Their closeness from earlier played over again in his head. He felt right back in the moment and closed his eyes to remember.
He could feel her breath on his skin as it increased to a light pant. Every nerve in his body screamed at him to lean in and close the gap between their mouths. He could see the want swirling in her eyes, but it was overshadowed by confusion.
The memory of the look on her face acted like a dip in a cold stream. He scrubbed his hands over his face. She was new to these feelings. The kiss was simply a way to transfer power. Her lust was only a result of being more human than usual. He couldn't take advantage of that. He wouldn't. He was better than that.
His feet stopped at the base of a nearby tree. He'd spoken to this tree many times and they'd formed a sort of bond. This being of the forest could be trusted to pass on messages quickly and keep secrets when necessary.
“I request an audience with Aralissa,” Jace said into the leaves. The tree rustled as the message took hold and passed to the next bit of flora. The forest knew how to find her.
He'd known Aralissa his entire life. They'd played together as children and the other dryads assumed the two would end up together. But, when Jace took on his goddess guardian duties, it quickly became obvious his heart would never yearn for Aralissa the way hers yearned for him.
Jace placed his palm against the rough bark. “This is just for us,” he whispered. “I'm afraid my feelings are at war with my duty.”
The tree's response was a small shiver which sent a light dusting of leaves into the air. As the bits of green rained down around him, Jace had the distinct impression the tree was crying. He was about to inquire about clarification, but he caught movement off to his side.
A tall, lithe figure weaved between the trunks of twin trees. Her deep bronze skin seemed to shimmer as she passed through small rays of sun. She tilted her head and let her thick, dark hair fall to one side.
“Hello, Aralissa,” Jace said as he moved to direct her away from his house.
“It's good to see you, Jace,” she purred. She bit her lip and flicked an eyebrow upward. “Did you want something from me?”
Her emphasis on the word “want” was clear as a bell and Jace cleared his throat. “I need a dress.”
Confusion slowly overtook Aralissa's expression. “What?”
“I didn't call you for—”
Aralissa laughed. “Oh, I see.” She turned a pretty color from embarrassment. “So, um, a dress? What kind of dress?”
“It needs to be backless and fit for a warrior,” he answered. He'd wanted to say “fit for a goddess” but he wasn't comfortable discussing Artemis' location while she was still vulnerable.
The nymph studied him for a moment. “You're hiding something, but I don't feel it's my place to ask. I know exactly which dress. Give me a moment.”
She turned and melted back into the forest.
Jace took the opportunity to peek his head in the door and check on the sleeping goddess. He felt pleased to see the skin on her back had healed significantly. Apparently, she had enough god-blood to do that much. Hopefully, it was enough.
A glimmer of light appeared out of the corner of his eye, signaling Aralissa's return. When he turned to greet her again, his mouth dropped open.
Aralissa held the most beautiful gown he'd ever seen. The material changed color as it shifted in the sunshine and resembled iridescent butterfly wings. Rainbows of light reflected from the fabric, making it glow with unearthly light.
“It's,” he began. He cleared his throat to speak around the sudden lump forming in it. “It's beautiful.”
Aralissa looked at his with tears in her eyes. “It was to be worn at my wedding,” she whispered.
The words cut deep. “I can't take that from you,” Jace said.
Aralissa shook her head and wiped her face. “No, I want you to have it. My mother had it commissioned before she passed. To be honest, I never felt right wearing it. It's always felt like it was created for someone else.” She held the dress out for him to take. “I think it was meant for your mystery woman.”
Jace accepted the dress with gentle hands. “I don't know what to say. I can never repay you for this.”
Aralissa gave him a soft smile. She reached up and placed a palm against his cheek. “Whomever this woman is obviously makes you very happy. You can repay me by keeping her in your life. I've never seen such joy and love in your eyes.”
She leaned forward and brushed her lips against his. He felt no heat, no desire. The sadness in her eyes told her she knew he'd felt nothing. “I'll see you,” she whispered before she stepped back into the dense forest and disappeared.
Chapter 8
“Jace?” Artemis called from where she stood in the open doorway.
She felt awkward, wrapped in nothing but a sheet with her vision still fuzzy from sleep. Her hair, a darker blonde than usual, settled around her face in sleep-mussed waves. The small nap had helped with her healing and she’d felt well enough to get up without help.
“Goddess!”
She narrowed her eyes in a mock glare and he gave her a sheepish grin.
“I mean, Artemis, you shouldn't be up again so soon.”
She waved away his concerns, trying to hide her grimace when the motion pulled at her sore muscles. “I train Amazons. I'm not a delicate flower.” She gestured toward the dress in his hands. “Is that for me?”
He startled and looked at the fabric in his hands, his attention momentarily taken by Artemis' natural beauty. “It is. It's a gift from a friend.”
“May I see it?”
Jace nodded. “Let's go inside first. It's still not safe for anyone to know you're here, and I need to check your back again.” He ushered her through the door before closing it behind them. Faint spills of sunshine came from the window. The dress reflected the light and made the inside of the room sparkle.
