Arora smiled. “I think I know how to find our son,” she said.
Poseidon opened one eye and then the other. “Do tell,” he encouraged her.
“Dylan is likely protected by magic that would keep any who would cause harm away,” she told him. “It’s exactly what I would do.”
“What makes you think I would harm him?” the Sea God asked.
Arora pegged him with her best no nonsense look. Instead of answering his question that they both already knew the answer to, she continued. “I wouldn’t dream of hurting him or anyone else for that matter.”
“No.” Poseidon pushed himself to a sitting position, already knowing where her thoughts were going.
Arora acted as if he hadn’t spoken. “I could go on land and seek him out. I could find him.”
“And do what then?” he asked. “Have a party? Sit down and catch up on old times? He doesn’t know you and won’t let you anywhere near him.” Standing from the bed, he turned to stare at her. “And you have fins.” He stalked his way to the bathroom.
Arora shoved the sheets off and stood up too. “Exactly, he doesn’t know me,” she explained, damn near running to keep up with him. “I can go to the Clan Leader. I suspect Dylan is in Los Angeles. He can help me.”
Poseidon closed the bathroom door so fast that Arora nearly ran into it. “You know I’m right,” she called from the door. “Just give me land legs for two days. If I can’t find him, I won’t bring it up again.”
The Sea God opened the door and stared her down, trying to decide if it was worth the risk. Arora had always been there for him when he needed her, and all he knew how to do was push her away. She calmed him like no other could. He trusted her. He had no good reason not to let her help. “Fine,” he finally answered her. “Two days. After that, you’re back here.”
The smile that split her face could have lit the heavens and Poseidon couldn’t help but wonder if he had made a mistake. But it had been so long since he had seen a smile like that from her. He vowed to make her do it again. And again. But first, he must deal with his defiant son.
17
Arora stepped out of the sea, allowing the water to slide from her skin. The cool night air caused gooseflesh to break out all over her naked body. She looked from her left to her right, ensuring that she was alone on the beach. She closed her eyes and focused on her son. Although he hadn’t known it, she had been near him his entire life. She had assumed the form of one sea creature or another, sticking close to him and keeping him from harm as he grew into the man he was today.
It didn’t take long for her senses to hone in on Dylan. He was close. Arora walked on her new legs to the east, enjoying the way the sand crushed and shifted under her feet. It felt different, dry, harder and softer at the same time. The sand on the ocean floor was thicker and didn’t move as much, but it was softer to the skin.
She walked carefully, only stumbling once or twice, in the direction that would take her to her son. As she walked, Arora became aware that she would need clothing if she were to be out with the humans. It wasn’t long before she came across an abandoned sundress in the sand. The owner was no doubt in the water, fraternizing with her male companion. Arora smiled as she slipped the dress over her head and shook the sand from it, then she continued on.
When she came upon a sign indicating that the beach was privately owned, Arora snorted. Who could own the beach? It was a ridiculous notion and she ignored the warning about trespassers. After several yards, Arora could see a very large house. It was close enough to the water to be easily accessible, but just far enough away that the surf would not reach it. The home was enormous, spanning several acres. It was tall and had a lovely ivy growing up the walls. It seemed it was big enough to house five families.
This was the place where she would find Dylan. She knew it in her soul.
Arora didn’t waste time and jogged forward. In her excitement, she forgot that her legs were not fins and her foot twisted in the sand. “Oh!” she cried as her body betrayed her and her balance left her. Arora tipped forward and fell into the sand.
There must have been some kind of alarm because as she lifted her head and spit the sand from her mouth, armed guards swarmed her.
“Who are you?” one demanded.
“What do you think you’re doing here?” another asked her.
Arora coughed and tried to answer but there was too much sand in her mouth. It was in her teeth! She spat again.
“Got some attitude, there?” the first guard sneered as he took Arora’s arm and yanked her to her feet.
“Unhand me!” Arora finally shouted. In her mind, spitting out sand did not constitute attitude.
“Sure thing,” the guard said with a smile. “Just as soon as the Clan Leader says so.” He grinned even bigger, showing her his vampire fangs.
“Yes, please take me to him,” Arora demanded, attempting to take her arm back. It was no use. The vampire guard had her in an iron grip. Yes, the Clan Leader was just who she needed to speak to. She would not be intimidated by this vampire.
“Oh, we will, little miss. We will,” the guard sneered as he pulled her along toward the house.
***
Rebel couldn’t help but smile with pride as he watched his only daughter grinning and showing off her new fangs. He had thought that he was proud of her before as a dragon, but as a vampire, she was even more awe-inspiring. Other than her teeth, she looked exactly the same as she had before. No, that wasn’t exactly true. Her skin seemed to glow from the inside out, and he had a feeling it was more because of the demigod that held her hand and his blood coursing through her veins than the transformation itself.
“I never considered that I might grow fangs,” Toni was saying. “I never had the urge to drink blood before.”
“I never had the urge to feed a vampire before,” Dylan added with a flirty smile at his woman.
Rebel rolled his eyes and Leigh jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow.
“I hate to be the one to bring down the party,” Rebel said, sitting forward in his chair, “but what about your father?”
