by C. M. Owens
Devin stifles a smirk, and I put my head in my hands. “Oh. I was so happy I didn’t have to deal with him. Please tell me he’s not infected,” I plead.
“He’s not. Jace dealt with him,” Ther chirps.
“What did you do?” I worry, and Jace bursts out laughing at my terrified face.
“Seriously? Do I look like I work for the mafia?” he scoffs playfully. “I didn’t take care of him that way. I just erased all memories of you from his mind. He’ll never know you existed, and he’ll never bother you again. Sheesh. You sort of hurt my feelings,” he kids.
“Oh thank goodness,” I huff, and Devin lets a small smirk escape as well.
“I’ll be right back. I need to call Graven about tomorrow’s plan. I love you,” he murmurs sweetly, and then he flashes away before I can even smile for him.
The guys fill the girls in on all the old battle stories, and suddenly Jace’s blond is beside me.
“Hi,” she murmurs hesitantly.
“Hi,” I mutter back cautiously while taking another bite.
“Sorry, I’m Faith. I just wanted to take a minute and speak to you while we’re alone,” she says very nervously.
Oh damn. Another one? Really? Is there a single hot girl in the immortal world my husband hasn’t fucked?
“If you’re coming to tell me about how in love you are with my husband, be warned. I’m barely controlling my inner goddess these days.”
Her eyes widen, and I can see the stunned panic in her eyes.
“No,” she exclaims, and everyone turns to look at us.
Jace tilts his head curiously, and then he turns back to the conversation at hand when Deacon starts talking about Safina’s death.
“No,” she reiterates in a whisper. “I don’t know Devin at all. Before tonight, I’ve never even seen him. I came to talk to you about Jace,” she admits.
“Jace?” I ask curiously, and then I sigh in relief.
“Yes. He’s pretty incredible, and he said you’re his best friend,” she explains.
I smile a little and offer his oblivious profile a warm smile.
“He’s mine too,” I sincerely declare, though Clara would kill me if she heard that.
“I’m just wondering if there’s more I should be worried about. Is he in love with you? Are you in love with him?” she asks curiously.
“That’s blunt,” I say suspiciously.
“I’ve never been accused of subtly, and the only reason I’m asking is because I don’t want to fall for someone who is hung up on someone else - married or not,” she murmurs with a hint of insecurity.
“He thought he was in love with me, but we’ve only ever been friends. You barely know him well enough to start making assumptions though. If you like him, then you should definitely try to get to know him. He’s an amazing guy, and you’d be doing well to be with him. If you even think about using him, I’ll make you look as pretty as Safina did when her ashes floated through the air,” I threaten, and my eyes blaze with the green.
She stumbles backwards slightly, and I’m a little surprised by my protective side. Jace is like my brother now, but Aphrodite isn’t usually so easily provoked - at least not in that department.
“I didn’t mean to strike a nerve,” she stammers.
“Sorry,” I mutter. “I didn’t mean to do that. I feel a little off today. Is it hot in here?” I ask softly.
“Are you running a fever?” Jace asks when he creeps up on the conversation he’s been dying to hear.
“No. I’m fine. I was just telling Faith about your motorcycle fetish. Perhaps you should take her for a ride sometime,” I say to distract him, and she smirks a little at my lie.
“If you’re running a fever we need to call Persia. Aphrodite has been sated. If that was the reason you’ve been so weak, then you would be fine now,” he murmurs with total lack of acknowledgement for my suggestion.
I can see the disappointment in Faith’s eyes, and I know I have to somehow push him into going out.
“First of all, Aphrodite is insatiable, so to say that she’s been sated is actually laughable. Secondly, I’m not weak, I’m hot. It’s typical for me. No chills, just fever… my usual fever,” I lie, and then I smirk when I threaten to demonstrate my heated touch on the chair beside me.
“Got it. Not really needing a demonstration,” he grumbles with stiffness.
