Tempted

by Elisabeth Naughton

  She gasped as he went down. Voices echoed again, but all he could focus on was her.

  “Demetrius,” she said in a frantic voice. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m…” He stared up at her face. “You fought for me.”

  She knelt in front of him and ran her fingers down his cheek. So warm, so soft…“Of course I did. I told you on Pandora you were worth saving. I meant it.”

  “No one’s ever fought for me before.”

  A warm smile slid across her face. “Get used to it, Guardian. As long as blood flows in my veins, I’ll be here fighting for you. Any and every time you need me.”

  The blackness that was so much a part of him settled in that moment. Just laid right down in the bottom of his soul as if she were the key to controlling it. And warmth filled the space left behind. “I love you,” he whispered. “I love you so damn much.”

  Her smile grew even wider. “Oh, it’s a good thing. Because I just made some serious enemies here today, and I’m pretty sure I’m going to need you now more than ever.”

  Her arms slid around his neck and she leaned down to kiss him. As he’d dreamed of for nearly two hundred years. As he’d been afraid of for too damn long. As he’d prayed for, this last lonely day. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close, reveling in the warmth of her body tight against his, just where she should be.

  Home. She was his home. She always had been. No matter where he went or what happened from here, she always would be.

  When she eased back, her eyes sparkled, but his brain was slowly coming back online and there was so much he still didn’t understand. “How did you get your father to—?”

  “Nick. He testified on your behalf.”

  His gaze shot past her face to where his brother was standing near the far door. Their eyes met, held, then Nick nodded once and disappeared out the door. Demetrius’s brow wrinkled. “How—?”

  “It turns out he doesn’t hate you quite as much as you think,” Isadora said, drawing his attention back to her. “And I promised him things were going to be different, now that I’m in charge. This isn’t just our war. It’s his too. He needs the Argonauts’ help.”

  Pride swelled inside of him at what she’d done. At how she’d stood up to not only the Council but her father as well. At the lengths she’d gone to, to save him. “He’s got mine.”

  She smiled, brushed her hand down his cheek, but before he could kiss her again the smile faded and she loosed her hold. “Just hold that thought. One minute.” She must have seen the confusion on his face, because she eased back in to kiss him quickly. “I’ll be right back. I promise.”

  She stood and looked around the room. Callia stepped up next to Demetrius to check his back. To the left, the Argonauts grinned like colossal fools.

  Isadora grasped her skirts and disappeared out the door.

  “Orpheus!” she called when she reached the hallway. The ándras stopped halfway down the long marble corridor and turned to look back. “Wait.”

  “I’ve got things to do, Isa. Places to be, people to torment. Make it quick. What do you want now?”

  “Just to thank you. I—” She stopped in front of him, placed a hand over her still-quaking stomach. The image of Demetrius strung up in the Council chambers would live with her forever. If she’d been moments later…“I owe you more than I can ever repay.”

  “That’s right. You do.” A frown creased his forehead. “And how the hell am I supposed to collect on our little deal now? The whole freakin’ kingdom knows you’ve got the hots for Hellboy in there. And what’s the fun in seducing you when you’re already damaged goods?”

  Her lips curved up and relief—no, gratitude—rushed through her chest. He thought he was such a badass, but he wasn’t. Underneath that devil-may-care attitude lay the heart of a hero. “I would have lived up to our agreement, you know.”

  “I know you would have,” he said quietly. Their eyes held a moment, then he frowned again. “Which totally takes the freakin’ fun out of the whole thing.”

  Her smile widened as she took a step forward. Oh, she did like him—always had. She’d just never trusted herself to see what lurked underneath his prickly exterior. Now she did. Her week with Demetrius had taught her that what you see isn’t always what’s real.

  “Stay,” she said, sobering. “Stay and help me. I need you. Our people need you. The Argonauts need you. You have the markings from the gods now. And though I don’t quite know where Atalanta is at this moment or what she has planned next, I do know she’s not gone for good. We won the battle, but the war isn’t over.”

  “We both know I’m not hero material, Isa.” His eyes flashed green before resettling to their normal gray, a reminder that what was hidden in him was a liability. But she didn’t see it that way anymore. She saw it as an enormous asset. “You are, though. More than you realize.”

  “Not in this lifetime.” His jaw clenched and he glanced away. “Look, I gotta go. Are we done here?”

  “We’re done. But before you go.” She lifted the gold chain from around her neck and held the earth element out in front of him. In the lights from above, the diamond sparkled and shone. “Take this with you. It might come in handy.”

  He eyed the diamond as if he were afraid it would electrocute him. He knew what it was. And he knew its importance. “You’re giving this to me? Why?”

  “I’m loaning it to you. There’s a big difference. I fully expect you to bring it back. And if you don’t, I know six burly guys who’ll be more than happy to hunt you down and haul you both back.” He didn’t smile at her joke, but that was okay. She knew she’d just shocked the hell out of him. She stepped close, gently laid the diamond in his hand, and closed his fingers over the stone. “It’ll help you save Gryphon.”

  His eyes shot from the diamond in his fist to her face. “I’m not going after Gryphon. All I care about is the Orb.”

