Searing Ecstasy

by Setta Jay

  “Yes.”

  “Tasha cut through more of them than anyone else.” He let that sink in until she nodded for him to continue. “Nastia can get into thoughts without being detected and is able to haze memories as if she’d never been there. It’s a lot stronger than even Uri and Alex’s mental abilities.” It wasn’t a power he was comfortable with, but the female was mated to Sander and she may have attitude, but she was also honorable. She’d worked her ass off trying to get her Mageia friend back when Apollo had kidnapped her. Nastia had shown a strength of character he appreciated. Now it was Sander’s job to keep her from playing by her own rules.

  Delia frowned. “I’m surprised Sirena didn’t use her to get the formula from my head.” Delia snarled the next, “Or did she?”

  “She didn’t. Nastia was working to find the God and then she was injured in battle. Sirena hadn’t had the time.” He had no doubt that his cousin would have done anything to get that formula if she thought she could use it to help Delia. He wouldn’t pretend Sirena wasn’t ruthless. Delia had his memories, so he was sure she was already aware of that fact. He added the next, feeling his mate’s uneasiness, “She has limitations. She can’t dig deeper than forethoughts and can’t fuzz memories that are more than an hour old.”

  “It’s still dangerous,” Delia bit out. She wore a thoughtful look.

  “What is it?” he demanded.

  “You’re the Guardian leader.” She paused as he drew circles on her back, waiting for a question. “We need to figure out what to tell people.”

  “About?”

  “Delia’s dead, Drake,” she said without inflection and he saw her eyes flicker to copper and back to gold.

  “Only the Guardians know I’m alive, right?”

  He nodded. They’d kept her existence secret from the staff that looked after the manor.

  “Delia doesn’t have to stay dead.” He knew she was telling the truth about those memories being numbed somehow. During the blood bonding, he hadn’t seen anything from before the shadow had taken over. He would have had all the important moments of her short life, but nothing of the old Delia had come through. He wasn’t sure what that meant. Only that she needed to know he would give her anything, including reuniting her with her old family if she wanted that.

  Her eyes flashed again, but this time they were hard. “No. Her family will have already mourned. Elizabeth’s people talked about the monument you put up in Lofodes. I heard all about the story of the old Delia killing Cyril and dying as a cave collapsed. Her parents and sisters don’t need to see an entirely different person in their daughter’s place.”

  “We can make up a reason for your survival and they’d be happy to know you lived,” he growled.

  “Look at me, Drake. I’m not her and it wouldn’t be fair to them or comfortable for me. And I don’t like the idea of giving the Realm any reason to speculate about what Cyril did to me. I want his memory dead. No one can know what he achieved. What he created.”

  “You are my mate, so you would already be powerful without that bastard being involved,” he growled. “What else is bothering you?”

  “I don’t want anyone’s pity or speculation, Drake.” He understood that, but he didn’t like hearing it. “Delia died in more ways than one.” She sighed. “I watched the shadow kill and didn’t want to be free to stop it, I just didn’t want the beast to play with its prey. I didn’t want it to rule me. If I’d have gained control, I would have killed each and every one of Cyril’s people without mercy. I would never have allowed one more person to take control and continue those experiments.” He heard the truth in her words and understood it. Those actions would have been calculated, but she was right.

  If the formula had gotten out and was used on others, those females or males would have had the potential to cause an epidemic. Immortals would have gone insane from the scent. They’d try to claim the individual and the frenzy would literally drive them mad if they couldn’t complete the bond. If they did complete it, there would be Immortals out there with wild power surges with multiple beasts like Delia had. It was a scary thought.

  “Let her family and the Realm think Delia died a hero,” she ground out.

  “That’s your choice, temptress. And it doesn’t have to be a permanent one. If you ever decide you want to see her family, we will.”

  She looked up at him and smiled softly. “I don’t know how to move forward, but I know we need to figure this out. This is new for me. I have a life now instead of an existence and I don’t know what to do with it.”

  He lifted her up for a kiss and loved the abandoned way she responded to him. Her body melted for him, giving him everything. He wished he had an idea of what he could give her that was half as incredible.

  You already have. She sighed into his mind. You gave me freedom and then you gave me you. Nothing could ever be more important or perfect.

  He smiled against her lips. It seemed she was constantly intercepting his thoughts, and for some reason he wasn’t bothered by it. It had to be the bond.

  She broke the kiss to gaze down at him and he realized he’d never get enough of her. “Okay, temptress, what should we call you if not Delia?”

  She looked off, considering. “I don’t know.”

  They lay there for long moments.

  “How about Hemera?” he offered.

  His mate frowned up at him. “Isn’t that a Greek goddess?”

  “I believe she’s a mythical Goddess of Light,” he agreed.

  “I’m no Goddess.”

  “You are to me. You can shorten it to Era.” Delia was more than a Goddess to him, she was his light, and he let her hear those thoughts.

  Her eyes flared with a warmth that pleased both man and beast before letting out a soft sigh. “I like it. It somehow feels right.” After a short pause she added, “As far as anyone is concerned, my name is Era. And since you’ve been finding Immortals in Earth Realm, we say that’s where I was hiding.”