Dylan looked at Rebel with determination in his eyes. “I will find a way to make him see,” he told Rebel. “Toni is the most important person in the world to me. I won’t let him harm her.”
“And just how will you stop him?” Rebel demanded. “He’s a freaking god!”
Dylan pushed to his feet, finally tired of being treated like he was powerless. “I am no slump myself,” he reminded Rebel through clenched teeth.
“Other than putting my daughter at risk, I have seen nothing of your character or anything to prove to me that you can protect her!” Rebel snarked back at him.
Dylan pressed his lips together. He wasn’t going to fight with the man.
“Dad, stop it,” Toni demanded, standing as well.
“I will not,” Rebel replied, pushing his hat off his head and leaning toward Dylan.
“You don’t wanna do this,” Dylan warned him.
“Maybe I do,” Rebel answered.
“Mom, do something,” Toni beseeched her mother.
“Nope,” Leigh replied.
“Why not?” Toni asked.
“Gonna let him get his ass whooped,” Leigh answered, leaning back in her seat and crossing her legs. She didn’t seem worried that her mate was picking a fight with a powerful demigod. Served him right.
“I would never hurt her,” Dylan snapped.
“But you did,” Rebel pointed out.
Dylan growled deep in his chest. He was pissed, but not at Rebel. He was angry with himself because he knew that the words Rebel spoke were true. He had hurt his mate. He didn’t mean to, but the end result was the same. If that goddess hadn’t come looking for him, Toni might not have made it.
“Truth hurts, doesn’t it?” Rebel tossed out. “Maybe you should consider what’s best for Toni and just go!”
“I can’t leave her!” Dylan shouted. “She has to drink from me.�
��
“Send her bottled blood,” Rebel snarled. The pair had been getting closer to each other with each sentence.
Thunder rolled throughout the sky and the water in the pool outside began to churn. “Um, guys,” Toni said softly, “I think we should just all calm down.”
“I want you to go,” Rebel growled.
“Then I’m taking her with me,” Dylan promised.
“No,” Rebel said.
Dylan was visibly shaking. “Fuck you.” The faucet on the kitchen sink broke off and water began pouring out. But it didn’t flood the house. Instead, Dylan held his hands out and the water made itself into ropes that flowed into the living room. They headed straight for Rebel and snaked around his ankles.
“What the hell?” he demanded as the water ropes ascended his legs, trapping him where he stood. “Stop this.”
Dylan lifted the corner of his lips in a half smile that wasn’t humorous. “Nah,” he replied as he commanded the water up around Rebel’s waist. The water moved fluidly until Rebel’s hands and feet were bound and it circled around the vampire’s neck. “I like this,” Dylan continued. “You think that I am powerless, that I have no way to protect Toni. What you don’t realize is that I have an arsenal at my disposal at any time.”
“You have water,” Rebel said sarcastically.
“Shh,” Dylan said, “Enough talking. Now you listen.” The water ropes moved over Rebel’s mouth and his only option was to keep his mouth shut or drown. “There are many things I can do. I don’t feel the need to list my resume of abilities just to calm your overprotective nature. I get that she’s important to you. She’s everything to me. I didn't know that we were mated before, but now I do. So you just sit back and understand that no matter what it takes, even if it’s my own life, I will protect my mate.”
The water circled tighter around Rebel like steel bands. He grunted because that was all he could do.
“Now will you please back off?” Dylan asked.
Rebel pressed his lips harder together.
“Thank you,” Dylan said. He called the water back to himself and Rebel was released. The ropes flowed without making anything wet all the way back to the sink where it went down the drain.
Rebel scratched his dry head in amazement. “Okay, that’s a decent trick,” he admitted.
“That was just the beginning of what I can do,” Dylan promised.
As the men came to an understanding of sorts, Toni looked to her mother. “How did you know?” she asked her.
Leigh smiled. “I know your father and I know your mate wouldn’t really hurt him,” she answered.
“I was a little worried,” Toni admitted.
Leigh laughed. “You should worry sometimes. It’s good for you.”
18
“Sir,” Cody, the main guard said through the intercom. “We have a situation.”
Angel looked at the men standing in the middle of his living room and decided that the pissing contest was over, at least for the moment. “Oui,” he answered, “What is it?”
“Some of the guys found a woman on the property,” Cody answered him. “She wants to see you.”
“How did she even get passed the guards?” Angel asked him.
“From the water I think,” Cody answered him. Of course she came via water.
“Bring her to me,” Angel told his most trusted guard, then he turned to his family. “We have an unexpected visitor,” he said. “I trust you can all behave yourselves?” He didn’t wait for anyone to reply. He knew they would.
Just as Angel turned toward the door, it opened and Cody walked through with a woman on his arm. She was petite, almost dainty, with platinum blonde hair and eyes the color of the sea. “Welcome, Miss…” Angel said to her.
“Arora,” she answered, none too gently pulling her arm away from Cody. The wolf guard chuckled but let her go. “I am here to see Angel Knight.”
Angel smiled at her. “I am Angel.”
“Well,” she huffed, “I have come a long way and we don’t have a lot of time. We need to talk.”
