Song of the Soul

by Lisa Kessler

  Trinity nodded slowly. “Yeah, he’s massive as a wolf. Add in the superhuman strength and his jaws snapped her head right off her shoulders.”

  He nodded. “For now, Iapetus hasn’t figured out Mason’s power, or that he’s a Lycan. If we can lure the Titan away from Kronos, we could lead him right to Mason’s wolf.”

  Trinity straightened, shaking her head. “You’re missing a really important piece of the puzzle. Just being a wolf won’t be enough. He needs to be crazy strong when he attacks and that only happens if Clio’s in danger.”

  “Or if I’m close enough to magnify his power.”

  Trinity raised a brow. “Okay…that could work.” Her gaze locked on his. “But that means your demigod powers have to kick in, which makes me the bait.”

  “Maybe not, though,” he said. “My gift worked with Cooper today and the only one in danger was Callie.”

  Trinity nodded slowly. “True…but I was with you.”

  He thought back to the gala. He’d been alone when he had tried to wake Ted from Kronos’s magic and nothing had happened.

  “Shit.” His heart sank. “This isn’t going to work. It’s too risky.”

  She placed her hand on his thigh and gave it a squeeze. “So when it was just you and Mason in harm’s way, this plan was a possibility, but if I’m nearby it’s too risky?”

  He covered her hand with his. “I’m not dangling you in front of the God of Mortality.” Just thinking about it churned a pit of dread in his stomach.

  She stared out the picture window into the darkness, her gaze distant. “But you could be on to something.” He started to respond, but she glanced his way with a raised finger. “Just hear me out on this. What if I’m with a couple of my muse sisters and their Guardians. Then if Iapetus came after me, all of us would be in danger. That means all the Guardians powers would be activated at once.”

  It could work, but if it didn’t, it would be catastrophic. But if they didn’t stop the Titans, humanity was doomed anyway. His heart wrenched. It was an impossible choice. He shook his head, trying to refocus on the logistics. “Who are you thinking should be with you?”

  “Clio, for sure, so Mason can be superstrong while he’s a wolf. Hunter would be handy to hear the Piercer’s thoughts before he makes his move, but I don’t think we’ll be able to get Callie on board for this plan.”

  “What about Nate, Gavin, and Cooper?” He had purposefully left Reed out of the equation. The firefighter would be more likely to attack Mikolas than the Titan.

  Trinity gave it some thought, then met his eyes. “Nate needs to protect the little ones, but Gavin’s superspeed could be a big advantage, and he’s good with a gun. A bullet may not kill Iapetus, but it would probably slow him down. And we should keep Cooper close in case anyone gets injured. You could help him manage all the power if he has to call on Apollo.”

  “Maybe we can talk to them at the Halloween party tomorrow night.”

  She nodded and squeezed his leg again. “I bet Erica could get Reed on board, too.”

  He shook his head. “Not a good idea. I don’t blame Reed for hating me, but we’ll have our hands full as it is, and any distractions or fights among us could get everyone killed.”

  Her brow arched. “Do you even know what his gift is?”

  “No.”

  “He can move things with his mind.”

  Ahh, now Mikolas could understand her eagerness to add Reed to the plan. But the firefighter had made himself crystal clear when he had told Mikolas how he felt about him. “We don’t need it. Once Mason is a wolf with Herculean strength, I can help magnify his power even more. Iapetus won’t stand a chance.” He rolled his shoulders. “Reed has sacrificed enough. The guy died in that fire, and Apollo brought him back. I was the leader of the Order at the time. When he sees me, I’m a reminder of how close he came to losing everything.”

  “Maybe you’re right.” She pushed her hair back from her forehead. “I guess we can talk to everyone tomorrow night and see if we can get this plan off the ground.”

  He took her hand. “Thank you.”

  “For what?” She smiled.

  “For listening. And for improving the plan. You’ve been part of this group much longer than I have, and I value your insights.”

  She squeezed his hand. “We make a good team.”

  Her words struck a chord in his chest. “I agree.” He stood up and pulled her to her feet. “I think I owe you a tour.”

