Paldimori Gods Rising Box Set

by T. L. Callahan

  “We, my stubborn wife. We must figure this out.” Bennett pulled me into his arms. “Do you not remember when I told you that I signed up for the whole package as long as I got you? I love you, asteràki. You are not alone.”

  “I love you too, my wizard.” I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled his lips to mine. The kiss was soft and sweet, but quickly turned scorching. Bennett pulled me flush against his body. His hardness pressed into me, and heat pooled between my thighs. I broke away from those sinful lips. “Ok, you’ve convinced me,” I panted. “There may be certain benefits to us working together. How about you use your wizarding powers to magic all the books onto Google. Then your girlfriend can use her mad internet skills to find all the answers.”

  “I thought you might see things my way.” Bennett’s fingers pushed under my T-shirt to caress the lines of the symbol on my back. “Our knowledge cannot be shared with the human world no matter how much more convenient it might be to have them on your internet. And my wife has other skills that I am in need of just now.”

  My pulse jumped as those clever fingers of his traced the seam of my underwear until they settled against the damp spot that was forming. “I-I need ...”

  “What do you need, Lia?” His finger pressed against my throbbing clit, eliciting a moan. “This, or perhaps something deeper ... thicker. Tell me what you need, and it is yours.”

  “Bennett ...” My powers were starting to grow once more.

  “Open,” he demanded as he mentally nudged against the closed door and shoved my legs apart at the same time. I eased open the door on my side of our connection. He tugged at my powers, eliciting a groan that was part relief and part arousal as he twined them with his to keep me from going supernova. My clothes disappeared, and his rough fingers sank into me. I cried out in shocked pleasure as he teleported us directly into the shower. Cool water poured over my feverish skin turning gray as the ash was washed away. Bennett’s fingers drove into me again. My back hit the tiled wall taking what was left of my breath away.

  “What do you need, asteràki? I will not ask again.”

  “You!” I shouted as his fingers found that perfect spot inside me that drove me crazy. “I need you.”

  “Where do you need me? Here?” His teeth tugged at my bottom lip before he took my mouth in a hard kiss. He abruptly broke away and bent his head to suck sharply on my left nipple. His deep voice invaded my head, “Is it here that you need me?”

  “Oh god. Please,” I whispered, hovering right on the edge of bliss. “Damn you, Bennett, I need you inside me. Now.”

  A wave of energy plastered me to the wall. My hands were pinned. My legs spread wide as Bennett used our combined powers to lift me up into the air. His eyes captured mine as he dropped me onto his hard length, wringing a cry from my lips at the sudden fullness. The blue ring surrounding his irises pulsed in time with the synchronized rhythm of our hearts. His hips bucked setting a hard pace, and my orgasm tore through me.

  “Mine,” Bennett said gruffly as his palms pressed into mine and the warmth of his release spilled inside me.

  “Body and soul,” I gasped, recalling the words from the bonding ritual. Bennett released me from the wall, and I wrapped myself around him in a full body hug. “And you’re mine too, wizard boy.”

  5

  Sunlight streamed through the tall windows of my bedroom rousing me from the best sleep I’d had in a while. I stretched languidly across the plush bed, smiling at the delicious aches all over my body. We had made love several times late into the night and fallen into an exhausted sleep in my bed. I smiled wickedly. Take that, Selene. Bennett broke one your stuffy old rules to be with me.

  Selene and Bennett had stayed behind last night after dinner to discuss whatever it is that advisers had to tell their Kyrion at nearly midnight. I had been informed that the Kyrion used separate suites, and I wasn’t to stay with Bennett until after the coronation. I was sent off to my bedroom with a servant feeling jealous and irritated. Luckily Bennett’s visit had worked most of that out. I turned over ready to reward him for being the rebel, but his side of the bed was empty.

  Disappointment slapped me in the face. Of course, he wouldn’t want anyone to know he had broken one of their rules. Our night together now seemed like some tawdry affair to be hidden and my happy buzz plummeted to its death.

