“What makes your eyes do that? It’s beautiful.”
“It’s one of the signs of a bond-mate connection.” My fingers brushed the bulge in his pants and he jolted. His voice was a hoarse rasp when he said, “Most only ever see the blue ring and that’s enough. But you’re Chosen and I’m powerful in my own right. I think our bond will be similar to what my brother has. When their connection completed, their eyes changed for a bit like looking into a kaleidoscope; at least, that’s what I hear.”
I was ready to find out. I cupped him and leaned up to kiss his neck. My hands made quick work of his zipper and I used the clover to help me tug off his pants. He pulled my shirt off and placed his hand against my heart. “I love you, Claudia King. Do you accept me as your bonded mate and husband?”
This was real—we were going to be husband and wife. “Yes, and yes a million times. I love you and accept you, Jaxon Eros Baines.”
He pulled me down to capture my lips in a slow, sweet kiss. His hands payed homage to every inch of my body and I had never felt more beautiful in my life. Our lips parted, and I saw the same hunger in his eyes. I gripped him in my hand and placed myself over him. Slowly, I sank down. It was a tight fit and Jaxon watched me with feverish eyes as I slowly lowered myself. I was sure at any moment he would take control, but he never did. Finally, he was all the way inside.
Jaxon let out a choked sound when I raised up slightly and reseated myself. Sweat beaded his forehead. His hands gripped into fists at his sides. The blue ring around his eyes had started to vein out toward the center of his eye. My hips shifted up and down. At first slowly, while my body adjusted to him, and then faster. His hand unclenched to play with my breasts, and my hips jerked hard. We both moaned. He tugged on my nipples and it happened again.
“Oh gods, Dia, I don’t know how much longer I can last,” Jaxon panted. “But do that again. Gods, yes.”
My core tightened and released, milking him. And sending me so close to the edge. “J-Jaxon, I’m ...”
“I’ve got you, always.” He laced our fingers together and pulled me forward. Our eyes met only inches apart. The blue in his edged to purple, then green, and a dozen other colors. My heart lurched as the building tension snapped inside me and sprouted wings. Jaxon’s cry joined mine, and I felt the warmth of his release inside me. A disco ball of colors played inside my mind. Suddenly, I could feel Jaxon there with me—his voice in my head.
“Body of my body,” his voice whispered through my mind, “Soul of my soul. We are one.”
23
Jaxon’s bedroom lay at the top of the cliff underneath a clear glass dome. He had teleported us here after we made love in the pine meadow. He had certainly succeeded in making himself a fantastical landscape. The rocky cliff area I had stared up at was a honeycomb of twists and turns into various rooms. I knew what Molly had meant now when she threatened to send the servants to clean his rooms when we first stepped off the plane: someone could get lost in that cave system for days.
Here at the cliff top, the bed was surrounded by circles of different things to explore. One layer in from the hyacinths was a ring of white sand. Next was a pebbled stream fed by a waterfall at the back of the room. Finally, in the center, the round bed stood on a glass floor looking down into a library.
We had spent the last several hours exploring our new connection. Sending each other thoughts, feelings, and images. We’d talked about anything that came to mind. I’d told him everything about Meara. And how I was so hurt by Lia and didn’t know what to do. He’d told me about growing up with Bennett. And confessed his determination to truly take his throne at Vèlos Castillo—the home base for the House of Arrows in Mexico—and lead his people.
Stars twinkled in the sky above as I traced my fingers along Jaxon’s chest. The air was filled with the sweet scent of the thousands of hyacinths that dotted the outer edge of the cliff top. I snuggled deeper into his side, lulled by the sound of rushing water from the small waterfall. I had plans for the bathing pool at the base of the falls when I found the energy to move again.
“Ah, there’s my favorite blanket.” Jaxon shifted to pull me over his chest.
“Why do you have a library under your bed?” I asked.
