by Jean Murray
The burn of her hand against his jaw made him look up. Those emerald eyes melted him to the bone. He leaned in and kissed her desperately until the pain was excruciating. He cradled her warm face in his hands and whispered against her lips. “I want you to be mine. Not because of some debt. Be with me.”
Surprisingly, the pain in his chest began to disappear. He heard of binding of the souls between mates, but he never thought it possible to happen between him and Lilly. When she inhaled sharply, he thought her answer would be no, but her eyes had widened with fear.
“How touching!” The goddess stood in the doorway with her pale mottled arms on her hips. Her red eyes glared at him. “You finally found the room for forgiveness in that rotten heart of yours. The irony of this is just too much to digest.”
Asar stood and put Lilly behind him. “You had your chance. More than your share of them, but you never changed your ways.”
“How does that black heart feel in your chest? It brought me great pleasure to use it to entomb your son.”
“Where is he, Kepi?” Asar took several steps forward.
The goddess moved Lilly’s father in front of her. She sneered and cocked an eyebrow. “I do not think you are in a position to make demands.” She pulled out a small dagger and lunged at Asar.
He recognized the blade immediately. The spell attached to the dagger made it dangerous—one of the only weapons capable of killing a god by permanently separating the soul from a god’s heart. Asar should know.
The daggers were his, a gift he gave to his son.
Lilly yanked on his tunic. “Asar!”
Asar transported them to Aaru, but not before the dagger plunged into his chest. He landed on the floor with a thud and Lilly tumbled across the stone.
CHAPTER twenty-four
Lilly scrambled across the floor on her hands and knees. “No!”
Her hands trembled around the handle of the dagger, uncertain whether to remove it. Tears streamed down her face, as he lay motionless. They hadn’t come this far to have him die now. She shook him. “Asar, wake up. Tell me what to do. I don’t know what to do. Please!”
The palace lay silent. She considered running for help, but time was of the essence. Needing to act, she wrapped her fingers around the handle and yanked the dagger out of his heart. She pressed her palm against his chest to the stop the bleeding, but there wasn’t any. She too late. She leaned across his chest and began to cry. “Don’t leave me. Please!”
White energy surged from the center of her body, and the tattoos on her forearms glowed bright gold. Lilly gasped and wiped the tears from her face. The cut on his chest had healed completely with no sign of a scar.
Nebt and Inpu rushed into the room, and Nebt’s hand went immediately to her mouth. “Oh, my gods. Asar!” She dropped down on her knees and cradled his head in her lap.
Inpu kicked the dagger across the floor, disgust blanketing his features. “Mevt.”
Desperate, Lilly searched his eyes for an explanation. “Mevt?”
“Gods’ death dagger.” Inpu knelt next to her. Without permission, he grabbed her hands and placed them back onto Asar’s chest.
Lilly heaved as her body responded to the connection with Asar’s skin. Tingling energy flowed from her chest through her bones, shaking every cell. Asar’s body became rigid. She tried to pull her hands back. “No, it’s hurting him.”
Inpu increased the pressure on her hands, immobilizing her. A look of wonderment and reassurance infused his brown eyes.
Her breath hitched when Asar gasped and arched his back off the floor. Inpu release his grip and sat back on his heels. Asar relaxed and lifted his heavy eyelids. After blinking a few times, he focused on her face. Lilly's tears flowed again, not in sorrow, but joy. Her heart swelled until she thought it would burst.
With little effort Asar sat up and pulled her tremulous body against his chest. A strange sound escaped his throat. Laughter. Honest and true, laughter. He grabbed Lilly’s face in his hands and started kissing her. “My sweet Lilly. You saved me again.”
Pulling back from his lips, she smiled and took a deep breath. “I’m not sure what I did.”
Inpu chuckled and pulled Nebt into his side and kissed her cheek. “I think we know who Lilly’s bloodline is?”