  I pressed the comforter to my naked chest as I sat up in bed, the movement reflected in the mirror drawing my attention. My disheveled appearance was a jarring disparity amongst the elegance of the room. The poised lady in the painting over the bed seemed to mock me with her perfect cream-colored ballgown dotted with red poppies and her pale blonde hair swept up into a flawless twist. Her red lips were parted in a bright smile but there was something about her eyes that seemed sad.

  A chill brushed cross my bare shoulders as a whisper fluttered by my ear. “Leave.”

  I bolted from the bed, still clutching the comforter as I searched the room but there was no one around. I let out the breath I had been holding and shook my head at my foolishness. A red robe laying across the padded bench at the end of the bed caught my eye. That hadn’t been here last night and neither had the wooden trunk that sat beside it. I tossed the comforter onto the bed and slipped into the warm robe. My fingers traced over the familiar carvings of poppies on the lid of the wooden trunk. This was the trunk that had been left in the bedroom of my condo after I had gotten out of jail for the fake money and photos Natalie had planted at my home. With everything going on, I had completely forgotten about it. How had it gotten here?

  I opened the lid to find clothes in my size and my favorite toiletries, just like before. Finally, I could get out of that torturous spandex they called workout gear and into my comfy clothes. I pulled on a pair of jeans, my favorite Princess Leia T-shirt, and tennis shoes.

  The items on the bench weren’t the only new things in my room. Someone had cleaned up the charred mess from last night and put two red-and-gold striped sofas in the space. A round table stood near the fireplace with a breakfast tray sitting in front of one of the two high-backed chairs embroidered with red poppies.

  “Good morning, my lady,” came a cheerful woman’s voice. “Kyrion Bennett arranged for breakfast to be brought to your room. Let me know if it’s cold, I’ll run it back to the kitchen for something fresh.”

  A middle-aged woman with hair such a dark brown it was almost black and kind hazel eyes stood in front of the gold curtains covering the other half of the wall beside the giant mirror. She wore the same long black chiffon dress as the other servants I had seen.

  “Where did you come from? I didn’t hear the door.”

  “Oh no, I was in the closet putting your things away,” the lady hitched her thumb toward the gold curtain over her shoulder. “I’ve been here cleaning and getting you settled in as the Archai requested.” She walked toward me and lifted the lid on the breakfast tray. “Here let me serve your breakfast.”

  “No, no. It’s fine.” I waved her away. “I can serve myself. Uh, what’s your name?”

  “My name is Lydia, my lady,” she said as the smile slipped from her lips and she nervously wrung her hands. “If you’re not pleased with my service, I can send someone else?”

  “Uh, no that isn’t— Sure you can serve me.”

  I’d never hurt someone’s feelings over not letting them do work before. I felt awkward as hell as Lydia pulled out my chair and placed a napkin in my lap. She beamed a smile as if I had given her the best present ever. I pointed out which foods I wanted, and she put them on my plate. I worried that she would try to chew my food for me next, but she moved off to straighten something on the fireplace mantle.

  “Selene has had the seamstresses working since first light on your gowns.” Lydia chatted away as I tried to eat under her watchful eye. “I can’t wait to see them. Oh, and the runners have brought back some lovely things too.” She rattled on about all the dresses I had to choose from for dinners, House meetings, and
audiences, but I had stopped listening.

  “Time-out,” I held up my hands in a T-shape stopping her before she could go on. “What are runners and why am I hearing the word ‘dresses’ so much?”

  “Kyrion Calidora always wore dresses, my lady,” Lydia replied cautiously. “We didn’t know that Kyrion Bennett had found his intended bond-mate or the seamstresses would have had your wardrobe completed for your arrival.” Well, that confirmed it. The cat was out of the bag about who I was already. It seemed that the Paldimori weren’t that different from humans when it came to gossip. Lydia continued, “Selene sent the runners out—they’re the servants who get what we need from the outside world. You have a fine selection of daily dresses to choose from. The seamstresses vow, my lady, they will have your formal gowns ready for the ceremonies.”

