Goddess Forsaken: A Fated Guardian Paranormal Romance (Rise of the Lost Gods Book 1)
Page 7
Lindsey pointed at her. “That is not the problem. I wanted to kiss him.”
“So, you did enjoy it.”
“Yes, and I want to do it again, but I’m not sure it’s a good idea given everything else that’s going on.” She frowned as she realized how much she’d just told a relative stranger. More than she’d have given anyone except Sabine, maybe not even Sabine. Then again, a relative stranger could give her a neutral opinion.
Kora didn’t seem to notice Lindsey’s indecision. “What does he think?”
“We haven’t discussed it. I told him I needed some time and left.” And he’d been clear that he wasn’t going to give up, which she didn’t mention.
Kora tapped her Converse against the seat, a bundle of energy that definitely didn’t need the coffee and sugar she’d downed with alarming speed. “Is there anything stopping you from simply telling him what’s on your mind?”
Lindsey laughed dryly. “Other than not knowing what’s on my mind? The whole situation is confusing and scary and…complicated.”
“And sexy?” Kora raised a brow.
Lindsey knew a dare when she heard one. She had a policy to not lie to herself, but it was harder to admit the truth to a relative stranger. “And sexy.”
Kora tilted her head in a half-shrug. “You have to see the whole picture to get real understanding. Talk to him. Maybe you’re a terrible kisser and he’s no longer interested in a roommates-with-benefits situation.” She got up to toss her cup in the trash and pushed in her stool. “Or maybe a connection between you two is exactly what he wants, coercion be damned.”
The advice hewed uncomfortably close to what Calliope had told her. She’d insisted that Lindsey could try all she wanted to use her magic, but without the connection to Dax, it wouldn’t work.
“Do you always give such impassioned advice to people you’ve known all of an hour?”
“It doesn’t usually take me this long. It’s been sort of an off day.”
Lindsey laughed and raised her cup. “Thanks for the coffee.”
Kora nodded. “Come by the shop sometime. You can tell me all about the coercion.”
She waved on her way out the door, and Lindsey felt like she’d been released from a whirlwind. Not exactly the distraction she’d been looking for, but Kora had made the conversation enjoyable.
This town was full of surprises.
Lindsey bought the sword before she came home. The owners of the antique shop were delighted to see it sold since they had a katana they thought would go better with the dolls. She shook her head as she turned off her car and stared up at the house.
Kora made it sound so easy. Just talk to him. Explain why they should keep their distance and leave it at that. Except she didn’t really want to keep her distance. He made her smile. He made her want.
Something deep inside her lit up when he came into the room, and she’d started to look forward to the beginning and end of the day when they spent time together. He’d made no effort to hide his interest, but until this morning, he’d accepted the lines she’d drawn.
This morning. It seemed like so long ago. She’d tried all week to call her magic, with no results. What had changed? Calliope had left, and Dax had been there instead. Lindsey had assumed the seal had pulled out her magic last week, but what if it had been Dax?
Why today and not any of the other times they’d been together?
Kora was right about one thing. Lindsey needed to talk to him.
She’d wasted most of the day wandering downtown enjoying her free latte, so long shadows crossed the driveway as she grabbed the wrapped sword from the back and locked her SUV. The keys jangled in her hand as she jogged up the steps before she could lose her nerve.
After her abrupt departure earlier, she’d half-expected Dax to be stand-offish toward her on her return, but Lindsey could hear him singing when she walked in. Off tune and with mangled lyrics, but singing.
The savory smell of baking bread and sautéing chicken met her before she turned the corner into the kitchen. Dax stood at the stove with his back to her poking something on the stove with a spatula. Smears of flour on the navy hand towel thrown over his shoulder matched a set down the side of his dark jeans. The scene was entirely too domestic, and yet, she wanted her part in it.
He danced to his own terrible music, and Lindsey couldn’t help but appreciate the shimmy he threw in for flair. Heat rushed through her at the memory of being pressed against him only a few hours ago. Before she’d let fear and uncertainty chase her away.
