Goddess in the Middle

by Stephanie Julian

  They had much better luck with offensive and defensive spells—disabling locks, jamming weapons, mass displacement and elemental manipulation.

  Apparently, being the culmination of a centuries-old prophecy had made him and Remy more than one-trick ponies. But it’d also gotten their families killed. Something they could never allow themselves to forget.

  Which wouldn’t matter one bit if Amity couldn’t cure Remy. Her hands still shone but they’d dimmed a bit as she let them rest directly on his abdomen. Rom watched Remy’s chest rise and fall in a fast, shallow pattern. Not good. Especially not when combined with the pallor of his skin.

  Should he pray to the Great Mother Goddess to give Amity the strength to heal Remy? Rom hadn’t prayed in years. It did no good. The Involuti, the five founding gods of the Etruscan pantheon, had retreated from their plane of existence hundreds of years ago. They’d deserted their people and the rest of the pantheon and they didn’t deserve to be worshipped.

  Unlike this goddess. She deserved an entire nation of worshippers.

  He didn’t know how long it’d been since she’d started working on Remy but Rom could tell his cousin’s skin tone had lost that death-pale hue. His breathing had become steadier, deeper, and his body appeared more relaxed.

  Amity’s eyes were closed, and Rom let himself watch her now instead of Remy. She didn’t appear to be suffering any ill effects from healing his cousin, though it seemed to take forever.

  Rom’s gaze shot to the window for a second, not surprised to see the sun had risen. It had to be close to seven or eight in the morning.

  He should go to the kitchen and make them something to eat. They’d probably be starving afterward.

  Hell, he was, but he didn’t want to leave them alone in case Amity needed him for something. To make sure she didn’t fall over in exhaustion.

  Or if she needed a booster shot of sex.

  Yeah, like that’s gonna happen.

  Shaking the thought out of his head, he forced himself to move slowly. He didn’t want to disturb or startle her, but she didn’t appear to notice him at all when he headed for the door. Leaving it open, he went straight to the kitchen.

  The kitchen was his domain. The extent of Remy’s cooking ability was a peanut butter sandwich, but Rom could create a meal any five-star restaurant would be happy to serve.

  He enjoyed being in the kitchen. There was something about cooking that gave him a sense of relaxation that nothing else did. Wherever they happened to land, Rom always made sure the place had a kitchen so he could cook if he had the time.

  Honestly, he’d rather cook than run past a drive-up window every night. And Remy had learned not to bitch when Rom decided they were having duck or buffalo for dinner. He’d even gotten Remy to enjoy pâte over the years.

  Now, Rom decided to go for comfort foods. Meatloaf, mashed garlic potatoes with blue cheese, roasted Brussels sprouts, and maybe pie for dessert.

  It was the least he could do to thank the Lady Amity for her help. And the mind-blowing sex.

  Chapter 5

  Amity fought to open her eyes. They felt weighted, as if she hadn’t slept for days.

  Beside her, she felt the warmth of a large body. A male body.

  Remy.

  Memories of last night ran through her mind. The demon. The fight. Remy and Rom saving her life. Healing Rom. Having amazing sex with Rom. Then healing Remy.

  Carefully, she sat up, clenching and unclenching her fingers that felt as if she’d held them in fists all night. It was an aftereffect of running that much power through them. When they felt marginally better, she stretched her hands over Remy’s torso, careful not to let them touch him.

  He’d had massive internal injuries and if she’d waited even a half hour more he would have succumbed to them.

  And she’d nearly gotten lost in Rom’s lovemaking…

  Her mind wanted to go back over every detail, every second.

  No. Taking a deep breath and shaking her head, she forced her eyes open and stared down at Remy. She breathed a little easier as she noticed the color returning to his cheeks and the more natural rise and fall of his chest.

  He would be fine after he’d rested.

  A yawn caught her by surprise and she lifted a visibly shaking hand to cover her mouth. Actually, she shook all over. Her arms were covered in goose bumps, and her teeth were beginning to chatter.

