by Lisa Kessler
Trinity slipped into the shower with him and chuckled, her smile lighting up her beautiful face. “Okay, this is an amazing shower. You could fit five people in here.”
He clasped his hands on either side of her hips and brought her in closer to him. “You’re the only person I want to share my shower with.”
She smiled, running her hands up his wet chest. “Lucky me.” Her gaze darted to his shoulder, and her eyes widened. “Rhea’s mark is gone.”
He nodded. “Apparently I should have died as Achilles did when he was shot in the heel. Apollo changed my fate, but his healing must’ve lifted the blessing, too.”
She pressed a kiss over his heart. “I thought I lost you tonight.” She looked up at him from under her dark lashes, her skin shiny, wet, and oh so tempting. “I used to think that saying ‘You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone’ was a cliché. But I was wrong. It’s super true.”
He kissed her forehead. “When Apollo’s power shot through me, I could hear your song. I’ve never experienced such intense pain, but as much as my body ached to surrender, your voice gave me the strength to fight.” He pulled back enough to see her face. “I’m weak and battered, but I’m still not ready to give up. I want more time with you. I want a future.”
“I want that, too.” She reached up to bring him down for a kiss, but his ribs pinched. He straightened, laughing and cursing all at once. “Dammit. Rhea couldn’t give me one more dose of healing energy?”
Trinity put some shower gel on a loofa and worked it into a foam. “We’ll just have to be careful, and you’ll have to let me do the work.”
Her sexy smile had his erection reminding him once more that not all parts of his body were injured. She turned him around, running the loofa up his back in tender, gentle circles.
She sucked in a breath. “Probably for the best that you can’t see your back. It’s as if you got struck by lightning or something. You’ve got a modern masterpiece in the veins back here.” She worked lower, caressing his ass. “Thankfully your perfect backside seems unscathed.”
He tensed his glutes, and she rewarded him with her musical laughter. His heart swelled. But bitterness threatened to swallow his joy. It was fucking unfair to finally win her trust, her love, only to have an immortal destroy the world.
She pressed her lips to his back, and his anger dissipated, replaced by a surge of gratitude. Even if he only got to enjoy her for a few days, he was luckier than most. He turned around to face her again, running his wet hands up her waist. “I’m aching to kiss you, but bending seems to be an issue at the moment.”
“Next time I’ll bring a step stool.”
He chuckled, careful not to jar his ribs. “You’re such a gift, Trin.”
He cupped her breasts, enjoying the weight of them in his hands as he toyed with her nipples until they hardened into tight nubs. She set the loofa aside and ran her soapy hands down his thighs. Her gaze remained locked on his as she bent her knees. Her full lips parted, and she slowly took him into her mouth, humming as her tongue teased his shaft.
His legs trembled, but he stayed upright. He buried his hands in her wet hair. The warmth of her mouth was heaven. She slid her hands around him and gripped his ass, her lips gliding along his length faster. Gods, he wanted to lift her up and bury himself inside her. The pleasure and the torment of not being able to move only heightened the intensity.
He dropped his head back, closing his eyes, struggling to keep from surrendering. Not yet. His erection pulsed against her tongue. He pulled his hips back, sliding free from her lips. “I’m too close.”
She smiled. “This may the only way we can do this tonight. Your ribs are too sore. Let me finish.”
“My ribs are fine.” Far from true, but his desire for her outweighed his body aches.
He washed her hair, her grateful moans keeping his erection throbbing and ready. Damn, he’d never wanted any woman so urgently in his life. They rinsed off and he wrapped a towel around his waist.
He took her hand, walking her over to the bed while attempting to calculate a position that wouldn’t hurt his ribs. Tough to think straight when all his blood was rushing away from his brain, though. “I think if I sit on the edge of the bed I won’t crush my ribs.”
She raised a brow. “And me straddling your lap isn’t going to hurt anything?”
He grinned and yanked her towel free. “We won’t know unless we try.”