His silly antics released the remainder of the stress from that morning, and Lindsey wondered if he’d been right about running. “I don’t think those are the right words. Shakira would be appalled.”
Dax grinned at her over his shoulder. “My hips don’t lie.”
Lindsey sat at the island to get a better view of the show, massively relieved that things weren’t awkward between them. “What are you making?”
“Chicken fettucine alfredo. I had a craving for pasta. There’s wine in the fridge if you want some.” He returned his attention to the stove, and Lindsey finally recognized the feeling she’d been denying. Happiness. Dax made her happy.
She considered the wine. Alcohol might make the next part of the conversation easier, but after the apartment fire, she’d decided to hold off on drinking for a while. Now that she lived with Dax, lowered inhibitions were twice as dangerous.
“I’m fine.” Lindsey set the sword on the counter while Dax switched off the burner. “I didn’t know you could cook actual food.”
“Only some actual food. All of it chicken based.” He brought two plates to the island and set one in front of her with a flourish. “Remember this the next time you complain about my waffles.”
Lindsey laughed. “I can’t believe you burned frozen waffles. That smell lingered all day.”
He took the seat next to her and scoffed. “Now you’re exaggerating. It was gone by lunch.”
“You didn’t come out of the office for lunch until almost three.”
“There, you see? Three barely counts as afternoon. Not all day.” He took a bite, then pointed his fork at the package. “What’s this?”
Lindsey stopped eating to unwrap the paper enough that Dax could see the sword inside. The tarnish didn’t detract from its beauty. At only about a foot and a half long, she assumed it was a short sword. The hilt consisted of a simple T with a swirl design barely visible along the cross guard, and the double-edged blade curved in, then out, before coming to a tip. Symbols were etched down the length of it.
“I went through some of the shops in town today. This was in the window, and I couldn’t stop thinking about it.”
Dax chewed slowly as he examined her find. “What are you going to do with a sword?”
“I don’t know. Something about it spoke to me.” She glanced his way quickly. “Not literally. And how weird is it that I have to make that clarification. I just feel drawn to it.”
They finished eating before Dax ventured another question. “There’s no sheath?”
Lindsey gathered both their plates and took them to the sink. “They didn’t give me one, but since I’m not planning to defend myself with it, I didn’t think it mattered. It’s not even sharp.”
“Do you know how to use one?”
She propped her hands on her hips. “Do you?”
“Actually…”
Lindsey had to laugh at his guilty expression. “You do, don’t you? Are you good? What am I saying, of course, you are. I’ve never met a bigger over-achiever. Is there anything you’re not good at?”
Dax got up and grabbed a clean hand towel to dry the dishes. “When I was a kid, I was obsessed with weapons, like most of my friends. We’d run around in packs using sticks to sword fight. They eventually grew out of it, I didn’t. My parents put me in fencing to try to save the neighborhood trees, and from there I moved on to any kind of combat training I could find. The weirder the better.”
“It looks like a xiphos. The hilt almost had me thinking a La Téne, but those markings are clearly Greek. It’s a good reproduction.”
Lindsey remembered the glint in the sunlight, and the slight pull that had been the reason she’d run headlong into Kora. “Are you sure it’s a reproduction?”
Dax took another long look at the sword. “The tarnish makes it look old, but those swords were mostly ceremonial, and they were from the Iron Age if I remember correctly. Any iron sword from that time would be nearly dust with oxidation.”
The antique shop owners had said they didn’t have a record of where it came from. The sword simply appeared in their stock one day. But when Lindsey had asked about it, they’d had to pull out a giant ledger to check—the kind made of paper and bound in leather—so she wasn’t too confident in their assertion.
Dax made good points, assuming he was the expert he claimed to be, but something inside Lindsey responded to the sword—the same way she’d responded to the woods outside…and to Dax. As if she recognized it.