Artemis rolled her shoulders in a small circle. “It doesn't hurt nearly as much as it did.” She turned so he could examine her.
The raw areas were covered with fresh, pink skin. “You're healing much more rapidly than a human, but not as quickly as you would if you were at full goddess strength.” He reached out but kept his fingertips mere millimeters away from her wounds. “You may even have some scarring,” he whispered.
The position of her shoulders showed her strong resolve. “The scars received during battle are a symbol of strength and a source of pride. It shows a warrior isn't afraid to fight her demons and survive.”
Jace cleared his throat. “Let's, uh, get some fresh salve on you.”
Artemis looked over her shoulder. “Do we have to? I don't want to get anything on the beautiful dress. Where did you get it?”
“That should be fine for now but I'll need to keep an eye on it. I said you were doing better, not completely healed.” The hesitation in Jace’s voice made Artemis roll her eyes. She was a warrior, not a wilting flower.
She watched as he laid the gown out on the bed. He handled the material with the utmost care; the same care he'd shown her. Obviously, this dress held some small significance to him. “Who did you say gave you this dress?” she said softly.
Jace sighed faintly. “Will you allow me to help you dress?”
Trepidation wrapped around the goddess's throat with sudden pressure. “Excuse me?” she choked out.
Jace dropped his shoulders with a sigh, still facing the bed instead of her. “Do you trust me?”
Her heart raced. Logic warred with ingrained terror. Logically, he had been nothing but respectful of her, hadn't taken advantage of her unconscious form, and taken several steps to secure her health and safety.
But anxiety didn't listen to logic.
He turned to look in her eyes after the silence carried for too long. “Artemis? Do you trust me?”
“I want to,” she breathed. Her grip on the sheets, the only shield she had against her current nudity, tightened until her knuckles lost color.
Jac
e picked up the gossamer gown. His movements were slow and telegraphed and Artemis appreciated his effort to make her more comfortable. Granted, nothing in the fabric of time would have made it comfortable to be naked in front of a veritable stranger.
Their eyes locked, fear-filled gold met sympathetic green. He lifted the fabric and indicated she should duck her head. She nodded and did what he asked. Once the fabric covered the sheet, he stepped back and held his hands up where she could still see them.
“May I tie the neck? Then it should stay up so you can stay covered.”
Artemis turned so her back face him and dipped her head forward to allow him access to the ties at the top. She could feel his breath on her exposed skin as he leaned in closely. Her eyes slid closed as she bit down on her lower lip.
Chapter 9
She hoped he couldn't see her shoulders shaking. How weak. A goddess afraid of a dryad. Artemis had crushed more powerful creatures than even the harpy they’d faced. Armies had bowed at her feet. She'd never hesitated to step before Zeus, even if it meant stirring his anger.
But that was before. Now, her life hung in the balance. She could pretend to be brave, but they both knew it was just posturing. Without Jace’s help, she would have been taken by Nicothoe. She’d have been given already to Zeus…
Her back straightened, and her muscles tensed for a battle that had never happened. Hopefully, it never came to that. She’d face Zeus and she’d lose, but not without fighting to the bitter end.
But all of that bravado was stripped away when she felt Jace's fingers brush across her skin as he moved her hair out of his way. Sparks of energy traveled from each point of contact straight to her core. She fought the urge to shiver and had to swallow a gasp when his touch ventured toward her collarbones.
“Sorry,” he murmured, pausing a beat. “I need to get to the ribbon.”
She wanted to tell him it was perfectly okay and that his touch didn't bother her in the slightest, but her lips protested her demand to spout the lie and remained shut.
Every brush of his skin against hers created a new surge of warmth, each stronger than the last. She held her breath as he finished securing the ribbon around her neck to hold the dress in place. Her teeth clamped down on her lip when she felt the heat from his palms hover across her shoulders and down the backs of her arms.
She kept her back to him as she lowered the sheet to allow the dress to drape along her body. The top tied at the neck and kept her back and shoulders exposed. It tapered in at the waist and flared into a full skirt with two slits up the front. The dress was beautiful and made for easy movement. It was perfect for a one such as herself. An almost human on the run.
The forgone bedsheet pooled at her feet, and she stepped out of it before turning to face Jace. His eyes remained trained on the ground, staring at her exposed toes instead of the swathe of skin available to him.
“Does it look okay?” Artemis asked. She couldn't take the silence another moment.
Jace raised his gaze to meet hers. “Beautiful.”
Their eyes met with a rush of heat. Artemis' heart stopped in her chest. For a moment, her lungs filled with lead but the urge to breathe didn't come close to the extreme want she felt… the same desire she saw reflected in Jace's green eyes.
His lips parted as he inhaled, and she suspected he was having just as much trouble getting air. He focused his attention on her mouth. Her lips tingled with awareness and longing. Her tongue licked to moisten them, and Jace loosed a hushed moan in response.
“Jace?” she whispered. She wanted... him. Being an immortal virgin didn't mean she was ignorant about sex. She knew what would happen if one of them lost control. But, for once, she didn't care. She wasn't afraid of Jace. She was afraid of what might happen to him if she gave in to her desires.