Trinity waited for him to sit and then stood in front of him, stroking his erection. She ran her finger around the tip, drinking in the pleasure on his face. He froze, and she frowned. “Is this hurting you?”
“No.” He shook his head. “I forgot a condom. They’re in the bathroom.”
“Screw it.” She swallowed the lump in her throat. “If we live long enough to deal with the consequences, then we’ll count ourselves lucky.”
He brought his hand up to caress her cheek. “It wouldn’t be a consequence, agapi mou. It would be a blessing.”
Her heart melted along with all her worries for the world. Right now, they were the world. Everything else faded away. Against all odds, they survived, and dammit, she loved him.
She came forward and straddled his lap. His big hands gripped her ass, holding her up. She rested her forehead against his, sliding him slowly inside her. She moaned as he filled her.
He kissed her, whispering, “My heart, my life, are yours.”
“’Til the end of time,” she breathed as she fused her lips to his.
They both understood the end might be coming soon, but even if it didn’t come for decades, it wouldn’t be long enough. She’d never get enough of him. She worked her hips, sliding along his length, careful not to jar his chest. The effort had her muscles tight, sweat beading on her forehead.
And it felt so damned good. She’d had sex before, but this was…this was making love. This was celebrating being alive.
He nibbled his way down her neck, his hand sliding between them, rubbing gently at first until he found the spot that made her breath catch. “Right there,” she gasped.
She ground her hips into him faster as he coaxed her closer to surrender. Her lips brushed his ear. “Look at me,” she whispered.
He lifted his head, his gaze locked on hers. The intensity in his eyes, the emotions that played on his battered features, called to her. Her inner muscles clenched around him. “Come with me.”
It was all the permission he needed. He erupted deep inside her, his body trembling, but their eyes never strayed. She’d never shared an intimate moment like this so honestly with anyone. It left her heart bare, but there was no trace of fear, no urge to cover her vulnerabilities. She didn’t have to. From the core of her being, she knew he would protect her, just as she’d do the same for him.
“I love you, Trinity. Always.” His voice was deep, throaty, and raw.
She kissed him, tangling her fingers in the back of his hair. “I love you, too.”
He deepened the kiss, his tongue parting her lips. His hands moved up her back, holding her tighter until he groaned and pulled back. “Dammit.” He winced, shaking his head. “I think I need to lie down.”
She helped him into the bed and crawled in beside him. “That was amazing. If you didn’t have cracked ribs, you might have killed me.”
He chuckled and opened his arms. “Come here.”
She eyed his chiseled, black-and-blue chest. “You sure I won’t hurt you if I snuggle in?”
He grinned. “It won’t if you’re gentle.”
She waggled her eyebrows playfully. “Oh, I can be gentle.”
He laughed and cringed. “Come here.”
She lay in his arms with a goofy smile on her face that felt like it might never go away. She’d never dreamed she could feel this way.
He kissed her hair. “Will you move in with me?”
She lifted her head, staring down at him. “Seriously?”
“I know it’s fast, but considering we may only hav
e a few days left…”
Gods, he was right.
He ran his finger along her jaw. “I want to spend every second I have left with you.”
She turned to kiss his fingertip. “Me too.”
He raised a brow with a sexy grin that had part of her that should be exhausted perking up. “Is that a yes?”
“It’s a hell yes.” The last two words were breathy, teasing him. But she meant it.
He smiled and pulled her in for a slow kiss. “Let’s laugh and love until the world ends.”
“Deal.” She settled against his chest, her eyes drifting closed.
He stroked her shoulder. “Does that mean you’ll come with me to pick up my grandparents in the morning?”
Trinity lifted her head and grinned. “I can’t wait to meet them.”
He chuckled. “They’re going to love you.”
CHAPTER 18
Mikolas scanned the line of people coming down the escalator toward baggage claim. Trinity was beside him, holding his hand. She nudged him with her hip. “Tell me about them.”
