by Lia Davis
Elle closed her eyes and visualized her body dissolving into black smoke and then disappearing into the darkness surrounding them.
“That is cool as fuck.”
Giddiness bubbled up at Zavier’s approval. His tone held amusement and awe. Curious, she stepped into the light, not knowing what to expect. She glanced down at her hands and grinned. They appeared shadow-like and transparent, like grey smoke or fog. “This is cool.”
Zavier reached out with his free hand and went to grab hers. Instead of touching her, his hand went through her. Whoa. Her heart pounded in her chest, her throat, and everywhere else. A hint of cold fear rose up. Instantly, she became solid again.
“What was that?” She stared at him, wanting so many answers that he couldn’t give her. No, only her mother could explain what she could and couldn’t do.
Extinguishing the fireball, Zavier closed the gap between them. Even in the dark basement-turned-gym, she could make out his features. Night vision, cool. His brows were drawn and his jaw set. With a sigh, she linked their fingers. “It feels like I don’t have many limits to my powers.”
He caressed her cheek with the knuckles of his free hand. “The more you learn, the stronger you’ll get. You should call Nyx and get her to talk.”
Closing her eyes briefly, Elle nodded. “I know. But I want to be mad at her a little longer.”
The lights flashed on, blinding at first. She blinked a few times. Before she spoke, Zavier lifted her chin with a finger. “We should go retrieve the Dagger soon.”
“I’ll summon her today. Later today.” Her stomach growled, drawing a soft laugh from her.
A low chuckle rumbled from Zavier. “Come. I’ll feed you.”
Allowing him to tug her from the basement, she watched how he almost prowled as he walked. His broad shoulders rolling with each step. Good gods. She was done for. There was no way she’d be able to play hard to get. Not now that they were bonded through blood and every time she got near him, she wanted to bite him, among other naughty things.
***
“How was it growing up with Gwen?” Zavier watched Elle nervously glance at the curtains.
She shrugged. “Like growing up with a sister, I guess.”
“We can go down to the basement if you are more comfortable there.”
Her shoulders dropped and one corner of her lips lifted. “I’m fine. It’s just weird how I can feel that the sun is up.” When he narrowed his eyes to study her closer, she covered his hand. “Honest. As long as the sun’s rays don’t touch me, I’m good.”
Even though he didn’t smell a lie, she was still hiding her fear. However, he let it go. Although at the first sign of her pain, he was going to take her downstairs. Deciding to change the subject, he asked, “What were you like as a kid?”
“I was a tomboy. Always climbing trees and playing in ditches. Drove my mom crazy. Especially since I always got sunburns easier than most people.” Elle frowned and pushed her plate to the middle of the table. “I guess she wasn’t my mother.”
Cupping her chin, Zavier slid his chair closer to hers. Their eyes met and he said, “She is…was your mother. She loved you and raised you. Hell, you were her gift from Nyx.”
“Yeah, so the goddess could experience sex between two people who loved each other. I’m sorry, that doesn’t make me feel much better.” Elle released a sigh and leaned her forehead against his. Her warmth filled him and sent a rush of need straight to his cock. Elle’s next words threw all hopes of self-control out the fucking window. “I don’t want to talk about my mothers or my past. The sound of your heartbeat and your blood running through your veins is driving me mad. Take me somewhere and make me forget, even for a moment, that my life is fucked up.”
“I will take you anywhere you wish. And your life isn’t fucked up. It’s just taking a different road.”
She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I can’t wait until that road smooths out.”
Standing, he held out his hand. “Come. I want to share something with you.”
“What?”
The corner of his lips twitched at the wariness in her tone. “A place only I know of.”
After she had placed her hand in his, he teleported them to a cavern tucked deeply into the mountains of the Acadia National Park, a few miles up the coast from Serenity Cove. Once they materialized, he ignited the lanterns with his mind as Elle drifted around the cave. Over the years, he’d brought furniture and other items to personalize the space more.
