by Desiree Holt
A groan escaped him. His mouth watered from the long denial of her luscious taste and his muscles tensed, all the way to his hardening cock. He kissed her harder, deeper, every inch of his being bound and determined to restore her.
She teased his lips with her tongue one last time before stepping back, her lashes fluttering.
“Well, did it work?”
Slowly, she lifted her lashes, those depths narrowing. “Yes.” She slapped his cheek with her slender hand, sending him staggering backward in shock.
“Aye, you remember.” He grimaced. Perhaps he should have anticipated that.
“Everything,” she grated.
He rubbed the assaulted cheek. “In my defense, despite you refusing my every aid, I did come back and rescue you. Again.”
Her hands dropped to her sides, fists clenching. “I never asked you to.”
Here they were again, circling the same argument. “Be that as it may, what move should we make next?”
She tore her glare off him to frown into the distance. Suddenly, she clutched a hand to her heart. “Oh, no.”
“What?” Petraeus seized one step toward her and scanned the horizon. Had someone followed them?
“Minthe.”
He tilted his head. “Who?”
The color drained from her cheeks. “My daughter.”
Chapter Six
“D-daughter?” Petraeus choked on the word.
Ekho’s chest pounded in painful spurts. “She’s not my birth daughter, but I’ve raised her ever since she was a babe. Her mother was one of my sisters.” She wrinkled her nose. “Nakole had fallen in love with a male and carried his child. Yet one day, he broke his every promise to her, claiming he’d discovered his true mate and had bonded to her instead. He left Nakole so broken, she departed this world, joining the realm of our people to escape her pain.” She wrung her fingers. “I chanced upon her, following the eastern breeze, before she transformed. She begged me to care for her child, and so I have. Oh, Minthe.”
A vision of her daughter’s pixie face and shining blue eyes thrust into her mind and overcame everything else. She had to find Minthe.
That was partly why she’d remained a prisoner in Philaeus’s castle.
Her daughter had been there too.
“Minthe, don’t be frightened, my darling. I will come for you.” She blew her promise on a soft breeze. At least her powers were slowly returning. The wind would blow in every direction, seeking out her daughter, and none but Minthe would hear her message.
“Makes sense.” Petraeus scratched his jaw, studying her.
“What?” She scowled at him. The centaur irritated her to no end.
“Why you don’t trust bonded males.” He shrugged. “Makes sense.”
She raised her hand to snap her fingers.
“Wait, where are you headed?” Swiftly, Petraeus performed the morphos into his centaur form and grabbed her hand.
She blinked at his massive horse half and resisted the urge to step back. He’d never revealed this form to her yet, and the gold tint of his hide, paired with his black-tipped lower legs and tail, sucked the air from her lungs. Devastatingly beautiful.
Squeezing her fingers against the urge to stroke his flanks, she switched her attention to his question. “To seek out the Amazons. Perhaps they have Minthe.”
“I’m not letting you go anywhere alone.” His imposing male form towered over her, his words dark and dangerous.
She swallowed thickly and fought against surrendering to his will. “I am not yours, centaur. I thought we had agreed upon that.”
“Mayhap I’ve changed my mind.” His lips perched dangerously close to hers. “I know the female organizing the rescue. Her name is Kyme and she resides in Halcyon. You’ll never gain access to the sanctuary without me. The truth is, I can bring you to those who might know Minthe’s whereabouts much faster than you can seek out your daughter on your own.”
He might as well have held out his hand and dangled Minthe upon his palm.
She tugged on her wrist and wrenched free of his grasp. “Fine, but make no mistake, we are partners only in this.”
A wicked grin curved his mouth. “For now.”
Tingling shot through her, straight to her toes. She stamped down the lust radiating from him and focused on saving her daughter. “Where is this Halcyon?”
He jerked his chin westward. “That way. We can travel by land or sea, nymph. Which one is it?”
“Wind?” She arched a brow and laughed as he crossed his arms in stubborn dismissal. “Fine. Land.”
“Good.” He angled his head. “We’ll stop at my castle first to collect supplies and confirm Kyme’s location.”