The trepidation in her voice snapped him out of whatever trance his lust had put him in. He blinked rapidly. “Are you ready to tell me what happened to you?”
Grateful for the change of subject, she cleared her throat. “Zeus… his lightning. I stood against him over someone very dear to me.”
Jace appeared to be as horrified as Artemis had been at the notion of her own wings struck from her back. “That was very brave of you.”
Artemis waved the compliment away. “I angered him by coming to my brother's aid during an argument.”
Jace narrowed his eyes and thought for a moment. “Ares?”
Artemis nodded. “Zeus cursed him. Made him human. I tried to defend him and…” Her eyes closed as tears escaped and trailed down her cheeks. “He took my wings,” came out with a small sob. “They were a part of me, don’t you see?”
“I'm sorry,” Jace replied, quietly, and he seemed as though he’d rush to her side if only she’d ask.
Her and her damn pride.
“He's a monster,” Artemis yelled as she wiped violently at the wetness on her face. “He desires me, and I loathe him.”
She could feel anger coming off Jace in waves as he asked, “Why does he hold such an obsession for you?”
Artemis set her jaw and stared at the far wall with such rage Jace expected to turn and see Zeus standing there. “He wants my virginity.”
Jace remained silently stunned. His chest heaved with each furious breath.
She sighed and explained, “The original Artemis wished to remain a virgin for eternity. Her father, the original Zeus, granted her request. When I assumed the role, that energy passed to me. This Zeus believes he can tap into my power if he takes my purity from me.”
Jace grit his teeth so hard she swore she heard his jaw pop under the strain. “He wouldn't…”
Artemis nodded. “He can and he will. As you can see, he’s already begun the work. First Ares, my protector and confidante. Then my wings. My power.” She held up her hands with hopelessness. “Styx told me once that he views me as another conquest to be had. If he can steal what is mine, no one will be able to stop him.”
“Can he really steal your power that way?” Jace asked, his expression reflected that he found the notion so horrifying that he hated to even ask the question.
Artemis shrugged, her face a mask of frustration. “I don't think anyone knows for sure.” She turned a light shade of pink as she thought about it, her eyes cutting away from Jace’s, seeming to just now realize what delicate matter they discussed. “There has never been a record of an immortal's power being acquired or transferred without their permission.” She thought back to Ares laying helpless and human on the ground. “Well, until now,” she finished softly.
Jace walked the small length of the room. “Zeus sent a Keres and a Harpy after you. He must be desperate if he's using those creatures for his own personal gain. In fact, I haven't heard of gods turning on each other since the Old Ones.” He blew out a harsh breath. “If it works and he can absorb your strength, he would become more powerful than any who try to oppose him.”
Artemis pushed her hair back with frustration. “He would be unstoppable. His bloodthirsty desire to take vengeance for perceived slights would only be the start of his acts of terror.”
“What he did to you and Ares would only be the beginning of his reign of madness,” Jace said.
Artemis sighed. “I need to find him.”
“Zeus?” Jace asked in alarm.
“Ares,” she replied.
Jace tried not to appear as panicked as he felt over the thought of Artemis searching for her brother out in the open. He was no match for the King of the Gods. He would fail her… “How do you know if he's still alive? Zeus could have easily located him by now. Maybe he sent minions because he was busy finding Ares first.” He knew he was grasping at straws to keep her from leaving.
“No,” Artemis argued. “Hades would have taken care of my brother after leaving me for you to find.”
Jace recalled the disembodied voice in his ear just before he came across the unconscious goddess. “Okay, Hades dropped you here and, what, took Ares to someone else? He co
uld be hidden from even you.” He paced again. She can’t leave. She just can’t! Not with some goddess raping monster out there waiting to claim her and her power.
“Ares is out there as a human. If another god finds him before I do, he will not be able to defend himself. Even a nature spirit such as yourself would be able to take him on without trouble.”
“With all due respect, goddess,” he gritted out. “You aren't in any position to defend anyone at the moment either. You're barely healed and not at full power. An encounter with the wrong being could be fatal. We already know Zeus has every one of his creatures looking for you. I'm sure Hades knew what he was doing when he hid Ares from the gods. Think about this for a moment. You are being irrational.”
Artemis whipped around and pinned him with a glare. “He is my brother. If no one else will help him, the responsibility falls upon me.”
“And what am I to do? Just let you waltz out there… back into the open where anything or anyone could attack you? What type of guardian would I be if—”
“None at all! I never asked you to guard me!” Artemis marched over to him and stood nose to almost nose as she was a hair shorter than Jace. “You do not order me around, dryad. I thank you for your help but remember just who you are talking to.”
Jace put his hands up in a surrender gesture, stepping back. This close, he wanted to touch her, but also try to shake some sense into her. “I understand that you love your brother, but I firmly believe you should wait until you're healed and at full strength.”
“I will not let him be lost,” she yelled. The dishes on the table shimmied with the force of her fury. “You think to stand in my way?”
Jace moved in front of the door with his arms crossed.
“I'm trying to protect you,” he shouted back.
In the Veil of Vengeance Page 5