  She grinned, and the joy on her face took his breath away. Gods, he could get addicted to seeing this woman happy.

  He walked her down the hallway, pointing out guest rooms and bathrooms. At the end of the hall, the ceiling vaulted up again in a tiled atrium that rose two stories. In the center was a grand piano, and in the corner, a staircase led up to his office and the master suite.

  “No way.” Trinity went straight to the walnut piano. She sat on the bench and opened the keyboard. “Oh gods. It really is.” She turned around toward him. “This is an antique Euterpe piano. Do you know how rare these are?”

  “It was my grandmother’s. I took lessons on it for years, and she insisted I ship it to California when I moved here.” He shrugged, staring at the EUTERPE in gold letters. “It never occurred to me that it was a sign until now.”

  “I’ve never seen one. Not in person.” She looked over her shoulder at him. “Mind if I try it out?”

  “I didn’t know you played the piano. I thought the guitar was your instrucment.”

  She smiled and faced the keys again. Her fingers ran through a few scales faster than he’d ever heard, and certainly faster than he’d ever mastered. As she played, she answered. “I can play the piano, guitar, flute, and violin. Music is…me.” Her eyes sparkled. “Sing me a song. I’ll see if I can find chords.”

  “I don’t sing.” He chuckled. “I can barely play the piano.”

  She rolled her eyes. “I bet you can. You just need the right inspiration.”

  He leaned against the wall, unable to wipe the grin from his face as she launched into the “Overture” from Carmen. She had it memorized. Impressive.

  Her body rocked with the melody, and her hands danced over the keys, rising with the flourish of a concert pianist. She was a vision, pulling emotion out of every note, making his antique piano sing.

  She hit the final chord and smiled at him. “What?”

  “You’re beautiful.”

  Color flushed her cheeks. “I thought it was the music.”

  “You are the music.” Mikolas shook his head and came closer, standing in the crook of the piano. “This is going to sound stupid since we both know we’re on the brink of extinction, but for what it’s worth, I never dreamed I could feel this way.”

  She focused on the keyboard, coaxing out a soft, sustained chord. “What way?”

  He struggled to find the words, but they wouldn’t come. Instead, he leaned over and lifted her hand from the keys. “Come here for a second.”

  She got up from the bench and came around in front of the piano with him. He reached to close the cover on the keyboard before meeting her eyes. “I don’t have the English words. I need to show you.”

  Her dark eyes sparkled. “I’m intrigued.”

  He drew her into his arms, pressing a kiss to the top of her head as he whispered, “De exo niosi pote etsi os tora.”

  She rested her head against his chest as they slowly started to sway, a slow dance to the music of their heartbeats. “What does it mean?”

  He closed his eyes, drinking in the scent of her hair. “I have never felt this… This is new. These feelings.”

  There was no plan or an agenda, just a raw need to be near her, to touch her. As he embraced her, a melody resonated in his chest until he softly gave voice to the words. Gradually he recognized the tune, a Greek love song his grandfather used to sing to his muse when Mikolas was just a boy.

  Trinity’s breath teased his neck as she hummed along with him, harmonizing, makin
g the song theirs even though she didn’t understand the words. Maybe they didn’t need them.

  His heart pounded as he pressed his lips to her bare shoulder. She turned her head, her eyes meeting his. Her lips were so close to his, he couldn’t resist the pull any longer. She returned the kiss, setting off a wave of passion he’d never known before. This wasn’t a surprise like their first one had been, and it wasn’t an urgent lust or surge of need. This kiss had him yearning to be closer, smoldering with desire to lose himself in her, like he’d finally found a missing part of his soul.

  Her hand slid up into the back of his hair as his tongue tangled slowly with hers. She moaned into the kiss, and something ignited inside him. He needed to be closer. Now.

  He bent his knees and scooped her up into his arms. She smiled, kissing him between each word. “If you drop me, I’ll kick your ass.”

  “If we go down, we’re going together.” He laughed into her mouth as he ascended the staircase. “No way I’m dropping you.”