  Cold. She was so cold, a reaction to the length and intensity of the healing. She’d not done anything like this in years. She hadn’t had the power to even attempt it.

  But with Rom…

  What was it about Rom?

  No, it wasn’t just Rom. It was Remy as well. She’d felt the power surge the night before when she’d had sex with Remy. She’d just been so surprised by it, she hadn’t done anything to capture that power and hold on to it.

  What was going on between the three of them that had allowed her to heal Rom and recharge fast enough to heal Remy?

  And how had they shown up at the exact moment she’d needed them? With a sword strapped to Rom’s back?

  So many questions.

  She yawned again, her eyelids having difficulty staying up. A nap sounded really good at that moment. And she would say she deserved it. There was more than enough room next to Remy to spread out and close her eyes for a few minutes.

  And it would be no hardship to sleep next to him, though sleeping wouldn’t be first on her list if she were rested.

  Wow, for someone who hadn’t had much sex in the last few… well, hundred years or so, her libido had definitely been jump-started.

  Lifting one hand, she smoothed it over Remy’s messy golden-brown hair then along the whiskers on his chin.

  As if he felt her touch, which he really shouldn’t considering all he’d just been through, he shifted his head toward her.

  Her fingers brushed against his lips and she shivered again, though not from cold.

  She closed her eyes—and nearly fell on top of him.

  With a sigh, she stretched out next to him, the heat of his body drawing her closer until her back pressed against his arm.

  His warmth seeped into her, and she closed her eyes.

  ***

  Remy opened his eyes and stared at the blank white ceiling.

  Soft light seeped through the shade at the window and he smelled… Rom’s meatloaf. His stomach growled and he put a hand over it, as if he could cover up the sound.

  His elbow brushed against something warm and soft. What the hell was Rom—

  No, not Rom.

  Amity lay beside him, sound asleep. She rested on her side facing him, the brown silk of her hair curling across her face, a few strands fluttering around her mouth as she breathed. Her eyes were closed, obviously, so he couldn’t tell their color, but that meant he could study her features more closely.

  And realized nothing had changed from the first moment he’d seen her. She was beautiful. So damn pretty he wanted to lean over and press his mouth against hers and—

  He drew in a deep breath as he caught the scent of… sex. Musky and earthy and… Fuck.

  She’d had sex with Rom. Holy fuck. How the hell long had he been out?

  His jaw started to ache and Remy realized his mouth was hanging open. Snapping it shut, he took another deep breath. Just to make sure he hadn’t made a mistake.

  No. She’d definitely had sex with Rom. His mind conjured up images of the pretty goddess sucking him off while Rom fucked her from behind—

  Whoa. Okay, good to know everything still worked properly. Or maybe he was just horny enough to get a hard-on from the scent.

  Damn. Rom had had sex with Amity. Remy would’ve sworn his cousin wouldn’t have touched her. Rom had somehow gotten the idea in his head that Remy had proprietary feelings toward her because of the other night.

  So do you?

  Good question.

  Amity drew in a deep breath and her eyelids fluttered opened. She looked bleary eyed and Rem
y froze as her gaze locked with his.

  For several seconds they lay there, unmoving, staring into each other’s eyes.

  Then she gasped and her eyes flew open wide as she scrambled to her knees beside him. “Sweet Mother Goddess, you’re awake.”

  “Uh…”

  “No, no.” She put one delicate hand on his shoulder and pressed, as if she were afraid he’d try to get away. Hell no, he wasn’t going anywhere. “You lie still and let me see how you’re doing.”

  At that moment, he felt pretty freaking great because she’d started to pet him. Well, she probably wouldn’t call it petting but that’s what it felt like to him. Her hands slid all over his bare chest, her fingertips soft, feather light against his skin. Starting at his shoulders, she let them drift over his pecs, his nipples hardening into sensitive peaks.

  She didn’t stop there, though he wished she would have, at least for a few seconds. She continued on to splay her hands across his stomach, which he couldn’t stop from flexing. He sucked in a sharp breath and had to practically bite his tongue to keep from groaning.

