Dance of the Heart

by Lisa Kessler

  He stared at their hands and lifted his head again. “Anyone could have broken in and killed us both last night. Being naked in your bed like that, we were vulnerable, and I was weak. I’ve got to step back and focus on keeping you safe.”

  His words knocked the air out of her as if he’d just sucker punched her in the gut. “So last night was a mistake?”

  “No.” For a second, there was a trace of the man she’d fallen for, then the cold mask was back in place. “But it was very poor judgment.”

  Her heart ached, but she raised her chin, struggling to hide her emotions. “I guess you’re back on the payroll, then.”

  “Tera—”

  “No. I get it.” She started up the stairs before he could see the tears brimming in her eyes. She called back over her shoulder. “I’ll be down in a few minutes. We’re supposed to be at Callie’s in an hour.”

  She didn’t stop until she was locked in her bathroom. She cranked the knob on the wall of the shower, and hot water poured out, drowning out the sound of her sobs. Her chest heaved as she sat on the closed toilet and finally allowed her tears to escape.

  The sex had been amazing, but she’d been reduced to “poor judgment.” Her chest constricted. Was it just sex for him? For her, it was the first time that it wasn’t just sex. Last night had been her first introduction to making love.

  But what the hell did she know? She massaged her temples. No. There had to be an explanation.

  The truth was she barely knew Gavin. Maybe he didn’t do commitment. But she hadn’t asked for one. He was the one who told her he was falling for her. Sitting here guessing was making her nuts.

  Her cell phone buzzed on the sink. An unknown number. Normally she’d send it to voice mail, but at the moment, she was desperate for any distraction from the pain.

  She grabbed the phone. “Hello?”

  “Hi, baby girl.”

  Her mother. Tera stared at her cell as if it would tell her how her mom got the number.

  “Tera? Honey, are you okay?”

  “Yeah.” She closed her eyes, drowning in emotions. “How’d you get this number?”

  “You’d be surprised what a good private eye can find.” Her mom paused, her tone warming into that of the all-too-familiar suffocating, passive-aggressive mother Tera had grown to loathe. “Did he hurt you?”

  Maybe it was instinctual, but even though rationally she knew it was a horrible idea, Tera caught herself yearning to cling to her mom, to allow her mother to fix everything so she could just dance. “I’ll be okay.”

  “Where are you, baby girl? I’ll come pick you up. I knew that man was no good. He doesn’t deserve you.”

  “I’m fine.” She scrambled to change the subject. “Weren’t you doing some networking or something?”

  “Yes! I almost forgot!” Her mom was practically beaming right through the phone. “I’ve connected with a brilliant patron of the arts. He’s new to Crystal City, but I talked up your résumé and he’s eager to meet with you to discuss founding a professional ballet company here. You could dance again, honey. You’d be the prima ballerina. He can make that happen.”

  Tera picked at the ends of her hair. She never thought she’d be listening to her mother’s plots and plans again, but right now, it was a welcome distraction from the heart breaking in her chest.

  “Mom, I already told you, I’m happy teaching and inspiring future dancers. Besides, I’m part of the group of women building the theater, Les Neuf Soeurs, here in town. I don’t have time to run a dance company.”

  “He has plenty of money to hire the best people.”

  “Then he can audition for the best dancers,” Tera countered.

  “But you are the best, baby girl.” She sighed. “I’ve worked really hard to get you an audition, but if you can’t be bothered to chat and dance for a few minutes, I guess I can call it off.”

  Tera rolled her eyes. “I’m really busy right now.”

  “No, I understand. Don’t worry about it.” She manufactured a dramatic wobble in her voice. “I gave up my life for your career so you could make your own choices.”

  “Please stop,” Tera groaned. “Fine. But I’m not agreeing to anything other than having a meeting.”

  “That’s all you need to do. Then you can decide.”

  “Fine.” Tera bit off a hangnail. “Text me the details, and I’ll try to be there.”

  “Perfect.” Her mother paused, her tone changing again to a doting parent. “Remember, I can pick you up anytime, anywhere. I’m not afraid of him.”

  “I’m not, either, Mom. I’ve got to go. Bye.”

