by Helen Scott
Gods, what was he doing? Dem was going to kill him. Thad wrapped the filaments of the universe around them and jumped them to his house.
The feel of Cin’s body pressed against his own made his pulse jump erratically, and all kinds of dirty images flowed through his mind. Her smell drifted into his nose, the flowery scent of her shampoo wafting up from her hair, and something fresher, almost like citrus, which he suspected was her natural scent. It spoke to him on such a primal level, he could barely resist his own impulses.
His hands stayed firmly on her back, and while the feel of her breasts pressed against his chest was enough to drive him to near madness, it wasn’t as bad as when he’d caught her from that fire escape. Her body had slid against his deliciously, causing his cock to fill with blood so quickly that it was almost painful. He didn’t remember ever getting an erection so fast, not even when he was a teenager. Thad had been so distracted that he hadn’t even noticed his glasses fall off. He scowled at the thought of Cin seeing his eyes. She said they were beautiful, a part of him pointed out.
“Can I open my eyes yet?”
Cin’s breath next to his ear gave him goosebumps all down his arms. He could just turn his face and kiss her. The thought flew across his mind, and he started turning his head before his brain had a chance to catch up. Reality rushed in then, and he realized that they had been standing in his living room for a moment.
“Yes.” Thad reluctantly released her.
He watched as Cin’s eyes opened. Her reaction was priceless. Her hazel eyes looked at him—the green had never been so vivid or the brown so rich. The confusion and awe that he saw there gave him hope for what was to come.
“What just happened?” She stepped away from him. “How . . . We're . . . I’m so confused.” She shoved her hands in her back pockets, which only made her breasts more prominent. Thad groaned inwardly. This woman was his kryptonite.
“This is going to be shocking. Why don’t you have a seat?”
“I'd rather stand.”
“Okay.” Thad took a deep breath and dove in. “There is magic in the world. Real magic. It’s hidden from most people, but some people, like me, know how to use it and have certain skills that they can utilize when the need arises.”
Cin sat down. She didn’t go pale like he expected, but she looked thoughtful. Finally, after some time, she responded with, “That makes sense.”
Thad was taken aback. There was no way she should be accepting this as calmly as she was, or even believe him, for that matter. Unless she already knew about it somehow. But how?
“You should be calling me a liar right about now.”
“Probably, but I’ve seen enough in my life to know that there was something going on.”
“Okay, so I’m not sure what to do now.” Thad ran his hand through his hair, his fingers momentarily getting caught in the curls. “I expected you to freak out or yell at me or something.”
“Well, you did transport me to wherever we are without really moving. I mean, there was a weird sensation, but I don’t remember physically moving. So it’s not like I can really argue with that.”
“Fair point.” Thad nodded, still unsure what to do. It wasn’t like he’d ever done this before.
“So are you going to tell me where we are?”
“Oh, sorry, we're at my place,” Thad said, self-consciously rubbing the back of his neck. He was tired, and not just from the flying last night and the fight today. Transporting Cin had taken its toll; jumping with another person was never easy.
Cin looked around. The couch she was sitting on was a massive “L” shape, its rich caramel color complemented by the blue and cream chevron rug that it rested on. The wall behind one side of the couch was a dark grayish blue color, and the wall next to it wasn’t really a wall.
It was the most amazing thing she’d ever seen—floor-to-ceiling windows that looked out at an ocean or a giant lake. The windows rounded the corner and then connected with the wall that was opposite the blue wall. The exposed stone was beautifully accentuated by the extra-large fireplace.
“Some place you've got here,” Cin said, remembering Thad being in her tiny apartment and wondering what he must have thought if he lived in this place. It was fit for a king.
“Thanks.” Thad rubbed the back of his neck. “So, uh, do you have any questions about the whole magic thing?”
“I mean, yeah, but I don’t want to push my luck. I’m guessing you took a risk telling me that, huh?” Cin hadn’t missed how tense his body was. All the muscles on his neck and shoulders had stood out in relief under his T-shirt when he’d told her.
