My whole body was blushing at the curious looks of the people gathered around us. Oh god, one second longer and this might have turned into an X-rated show. Damn that man for turning my brain to mush. My body was so on edge that the slightest movement would probably set me off. I needed to find a way out of this awkward situation that didn’t involve me falling into a writhing pile of female hormones at this asshole’s feet.
The hand on my shoulder tightened, and Eros stepped up beside me as if he sensed my dilemma. “Brother, Potential Davies has had a near miss with some equipment failure. I’m sure she would like a moment in private to recover herself. Molly will accompany her to the track.”
Molly stepped up to my other side and took my arm. “Time to hit the track, people. Move it.” She glared at everyone until they took the hint and started walking toward the forest. “I’ll show you to the restroom, Lia.”
I shared one final long look with Chaos. His expression was carefully blank. Nodding at Molly, I let her lead me away. I could feel the men’s eyes following us, but I refused to turn around. Molly didn’t say anything until we were far enough away to not be overheard. “Are you ok?”
Not really.
“Yeah, I’m ok. I . . . you know what, I have no clue what just happened.”
Molly looked like she wanted to say something but instead shook her head. “Let’s focus on getting you through the training.”
Thankfully, she left me alone to freshen up. Splashing cold water on my face, I silently gave myself a pep talk about resisting things that were bad for me. Like cupcakes and infuriating men. I leaned my head against the mirror. The cool glass felt good against my heated skin. The sensation of those hands seemed to linger, not letting me come back down from my aroused state. I pressed my hands against my breasts and hissed. Oh god, that felt so good. How had one look from him gotten me more worked up than sex with any of my boyfriends?
My fingers traced the same path as those invisible hands. When I pulled at my peaks, I almost came. I don’t think I had ever been that aroused in my entire life. I hesitated only a moment before traveling my hands down my stomach. Just as my fingers touched the waistband of my pants, Molly banged on the door.
“Lia, we gotta go.”
I stood straight and stared at myself in the mirror. The eyes looking back at me were wide and dilated with arousal. My face was flushed. My nipples pushed out against my shirt. Panted breaths pushed past my parted lips. I looked exactly how I felt. On the edge of an orgasm. What was happening to me? Buttoned-down Lia from Port Lawson would never have acted in that way. She didn’t engage in pissing contests or public displays of lust.
Taking several deep breaths, I splashed more cold water on my overly heated skin.
You are a calm and rational adult. You will avoid any more confrontations and do what you came here for. Win the prize. Go home. Save your gallery.
The pep talk helped to calm me down enough to exit the bathroom. Molly noticed my closed expression, and we silently agreed not to talk about what had happened.
As we walked, I asked Molly about the training. There were four days of training before each competition. Then there was the Game day itself. That was followed by a day of celebrating the winner and then a day of rest. The final day of the Games was the ceremony where the grand champion would be announced.
We passed by the now empty gym and trudged across the field to enter the shade of the forest, weaving our way around tall trees and several large boulders. The air became more humid as we moved deeper into the woods. Aside from the sound our feet made as we tromped across the dirt, the forest was eerily quiet. The few times I had ventured into the woods back home, I had been amazed by all of the sounds. Here, it seemed like even the trees held their breath in anticipation of something.
“Are there animals here?”
“Few,” Molly answered as she forged ahead. How she picked out a path through all the green vegetation was beyond me.
The forest had become denser as we walked until, suddenly, we stepped out onto a smooth dirt path that stretched as far as I could see in either direction. Light blazed down, and I shielded my eyes at the abrupt change. The trees seemed to close in on the wide path from both sides like an impenetrable wall. I turned to look but couldn’t see the gap in the trees that we had stepped through. The other contestants were already lined up at a starting line marked by flagpoles at either side with the black sun symbol. Molly walked me over to an open spot.
“Day one race is two miles. A mile is added to each new training session for a competition. Don’t give me that look, I didn’t make the rules.” Molly huffed. “Look, I don’t expect you to be first. I just want your ass to cross that finish line, and so should you.”
She cocked her head to the right where I studiously ignored Chaos’s presence. “The guides can pace you in the woods and offer encouragement. The Kyrion wait at the finish line. Slow and steady will get you through.”
