Echo, Mine

by Georgia Lyn Hunter

  She stared, motionless for a second. “What?”

  “Don’t worry, he’s dead.”

  “When did you...?” She narrowed her eyes. “That’s why you took so long to come after me,” she said as if finally understanding his delay. Then she laughed. “Great. And I saved one of the twins.”

  He exhaled roughly. Only Echo would think something that dangerous was great. “What twin?”

  “The collagen one. She left with a demonii.”

  “You killed two demoniis?” Aethan yelled, feeling as if his heart had stopped.

  “You say that like it’s a bad thing.” She sniffed, shoving the hair away from her eyes. “I'm still standing, aren’t I? And without a scratch, I might add.”

  “By the heavens, Echo—” He crushed her to him. “You will be the death of me.”

  “Well, no worries there since you can't die.” She patted his chest. “Are you going back on patrol tonight?”

  “No, not unless they need me. But if a portal opens up and spews out—” She slapped her hand over his mouth. “Don’t jinx it. Too many things have already disrupted our night.”

  Aethan tossed the empty bottle in a dumpster and dropped his arm over her shoulder. “Next time, I'm chartering a damn yacht so there’ll be no interruption of our time together.”

  Smiling, she slid her arm around his waist. But when she stopped at the door of the SUV, he steered her past the vehicle, out of the alley, and up toward the club. She looked up at him with curiosity in her eyes. “Why are we going back there?

  He rubbed her upper arm as they passed the line of people outside the club. The two hefty demon bouncers let them through again without a word.

  “We want good memories in this place, right?” he asked as they headed down the short, dimly lit passage.

  “Yeah…so?”

  He pushed open the inner door and rock music deafened him, making speech impossible.

  Aethan? she mind-linked with him.

  So impatient. A smile tugged his mouth when she gave him a suspicious look.

  Tightening his hold on her, he wound their way down the stairs, endured the crush of bodies, and drew her onto the dance floor and into his arms, well aware of the stunned expression on her face.

  He didn't care what type of music was playing, or that it wasn't suited to slow-dancing, he simply pulled her close as everyone else jumped around as if hooked up to liquid adrenaline.

  A smile played on her lips. Her beautiful eyes glowed as she slid her arms around his neck. I like this, she said in his mind.

  He lowered his head. His tongue slid across her lips, and he could feel her smile widening as he kissed her.

  Let’s go home.

  Her low, sultry words were a whisper of a caress in his mind. Aethan didn't waste a moment. He grasped her hand and headed for the club exit.

  ***

  Back at the castle, Echo headed for the kitchen first. The hunger gnawing at her belly made her aware just how much energy she’d used that night. Fighting, then Aethan making love to her in the alley—she still couldn’t get over that. He’d turned her body to Jello with his sensual onslaughts. And now she was famished.

  She opened the fridge and retrieved half a meat pie, from which she cut off two slices and warmed them in the microwave. Turning, she found Aethan leaning against the kitchen counter, studying her.

  “I'm hungry,” she grumbled sheepishly then gave him a taunting look. “Someone had me working overtime tonight.”

  He said nothing, merely crossed his arms over his chest. That surprised her. She half expected him to react, say something. Hmmm… Strange. She got out sodas for them from the fridge then walked past him and opened the top cupboard for glasses. The microwave dinged. She’d just turned for their meal when Aethan snatched her, a startled shriek tearing free from her throat. “Christ, Aethan!”

  He locked his arms around her waist, keeping their lower halves connected. A single eyebrow rose. “I tire you?”

  “Yes.” She sniffed, trying hard to hold back her laughter. “On the beach, on the hood of your SUV.”

  “I see. Well, then…” He released her. “I thought you could handle my needs since you seemed completely back to normal, but obviously, I was mistaken—”

  She pressed her fingers to his lips, stopping him. “Don’t you dare! Normal is annoyingly overrated, I want you like you were tonight, and before…well, before you became Florence bloody Nightingale. You treated me like I was breakable—what?” She scowled. “Why are you shaking your head?”

  “Echo, you might as well get used to it. You are mine. I'm never going to treat you any differently.” He swept her into his arms, heading for the stairs. “And I have worked up quite the appetite.”

  Chapter 8

  Today, the day that mattered the most to her, and Aethan wasn't there.

  A little cranky, Echo left the bedroom. She’d really wanted to awaken with him in bed next to her, like she had for the past few days.

  Huffing out a breath, she made her way down corridor, but just as fast, a smile curved her mouth when she thought about the past week. It had been different, surreal. The troubles that weighed her down—most directly linked to Aethan—had lifted. That date night had been the catalyst. They’d spent most of the time together. If not in bed, Aethan was at her side, helping her with her studies. He still hadn't started training with her yet, but she was sure he would soon…

  She ran down the stairs and nearly crashed into him as he jogged up, appearing a little sweaty. He smelled of sea and warm man with a hint of his own unique scent of rainstorms. His dark gaze caressed her face. “Where are you off to in such a hurry? You're supposed to be in bed.”