“You make a valid argument.”
” So what now?” Cin wanted to get to Thad’s codebreaker brother and get this note figured out, but she also knew that whatever had happened in the last couple hours had made Thad uncomfortable. He hadn’t relaxed since he’d brought her here.
“Well, uh, I can see if Dem's available. But I’m also starving. Do you want some food?”
Cin nodded her agreement and followed Thad into the kitchen area, which was right behind where she had been sitting.
It was always a dream of hers to have a full kitchen one day and not a kitchenette. Seeing this was enough to make her drool with envy. Pans hung from hooks on the long wall, framing each side of the stove.
The island that separated the kitchen from the living room had an oven built in, as well as a breakfast bar, which was where she took up residence on one of the bar stools. As Thad raided the beautiful French door refrigerator, Cin took in the dark subway tile backsplash and charcoal-colored cabinets. There was an elegance here that she wouldn't have expected.
Thad also had a bar area in a little nook on the adjoining wall where he had switched up the tile to a black chevron pattern. The shelves of liquor went all the way up to the ceiling, and Cin was willing to bet that if she opened the cabinet underneath, there would be every type of glass imaginable.
“I’ve got some lasagna or some butternut-squash-stuffed shells or some Cajun shrimp boil. What strikes your fancy?”
“Honestly, all of it. I can’t remember the last time I had a home-cooked meal.” Cin watched as he unloaded the fancy glass Tupperware, her mouth watering at the sight of the food. When had she last eaten? She wasn’t sure now. She knew she’d had a coffee that morning, but hadn’t had a chance to have anything else. No wonder she was feeling wiped.
“Don’t you cook for yourself?” Thad asked, his brows pinched in concern.
“I try to, but other stuff usually gets in the way. Until recently, I was working at the shop in the mornings and afternoons and then bartending in the evenings two or three days a week, but the new guy took over most of my shifts. I guess I’m still adjusting to that.”
“Well, the stuffed shells are probably the oldest. Do you mind if I heat those up?”
“That sounds delicious.” Cin’s stomach rumbled in agreement.
Thad watched as Cin took a bite of the meal he had reheated for them. He knew it was leftovers, but he couldn’t help wanting her to like his cooking. He knew he shouldn’t and that he should put her out of his mind. The trouble was, it was exhausting fighting himself all the time.
Cin’s eyes closed as she chewed, and she let out a slight moan. Thad couldn’t stop the grin that formed. She was clearly enjoying it.
“I’ve got some apple pie or some Victoria sponge cake, if you want dessert?”
“You’re killing me,” she said around mouthfuls. “I’m supposed to be on a diet. If I eat that, then I won't be able to eat anything tomorrow.” Cin’s cheeks flushed as she spoke, and Thad got the feeling that this was not something she had planned on admitting.
“Why on earth are you on a diet? You don’t need to be. You look amazing the way you are.” The words were out of his mouth before he could think better of them.
On second thought, he would stand by that. She did look amazing, and it didn’t hurt either of them for her to know that. It see
med that they were both admitting things they hadn’t planned on sharing tonight.
Cin’s hazel eyes were trained on his own, as though she could see through his glasses, evaluating the sincerity of what he said.
“Thank you,” she said softly as she looked down at her meal. “To be honest, I started it because of my shifts at the bar being taken away. I thought maybe customers weren’t happy with a big girl being their server, and that’s why I wasn’t working as much.” Cin stopped and seemed to reevaluate what she was about to say. “I would love some apple pie. If you have any vanilla ice cream to go with it, then I'd love you forever.” As the last part of the sentence left her mouth, Thad’s eyes widened involuntarily, and her cheeks flushed again.
“I believe I have some.” Thad cleared his throat as he stood and collected their plates.
“That was delicious, by the way. I didn’t know butternut squash could be done like that. You must love to cook, huh?”