Two miles. It was a miracle I had made it through the “warm-up.” All right, like she said, get across the finish line. This is only training; we aren’t running a marathon. Stepping up to the line, I performed the stretches Molly had showed me earlier.
Off to the right, the Kyrion disappeared into the woods. Molly waved before she jogged over to join the guides on the other side of the path. Then she gave me a thumbs-up before she too disappeared behind the trees.
All the contestants alone at last.
Looking down the line, I nodded to a few people. Nikki and I looked like bedraggled messes. The Cowboy was doing stretches, his toned muscles flexing with every move. Maya looked as if she was mentally planning her attack on the track. Chris was nervously biting his thumbnail. The Lothario—a handsome black man, whose name I’d finally learned was Mikhail Lorenzo—was on the line already in position to take off. He was clearly built for speed with that lean body and long legs. My bet was on him for first to cross the finish line.
A bird’s shrill call broke the silence, and we were off.
The rest of us had barely made it off the starting line, and Mikhail was a yard ahead of everyone. Called it! I started off at a walk, focusing on putting one foot in front of the other and hoping that the others would tire themselves out quickly. When a voice spoke up from beside me, I almost tripped over my own feet.
“Sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you, ma’am.” I glanced over to find the Cowboy keeping pace with me. “Looks like we both had the same idea. No way this lot can run full out for two miles.”
He smiled at me and held out his hand. “I’m Kade Downing.”
It was awkward shaking hands while walking. “Lia Davies.”
“Lia, pleased to meet you,” Kade said in his charming southern drawl. “So, this has been some kinda adventure, huh? The fancy rooms and ceremonies. I’m not real sure what to make of it all yet.”
“Uh-huh, me too,” I answered, trying to conserve my air.
“I noticed you at dinner last night. Wanted to introduce myself but didn’t have a chance. Glad I caught up to you.” He paused for a moment. “You looked beautiful, if you don’t mind my saying so.”
“Oh, uh, thank you,” I muttered, feeling self-conscious considering how I looked right now.
“Would you like to take a walk after dinner tonight?” he asked.
“I . . . uh . . . ok. I mean, yes. Thank you.” Smooth, Lia.
Kade smiled at me as if he found my bumbled responses endearing. He started to say something else, but we were interrupted by a loud whistle.
“This isn’t a mix and mingle. Close your traps and get your asses in gear!” Molly shouted from around a tree up ahead.
Grace poked her head around the tree next to her and winked at us. “Molly, dear, don’t be rude. They’re getting acquainted. Don’t they make a lovely couple?”
“Uh, sorry about this,” Kade whispered. “Grace is my guide. She’s almost as bad as my own mother. She tried to set me up with Nikki, the, uh, energetic one.”
I looked at him with wide eyes as he gave an exaggerated shudder. We both laughed at his dodging that bullet.
Molly groaned and smacked her hand against her forehead. “God save us from your matchmaking, Gracie. They have a competition to train for. How’re they ever gonna win that grand prize if they keep yapping?”
“Well, what’s a big bunch o’ money good for if you don’t have someone to share it with? You just wait ’till I find a man that can handle you, dear. Then it’s—what do the kids say these days?—on like Donkey Dong.”
“Kong. On like Donkey Kong. Geez.” Molly rolled her eyes. “I don’t need— Damn it, you’re distracting me. You,” she said, pointing at Kade, “keep it in your pants until after training.”
Kade and I looked at each other trying to suppress our laughter. I lost my battle and laughed so hard tears streamed down my face. Those two were hilarious. Kade chuckled and shook his head.
Molly barked out, “Scram, Captain Hard-On.”
Kade shrugged in a what-can-you-do gesture. Then he sped up, leaving me with my bossy guide.
“Molly, dear, that was very rude.” Grace shook her head.
Molly gestured sharply at me, ignoring Grace’s comment. “Are you in heat or something? I swear I’ve never seen so many damn men tripped up over a woman. Grace, I’m gonna need a club.”
Molly and Grace argued over the best way to keep the men away from me as I passed by. Molly mentioned nutcrackers, and I picked up the pace.