Angel motioned for her to enter and led her to the living room where everyone else had gathered. He didn’t try to read her mind, he could feel her intentions were good. “Please, have a seat Arora,” he told her, offering the woman a chair.
She sat on the edge of the seat and crossed her ankles. There was something about her, but Angel just couldn’t put his finger on it.
Dylan watched with fascination as the stranger came into the room. She seemed so familiar to him, and yet, he knew he hadn’t ever met her. Still, something deep inside his chest told him that this woman was someone to be protected, and he would. With his life if need be. Whoa, that was a strange feeling. He had never felt that way before Toni and now, in less than a month, here was another woman that he just knew he had a connection to.
“Who are you?” he finally asked her.
Arora looked at Dylan and smiled with pride. Her son had grown up so well. He was a handsome, strong man now. “I am a representative of King Poseidon, the Sea God.”
“Fucking see what I mean?” Rebel roared. “He’s already on his way here.”
“Rebel,” Angel warned.
“I doubt that,” Dylan added, eyeing the woman. “If my father knew I was here, all hell would be breaking loose. It’s not.”
“The boy is right,” Arora said with a loving smile.
Dylan growled at her. She may have been pretty and all, but he didn’t take lightly to being referred to as a boy.
“I meant no disrespect,” Arora continued. “I only meant to convey that you speak the truth. I have spoken with Poseidon and convinced him that I can find you.”
“Well,” Dylan said, tossing a hand in the air, “You’ve found me. Now what do you want?”
“Please,” Angel said politely. “Come in and sit.”
Toni watched this woman with a wary eye. She knew her family was powerful and that there was some pretty serious magic surrounding her home. How did this woman even get there? And how did she know Dylan was there? What did she want from him? Was she going to go back and tattle tale to Poseidon about where Dylan was? Did she think even for a second that Toni was going to give up her mate? Just who did she think she was, anyway? Toni had a good mind to rip her pretty head off her shoulders.
“Easy, love,” Dylan whispered to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. The touch of his hand cooled her ire and it was at that moment that Toni realized she was growling and the air was thick with the smell of sulfur. “I don’t believe she means us harm.”
“You can’t know that,” Toni ground out as she watched the woman accept Angel’s hospitality.
“But I do,” Jade interrupted. “I’m not sure who she is, but I know she wouldn’t hurt your man. She loves him.”
“She doesn’t even know me,” Dylan whispered back.
Jade shrugged her shoulders and took a seat. Toni, feeling somewhat better, sat beside her. “What do you mean, she loves him?” Was that a hint of jealousy in her voice? Hell no. Toni was jealous of no woman.
Jade chuckled. “Not like you think,” she said softly. “It’s like she’s his family.”
Toni resisted the urge to snap her teeth at the woman. Family or not, her dragon wanted to bite her head off. Literally. Was this what her family felt for their mates? She knew there was the need to protect and the unconditional love that came, but she was genuinely surprised at the need to set the entire city ablaze to protect him. Which was just silly because Toni was certain that her man could protect himself.
“Perhaps I could speak with the new couple alone?” Arora asked, interrupting the hushed conversation.
“Over my dead body,” Rebel snapped at her.
“I think whatever you have to say to me, you can say to everyone else,” Dylan said.
Arora smiled sweetly at him. “I have known you since you were born,” she said. “I have been by your side, always.”
“Who are you?” he ask
ed her.
“I take many forms,” Arora answered him. “You know me most recently as Zira.”
The whale? This woman was his friend? “Zira?” he asked. “But how? Are you…” he didn’t finish the sentence. He didn’t even know where to begin.
“I am a mermaid,” she answered him.
“I think it might be okay to go in the other room,” Jade said, standing and giving everyone in the room a look that told them to follow. One by one, everyone cleared out, leaving Toni and Dylan alone with the visitor.
“My mother was a mermaid,” Dylan said after everyone was gone.
“I know,” Arora said. “I want to help you.”
“So, if you’re a representative of Poseidon, then you must know what his problem with me is,” Toni said, getting right to the point.
Arora nodded. “I do. Poseidon is one of the Olympians. They are petty and cruel sometimes. Jealousy is one of their more popular qualities.”
“He’s jealous of me?” Toni asked, then she snorted. “Why?”
“Not of you,” she answered. “He feels as though he can never have his true love, and he doesn’t want anyone else to either, especially his son.”
“That’s stupid,” Toni barked, feeling more uneasy. Jealousy was an irrational emotion. Couple that with a god with unlimited power, and that spelled trouble.
“He has never been satisfied with anything I have done,” Dylan told the women. “It’s never good enough. That’s why he told me to erase myself from Toni’s mind. He thought she was beneath me.”
“Beneath you?” Toni squawked. “Pfft. I don’t think so.”
“I think there may be a way to make him see,” Arora told them. “I will not tell him that I have found you. In fact, I wanted to come here to tell you to run.”
“I’m not running,” Dylan said. “I don’t run. Not from anyone.”
“You will, if you want to keep your woman safe,” Arora commanded.
Dylan shook his head. Running away went against everything that he had ever been taught, but Toni had to be safe. He was torn about what to do.
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