“I am so confused. I don’t understand any of this.” Shaking her head, Lilly looked at the hieroglyphics on her arms that still retained a gold glow. “I thought this was something you passed to me?”
Asar smiled. “You are a demi-god, a mixed bloodline of human and god. Your mother is a goddess, Lilly.”
“What?”
“Your sisters probably have the same lineage.” He rubbed his thumb across the markings on her pale skin. “You, three, are the descendants of the Creation Pantheon. Quite ironic if you think about it, considering I am the God of Death.”
Nebt placed a hand on Lilly’s shoulder. “It certainly explains a lot. With some training, you should be able to control your powers, especially since they are full strength.”
“I have powers?”
She had sensed the change when she awoke from her illness, but couldn’t quite grasp it. The physical changes, the markings, and self-healing were the least shocking of all. A seductive energy ebbed and flowed underneath her skin and surrounded every organic object. A corporal connection existed between her and every living, breathing thing, pulsing like a neon sign. Only the Underworld gods had no signs of life, with exception of a small aura that emanated from the center of their sternums. Lilly touched her fingertips lightly over the energy in Asar’s chest. His soul looked dim in comparison.
The three gods grinned. Asar brushed her hair from her face. “You have always had the power inside of you. They needed to be released to gain their full potential. You exude the energy of life. You saved my life by just the mere thought of it.”
Lilly touched his face. With the revelation came a flood of memories. “It was you.” She blushed as she said it, realizing their lovemaking transformed her. He chuckled and kissed her warm cheeks.
Pulling back, she placed her palm over his chest. “Your soul? Is everything okay?” His soul faintly flickered in his chest.
Asar’s eyes soften to a golden brown. “I never replaced it. I do not need it. I do not want it.”
Lilly frowned and shook her head. “I don’t understand. You need your soul to judge. Your heart was the reason you pursued the goddess. You don’t want it?” She looked at his chest again. Something didn’t make sense. If he didn’t replace his soul, what flickered in his chest? She looked at one god to the next. “But, if you never replaced your heart, what is it I see glowing?”
Asar covered her hand and pressed it to his bare chest. “The soul I have now is a gift from you.”
“What?” Did he just suggest she had given him a new soul? “How? I did that just now?”
Nebt pressed her hand to her lips to suppress a smile. “I think that is our cue to leave.” The Underworld goddess bowed. She laced her arm through Inpu’s and guided him out the door.
Asar lifted her in his arms, then gently set her on her feet. The ground felt oddly soft underneath. She looked down and found sand between her toes. He'd transported her to the beach where they lay the last night of their stay together in Aaru.
Lilly frowned as he knelt down in front of her. To her knowledge no god ever kneeled before another, especially him. It was a sign of submission. “Asar?”
Taking her by the hands, he looked up with the most humble expression. “You have given me a new life and soul I would never want to replace with something that has brought me nothing but suffering. My soul is at your mercy. I want you to be my mate because you want to be with me. Not out of obligation or debt.”
Lilly stood stunned. He offered his soul, the very soul she had created, putting his life into her hands. She dropped to her knees and looked into his eyes. They were filled with emotion, his emotion. Not a reflection of her own.
“Does thi
s mean you forgive me?”
He laughed. “Yes, I forgive you, if you can ever forgive me.” He leaned in to kiss her. “I want you to be mine.”
She gasped for breath in between his kisses. Her head swirled with the euphoria of his proposal—a far leap from where they had just been, but she didn’t care. “No conditions?”
“None,” he said against her lips. He stopped mid-kiss and frowned. “Unless you want them.”
The concern in his voice melted her heart. He looked like he might pass out. She smiled and shook her head. “The answer is yes, then,” she said with a smile that made her cheeks hurt.
He placed her hand over his new soul. She pressed his over her slowly pounding heart. He kissed her gently, then recited the words. “From this moment our souls are bound together.”
An electrified pulse traveled straight to her soul. His once still heart thumped against her palm, and his body flushed with heat. She laughed at his startled expression. “I don’t suppose that happens often.”
