by Lia Davis
Turning her body, Ash stared into her mother’s green eyes and crossed her arms. Artemis held her gaze, then let out a sigh. “No, I didn’t.”
“It was yesterday, at my townhouse.”
Her mother’s temples flexed and her eyes narrowed. “Then he’s been watching you.”
“Why me?’
“To lead him to Ty.” Pausing, Artemis glanced back over the ocean. “Cyrus will protect Amissa, but keep her close anyway. There will be more eyes watching. You’ll have to find evidence and bring your case to Zeus.”
Heart sinking, Ash dropped her shoulders. Zeus disliked the dragons as much, if not more than Eros. However, Ash was not a quitter. She’d fine a way to save her dragon. Even if it meant sacrificing her own freedom.
Artemis touched her chin, drawing Ash’s attention back to her. “You’ve fallen in love.”
Stepping back, Ash shook her head, but it was no use. Her mother could always see through her. “Even if he did do it, it was justified. Elizabeth let desire consume her.”
“You have to find the proof no matter how ugly it may turn out.”
“I know.”
Her mother’s gaze darted to the side. “Your dragon is here.”
Smiling, Ash leaned in and kissed the goddess’s cheek. “I will find what I need.”
Artemis squeezed her hand, then dematerialized. Taking a deep breath, she turned back to the sea and waited for Ty to approach.
When he came to a stop beside her and didn’t say anything for several moments, she glanced up. He stood still as a rock, his spine straight and his gaze fixed on the ocean. Like the warrior and fierce predator he was made to be.
Turning her gaze back to the waves, she waited for him to speak. Her ability to connect to his dragon told her he didn’t seek her out because he was lonely. Something bothered him and she guessed it was the flashback he had a few hours ago.
“I don’t remember Nik.”
She turned to face him then, drawing her brows together. “Why does that bother you so?”
“Because he knew me, called me by my birth name.”
“I see. Garrick could had took him from your memories as well to hide the fact he held the dragon.”
He let out a low growl. “How much access did you have to Garrick’s prisoners?”
“None. He didn’t trust me with that information.”
“I heard others speak the name Nik a few times, but no one ever mentioned he was a dragon.”
Ash searched her memories of the time she spent with Garrick and came up empty. “He didn’t keep many captives, at least not at the places I’ve been to. The descendants either worked with him or died.”
“Bastard.”
“I agree. Garrick had no use to daemons unless they worked with him. He doesn’t have the power to control them or capture them.” She paused, then a thought came to mind. “What about the Sons of War who left Olympus after the war?”
“What about them?”
“How many were there? Could Garrick find any of them?”
Ty shrugged. “There were thousands of us. Only a dozen or so survived the war. We weren’t granted immortality until after we won the war.”
She faced him and raised her arm to touch his cheek, but he stepped back. The thought of letting him draw away came to mind a brief moment before she shoved it aside and stepped forward. Ty wasn’t going to push her out, not since she’d had a taste of him.
“I’m not like Elizabeth. I’m not ruled by my desires.” Well, at least not the power of desire. Ash rose on her toes and brushed her lips against his. “I’m ruled by the hunt. If you run from me, I’ll give chase.”
Through the dark shades, she saw the red glow of his eyes as he released a low growl and snaked an arm around her waist. With a quick jerk, he meshed their bodies together. She groaned at the feel of his hard body pressed into hers. But she didn’t have time to respond before he sank one hand in her hair and pulled, forcing her head back.
A moment later his mouth claimed hers and his tongue thrust inside. At the same time one of his large, hard thighs slid between hers. She sucked on his tongue as she moved against his leg, sending slivers of desires through her.
With a tug of her hair, he broke the kiss. Their chests rose and fell in unison, indicating their bodies shared the same need. After a moment, Ty said roughly, “What spell have you cast over me?”
Her heart ached at the hint of distrust in his tone. However, she could never let him see the reaction. Ever. “I told you before, I will never use my powers against you. Have you felt me invade your mind or try to touch your dragon?” Okay, so she wasn’t so successful in keeping her annoyance from her words. But, whatever.
