“Okay, I probably understand more than most.” He cradled her chin and trailed his thumb along the corner of her lush mouth. “But have you considered maybe, just maybe, having a conversation? I was wrong, and I wish I could tell Amina that I forgive her. But it’s Destiny that I want.” He tilted her head up and swiped a tear away with his thumb. “It’s you that I love.”
The tears rolled down her face faster than he could swipe them away. But he kept his mouth closed and waited. Each time she sucked in a shaky breath, his heart broke a little more. If he could ask for another power, it would be that Destiny never know another day of sadness.
She shook her head again, and her tiny curls swayed. “No, I could never be that selfless.”
Self-preservation was a respectable quality. Neither the world nor he needed a martyr. He didn’t demand that kind of sacrifice, and he didn’t want it. A thousand questions bounced through his mind in the blink of an eye. However, the only one that mattered involved him and Destiny.
“The elder’s son knew about you.”
“What?” Now, that got his attention.
“Yes, he forced her to choose between you and her family.” She smiled, but it was filled with sadness and regret. “Yeah, like I said, she was a better woman than I’d ever be.”
“That’s a lot, and I’m sorry she went through that.” He leaned against the back of the couch and pulled her with him. “But, sweetheart, I’m not exactly good.”
By the set of her lips, he knew this argument would last longer than his patience. She opened her mouth, and rather than debate, he placed his index finger against her lips and winked. “Wait.”
A single fat snowflake floated gracefully between them, then landed on the tip of her nose. She glanced first at the flake, then him, before her brows drew together.
Then the snow fell in earnest. Fluffy flakes danced around the room, accumulating on every surface—except the couch where they sat.
Thankfully she watched in wonder rather than revulsion, but he expected nothing less from the woman who easily accepted others.
“Who… what…” Destiny swallowed and stared at him as if she expected him to sprout horns.
Maybe he was wrong.
“What are you?”
“Vulcan.”
“I know you’re Vulcan, but…” She wiped a drop of water from her nose. “Like your mom and dad are Zeus and Hera, and your other name is Hephaestus, Vulcan?”
He nodded.
And waited.
“The blizzard?”
“I couldn’t think of another way to persuade you to stay.”
“Someone with a tighter grip on sanity would have asked,” she said.
“Would you have stayed?”
“Well… no.”
He shrugged. “As I said earlier, I’m not so good either.”
“Breaking your heart and a blizzard aren’t the same.”
“First of all, it wasn’t you.” She didn’t look convinced, so he continued. “Second, Pompeii?”
“No way.”
He nodded. “Not one of my prouder moments.”
“Global warming?” she asked. This time she sounded horrified.
“You mortals get full credit for that one.” Her lips twitched, and the lines between her brows eased. “Look, I’ve been around long enough to know that as much as I cared for Amina, it pales in comparison to what you and I have.”
“But…”
“No buts, Destiny, just listen. This isn’t a second chance with Amina, but a first chance with you. I love you, and I don’t use those words lightly.”
Her eyes softened, and so did his heart. He wasn’t so unique in the universe that his existence should be without trials. But he’d redo every hardship, if this woman was his reward. “So are you done with this nonsense?”
“On behalf of humans, I’ll take one for the team.” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “You know, gotta keep those natural disasters to a minimum.”
“Think you can handle that?”
“Absolutely.” She ran her fingers through his hair then placed a gentle kiss against his lips. “I missed you. Not only tonight, but all of the years in-between.”
“I’m here now, and this is where I plan to stay.”
Chapter 27
“The movers,” Destiny said, panting as her back slid against the soft yellow wall of her soon to be former home, “they’ll be here any second.” She pressed her face against Vulcan’s neck and moaned as he drove deeper.
“I guess I need to hurry then.” He chuckled and tightened his grip on her bare ass.