“So, you have a motorcycle?” Faith interrupts with a touch of excitement.
“I do, but not here,” Jace murmurs shyly, and it’s so adorable.
“Take mine,” Devin says as he reenters the room.
He grabs a set of keys from a drawer and tosses them to Jace without hesitation. I’m sure he loves Jace having a girl attached to him, and he very likely wants to be rid of him for a while as well.
“You sure?” Jace asks skeptically.
“Positive. There are several to choose from, and all the keys are on that one ring. We leave at dawn. Just try to be back by then,” he says so casually, and I can see the confusion in Jace’s face.
“Yeah. No problem,” he warily responds, and then he turns back to me. “Let me know if you need anything,” Jace says softly, and then Faith loops her arm in his before they stroll out together.
“Did I miss something?” Devin frets.
“I’m running a fever, but not the kind he thinks I am,” I lie again, but I keep a seductive tone to mask the little fib.
“Oh really, Mrs. Cole?” he smolders.
“Really, Mr. Cole,” I seduce, and then I take another bite of my fish.
He sits down beside me, and his hand traces up and down my back. We’re both feeling a need for contact, and my free hand moves to rest on his leg.
“What do you think about all of this?” I ask.
“I think I’m tired of people interrupting our lives. I just want to be with you, and I swear I’ll find a way to kill her when we locate her. I almost lost you because of her,” he says, and the last part is a pained whisper.
“You never almost lost me. There were so many times I wished I could just find something to take my mind off of you, but I never found such a distraction,” I admit, but he doesn’t seem to enjoy my confession as much as I had expected.
“Jace didn’t take your mind off of me?” he asks very leadingly, and his pouting demeanor is a little too hot.
“No,” I murmur with a smile. “Jace was just the friend I needed to keep me sane. Of course, considering my favorite meal choice was ice cream and fish, I suppose my sanity was to be questioned.”
He grimaces at the loathsome thought of what I have been living on, and then he shakes his head while I chuckle. He smirks a little, and then leans over to kiss me lightly.
“Take the rest to the bedroom,” he murmurs softly. “I’m tired of sharing you for tonight. I want you all to myself until we have to leave,” he says so softly, and though seduction isn’t intended, I’m filled with desire just by the tone of his voice.
“I don’t need to take it,” I murmur with a devious smirk.
“No,” he snickers a little. “You need to eat if you’re hungry, and for the record, I’m not at all thrilled about your diet,” he lightly scolds, and then he picks my plate up along with my water to flash toward the room.
I smile when I walk into the room and see he’s already pulled up a tray for me. He flips the television to the news, and once again, life feels normal.
We’re a regular married couple just lounging in each other’s company.
“What?” he muses when he sees my enigmatic grin.
“Nothing,” I shyly answer. “I’m just glad I’m here with you.”
He flashes to me, and his lips sensually play against mine to reward me for my sweet comment. One hand softly cups my face, while his other slowly crawls down my side.
The honest and genuine sincerity oozes from his eyes as they stare into mine. The gaping hole for a doorway is the only thing souring this moment.
“I don’t even k
now how to explain how incredible it feels to have you in my arms again,” he softly coos.
My lips tug a little more fervently at his, and then I feel the bed steadily climbing beneath me as he slides me on top of it. His patient, meticulous right hand trails up and down my chest and abdomen as he pulls back to stare into my eyes.
“I’m glad you didn’t give up,” I almost whisper.
His eyes burn into mine, and I feel the heat of my body singeing the sheets screaming beneath me.
“I told you I never would,” he smolders, and then his pace becomes less patient and more desperate to feel me completely.
I moan as his teeth scale lightly over my skin. Then I hear the slamming of the door as my wind picks it up from its resting place and stands it back up to conceal our scene.
Devin’s lips are etched in a devious cocked grin when they return to mine, and it just fuels the burning rush inside me that much more. I hear the crashing of the plate that once carried my fish, but I could care less.