Good luck finding a man that can handle her.
Then it was only me and the path. A gentle breeze swept through the cave cooling my damp skin. Molly popped up occasionally to shout encouragement. I tried not to think about the fact that everyone else was probably already at the finish line and fed up with waiting for me. The thought of Chaos’s condescending voice asking if I wanted to forfeit spurred me to pick up the pace. Not that I would ever admit it, but Molly’s warm-up had helped. My muscles were limber and primed. Look at me go.
Of course, that was when disaster struck.
I stumbled, falling forward onto my hands and knees. Ouch, damn it! Rising to my knees, I inspected the damage. Rocks had gouged my left palm, and blood trickled down my wrist. Tenderly I brushed away the debris. Well, that was going to be painful for a while. Suddenly, there was a vibration under my knees.
What was that?
There it was again.
My good hand pressed to the ground, testing it. The dirt began to shift with the vibration.
Earthquake! Get up! Get up! Get up! The ground rolled and jerked beneath me. Where do you go when there’s an earthquake in a cave?
Two steps. That’s as far as I got before the ground pitched upward and I was flying. My side hit the ground with a sickening thump, knocking the air from my lungs. Pain radiated along my entire left side. I instinctively curled into a ball. The ground split apart a foot in front of my face, and small cracks raced in my direction. Horror filled me. Clawing at the ground, I tried to drag myself away. One inch. Two inches. C’mon, move! My hands grabbed for purchase, but the ground crumbled in my grasp. A scream ripped its way from my throat as the ground broke apart beneath me.
Then I fell.
Dirt and rocks pebbled my body. My thigh rammed into something, and I screamed again at the searing pain. My free fall stopped abruptly as I collided with something. Reaching out tentatively in the pitch dark, I tried to feel for my surroundings. The surface beneath me was hard but smooth to the touch. When I applied pressure, it gave against my fingertips. Then a grunt issued from the dark and something grabbed me. My struggles were in vain as the thing cinched its grip around me.
“Cease, woman,” a rough male voice demanded, “I will leave you in this hole if you do not calm yourself.”
Was this hell? That certainly sounded like the devil.
Wind whipped by us at a furious pace as we shot upward. Wow, they had managed to form a rescue effort fast. Considering who my “hero” was, I was surprised he hadn’t left me in the hole.
He shifted me in his arms and pain shot through me. Arrr, please don’t do that again. My whole body hurt. My leg was the worst, though. Tightening my arm around his strong shoulders, I closed my eyes and leaned my head against his chest. The steady beat of his heart beneath my cheek helped give me something to focus on other than the pain.
Light surrounded us. Voices sounded nearby as we slowed to a halt. I opened my eyes to see that we were at the edge of the woods where a large grandstand overlooked the finish line. Everyone rushed over to us as my rescuer strode forward.
Grace fussed over my injuries and wanted to send someone for a medic. I waved her off, wanting pain meds and a bath to get this mountain of dirt off me. Then maybe a week of sleep. Before it turned into an argument, my rescuer took the decision out of my hands. Ignoring everyone, he headed for the opposite tree line with me still in his arms. His long strides ate up the ground. I glanced up at him for the first time. His face was streaked with dirt, and his shirt was ripped.
It took several tries to clear my throat enough to talk. “Th-Thank you,” I managed to rasp out.
Chaos glanced down at me, that angry tic back in his jaw. He nodded, then turned his gaze ahead as we exited the forest. He shifted me higher in his arms, and I winced as pain shot up from my thigh. His gaze traveled to my leg, and his mouth tightened. “Do not think my carrying you qualifies as crossing the finish line. You will cross it next time unaided, Potential Davies.”
Infuriating jerk wad!
I wanted to rail at him, but his image seemed to be getting fuzzy around the edges. What were we talking about? Oh, look at that tic in his jaw. I had the strong urge to bite it. What would a little nibble hurt? Rough stubble brushed my lips as I placed butterfly kisses across his skin before my teeth nipped at him. “You need to learn to relax, Your Holy Hotness. All work and no play makes for a very grumpy boy.” I laughed hysterically. The light dimmed around the edges, and the last thing I saw was the look of shock on Chaos’s face.