She pulled back and tried to glare, but that was hard to do while he moved inside her. Keeping one arm wrapped around his shoulder, she cupped his handsome, freshly shaven face of angles and hard lines and thanked the universe he’d found her. As much as she adored the squared jaw and even the one-inch scar beneath his cheek, she missed the beard. The man was beautiful. Scary to say, but if he was the ugly duckling of the family, her poor heart wouldn’t be able to take the rest of them. That, and she’d want to punch more than a few of the Greeks for their cruelty.
But if his parents hadn’t rejected Vulcan, would they have found each other? He continued to move inside her, filling her heart as well as her body. She’d never get enough of this man.
“What’s that look for?” He bit down on his lip and studied her face as his thrusting slowed to long, languorous strokes.
“I’m just happy.” She wasn’t sure what was sexier, the heavy-lidded eyes, or his teeth pressed into that perfect lower lip. Just looking at him and knowing he belonged to her was enough to make her combust on the spot. “We’ve wasted so much time.”
“I’ve always been right by your side.” He pressed his forehead against hers. “And in the time in between, you haunted my every dream.”
That had to be the most beautiful thing she’d ever heard, and that was saying something since he managed to surprise her daily.
He kissed her again. At the touch of his soft lips and the swipe of his tongue against hers, Destiny forgot the past. She forgot the months of longing and the years of feeling as if a part of her soul was missing. The only thing that mattered was the present and the precious gift of this second chance.
Their bodies and souls intertwined as they zoomed closer to climax. With a shout that ricocheted against the stacked boxes and bare walls, Destiny exploded in pleasure. Then, somewhere in the seemingly never-ending orgasm, he joined her.
She sighed then rested her head on his shoulder and yawned. A nap. Yes, that’s what she needed. Just as her eyes drifted closed a thud against the door jolted her upright.
“Vulcan, stop acting like a wolf in heat and let Mouse get dressed,” Cai said, his voice muffled by the thick front door and barely suppressed amusement.
Destiny covered her face with her hands and her embarrassment worsened when a rumble of laughter that wasn’t Cai’s joined his snicker.
“You knew they were out there?”
Vulcan shrugged, and she slapped his arm.
“Let me down, you beast.” Filled with equal parts mortification and optimism for their future, she snatched her jeans, top, and most importantly, undies off the floor, then scurried down the hallway, followed by Vulcan’s booming laughter.
Just before she stepped into the bathroom, she looked toward the living room, planning to deliver an Oscar worthy glare. But the devilish grin on her man’s face as he zipped his jeans sucked all the air out of her lungs.
Destiny slipped into the bathroom knowing she wanted to witness that expression every day for the rest of her short human life. And since she was moving in with him today, she’d get plenty of chances.
Thankfully, her father’s surgery had been successful and his hospital stay brief. Surprisingly, he insisted on recuperating in Wyoming with her. However, the biggest surprise was Vulcan opening his large home to her family. As soon as the doctor had given the all clear Destiny’s parents and brother had
driven up from Denver.
After spending a week at the hospital, a week of recovery at home, and almost two in Wyoming getting interrogated and studied, Vulcan had been deemed worthy by the Munro men.
Although Vulcan would probably disagree, she’d miss her family when they left the next day. But the good news was that she and Vulcan would get to christen all twelve rooms in his home sooner rather than later.
By the time she’d cleaned herself up and returned to the living room, Vulcan and the wolves had moved all her furniture and most of the boxes.
“Hey,” Vulcan said, as he walked through the front door. “Why don’t I handle this? You go spend time with your family.”
“You do know you’re not fooling me, right?” Destiny walked up to him, wrapped her arms around his waist, and grinned. “You’re just trying to avoid my dad mad-mugging you for shacking up with his baby girl.”
“I’m Vulcan. God of fire. I fear no mortal man.”
Destiny snorted.
“About your family—”
“I already told you no. You can’t ship my dad, or brother, off to Antarctica.”
“It was worth a try.” Vulcan’s expression turned serious. “I would like you to consider something.” He licked his lips, and suddenly he looked like the boy she knew so long ago. “You know this is a forever kind of deal.”
