by Sotia Lazu
Behind the king, the ever-present crone let out a chuckle that sounded like grinding gravel. “The half-human has already accepted his claim, my lord.”
“Half-human?” Palaemon and Christina asked as one. They weren’t the only ones surprised, judging by the hubbub that erupted around the table.
The king raised his fist, and all voices ceased. “Explain,” he told the witch.
Circe’s smile was beautiful and frightening. “A lot more than half, to be precise, but I do sense water-nymph blood in her, and I know the daimon’s claim has been accepted.”
Christina slammed her palm on the table. “I accepted nothing.”
Palaemon blinked, and Circe was behind him, her voice in his ear while she caressed his cheek. “You do not think of him as yours, then?” she asked Christina.
“I... I...” Christina squeezed her eyes shut. When she opened them again, a spark of bright green flashed in the irises before disappearing in their depths. “What are you saying?”
“She’s saying you’re mine,” Palaemon said.
A chair screeched against the floor, as Hyperion stood. The Titan squared his shoulders, and his body stretched until he was twice the king’s size. There was no mistaking the element-controlling power emanating from him, or the threat in his stance. “King Nereus, the mortal is under my protection. I will not allow her to enter any agreement against her will.”
“Will you people let me finish?” Palaemon knew better than to raise his voice, but he needed this out and approved, so he could start planning a future with his mate. It hurt that Christina had slid closer to Olivia and looked at him with a mix of fear and disappointment. “What I’m requesting, my liege, is your permission to spend half the year on shore, with Christina, once we’ve secured the”—world—“kingdom of Vythos. And if she agrees, I would have her by my side, here, the rest of the time.”
Christina’s mouth formed an O, her blue eyes wide. “I can do this,” she thought at him. Or to herself. Aloud, she said, “We’ll need to talk things out first. This is so sudden,” but Palaemon heard the resounding yes in her head.
“King Nereus?” he asked.
The king’s stark-white mustache and beard twitched, as a smile blossomed on his lips. “Granted.”
Hyperion shrunk back down and retook his seat, as if he hadn’t been ready to bring down the palace moments ago. “Congratulations, Christina. I believe you just got engaged.”
The witch blinked back to behind Nereus. “There is one more thing the mortal should know about the bonding. While she’s under the sea, she will age at the same rate as the sea daimon does.”
Which was a day for every human year. If he convinced her to move here, she’d be practically immortal.
Christina pinned him with her big blue eyes. “How old are you?”
“A few millennia older than I look.”
She swallowed hard and let out a forced laugh. “Guess I can stop wasting money on eye cream, then.”
Chapter Nine
“You okay?” Olivia leaned against the bedroom doorway, watching Christina pace from one side of the spacious room to the other.
Christina threw her arms up. “Yes. No. I don’t know.”
Olivia stepped into her path. “Hey. Hey.” She wrapped her arms around Christina and held her close. “I know how you feel.”
Did she? Because Christina wasn’t all that sure she did.
“You like Palaemon. More than like him. You’re falling for him at a rate your logic cannot accept. Right?”
Christina nodded against Olivia’s shoulder. “It’s like I can’t think when he touches me.”
Brushing her hair back from her face, Olivia pulled back to look into her eyes. “That’s your soul and your body recognizing your connection before your mind has caught up. I know Circe is scary, especially when she looks like this, but she’s good, deep down. And she knows stuff. If she says you’re meant to be with him, you are, but Hyperion and I won’t let them force you into anything. If you don’t want Palaemon to stay above—”
Christina huffed. “I do. That’s what scares me. And practically being immortal when I’m down here? That’s so weird.”
“I’m immortal.” Olivia shrugged. “Won’t affect you for a couple decades. The neighbors will be whispering shit about you getting plastic surgery, but they won’t exactly be able to guess what’s up. And you can always stay here, if you decide to.”
“You make it sound so simple.”
“Because once you get rid of preconceptions about what should be, you see what is.” Palaemon’s voice came from the entrance. “I should have told you what I planned, but I had to see your gut reaction, before doubt settled in. And what you screamed in your head was yes.”
He crossed the room to them, and Olivia stepped back, letting him embrace Christina.
“I didn’t give you permission to read my thoughts,” Christina said. But her traitorous hands were already running through his gorgeous blue hair. She had a freaking sea daimon, an ancient deity, a real-life Aquaman, all to herself.
He laid a tender kiss on the crown of her head. “I wasn’t listening in; you projected the thought. The fact remains that your first instinct was to accept my proposal. You want to be with me.”
She did. She nodded, and Palaemon tightened his hold as he crushed his mouth on hers.
“I’ll leave you two alone.” Olivia padded out of the room and closed the door with a quiet snick.
Palaemon broke the kiss but didn’t let go. “I must take you ashore. You’ll be safer far from all this until we know Kronos cannot come out of stasis. Hyperion and Prometheus plan on bringing Atlas’ statue to Vythos before he awakens, so I must return immediately.” His gem-blue eyes sparkled. “But I will be back for you. Do you want me to, Christina?”
There was only one answer to this. “I do.”
WANT MORE TITANS? Get the FREE prequel, Under, HERE
Book 1 – A Nereid for the Titan
Book 2 – A Maid for the Titan
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Book 3 – A Guard for the Titan
Book 3.5 – Above: A TITANS Novelette
Book 4 – A Seer for the Titan
Book 5 – A Titaness for the Titan
INTO VAMPIRE URBAN Fantasy? Read the Vampire Cherry series!
#0 Cherry Pop – FREEBIE, #1 Cherry Stem, #2 Cherry Blossom, #3 Cherry Pie, #3.5 Cherry Christmas - FREEBIE (a Vampire Cherry/Paranormal Vampire Investigator crossover)
And continue with Paranormal Vampire Investigator #1 Cherry Stem and the Pissed-off Ghost
In the mood for Contemporary Ménage? Threefold is what you need!
#1 Colin – FREEBIE, #2 Brad, #3 Becca