One corner of his sensual mouth lifted in a half-grin. “That’s not what I meant, goddess.” He lowered his head so she felt his warm breath against her neck. She shivered. When he bit down on her earlobe, a bolt of hot desire hit her, dampening her panties. “I’m not mating material. I bite, hard.”
The words, spoken on a deep, rough growl, made her want to give him anything he asked of her. “I’m fully aware of your bite.”
Suddenly, his head snapped up and he scented the air. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end right before she caught the scent of smoke. Shit. Not good. Before she could speak, Ty dematerialized, leaving her to stagger back a step.
Ash’s next thought was Amissa. Dread crawled over her skin like a million ants, souring her stomach and pissing her the fuck off.
Teleporting to a few feet from the beach house, Ash conjured her bow and arrows and charged into the burning home. Just as she reached the door, Ty stepped into the entryway holding an unconscious Amissa in his arms. His rage washed over Ash like a tidal wave crashing over the coast. In the next instant, he closed the few feet between them and handed his daughter to her. “Take her to the mansion.”
Ash took the female from Ty. When he turned to go back inside the house, Ash asked, “What are you doing?”
Without looking at her, he bit out, “I have to get Cyrus. Now do as I ask, Ashlynn.”
A crackle of hot wood followed by a burst of flame made her step off the porch. With a curse, Ash held Amissa a little tighter and teleported to the dragons’ mansion in Maine.
Chapter Eight
“You’re one heavy son of a bitch.”
Ty tried to keep his words playful, but worry for his friend overpowered his attempts. He’d found Cyrus face down in the hallway, bleeding from a deep gash across his chest. Thank the gods, his heart wasn’t pierced.
“Yeah,” Cyrus wheezed, then coughed before continuing. “You’re a bastard.”
A laugh burst from Ty’s lips as he carried the larger male into the foyer of the mansion. “Fair enough.”
A moment later, Maxwell, the house butler, appeared and placed his shoulder under Cyrus’s other arm, taking some of the male’s weight from Ty. “Ariel is preparing a room in the west wing.”
Ty nodded as they made their way up stairs to the west side of the mansion. Once he’d gotten Cyrus into bed, Ariel—one of two nymphs living with them—went to work on the male’s wound, applying a healing salve and softly chanting. Relief filled Ty when Cyrus relaxed and drifted to sleep.
He left the room to follow the connection he’d felt as soon as he entered the house to his daughter. They’d placed her in the room adjacent to Cyrus’s. When he reached the door, he stopped short of the entrance at the sound of Ash’s voice. “Your father only wants you to be safe.”
There was a long silence before Amissa spoke. “You’re in love with him.”
Ty’s heart stopped beating for several moments, and his body went still as he waited for Ash’s response. “He’s not the type of male to love.”
He heard the rustle of sheets as if Amissa repositioned herself on the bed. “He has feelings for you.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Yes, I do. I see the way he looks at you. The energy when you are together is intense.�
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Ty took a step away from the door. He’d never been able to shield his true feelings from his daughter, even in the short time he’d known her, so he didn’t try. Never had he thought it would be used against him. Hearing her speak the words out loud and to Ash of all people was like a physical slap into reality.
He should walk away, find Markus and Zavier to start the hunt for the weaver. Yet, he couldn’t make his body turn toward the stairs. Instead, he stepped into the bedroom. His gaze locked with Ash’s the moment he did. She narrowed her eyes before facing the window again.
“I wondered how long you’d stand out in the hall.” Her words were cooler than when she’d spoken to Amissa. He expected no less. Actually, he realized for the first time, it was the same tone he used on her. No, not the same. His words were harsher, driving a wedge between them because he wanted nothing to do with her. Or at least the man tried to tell the dragon. The beast would have none of it, however.
Ashlynn was his fated mate.
And she was here to bring him to the gods for punishment for his crimes. The Fates truly were bitches to give him his mate only to leave him unable to have her.