“Do you know what the markings say?”
He draped the damp towel over the faucet and leaned his hip against the counter. “Are you telling me you didn’t Google it within ten seconds of picking up the sword?”
Lindsey mimicked his posture, facing him with the length of the sink between them. “Google wasn’t as helpful as usual, and you seem to have the exact knowledge needed to tell me about an obscure ancient sword I found in a second-hand shop.”
A slow grin broke across his face. “It’s not ancient, and maybe you Googled the wrong thing.”
She tried to frown, but a smile kept peeking through. “You take that back. My Google fu is strong. And I noticed you haven’t answered my question.”
“I don’t read Greek, but it probably says something like ‘dumb tourists will buy anything’. You could try searching for people who wanted random Greek symbols tattooed on their body somewhere.” He tapped his chin. “Actually, that would probably just get you page after page of frat guys doing keg stands.”
Lindsey furrowed her brow in mock consternation. “I’m not sure if you’re insulting keg stands, frat guys, or tattoos.”
He shifted closer, shaking his head sadly. “All of the above.”
“You shouldn’t knock them until you’ve tried them.”
His lips twitched. “I’ll keep that in mind if I ever decide to revisit my college days.”
Lindsey found herself staring at his mouth and yanked her eyes up to clash with his amused ones. “You don’t have any tattoos from your time in the Army?”
“No. I’ve never felt the need to get one.”
“Isn’t that essentially a prerequisite to being a badass?”
His gaze traveled over the length of her. “You tell me. Do you have any tattoos marking your status as a badass?”
Her skin tingled, and she struggled to keep her breathing even. Arousal hit her swift and merciless.
“You’ve seen me mostly naked. Don’t you remember?”
“I was trying to show you respect by not checking you out in that tiny bikini—a decision that nearly killed me by the way—so no, I don’t remember.”
Lindsey grinned. “I have one tattoo.”
Dax stepped closer, and his thumb swiped along her chin, grazing her lower lip. “Do I get to see it?”
His touch left a swirling, fluttering emptiness inside her, and he didn’t move away. He traced her jawline, then tilted her chin up as if he could read the answer in her face. Lindsey’s pulse quickened with the temptation to lean forward—just a little. To give in for one more kiss and test the electric response he created.
Dax leaned instead, bringing his mouth inches from hers as his fingers splayed to stroke her neck. But he didn’t follow through. A deep breath shuddered out of him, warm against her lips, and Lindsey ached to reach out.
She clutched at the dregs of her willpower, and when she didn’t move, he stepped back, breaking contact.
“Maybe next time. Good night, Lindsey.” He lifted her hand to brush his lips over her knuckles, then turned and left the kitchen. For the life of her, she felt like she’d just been seduced without realizing it. Was that even possible?
Lindsey walked to her room and washed up as if in a trance. It was early for bed, but the day had exhausted her. As she crawled under the covers though, part of her hoped to hear a knock.
She punched her pillow into a more comfortable shape and told herself she wasn’t disappointed. He’d obviously wanted to kiss her, and she’d frozen up. No, frozen was entirely the wrong word.
She’d burned.
From the inside out, one simple touch had burned away all her reasons for resisting. Made her forget about the Fates and bonds and magic. Like before, she’d only been thinking of him.
And that preoccupation could become dangerous. Not to him. They’d proven her magic wouldn’t hurt him, but Lindsey knew alliances didn’t last. In the end, people always put themselves first, and she had to be prepared for that eventuality.
As she closed her eyes, Lindsey realized she hadn’t talked to Dax as she’d planned, but after that good night, she definitely needed to set some ground rules in the morning.
6
Lindsey
Dax didn’t show up for breakfast, and when she checked outside, his car was gone. So much for establishing ground rules. When Calliope showed up for her usual magic lessons, Lindsey explained about Dax’s influence yesterday and his magic immunity.
