Bliss

by Renee Field

  Darius plunged the rusted weapon into the heated fissure. “You shouldn’t,” he grumbled.

  “Shouldn’t what? Trust you? You are my son, and you are our only hope. I sense the Fates’ hands at play so I wanted to warn you,” declared his father, moving away from him as he pulled out the glowing Triton.

  “The Fates can go to Tartarus,” Darius said, eyeing the glowing edge of the Triton.

  “Yes, well some would say that is where they originated from.”

  Turning the weapon over, Darius plunged it back into the fissure, his arm muscles bulging as heat danced up his arm. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I wasn’t sure at first, but it wouldn’t have mattered…she is your Sokhan,” said his father, turning to leave. “Darius, if I were you, I’d claim all of her. Love her like a Titan. It will make it easier for her to accept her fate.”

  “I don’t need…” Darius didn’t bother to continue, his father was gone as quickly as he had come. Claim her like a Titan. Love her. He ached to do that, but could he…or should he? What if his father was right? If the Fates were playing them, maybe all this was pre-ordained. That notion didn’t sit well with him.

  But first things first, he’d finish getting all of these Tritons back to their top shape. Then he’d seek out a member of his father’s personal guard, a warrior he could trust, and have him oversee the picking of a bunch of new trainees. The last thing his kingdom needed was to become completely defenseless.

  * * * * *

  A high warm tide washed through the kingdom. Every muscle in Darius’ body ached. He could barely glide to his own dwelling. He had avoided Kassandra all day, but that didn’t mean one minute went by when he wasn’t thinking of her. He figured giving her time alone was the right thing to do. The last thing he expected was to see when he finally dragged himself into his dwelling was her curvaceous form cuddled up in his bed.

  She looked incredibly sweet, innocent, and vulnerable. Her long brown hair was draped around her front. Her hands were folded prayer-like under her head. Then his eyes caught sight of the red swimming bra.

  His breath hitched, he hardened painfully, and the beast that simmered below the surface broke free. She was his. This was his mate. This was the other half of his soul and he wanted all of her. Not just a piece, but all of her. And, by the gods, he was going to have her.

  He had no realization of moving to the bed until his fingers touched her warm, velvety smooth tail. Heat spiraled from her skin to the tips of his fingertips.

  “Darius…? Sorry, I fell asleep,” muttered Kassandra, attempting to sit up in his bed. That he couldn’t allow. She looked tussled. Her raw beauty was a beacon to his soul.

  Swimming over her he positioned his body by holding most of his weight on his arms so he could angle his lower half over hers. He didn’t want to scare her, but he wanted to assert his control and need for dominance.

  “What are you doing?” she squeaked, squirming under him, which only excited him more. The feel of her breasts brushing his chest caused him to see stars.

  “You are mine,” he whispered the words into her ear and then swirled his tongue in her earlobe. She shivered and arched her back up. “And I intended to make all of you mine.”

  “What…?”

  He didn’t bother letting her finish her sentence. Instead, his mouth devoured hers. He molded his lips to hers until she caved and parted them of her own accord. A soft mewl of acceptance greeted him, and it was the best sound he’d heard in decades. Taking control, he let his tongue plunge into her wet mouth and grinned when she greeted him. She tasted like an orange, tangy and sharp, but sweet to the core. And he planned to eat her all up.

  With one arm he repositioned their bodies so that he was lying next to her. He yanked the red swimming bra off her in one swift motion, causing her eyes to flare uncertainly. He liked that. He sensed that she did, too.

  Her heartbeat matched his, and when he trailed a line of kisses and nips with his teeth from her mouth to her long pale neck and down to her chest, he felt her indrawn breath. She wanted him as much as he did her. The knowledge tore through any lingering doubts he’d had about claiming all of her, and the beast within him growled low in triumph.

  “I’m going to make you scream in pleasure. I’m going to brand you so that you’ll always know you need my touch.”

