by Lia Davis
She squeezed his hand, brought it to her mouth and pressed a kiss in his palm. “I understand. I’ve studied the history of the gods and heard stories from my father. Go on.”
His lips lifted in a sensual smile and his shoulders relaxed. “We fought alongside the gods and won the war. The descendants were sent back to earth with no memories of their ancestry, and their powers were bound.”
“How long did you live in Olympus before you were banished?”
He shrugged. “A few centuries.”
Moving to stand in front of her, he took the tablet out of her hand and set it on the counter. Before he had a chance to remove her from where she sat, she wrapped her legs around his waist and tugged him closer.
The corner of lips twitched. “Are you looking for trouble?”
She smiled. “I found trouble a long time ago and can’t get rid of it.”
A chuckle left his lips and he leaned in and kissed her long and hard as if knowing exactly what she wanted. She slipped her tongue into his mouth. His hands tightened on her hip, not too tight, but tight enough it sent a jolt of excitement and desire rushing through her veins.
Breaking the kiss, Markus rested his forehead against hers. “You need to eat before it gets cold.”
Defeated, she released him and allowed him to lift her off the counter and led her to his study.
Thirty minutes later, Gwen was curled up on the sofa with the pillow she threw at Markus earlier under her head and the blanket draped over her as she read one of her father’s journal entries.
September 8, 1976
I met the most interesting man today at University. I was going over my civics papers in the student courtyard when he approached me to ask for directions to the main office. At first I thought he was a new student who’d gotten lost, as many freshmen did in the first few weeks of the semester. So, I gave him directions.
That was when he noticed the stack of papers in front of me. He asked if I was a teacher, then went on about how he’d studied Greek mythology his whole life. Since I didn’t have any more classes, I introduced myself and offered him a seat.
He accepted with a smile and said his name was Garrick.
We talked for hours about the theories and mysteries of the gods and which were our favorites and least favorites. I was so intrigued to have someone who shared my passion for research, I agreed to have coffee with him tomorrow.
Gwen looked up from the tablet and to Markus, who was clicking away at his keyboard. “What are you doing?”
He glanced at her and his expression softened a little. “Making schedules for the staff for the next week. Then I’m going to research a few names Drake sent me.”
“Oh.”
“Why? What do you need?”
She shook her head. “Nothing. Just curious.”
Motioning to the tablet, he asked, “How’s reading going?”
“Garrick and my father met at the university he taught at before I was born.”
“What was Garrick doing there?”
“I’m not sure. Dad didn’t say. Only that a man approached him in the student courtyard and they started talking.” She read the passage to him.
Markus sat back in his chair and stared at her for a few moments. “Now I’m curious. My brother must had known Tom was a descendant and sought him out.”
Gwen glanced back at the tablet and scrolled through the entries, skimming them for Garrick’s name or anything that stuck out. Markus knelt in front of her a moment later and took the tablet.
“You’re tired and it’s late.”
Yawning, she shook her head. “I’m not tired.”
He cocked an eyebrow and she laughed. “Okay, maybe a little.”
“I’m taking you to bed.” Wrapping the blanket around her, he scooped her up.
She didn’t fight him, didn’t have the energy. “Markus?”
“Hmm.”
“Are you coming to bed, too?”
As if the question surprised him, he stopped with one foot on the first step. “Only if you promise to go to sleep.”
Smiling, she rested her head against his chest. “Deal.”
****
Garrick paced his large bedroom suite as his patience evaporated. Ashlynn had left two days before and he still hadn’t heard from her. Her cell was off and he couldn’t track her through his bond with her. The witch must have broken it without his knowledge.
The mystery was how had she done it.
He picked up the glass on the table beside him and threw it at the door. Crystal splintered into pieces and scattered over the floor. A knock sounded.
“Come in.”
Slowly, the door opened and a male descendant peeked his head inside, his eyes wide and unsure. As he should be.
“Don’t make me say it again.”
The male rushed inside, shut the door, and leaned against it. “I have word about Ash.”