“I started collecting books as I sought out leads about my family,” he replied. “I don’t sleep much most nights. My dreams are always chaotic, but I never remember them. That’s why I chose to make my floor this way. I have my books close by and a warren of caves to explore. It helps to pass the nights.”
The dome above was now open to the night, and the moon highlighted every toned plane of Jaxon’s body. Perfection. His feeling of satisfaction filtered through our connection and I sent him a mental eye roll.
It was different having him in my head than Meara. I was relieved to realize that I could now tell whenever Meara was with me. There was this feeling of something other—like she was inside me but not truly a part of me. With Jaxon, we were one energy in two bodies. I could feel everything he felt without even trying, but I was still me. We could close the door between us if we needed privacy, but we were both finding the open connection comforting. There was no place for lies or deception. Only unconditional love and acceptance.
Jaxon’s fingers traced his symbol on my back. His silky voice floated through my head. “I’ve never been the possessive type before, but I like that you wear my mark. It’s different than I’d expected— different than mine.”
I loved the red winged-arrow mark that stretched across his back. I’d spent some time tracing it with kisses.
“What does it look like?”
His finger tapped the location of the symbol to the right of my spine. “The arrow rests against the base of the tree, its wings folded as if waiting.”
I poked him in the side. “It better be waiting in line. I’m still learning the other two powers.”
“That’s just the impression that I get. You are the only person I’ve ever known to have more than one permanent marking. The bond-mate mark can exist alongside a House symbol, but when the bond is sealed, one replaces the other. You are special—as I’ve always known.”
“Pffft.” I blew a raspberry. The charming act might work on others, but I knew better. “You called me a psychedelic pint-sized menace-to-society the first time we met.”
“You clobbered me with a sign when I complimented you.”
“Complimented me? How is telling me you would love to see my hair spread out over your pillow a compliment?”
“I said ‘beautiful’ hair—that was a compliment.” He ran his fingers through my hair as if to emphasize his point. “And I was right. I do love seeing your hair spread across my pillows. In my defense, my brain was addled at our first meeting by the glare from so many orange sequins. Where in the world did you find those pants?”
“It took me weeks to sew those sequins on!” I poked him again.
“How very ... industrious. Were you planning to run away to the circus?”
“I think I would like it in the circus. The elephants are super cute. But if you insult my clothes again, Le Pew”—I stood up on the bed and raised my hands letting my earth power loose to form a thorny rose on each palm—“I’ll surround your bed with a rose garden and play a game of avoid the thorns.”
“Uh huh.” His eyes roamed over my naked body distractedly. “Tell me again why you nicknamed me after a skunk? I think ‘Rocks My World’ is more appropriate.”
I choked on a snort. “I’m never calling you that.”
I bounced on the bed, loving the hunger that filled his eyes and the arousal that was lengthening against his thigh. This god of a man wanted me, imperfect body and all. “I said you were like Pepé Le Pew and I was Penelope Pussycat. You thought you were all suave trying to talk me into bed, and I was running away from the stench of those pick-up lines. It’s so sad that you don’t know who they are. I’m ordering up a cartoon marathon, stat.”
That sexy smirk crossed his face, but I knew now
that it was reserved only for me. “I think you were intoxicated by me from the first, but in denial.”
“You just can’t admit that your charm failed.”
“Did it? I see I need to prove myself again.” His hands slid up my legs. A breeze pulled the roses from my hands and sent petals raining down around us. Jaxon sat up, and his tongue touched my core. I whimpered. My knees buckled as he proved he really could rock my world.
24
It was the day of the competition. All of the contestants were once again lined up on the shore of the lagoon. This time, I was in a one-piece swimsuit that exposed my entire back to show off my markings. Dozens of blood-red rubies circled my neck and hung down from a point at my collarbone in an arrow shape. Layered webbing lined both sides of the slender arrow shaft giving it the effect of red and black feathers. More rubies dotted the intricate braids in my hair.
“Well, well, girlfriend.” Nikki’s perky voice called out. “I hear you scratched that bedpost up good.”
