Amber: July: Mystic Zodiac, Book 7
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Amber: July
Mystic Zodiac, Book 7
Brandy Walker
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This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Amber: July, Mystic Zodiac
Copyright © 2015 Brandy Walker
Cover by TEZ Graphics, Brandy Walker
Image: © Maksim Shmeljov | Dreamstime.com
Image: © Starblue | Dreamstime.com
Edited by Noel Varner
All Rights Are Reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
First Electronic Print: July 2015
Quote
Luring a man in for a little bit of fun…hell yeah. Keep him around for longer than a week…no thanks. ~ Amber
Blurb:
A bet between Eros, the God of love & desire, and Chloe (Chlotho), the Fate of birth, leads to a year filled with match-making and passion.
She’s isn’t looking for happily ever after…
* * *
Amber Thompson is a Siren. A love-em and leave-em, let’s have some fun for a little while kind of woman who isn’t looking for a long romance, let alone a happily ever after. It just isn’t part of a Siren’s DNA. She loves her life in the small town of Summerset and loves working at the Mystics Only bar, Ecstasis D. Taking home a sexy as sin wolf for a night of fun shouldn’t change that.
* * *
He didn’t know he was looking for a change…
* * *
Andreas Stathos is a bored, business suit wearing, drowning in paperwork, wolf-shifter. His company, A Shift in Style, is doing great and he couldn’t be happier, except the spark he used to feel is missing and has turned into obligation. It doesn’t help matters that he can’t remember the last time he had a date or took the time to go wolf. At a friend’s urging, he gets out of town for the long weekend hoping to get in touch with his wolf and maybe find a little companionship.
* * *
Maybe together they’ll find something more.
* * *
As soon an Andreas steps into the bar, Amber and Andreas both know their lives will be changed. But how much depends on one stubborn Siren and one wolf’s ability to convince her they have a future together.
Prologue
Chloe stood in the small hidden clearing of her garden soaking in the sun and floral notes brought in by the breeze. She loved heading into the hedgerows and getting lost in her thoughts. It was her place to think on the events of the day, week, or month—whatever was bothering her at the time.
Her bet with Eros was officially halfway over. She had matched six couples.
A Fallen Angel and an Eternal.
A minor Goddess of love and human male.
The Alpha wolf of the Keystone Predators and his surprising human mate.
The Nymph and the human who had no clue he had the blood of a Great Watcher flowing through his veins.
The near disaster matching of the Faerie and the Elf.
Then there was The Witch and the Warlock—fated to be together from birth, and her most recent accomplishment.
Some fell easier than others, but at the end of their designated month, they were all very much in love. In truth, matchmaking wasn’t as easy as Chloe had anticipated. Humans were loose cannons, allowing their fragile hearts to drive their decisions. How Mystics managed to interact with the fickle creatures day to day was beyond her. She would take the capricious Gods and Goddesses of Olympus any day. At least with them, she knew what to expect. Knew they plotted to further their place in the realm by any means necessary.
That was neither here nor there at the moment. Her goal was in sight. She was on the downward slope. Six more months and she would have Eros in her bed for an entire month. Her deepest desire, at least the one at the moment, would come true.
Thoughts of Eros had her heading back inside her home. She was expected at the Parthenon soon, and she would use the next few precious moments to ready herself. She had made a mistake going to Eros’s residence the month before. Seeing him lounging in bed sent her lust into overdrive. When he stood and pressed his naked form against her, all thought fled.
He had reduced her to a scared, young virgin being presented her first cock. That would not do if she wanted to maintain the upper hand. Something she felt was tenuous at best.
Stepping into her room, she was brought up short by the sight of Eros lounging on her bed. His golden chest was bare and on display. His long, lightly furred legs stretched out in front of him. Images of crawling on top of him bombarded her. Sucking and nibbling his skin. Running her hands up his legs and under the lined fabric wrapped around his waist. Taking his member into her mouth to learn the taste and feel. He was sin incarnate waiting to be feasted upon.
“Hello, my sweet,” he drawled, looking wholly unconcerned at being caught in her room. “Lacy let me in. Such a sweet woman. I wonder if she would be interested in joining me in my bed at some point.” A small smile flirted with the edges of his mouth. His lush lips pulling up slightly at the corners. His audacity to say such a thing set her off.
Chloe’s temper flared. Rage boiled within, setting her blood on fire. All rational thought ceased to exist. Her words flowed from her mouth unfiltered. “Never. I forbid it. You are mine and I will not share.”
His smile turned into a knowing grin. “Jealous at the thought?”
She tipped her head up and scoffed. “I do not have a jealous bone…”
Eros swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood. He was in front of her within three determined steps. His well-formed chest brushed against her breasts, her nipples puckering in reaction. “Don’t even think of finishing that sentence.” He brushed his knuckles along her cheek. “Your jealousy is easy to see, so do not deny it.”