He smiled just thinking of his grandparents. “Nona loves to cook, and she’s the Muse of Astronomy, so do not indulge her with stargazing unless you’re prepared to be up all night.” He chuckled, looking over at Trinity. “She’s never been to America and her English is a little rough, but that won’t stop her from trying to show you every constellation.”
“She’s going to love the lights on the ceiling of the theater lobby.”
He nodded. “She’s going to love everything about your theater.”
“And your grandfather?”
“Papou filled my head with stories about the gods and goddesses from the time I was a little boy. It was his idea to send me undercover into the Order of the Titans to stop them from freeing Kronos. The gods have never been a myth to my grandfather; he’s always been a believer. Ah!” Mikolas noticed them at the top of the escalator. “There they are.”
He pointed toward an elderly man wearing a Hawaiian shirt with surfboards all over it, and his nona was right beside him in a bright-yellow top with a white straw hat. She spotted Mikolas and waved.
Mikolas squeezed Trinity’s hand and led her over to meet them at the bottom of the escalator. He embraced them both and tried to pull away to introduce Trinity, but Nona wasn’t going to let him get away yet.
She pinched his cheek. “Miko! You’re too skinny.” She noticed the cut on his eyebrow and frowned. “You’re hurt.”
He chuckled. His ribs, thankfully, didn’t protest as much this morning. “You should see the other guy.”
His grandfather shook his head. “I’m sorry the gods didn’t give you my gift, Miko.”
“I’m fine.” He reached for Trinity, pulling her closer to him. “This is Trinity, my muse.”
He stepped back as his grandparents suffocated her with hugs and peppered her with questions. She smiled at him and did her best to field every query. How could he possibly love her more?
But he did. With every second.
His grandmother insisted on visiting the theater first, so Mikolas loaded their luggage in the trunk as they got into his car. He and Trinity had agreed not to darken the excitement of the theater opening with revealing Rhea’s dire warning, but seeing his grandparents made it impossible to ignore what would happen if Kronos destroyed everything. He’d never see his parents or his home in Greece ever again.
He rubbed the ache in his chest and pushed the dark thoughts to the back of his mind. Hopefully the others would be at the theater, working on last-minute preparations for the opening. Staying busy made it easier live in the present instead of worrying about the future.
As Mikolas parked in the newly paved theater lot, Zack was helping an elderly woman out of his car. Mikolas frowned and glanced at Trinity. “He’s disguised again. And who is that with him?”
Trinity surprised him, turning around to his grandmother. “Mrs. Leandros?”
“Call me Nona,” she said in her heavy Greek accent.
Trinity smiled. “Nona, our generation lost the Muse of Astronomy and the Muse of Hymns, but the woman over there is from your generation. Her name is Agnes Hanover. She’s the Muse of Hymns.”
His grandmother’s eyes widened, and she reached for the door handle. In Greek, she rambled on about all nine muses and how she’d never found any of her sisters. Before Trinity could say another word, Nona was out of the Mercedes and heading for Mrs. Hanover.
Mikolas chuckled, shaking his head. “We didn’t get to tell her the old man is really Zeus.”
His grandfather coughed. “What?”
Mikolas nodded. “This is his disguise to blend into our world, but that’s Zeus. He calls himself Zack Vrontios.”
His grandfather smiled. “Thunder,” he said, translating Zack’s last name aloud. “He still walks among the mortals. I should have known.”
Mikolas opened his door. “We should have warned Nona.”
“It is better this way, Miko.” With a twinkle in his eye, his grandfather grinned.
Mikolas came around the car and took Trinity’s hand. His brow furrowed for a moment, suddenly realizing something. “Hanover… That’s Cooper’s last name, isn’t it?”
“Yep.” She squeezed his hand. “She’s his grandmother.”
Mikolas raised a brow. “Are any of the other Guardians related to muses?”
“Clio told me Mason had an older cousin who was the Muse of Music.” She lowered her voice. “Philyra drowned her when he was just a little boy. He was hunting her. That’s what brought him to Crystal City in the first place.”