  “Lydia, relax. I’m fine with whatever the runners brought. I could just pick something out from what’s already here for the ceremonies; there’s no need for the seamstresses to make me anything,” I said trying to reassure her. It bothered me the way she hung on my every reaction so nervously, like my opinion was life or death. Would Bennett allow his people to be punished over something as stupid as not having clothes prepared for them? “I prefer jeans or any kind of pants—well, except spandex—over dresses.”

  “But, my lady, it’s tradition to have formal gowns for the ceremonies. And Kyrion Calidora—”

  “The dress lover. Yes, I know but I’m not her.” Lydia paled as if I had said I would be going to these ceremonies naked. I felt like I was walking blind through a field of landmines, and I kept stepping on them. How in the hell was I going to learn to be a Kyrion?

  Son of a bitch, I was supposed to have met Selene hours ago!

  I gulped down my orange juice and stacked the bacon on a napkin to take with me. “I’ll take a look at the clothes as soon as I’m done with my lessons. I’ve gotta go!”

  “But, my lady—” Lydia called out, pointing toward clothes she had just laid out on the padded bench, and stared in horror as I speed-walked to the red double doors and waved goodbye before quickly exiting the suite.

  I turned down the wide hallway passing by a similar set of black doors that led to Bennett’s suite. The plain cream-colored walls of the hallway were soothing after all the red and gold in my room. Every so often there were gold tables with black vases of red poppies that I didn’t remember seeing last night. Another servant—maybe around the age of nineteen—addressed me as “my lady,” dropping into a low bow as I neared the stairs. Her hair was much lighter than most of the people I had seen here, and when the light hit it there was a bluish tint to it. I mumbled a hasty good morning around my mouthful of bacon and fled down the three flights of stairs.

  I wiped my mouth and hands on the napkin at the bottom of the steps and stuck it in my jeans’ pocket. Then looked around realizing I had no clue where the throne room was. I wandered down hallways and into various rooms for a while, surprisingly never running into any other servants. There had been two sitting rooms, a billiards room, a conference room, and a sauna so far. I started to turn down another hall, but the squeaking of a door opening pulled me in the other direction. Maybe there was someone who could help me find the throne room.

  This hall was lined with paintings of men and women, the gold plaque at the bottom of each one identifying them as a Kyrion of the past. “Hello,” I called out, my voice echoing down the empty hallway. Another creaking noise issued from the open doorway to my right, and I stepped into a library. “Is anyone in here? I could use some directions.”

  The smell of copper and almonds filled my nose bringing back memories of my father’s study. An open walkway divided the room with clusters of tables and comfy-looking chairs dotting each side. A podium and a couple of rows of desks sat near the back wall of windows. Rows of books from thick ancient-looking texts to current novels lined the other three walls. I walked over to one of the tables and picked up a paperback copy of Oath Taker by Audrey Grey. Someone had my taste in books. If I ever got a free moment I would come back here and see what other treasures this library held.

  I turned toward the door ready to move on when an object in the corner caught my eye. A mechanical clock-like device the size of a beachball sat inside a large glass case. Individual plates of Greek words formed a circle at the center, spinning beneath the feet of five glass figurines of men and women. One of the figurines had been thrust out from the clock face on an extended metal arm. This male figurine was different, filled with an inky black liquid instead of the mercurial gray like the others. Positioned beneath him was one of the words also extended out from the clock face. Luckily, I’d found that one of the perks of my new-found powers was that I could now read multiple languages.

  “Faith,” I read aloud.

  A sound almost like the beating of a heart issued from the clock. Then mechanical gears made whirling and ticking noises as one of the female figurines moved forward a bit. The clock seemed to shudder for a moment as if the gears slipped. I held my breath hoping that this beautiful work of art hadn’t broken.

  “What are you doing in here?” asked a stern male voice from behind me.

  “Holy shitballs,” I screeched, jumping out of my skin at the unexpected voice.

  I whirled around with my hand holding my galloping heart. A man stood there wearing the black gear like the Talosi but with the House of Chaos symbol covering his torso rather than along his sleeves. He was much older than the soldiers I had met last night. His close-cropped brown hair and short beard were streaked with gray and his dark brown eyes gleamed with murderous rage. The long black sword he held in his left hand was pointed at my chest. “What have you done to the Moirai?” he demanded, pointing to the device with his other hand.