“I do. It’s one of my pastimes. It helps that I have my own veggie garden; the freshness really adds a little something extra.”
“You certainly are a multifaceted man, aren't you?” Cin said as he placed the warmed apple pie with vanilla ice cream in front of her. “Oh, this is heaven,” she said as she took the first bite. Thad’s heart soared.
As he finished his dessert, Thad texted Dem and asked him to come over.
“Would you mind waiting on the deck while I speak to Dem at first? He can be a little gruff and off-putting until you get to know him.” Cin scowled at Thad. “I promise you can give him the code. I just need to speak to him brother to brother first.”
Her frown softened. “Okay.”
Thad watched as she walked out of the living room onto the patio and took a seat on one of the loungers he had out there. He could imagine her sitting out there with a margarita and a book or going for a swim in the pool. Gods, he bet a swimsuit looked incredible on her. Hell, she wouldn't even have to wear one on the island. It wasn’t like there was anyone around to watch.
Thad sensed Dem's presence. “You're kidding me, right?” His older brother growled from behind Thad.
“Don’t get mad, just listen. We were attacked. Two guys broke into her apartment—well, they didn’t really break in because we were trying to leave before they got there. Anyway, two guys came into her apartment and attacked us. They had some friends downstairs blocking her car, and the way they moved, Dem, they were professionally trained. Listen, some crazy stuff has been going on around her, so play nice. Okay?”
Dem rolled his shoulders. “And if I don’t want to? If I want to tear you a new one for bringing a mortal here? You do realize that you did the exact thing we got mad at Alec and Hal for?”
“Yes, I do. But I honestly felt as though I had no choice, unless you expected me to abandon her to these mercenaries?”
Dem sighed. “No, I wouldn't have left her, either. But couldn’t you have jumped somewhere else?”
“Sure, but I figured since she would notice the change in scenery, being somewhere private would be a good plan. You know, in case she flipped out.”
Dem grumbled at him, and Thad knew he had won. They were best friends. Sure, he was close with Hal and Alec—you kind of had to be after centuries of living and working together—but he and Dem got along better than either of them did with Alec or Hal.
“Look, all I need is for you to be nice long enough to break whatever code this note is written in. Then you can vamoose and bitch at me later about it, okay?”
“Fine. But I make no promises that I won't yell at you later or that I will like her.”
“You don’t have to like–”
“You've got a crush on her. I can see it. I could tell even from your texts. You know I’ve thought you needed to get laid for the past few decades. You've been getting grumpier and more detached. Just be careful.”
“I don’t . . . I wouldn’t . . .” Thad sputtered before he sighed in surrender. “You know I won't pursue her.”
“I know you'll try not to, but man, you have a shot at something here. If you think she’s your soulmate, then you can always sing for her. I'd be happy to bear witness,” Dem said.
When Alec had met Ellie, the brothers had been forbidden by Zeus from forming long-term relationships. But Alec had known from the get-go that he and Ellie had a special connection.
It was when Aphrodite shared a little nugget of information with him that the world changed for all of them. Zeus couldn’t separate soulmates anymore. The big guy didn't have enough power behind him. If a siren sang, then his true soulmate would find his song to be the worst sound in the world and wouldn't fall under its sway like any other mortal would.
“Woah, who said anything about soulmates? Way to jump to conclusions. I find her attractive. That’s all.” Thad crossed his arms over his chest.
“Refresh my memory. How many women have you found attractive over the last, oh, let’s say, century?”
“I don’t know.”
“Well, then allow me to refresh your memory. It’s none. Zero. Zilch. You haven't had so much as an elevated heartrate for a woman for as long as I can remember. I mean, maybe back when we were kids, but that was forever ago.” Thad started to protest. “Listen, all I’m saying is this isn't exactly an everyday thing for you. You should see where it goes.”
“Fine. I’ll relax and see where it goes. Are you happy now? Can we get back to the reason you’re here?”