  “Show me,” she taunted, tilting her chin up at him. Her chocolate brown eyes were drenched with a heated need, and her challenge spurred him on.

  “With pleasure,” he said, claiming a peaked nipple. He brought the dark colored nipple deep into his mouth and then flicked it with his tongue while his other hand tweaked and pinched the other. Her moans of pleasure were a delight he’d never tire of hearing.

  But it wasn’t enough.

  “Place your arms above your head and don’t move them. Or else,” he commanded, moving so he could lie directly on top of her. His weight settled into her curves. They were a perfect fit.

  “Or else what?” she asked saucily doing as he instructed.

  “Or else…I won’t kiss you here.” He dipped his head lower, hating to leave her lush breasts but knowing her midsection would be highly sensitive.

  “Ohh,” she breathed when his tongue licked the hard ridge. He placed both of his hands on the swell of her sleek bottom to hold her in place and then he moved lower.

  “Or here,” he said, lazily parting her opening so he could taste her sweet nectar. Again her innocence wrapped around him, reminding him he’d be her first and last. The notion caused his erection to jump proudly in eager anticipation of what he planned to do.

  “Darius I don’t know…”

  He moved his lips lower and licked her opened folds, loving how she stilled for him as her head lolled back in ecstasy. “This, sweetlips, is all you need to know.” He plunged his tongue into her sweet opening, loving how she squirmed in pleasure as he licked her with a need to absorb all of her taste. Again his senses were overwhelmed by her heady taste of innocence—a deadly combination of fresh water dew, sun kissed apples and roses. She was tangy and he lapped at her like there was no tomorrow.

  She arched into his mouth. Her hands kept his head in place as pleasure crested inside her. Her folds swelled more as her opening grew wet and slick with desire.

  He could barely control himself. His muscles bunched as the Titan roared through his cells.

  Without words he spun her around so her sleek bottom was positioned where his mouth had been. She tensed but didn’t say anything. He liked that she trusted him in their love making, and he fully intended to use that to his advantage.

  Pushing her up on the scallop-shaped bed he told her again to keep her hands up. Then he smacked her bottom. She bucked under the assault but he knew she had liked it. He kissed the hurt away and then smacked her again, applying enough heat to cause her to squirm with need. Again he repeated his actions. A smack, kiss and nip.

  “Darius I need…” she wriggled lower, trying to position herself against his bulging erection.

  “Yes, sweetlips, what is it that you need?” he asked, his voice sounding breathless with barely controlled need to his own ears.

  He took out his painful erection, letting the weight of it settle on her rump, and then he rubbed it over her wet opening, loving how she inherently knew to position her bottom higher. She panted with need, and he took delight in the fact she was barely managing to keep her hands over her head. Her need for him was that great.

  “You didn’t answer me,” he said, smacking her exposed bottom and then nipping her hard. He suckled the pain away, loving the feel of her skin.

  “Darius, I can’t breathe…I need…oh for god sakes, just do it,” she said, bucking wildly against him, trying to aim for his erection.

  “This is going to hurt,” he said, wishing he could edge the pain away from her.

  “What…?”

  The large tip of him entered her tight sheath. She stilled. He moved his hands under her, for
cing her bottom up higher, allowing him more room for penetration. He was large, even by Titan standards, so he tried to go slowly, allowing her muscles to get used to the fullness of him.

  The last thing he expected was for her to push back with her hands, forcing all of him to penetrate her barrier. She screamed. Her agony quickened his heart. Immediately he used his powers to ebb the sting of his penetration.

  “I didn’t realize it would hurt so much,” she said softly.

  “Only the first time,” he said, pulling out slowly. He felt her muscles relax and then grip him. He pushed back in, giving a little and then pulling out, going slow with his pace, letting the rhythm be set by her need.

  “More,” she commanded, grasping his bottom tight to her.

  “With pleasure,” he said, pounding into her.

  She was a Siren, and when she pushed back against him, her muscles clenched around his shaft. The friction of movement and her clenches almost caused him to spill his life-seed then and there, but he fought it, wanting her to climax with him.