They stared at each other, the air thickening around them. Being within reach of the object of her obsession was Heaven and Hell. Her fingers itched to touch. To trace the muscles in his chest and arms. Slide her hands over his abdominals, then down to his cock.
It had been a thing of beauty. Long, thick and uncut. His erection curved upward toward his belly, and practically begged for her touch. Chloe shuddered, her eyes closing as she imagined how it would feel in her hand. Soft, velvety skin over his hardened length, slipping through her fingers and over her palm. Had thoughts of her gotten him in that state? Did he imagine her hand wrapped around his cock as he masturbated?
Too many questions with no answers. Voicing them would give him power over her.
Eros dipped his head, brushing his lips against Chloe’s ear. “Is it a good fantasy in your head, my sweet? Your nipples are pebbled, and I can smell the sweetness of your arousal. Are you remembering how it felt to be pressed up against my naked body? The heat of my skin seeping through your chiton. My hard cock searing your belly. I’ve thought of nothing else this past month. I’ve taken my cock into my hand and stroked it until I shot my seed over my bare chest so many times I’ve lost count.”
A shudder slipped down her spine, and a moan broke free. She opened her eyes, locking gazes with Eros. Heat, lust, and arousal glittered from the blue depths. Her body drifted closer. It wasn’t until she realized she’d
slid her hands over his chest that she remembered why he was in her home.
Chloe locked everything she was feeling down and took a step back. The tension between them eased slightly. Another step and she turned away, gliding to the window that overlooked her garden. Focus on the bet, not the prize. She took a second to relax her shoulders. Breath eased from her chest. “Your mother says hello.”
Eros chuckled. “And how is the old battleaxe doing?” Chloe didn’t miss the note of affection in his tone.
“She is well. Found a Warlock to play with last night on the earthly realm. The Witch and the Warlock you tasked me to match have made a good union.”
Eros stepped up behind her, heat radiated from him in droves, soaking into her even though she knew he was still inches away. Her body clenched in reaction, waiting for him to place his hands on her. Expecting his expert touch in the most benign way. When it didn’t come, she forced herself to relax yet again.
“I knew they would, so it is not a surprise. Knowing such things is part of the job you so frequently tell me takes no skill. You’re ready for your next couple then?”
Chloe turned and nodded. Intense blue eyes bored into her. Lust prevalent, but there was an undercurrent of something else—pride? She couldn’t be sure; because that was an emotion she was not familiar with. At least not when it came to someone feeling it for her. She struggled to keep her eyes on his face and mind on what he was saying.
“What is July?” He paused, tapping a finger against his kissable lips. “Ah, yes. The fiery month of the Siren. Lovely creatures. Sensual. Intoxicating. Resistant to settling down. If I remember correctly, and I always do, the woman I have picked for you is older. Amber is thirty-two. Definitely of the mindset that a Siren never commits to one man or woman for the rest of their unnaturally long lives. Her love interest, or should I say mate, is from an ancient line of wolves stemming from Greece. Proud. Demanding. Dominant. Tell me, do you think that will be challenge enough?”
“A piece of cake, as the humans say,” she smirked and straightened her spine. She could only hope that it would be. No longer would she anticipate an easy time. If the previous six months taught her anything, it was to expect the unexpected on the earthly realm, and to handle things personally if need be.
She thought Eros would take his leave then; but, instead, he took her by surprise and laid a kiss on her lips potent enough weaken her knees. She wrapped her arms around his neck, holding on for dear life. Breaking the kiss, Eros stepped away, offered a respectful bow, and strode from the room and ultimately her home.
Chapter 1
July 3rd - Friday
Andreas Stathos pushed away from his desk, stretching his long legs out in front of him. Head tipped back, hands threaded over his stomach; he took a breather from the pile of paper in front of him. When did the excitement of running a company wear off and turn into mundane paperwork dull enough the kill every last brain cell he had? When did he start dreading coming into the office each and every morning?
Restlessness bit into his bones the longer he sat there. It wasn’t the company or the paperwork that lost the excitement; he was the problem. He wasn’t satisfied with what he was doing, cooped up in an office all day shuffling papers. He wanted to be around people, the men and women making his dream a reality, the hustle and bustle of life…get back into the thick of things, like during the inception of his dream.
But how did he do that? It wasn’t like he could walk into one of his stores and take over. Well…technically he could. He was the owner. The head honcho. The man with the creative vision and the money to make it happen. Not to mention, the skill, but it had been ages since he’d designed anything. Not even something as simple as a tie.
Pushing up from his chair, he paced to his office window. He looked out over the city beyond his tenth story view and saw nothing but suits and more suits. Don’t get him wrong, suits were his bread and butter; but damn, there were a lot of them out there. Buildings were lit up, filled with worker bees scuttling around trying to finish the day’s work so they could go home and drink the weekend away. Forget about the work sitting on their desks, or the demands from their bosses.