Dem chuckled and slapped his brother on the shoulder. “Whatever you want.”
“I’ll go get Cin. She’s got the code with her. She didn’t trust me enough to part with it.”
“She might not trust you yet, but I have a feeling she will.”
Thad walked away before he punched his brother. He knew if he gave in, then Cin would be all he could think about, and that wasn’t acceptable considering her sister's life was in danger. He pushed open a door and went to the lounger. Cin had fallen asleep. She must have been exhausted.
“Cin,” Thad called gently. The last thing he wanted was to startle her awake. “Cin, Dem's here to look at the note.”
She mumbled something that sounded like “five more minutes,” but Thad couldn’t be sure.
“Cin, wake up.” Thad reached out and touched her shoulder. Her skin was smooth and supple under his fingertips, fanning the flames of his desire. As his whole hand connected with her shoulder, he felt like gravity no longer existed.
Chapter 6
Thad felt his body go rigid and his muscles clench. This was the last thing he needed to happen right now, Thad thought before the vision sucked him under completely.
He could see smoke, the haze of fire, and a farmhouse burning. The vision swirled, and Aster was in front of him, her long blonde hair waving in a wind that he couldn’t feel. She was so different from Cin, it was hard to believe they were related. Aster was short, well, petite in general, with large doe eyes. Thad glanced around. It felt as though the vision was stuck, like he had been caught between one glimpse of the future and the next.
“You can’t let her come after me.” Aster looked directly at Thad as she spoke. Thad turned and looked behind him. There was no one else she could be speaking to, but no one had ever seen him in his visions before. He could scream at them and they wouldn't react.
“Are you listening to me, fly boy?” Aster yelled at him.
“Fly boy?”
“You can’t hide your wings from me.” She winked at him. “But seriously, Cin coming after me is a death sentence. Keep her away.”
“How are you talking to me? This doesn't make any sense.”
“I have visions too. Cin probably didn’t tell you because she’s way overprotective. I can also apparently astro project, or astral project, or whatever, which is new. I was trying to tell Cin to back off when suddenly you appeared. And you, sir, were a very interesting topic of her dream. Anyway, I thought I would pass the message along myself. So, are you reading me? Cin coming after m
e is a no go.”
“I can’t stop her.”
“I bet you could distract her.” Aster winked at Thad again, making him very curious about the topic of Cin’s dream.
“Maybe, but that won't last forever.”
“Someone's coming to my room. Just keep Cin alive. Promise me?” The desperation in Aster’s voice was palpable.
“I promise.” Thad had no intention of letting Cin die.
Aster disappeared and the vision returned to normal—well, as normal as his visions could be.
The world spun around him, and he saw a hallway filled with closed doors. Almost like a hotel, but colder, more industrial. The screams that were coming from behind some of the doors were blood curdling.
He was tugged away as the vision twisted and turned. Aster appeared again, but this time he couldn’t interact with her. She was tied to a chair again and being beaten by some guys who moved similarly to the ones who had come after Cin. They were even dressed the same, like they had all gone to the same fighting school or something.
The vision backed away, and now he was watching Aster through a security camera, the video taking up half of the screen and lines of code taking up the other half. There was something familiar about the code. Then all he could see was the reflection of a woman on the screen.
All he could really see were glasses and some red hair. Her voice sounded in his head. “I hope you understand this.” The woman quickly switched windows as footsteps approached. A spreadsheet now replaced the window of code.
“How's our little jewel doing today?” A man in an all-black, expertly-tailored suit walked up. His skin was slightly pale, which was only accentuated by his dark hair and eyes.
“Uh, Mitchell and O'Connel have been working on her for a while now. I don’t think she’s cooperating.” The woman made the window with the security camera feed bigger. One of the men in the room slapped Aster across the face hard enough to make her chair wobble. Aster spat some blood onto the floor.
“I see. Send the security feed to my office and call Katerina for a session.”