Garrick growled. The damned female insisted on being called by that nickname. It drove him insane. Then again, that was why she did it, to push his buttons.
“Go on,” Garrick prompted.
“She killed the group of scouts you sent to follow her. Well, all but one, who only lived long enough to make it back and tell me.” The descendant, Joel, was only twenty-one and one of the most powerful demi-gods, besides Ash, Garrick currently had in his possession. That didn’t mean he was the smartest.
“Joel,” Garrick growled in warning.
“Craig said that Ash was injured in the process and, after she killed the others and sent him back here, she headed up the mountain in the direction we believe the dragons live.”
Fuck. He was afraid she’d one day betray him, but he‘d figured it’d be after he unlocked the gates between earth and the Heavens.
Now it seemed Ashlynn had plans of her own. He’d just have to make sure she went down with his brothers. In ashes.
Chapter Thirteen
Ash stepped out of the bedroom and peeked down the hall. The house was quiet and she wondered where the dragons were. Surprisingly, they didn’t have a guard outside her door. Then again, they could have the whole house under surveillance.
With slow, steady steps, she crept down the hallway and froze as a door somewhere behind her opened. Shit. Bracing herself for a confrontation with one of the dragons, she turned slowly. Relief rolled over her at the sight of Thea pulling a door shut with one hand and a load of towels in the other.
The dark haired nymph spotted her and smiled. “Hello, miss. It is good to see you up.”
Ash placed a finger over her lips. “Shh.” She rushed over to take the towels from her, but Thea waved her off.
“Don’t shush me. Besides it does no good to try to sneak around the mansion. There are five dragons in this house.” The nymph laughed as she walked down the hall to a laundry chute in the corner. Tossing the linen down it, she turned to head back toward her.
Ash frowned. Thea had a point. “Why are you here, working as their maid?”
Thea shook her head and opened another door. “I don’t do anything here I didn’t do for Aphrodite.”
The nymph disappeared inside the room. Ash poked her head in and noticed it was an occupied room—a dragon’s room. It smelled of man and dark, sweet spice. Her skin prickled, making her shudder.
“Whose room is this?”
“Ty’s and don’t come in. He doesn’t like females.” Thea came out of the bathroom with a roll of soiled towels.
Ash drew back. “What do you mean? Is he gay?”
“No. How to say it right?” She thought about it for a moment. “He doesn’t trust them and doesn’t like them near him or his stuff.”
Odd. “Why?”
“Don’t know. Even if I did, I wouldn’t tell you.”
“Why not?”
“Because it’s none of your business.”
Ash rolled her eyes and stepped away from the doorway so Thea could exit. “What about you?”
“He tolerates me and A
riel inside, but we are to only touch the linen. He does his own cleaning.”
Ash peeked inside the room again and had to admit it was clean. Much cleaner than her room in the village or Garrick’s rooms at the compound. A shiver ran down her spine at the thought of Garrick.
Yeah, he was going to be pissed at her betrayal. The cherry topping would come when he found out where she was and what her true mission was. A smile tugged at her lips. When she met Thea’s stare, Ash’s smile widened.
Thea folded her arms over her chest. “What are you thinking? Because if you’re thinking of hurting them in any way…”
Thea’s tone changed from sweet to vicious in a blink. Ash reached out and touched her arm. “Calm down. I’m not plotting to harm any of them.” Not physically, anyway. She might break a heart, but all was fair in war.
Thea’s defensive and protective tone made Ash curious. “Do they treat you well?”
The nymph wrinkled her nose. “Of course, goddess.”
Ash rushed forward and place a finger on Thea’s lips. “You mustn’t call me that.”
Thea pushed her hand away and tsked. “It is what you are. Besides, the sons are not the monsters Garrick would like you to believe.”
Ash raised a brow. “What do you know?”
A sheepish smile formed. “Aphrodite visits often and shares all the secrets with us so that we can assist the sons when needed.”