I turned to find her walking toward me. Her swimsuit was an iridescent gray that looked like someone had cut an oval out of the front. The cutout arched high, exposing the undersides of her generous breasts and dipped low to her pelvis. Six strands of grayish-black stones spanned the cutout, and there was one large pendant set into the choker neck of the swimsuit. She looked ready for a runway, not a race.
“What?” I asked, sure I had misheard her. How would anyone know about my night with Jaxon?
“Honey, I know that glow well.” She flashed me her blinding smile, but there was something in her eyes that had me slipping into my self-defense training. I would be ready for whatever or whoever came at me today. “Eros left my body tingling for days. What that man can do with his tongue, oh!”
“My Tigerlily, my wife.” Jaxon’s velvety voice filled my head. The wind wrapped around me in a hug. “I’ve never slept with her. You are the woman I love. The only woman that will ever be in my bed again. Don’t let her get to you. She’s trying to distract you from the Games.”
“Sorry, Nikki, I won’t be comparing notes. He’s never touched you and he never will.” I held up my left hand where a ruby-red ring circled my ring finger. “He’s officially off the market.”
Jaxon had removed the torque necklace from my neck last night. The one I had been given and told to never take off that first night of the Games. I’d watched in awe as he used his powers to pull the large ruby from the necklace. It had hovered in the air and started to change shape. The red flowed like silk shaping a beautiful crown. He had placed it on my head and kissed me until I’d forgotten my name. Then he had taken the crown and held it between his hands until it shrank down into the ring I now wore. Jaxon explained to me that the gems were actually the crowns that the gods and goddesses had made for themselves when they ruled on Earth. When they decided to leave, they gave the jewels to the leaders of each House to help protect their descendants. The Kyrion thought they had other purposes too, but no one knew for sure.
Nikki’s face turned red. Her eyes blazed with fury. Her hands curled to claws at her sides. The water in the lagoon right beside us started to bubble. Over Nikki’s shoulder I saw Devon’s head jerk in our direction. He stalked toward us with a murderous expression. The water settled abruptly. Nikki’s smile came back, if a bit forced. “I was just teasing you. Congratulations, honey, you are one lucky girl.” Then she turned and walked away.
Devon gave her a hard look as he strode past her. When he stopped in front of me, I looked up to meet his furious stare. “What happened?”
“Nothing,” I squeaked out. He was so intimidating.
His eyes narrowed. “Where is your necklace? The one you were not to take off.”
“Uh, here.” I lifted my hand to show him the ring.
His eyebrows slammed down over hard eyes. His head swiveled to where the Kyrion stood off to the side of the lagoon, and he marched over to Jaxon. Through our connection I listened to them argue about pulling me from the competition. From what I could understand, with my powers and connection to Jaxon I had an unfair advantage that wasn’t allowed in the competition since it was designed to wake a Potential’s powers. In the end, Jaxon won by telling Devon that they would be violating the rules of the Games if I were removed now—six contestants were always required.
My attention shifted to the six large stone archways with iron gates that now stood on the shore of the lagoon in front of every symbol etched into the ground. The one toward the middle was much larger than the others and more elaborate. The pillars were made of a strange gray material that seemed to shift from solid to translucent. The arch was carved with scenes of mists rising up to devour people or usher them to heaven. The metal of the gate doors formed twisting mists that looked like twin tornadoes.
Five Kyrion, all in gray robes, positioned themselves in front of the archways. The one they called Erebus, the Kyrion for the House of Shadows, stood in front of the tallest gate. He made a gesture and all the Kyrion threw open their robes. Underneath, the men wore black leather pants with silky button up shirts in their House color. The women wore long leather dresses in their House colors. Jaxon winked at me when he caught me staring.
“Leather pants, really?” I teased him through our connection.
“Do they make my ass look fat?” He turned to the side, sweeping the robes out of the way so I could get a look.
My throat went dry. “Uh huh, they totally do.”