The cat assumed her spot in the windowsill. That makes sense. Your bond with him is what gives you access, which I’ve told you over and over again. The magic is as much a part of him as a part of you, so it shouldn’t burn either of you. In addition, while I applaud your dedication to practicing, it’s not going to merit any actual magic unless Dax is participating in some way.
Lindsey scraped her hair back into a ponytail, wincing at the too-tight elastic band. “He wasn’t around the first time.”
Calliope sighed. We’ve discussed this.
“Yeah, and you still haven’t given me a solid explanation”
The cat’s tail flicked back and forth, betraying Calliope’s annoyance. If you dislike my guidance, why not look elsewhere? Given your human job, I’m sure you could track down alternate sources.
Kora’s invitation to her bookstore popped up in Lindsey’s mind. She doubted she’d find much help at a local bookstore run by someone who barely qualified as a local, but Calliope’s attitude and Dax’s absence had her feeling jumpy. She’d caught herself listening for the sound of Dax’s car and wondering where he’d gone so early. At least the bookstore would give her an excuse to leave the house.
Lindsey grabbed her purse and headed toward the door. “I think I will check out some alternate sources today. You should take a day off and chase some mice or something.”
Your cruel sense of humor is wasted on me. Take your time. It’s not like you need my shield to protect you. Besides, Dax was muttering about being gone all day with a lady friend when he left, so I’ll enjoy my solitude.
The sense of triumph from Calliope meant she knew she’d won that battle. Lindsey made sure she locked the door, and sent a heartfelt prayer to whoever was listening that Dax had left his extra key to the house on the kitchen counter as usual.
She managed to drive down the long driveway and turn onto the road to town without conjuring a mental image of Dax with another woman. A visceral jolt of possession tightened her hands on the wheel briefly, but Lindsey pushed it away by working on a plan to surprise Kora with a milkshake-thing from Reggie’s.
Hopefully, the excellent coffee would wash away the bitter taste of jealousy.
From the outside, Kora’s store, Soul Exchange, looked like all the other shops in the downtown area. Once inside, though, Lindsey swore she felt magic flowing through the place.
Light spilled in from t
he large front windows, highlighting the bright white columns in the middle of the space holding a rainbow of books. Rows of dark wood bookshelves stretched to either side, running the length of the room. Rich navy walls with swirls of black, white, and silver continued onto the ceiling, where a fabulous mural of the night sky twinkled.
Lindsey stood in the doorway gaping until Kora called out to her. Her plan half-worked. Kora squealed in delight at the sight of the Sugar Bomb, as Reggie had called it. But her own latte hadn’t stopped her imagination from running wild. Kora’s shop, though, worked like a charm.
A large, ornate clock with glossy silver panels dominated the space behind the counter, but Lindsey couldn’t stop glancing up while Kora drained her drink as fast as the last time.
“Are those stars really twinkling?”
Kora nodded, then leaned back with a contented sigh. “We have LEDs strung through the ceiling. They’re connected to a different switch from the main lights, so we can turn them on and off separately. You should see it at night.”
Lindsey shook her head and looked around at the dark color scheme. “It’s beautiful now in full daylight. I don’t know how you did it, but this place is both cozy and bright at the same time. I need you to come decorate my apartment. As soon as I have one.”
“Thank you.” The woman glowed with pride, and for a second, with actual light. Lindsey blinked, and the fuzzy halo disappeared.
She tilted her head back and forth to try to replicate the effect, but no luck. The bell over the door tinkled before Lindsey could bring it up. A young, lanky girl in an ill-fitting sundress and a backpack waved when Kora shouted hello, then continued past them into the darker portion of the store.
With one last slurp on her straw, Kora tossed the plastic cup in the trash behind the counter. She dragged a box closer to start neatly stacking books in front of her. Lindsey leaned against the high counter and used the reflection of the mirrored clock to watch the girl. Kora didn’t even glance that direction.
“I’m glad you came by, and not just for the morning treat. Us new girls in town need to stick together.”