With a low growl, he moved to sit on the edge of the bed. Amissa looked well, but he could sense her pain. “What happened?”
His daughter forced a smile and took his hand. “Imperials broke down the door and attacked us. It happened so fast and there was so many of them.” Her eyes went round as if panic started to settle in. “Cyrus. They stabbed him!”
Ty gathered her hands in his and kissed her knuckles. “He’s fine. Ariel, one of Aphrodite’s nymphs, is with him.”
A frown formed in her features. “A female?”
Hiding a smile, he shook his head. “She is trained in healing.”
She studied him for a moment, then relaxed. “You trust her?”
He started to say no, but it would be a lie. Sure, he growled at the nymphs, but only because they seemed to be a little too nosey. Their kind, nurturing personalities made them care too much about what happened to him. No matter how much he wanted to keep the details to himself, they knew. He blamed Aphrodite for that. The goddess most likely told them of his captivity. After all, nothing was secret from the gods. “Yes, I trust her and her sister Thea.”
“Yet, you don’t trust your own mate.”
Ash made a noise in her throat before she stormed out of the room. Shit. How the hell did everything get fucked up? He stared into his daughter’s gaze, not knowing how to answer. Then again it really wasn’t a question.
Amissa sighed. “Go after her. I need to rest.”
“It’s complicated.”
“I know why she’s here. I also know she believes she can save you from the death sentence Eros has hanging over your head. You need to learn to trust her and work together to figure this shit out. I’m not going to let the gods take you from me any more than Ash will.”
She tugged her hands free from his hold and rolled to her side. A hint of pride bloomed in his chest. Of course she knew why Ash was here as well as everything else going on. Amissa was telepathic and used her gift to get answers.
Leaning down, he pressed a kiss to her temple and whispered. “Prying into others’ thoughts is rude.”
She laughed. “Not if I’m protecting my father from heartache. And don’t dare deny your feelings to me.”
“Brat,” he teased. “Get some sleep.”
He rose and left the room and searched for Markus, fighting the urge to follow Ash’s scent. If he went to her now, they’d end up naked and panting. Ty needed to focus on regaining his memory and finding a weaver. Maybe then he’ll be able to prove Elizabeth was indeed lost to her desires and not the devoted goddess she made her father believe she was.
He didn’t need the complications of a mate to distract him.
****
Ash whirled, thrust her leg up and kicked out, nailing the large sandbag hanging in the back of the gym. The kick was hard enough the chain suspending the bag snapped and it dropped to the ground.
Damned dragon. Stupid-ass male.
He knew they were mates and chose to ignore it. She shouldn’t be surprised, but it didn’t mean it didn’t hurt. And why? Because she dared to let hope enter her heart. Hope she’d save his life while healing his broken soul.
Footsteps from behind made her whirl around to face the intruder. Elle stopped half way across the gym on her way to her studio. Ash relaxed and straightened. “Sorry. I was blowing off some steam and you startled me.”
Elle’s gaze flicked to the punching bag on the floor, then back at Ash. “I see that.” The female narrowed her eyes slightly as if studying Ash. After a few moments, Elle said, “Can I ask you an odd question?”
Curious, Ash nodded. What could it hurt? She didn’t know much about the other woman other than she was the daughter of Nyx, goddess of night. Plus Ash could use a distraction. “Yes, as long as it’s not offensive.”
Elle’s shoulder dropped and a faint smile lifted her lips, clearly sensing Ash’s playfulness behind her words. “Can I paint you?”
Okay, Ash didn’t see that coming. “Why? I mean, I think I’m flattered, but why me?”
Elle shrugged and started toward her studio, which was one half of a room she shared with Zavier. Distracted to her satisfaction, Ash followed the dark haired demi-goddess. “Do you paint live subjects often?”
Pausing at the door, Elle glanced back at her. “Not usually. I’ve only done two others.”