  Moving his hand around to her front he found her nub and pebbled it until she bucked like a wild shark, grinding her bottom into him as need for release screamed through her. But it wasn’t enough. He wanted and needed to claim all of her.

  Still pounding into her, the ancient words spilled forth. “I claim thee. You are mine for all of time. Neither sea nor land shall separate me from thee.” The simplicity of the ancient binding words crashed into him and spiraled in awareness into her. They merged fully, two souls as one, two heartbeats as one, two minds as one. Intense pleasure, the likes of which he’d never experienced before, washed through him like a tsunami, claiming him and her in one final sweep.

  Wisps of ancient energy expanded around them and time seemed to stand still as pleasure after pleasure crested through them. He no longer knew where he began or ended. Her memories seeped into him. Glimpses of her life, her father, mother and her brother poured into his mind, as he experienced her pleasure. With one final thrust, he filled her to the hilt and let his life-seed spill, knowing he’d claimed his mate for life. He clamped down hard on her neck, biting her, as was his right, to mark her as his.

  He felt the moment when she relaxed into his hold, blissfully exhausted. He hated to withdraw, but he knew in a moment she’d sense a change within her body. Moving to her side he gently stroked her back, loving the soft lines of her.

  Then he felt her awareness that all was not right. She turned, her face pale and drawn.

  “Darius, I don’t feel well. In fact, I think I’m going to be sick,” she said, trying to sit up.

  “Lie still. That feeling should pass in a minute,” he said, forcing her back into the bed.

  “No, really…this is so embarrassing. I really feel like I’m going to be sick,” she said, and then she gasped. Pain caused her to double over. “Darius, there’s something wrong with me! There’s something…moving…within me.”

  Panic was tightening up her muscles. It would be better if she relaxed. He flicked his eyes to her belly and sure enough, a tennis ball sized bulge appeared to be moving around in her stomach.

  He reached out and touched it, willed the pain away, and watched it settle.

  “What was that?” she demanded, her eyes once again clear and focused.

  This was the part he was dreading. He probably should have told her ahead of time, but it was too late now. “That’s our baby,” he said, moving to kiss her.

  “Like hell it is,” she countered, doubling over in pain as the bulge moved again.

  Things were never easy when it came to Kassandra. “Really it is, Kassandra. I claimed all of you. You’re my mate. When a Titan mates with his soulmate, he gives her his life-seed, and that’s how we reproduce.” He hated that he’d made it sound technical when it was a gift of the gods.

  “Then I suggest you figure out a way to get rid of it,” she snapped, angrily swimming out of the bed as she snatched up the ripped swimming bra.

  Get rid of it? He hoped she was kidding, because there was no way by Hades he’d get rid of a child of their union. Before he could say anything, she doubled over onto the floor and threw up.

  Guilt washed over him. He’d done this to her. Like before, he’d taken her choice away. Even though the Titan he was said “let the consequences be damned,” the man he’d been knew that no woman liked to have her choices dictated by a member of the opposite sex.

  Too bad that was not how things worked in his undersea kingdom. Using his telepathy he summoned Jamie and quickly explained what happened. A moment later his sister-in-law swam into the bedroom. With a practiced eye she took in the scene. He shifted in place, not liking her accusing glare.

  “Take this, Kassandra. It will make the nausea go away,” she said, forcing Kassandra to ingest two green crushed oblats.

  Kassandra swallowed and pasted a tired smile on her face.

  “I feel as if I’ve ran a marathon. I’m wiped,” she admitted, trying to position her tail underneath her. In a blink, Darius scooped her back into his arms. Thankfully, she didn’t fight him as he tucked her back into his bed. Before he’d even backed away, her eyelids had closed and she was sound asleep.

  “You should have told her,” said Jamie, letting him know she wasn’t happy with what he’d done.

  “It’s none of your concern,” he snapped, bristling with her interference.