“For me too, but my forever…” Her throat tightened and she trailed off. She hadn’t scrutinized some aspects of their relationship. She swallowed past the fist in her throat and finished, “My forever isn’t so long. Let’s make it count.”
“It can be. If you want eternity, I can give you that. Unfortunately, immortality is not without problems. The people around you, the ones you love, they age. They die.”
And there went that throat-tightening thing again. That last brush with her father’s mortality had been excruciating. Destiny couldn’t begin to imagine a life without her parents.
“While death may well be a part of life, you and yours have a choice.” He kissed her forehead. “There’s no hurry. Take my truck.” He pulled the keys out of his front pocket. “I’ll see you at home.”
Then he turned and left.
She stared at his back—and backside—as he walked to her bedroom.
Talk about a ride on the crazy train. Dating a sexy god already stretched the limits of her imagination. And she totes handled it like a champ. Well, except for the trying to break up with him thing.
She blew out a breath, and paced the living room, ignoring the wolves walking past her carrying boxes.
Forever was a long time, and how well did she know this man? When forever was another forty or fifty years, it didn’t seem so dire, but forever? Yikes.
“You’re still here?” Vulcan asked as he walked out carrying her massive oak headboard like it weighed nothing.
“Let me get this straight. Does that mean I will be like, a goddess? Do I get cool powers?” Because I’d be down with shooting flames out of my hands or something like that. She fanned her face. “Ooh. Can I pick the ones I get? What about my family?”
“Slow down.” Vulcan chuckled, pulled her into the kitchen, and lifted her up onto the counter. “Even if you don’t accept the gift, you’ll always be my goddess. And as far as powers, I can’t give you anything that I don’t have.”
“That makes sense.” She nodded as if they were discussing his tax deductions for the next year.
“Your family would just be immortal, not aging beyond what they are right now.” He moved his body between her thighs and placed his palms on the counter, his face inches from hers. “So is that a yes?”
“It’s an enthusiastic maybe.” When one side of his mouth curved into the sexy half smile she loved so much, she almost gave in, but she couldn’t make this too easy. She slipped her fingers in his belt loops and tugged him closer. “Toss in a summer blizzard and a couple of days with a hot god, and I could probably be convinced.”
“Consider it done,” he said grinning.
She’d experienced a lot of smiles on the beautiful face in front of her, but this one was a straight shot binding her heart to his. The stuff dreams were made of had nothing to do with jewels, riches or fame, but centuries surrounded by the people she loved.
Acknowledgments
Writing can be quite solitary, but no author does it alone. I have to thank my patient husband. Because no matter how cute I find my pajamas, he must be sick of looking at them by now.
GG Wynters- woman, you are a lifesaver, not to mention an incredible editor. (she didn’t see this, so any errors are mine alone)
And you, my lovely reader- thank you for supporting us authors, we couldn’t do it without you. If you enjoyed Haunting Hephaestus, please leave a review and give it a shout out on social media or Goodreads.
About the Author
Annalise Nixon has worked with explosives, been a singing waitress, and an actress, but continues insisting to her friends she’s an introvert. For some odd reason they disbelieve her.
So far, she’s traveled to five of the seven continents, and honestly—only wishes to visit one more. Of all the places she has experienced, falling into fictional worlds feels most like home.
Annalise loves to create tales of flawed and diverse characters meeting the individual, while not be perfect, somehow is the person for them. Incapable of committing to a single genre, Annalise pens love stories without fur and fang as A.C. Nixon.
When she’s not abusing those on the road to a happy ever after, she’s hanging out in Texas, with her wild, wacky and wonderful friends, and searching for the best beef brisket on the planet, while simultaneously pondering why she can’t lose weight. Her personal prince charming wore cammies rather than armour and now drives a truck, not a trusty steed, but she'll keep him all the same.
For more information, or to chill and hang out
www.acnixon.net
[email protected]
Also by Annalise Nixon
http://www.acnixon.net/books-by-annalise-nixon/
Haunting Hephaestus (Gods of Olympus Book 9) Page 18