The catch in her voice made Ash’s heart skip a beat. A sad, but dark sensation shuttered over her skin. She feared she wouldn’t like the answer, but she asked the question anyway. “Who were the other two?”
With a heavy sigh, Elle turned away and opened the door. “My parents, the night before they died.”
Fuck. She had to ask. “I’m sorry…”
Elle shrugged and motioned to the love seat against the far wall. “Have a seat and be as comfortable as you’d like.”
Ash did as the other woman asked and laid on her back with her knees over the arm to allow her legs to dangle. Watching Elle set up the canvas and easel, Ash couldn’t help but wonder about her. “You and Gwen grew up together?”
A smile stretched the corners of Elle’s lips. “We became instant friends in the third grade.”
Warmth bloomed in Ash’s heart, while at the same time loneliness settled in. She’d never had a friendship as strong as Gwen and Elle’s. In fact, the only close relationship she had was with her mother. Artemis never let her out of her sight as a child.
With a slight sigh, Elle continued talking as she settled onto a stool in front of the canvas. “My parents died when I was sixteen. Gwen’s parents took me in and treated me like their own daughter.”
The longing welcomed sadness back in. Ash studied the other woman and without thinking about it, said, “I never knew my father.”
Elle stilled and met her gaze. Her mouth dropped into a frown. “Your mother never told you?”
A humorless laugh burst from Ash. “Artemis? I love my mother more than anything, but she is a goddess in every sense of the word. The one time I asked about him, she said he was dead and it pained her to speak of him. I never asked again.”
Picking up a pencil from the workbench, Elle started to sketch. “I sense you didn’t let it go.”
“No. I tried to search and ask around. But no one seemed to know or just didn’t care who he was. It wasn’t until I was given access to the archives when I was given to job to…well spy on the Sons of War.” Ash stared up at the ceiling, feeling like a traitor for the admission.
“The gods have their reasons for sending you. From what I’ve learned in the short time of being here, they don’t trust the dragons.”
Ash turned her head to watch Elle. She was right. The gods had good reason not to trust the sons of Ares. Even the god of war wasn’t well liked by the others.
After a long silence, Elle asked, “What did you find in the archives?
”
Stunned, Ash considered not telling the woman. What would it hurt to tell her? Nothing. “I found a name of a god banished to earth to live as a mortal. It’s usually the punishment for treason. Yet, his crimes were not noted.”
“Why not?”
“Not sure. It could mean the oracle either didn’t know, which is highly unlikely, or she was forbidden to record certain facts.” Ash was betting on the latter. If Zeus didn’t want others to know something, he’d forbid the oracle from noting it.
Elle stopping drawing and studied Ash for a few moments. “What is it about the name stands out to you?”
Instinct, mainly. “The fact no one ever spoke of this god, not even in the human historical or mythological literatures. It was as if he never existed.”
“Well, go find out who he is, then.”
New purpose, or at least a new focus away from the mess of emotions surrounding Ty, filled her mind. She could search out this god while the dragons sought a weaver. It would give her the needed space away from Ty. A break for her to clear her mind and focus on how to save Ty’s life while solving another mystery plaguing her thoughts since finding the file the oracle directed her to.
“Thanks, Elle. I think I’ll do that.”
Chapter Nine
“So how long have you kept Amissa a secret from us?”
Ty set his jaw at Markus’s question. “She is my daughter and mine to protect.”
Markus leaned forward from behind his desk and growled, “We are your brothers and her uncles. We all will protect her.”
“She has a guardian.” Ty sighed and laid his head against the back of the couch. “She was safer away from us. Plus I didn’t know how you’d take it if you knew she was Sophia’s daughter.”
“Fuck, Ty.”
Yeah, he failed to share who her mother was when he told his brothers about Amissa the day before. “It was a one-nighter before she mated with Garrick.” He went on explaining his and Ash’s theory on how Sophia wanted both and could only have one or the other.
Markus fell silent and Zavier took the moment to speak up. “The real problem here is Eros. We need to find a weaver to unlock Ty’s memories so Ashlynn can present her case.”