by Lila Jean
They bolted through the dark corridors, banging into the walls in their haste, tripping over the corpses of the last four guards they’d encountered right as the lights came back on. They ran at full bore, their cover blown, the clamor of guards coming at them from all angles as they raced for the stairs.
Killian fired shots behind him as shadows on the wall betrayed the three guards coming up their rear. Tina glowed, white as the center of a flame, and men groaned from hallways out of sight as she stopped the hearts of anyone stupid enough to chase them. Meanwhile, Flynn manned the helm of their little party, firing bolts of his all-powerful lightning at the guards coming from the front. One guard was hit squarely in the chest, the force flinging him through the nearby window and down into the darkness below.
When they reached the stairs, they raced down three at a time, eager to reach the ground floor as quickly as possible, Killian taking careful aim up the stairs as guards came out of the woodwork, tracking them down. The air brimmed with electricity and static as Flynn worked his magic below, the three of them doing their best to escape unscathed.
Though it was only about five minutes later, it felt like an eternity had passed before they finally pushed through the emergency exit door, stealing into the night as quickly as they could and hopping on the motorcycles they had waiting for a quick escape. They tore off into the night, Tina safely in front of Killian so he could steer and protect her with his body at the same time, doing his best to wrap himself around her to shield her from any lingering bullets.
As they kicked up dust in their wake, heading for the freeway, Killian’s heart raced at just how close a call that had been. Whoever this woman was, she was powerful, and it was clear Tina had one hell of a new enemy trying to kick down her door.
7
Tina
Tina sat in one of Epara’s lounges, nestled in Killian’s lap, nervously biting her thumbnail as she waited for Draven and Anthony to return. Her heart was skipping beats even though she knew they were okay. Deep down, her world wouldn’t feel right again until she held them both tightly. Flynn and Zane were off in Zane’s tech room, investigating the woman they had met in Russia, while Killian tenderly ran his finger up and down her arm to soothe her racing thoughts.
“They’re fine,” he reminded her with a kiss on her neck, the warm sensation shooting shivers of delight down her back. “Antony and Draven made it out. They’re safe. They even rescued the diplomat.”
“Yeah, after a building exploded around them.” She stood, starting to pace along the wall as the hot breeze swam through the open arches that served as windows out on the covered veranda. “I nearly lost them, Killian.” A knot caught in her throat at the thought, but she paused and inhaled a deep breath to clear it away. “I nearly lost them both.”
“They’re fine.” Killian stood and set his hands on her shoulders, holding her in place while he pulled her close. His soothing touch calmed her racing mind and helped her to breathe a little easier. She wasn’t sure what kind of magic fingers he had, but no one else could calm her down quite like he could.
“I just want them to be back already.” She sighed and leaned her forehead against his chest, feeling a little better now.
“You called?” Draven asked from the doorway.
Elated, Tina spun on her heel and tackle-hugged him, holding him tightly as she spotted Anthony in the hall behind him. She pulled them both into a close embrace, their arms around her. Now reunited, her heart finally slowed to its normal rhythm once more.
“Sorry it took so long,” Anthony said, kissing her on the forehead. “We had to make sure the diplomat was situated first.”
“He has his cover story?” Killian asked, clasping them both on the shoulder in welcome. “Glad to have you back in one piece, by the way.”
“Good to be back.” Anthony nodded and sighed happily. “And yes, Emmett is situated. We now have an ally embedded in my father’s fortress.”
“Look who’s finally back!” Flynn shouted from down the hall, Zane in tow with a pile of papers. “Good timing. We have lots of news to share, almost none of it good.”
“I’m great, thanks for asking.” Draven smirked and blew a sarcastic kiss as the demigod rolled his eyes.
Tina chuckled and sat on the sofa, pulling Draven and Anthony down to either side of her, just happy to have them both back, safe and sound. Draven draped one arm over her shoulders as Anthony set his hand on her thigh, their bodies warm and welcome. The gentle nudge of Draven’s leg against hers shot tendrils of desire into her core, the subtle act reminding her of her smoldering dragon’s raw power and feral passion. Their colognes blended together, the scents of charcoal and ash blurred with fresh pine and oak, a heady combination that left her dizzy with joy.
Home. Her men, her temple, her goddess. This was home, and here, she was happy.
Briefly, Flynn updated Draven and Anthony on what had happened in Russia, and Draven quickly filled them in on the events in Tijuana, with Anthony filling in bits here and there as needed. As the discussion continued, Killian settled into his chair, while Flynn and Zane remained standing.
“Cora Stratford,” Zane said, dropping a beige file folder on the coffee table between them. “That’s the name of the redhead who intercepted you in Russia.”
“Who is she?” Tina asked, grabbing the folder and flipping it open to a candid shot of Cora in an elegant dress suit, a white fur contrasting her blood red hair as a driver opened her limo door. Tina briefly flipped through the pages, scanning the various investments and recognizing the occasional name of a high-ranking official she’d seen on the news.
“She’s dangerous,” Flynn said with a nod to the file. “She has her heel pressed into the throat of every major government and seems to be able to make people dance in ways no one else can, not even security agencies.” He rubbed his temples, clearly frustrated. “She comes from very, very old money.”