  He lowered her onto the king-size bed and laid over her, savoring the sweet taste of her lips. Gradually he broke the kiss and stared down at her, memorizing every curve of her face.

  Trinity caressed his cheek. “I need to tell you something.”

  He turned his head, kissing her palm before meeting her eyes again. “Okay.”

  “We have horrible timing, what with the Titans wanting to wipe out the human race and all.” Her smile couldn’t mask the regret in her eyes. “But in case there is no tomorrow, I want you to know…I’ve never felt like this before either.”

  She searched his face, her index finger tracing his jawline. “I’m a different person than I was back in college—smarter, wiser, more jaded. But when I’m with you, you accept me just the way I am. I don’t have to try to hide the wounded parts of myself. This is a gift I never knew I wanted or would ever have.”

  He kissed her forehead, his voice rumbling in his chest. “I’ve spent my life chasing a predetermined destiny, the son of a powerful man, none of it my choice, but I did what was expected. It was a charmed, empty life.” His gaze locked on hers. “Until I met you, my life had purpose, but no meaning. You have given me hope, Trinity. Something to live for.”

  She ran her hands up his back. “Thank you for not giving up on me.”

  He chuckled and gave a lopsided smile. “You probably haven’t noticed, but I’m very stubborn when there’s something I really want.”

  She laughed, shaking her head, but gradually, her laughter faded as she looked up into his eyes. Her grip on his shoulders tightened. “I want you, too.”

  Hearing her say the words loosened the tenuous hold on his desire. He fused his lips to hers and surrendered.

  CHAPTER 11

  Gods, this man could kiss. She couldn’t get enough of him. Grabbing fistfuls of his shirt, she tugged it over his head, only breaking the kiss long enough to toss it away. The heat from his skin soaked right through her clothes, enticing her to lose all barriers between them.

  His hands slid up her sides, right underneath her top, pushing it higher. The second his bare abdomen pressed against hers, desire raced through her veins, her body aching to rush the tempo of the moment. She parted her legs, allowing his hips to sink even closer. His erection throbbed against her until she was cursing their clothes.

  He covered her neck with hot, slow, searing kisses as he lifted her top over her head and dropped it to the floor. He stared down at her for a moment, and the passion smoldering in his eyes made her heart race. She ran her hand up his muscular chest, allowing her gaze to wander, but a red mark on his shoulder caught her eye. It looked like a burn.

  She carefully touched the mark. “What happened? Is this where Rhea touched you?”

  “Yes.” He nodded, a sexy smile curving the corner of his mouth. “But the last thing I want right now is to talk about gods and goddesses.” He popped the front clasp of her bra open and dipped his head. “You’re all I care about.”

  He took her nipple into the heat of his mouth, and her breath caught. Her fingers tangled in the back of his hair, and he cupped her other breast, teasing the nipple until it tightened into a taut peak. She arched her back, offering herself to him.

  His hands moved lower, unbuttoning her jeans. He lifted his head. “I have protection in the bathroom. Want me to go get it?”

  She’d forgotten about everything except her need for him, but he hadn’t. His voice echoed through her memory: You’re all I care about.

  He was proving they weren’t just words. He meant them. It was her protection above his pleasure.

  “Yes.” She caught his arm before he got up. “And lose those pants on your way back.”

  He raised a brow with a sexy grin. “Will yours be gone, too?”

  “I could arrange that.”

  “If only my gift from the gods was superspeed.” He got up from the bed. “I’ll be right back.”

  She ogled his backside until he disappeared into the bathroom. Then she shimmied out of her jeans and underwear. If someone had told her a couple of weeks ago that she’d be naked in Mikolas’s bed, she would’ve busted a gut laughing. But so much had changed since then.

  She got up and turned down the bed, sliding between the soft sheets. Propping her head on her elbow, she lay on her side facing the bathroom. Right on cue, Mikolas opened the door and returned to the bed with a foil packet—and nothing else.

  Every inch of his tan body was chiseled and strong. When her gaze reached his face, he chuckled. “I thought we had a deal.”