“This is nice.” She turned to him and smiled wide. “No one knows about this place?”
He shook his head. “Just you and me.”
“Why share this with me?” By the way she averted her gaze and moved around the room, he could tell she had already guessed why.
“Because you are my mate, Elle.”
She stilled and sucked in a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. Not facing him, she said, “Things are so complicated right now.”
Closing the distance, he rested his hands on her shoulders. “Even before the blood bond, it was hard to keep my distance. I want you more than I’ve ever wanted anything.”
“Even if you have to put up with my mess of a life?”
He kissed her neck and hugged her close. “Yes, and your messy, unorganized studio.”
A soft laugh escaped her. “My studio is fine. I know where everything is.”
“It drives me insane. I get the uncontrollable need to clean when I go in there.”
She twisted in his arms and narrowed her green eyes. “Then stay out of there.”
A half-smile played on her lips, and gods he wanted to taste them. Letting out a low, playful growl, he tightened his hold on her. “Not possible. I want to be wherever you are.”
“So you’ll have to control the urge to clean my space.”
The challenge in her tone was hot. He cupped the back of her head and claimed her lips in a crushing, passionate kiss. Her vanilla scent filled his senses, igniting his inner fire. When he nipped at her neck, she groaned then pushed at his chest.
After lifting his head, he met her desire-filled gaze. “What is it?”
“I don’t want to mate.” She closed her eyes and shook her head. “Not right now.” Framing his face with her hands, she gave him a quick kiss on the lips. “You are mine as I am yours, but we have to focus on getting the Dagger.”
There was a slight change in her scent and a twitch in one eye that let him know she wasn’t telling him the whole truth. If he pushed her, she pushed him farther away. He turned his head and kissed her palm. “We will do it together. But I know you have a lot to think about and deal with right now. I’m not going anywhere. However, I can’t stay away from you either.”
She rested her head on his chest and hugged him. “I know. I can’t stay away from you either. I’ve tried for too long. But the blood bond makes it next to impossible to keep you at a distance.”
“Whenever you are ready.”
“I’ll let you know.” Elle glanced around and sighed. “I need to talk to Nyx. Get it over and done with.”
“Find me when you’re done?”
She kissed him on the cheek then stepped back. “I will.”
She dematerialized. The room seemed colder without her there. His dragon snarled, not liking that he’d let her leave. She will be ours soon.
He’d let her make the decision like he’d promised. But that didn’t mean he had to behave in the meantime. He was going to seduce her every chance he got.
Chapter Six
A cool shiver skittered up Elle’s back as she stood, alone, in the middle of her studio. Why had she told Zavier and Gwen that she didn’t need them by her side? Because she needed to see her mother alone. Get some answers. Hopefully.
Taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly, she summoned her mother. “Nyx, goddess of night, I summon you.”
The air in the basement thinned slightly. The hum of the furnace and the tinkling of the pipes seemed to s
top. Silence surrounded her as if time stood still.
After what had seemed like minutes, though was probably only a moment or two, Elle felt a tug on her subconscious. A dark power enveloped her; much stronger than it had when Nyx appeared the first time. Most likely because Elle’s powers were fully online and she was hyper-aware of everything around her.
The goddess took form in front of her. Long, black hair framed her pale face. Nyx was beautiful in a dark, alluring kind of way. She stared at Elle with eyes so dark they looked black. “What is it?
Elle relaxed at her soft tone, but only a little. She still didn’t know anything about who, or what, she’d become. “We need to talk.”
“Yes.” Nyx frowned then glanced around the room. “But not here.”
“Then where?”
Nyx held out a hand. “My home. Please, I will explain and answer your questions.”
Hesitantly, Elle placed her hand in Nyx’s. As soon as they made contact, her studio dissolved around her. Slight dizziness put her off balance as they materialized inside an elegant, warm living room.
