by Tina Folsom
Triton lifted her chin with his fingers. “No, agapi mou. I didn’t want to leave you, but when Eros told me that he’d shot me with his arrow, he also told me that now that I was a god again, the effect would wear off. I had no choice. I didn’t want to suddenly wake up and not know you. I couldn’t hurt you like that.”
“Not know me? I don’t understand.”
“I would have lost all memory of our time together. I would have forgotten you, and that I loved you.”
“But you’re here now—and you clearly still know me.” Whether he still loved her was another question.
He smiled. “And I still love you. Because Eros was wrong. His arrow didn’t make me fall in love with you. You did.”
Her heart leapt, but her head forced her to question him nevertheless. “How can you be so sure of that? It could still wear off, and then you’ll leave me again.” She couldn’t go through this again.
“I know it here.” He touched the place where his heart was. Triton’s mouth moved closer to hers as he dropped his voice. “I still love you. And I’ll always love you. I’m miserable without you. I haven’t slept, because I need your arms around me to fall asleep. I need you, Sophia. Please take me back.”
Was he really saying these things to her or was she dreaming? “How can I be sure this is real?”
“I’ll prove it to you.”
“How?”
“For you, I’ll give up everything: my powers, my immortality. Love me, marry me, and we’ll fill this house with our children.”
He rummaged through his pocket before he pulled something out of it. When he raised his hand, she saw the ring he held. A brilliant emerald sparkled in the moonlight.
Sophia stared at him. This couldn’t possibly be true. “But you’re a god. Why would you give that up just to be with me?”
Triton pulled her closer. “Because you’re more important to me than anything else. I love you. Be my wife.”
This time, her heart overruled her head. “Yes.”
***
Triton heard her single-word answer, and his heart somersaulted. He slipped the ring on her finger, then took her face between his palms. He wanted to say something to acknowledge her response, but he was speechless. Without a word, he brushed his lips to hers and kissed her.
By the gods, how he’d missed her. For this woman he’d go to the ends of the world and back. Nothing was too big a sacrifice for her. Triton wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer. His tongue slipped between her parted lips and dove into her, tasting her again, reacquainting himself with the delicious caverns of her mouth. She responded to him as passionately as she had the last night they’d been together.
All worry shed from him like dead skin. Sophia had taken him back, forgiven him for what he’d done to her. And he’d repay her for her generosity by showering her with his love for the rest of their lives.
Triton released her lips and looked at her. Her eyes met his. Finally, she truly saw him. He couldn’t get enough of looking into the depth of her eyes and seeing her love reflected in them. “Tell me you love me,” he whispered.
Her lips curved upwards. “I love you, Triton.”
His heart filled with warmth and pride. He’d won the woman, who was right for him. “Tomorrow I’ll talk to Zeus and tell him that I’ll relinquish my powers.”
“I think we’d better talk tonight, boy,” a thundering voice came from behind them.
Ah, shit! So much for having a peaceful night in Sophia’s arms.
Thirty-Seven
“So, this is the woman all the fuss is about?” Zeus let his gaze sweep over Sophia. Triton instinctively tugged her closer to him. He didn’t like the way Zeus perused her. No other man was allowed to look at her that way.
“Relax, Triton, I have no interest in her.” Despite the words, Triton didn’t release her. The god of gods couldn’t be trusted with any woman.
Zeus made an impressive figure in his mortal clothes. He’d traded his white tunic for a pair of tight fitting black leather pants and a white shirt which was open practically all the way to his washboard abs. His massive chest was sprinkled with light brown hair, and his muscles flexed with every move he made.
Triton glanced at Sophia and was relieved to see that she seemed unaffected by Zeus’ physical beauty.
“I assume, you’re Zeus,” she addressed the god directly.
“And you’re the mortal, who thinks she loves this hothead here.”
Sophia’s arm around Triton’s waist tightened, but she didn’t respond.