  “Sure, I know. Take it anyway.”

  He looked back down at his fist. Hesitated as if he was going to say something, then didn’t. When he looked up again, his gaze strayed past her toward the end of the hall, where she sensed Demetrius standing.

  Confusion cleared from his features, was replaced with his normal I-don’t-give-a-rip attitude as he glanced back at her once more and pocketed the diamond. “Don’t fuck up the kingdom while I’m gone, Isa.”

  She watched as he walked away. And in the silence that followed knew, even if he didn’t, that he wasn’t going after the Orb of Krónos as he claimed.

  She heard Demetrius move close, felt the heat from his body wrap around and draw her in. Her heart picked up speed, and when she turned she found he was no more than a foot away, holding a blanket closed at his chest, his brow wrinkled in confusion at what he’d just overheard. His dark hair was a mess around his face, his cheeks hollowed out from the stress of the last week, his skin stained with blood and sweat. But to her he’d never been more handsome.

  “Where’s he going?” He nodded toward the end of the hall.

  “To find Gryphon.”

  “How can you be sure?”

  “I’m going on faith. And intuition. The same faith and intuition that told me to find Casey, to stand up to Hades, to trust in you. It hasn’t let me down so far. I have to believe it won’t this time either.”

  “Kardia.”

  He opened the blanket. She moved into him without hesitation, sliding her hands around his waist, careful not to touch any of the wounds on his back. Lifting her face to his, she drew in a breath as his lips lowered to hers and she took a little of his weight, giving him back her strength tenfold.

  His eyes were as soft as she’d ever seen them when he eased back to gaze down at her. And though she knew the horrors of this day were never going to leave her, neither would this moment.

  “I’ve been floating in a black mist of death and misery so long,” he said, “I couldn’t see that the one thing I was most afraid of had the power to save me. Lachesis was righ
t. You didn’t just rescue my body in there, kardia, you saved my soul. Just like you did on that island every time you trusted me, every time you touched me, every time you loved me. You’re doing it now simply by looking at me like I’m everything you’ve ever wanted.”

  “You are,” she whispered. “In more ways than you will ever know.”

  He brushed his fingers down her cheek. “I promise you, with everything that I am, that I will find a way to break Hades’s contract on your soul. I’m not spending eternity without you. Not now, when I’ve finally realized you are my home.”

  Had she once been afraid of him? It seemed like a lifetime ago. “Some things can’t be saved, Demetrius, but I’m okay with that. I’m not living my life for the future anymore. I have everything I want right here. I have you and”—she took his hand and placed it on her stomach—“the life you’ve given me. That’s all I need.”

  He looked down where he touched her, and his eyes went so soft and dreamy her heart clenched. “Ah, kardia. Anything can be saved. I’m living proof of that. Believe in me like I believe in you. I won’t let you down. I won’t let either of you down ever again, I promise.”

  Emotion closed her throat. “I already do, Demetrius. I love you. I love you so much.”

  “You shouldn’t,” he whispered. “If I were stronger, you wouldn’t. But I’ll be damned if I’ll keep fighting this.” He lifted her around the waist and turned a slow circle with her in his arms. “I love you too, Hora, queen, soul mate, mine. Always.”

  His mouth captured hers again and he kissed her, just as she wanted. There were a thousand unknowns hanging in the balance—the fate of her kingdom, her rule, this pregnancy, the Argonauts, and a war she knew wasn’t over—but this, how she felt about him, this was a truth that would never let her down. As long as she believed in that, nothing could ever tear them apart.

  Not even Hades himself.

  Eternal Guardians Lexicon

  adelfos. Brother

  ándras. Male Argolean

  archdaemon. Head of the daemon order; has enhanced powers from Atalanta

  Argolea. Realm established by Zeus for the blessed heroes and their descendants

  Argonauts. Eternal guardian warriors who protect Argolea; in every generation, one from the original seven bloodlines (Heracles, Achilles, Jason, Odysseus, Perseus, Theseus, and Bellerophon) is chosen to continue the guardian tradition

  Chosen. One Argolean, one human; two individuals who, when united, complete the Argolean Prophecy and break Atalanta’s contract with Hades, thereby ejecting her from the Underworld and ending her immortality.

  Council of Elders. Twelve lords of Argolea who advise the king

  daemons. Beasts who were once human, recruited from the Fields of Asphodel (purgatory) by Atalanta to join her army

  Fates. Three goddesses who control the thread of life for all mortals from birth until death

  Fields of Asphodel. Purgatory

  gynaíka. Female Argolean

  Hora; pl. Horae. Three goddesses of balance controlling life and order

  Isles of the Blessed. Heaven

  ilithios. Idiot

  kardia. Term of endearment; my heart

  matéras. Mother

  Medean witches. Followers of the teachings of the sorceress Medea who live in the Aegis Mountains

  meli. Term of endearment; beloved

  Misos. Half-human/half-Argolean race that lives hidden among humans

  Olympians. Current ruling gods of the Greek pantheon, led by Zeus; meddle in human life

  Orb of Krónos. Four-chambered disk that, when filled with the four classic elements—earth, wind, fire, and water—has the power to release the Titans from Tartarus

  paidi. Medean word; child

  patéras. Father

  quai. Medean word; stop

  skata. Swearword

  Tartarus. Realm of the Underworld similar to hell

  Titans. The ruling gods before the Olympians

  thea. Term of endearment; goddess

  yios. Son

  Read on for an excerpt from

  Enraptured

  Next in the Eternal Guardians series…

  Orpheus followed Skyla up the three flights of stairs and paused in the hall of the old building near the waterfront with its water-stained ceiling and dirty carpet while she unlocked her apartment door.