  Standing two stairs above him, she was almost his height. “You left, so I got up.”

  Her heart dipped a little that he still hadn't wished her a happy birthday. Being immortal, birthdays probably didn't matter to him, but they did to her. Sounding more down than she intended, she told him, “I'm going to get coffee, then read some of those notes Lore wants me to go through. Later, I’m meeting Hedori in the—eeek!”

  Aethan grasped her waist and tossed her over his shoulder—her breath escaping in a rush of air. “What are you doing?” she wheezed.

  “Change of plans.” He took off up the stairs with her bouncing uncomfortably on his rock-like shoulders.

  “Aethan, put me down!” She smacked his back and came in contact with his damp tee—ugh! “You're making me sweaty—”

  “Good thing then that I'm heading for the shower.” He squeezed her ass. Her belly clenched as desire flared awake. An exhilarated smile widened her mouth. Glad that he couldn’t see her face, she snorted. “I can walk, you know.”

  “Why bother?” he asked conversationally. “When I have you exactly where I want.” He bit her lightly on her hip, and she yelped at the sting. He laughed as he headed down the corridor to their quarters.

  A half hour later, Echo threw herself on the bed. A towel wrapped around her body, she frowned at the vaulted ceiling, completely baffled. Aethan just showered with her, although he washed her thoroughly, taunting her with touches and kisses but he didn't make love to her, like he usually would when they showered together.

  At the sound of his soft footstep, she turned her head. Aethan approached her like some predator on the prowl, a towel draped low on his hips, muscles sliding beneath his damp, tawny skin.

  “You know, at this rate, I'm never going to get any work done, and Lore will bitch—”

  “Lore can take a hike. Get dressed.” He dropped a change of clothes on the bed before heading back to the dressing room.

  Sighing, Echo sat up and raised an eyebrow at the blue bikini she found there. She put it on then slipped into the shorts and tee. Finger combing her damp hair, she stepped into her flip-flops and called out, “Are we going swimming?”

  “It depends.” His voice drifted to her from the dressing room. Moments later, he walked out wearing jeans, a tee and snea
kers, his untied damp hair brushing his shoulders. His gray eyes skimmed over her. “Good, you're ready.”

  “You’re not making any sense this morning, you know that?” she grumbled. “Wait, why are you wearing that—where’s your swim trunks?”

  “Who said I need trunks?” He cocked an arrogant brow and pulled her to him, sliding his arm around her waist. Before she could open her mouth, the room spun, and the next moment it disappeared as he dematerialized them. She clutched him tightly around his neck.

  Several moments later, they took form. A groan slipped out as she held onto him, so sure she’d left her head and a part of her body back in their bedroom. She tried to get her heaving tummy to settle.

  “I'm never gonna get used to that,” she grumbled. “Why couldn’t we just walk down to the pool—”

  Soft laughter reached her. Lips brushed hers, then she looked about her. What the heck? Decadent, tan wood-paneled walls made up the surroundings, along with a huge sumptuous bed with cream covers. On the right was a seating area with matching cushions. She spun around, and through the scenic windows, she found miles of glorious blue seas surrounding her.

  “We’re on a boat?”

  “A yacht. It’s the only way I can have you all alone and get you to slow down.”

  She scrunched her face as he drew her close, his expression filled with tenderness. “Happy birthday, me'morae.”

  “You remembered…” A happy smile tipped up her lips, then her eyes rounded and her mouth dropped open in shock. “Wait—you bought a boat?”

  “No.” Amusement brightened his gray eyes. “This yacht is leased. If you like it, then we’ll see about getting one. But this”—he crossed to the built-in cupboards, pulled open a drawer, and drew out a soft black cloth pouch with drawstrings—“is for you.”

  He handed it to her. Her heart in her throat, she released the ties and pulled out a silver bracelet made up of intricate swirling patterns. Melded into the center was the amber stone with the white leaf of a Rean tree that grew only in Empyrea trapped inside. One that she’d had all through her childhood, unaware of the significance of it all. He could have given her anything, but he’d given her this—this stone that tied them together.

  “It’s beautiful.” She put it on her wrist then went on her toes to kiss him.

  He lifted a brow. “What about the other?”

  “There’s more?” Eagerly, she shoved her hand back into the bag and pulled out a smaller pouch in the familiar robin’s-egg blue of a high-end store. Opening it, she found a platinum necklace, Diamonds by the Yards, inside.

  In her entire life, the only people who’d ever given her anything were Kira and Gran and… Damon. But he’d walked away. Sadness filled her.