  She breathed out and settled against his chest again.

  “As you wish, temptress.” He smiled and sent the message out to his Guardians as she relaxed into him.

  He looked down at her relaxed form and knew she was deep in thought. “What is it?”

  “What do I do now?” she asked softly.

  He couldn’t imagine what she was truly going through. Her life was essentially new.

  “What do you like?” he asked while massaging her neck and toying with her hair. He’d learned what the old Delia liked, but would she like the same things? Was green Era’s favorite color as it had been Delia’s? Would she still enjoy reading under the trees in a park? After their time at the lake, he assumed so. He had a feeling it would take time for her to figure it all out, and he’d be there as she learned.

  She breathed out. “It’s just so new. I don’t know.”

  “Sirena could always use some help,” he offered. This was her choice. Her life, and he would give her anything she decided she wanted.

  She looked up at him, surprised. “Healing?”

  He grinned down at her and rubbed his thumb over her soft cheek. Her lids dropped at the touch and he’d never get enough of her soft responses. “That surprises you?”

  She nodded. “I guess I associate my ability with death.” Her shadow beast had left a body trail using that power, so he’d already wondered if her mind had taken her there.

  “The world is yours, temptress. You can figure out what you’d like to do and you don’t need to decide any of it now.”

  She inhaled a deep breath. “It’s still surreal.”

  He lifted her up and took her lips; time for thought was over. He needed to love his mate.

  Chapter 26

  Lofodes, Tetartos Realm

  Hades rolled his shoulders and gritted his teeth. Days of searching musty books and old parchments had proven useless. It wasn’t until he picked up this much newer book about Tetartos Realm traditions that he found the stone he’d been sea
rching for. He’d only picked up the book to appear interested in learning general knowledge of the Realm and there it was.

  He held back a growl. One of his people had obviously stolen from him after he was taken from the palace to face the Creators; otherwise his son would have unearthed the stone with the rest of his artifacts after he’d been sent to sleep.

  Pothos looked over his shoulder, still watching everything he did in order to figure out what he was hiding. Hades managed to control his fury, barely. He turned through several more pages without paying attention to anything depicted there, his mind more focused on who the thief had been. He would find out and happily exact retribution.

  He heard the door open and didn’t bother to glance over until he realized it was Sander with a female. Now that he was paying attention to such things, Hades could see the soul bond between the pair. It was interesting and unsettling how much power the Guardians were amassing with this mating phenomena. It wasn’t necessarily a new concept, his sisters Athena and Aphrodite had similar soul bonds with their consorts. There was such intense devotion between his sisters’ and their males, a connection that had always left him with an odd sense of jealousy. Sander glared at him as he put his arm around the female and Hades smiled; the male didn’t like having his mate anywhere near a God. Smart. This female was stunning, even with her short midnight-colored hair.

  “Sander,” Hades acknowledged.

  “Hades. This is my mate, Nastia.”

  He bowed and gave the female a wicked grin and heard the Phoenix growl, and drew some satisfaction from that. The male had been the one who argued contingents on Hades’ freedom. He ground his teeth at the thought of the Guardians tracking his every move.

  Pothos finally asked, “What are you two doing here?”

  “Nastia was curious about Hades,” Sander replied.

  Of course she’d be interested in a God. Hades’ eyes trailed over the female appreciatively. When he looked back at Sander, he noticed flames in the male’s eyes, and smirked. The male was jealous. Hades flexed his shoulders a little, knowing the sight of his bare chest and wings would be too much for the female to resist.

  When he looked back at her face, he was surprised. She cocked a brow as if she wasn’t the slightest bit interested and then snapped, “Nice wings.”

  Hades narrowed his eyes at the blatant irreverence.

  Sander grinned and pulled the female in for a deep kiss. Hades was already bored, irritated by the two, and had far more important things to do than stand there.

  “If that is all?” he asked, dismissing them.

  Pothos stood at his side, shaking his head.

  Sander broke from his female and queried, “Have you learned anything interesting in your studies?”

  “Yes,” he bit out, thinking about the stone that would be in his grasp as soon as he could break away from his son’s watchful eyes.

  “What are you up to, Hades?” Sander asked, eyeing him suspiciously. “I doubt you truly care about anything in that book,” he added, nodding to the open pages.

  Hades smiled as he closed the book. “I understand there are a great many amusements at the palace in Efcharistisi.” They also had his stolen stone in the center of a chandelier and he needed to get to it as soon as possible. And he planned to do it the minute his son wasn’t at his side. He still needed to play nice with the Guardians; as much as he disliked it, combined they held enough force to end his freedom.

  “You still haven’t gotten through to Apollo?” Sander asked, irritating him more.

  “No,” he bit out, displeased that the male was calling attention to his failing. “It’s time to take me back to my females. I think I’ve looked at enough old tomes for one day.” Hades glanced at his son.

  “You have to leave so soon?” Nastia asked with complete lack of sincerity in her tone.

  “You’re welcome to join me,” he offered with the same lack, and a smile that set the Phoenix’s temper off, pleasing Hades all over again.