13
I drifted slowly toward consciousness, my body feeling like it was cocooned in an oven. Still in that stage between asleep and awake, I pushed against my wrappings with a disgusted grunt. Too hot. Need out. When that produced no results, I attempted to kick my way out. Nothing. Grumbling nonsense, I tried again.
Arrr, damn blanket. Let me go!
Fine, now I was awake. Asshole blanket.
Huffing out a breath of frustration, I opened my eyes. The ceiling wavered in the dim light. That was strange. Since when did my bedroom have a stone ceiling?
Movement caught my eye as my foggy brain struggled to puzzle it out. Turning toward the source of the light, I saw a crude fireplace that was no more than a square cutout in the stone wall across from me. The flames leaped higher backlighting some type of mark cut into the wall several inches above the main opening. I frowned at it for a moment sensing that I should know that symbol.
The Games. The earthquake! It all came back to me. That terrifying fall. Chaos rescuing me. My leg injury. Was that why I couldn’t move? Panic ratcheted my heart rate up. Please tell me they hadn’t amputated my leg. My struggles with the blanket became more frantic. Damn it, it shouldn’t be so hard to free yourself from an oversized piece of cloth. Why wasn’t it loosening?
A shadow loomed over me and large hands grasped my shoulders. I screeched in surprise, then bucked and twisted until I managed to free an arm to swing at my assailant. A hiss issued from somewhere above me as my fist connected with what felt like warm granite. Working my other arm free, I plowed my fist straight into what I hoped was their face.
A grunt ensued. Direct hit! A pair of calloused hands captured my wrists and roughly pinned them to the bed above my head.
“You son of a bitch! Let me go. I’ll—” Before I listed the many unpleasant things I would do to their anatomy, firm lips smashed down on mine. Stubble abraded my cheeks as I bucked my hips trying to dislodge him. His heavy frame lowered o
nto me, rendering me immobile once more. I went rigid, gathering my strength for the next fight.
Those firm lips slowly softened upon mine. Then they parted to place a tentative kiss against my firmly clamped lips. My refusal to respond earned me a sharp nip on my bottom lip that got a response from parts a bit lower than my mouth.
“Open,” a familiar rough voice said from above me.
I relaxed on a stuttered exhale. My instincts registered that I wasn’t in any real physical danger, but my brain was still sounding an alarm. Like man rompers, this was wrong in so many ways. I had been warned to keep my distance but it didn’t seem that Chaos had gotten the same message.
His grip shifted to anchor my hands with one of his own. His other hand slid under my head. Then he gripped the hair at the base of my neck and tugged my head back. I gasped at the quick shot of pain to my scalp. Suddenly my mouth was under a full-scale siege before I could batten down the hatches. Chaos teased and tested me as he alternated the depth, pressure, and angle of his kiss. Keeping me off balance, never able to anticipate his next move. His tongue pressed against mine, coaxing it to come out to play. Teeth tugged sharply at my bottom lip and arousal zinged through me.
My resistance evaporated like a lone raindrop in the Sahara. I tugged against his hands, and he reluctantly released them. Pulling him to me, I traced the artistry of his smoothly muscled shoulders. My tongue darted out to taste him, and he groaned. Effortlessly, I was plucked from the covers and rolled until I was sitting astride his firm thighs. Chaos raised himself into a sitting position beneath me and grasped my hips to pull me firmly against his arousal. The thin material of my workout pants left little to the imagination as his cock nudged against my core.
Moaning against his lips, I raked my short nails down his naked back and delighted in the shuddering of his body beneath me. His lips pulled away from mine, leaving them swollen and wanting more. Kisses trailed down my throat as his hands tunneled beneath my clothes to find my nipples. His calloused fingers plucked and massaged my breasts until I was squirming in ecstasy. His lips claimed mine once more, stretching my mouth wide for his invasion like he was attempting to crawl inside me. He jerked his hips up to rub the ridge of his cock between my legs as his fingers plucked at me. My eyes rolled back into my head as I shattered in his arms, calling out his name.
Paldimori Gods Rising Box Set Page 11