  Aethan took the chain from her, stepped behind her and fastened it around her neck. As he pressed his lips to her nape, a shiver skated over her skin and drew her mind away from her guardian. Blinking her damp eyes, she hurried to a mirror and stared at the platinum chain that circled her neck with several diamonds an inch apart.

  “What do you want to do?” Aethan asked, his image joining hers in the paneled mirror.

  “Swim in the sea,” she said without hesitation, wheeling around to him. The soft sounds of an engine droning finally pierced her haze of happiness. Echo glanced around the luxurious cabin. “Ummm, Aethan, who’s navigating this vessel?”

  “C’mon, then, he’s waiting to see you before he leaves.”

  He led her upstairs to the helm, and she laughed at whom she saw there. “Hedori?”

  “M’lady,” he said with a little smile. “Happy birthday.”

  “Thank you.”

  He gave her a slight bow before turning to Aethan. “Everything is in place. I’ll be back at noon tomorrow to take this beauty—I mean, the yacht back to the marina.”

  Aethan snorted.

  Laughing, Hedori shimmered and dematerialized.

  Echo turned from staring out the window at the tranquil seas and faced him again, leaning against the porthole. “We got here quite fast, so where exactly are we? And where did you get this floating house?”

  Amusement flickered in his dark eyes. “We’re several miles from the East Hamptons. This floating house is usually moored at the Marina there. I was here this morning, I wanted to make sure everything was in place before I brought you.”

  “You were? And I thought you had gone jogging on the beach.”

  Echo hurried down to the sprawling main center deck. A sumptuous seating area was spread along the sides, and the far end of the deck held a raised Jacuzzi. She made her way to the center and looked around, a cool, briny breeze playing with her bangs.

  Though they were far from the shore, she could still make out the coastline. The rest was just miles of gorgeous sapphire-blue sea surrounding them. “Hedori brought the yacht out here and waited for us?”

  “Yeah.” Aethan pulled off his t-shirt and tossed it on a cushioned seat. The sun beat down on his tan skin, making his hard muscles glisten. He toed off his Nikes and undid the button on his jeans. He pulled out a thong from his pocket and tied back his hair, revealing the tiny silver hoops in his earlobes. “It seemed like the best way to organize this. Navigating yachts is not something I know, but Hedori, on the other hand, does—he has a sailboat moored at the estate…” He looked her over, his brow furrowing. “Why are you still dressed? I thought you wanted to swim?”

  “Tell me you have a birthday cake first?”

  “You don’t eat dessert.”

  “On my birthday, I’ll try anything.”

  “Well, now…” his tone lowered to a seductive rumble. He stalked her. “Is that so?”

  Laughing, she took a hasty step back. “Nuh-uh—cake first, Aethan.”

  “All’s in the galley—undress and come here, me’morae.”

  “No.”

  He feinted right, and she did too, instead of moving left as he shifted left, laughter spilling free when he growled.

  “That is such a guy move, Aethan—eeek!” She jumped back and darted behind the sunbed as he leaped over the lounger and grabbed her. His mouth clamped on her nape, he bit her. A light caress of his power streamed through her body, her breath caught. “You can run, me’morae,” he whispered, languorously sucking away the slight sting. “But I will always catch you.”

  Her snort turned into a sigh and she leaned into him, rubbing the damp spot. He stepped back, hands on his hips, an arrogant tilt to his brow. “Now, undress.”

  It was the naked hunger in his expression that had her heart clipping like the very devil.

  Unable to resist him, she grasped the end of her tee and yanked it off, then unzipped her shorts, aware of his gaze trailing her every move. Sliding them off, she tossed the shorts aside.

  Barefoot, he prowled closer, reached out, and pulled her close. Her breath caught at the dark desire in his gray eyes. Lowering his head, he ran his tongue along her clavicle. She sank into him, his other hand loosening the ties of her bikini top. “What about swimming?”

  “You wear that, what did you expect?”

  She blinked and eased back as much as his arms would allow. “You chose this!”

  His mouth came back to nip her earlobe. “And so I did.”

  She heard the smile in his voice. Swimming would have to wait for a while, because right then, she was exactly where she wanted to be.

  Books by Georgia Lyn Hunter

  Fallen Guardian series:

  Absolute Surrender Bk1

  Coming in September.

  Breaking Fate (Bk 2)

  About the Author

  A South African, Georgia Lyn Hunter has been creating stories from the moment she could string two words together. And no matter the tale, they always have romance woven through them.

  When not writing or plotting her next book, she can be found reading, travelling, painting, or trolling flea markets where she loves to buy things she might never actually use because they're so pretty.

  After wo
rking in a few jobs, all Art related, she’s finally found her passion: writing.

  There really is no other job she’d rather be doing.

  Come find her here:

  Website: www.georgialynhunter.com

  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GeorgiaLynHunter

  Twitter