  “It will be. You still need to find what the Council wants. She doesn’t even know who she really is, and now you’ve complicated matters even more.”

  Darius crossed his arms over his chest. “This is not your concern, Jamie,” he repeated. “I will find the artifact. Don’t worry.”

  “You don’t understand…I am worried…not for you, but for her. We have no idea how this plague works. For all I know, you or she could fall prey to it at any time. And now, she’s pregnant with twins.”

  Darius yearned to push his brother’s interfering wife out his door, even though he’d been the one to summon her in the first place. Then what she’d said penetrated his brain. “Twins?”

  “Twins, Darius. A Titan and a Siren. She has no idea of what she’s in store for,” said Jamie, quietly exiting his place.

  Darius sank onto the ledge surrounding the walls of his living room. His heart thundered in his ears. Twins. He was going to be the father to twins. A boy and a girl. The idea overwhelmed him. Then the other parts of what Jamie said stilled him. The notion that he’d somehow placed Kassandra and his children at risk terrified him.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  The edge of the dark brink of madness and hurt that had engulfed him was gone. Cradled in his arms was his mate, his Siren, Kassandra, the mother of his babies.

  He was still angry, though. Angry as Hades. She was a Seeker...a being that could find lost things, and boy did he have a list of things that were lost and needing to be found. The part that hurt the most was that she’d known what she was. The evidence had been written plainly all over her pretty perky face the minute his baby sister, Mercka, had stated the obvious.

  A small moan from Kassandra squelched his thoughts. What a fool he was! He had revealed his true essence to her, and she hadn’t been able to tell him that one little secret, even when she knew he was looking for a lost relic. He wanted more than anything to keep that hurt, angry feeling scratching at his insides. Because if that was gone all he’d feel was shame.

  Maybe.

  Part of him wished he could say he was ashamed of his actions, but regrettably his behavior had been beyond his control. Pure bliss had surrounded his heart and soul with the joy of finally being able to claim his mate. A mate he knew he was going to have a hard time handling, but handle her he must. No way could he allow his true feelings to show.

  Two can keep secrets, he thought. He should have trusted his first instinct – never trust a female, whether human or Siren.

  Now, however, what had been a bad situation was only getting worse. Or as his father would poi
nt out to him, he’d made his bed and now had to lie in it. Deep down, he knew he was at fault. He hadn’t been exactly honest with her, but that thought still did nothing to lessen the hurt. She had known he could have used her help to find the missing artifact.

  Then again I didn’t ask for her help.

  The realization hit Darius like cold water. He’d done his most to make sure Kassandra stayed out of his way, when in fact he should have been thinking of her like a partner. She had plainly offered her skills and he, the stupid Titan, had ignored them.

  Now the stakes were higher. Thanks to foolishness, which had placed Kassandra’s life and the life of his unborn children, in jeopardy.

  He had claimed her. Even though the brek’ah bound them together for eternity, only the ancient mating ritual of claiming one’s true Sokhan enabled the blessing of a child. It was another gift bestowed from the gods, and he had to fight with himself to not give into the urge to stroke her soft, belly.

  He admitted to himself he had been alarmed to see a lump, but once he realized what it was, it had warmed his heart. Then she had screamed at him to turn her back into a human and get out of his life.

  A Titan who was used to giving and not receiving commands, he was utterly speechless.

  “Give her time. Explain to her what is happening. Bring her to us,” said Seth inside his head, as he had watched Kassandra’s energy run its course.

  “What about the plague?” asked Darius, hating the sickness that was rotting his undersea kingdom.

  “Jamie said that it’s already too late for you two. If you are contaminated, the symptoms will show themselves soon. You might as well bring her along to meet everyone. I’m about to get my daily dose of medicine and trust me, brother, this is not something you ever want to have to digest,” said his brother, groaning more for show than anything else.

  Kissing her gently awake, Darius let Kassandra’s body slide down his. But he did not let her go. When she was finally awake, he told her. “I want you to meet the rest of my family. I promise to explain all of this, Kassandra.”