  He needed to get his artifact back and his son paid less attention when Hades enjoyed the females. He could likely sneak away then. And he’d block their family link so that Pothos wouldn’t be able to track him to Earth Realm.

  Finally, he could figure out what happened to his marginally trustworthy ally. Something wasn’t right and he needed Agnarr to tell him what the hell was going on. Had his old ally been the one who’d taken Apollo? For some reason Hades didn’t think so; the images of the mystery warriors hadn’t exactly fit his ally, though it had been millennia since he’d seen the male. If not, Agnarr should at least have an idea of who took Apollo. Either way, not being able to find out what his brother was doing set him on edge. Apollo’s abilities were too dangerous to have him loose in potential enemy hands.

  Chapter 27

  Drake’s Home, Tetartos Realm

  Drake stepped from the shower and wrapped his mate in a soft towel before taking her back to their bed. “At some point maybe I could see the rest of the house,” she said, smiling up at him.

  Drake. P’s voice was a harsh growl. Nastia found out what Hades is up to. Mostly. Moral of the story: he has some unknown “ally” he thinks he can get information from. P relayed the rest while Drake rose from bed.

  Everyone, war room five minutes. My mate will be with me, he intoned through the shared link. He’d already informed them of her new identity; now he needed to introduce her to them. He’d wanted to keep her to himself for a while longer, but getting Apollo back was important. Yet, so was having her at his side.

  Hades is planning to slip away the second he thinks I’m not watching, P snapped.

  So stay on his ass, Drake snapped back.

  Drake felt for the God’s location in his mind. He could see the hazy light signifying Hades’ whereabouts. They still had some time, maybe a few days, before the tracking spell that Drake had slipped Hades finally wore off.

  Delia—Era—was in front of him. “You want to introduce me now?”

  “Yes,” he growled. He wanted them all to know she was his and therefore a part of everything he was.

  She nodded. “Then I guess I’d better get into the clothes Sirena put in those bags.”

  He dressed quickly and was adding boots when he saw her come from their closet. She was dressed in an emerald green tank top that showed a lot of dragon and fucking cleavage. He searched for the outline of nipples and was happy she at least had a bra on, but shit. Her hair was dry now; she had to have used power to tame the curls of her black ruby hair. Smoke slipped from his lips at the sight of her hips and ass in tight dark jeans. She casually held a pair of black high-heeled shoes in one hand as he watched every step she made.

  She looked up at him with a smile. “Problem?” His female had a grace and sensual confidence that made the clothes seem sexier.

  He ran a hand over his neck and curbed the desire to grab one of his tee shirts off a hanger for her.

  Her sultry laugh and sparkling eyes were doing nothing to improve his mood. “What I’m wearing is fine.” She obviously heard his impulse to cover her up.

  He didn’t know why it bothered him, he’d never once cared what females wore. Now, he wasn’t pleased at her wearing next to nothing in front of other males.

  He shook his head and bit down on the possessiveness.

  “Okay.” She seemed a bit hesitant after finally stepping into the shoes.

  He considered her. “If you’re not ready, you don’t need to meet them now.”

  “I’ll have to face them at some point.” She nodded up at him.

  “You’re sure?”

  “It’s going to be awkward. They’ve all seen me and known me at my worst, yet my knowledge of them is mostly through your memories.” She rubbed the back of her neck. “I want to know what’s happening and I need to get this over with.” He saw her shoulders straighten with her look of resolve and he didn’t question her again. She was right, this would have to happen at some point. And he wanted them to meet
her as she was. His strong, beautiful temptress would have no reason to be uncomfortable once she’d met them.

  *****

  By the time they stepped into the war room at the manor, most of the Guardians had already started piling in. Everyone found seats close except Alyssa and Gregoire, who sat further back. The small female was tucked on her mate’s lap as usual. The shield from the babe was too strong to allow anyone close. The only ones missing were P, who was babysitting Hades; Sacha, who was still unconscious; and Sirena, who seemed to be running late.

  Drake squeezed Era’s hand, feeling her nerves as he introduced her to the room, using her new name.

  There were murmurs, but he cut them off, not wanting to subject her to being the center of attention for longer than he had to.

  Most of the Guardians wore some look of surprise when gazing at her. Probably more at the fact that they’d never seen her without mud. Only Rain and Alyssa had known her before she had been abducted. He saw shocked and uncertain looks coming from their direction; they were both seeing firsthand how much his mate’s appearance had changed. Her hair was a dark black cherry, her skin was dewy and unmarked by freckles, and her eyes were a bright otherworldly gold not the copper of before. It wasn’t just her appearance, it was her stature. His female held herself with the grace of a Goddess.

  Rain was the one who found her voice first. “Welcome,” the blonde said with warmth shining in her eyes.

  Drake looked down to see his mate’s eyes flash from gold to copper and back again. Old memories seemed to bring the change out. A flicker of the female she’d once been. “Thank you.” Era nodded with a hint of a smile. She was still nervous, but she hid it well from the others.

  “Is that your mating mark?” Brianne blurted in awe as she looked at his mate’s chest and shoulder. “It’s gorgeous.” And then a second later the redhead gaped. “Is it fucking moving?”