He laughed, knowing it for the lie it was.
The moment was broken when Bennett walked between us to take his place. Jaxon rubbed the back of his head where I could feel Bennett had just telepathically slapped him.
Erebus lifted his hands and a breeze ripped through the area as each of the gates opened. Then it felt like the pressure had been released from the room as my ears popped and swirling clouds of mist appeared in each doorway. Gasps sounded from a few contestants. Even having experienced some of the powers of the Paldimori, I found myself staring with wonder.
Mist began to pour from the doorways and swirl around the Kyrion’s feet. Erebus was the first to rise. A swirling tornado of mist lifted him up into the air. The top half of the tornado lengthened and broadened until Erebus was sitting upon a massive throne atop the tornado base. The other Kyrion joined him in their smaller thrones until they were all hovering high over the lagoon.
Erebus lifted his hand and everything stilled. “The House of Shadows welcomes you to the second competition of the Paldimori Games. Three times you will be tested. Three times you will face the shadows. Darkness and light are two sides of the same coin. Which will claim you?”
That’s it? Really? The man definitely did not have a career as a motivational speaker.
Jaxon chuckled. “Erebus is a man of few words. Good luck, my Tigerlily. Each of the three times that you cross over into Thanatos will be a little harder. Don’t linger; don’t let anything distract you. Stay focused.”
A sound like a freight train whistle blasted the air, and everything was in motion again. Then we were off.
I ran through the archway and straight into Thanatos. Looked like my first challenge of shadow would come right away. I thought I heard someone whisper my name, but I ignored it. I ran straight ahead and into the water. The change from being in Thanatos to being back in the lagoon and the training area was so sudden I wasted valuable time getting reoriented. Luckily, I wasn’t the only one.
I pumped my legs hard and managed to reach one of the tunnels in the top row of the practice wall. My smaller form quickly darted through to the other side, and I was well ahead of the others when I passed the small black buoys noting the end of the training area. I took a big breath and dived.
Lights flickered on as I made my way through the underwater crevice. There were only a few feet between me and the rock walls on either side. Several feet below lay only darkness, beyond the reach of the lights in the rock ceiling above. It was unnerving. My mind started trying to play tricks, mak
ing me think I saw movement in the dark beneath me.
I let out a breath and tried to calm my racing heart. It wouldn’t be good to freak myself out down here. I started singing “Just keep swimming,” in my head. Suddenly, the water around me started to churn. The lights directly above me shattered. Then the ones up ahead. I swam harder, hoping I was close to the opening we had been told about. Something wrapped around my foot. I kicked hard, but it wouldn’t let go. My fingers scrambled to dislodge whatever had a hold on me, but only found water. The water tossed and turned me. My lungs burned. My arms were tiring.
Help me find light.
My power rushed out of me and searched. Purple dots of light appeared in my mind. I reached out with my power and pulled the light to me. Seconds later, a swarm of jellyfish surrounded me, their purple light bouncing off the rough-hewn rock walls. I glanced down to see a swirling band of water wrapped around my ankle. I reached out once more, pushing at the water. A bubble opened around my head and I gulped in air. A column of water punched me in the stomach. My forehead smacked into the rock above, the pain making me lose my hold on the air bubble. Blood floated in front of me from the cut on my head. Another column of water came at me, but a dark shape knocked me out of the way.
Mikhail’s wide eyes met mine from only a few feet away. Then the column of water pushed against him. He tried swimming away, but it pressed in from all sides. He sank further and further toward the darkness below. I pushed off the wall and went after him. Our hands reached out for each other, our finger tips grazed. The column of water bashed into his chest, his legs slipped into the darkness below. Something flashed like lightening blinding me. Mikhail’s mouth opened in a silent scream. His body jerked violently, then he was pulled into the darkness.
No! He had tried to help me. I needed to go after him.
“No!” Jaxon and Meara shouted in my head.
Paldimori Gods Rising Box Set Page 45