  Tera ended the call before her mother could talk more smack about Gavin. She turned off the shower and reached out to wipe the condensation off the mirror over the sink. Her fingertips were red and raw. Tera gasped, inspecting them closer.

  Shit. How long had she been chewing on her fingers? She hadn’t even noticed. One phone call from her mother and she was gnawing on her cuticles until they bled. A pit of despair grew in her stomach as she turned on the sink and washed her hands. She never should’ve talked to her mom, but she needed to get all these questions and emotions out of her head before it exploded.

  But it wasn’t going to be her mother, and apparently, Gavin wasn’t going to be an option, either.

  She dried her hands, picked up her phone, and scrolled through her short list of contacts. Clio’s name came up, and Tera hesitated. She had helped Clio and her Guardian, Mason, when they’d needed it most. There was no way Clio would turn her away now. But Clio also had no idea of the depth of Tera’s anxieties.

  She gnawed at the edge of her thumbnail and then jerked the digit free and pressed Clio’s number.

  “Hello?”

  “Hi, Clio. It’s Tera.”

  “Hey, Tera. What’s up?” Clio was the youngest of the muse sisters, and usually quick to smile. Since finding her Guardian, she’d blossomed. Love looked great on her.

  “I need a shoulder and I don’t know who else to call.” Tera grimaced as how dumb that had just sounded. Ugh. Why was verbal communication so difficult? “Not that I called because there was no one else. What I mean is, I don’t have a lot of friends, but I really need one right now.”

  “Are you going to Callie’s this morning?”

  “Yeah.” Tera stared at her tearstained face in the mirror.

  “Let me give you a ride. Mason’s waiting on a lumber delivery, so he is going to meet me there anyway. I could swing by and pick you up.”

  The girl was a freaking lifesaver.

  “That’d be great,” Tera said. “Thanks. How soon can you be here?”

  She chuckled. “Ten minutes? Maybe we could grab a bagel on the way.”

  “Sounds amazing. I owe you one.”

  “Please,” Clio tsked. “Mason might still be a wolf if it weren’t for you. See you soon.”

  Tera ended the call and hurried to get ready. She chose a pair of jeans and a pink tee with DANCE written on the front in block letters. She put her hair in a ponytail and quickly added some lip gloss. By some miracle, despite her shaky hold over her nerves, her black eyeliner was on point. Not that it mattered, really. It wasn’t like she wanted Gavin to be tempted to give up his newfound devotion to being all business—much.

  She tossed her keys and her wallet into her dance bag and slung it over her shoulder. When she came downstairs, Gavin was peering out the back window overlooking the courtyard. He turned around, his gaze sliding over her just as his hands had done the night before.

  She clenched her teeth. “Clio and I are getting a bite to eat, and then she’s taking me to Callie’s. I’ll text you the address.”

  He crossed his arms. “That’s not how this works.”

  She went to the table, took the cannister of pepper spray, and deposited it into the outside pocket of her dance bag. “No one is going to attack me in broad daylight, and I have the pepper spray.” She eyed the Taser and shook her head. “I don’t trust mysel
f with that.” She walked to the door. “I’ll meet you at Callie’s.”

  He moved toward her and started to reach for her hand. He stopped himself halfway. “I’ll follow you.”

  “No,” she said, standing up straighter.

  “I won’t sit at your table. You won’t even know I’m there.” His eyes searched hers, concern lining his face. “Please, Tera. Let me do my job.”

  Hearing that word again—job—knocked her back into reality. “Fine. But stay back and no eavesdropping.”

  He lifted his hands in mock surrender, a hint of a playful smile on his face that only made her heart hurt more. “I’m not making you wear a wire. I’ll stay back.”

  Her cell phone buzzed with a text from Clio. “She’s here.”

  Gavin put on his jacket, concealing his gun, and followed her out.

  CHAPTER 11

  Tera followed Clio to a table by the window, trying not to notice her sexy shadow who took a small booth across the café. Her body didn’t seem to understand the sudden distance between them. Just glancing in his direction warmed her from the inside out.

  Clio blew on her coffee and smiled. “Your bodyguard is hot.”