Asar snorted and smiled. “No, never. If raising the dead is one of your many talents, I cannot wait to see what else you can do.”
“This is all so sudden.” Lilly shook her head. She never felt so wild and scared in her life. She spent most of last five years trying to maintain control. It felt good to be impulsive and reckless.
He broke her line of thought with a soft touch. His dark eyes were heavy with insecurity. “I am far from perfect and it has been awhile since I have been able to process this level of emotion.”
She smiled and put her fingers to his lips. “What’s important is they are yours.”
He kissed her deeply. Despite his restraint, Asar's dark energy ebbed and flowed erratically as it washed over her, a reflection of his struggle to keep himself constrained for her benefit. Conversely, all she wanted to do was throw him down on the sand and have her way with him. She wasn’t sure where the thought came from, as it was so out of character for her.
“Ack, I feel like I’m watching a chick flick!”
Lilly’s heart stuttered a beat. She thought they were alone.
“Kit!”
“Don’t let me interrupt. I’m just trying to save the world here.”
Lilly scowled but then embraced her sister. Kamen stood a few feet behind. She mouthed the words, thank you.
Kit hugged her back. “I thought I lost you.”
“It will take more than a goddess and a few revens to break up the Carrigan sisters.” Lilly finally pulled back but didn’t release her sister. “The goddess has dad.”
Kit shrugged as if it didn’t bother her, but Lilly knew better. “At least Kendra is safe. Mother put her on the first helicopter out of the compound.”
“Mother won’t give her up easily, and I’m sure we won’t be welcomed back.”
“I don’t think I want to, anyway. After all the work we did for her, Mother was sure quick to turn her back on us.”
Lilly’s stomach dropped. It would be the two of them against thousands of undead with little to no resources, except the weapons that hung from their hips. “It won’t be easy fighting the revens without her help.”
“When have we done anything the easy way? If I remember correctly, our odds are always balanced in favor of the enemy.” Kit’s eyes darkened. “How the hell did the goddess get into the compound?”
Asar placed his hand on Lilly’s shoulder. “She was let in by someone on the inside. The hatch in the rear of the building was open. It was how they came in and went out.”
She let go of Kit and grasped Asar’s arm. “He’s right. It was open even before we reached it. The goddess took me directly to the underground tunnels. She knew exactly where she was going.”
“A Nehebkau? One of our own? Why?”
Asar rubbed Lilly’s lower back. His voice was solemn. “In my experience, it is usually those jealous of individuals that have power and are desperate to accumulate it for themselves.”
Lilly sighed. She knew all too well who could be responsible. “Rebecca.”
“Oh, it would be just like the bitch. She would stab her own grandmother in the back!”
“The problem is, what to do about it? The goddess will use our father to get to us. Mother may not know of the mole inside her organization, which puts Kendra at risk. We need to get her back. It is the only way to keep her safe.” Lilly turned to Asar. “I hate to ask, but…”
“You and Kendra will stay here.” Asar grasped her hands. “Lilly, you will not be able to pursue the goddess until you have control of your powers. You might inadvertently feed her life without intending to do so.”
“I need to see this through.” She didn’t like to be told what to do, especially when her sister’s safety was concerned.
“Kit is more than capable of retrieving your sister and collecting recon on the goddess. Kamen will be there to watch her back. You need time to adjust to the changes in your body. There is much you need to learn. Kit has not transitioned yet, so her powers will be muted in comparison to yours.”
Kit perked up. “Powers?”
Kamen’s eyes narrowed on Asar and then on the black haired beauty.
“Do you want the honor?”
Lilly smiled slightly and then turned to her sister. “Seems our long lost mother was a goddess.”
“Yeah, right!” When Lilly’s face remained serious, her sister’s expression fell flat. “Dad got frisky with a goddess? Is that what you are telling me?”
“Yes," Lilly said, laughing. "Apparently at least three times.”