“Very well. You know of course, Triton, that your request to give up your status as a god is out of the question.” Zeus’ voice was calm as if he was merely discussing the weather. “I have no intention of granting it, so you might as well forget about it.”
Triton squared his shoulders. “I will do no such thing. Sophia and I belong together, and I’ll live with her. Here, in the mortal world. Give my powers to somebody else. I don’t want them. I want to be mortal and spend the rest of my life with the woman I love.” He looked at Sophia and pressed a kiss on her forehead.
“How cute. Does she know what you’re like, Triton? Is she aware of your philandering ways?” Zeus taunted him.
Before he could come back with a retort, Sophia spoke up. “Triton loves me. I trust him.”
Zeus raised an eyebrow. “She’s a brave one, isn’t she? And pretty too. Maybe she does interest me after all.” He let a lascivious smile curl around his lips. Triton snarled and pushed Sophia behind his back.
“You touch her, I’ll destroy you.”
“You’d defy your god for her? You’d risk my punishment?”
“You can do whatever you want to me, but you’ll never touch her,” Triton warned through clenched teeth. His hands balled into fists, ready to defend her no matter the punishment.
For several tense moments, he locked eyes with Zeus. Then, suddenly, the god of gods laughed. A rumbling laughter that filled the night.
“Poseidon! Where in Hades are you?” Zeus called out.
An instant later, Poseidon appeared next to Zeus, dressed much less provocatively than his older brother. He’d donned a dark business suit. “I was right, wasn’t I?” Triton’s father addressed Zeus without introduction.
“I’m afraid to say you are. I didn’t think your boy had it in him, but I’m the first to admit when I’m wrong. He loves her.”
Triton looked at his father, who finally acknowledged him. “I’m proud of you, son. And to have brought such a pretty woman into the family, I congratulate you.”
Sophia stepped next to Triton. He instantly wrapped his arm around her.
“Don’t worry,” his father added, “Zeus only wanted to test you. He didn’t believe me when I told him you were truly in love.”
Triton let out the breath he’d been holding ever since Zeus had appeared on the terrace. “Father, it’s good to see you.”
“I remember you,” Sophia said looking at Poseidon. She took a step toward him, and Triton let her go, albeit reluctantly.
Poseidon stretched out his arms. “And I remember you. I had a good feeling about you back then, and I knew you’d be the right girl for my son. It just took a while to get the two of you together.” He wrapped her into an embrace and kissed the top of her head.
“Can I have her back now, father?” Triton felt his chest tighten despite the knowledge that his father’s embrace was non-sexual.
Poseidon released her. “You’ll have to work on that jealousy a little, Triton.”
Triton took Sophia into his arms. “I know, father, but that’s a challenge for another day.”
Sophia looked up at him and smiled. “You’ll never have any reason to be jealous.”
“I know that, agapi mou.” He captured her lips and kissed her.
The two older gods cleared their throats. Reluctantly, Triton let go of Sophia’s lips. “Later,” he whispered only for her to hear.
“There’s still the i
ssue of you wanting to give up your powers,” Zeus continued.
Triton stiffened. “Yes.”
“As I said, I can’t grant that wish—”
“But I thought you were just testing me.” Confusion spread within Triton.
“True, but that doesn’t mean I’ll grant your wish.”
Triton tightened his hold on Sophia. “I won’t leave her.”
“Nobody is demanding that. Not even I am that cruel in the face of true love. Triton, I command you to remain god of the seafarers and sailors. However, you will reside here in the mortal world—and don’t think I won’t be watching you. One slip up and I’ll punish you. Your union with the mortal Sophia has our blessing, and all your children shall be heroes. You may select one of your sons—or daughters—to succeed you as god once he or she is old enough, and transfer your powers.”
It was more than Triton had ever expected. He released Sophia and dropped to his knees. “I thank you, Zeus.”
“But—” Sophia interrupted.
All three gods looked at her.
“If Triton remains a god, he’s immortal, and I’m not. I’ll grow old and wrinkled.” She looked at Triton. “And you’ll stop loving me.”