“Lead the way.” She swept her arm out for him to proceed first.
“Nay, sweetling,” he purred, then snatched her about the waist and tossed her upon his back. “I’d much prefer it if you’d ride me.”
She gasped and clung to his waist, settling into her seat. Images of other ways she might ride him conjured in her mind, but she smothered them. That was precisely what Petraeus had intended.
She was a nymph and he’d soon learn. Her role wasn’t to be the seduced, but rather, the seductress.
* * *
Petraeus galloped through the woods, keeping a close eye on their surroundings. Armed soldiers patrolled Lapith territory and he’d prefer not to be caught by his enemies.
He was rather fond of having his neck attached to his body.
Ekho rested upon his back, falling asleep once or twice. Her story repeated in his mind and he couldn’t shake the vision of her as a mother.
What the bloody hell had he gotten into? He’d never sought to care for anyone other than himself. Not a mate. Certainly not a child.
Was he even capable of being a father? Unlike his brothers, he’d never wished for children.
What if tragedy befell him and he left them as his mother had him?
What a pair he and Ekho made. Neither wanting this bond between them, and both incapable of denying the allure.
His entire body gravitated toward the clever beauty, yet his will fought against himself.
Torn in half, that was what he was.
After an hour, he traversed the border into centaur lands and the tension around his chest eased. They crossed a meadow, then a narrow stream. On the other side, a honeyed, sensual fragrance tingled his nose and he skidded to a halt, jolting Ekho.
“Wh-what?” she murmured groggily.
“Shh.” He raised a hand and sniffed harder. Nymphs. A lot of them. Gingerly, he stepped through the woods toward a large, humming gathering. Hundreds of females clumped together, their voices mingling into one vibrating murmur.
“Don’t even breathe, centaur.” A sharp prick followed the feminine voice and pressed into his neck, hard enough to slice into his flesh if he swallowed thickly.
So he took her advice and held his breath.
“Petraeus?” The commanding voice lost its edge. A slight, fierce female wearing an ivory chiton and with braids woven wildly through her chestnut locks stepped in front of him, lowering her spear. “By the gods, what are you doing here?” She cocked her head. “And with a nymph?”
“Kyme, a pleasure, as always.” Relieved, he dipped his head and offered the female a grin. “This is Ekho.”
“Welcome to our camp.” Kyme returned his grin and flashed a beaming smile at Ekho.
In the midst of the gathering, a large, feral male barked orders as he organized the nymphs into groupings. He halted and whipped toward them. A glower narrowing his charcoal eyes, he folded his bulging arms. The droning of the nymphs dimmed as everyone regarded them.
“There’s Arsenius.” Petraeus waved at the male, who stopped scowling to nod once and then resumed his task.
“What brings you here?” The Amazon regarded Ekho.
“I’m searching for my daughter. How many Asteriae—star nymphs—have you run across?” Ekho bit her bottom lip as she scanned the cr
owds.
“Only three. Over there.” Kyme jerked her chin toward three females.
Petraeus glanced at the grouping, and then back at Ekho. The dismay crossing her features dropped into his gut, pursued by the grumbling echo of the guards’ declaration inside Philaeus’s castle.
Suddenly, he knew exactly which direction Ekho would be headed.
* * *
Ekho lifted on the tips of her toes and scanned the crowd again, but Minthe was not among them. “She’s not here.”
Nor had she replied to Ekho’s call. She exhaled the anxiety pinching her chest. The message might take a day or two to reach her daughter. Such was normal across long distances and uncertain directions.
Thankfully, the nymphs gathered here acted neither traumatized nor numbed from their ordeals. Indeed, they appeared well enough to ogle Petraeus. Their seductive, flirtatious stares begged for some form of response from him, but he dismissed them as though he didn’t even notice them.
Jealousy joined the disappointment and worry in her stomach. “Thank you for your aid.” She tilted her head toward the Amazon. Something about Kyme seemed familiar… Hmm. Dismissing her musings, she faced Petraeus. “The guard said “she” was still there. Do you think he means Minthe is inside the castle?”