“No, fucking way. So how is it you have changed? I know it has to do with Captain Underworld over there but—”
Lilly’s face flushed even hotter. She grabbed Kit by the arm and dragged her down the beach, leaving the two deities standing by themselves.
* * *
Kamen glanced down the beach. “So they are here to stay then?”
Asar slapped his brother on the back. “Get used to it, brother. Our family is growing.”
“You forgot to ask my permission.”
Asar laughed. This was his domain. “Yeah, well. I had to grow up sometime.”
“They are going to be nothing but trouble. They have no respect for our traditions or way of doing things.” Kamen shook his head when Lilly threw Kit into the water.
Asar laughed and then looked at his feet. “It will be interesting times.”
“I did not sign on to be a babysitter. Especially for a woman so self-assured, all other opinions be damned.”
“You are the only one I trust with her life.” The only person he trusted more than Kamen was his own son. The gods sent the Carrigan sisters into their lives for a reason. Only time would reveal the motive. “I need to see this through to the end, not just for ourselves but for the humans, as well.”
“I will do as you ask, but so help me if I don’t kill her first.”
Lilly and Kit wrestled and dunked each other’s head under the water. Asar laughed. “Try and restrain yourself. You should not dismiss Kit so easily. We still have yet to discover her power. It may be very different than Lilly’s.”
“Now all you have to do is sucker some idiot god into having sex with her.”
Asar grinned. “Yes, some sucker will do just fine.”
“Absolutely not!" Kamen growled. "I have my limits.”
Lilly ran back breathless. Her wet hair framed her beautiful face. Her eyes sparkled. There it is, Asar thought.
Happiness.
“Well, I think we got that out of our system,” Lilly said, laughing. Kit dashed up and flung sand and water on the deities. Kamen scowled and stepped back, but Asar remained in place.
He focused intently on his beautiful blonde huntress. The sweet taste flooded his mouth and filled his chest. He licked his lips. The sudden desire to consume her rocketed through his system. He willed her to read his mind and know how badly he wanted her.
Lilly narrowed her eyes and cocked her head. With a smirk on her face, she
turned to her sister. “Asar has a great spa here, Kit.” She turned back to him. “Could someone show her the way?”
“Kamen can show her.” Asar grabbed Lilly’s hand and flashed them back to his room before his brother could protest. Her wet hand slipped out of his grip before he could wrap his arms around her.
“So, you're going to hold me prisoner here?” She tugged on the ties on her vest, loosening the tight wet leather. The top shifted under the weight of her breasts and revealed her taut nipples. Tapping her finger on her lips, she asked, “Whatever will I do with myself?”
Her slow taunt had its desired effects. The fire burned from his gut to his groin. Through his linen pants, Asar's enormous erection drew her gaze. After pulling off his tunic, he lurched forward and crushed her against the wall.
“I must remind you that you have committed yourself for a lifetime, my sweet Lilly.” He growled and then devoured her neck with his lips and tongue.
She gasped and clutched his biceps. “That is a pretty steep prison sentence, but if…” She sighed as he slipped her wet leather vest off her shoulders. “If this is how you torture your subjects, I would like to request it frequently.” She groaned when he swept his warm tongue over her nipples. “God, help me,” she whispered and clutched his head tighter against her.
Asar ran his hands down over her sides and slipped the last bit of leather off her wet body. “I am your God now.”
He pulled her legs around his waist and carried her to his bed.
Their bed.
CHAPTER twenty-five
The ache in Asar’s chest was long forgotten as Lilly’s precious gift pounded slowly against his ribcage. In his entire existence, he never felt the beating of his heart, but now that he was bonded with her, it contracted ever so slowly in his chest. He had a new appreciation for humans whose lives were centered around this magnificent organ.
He gazed down at his beautiful, sleeping mate. He marveled how different they really were, even the stark contrast of their skin. His, a dark olive. Hers, a pale cream. Life and death cohesively bound together. How could he be worthy of something so beautiful?