“I wonder how long Zeus has been planning for this day. From birth, we’ve all been pawns on his chessboard.” Mikolas stared at Zack in his purple hooligan hat. As if he could sense Mikolas, Zack turned and met his gaze, then tugged on the brim in greeting.
Trinity squeezed Mikolas’s hand, pulling his attention back to her. “Don’t waste your time being angry.”
She was right. Time was precious. He lifted their joined hands to his lips and kissed her knuckles. “Thank you.”
She winked. “We make a good team.”
By the time they caught up with Nona and Mrs. Hanover, the two muses were hugging. A tear rolled down Nona’s cheek as she stepped back.
Mrs. Hanover dabbed the corner of her eye. “We were on opposite sides of the world all this time.”
Nona nodded and reached for Trinity’s hand. “The theater was not in our generation’s destiny, but we can still help them. They only have seven. We can make them complete.”
Cooper’s grandmother blinked. “Oh, do you need help with the opening?”
Trinity smiled. “Actually, we were hoping you might want to get involved.”
The three women walked toward the theater hand in hand with Trinity in the middle, leaving Mikolas behind with his grandfather and Zeus. Papou eyed Zack warily, so Mikolas turned to Zack to introduce them. “Zack, this is my grandfather—”
“Alexander, Guardian to Sofia,” Zack finished for him. He came forward and offered his hand.
Mikolas’s grandfather stood slack-jawed, his English halted and broken. “You are…truly… They tell me you are, but I…can’t…understand…You’re—”
“Zeus.” For a moment, Zack allowed his disguise to fade. His skin glowed as if the sun radiated from inside his chest instead of up in the sky, his eyes sparking with power. “Thank you for protecting Sofia and for sending Mikolas to the other side of the world. Without you, we would have no hope of defending this world from my father’s wrath.”
His grandfather nodded and took Zeus’s hand as he morphed back into Zack. “Ah, you are old again.”
Zack laughed and pulled Mikolas’s grandfather in for a tight hug. He released him and stepped back. “It’s easier to blend in. And I can’t seem like a threat.” The immortal sobered, looking at both of them. “Eons ago, the Guiders of Destiny predicted my father’s escape from Tartarus, and they foresaw the danger to m
y daughters. I brought them into the world every generation, knowing it might take more than one generation to complete this mission. Seeing it all come to fruition is…satisfying.”
“Satisfying?” Mikolas stared at the King of Olympians, shaking his head and struggling to rein in his frustration. He put his arm around his grandfather’s shoulders, his gaze locked on Zack. “I realize that to you we’re just playthings in some cosmic game, but I love that woman, who embodies the spirit of one of your daughters. I would die for Trinity. For us, this isn’t a game.”
Zack raised a brow, his tone stern. “I have mourned every death.”
“Maybe so, but I’m telling you this ‘plan’ you’ve been working on for centuries is being played out by people of flesh and blood. We won’t live forever like you, so the time we have is precious, the people are priceless. Two of Trinity’s friends are dead. So maybe hold off on being satisfied until all of your daughters are safe.”
Papou nudged him. “Miko… You are speaking to Zeus.”
“I know who he is, Papou. He marked me to be Trinity’s Guardian and laid out my destiny before I was born, but I want it to be crystal clear that I’m not fighting for the gods, or for humanity, or for Zeus.” He pointed to Trinity and his grandmother as they stood in front of the painting of Urania on the outside of the building. “I’ll fight because I love those two women over there, and love is the only thing worth fighting for.”
Before he said something that Zeus might make him live to regret, he broke free of his grandfather and started toward Trinity.
Zeus watched Mikolas walk away, a smile tugging at his lips. Pulling the golden thread through time, marking honorable men to be Guardians, had been a heavy responsibility, but Mikolas Leandros was proof that Zeus had chosen wisely. The mortal stood before him, knowing Zeus could strike him down at any time, and he still spoke his truth, protected his muse.
Love was a complicated emotion for gods with limitless time, but humans cherished it for the gift it was meant to be. They experienced the pain of its loss in a way that immortals struggled to understand.