He grimaced. “Aye, but—”
“We must return.” She hopped off his back and spun toward the direction of the Lapith castle.
“Wait, Ekho. There’s someone you must meet. Rhoetus!” Kyme called into the crowd.
Ekho whirled toward the parting throng and sucked in her breath. A male strode through the droves of nymphs, who fanned themselves as he passed.
No wonder. This centaur was unlike any she’d encountered. An aura of wild and unrefined vigor thrummed around him. His every step marched forward as though he claimed the ground beneath his hooves. His darker eye matched the sleek, burnished mahogany coat of his centaur half. The other eye, a vivid blue, lent him an edge of unpredictability. His unruly, long locks fell past his shoulders and seemed in no hurry to be swept into place. In addition to the metal arm bracers on his forearms, he wore an embroidered leather strap across his chest and one shoulder that revealed most of his chiseled, ropy muscles.
He was young and robust. Powerful and majestic. Enormous, even by centaur standards.
Petraeus stiffened at her side. Right.
One centaur lover was bad enough. Two, and she’d be forever caught between them.
The only thing larger than a centaur’s sex was his ego.
“Ekho and Petraeus, meet Rhoetus.” Kyme waved her hand between them.
“A pleasure, sweetling.” The male dipped his head before her, snaring her hand and pressing his firm lips to the top of it.
She snagged back her hand before the growl rumbling in Petraeus’s throat discharged. “My name is Ekho. Kindly direct your attentions elsewhere.” The whisper of her blue mist swirled toward Rhoetus and the intensity diminished from his mismatched eyes.
Sadly, the same wouldn’t work on Petraeus. He was a bonded male, and she didn’t wield the strength to counteract the will of the goddess Aphrodite.
“Who are you? I’m not familiar with your name, nor do I recognize your clan.” Petraeus angled in front of her, blocking her from a possible threat. Males.
“I am Lord Rhoetus,” he crossed his massive arms, biceps bulging with unrestrained power, “from the Isle of Krete.”
Kyme held her hand to Petraeus’s ear and whispered, not so quietly, “Haven’t you heard? The Lords of Krete are bigger, badder, and bolder than your average centaur. And not at all tamed like you Thessaly weaklings.” She snickered and elbowed Petraeus, who huffed as though unamused.
Rhoetus just smugly winked at Ekho.
“Krete?” Petraeus snorted. “I thought your kind had retreated to the shadows.”
The male unfolded his arms and gave a nonchalant shrug of his broad shoulders. “That may have once been true, but we’re not hiding any longer. Krete belongs to the centaurs and we’ll claim what’s ours.”
Chapter Seven
Petraeus clenched his jaw. Ekho and this new centaur regarded each other with mutual admiration. She’d claimed a seat on a fallen log and he propped against an adjacent willow tree.
He’d declined the offer to join them, preferring to stand guard. While she might have persuaded Rhoetus not to charm her, that didn’t stop her from seducing him.
Lord of Krete. Ugh. He’d never encountered a centaur from that line and his horse told him not to trust the swarthy charmer. After the Centaur-Lapith War centuries ago, those who sought peace and enlightenment had joined his grandsire Cheiron I in Thessaly. The other tribes of centaurs had branched off, most dissolving, or so he’d been taught.
What if other centaur clans existed, beyond their borders? Did his father know of them?
Those who hadn’t joined with the Thessaly centaurs hadn’t wished to renounce their wild and savage natures. He shifted closer to Rhoetus, easing Ekho behind him again, not trusting this uncivilized barbarian. Those mismatched eyes screamed of a crafty character.
“Yes, well, we must be on our way.” Petraeus extended his hand for Ekho to join him, but before she could rise, Kyme blocked his path.
“Not so fast. Rhoetus here can help you.” The Amazon jerked her chin at the male. “I’m fairly certain he’s been asking about a star nymph too, haven’t you, Rhoetus?”
He gave a curt nod.