“Get this,” Zane said, briefly checking his phone before stuffing it once more into his pocket. “One of her largest recent investments was with Noxxom Corporation, around the time Tina fused with Damara.” He frowned, resting both hands on a nearby chair, eyes glazing over as he shook his head. “The timing is too perfect to be an accident.”
“Because it’s not an accident.” Tina tossed the file onto the coffee table and crossed her arms. “She said she wanted me, wanted to ‘have fun’ with me, and I don’t think that’s in the biblical sense.” Tina grimaced. “My gut feeling is her version of fun is most people’s version of torture.”
“Yeah, you’re about spot on with that.” Zane absently ran a hand through his messy hair. “She’s about as cold-hearted as it gets and has been involved in some shady shit.” He shook his head, annoyed. “I couldn’t get facts, but the whispers I’ve been hearing about her always end with someone six feet under.”
“Oh, how charming.” Draven grimaced and picked up the file, scanning the details as he flipped through a few of the pages.
“Now, here’s the kicker.” Zane pointed again toward the file. “She didn’t invest in Noxxom until Tina arrived, right? But dignitaries had been going missing since before then, so I wasn’t sure how to piece it all together at first.” He paced the room, arms crossed. “However, as soon as Damara came to Earth, the kidnappings became more frequent, as if they were suddenly better organized and funded.”
“You think Cora started helping them.” A surge of clarity washed through Tina. “You think she struck a bargain with them.”
“Exactly.” Zane pointed at her, nodding to emphasize his point.
“You’re fucking brilliant, do you know that?” Draven said, one eyebrow raised.
“I do, yes.” Zane chuckled sheepishly, rubbing his neck a bit in embarrassment.
“So Noxxom wants diplomats dead, but why?” Flynn leaned against the wall, frowning. “I mean, this is a massive corporation with their hands in every business from fast food to weapons development. They’re everywhere and pl
ay ball in all sorts of industries.”
“Well, that doesn’t really narrow it down, then.” Killian sighed and leaned back in his chair. “There’s a thousand reasons they could want this.”
“What was that necklace Cora tried to put on me?” Tina absently brushed her fingers over her neck, her intuition screaming that it wasn’t something to mess with. Deep down, her goddess didn’t have any memories of the necklace or its strange power, but it had clearly been an ancient relic, something terrifying in its own right. From the dark and deadly energy it had radiated, it wasn’t something Damara wanted Tina to go anywhere near.
“It’s an ancient relic,” Flynn said somberly. “It is dark magic, known only as a ‘collar’ because of what it does to the gods.” He sighed and rubbed his face, not meeting Tina’s eye, and her stomach churned with sickening dread about what he was saying. “There are a few in the vaults in Olympus, stashed there simply because we don’t know how to destroy them and because of how utterly despicable they are in god lore.”
“Okay, I think you’re milking this a little.” Draven chuckled and tossed the file on the coffee table. “Just tell us.”
“It will block the connection Tina has to Damara,” Flynn said, eyes on the ground. “It will take away her magic.”
“Shit,” Tina and Draven said in unison.
“This is deadly serious,” Flynn finally met Tina’s eye, and his intense gaze sent shivers down her spine. “That necklace is one of the few things that can take away your power, Tina.” His voice softened. “It’s one of the few things you must avoid at all costs.”
For a moment, no one spoke. Tina set her elbows on her knees, eyes shifting out of focus as she absorbed this horrifying new piece of information. To think someone could effectively cut off her beautiful connection with her goddess made her feel icy dread from her toes to her fingers, and she refused to ever let anyone get one of these things on her.
“We don’t entirely know how they work,” Zane said softly, interrupting her thoughts. “We believe the person who puts it on is the only one who can take it off. That’s why she insisted you go to her, so she could put it on you.” He shrugged. “It would have been far easier for her to throw it over to you and make you put it on.”
“Zane, I need you to see if these can be destroyed,” Tina said, her voice low and dark.
“I looked into it,” he said quietly. “There are two instances in history where the collar—”
“Call it a necklace.” Tina stood abruptly, hating the term collar, even for something as vile as this artifact.
“Right, the necklace.” Zane cleared his throat, continuing after a tense moment of silence. “There are two instances in history where the necklace has been broken, and those are secondhand accounts that spoke of gods who simply overpowered it, flooding the necklace with more magic than it could hold.” He rubbed his jaw thoughtfully. “No one knew who it was or how they did it, but they believe it was the result of a sacrifice.”
There was a moment of eerie silence, and Tina didn’t like the direction this conversation was heading. “You mean a blood sacrifice.”
“I don’t know,” Zane said with a tense shake of his head. “The books only mentioned a ‘sacrifice.’ That’s all I have.”
“Please keep looking,” Tina said softly with a nod to her tiger prince.
“Of course.”
“If it’s any consolation, only a few exist,” Flynn added. “Seven, I believe.”
“Ten,” Zane corrected. “Not including Cora’s, so actually it’s eleven.”
“Know-it-all,” Draven said, grinning.
“A second ago, you called me brilliant,” Zane said with a laugh. “So, which is it?”