  “Yeah.” Tera lifted her mug of hot chocolate and took a sip. “He’s also my Guardian.”

  Clio’s eyes widened. “What? Wow… Did you tell him?”

  Tera nodded and stared at the steam rising from her cup. “He knows everything.”

  Clio sobered. “So why is he sitting over there alone?”

  Tera met her eyes. “Because we had sex last night. Really amazing sex.”

  “Huh.” Clio set her coffee back on the table. “I must be missing something here.”

  “Me too. I don’t know what happened between amazing sex and sunrise, but this morning he’s Mr. All Business and ‘We need to keep this professional.’” Tera dropped her hands in her lap and immediately started picking at her fingers. “But that’s not even why I needed you.”

  Her friend cocked her head and waited for Tera to go on.

  Tera swallowed. “While I was melting down about Gavin, my mom called. And I took the call. Oh, and this is after she already showed up twice at the studio.”

  Clio’s brow furrowed. “I thought you had a restraining order against her. What’s she doing in Crystal City?”

  “Trying to figure out a way to stop me from teaching dance and get me back in the spotlight, as always. Supposedly, she’s been schmoozing with some wealthy patron of the arts in Crystal City and wants me to meet with him. I shouldn’t have taken the call…” Tera lifted her hands from her lap and showed Clio her fingernails in all their gnawed, red, and scabbed glory. “I’m unraveling.”

  Clio shook her head. “No, you’re just human. Besides, would the old you have called a friend when she felt this way?”

  Tera fought the urge to reach across the table and hug Clio for calling herself a friend. The girl had no clue how much that meant to Tera. She shrugged. “No. Old me would’ve taken a tranquilizer and skipped a few meals.”

  “See?” She raised her mug in a mock toast. “You’re much stronger now. You won’t unravel.”

  Tera wasn’t sure how true that was, but she had called Clio, and she had even shared her anxiety over the sudden emotional trauma. And Clio didn’t even know about Tera being shot at in the parking lot of the theater yet.

  Gods, when had her life turned into an action flick?

  Clio took a bite of her bagel and leaned in closer, keeping her voice hushed. “Do you love him?”

  Tera almost choked on her hot chocolate. She cleared her throat, pondering the question. Would she even know if she did? It wasn’t like she had any experience. She definitely enjoyed his company and craved his touch, and she’d thought there had been something special growing between them. Before he’d crushed it like a bug this morning, that was.

  “I trust him,” Tera whispered, surprising herself. “He’s already saved me from a surprise visit from my mother and gunfire.”

  “Someone shot at you?” Clio gasped.

  “Yeah. We think he’s trying to take me to Kronos. He said he needed me alive, but he seemed eager to shoot Gavin.” Tera swallowed the lump in her throat.

  Clio fiddled with the coaster under her mug, resisting eye contact. “I need to tell you something, but I’m not sure it’s the right time.”

  Tera frowned. “That’s cryptic.”

  Clio lifted her gaze. “Sorry. It’s just that I’ve been sworn to secrecy, but I don’t want to lose anyone else.”

  “Could it help us stop Kronos?”

  Clio sighed. “It could. But it hasn’t so far.” She shook her head. “I’ve already said more than I should.” She picked up her mug with a forced smile. “Tell me more about Gavin.”

  Tera stared across the table, trying to figure out what Clio was hiding. Since Polly’s death in the fire, Clio was Tera’s closest friend. It shook her a little to realize Clio was keeping something from her.

  She tried to shove the questions aside, and risked a glance in Gavin’s direction, and his gaze locked on hers. Her heart fluttered as she focused on Clio again. “I fell asleep in his arms last night. That might not be a big deal to most people, but I’ve never let anyone sleep over before. And I’ve definitely never let anyone sleep in my bed.”

  Clio’s smile warmed. “I’m sure he’ll come around. Finding out the muses are real and that he’s falling for one is a lot to take in. Plus, learning he’s a Guardian? That’s huge.” She sipped her coffee. “What’s his latent ability?”

  “Superspeed, it seems.” Tera almost smiled.