Petraeus pinched the bridge of his nose. The Amazon warrior wasn’t a female to cross, but he’d rather wade through a pond of eels than trust this savage. “Thank you for the offer, but we’ll seek out Ekho’s daughter on our own.”
“Won’t get far.” Leaning against the tree, the centaur flipped a dagger along his knuckles.
“He’s right. Rhoetus took out three dozen guards during our rescue and—”
“Four. Four dozen guards,” he corrected drily.
“Four.” Kyme bobbed her head. “And he mapped the tunnels for us. He’s traveled each one, including the warded ones. We wouldn’t have navigated them without him.” She stepped closer to Petraeus. “Don’t tell me you’re afraid of a little competition.” Her taunting smirk stabbed into his pride. The Amazon lifted onto the tips of her toes and whispered into his ear, much quieter this time, “Consider this; the barbarian can’t help but improve your odds of winning her hand.”
He froze. Did Kyme know Ekho was his mate?
As though reading his thoughts, the corner of her mouth curved. “Hundreds of nymphs in this meadow are eyeing you, and you’ve only stared at one.”
Aye, true. No respectable centaur would have declined the bevy of offerings. Unless he already had a mate.
“Bolster yourself, centaur. It’ll be a long journey.” She slapped him across the shoulders and strutted toward her mate, Arsenius.
He frowned after her, then turned his scowl on Rhoetus. “What were you even doing in Philaeus’s dungeon?”
“Now, that is an interesting question.” He scratched his jaw and glared pointedly at Ekho. “A voice told me to.”
Ekho stiffened. “I did?”
Once more, Petraeus swooped in. “She was made to consume waters which eroded her memory.”
The centaur cocked one brow. “You don’t remember? Why you sent me?”
Cautiously, she shook her head.
Instead of answering her, Rhoetus faced him. “Rumors of war between your tribe and the Lapiths have reached my lands. We may not share the same views, but centaurs will always stand together against our common enemy.” His tone deepened and he inclined his head. “Centaur blood above all else.” He straightened and his chest puffed. “My kin chose me as their emissary to seek out King Cheiron and offer our support. Whether by chance or the hands of the Fates, Ekho commanded I watch after her daughter. That’s how I found myself in Philaeus’s dungeon.”
His words rang true, yet something else glinted in his eyes. Hmm.
“Shall we?” R
hoetus swept his arm toward the path. “During our escape, Minthe and I became separated. I had hoped to find her here, yet it would appear she’s still a prisoner. I’m fairly certain of where they’re keeping her, though.”
“Very well.” If he were being honest, his mistrust of Rhoetus might stem as much from jealousy as the centaur’s shadowed history. “Lead the way, Lord of Krete.”
In single file, the three of them trekked through the woods until dusk.
“We should make camp for the night.” Petraeus stretched his neck and rolled his shoulders. “Our enemies inside the castle are likely anticipating our strike. We’ll need our strength.”
“Aye, makes sense.” Rhoetus scanned the clearing of the meadow they stood in. Fading sunlight barely filtered through the dense forest, but pooled in an orange glow across the low shrubbery of the field. “I’ll collect wood for a fire.”
“Would you mind also searching for a plant? It has red leaves and prickly thorns, about this tall.” Petraeus measured his hand a foot above the ground. “The root will go wonderfully with the hare we’ll catch and roast.”
“Certainly.” The centaur cast him a quizzical look before striding off into the woods.
“What does that plant taste like?” Ekho peered at him.
“No idea. I’ve roamed these lands my entire life and never once encountered anything like it.”
“Why did you—”
He spun her around and slanted his mouth across hers, seizing her lips in a heated kiss. Her gasp and moan spiked to his toes, causing his bonding mark to throb and burn beneath his skin. Begrudgingly, he pulled away. “I wished for a moment alone with you. To apologize for my brutish behavior and to see if we can’t make amends.”
His will and his horse were at odds when it came to the notion of a mate, yet whenever he gazed at Ekho, his entire being breathed in harmony.
He wanted her, no matter the cost.
“Can we try this again?” he purred, slipping a hand down her hip and teasing his fingers along the hem of her flowing thigh-length gown.