“I need a minute,” Tina said softly, walking toward the door, her men’s laughter dying as she left the room. “I just need a minute to breathe.”
“Tina,” Anthony said softly, dashing through the door like a black blur and pausing in front of her with a look of tender concern on his face, “are you okay?”
“Yeah,” she said, nodding and waving away his concern with a flick of her wrist. “I just need a moment alone to process all of this. It’s a lot to take in at once.”
“We’re here for you.” He set his hands on her shoulders, his tender expression imploring her to keep talking. Though they paused in the hallway, the way he looked at her suggested he wanted an invitation to join her.
“I know,” she said softly, kissing his nose. The touch sent ripples of pleasure through her lips and down her back, warming her, reminding her that her men would always be there for her. They would love and protect her under any circumstance, against any enemy. “Trust me, I know.”
With that, she squeezed his hand and left, their fingers lingering against each other as he remained in place. It was plain to her that Anthony didn’t want to let her go and only did so because it was what she wanted, but she needed a moment of solitude. She let her feet lead her to her bedroom, and she dove onto the bed, burrowing into the covers. Her mind replayed her interaction with Cora, the way the redhead smirked, the cocky tilt to her head, the sultry curve of her hips, the utter confidence that just pissed Tina off to no end.
As Tina’s eyes slowly shut, her exhaustion and fading adrenaline finally catching up with her, she reached out to feel the heartbeats of her five darling princes, her beloved men. Their soothing pulses reminded her that she was safe with them nearby, that she was safely home, and that if this Cora bitch came for her again, the bitch would die.
8
Flynn
Flynn leaned against the wall outside Tina’s door, arms crossed as he listened for the gentle sound of her breathing through the crack, knowing she was safe and wishing he could lie beside her, stroking her hair, assuring her everything would be all right.
And it would. He would see to it himself.
Zane stood across from him, thumbs flying across his phone as he sifted through information faster than any human should be able to, eyes rapidly scanning the tiny text, only pausing to occasionally adjust his glasses. Killian passed by again as he paced the hallway, arms crossed, eyes out of focus as the eagle shifter was lost in his own world.
Anthony and Draven rounded the corner, talking in hushed tones about something Flynn couldn’t quite make out. It seemed everyone wanted to ensure Tina was safe, especially after the bombshell that had been dropped on her earlier, but if they hung around outside her door, they would only wake her up.
“Follow me,” Flynn ordered. “All of you,” he added with a nod back toward Draven.
“You always single me out.” The dragon shifter rolled his eyes. “So unfair.”
Flynn led them down the hall toward a hallway that ran along the south end of the temple, the open arches letting in a cool breeze as the soft trickle of a creek below filtered up through the distant buzzing of the forest insects. He leaned against the wall and sighed deeply, surveying the four princes before him. “Now that the gods are handled, we need allies, especially after this whole mess with Cora.”
“Agreed.” Anthony nodded, arms crossed as he looked out over the distant forest behind Flynn. “It would have been nice if Odin had stayed, but I guess this isn’t his circus.”
“Not quite,” Flynn admitted. “He doesn’t care about Earth anymore as long as Damara handles herself carefully.”
“Who can we trust?” Killian asked. “It seems like everyone is still out to get us.”
“We start with my people.” Flynn set a hand on the sword at his waist, the mighty Gram, given to him by Odin himself. He smiled with pride at the honor of being given a god’s blade, a powerful one that was thousands of years old and still as sharp as the day it was made.
“What are you going to do?” Draven asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow. “Wave your new toy at them from afar?”
“Draven,” Anthony said, exasperated. “Shut up for two minutes, will you? Let the man speak.”
“What?” Draven shrugged. “I�
�m serious. It’s a sword. What good will it do us against the entire demigod army?”
“It’s not just a sword,” Flynn reminded the dragon shifter. “It’s Odin’s most fearsome sword, a weapon designed for the god himself and no one else.” He took a shaky breath and unsheathed the gleaming weapon, its presence still a bit surreal to him. “The fact that I’m even holding it means I’m making history.”
“While Flynn drools over his new sword,” Zane said, chuckling, “I’ll translate. What he means is that sword is the demigod equivalent of Odin’s blessing.”
“Oh!” Draven’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “That makes a lot more sense.”
“I was getting to … ugh.” Flynn rolled his eyes and sheathed his powerful new weapon, Gram shimmering with untapped magic in the low light. “Yes, it’s Odin’s blessing, which means Odin approves of Tina as Damara’s host, as well as Damara’s choices while she’s here.”
“Not to mention demigod culture,” Zane added, pausing briefly from his phone.
“Exactly.” Flynn crossed his bulky arms. “It’s our law that we never deny the god or goddess we descend from, and if we go against his or her wishes, that’s punishable by banishment and sometimes even death.” Flynn frowned, recalling the handful of times throughout history that Olympus had to expel its own citizens for doing just that. “For the king to deny Odin himself …”
“It would be heresy.” Draven set both hands on his head, the plan apparently clicking for him. “Keep in mind, though, that Odin’s blessing isn’t the same as a command from the All-Father.” The dragon shifter frowned. “You think this will really work?”