My knuckles turn white as they cling to the covers beneath me while my body is forced to absorb his teasing prolonging, and then sensations start to overwhelm me.
Throbbing erupts to be more painful as the sound of fabric shredding sings to my ears, and his lips devour mine. His touch is all I need to feel whole.
The last of the hellhounds foam at the mouth as their red eyes glare into my green ones. The thunder rumbles across the sky in a rolling motion while the clouds split quickly to escape the path of the shooting blue streaks plummeting to the ground.
The rain pelts against my face and shatters like glass to extinguish the burning flames around the rabid beasts.
Devin builds a wall of water around the mutts still dripping fire like drool from their mouth, and they screech in pain as Jace slams a swirling episode of streaks their way.
The endless parade of blue strikes is enough to finally cease the howling screams, and Jace dusts his hands proudly as he walks over to me.
“Well, there’s nothing better than a hard day’s work,” he chuckles out.
“You losing your edge, Adisia? You let Jace have most the fun. You barely killed less than half of them,” Deacon teases, but I don’t want to tell anyone that I still don’t feel fully recuperated.
“I was a little caught off guard. I wasn’t expecting disfigured, hairless beasts with fire for spit and dagger sharp claws,” I mislead. “So, Graven is essentially a walking dog whistle for the fire breathing canines?” I muse.
“Shh,” Deacon hushes with a grin. “Graven will flip the hell out if he hears you say that. He has a severe complex with his talent, and he overcompensates often. Don’t make him try to display his toughness, please. It’s too pathetic to view again,” he mocks quietly.
Everyone chuckles, and I’m relieved to see I’ve successfully shifted the topic without falter.
Devin walks over to take my hand in his, and I’m almost worried he noticed my secretive deterrent. I discreetly sigh in relief when he kisses me, and then screams bring all of us to an emergent spin to face the beach.
“What was that?” Kry murmurs warily, and then we hear more screams in the distance - mortal screams.
“Harpies,” Devin gasps, and then I feel a sharp tug as he flashes with me still attached.
I always forget how much faster he is until I try to keep up with his panicked pace. It’s finally too much, and I have to release him when I feel too weak to continue the fierce stride.
Devin skids to an abrupt halt, and he turns back to face me with a distressed face. I just wave him off as I hide the heaving-for-air breathlessness attacking my lungs.
“Go. I’m fine. You’re just faster,” I urge, and then I grab at my stomach when he’s not looking anymore.
I feel so weak, so tired, so… mortal, damn it. What the hell?
The water swirls through the air, and I see more people at the end of the beach fighting to keep the scrambling mortals safe.
I feel even sicker when I see the lives of so many already lost, and tears escape when a small girl is crying beside a tree for her mother. I force myself to flash toward her, and she freezes in sheer terror when she sees my hasty approach.
“It’s okay,” I coo. “Let me help you find your mother.”
Suddenly I hear a wind cutting noise that brings my hair to a stand. I slowly turn around while keeping the small girl tucked behind me.
A stunning blue-haired woman stands in front of me, and her head tilts side to side as if she’s studying what or who I am. Her eyelashes extend to turn into blue feathers, and her blue eyebrows only bring out the too blue color of her eyes.
Even her nails are blue, and they’re fucking long too. They continue to extend in front of my eyes, making me almost gasp. I’ve never seen anything so fatally beautiful in all my life.
No fucking wonder they kill so many. It’s hard to look away, and their swirling eyes are just as deadly as their sharp claws.
I finally break eye contact when the small child sniffling in fear brings me out of my momentary trance, and her small, trembling hands grip tightly to my leg.
The woman’s bird-like mannerisms are displayed in her circling stalk that I mimic to keep the child hidden, covered, and protected.
“You really don’t want to piss me off,” I warn, and the sound of the thunder demands attention as it rumbles fiercely to add to my threat.
She doesn’t seem so afraid though, and that’s probably because it is hard to kill them by any way other than drowning.