  As he stared at the back of her blond head, a waft of honeysuckle met his senses. The same fragrance he’d noticed in the bar where they’d met, in the alley when they fought of the daemons, and every second since. A scent that was oddly…familiar.

  The key clicked, and she pushed the door open with her shoulder, stepped inside. As he followed, he reminded himself he wasn’t here for fun. He hadn’t followed her back here for anything more than information and a place to clean up after killing off a pack of daemons hot on her trail. He’d be damned if he was going to let her out of his sight without figuring out what the hell she was. Something told him she was linked to Olympus, and if she was…a thrill bubbled through his veins. If she was then he might have his first link to that vengeance he was so close to obtaining.

  After he found the Orb, of course. The Orb of Krónos, the palm-sized medallion that held the four classic elements and had the power to release the Titans from Tartarus, was key to every one of his plans. He couldn’t forget that, or be distracted away from it. Luckily, this female also knew the woman he’d been tracking for the last three months. The one who could locate the Orb for him in the first place.

  Skyla closed the door once he stepped inside, flipped on the kitchen light. The place was a far cry from the Ritz. It didn’t fit her, and he didn’t doubt for a minute that this shithole was nothing more than a stopping ground. This place suited her as much as the Argonauts suited him.

  She headed down the hall. He tipped his head as he watched the sexy sway of her backside in the short black skirt. He had to admit it was a nice view.

  “The bathroom’s here.” She pushed open the door to the left, flipped on the light.

  He followed, glanced into the small bathroom. An avocado green countertop and a mirror over the sink that reflected hollow cheeks streaked with blood, pale skin, and hair standing every which way.

  He looked away from his reflection, moved into the doorway of the other room.

  A full-sized bed with a disgustingly ugly burnt orange bedspread, a small dresser, a nightstand, and a lamp. He waited while she crouched in front of the dresser, pulled the bottom drawer open and extracted jeans and a T-shirt. “These should fit. While you get cleaned up I’ll find bandages for your chest.”

  He didn’t bother telling her he didn’t need them. Instead he took the clothes she offered, then stiffened when she moved close. Pulling the garments against his chest so she could pass, he again smelled honeysuckle, and when her body grazed his, another burst of electricity rippled between them.

  Only this was different. This wasn’t just sexual, though there was certainly enough sexual heat ricocheting off both of them to power the whole building. No, this was something else. An awareness. A déjà vu feeling. A memory he couldn’t quite bring into focus.

  She hesitated, just long enough for him to know she felt it too. And his stomach tightened when her gemlike eyes found his and held.

  Who was she? What was she to him? And why the hell couldn’t he figure out how he knew her?

  She cleared her throat and looked away. “Take your time.”

  He stood where he was while she disappeared back into the living room. Called himself ten kinds of stupid. Mark—Orb—revenge. Those were the only three things that mattered now.

  He stepped into the bathroom and avoided the mirror. He didn’t need to see his reflection to know he looked like shit. He felt like it too. And not just from the change of shifting into his daemon form. Months of searching only to be met with disappointment were taking their toll. Though his strength was slowly coming back and his wound was already healing, he needed more tha
n a shower to recharge him. He needed food. A couple hours of shut-eye. And to find that damn dark-haired female before someone else did. He tossed the clean clothes on the counter, kicked off his boots and pulled off his shredded garments.

  Steam filled the room as he let the water beat down on his battered body. He rubbed soap all over his skin, washed his hair with shampoo from a purple bottle that smelled way too girly, then flipped off the water and dried off with a towel from the rack. As he did he caught sight of the ancient Greek text on his forearms that ran down to entwine his fingers.

  Man, if the Argonauts could see him now. No, nix that. He already knew exactly what they’d say or do if they’d seen the switcheroo he’d pulled in that alley. Daemons weren’t just discriminated against in their world, they were the bitter enemy. If word got out he was half daemon, the Argonauts would be the first to crucify him, likely in Tiyrns Square for all Argoleans to see. Forget the fact he was the last living descendant of the famed hero Perseus. And never mind that he’d helped the queen and all the Argonauts more times than he could count. He tossed the towel away in disgust, jerked on the fresh jeans. To them he’d forever be nothing more than a daemon. A monster that was only useful one way: dead.

  He tugged on the dark blue T-shirt that barely fit, shoved his feet back into his boots and finger-combed his hair. When he opened the bathroom door steam preceded him into the hall where the snap and crackle of food cooking and the scent of bacon filled the air.