Ryder found a motel about half an hour away, went into the office to check in, then dragged her into their room. She pulled away to go into the small bathroom and scrub her bloody hand and wrist clean. When she stepped out of the little room, he picked her up, carried her several steps, and dropped her onto the bed.
She laughed, in spite of the look in his eyes--that look that said he couldn’t quite believe it was finished.
He jerked her blouse out of his way and tugged down the waistband of her skirt so he could look at the tattoo. His eyes widened, and he simply stared for a long moment. Then he grinned at her.
She held out her arms, and he came down into them, rolling to his side to hold her tight. She didn’t mind the iron grip. They were both alive. Alive. And she was no longer the Medusa.
Happiness and relief welled up until she thought she might burst. “I want to go home, Ryder.”
He leaned back enough to look into her face. “Have you decided where you’d like that to be?”
She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. As long as Mom is nearby and there’s room for Jason to play and have a dog.”
“He wants a horse,” he said with a smile.
“Dog. He’s been asking for a dog for three years.”
“That was before Danny put him on a damned horse.” Ryder’s grin was mischievous. “We’ll have to find a place outside the city that’s big enough for a horse.”
Philomena shut her eyes. “We’ll talk about it.” She had a feeling it was a battle she’d lose. And she didn’t care.
Ryder’s fingers slid up to her nape, and she let him tip her head back, opening her eyes. “You are going to marry me.”
She resisted the urge to smile and raised her eyebrows. “I don’t remember being asked.”
He growled at her.
She waited.
He released her and rolled upright, then stood and set his hands on his hips. “You didn’t think after all this that I’d let you go, did you?”
She rose, too, folding her arms over her chest. And waited. Her heart pounded harder, and she wondered if he could hear it.
Ryder dragged one hand over his head, rumpling his hair, and blew out an exasperated breath. Then he dropped to one knee in front of her, his expression somber.
Mena’s jaw dropped as her eyes widened.
“Philomena Gregory, I hoped I’d have a ring to put on your finger when I did this, but will you please marry me?” He caught her hands in his.
Her knees wobbled. “Oh, my Gods,” she whispered.
He smiled. “You didn’t really think I meant it, did you?”
“I knew you did. It’s why the amulet is gone.” She let her weak legs have their way and fell onto her knees in front of him. “I knew you’d do what you promised, that you’d keep me safe. I trusted you to do it.” She set her hands on his cheeks. “I love you.”
His smile softened as she spoke. “I love you, too. Is that a yes?”
“Yes.”
He grabbed her, crushing her to him, and she felt the burn of tears. Happy ones.
His heart beat fast against her chest, and his fingers flexed on her.
“Let’s go get Jason and Aggie and fly to Vegas.”
She laughed, tipping her head back. “How about we plan something after we find a place to live?”
He shook his head. “I’ve waited a long time for you, Mena mine. I’m not waiting any longer.” He bent to kiss her, lightly.
She swallowed. The emotion in his dark eyes would be scary as hell if she wasn’t feeling the same thing. “I knew you were trouble,” she managed, sliding one hand into his silky hair.
He grinned, making her pulse quicken. “Only for you.” He kissed her again, longer this time.
When they finally came up for air, their clothes were strewn around the room and their bodies slick with sweat. “I guess we can wait till tomorrow to fly to Vegas,” Ryder said, nuzzling his way along her damp throat.
Philomena laughed, then gasped when his teeth grazed her skin.
She thought she might enjoy not being the Medusa. Very, very much.
Epilogue
Ari collapsed back in his chair. “Are you sure?” he gasped.
Alarm quickened Elek’s pulse. “Are you all right, Great-uncle?”
“Are you sure she’s no longer the Medusa?” he repeated.
“Yes, Mikolaus is certain.” Elek didn’t repeat his cousin’s assertion that she and Ware were very clearly in love. His great-uncle already appeared on the verge of a stroke. The full, detailed report about his cousin’s death could wait.
Ari squeezed his eyes shut. “Dear Goddess,” he whispered.
A burst of light startled Elek, and his eyes widened before he realized the woman who had suddenly materialized was Athena. He hastily dropped to his knees and bowed his head, his heart beating much too fast now, from fright or excitement, maybe both.
Aristotle flinched under the angry gaze of the Goddess who’d just appeared in his study, before he lowered his head. “My Lady.” He braced one hand on the corner of his desk and fell to his knees, ignoring the pain in both legs when he missed the area rug and the hard wood pressed against his knees. “I am so sorry, my Lady.”