  “We did.” She threw the covers back, flashing him. “I’m a woman of my word.”

  His gaze caressed her skin as he set the condom on the night stand and slid into bed with her. He rolled her onto her back, his lips picking up where he left off, his tongue swirling around her nipple. His searing kisses trailed lower making her writhe with need. When he reached her naval, he peered up at her from under his dark lashes and pushed her legs further apart.

  “Tóso ómorfi agápi mou,” he whispered. “You are so damn beautiful, Trin.”

  He dropped his head down, feeding on her core, his lips and tongue driving her wild until she cried out his name. He hummed his approval against her, his tongue teasing her faster, more urgently. She grasped one of the pillows and tossed it off the bed so she could grip the headboard, rocking her hips into him as raw desire consumed her.

  “Don’t stop,” she gasped.

  He slipped two fingers inside her and coaxed her to the brink. “I want to taste you,” he growled. “Come for me.”

  Hearing the hunger in his voice pushed her over the edge. Her orgasm rocked through her like a tidal wave, every muscle contracting. She couldn’t breathe, but what a way to go…

  He worked his fingers inside her slowly through the aftershocks and then kissed his way back up her body. He nibbled at her shoulder, and the tip of his erection brushed her opening, making her ache to feel him inside her, filling her. He reached for the condom, but she took it from him before he could tear it open.

  “My turn.” She rolled him over, kissing along his collarbone before she sat up over him.

  She tore the foil packet and straddled his thighs. The desire in his eyes had heat pooling low in her belly. Already, her body yearned for his attention again. She swirled her index finger around the tip of his shaft, enjoying the way his hands tightened on her legs, his hips bucking toward her as she slid the condom down his shaft.

  Leaning over him, she stared into his eyes, her hips hovering just out of reach. She kissed him, savoring the taste of his mouth, and then whispered, “I want you.”

  He gripped her hips, fusing his lips to hers as he guided her onto his erection, entering her completely. She explored his chest with her fingertips, her pulse thundering in her ears as her tongue wrestled urgently with his. She couldn’t get close enough to him.

  Mikolas held her tight and rolled them over, his thrusts slow and deep. She looked up at him, memorizing every ang
le of his face, the intensity in his eyes.

  He rested his forehead on hers. “I never want this to end, but you feel too good.”

  “So do you,” she breathed against his lips.

  He kissed her again and slipped his hand between their bodies. His fingers rubbed her core in time with his thrusts. She moaned into the kiss, dragging her fingernails down his back and over the curve of his ass. She squeezed, encouraging him to go faster as she neared the edge again.

  His hips slammed into her once more and exploded inside her. He kept teasing her, his fingers working faster until she was clenching around him, her orgasm engulfing her senses.

  Breaking the kiss, he struggled to catch his breath. “That was…”

  Trinity nodded. “Yeah…”

  He rested his head on her chest while she threaded her fingers through his hair. Not only was her pulse racing like crazy, but her heart was curiously melty at the same time. After Ted’s betrayal, she’d sworn off men completely, so she hadn’t sex in a few years but she didn’t remember any of it being as intense as this.

  Mikolas finally lifted his head. “I’ll be right back.”

  She nodded, and he slid free of her body. He disappeared into the bathroom again and returned without the condom. He got into bed with her, and she snuggled against his chest, her head resting over his heart. She closed her eyes, drinking in the rhythm of his heartbeat. His pulse was primal music to her muse, a song she recognized.

  His hand caressed her back as he kissed the top of her head. “Can you stay here tonight?”

  She came up with a million reasons she shouldn’t—no clean clothes, no toiletries, no makeup. They were all valid excuses, but even so, none of them motivated her to get out of his bed, to leave the safety of his arms.

  “I’d like that.” She lifted her head. “But I don’t have my toothbrush or anything, so I’ll be scary in the morning.”

  He chuckled. “Takes more than that to scare me.”

  “Good thing.” She settled back against his chest, her breathing slowing to match his, and gradually, she succumbed to sleep.