In the center of the room were a burgundy sofa and a matching armchair in front of a large, red stone fireplace. The floor was some kind of black stone, polished to shine like glass. The walls were painted in a dark sand color, almost light brown. It was hard to tell without the natural light of the sun to brighten the place.
The sun. Something she’d have to get used to doing without is seemed. Not that she enjoyed sunbathing or anything. “I’ll never be able to walk in the sun again, will I?”
Nyx glided through the living room, passed Elle, and sat on the sofa. “It depends. There is a great chance the reaction you had this morning is temporary, like Ashlynn suggested.”
Elle raised a brow and crossed her arms. A great chance, didn’t answer her question. At least it wasn’t the answer she wanted. “What are the factors? I need more than that.”
“You are still half human. Even with your goddess powers unlocked, you do carry your human parents’ blood in your veins. Besides, once you complete the bond with your dragon, you will be stronger and the discomfort of the sun’s rays may disappear.”
Discomfort? Was she serious? “What happened this morning was more than discomfort.” Elle turned away from Nyx and breathed deeply and slowly to keep her anger to a minimum.
A soft sigh sounded from behind her and then Nyx spoke again. “I’m sorry.”
The hitch in her voice gave Elle pause. Facing the goddess, Elle saw a single tear roll down Nyx’s cheek. Instantly, Elle caved, all the earlier anger retreating. She sat on the sofa next to her mother and covered her hand. “I’m confused and mad that you, Mom, and Dad lied to me my whole life. Then the first time I meet you, you unlock my powers without a warning or explanation. I didn’t know what to expect.”
“I thought you’d be safer not knowing about my involvement.” Nyx tightened her hold on Elle’s hands and met her eye to eye. “We didn’t want you tracked down by Garrick like the seers had predicted. Until recently, the gods were forbidden to make contact with their human children.”
Yes, there was that. Zeus had put the law in place after Garrick went crazy over his dead mate and the Sons of War were banished from the Heavens. That had been over five hundred years ago. And still, Nyx had made her deal with Elle’s parents. “Tell me about the deal you made with my mom and dad.”
“It is as Aphrodite told you.”
“I want to hear it from you.”
Nyx nodded. “Like many times when I get bored, I go Earthside to watch the humans and stir up some mischief. When I first saw your parents, I was fascinated with the purity of their love and compassion for each other. They were taking a late-night walk on the beach, so happy to just be together.”
Elle’s nose tingled at the memory of her parents. Their love didn’t die with them. It lived on in her heart. “They always put others’ needs before their own.”
With a soft sigh and a gentle squeeze of Elle’s hand, Nyx continued. “Yes, they were good people. After a few months of watching them, I approached them with my offer. I wanted to feel what they felt, experience everything they did. I knew your mother couldn’t have children naturally, so I offered to give her one.”
“A child of her own.”
Nyx nodded once. “I did explain that you would have powers and that they would need to be bound according to the divine law. I did not lead them into the agreement blindly.”
Somehow Elle knew that already. Not wanting the dirty details of the act, Elle changed the subject. “Am I a daimon?”
“Not exactly. You are a goddess with daimon-like qualities.” Nyx spoke with more excitement in her tone. Elle frowned. Nyx made it sound like she’d just won the lottery or something. “But you don’t like the powers. Why?”
“I would have liked some kind of warning. I’d never thought about my powers being unlocked until Gwen and I met the dragons.” Until she’d met Zavier and knew they were mates. She still didn’t understand how she knew. The acknowledgement was similar to the one she’d gotten when she’d first met Seth in the lighthouse and recognized him as a dragon. The gift to see the non-human qualities in others was something she’d been able to do her whole life.
Nyx stood. “What is done is done. You will now start your training.”
Rising to her feet to face her mother, Elle watched her carefully. “Start my training? I just need to know how to defend myself when Zavier and I go retrieve the Dagger.”
“I will prepare you for that now, then you will come to me for one week each month to finish the training.” Nyx walked to the door then glanced over her shoulder. “Come on. The first thing you need to do is meet Hades.”