  Tinia’s teat, he was naked under a thin sheet that had been washed until it was practically transparent. And he had a hard-on that threatened to burst at any second. Especially if she moved those hands any lower.

  But, Sweet Mother Goddess, he wanted her to.

  Staring down at her, he noted her intent expression and only realized then that her hands gave off a blue glow and held a heat that seeped into his abdomen.

  So good. “Damn, that feels amazing.”

  “Shh,” she scolded, but her lips curled up in a slight smile. “Just lie still for a few more minutes.”

  “Yes, Lady.” He had no problem listening to her commands, as long as she kept her hands on him.

  Crossing his arms behind his head, he let his gaze take her in.

  He’d thought her beautiful two nights ago. Now… She absolutely looked like a goddess.

  He noticed tiny freckles on her arms that he hadn’t before. They didn’t detract from her beauty in any way. In fact, he wanted to lick them. Or connect the dots because he saw a few on her torso as well, one just above her right nipple and another lower, near her belly button. And another, lower still, right above her mound.

  Snapping his gaze back to her face, he found he couldn’t hold it there and it dropped to her breasts. She had gorgeous breasts—full and round and soft-looking. He wanted to cup them in his hands and see if they were as soft as he remembered.

  He wanted to knead them, let his fingers pluck at the pale pink nipples before he put his lips around one and sucked it into his mouth. Let his tongue flick at the tip for a few seconds, playing with her, until he bit down. Not hard, just enough to make her gasp and bring her hands to his head to hold him there.

  He realized he was panting and his eyes had closed as he’d played out that little fantasy in his head.

  Now they snapped open. And found Amity staring at him.

  Deep and wide, her chocolate-brown eyes mesmerized him. For a brief second, he wondered if that was because she was a goddess, then he totally forgot that fact and saw only the woman.

  Her full, pink lips parted slightly and he figured she had to know what he was thinking. When her fingers clenched, pressing into the clenched muscles of his stomach, he watched her blink.

  “How are you feeling, Remy?”

  Her voice felt like another kind of caress, making his skin erupt in goose bumps. And his cock throbbed. He felt pretty damn horny actually. Like he could roll her under him and fuck her for hours.

  Totally not what he should be thinking about.

  And yet…

  The look in her eyes had darkened, and her chest began to rise and fall in a faster pace, her breasts jiggling the slightest bit and making him harder still. As if she were just as turned on as he was.

  He forced himself to relax his hands, which had been fisted in the sheet, and tore his gaze away from her. Then he shook his head, more to clear it than as an answer to her questions. Which he’d almost forgotten she’d asked.

  “I’m feeling fine, Lady Amity.”

  He heard her draw in a deep breath as she withdrew her hands from his body and sat back on her haunches before she twisted to the side and slid off the bed.

  She looked completely comfortable in her nudity as she stood, hands on her hips, staring down at him, a slight smile curving her lips. “Please, it’s just Amity. And I’m very happy to report everything seems to be healed.”

  “Thank you. For healing me.”

  “It was the least I could do after you saved my life.”

  Remy’s gaze narrowed as he ran through last night’s events. “Rom and I are glad we were there to help. Do you know why the demon was chasing you?”

  Even as he asked the question, he knew he shouldn’t have brought up the subject without talking to Rom first. He had no idea what his cousin had told her, if anything.

  And she was too smart not to wonder how and why he and Rom had been in the right place at the right time.

  “Yes, actually, I do. What I don’t know is how you and Rom knew the demon was going to come after me.”

  Yep. Rom was gonna kill him. Should’ve kept his mouth shut.

  Her head tilted to the side as she crossed her arms under those gorgeous breasts. Remy swore his eyes nearly popped out of his head as she plumped them into mouth-watering mounds. He forced himself to lift his gaze back to hers.

  “Can you hold onto that thought for a few minutes? Let’s get dressed and go get something to eat. You really don’t want to miss Rom’s meatloaf.”

  Her gaze narrowed. “So I’m not wrong. You knew. But—”

  “We’ve been hunting the demon for years, Lady Amity. And last night we avenged our families with its death.”