Cars and taxis honked, jockeying for position on the crowded streets. Each trying to edge closer to wherever they were going. It was an organized chaos and, any other day, he would revel in its beauty. But some unknown entity twisted in the pit of his stomach making him uncomfortable…fidgety. His gut tried to tell him something, but he didn’t know what.
It could be he needed to get out of the city for a while. Find a place he could go where no one knew his name and the wealth behind it. Someplace that didn’t care if he wore a five thousand dollar suit or a ten dollar one from the thrift store. Hell, a place where he could wear ratty old designer jeans and a comfortable, soft to the touch T-shirt would be welcome.
A knock at his door had him turning around. Without waiting for an answer, his best friend and Chief Financial Officer, Theo, ambled in with Andreas’s secretary scurrying after him.
“Sir, he refused to wait, as usual,” Emily, his secretary, rushed to say. No matter how many times he told her it was fine if Theo came and went as he pleased, the woman insisted on adhering to protocol.
“It’s fine, Emily. Why don’t you wrap up for the night? It’s almost four, and I know you’d like to get home to your husband and kids. You have that big family reunion planned for the Fourth, right?”
“Yes, sir. We planned on heading out once I got home.” She hesitated, and he knew something was on her mind. Something was always on her mind, and that was what made her a fantastic secretary. Her mouth pinched, eyes narrowed. “Are you sure you don’t need me to stay longer? It isn’t a problem. Brian and I didn’t figure we would get on the road until around six or seven.”
Andreas smiled brightly to ease her worries, knowing she wasn’t immune to a wolf’s charm. “Now, you can beat some of the traffic. Please, Emily. Pack up and leave. There isn’t anything pressing that needs to go out this afternoon. Trust me, the paperwork will still be there after the holiday weekend.”
Emily pushed her glasses up her nose and smiled back at him. Gratitude shone in her dark intelligent eyes. “Thank you, sir. The kids will love having a couple more hours with their cousins. Hopefully, that will burn off the energy stored up after a couple of hours in the car.”
“Tell Brian I said hello, and I’ll see you bright and early Tuesday morning.”
She nodded sharply. “You know where to find me if you need me,” Emily replied before turning to leave the room. She shot an irritated glance at Theo before marching out.
“You will forever be on her shit list,” Andreas said once Theo closed the door.
Theo rolled his eyes and slumped down into the chair in front of the desk. “She’s definitely a tough nut to crack.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t keep ignoring her mandates then.” Andreas took a seat on the leather couch pushed up against the wall. He’d been known to burn the midnight oil a bit too much and end up sleeping on the thing. It was also the reason he had a built-in closet in his office and the full en suite bathroom.
Theo shrugged and tapped his knee with a rolled-up paper Andreas had failed to notice before. “I like giving her a hard time. She’s a good kid and gets riled up so easy. The wolf in me gets a kick out of it. It’s like watching prey attempt to fight back.”
“You’re too easily entertained. Just don’t run her off.” He looked at Theo thoughtfully. “Maybe you should bring something for her to apologize for your atrocious behavior one of these days.”
Theo shrugged and tapped the paper on his knee again. “I’ll think about it.”
Andreas’s gaze fell to the object his friend blatantly tried to draw his attention to. “What’s that?”
A mischievous grin lit Theo’s face. “I wondered if you were going to notice.”
“How could I not? It’s apparent you want me to ask about it. So give. What do you have there?”
“I know you’re bored out of your mind here. You’re antsy as fuck and driving the staff insane. It isn’t good to be cooped up in the city as much as you are. When was the last time you went on the hunt in the woods? Shook your fur out and roamed the green forest? Felt loam and dirt and the earth under your paws?”
Andreas grunted a reply. It had been too long. He actually couldn’t remember the last time he’d headed out into the woods. It could be why he was feeling restless lately. The absence of going fur would drive any man crazy if he let it.
“This doesn’t look anything like a forest or woods.”
“I know. It’s a bar.”
Andreas shot him a bland look. “I know that. I can read.”
“Then you can read what it says about being a place of gathering for Mystics—one and all. Sing, drink, and dance the night away with the Sirens of Ecstasis D. Revel in the freedom to be who you really are.” Theo swung his arms out wide, and had an idiotic grin on his face.
“You want to go to a bar on a holiday weekend? Where does the going wolf come in? Am I supposed to shift in the middle of some rowdy place after a few drinks?”
“Yes, I want to go to a bar. No, I don’t expect you to shift right there. Do you think I’m a complete idiot?”
Andreas opened his mouth to answer but was cut off by Theo throwing his hand up.
“I have a cabin nearby so we can get drunk as skunks, those little sots. Then, when the buzz of alcohol wears off, you can get back in touch with the furry beast inside. What do you say?”