.

  “Tess, unwrap your legs, babe.”

  She didn’t hesitate to do exactly what he told her, and he stripped her underwear down her legs as fast as he could with one hand. As soon as they hit the floor, her legs wrapped back around his waist and his hand clawed at the button on his jeans until it parted. Or it tore. He didn’t care.

  His engorged cock made it interesting getting his pants down one-handed, but finally he managed to bare enough of himself to get inside her. They groaned in unison as he filled her in one motion, his need for her allowing no hesitation. He had to be right here, right now, and he froze, absorbing every sensation.

  But Tess was impatient and started to ride him, pulling up and sinking down like a pole dancer. Only way better.

  She felt so good, so fucking good, he let her have the control. Her tight sheath made every movement heaven and hell, the friction enough to make his eyes roll back in his head.

  He had to break their kiss to drag in air and buried his face in her neck, drawing in her sweet, sun-warmed scent as she rode him faster.

  Her quickening breath brushed over his shoulder, warning him of her imminent release. He pumped into her on her next downward stroke and felt his release hit him like a gunshot to the lower back. His hips thrust forward, nailing her to the door and making her cry out as she came all over his cock with a rush of heated wetness and a tight, rhythmic clasp.