  Remy’s gaze flew to the doorway where Rom had appeared. Relief at the sight of his cousin looking so damn healthy actually made him weak.

  “Lady Amity—”

  “Just Amity,” she said again, pinning Rom into place with her gaze. “How are you feeling this morning?”

  Rom stiffened, making Remy wonder just what the hell had happened between his cousin and her. Considering they’d had sex, shouldn’t he feel more relaxed?

  Remy shoved down the slight, bitter hint of jealousy that lurked in the back of his throat and tried to wade through the morass of emotions in the room.

  Between his, Rom’s, and Amity’s, it was no wonder his brain was getting a cramp.

  “I’m fine.” Rom practically bit the words out before turning his back on them and walking away. “Come out and eat and we’ll talk then.”

  Amity watched Rom walk away, her fingers tapping along her arm in a way that reminded him of the annoyed swish of a cat’s tail.

  Okay. Time to play peacemaker.

  Sliding out of bed, he walked over to the chest, grabbed a pair of sweats for him and a T-shirt for Amity.

  “You really should take it easy.” She tugged the shirt over her head then bent to pick up her panties from the floor. “You were severely injured last night. Both of you. I’ve healed your wounds, but your bodies will need time to rest and recover.”

  “I feel fine,” Remy said. “And cooking relaxes Rom. I know we have some things to discuss, but you should eat first. Smells like Rom went all out. Meatloaf and mashed potatoes. And apple pie.”

  “Dinner?” Amity sounded startled. “Did we sleep that long?”

  Remy nodded. “It’s almost four in the afternoon.”

  Amity stiffened. “Oh dear. I should have been back at the hospital hours ago.”

  “You work Saturdays?”

  “Oh. I forgot it was Saturday. No, I don’t. I had planned to check in, at least for a few minutes. That can wait, though. I want to know what’s going on.”

  ***

  Amity sat at the tiny dining table and ate the best meatloaf she’d ever tasted.

  Remy hadn’t been kidding. Rom cooked like a master chef.

/>   The men had barely spoken during the meal, and she got the distinct impression they were making a conscious effort to be on their best behavior. She imagined they didn’t often have a goddess at their table. Especially not one they’d both had sex with.

  It was obvious they hadn’t known who she was when they’d picked her up Thursday night. It was equally obvious now that they’d had an ulterior motive to do so.

  She vacillated between being upset that they’d used her and grateful they’d been there to save her ass. Sighing, she ate the last bite of her meatloaf and set her fork on her plate.

  Tension ran through her like high voltage and reverberated through Remy and Rom. She couldn’t help but wonder if she’d created some of the strain between the cousins.

  She’d basically forced Rom to have sex with her in order to save Remy. He’d been reluctant, to say the least, but she’d pushed him.

  Should she apologize? She didn’t think he’d found her offensive. She wasn’t built like the actresses and models plastered all over the magazine pages. She had curves. Some might say a few too many.

  But she’d been born the Etruscan Goddess of Health and, as such, she embodied the ideal picture of health. Sadly, her ideal was a few millennia out of date.

  Maybe Rom just hadn’t found her enticing. Maybe that was why he hadn’t touched her Thursday night. Maybe…

  Oh, hell. Maybe she should just get to the point.

  “That was delicious.” She flashed a smile at Remy then Rom, hoping to draw him out just a little. She sensed such a dark well of sorrow in him, but he covered it so well, she’d almost missed it. However, she couldn’t miss the responsibility he felt for Remy.

  Rom nodded but didn’t smile.

  When she flashed her eyes to Remy, he merely nodded, his gaze barely grazing hers in response.

  Then she heard Rom stifle a sigh. “I started to cook about seven, eight years ago.” Her gaze tripped back to Rom, who was gazing at her with what looked like an apology in his eyes. “The first couple of times… Well, I wouldn’t call it edible.”

  Rom’s attention slid to Remy and Amity’s followed, catching the slight smile that made the scars on Remy’s cheek crinkle.