“Would you care to explain it to her yourself, Triton?” Zeus chuckled.
Triton looked into Sophia’s doubting eyes and rose. “Agapi mou. As long as I’m a god, you’ll draw from my immortality. You will remain as young as I am.” He could see relief flood her eyes.
“Now that that’s taken care of, I saw some very delectable morsels in there.” Zeus gestured toward the dining room.
“Oh, please,” Sophia replied hastily, “help yourself to some of the food before it’s gone.”
Triton exchanged a grin with Zeus and his father before he looked back at Sophia. “Zeus wasn’t talking about the food, my love.”
It took two seconds for Sophia to catch onto his meaning. Her cheeks colored a delightful shade of red. “Oh.”
“I hope you’ll visit soon. Your mother wants to meet your bride.”
Triton nodded to his father and smiled back at Sophia. “We need a few days on our own, but after that, I promise, we’ll come and visit.”
And right now, he wanted nothing more than to whisk Sophia out of there and make up for the long separation. His father caught the look he cast over Sophia, a look which told everybody what he wanted to do once they were alone.
“Zeus and I will entertain the guests since it appears the two of you won’t join in any further festivities.” Poseidon chuckled.
“Oh, Father, maybe you could do me a favor. There’s a certain bank manager in there, who needs a lesson in manners.”
Poseidon’s eyes twinkled. “Say no more. I think I know who you mean.” Then he followed Zeus through the French doors into the dining room.
The moment they were alone, Triton took Sophia into his arms. “Let’s go upstairs.”
“We’ll never make it through the crowd without being stopped.”
“That’s when being a god comes in really handy. Hold onto me.” A split second later, the balcony was gone and they stood in the middle of Sophia’s bedroom.
She looked around herself, then back at him. “What was that?”
He grinned. “Teleporting.”
“I think I could get used to that.”
His lips hovered over her mouth. “And I can get used to this.” His lips descended onto hers, merging into a deep kiss. He slanted his mouth, seeking a deeper connection and felt her respond to him with the same urgency. Her arms went around his neck, holding him tight, and her soft breasts were crushed against his chest. He loved the feel of holding her, of her perfect body molding to him.
“Are you sure it’s safe to let Zeus and Poseidon entertain the guests?”
“Mmm hmm,” he mumbled and trailed hot kisses along her neck.
“What if people figure out who they are?”
“You worry too much.” Triton urged her backwards until they reached the bed. He nibbled on her lips. “For the next twenty-four hours, I don’t want you to concern yourself with anything else but with making love. Because I’m starving here, and you look delicious, especially—” He paused and snapped his finger, making her clothes disappear. “—naked.”
Sophia’s mouth dropped open when she realized what he’d done. “Not fair.”
Triton winked and snapped his finger again. His own clothes disappeared, and he held her against his naked skin. “Now we’re even.”
“Can you teach me that?”
“Not sure I would want to teach you that. Who knows how you’re going to use it. It’s way too dangerous a tool in your hands.”
A moment later, she gave him a gentle shove, and he fell onto the bed, Sophia landing on top of him. “I guess I’ll have to play with other tools then,” she hedged. Her hand moved lower, down his chest, then down his stomach before she reached his cock, which was throbbing hard and heavy, waiting for her touch.
When her palm wrapped around him, his heart beat in his throat. “You can play with me anytime you want to, as long as I get to do the same.”
“Sounds like a fair deal.”
She squeezed him, and only a strangled moan came from his throat.
“Did you say something?”
“No, agapi mou. You’ve finally rendered me speechless.”
“I love you.”
And he loved her too, his own personal goddess.
THE END
EXCERPT of Gabriel’s Mate by Tina Folsom
The click-clack of her heels echoed against the buildings. Maya could barely see the pavement through the fog, which hung like a thick mist in the night air, amplifying every sound.