A spike of anxiety shot from her chest to her feet, kicking up her heart rate a few beats per second. It wasn’t out of fear, but just plain nerves. She was in jeans and an old T-shirt, both articles of clothing were spotted with paint. Not the attire one should wear to meet the king of the Underworld.
“Come, Danielle, he is expecting you.” As if noticing Elle’s concern, Nyx lifted her hand and waved it in a circular motion toward Elle.
A moment later, Elle’s jeans and T-shirt dissolved into a long, black silk gown. Her sneakers and socks vanished, leaving her barefoot. Elle touched the top of her head where her messy bun had been, only to feel the smooth, silky strands of her black hair, which now fell to her waist.
Nyx clapped. “That’s better. My beautiful daughter, are you ready now?”
No. Elle nodded. “Ready or not.”
Hades wasn’t at all like Elle had expected. Standing on his doorstep, Elle couldn’t take her eyes off him. His silver hair was pulled back and bound by a strip of black leather at his nape. Black eyes stared at her, judging and approving at the same time. Dark magic surrounded him like snakes waiting to strike at a moment’s notice.
“She is prettier than you, Nyx.” Hades’ smooth, husky tone glided over Elle’s skin, sending shivers up her spine. The urge to run was strong, but she knew it was Hades’ energy that brought about the get-the-hell-away feeling.
Nyx let out a low growl. “All my children are beautiful in their own ways. Danielle is special.”
“Yes, I can see that. She is also your most powerful offspring.” Hades turned and stepped out of his home and walked down the path to the main road.
The Underworld wasn’t that much different than the human realm. The main differences were the lack of sunlight and green plants. It was darker, the only light coming from the firelight in street posts and the occasional hole to Tartarus in random places.
If Elle were still human, she’d find it a little depressing, but in her current state, she felt at ease and oddly comfortable. “Where are we going?”
“You’ll see,” Nyx said beside her.
Elle rolled her eyes. She’d never been good with surprises, especially if they came from the gods. It was a good idea to stay alert.
They came to a narrow bridge and proc
eeded across it. The hairs on the back of her neck rose. Her senses told her something wasn’t right. The energy flowing in the air had increased. Glancing over the edge of the footbridge, she noted it covered a large gap, a hole leading to the fiery pits of Tartarus.
When she lifted her gaze back to Hades, he narrowed his eyes at her then threw a ball of energy at her. She tried to dart out of the way, but she was too slow. It hit her, knocking her off the bridge. Fear burned her gut then raced through her. Closing her eyes, she tried to teleport. She only managed to flash up a few feet up then dropped back into the freefall. What the…? If only she could fly out of the hole.
On the heels of that thought, her shoulder blades ached then burned as two large, black wings shot out of her back. They spread wide, slowing her descent. She tested them, not really knowing how to control them. When they flapped on command, she smirked. She could fly. When she got back on that bridge, Hades was going to have a surprise of his own.
With two large flaps of her new wings, she started to move up. She moved faster and put some power behind each flap until she soared straight up over the bridge. Hovering over the king of the Underworld and her mother, Elle locked gaze with Hades. There was a challenge in his black depths.
Bring it. She formed a baseball-size energy ball and thrust it at the god. He deflected it with ease then shot a fireball at her. She darted out of the way and flew at him, hitting him in the chest. They rolled across the stone bridge until Hades pinned her under him. His eyes glowed with firelight, but his lips turned up in a small smile.
“You are not strong enough to challenge me. Soon, but not yet.” He ran his knuckles down her cheek and allowed his thumb to linger on her bottom lip. Was he going to kiss her? She squirmed, which drew a chuckle from him. After placing a kiss on her forehead, he stood and held out his hand.
She ignored the gesture and stood on her own. “What was all that?”
“Just testing your reflexes. I’m impressed. You are a quick learner, and your senses are honed, dialed in to your surroundings.” He continued along the path they had been walking before he threw her off the bridge. “Nyx, you did good with this one.”