  “Interesting.” Clio sipped her drink. “Mason has the strength of Hercules when I’m in trouble, and Gavin has the speed of Hermes when you are. Zeus wasn’t messing around when he chose our Guardians.”

  Tera chuckled. “The first time we met, my mom showed up unexpectedly, and he had us hidden behind the studio so fast, I threw up. He held my hair back while I literally lost my lunch.”

  Clio snorted. “Oh, he’s a keeper.”

  Tera thought so, too. But what if he didn’t want to be kept?

  Ted walked up to Callie’s door and rang the bell. A guy in low-slung board shorts and a sleeveless T-shirt answered the door. His smile morphed into a snarl in a matter of seconds.

  Hunter Armstrong.

  Until recently, he was a Navy SEAL, as well as Callie’s Guardian and now her boyfriend. And a few months ago, Ted had helped abduct his muse. Shit.

  Hunter crossed his arms. “What the hell are you doing here?”

  Ted chuckled, hoping it didn’t sound as nervous as he felt. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to surprise you.” When Hunter didn’t respond, Ted rambled into the silence. “I came to talk to Trinity. Is she here?”

  Hunter slammed the door in his face.

  Perfect.

  Ted turned around to go to his car, but then the door opened again and a familiar voice called to him like a siren’s song. “Ted, wait.”

  Trinity stood alone in the doorway. Her ebony hair was down, framing her porcelain face and falling just below her shoulders. She wore a pair of denim cutoffs, flip-flops, and a green T-shirt. She was so beautiful. And every time he looked at her, he could almost feel the blood on his hands, the betrayal like ash in his mouth.

  She gestured him inside. He swallowed and followed her to a long, dining room table, took a seat across from her, and took his yellow notepad out of his attaché case. He didn’t trust himself to remember everything without notes. Being in this house with so many people who hated him made him jumpy enough as it was. The sooner he got out of there the better.

  “Thanks for meeting me. I’m still on the inside with Kevin, but if there’s any hope of stopping him, we need to work together.”

  “Really?” Trinity laughed, but it never reached her eyes. “You mean he’s not going to solve all humankind’s problems and bring back the Golden Age of Man?”

  Her sarcasm stung, but he hadn’t come for a fight
. “No. In fact, all he’s truly interested in is getting revenge against his wife and son for trapping him in Tartarus.”

  Confusion creased her brow. “So why is he bothering the muses?”

  Ted picked up his pen and started clicking the top over and over. “Because he thinks if he can capture Tera and torture her, he’ll lure Zeus back into this world.”

  She pulled her hair back from her forehead. “So we’re just bait.”

  His gut twisted with guilt. “I’m so sorry, Trin. I’m trying to make this right.”

  Her jaw tightened. “You don’t get to call me that anymore. And unless you can bring Nia and Polly back from the dead, you can’t make any of this right.”

  “I know.” He swallowed the lump in his throat. “But we have to stop him. If he can’t get Tera, you’re next on his list.”

  “Because I don’t have a magical Guardian, marked by the gods.” She sighed.

  He nodded. “It makes you an easier target.”

  She stared at the door, avoiding eye contact. “I hope you didn’t come all the way over here to tell me something we already knew.”

  “No.” Ted tapped his pen against his notepad. “Mikolas and I met with Mrs. Zervos from Lia’s poker group. Lia was there, too, so she can fill you in, but basically, Rhea and the Guiders of Destiny are willing to face Kronos to protect humanity.”

  “How do I fit into all this?” She crossed her arms.

  “The last time they faced Kronos, before he was banished to Tartarus, Zeus tipped the scales to overpower him, and since Zeus isn’t around now, Mikolas and I need a backup plan.”

  She shrugged. “Not sure how I can help with that.”

  Ted lowered his voice. “The muses killed Philyra. But she was an immortal just like Kronos. We need to know how you did it.”

  Trinity brushed her hair away from her face, her gaze boring into him. “Why would I tell you? You could walk that information straight to Kronos.”

  Shit. He’d told Mikolas this would never work. Ted shook his head. “I guess you don’t.” He glanced at his pad again, and Nate’s name jumped out at him. “Talk to Detective Malone.”