A rustle coming from somewhere behind her made her accelerate her already hasty steps. A chill so severe it felt as if an icy hand had touched her skin went through her. She hated the dark, and it was on nights like these that she cursed her on-call duty. Darkness had always scared her, and lately it did even more so.
She opened her purse as she approached the three-story apartment building she’d been living in for the last two years. With shaking fingers, she fished for her house keys. The moment she felt the cold metal in her damp palm, she felt better. In a few seconds, she would be back in bed and get a few hours of sleep before her next shift started. But more importantly, shortly she would be back in the safety of her own four walls.
As she turned to the stairs leading up to the heavy entrance door, she noticed the darkness in the foyer. She glanced up. The light bulb over the door must have burned out. A couple of hours ago it had been burning brightly. She put it on her mental list of things to tell her landlord.
Maya felt for the railing and gripped it, counting the steps as she walked up.
She never reached the door.
“Maya.”
Her breath caught as she spun on her heels. Engulfed in the dark and the fog, she couldn’t make out his face. She didn’t need to—she knew his voice. She knew who he was. It almost paralyzed her. Her heart hammered in her throat as fear inside her gut spiraled.
“No!” she screamed and scrambled back toward the door, hoping against all odds she could escape.
He’d come back like he’d vowed.
His hand dug into her shoulder and pulled her back to face him. But instead of his face, all she could focus on was the white of his pointed teeth.
“You will be mine.”
The threat was the last thing she heard before she felt his sharp fangs break through her skin and sink into her neck. As the blood drained from her, so did the memories of the last few weeks.
***
“And you’ve tried surgery already?” Dr. Drake inquired without looking up from his notepad.
Gabriel released a frustrated huff and brushed an imaginary dust particle off his jeans. “Didn’t work.”
“I see.” He cleared his throat. “Mr. Giles, have you had this …”—the doctor winced and made a nondescript hand movement—“uh
… all your life? Even when you were human?”
Gabriel squeezed his eyes shut for a second. After puberty, there wasn’t a day in his living memory that he’d not had this problem. Everything had been normal when he’d been a little boy, but the moment his hormones had started raging, his life had changed. Even as a human, he’d been an outcast.
He felt the scar on his face throb, remembering the moment he’d received it and jerked himself away from the memory. The physical pain had long since eased, but the emotional pain was as vivid as ever. “I had it long before I became a vampire. Back then, nobody thought of surgery. Hell, an infection would have probably killed me.” If he’d known how his life would turn out, he would have taken a knife to himself, but hindsight was always twenty-twenty. “Anyway, as you probably know better than I do, my body regenerates while I sleep and heals what it perceives to be a wound. So, no, surgery hasn’t worked.”
“I assume this has caused problems with your sex life?”
Gabriel pressed himself deeper back into the chair opposite Dr. Drake’s, having ignored the coffin-couch with an internal shiver upon entering the practice. His friend Amaury had warned him about the doctor’s choice of furniture. Nevertheless, the coffin that had been fashioned into a chaise lounge by removing a side panel gave him the creeps. No self-respecting vampire would want to be caught dead in it. Pun intended.
“What sex life?” he mumbled under his breath. But of course, the doctor’s superior vampire hearing assured the words weren’t lost to him.
Drake’s shocked stare confirmed it. “You mean…?”
Gabriel knew exactly what the man was asking. “Other than with an occasional desperate prostitute who I have to pay outrageous sums of money to service me, I have no sex life.”
He dropped his gaze to the floor, not wanting to see the pity in the doctor’s eyes. He was here to get help, not to be pitied. Still, he needed to impress on the man how important this was for him. “I haven’t met a woman yet who hasn’t recoiled from my naked body. They call me a monster, a freak at best—and those are the kind ones.” He paused, shuddering as the memories of all the names he’d been called came rushing back. “Doc, I’ve never had a woman in my arms who wanted to be with me.” Yes, he’d fucked women—whores—but he’d never made love to a woman. Never felt a woman’s love or tenderness, or the intimacy of waking in her arms.