  My mouth went dry. “I ... nothing. Talos ... whichever one you are, I swear it just had a little glitch, but it looks like it’s working now. See?” I waved toward the glass case where the clock had started up again.

  “I am Guide Christos Athan,” he said, with a sneer as if I had insulted him by calling him Talos. He glanced at the device before turning his steely eyes back to me. “You can’t be in here without permission.”

  “Sorry,” I said, staring down the length of that sword. “I’m new here. I was looking for the throne room. Selene asked me to meet her there.” My hand shook as I reached for my collar and his sword followed the movement. “Maybe you could put the pointy sword down? Look,” I pulled the chain from underneath my shirt and let the ring Bennett had given me dangle in the air. “I’m Lia—Kyrion Bennett’s bond-mate.”

  He sheathed his sword but didn’t offer an apology. “No one is permitted in here without permission from the Kyrion or Archai.”

  “Oh, right. Got it.” He none too politely ushered me out the door and snapped it closed behind me before locking it with a key he pulled from a chest pocket. I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from lashing out with my building frustration. Everything I’d done since arriving here was wrong. Was this what it was going to be like living here? Walking on eggshells so not to offend anyone and having to ask permission to go places? I swallowed it all down and tried again. “Uh, since you’re here do you think you could point me toward the throne room?”

  For a moment, I thought he would refuse, then he gave me an awkward bow that seemed forced. “This way, my lady.”

  6

  I followed the guide down the long hallway until the wooden floors gave way to rough stone and a wide set of open wooden doors appeared. We stepped into a large rectangular room of stone. Directly across from where I stood a set of steps led up to a platform with two black thrones. Tall wooden double doors stood on either side of the platform. Banners with symbols from all six Houses hung from wooden rafters far above. The sun shone through stained-glass windows which lined the second and third floor balconies overlooking the space, and a variety of colors spilled across the stone floor. This must be the old section of the house that I’d noticed last night.
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br />   Selene was sitting at a wooden desk placed in the center of the room, signing documents and sorting them into neat stacks.

  “I apologize for interrupting you, Archai,” Guide Athan proclaimed with reverence and a deep bow. “My lady, Jillian Davies, has finally arrived.”

  Sure, suck up to the boss lady, I mentally grumbled. And did they have to keep calling me Jillian? It was so stuffy sounding, but that’s probably why they liked it.

  “Thank you, Christos.” Selene acknowledged him without looking up. “Will you inform Modístra Althaia that Ms. Davies’ measurements will have to be taken from her other clothes as we will not be able to keep our appointment with her today?”

  “It will be done at once, Archai.” Christos Athan snapped another curt bow, all traces of the belligerence he had shown me gone in his eagerness to please Selene. Then he left with a pep in his step that hadn’t been there before.

  Someone is a kiss-ass, I mentally smirked, until I remembered that I’d wasted two hours of Selene’s time by showing up late. Guess it was my turn to pucker up.

  “I’m sorry I’m late. I overslept, and then I couldn’t find the room,” I blurted while Selene continued to ignore me as she signed several pages of what looked like invoices. “I accidentally stumbled into the library. Then I saw the clock and lost track of time.” I pressed my hands nervously to my thighs as Selene’s head snapped up and the pen she had been writing with fell from her hand.

  “What did you say?”

  “I’m sorry I’m late,” I ventured again as she put her hands on the desk and stood up staring at me with such intensity my skin tingled. Her hair was pulled back into a high ponytail and she wore all black similar to the gear that the soldiers wore minus the weapons. Her House of Chaos mark sat prominently between her breasts displayed by the V-cut of the armor she wore. Molly—the girl who had been my guide during the Games and had once been my friend—had explained to me that the positioning of the symbol on the torso was a measure of a Paldimori’s power: the higher the position, the more powerful they were. Selene was apparently near the top of the power-chain.