A growling hiss spews from her mouth just before she lunges at me, and my wind wraps her up to carry her out to sea before she gets the chance to finish her attack.
I scoop the young girl up to hold her to my chest. The sea is turning, crashing, and reining the women with colorful hair.
Screams erupt from the hypnotic harpies as I feel Devin’s power bringing the short battle to an end. The small girl in my arms holds on tighter to escape the horrific scene going on behind her as she buries her head into my chest.
The gushing waves seem to swirl in slow motion, and the battle seems surreal. Aphrodite isn’t taking me over, and I’m forced to watch it all play out as Adisia only.
For the first time in a fight, I feel the fear everyone else does. I see the pain, the destruction, and the chaos just as they all do. The gut wrenching screams ring out louder as more harpies meet their doom, and I only ever struck one.
I almost feel a little impotent. I’m used to feeling so powerful. Now I feel like a hindrance or an observer rather than a true force.
Devin rushes over, and his eyes are drenched in fear when he sees the small child I’m holding. Her face nestles into me to hide her eyes, and I continue holding my arm around her head to shield her ears.
“Adisia!” Camara screams, and suddenly I feel a sharp pain in my back from a pulsating force that echoes in my ears.
I scream out, and the child screams to mimic my outburst of pain. I turn my head to see a different group of women, and this time the green eyes do come to life.
The sky parts and the curly-haired blonds drop to their knees as something new exudes from me. I feel protective, and now I feel a different power flowing through my veins.
They scream as they curl into fetal position, and Devin flashes over to take the child from my arms. I hold her tighter, refusing his grasp, and Devin backs away when he sees my determination to keep her with me.
“Adisia, calm down!” Faith screams. “They weren’t aiming at you.”
“They almost hit her,” I say in my Aphrodite echo.
“They were aiming at the harpies. You have to release them from… whatever you’re doing,” she pleads.
“No,” I growl.
“They should watch where they’re aiming,” Jace chimes in, and Devin wraps his arm around me defensively as he glares at Faith.
“My wife was struck, and they don’t seem too remorseful. Furies don’t really give a damn about who they hurt,” he growls.
“These do. They’re with me,” Faith says, and she steps between the Furies and me.
The blue returns, and I release them from the unknown hold I have. They gasp for air, and then I see someone I never dreamed I would see again.
My heart sinks to the floor, and if it wasn’t for the small girl in my arms, I would crumble to the ground.
Devin turns pale, his body rigid the second his eyes follow my trail, though I know he’s already seen her by now. He was probably just praying I wouldn’t.
“Devin,” Nina gasps in relief. “Thank heavens. We wouldn’t have survived that massive ambush if it wasn’t for you.”
Devin drops his head, and I hear his mumbled whisper not meant for any ears but his own.
“I can’t catch a fucking break.”
He steps beside me just before she flashes over, and I’m sure it’s because he’s just seen what she’s about to do. I’m trying not to think about what it is she was planning to attempt.
“Oh. Adisia,” she stammers out. “I didn’t expect to…”
“You didn’t expect to see me again after you did your best to fuck up my marriage?” I crudely finish her sentence for her.
“No, I mean, I just thought… Thanks for coming to help,” she says while shifting her eyes back to Devin.
He remains silent, and I’m sure it’s because he’s terrified about how I’ll react if he even looks at her.
His arm pulls me into him, and it’s all I can do not to release the fury of the skies on her.
At this moment, I really regret binding Asteria. She’s a bitch who doesn’t show regard for anyone. She’d be especially ruthless to the bitch who tried to break up my home.
Nina wasn’t under the same shadowed influence as Devin. She knew what she was doing.
“What are you guys doing here?” Kry asks to break up the awkward tension that ensues when Devin still doesn’t answer her.
Nina frowns a little. Her dark hair almost shakes in the form of waves under the wet shine my rain offered her. Her soft ocean, blue eyes stare hopefully, but not desperately, at my husband.