“You have failed me again, Aristotle.”
He shut his eyes. “I beg Your forgiveness.”
“I grow weary of waiting for your family to fulfill its duty to me.”
He dared a peek and found the Goddess’s sandaled feet only a step away from him. “I apologize, my Lady,” he began.
“I do not wish for more apologies, Harvester. I wish for results. I wish you to do your duty and kill the Medusa.”
Aristotle closed his eyes, his heart rate quickening still more. “I will find her.”
“You will have to start your search fresh.”
His heart sank. Naturally She knew already.
“If you fail this time, Aristotle, I shall find someone who will not. Your family will lose my favor.”
He felt light-headed. To lose the Goddess’s favor... After all these centuries. His forefathers would be ashamed of his failures. He was already ashamed of himself, and more ashamed of his brother’s failure. But to carry such enormous shame into eternity...
“I will not fail You, my Lady,” he vowed, his voice shaking. “I will not fail.”
“See that you do not.”
When silence lingered, he knew She had gone, and he struggled to his feet, knees quaking. He sank into his comfortable leather chair, ignoring the way his lungs labored for air.
“I need some time,” he said to Elek, who rose smoothly and left the room, looking grim.
Aristotle glared at his brother’s picture where it sat on the corner of his desk. “This is all your fault, Iphis. Stupid, foolish boy, putting love ahead of family duty. Ahead of the Goddess.” Aristotle swatted the photo off the desk. “You are gone and still, you will cost us everything,” he snarled.
He knew the importance of succeeding, of killing the Medusa. His life and his family’s honor depended on his success. He wouldn’t let Iphis’s lack of character ruin everything into eternity. No more monsters would get the opportunity to fall in love and evade his family.
He didn’t mean to fail again.
About the Author
Elizabeth Andrews has been a book lover since she was old enough to read. She read her copies of Little Women and the Little House series so many times, the books fell apart. As an adult, her book habit continues. She has a room overflowing with her literary collection right now, and still more spreading into other rooms. Almost as long as she’s been reading great stories, she’s been attempting to write her own. Thanks to a fifth grade teacher who started the class on creative writing, Elizabeth went from writing creative sentences to short stories and eventually full-length novels. Her father saved her poor, callused fingers from permanent damage when he brought home a used typewriter for her.
Elizabeth found her mother’s stash of romance novels as a
teenager, and—though she loves horror—romance became her very favorite genre, making writing romances a natural progression. There are more than just a few manuscripts, however, tucked away in a filing cabinet that will never see the light of day.
Along with her enormous book stash, Elizabeth lives with her husband of more than twenty-five years, with two young adult sons nearby, though no one else in the family reads nearly as much as she does. When she’s not at work or buried in books or writing, there is a garden outside full of herbs, flowers and vegetables that requires occasional attention.
Website: www.elizabethandrewswrites.com
Also by Elizabeth Andrews
Light the Way Home
A Common Elements Romance Project novella
Single dad Nate Baxter has his hands full with his son and his haunted lighthouse. He doesn’t have time to spend with a woman...especially one who won’t stick around, like his ex-wife.
* * *
But Lucie Russo’s not like other women Nate’s met. She’s sweet and sexy, and his mouth waters every time he’s around her.
* * *
Will a family emergency cause him to break his relationship rules? And if he does, will his heart be broken too?
* * *
Hunting Medusa
The Medusa’s Daughters Trilogy, Book 1
One murderous mission. One killer case of PMS. Who said “the curse” was a myth?
Ever since the original Medusa ticked off Athena by bragging about her beauty, her cursed daughters have been paying for that mistake. To this day, successive Medusas play cat and mouse with the descendants of Perseus, known as the Harvesters.
When Kallan Tassos tracks down the current Medusa, he expects to find a monster. Instead he finds a wary, beautiful woman, shielded by a complicated web of spells that foils his plans for a quick kill and retrieval of her protective amulet.
Andrea Rosakis expects the handsome Harvester to go for the kill. Instead, his attempt to take the amulet imprinted on her skin without harming her takes her completely by surprise. And ends with the two of them in a magical bind—together.
Though their attraction is combustible, her impending PMS (Pre Magical-Curse Syndrome) puts a real damper on any chance of a relationship. But Kallan isn’t the only Harvester tracking Andi, and they must cooperate to stay at least one step ahead of a ruthless killer before they can have any future, together or apart.
Warning: A hunter who’s fallen for the woman he’s bound to kill, a Medusa who must trust him with her life, and a magical curse only love can break.
Protecting Medusa Page 28