Unbelievable. Aphrodite seemed to have her hand in this war more than she or Artemis guessed. Setting up her chess pieces to aid the precious dragons she was so fond of. “What about Ares?”
Thea shrugged and carried the towels to the chute. “He pops in from time to time, but I think it is more to annoy Markus. War makes me uneasy, so I stay away from him.” She opened a linen closet next to the chute and took out a couple of towels and a wash cloth. After placing the towels in the room, she came back out and said, “I must go. It’s my turn to help the chef with the meal.”
“Okay, but promise we can have tea and talk some more?”
Thea’s face brightened. “I’d love that. I’ll tell Ariel, too.”
The nymph turned toward the stairs, waving as she went.
Ash’s body stiffened as the scent of male and sweet spice intensified, followed by a dark power she knew as that of the dragons. Her skin tightened and warmed all at once. The heat of his body kissed her flesh in a sensual tease that ignited both desire and fear.
“I hope you didn’t taint my room with your scent, female.”
Ash held in her moan and closed her eyes. “What if I did, dragon?”
A low growl rumbled at her back. “I’d be forced to hunt you down.” He leaned in to whisper, his lips barely brushing her ear. “And fuck you until you screamed.”
Well, damn.
Unsure if he intended that to be a threat or a promise, she was tempted to go into the room and mark every inch of it.
Turning around, slowly, she gasped at the pure masculine beauty of him. Tyson was perfection of the male form, except for a white cluster of scars that peeked from under the right side of the sunglasses he always wore. To her, the scars only added to his appeal. From the multiple times she’d spied on him over the centuries, she knew that hard muscles covered his body.
He inhaled deeply and one side of his kissable mouth curled. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you, goddess?”
“I’m no goddess.” By the way his dark brow rose above the rim of the shades, he knew she lied.
He flattened her against the wall faster than she could blink, his hard body pressed into her, confining her. Lifting her chin, she tried like hell to tamp down the desire rushing through her. Everywhere he touched her burned and damn if she didn’t want more.
“Your powers are not bound. I can smell them. I can smell that bastard of a brother of mine on you as well.”
Fear burned in her belly, but before she could respond he stepped back a few feet, leaving her to sag against the wall. Then he was gone.
Heart hammering, she glanced around and met the concerned stare of one of the women Garrick was searching for. The same one Ash saw Markus carry from the lighthouse the day before.
“Hello, I’m Gwen.” She held out her hand. When Ash didn’t take it, the other woman frowned. “Are you okay?”
Ash straightened and smoothed her top. “I’m fine.” Turning, she started to walk off when Gwen spoke again.
“I came to check on you, but since you’re awake, would you like to go to the market with me?”
Turning back around, Ash studied her for a moment. “Are you going alone?”
Gwen shook her head. “Seth is coming.”
Ash almost said no, but figured she could use the time to see what Gwen knew about the dragons. Also, Ash was curious about the female’s powers. Garrick had always said she was powerful, or would be once she was unleashed, yet, he never said exactly what they were.
“Sure. I’ll come with you.”
Gwen smiled. “Great. Meet us in the foyer in five minutes?”
The petite blond demi-goddess whirled around and rushed down the hall, then disappeared inside a room.
Only once she was alone did Ash allow a satisfied smile spread across her face. Artemis was right. This was more exciting than hanging out with Garrick and waiting for the idiot to make a move.
Besides, Ash knew which of the brothers she was going to seduce.
****
“How did you come into you powers?” Gwen asked as she picked up a tomato from the vegetable stand. Ash stilled for a brief moment before replying.
“I’m not sure really. I was kidnapped several years ago by a crazy dragon shifter that I learned later was one of the Sons of War.”
It was Gwen’s turn to still her motions. Turning to the other woman, Gwen studied her. “You mean Garrick?”
Nodding, Ash lowered her voice as if trying to keep Seth, who leaned against the front counter a few feet away flirting with the cashier, from hearing their conversation. “He gave me an injection of something that unlocked my powers.”
“How did you get away?” Gwen tried to keep the suspicion out of her voice. There was something in the way Ash spoke, or maybe it was her tone, that rang Gwen’s internal warning bells. The other woman wasn’t being a hundred percent honest.
Ash picked up a few mangos and added them to the basket. “I killed my guards and the three scouts that were sent after me.”
Gwen jerked her gaze over to meet Ash’s. “Wow. You say that like it was nothing.”
“The descendants he has under him aren’t all there. I don’t know how to explain it. It’s just like they are under some kind of trance or their humanity has been wiped from them.”
Again Gwen picked up on a half-truth. Her palms itched to reach out to touch Ash and “persuade” her to tell her everything. No, Gwen had promised to never use her gift for negative or selfish purposes. “What about you? You said guards. Did he keep you locked up?”
Glancing over at Seth, who had moved away from the counter and now sat at a table a few feet away at a small café, Ash whispered, “Garrick kept me on a short leash for his own pleasures.”
Gwen was about to ask another question, but Ash touched her arm and looked into her eyes. At first, fear that Ash had a similar gift flooded her senses, but Gwen didn’t feel any magic or excess power coming from the other woman. Relaxing, Gwen held Ash’s stare as she whispered, “You must not speak of my captivity to the dragons. I don’t want them to think I’m working with Garrick.”
Narrowing her eyes, Gwen asked with a little too much protectiveness for the five men who’d saved her and Elle’s life, “Why did you come to their home?”
“I was hoping they’d help me hide for a while, until I can contact my mother.”
There. Gwen had the little tidbit she needed to dig deeper, because she knew Artemis was Ash’s mother. Thea had told them that when Ash first arrived at the house.
Before she had a chance to ask her next questi
on, Ash grabbed her hand and yelled, “Seth, heads up.” She pulled Gwen down the street, then started to run. Gwen stumbled a few steps before falling into a run with Ash. Her heat hammered in her ears.
Dark magic coated her senses in thick waves. Gwen’s skin felt like a millions tiny insects were crawling all over. “What the hell is that?”
“You really don’t want to know.” Ash turned left, forcing Gwen to follow.
They ran down an empty side street with whatever the hell it was chasing them. Gwen didn’t dare look back. “Where are we going?”
Ash twisted around to glance behind them. “The beach. There’s no humans there this time of year. I hope.”
Yeah, so did Gwen.
Suddenly a sharp pain shot up her leg and she screamed as she fell to the ground. Ash was there instantly, bent over her checking the wound on her calf. Blood soaked her jeans. Meeting Ash’s gaze, Gwen shook her head. “Tell me you have a plan.”
A roar echoed off the building around them, making Gwen’s heart beat at an incredible rate. They turned at the same time toward the sound and Gwen gasped. “Holy shit. Is that a…?”
“A cyclops, yes.”
Blocking Gwen from view of the one-eyed giant, Ash fell into a protective stance. A moment later a bow and arrow appeared in her hand. Gwen wasn’t sure if she should be in awe of Ash’s powers or frightened. Relief sparked inside her and she was glad the other woman was on her side, for now.
Ash shouldered a quiver, pulled an arrow out, and positioned it. She drew back the bow and released it, sending the arrow hurling in the air and into the creature’s shoulder. But nothing happened. The beast didn’t even flinch.
Cursing, Ash fired another arrow, but the bow was knocked out of her hand by a man who materialized next to them. He grabbed Ash, twisted her around so her back pressed against his front, and held a knife to her throat.
Gwen met Ash’s gaze, then kicked out with her good leg, hitting the man in the shin. Cursing, he reached down and grabbed Gwen by the arm.
It was exactly the outcome she hoped for. Although, she needed skin-to-skin contact for her gift to work. She got the opportunity when he released her briefly and wrapped his arm around her waist. Grabbing onto the exposed section of forearm, Gwen released her hold on the little power she had and whispered, “Let us go, then drive the knife into your own heart.”