“You can stand here.” Titus’s hands brushed against her belly and raced under her shirt. She found her footing in the soft sand beneath her just as he dragged the garment up over her head. It landed somewhere on the bank, followed by her bra. His hands moved back to her skin, molding her breasts, his fingers rolling her nipples, sending electric vibrations all through her pelvis. Making her frantic for more.
“You make me so hot, Tasa.” He breathed warm against her ear, driving her mad with his hands, with the water against her nipples. “There are so many things I want to do to this body.”
She braced her palms on the rocks in front of her and tipped her head to the side. His slick tongue traced the curve of her ear. She closed her eyes and moaned. Oh, she wanted him. Wanted him now… “So do them.”
His lips curled against her throat. One hand slid from her breast to the waistband of her shorts, then beneath. “I’d love to, but you’re not ready for them.”
“Yes, I am.”
“No.” His fingers grazed her lower belly, brushing the top of her mound. Her entire body quaked. “I’d rather not scare you off just yet.”
“I’m not going anywhere.” Liar. She pushed her hips back against his, rubbed her ass against his cock, wanting his fingers lower, deeper, inside. “Tell me.”
He nipped at her earlobe, then suckled. “I told you there were certain things I liked.”
His fingers slid into her wetness, and she groaned at the first touch. He flicked her clit. She arched her back and pressed against him.
“Yeah, that’s it. Ride my hand. Gods, you’re so sexy.”
His soothing breath, his fingers circling her clit, his husky voice… It all felt so good. So wicked. So right. She tilted her head back, resting it against his shoulder. Rode his fingers like he wanted—like she wanted. But it wasn’t enough. She wanted more. And his words…things he liked…circled in her mind, making her even hotter. “Tell me. Tell me what you want to do to me.”
He pressed his cock against her ass and nibbled at the side of her neck. “I want you bound.”
“Y-yes.” Gods, yes.
“Like the others.” He searched lower. His talented fingers slid along her slick folds. One thick digit pressed inside. She groaned. Shuddered. Clenched tight around him. “But unlike them, I want you naked. And then I want to touch and kiss and lick every single inch of you.”
A dark thrill rushed through her when she imagined it. Imagined being bound, for him, at his mercy, letting him do any and every sinful thing he wanted to her.
She pushed back against him and moaned at the exquisite feel. He drew his finger out and pressed back in with two. Flicked her clit with his thumb. “Come for me, baby. I want to feel you come on my fingers before I fuck you so hard.”
Sensations rocked her body—the cool water flowing against her breasts, the hard man rubbing against her back, his fingers driving deep where she wanted his cock, his thumb swirling her clit again and again, and his words. Oh…his erotic, suggestive words…
Heat and electricity gathered in her belly, then shot to her center. Stars fired off behind her eyes. The orgasm condensed and exploded, dragging the air from her lungs and a deep groan from her throat.
Her arms gave out, and she fell forward against the rocks. She turned to rest her head on her hand. Water flowed over her fingers, her cheek. She tried to catch her breath.
Frantic fingers unsnapped her shorts, pushed them down her legs, dragged them over her feet and tossed them through the air. Wet garments slapped against the shore. Titus’s hard, very naked body pressed against her back.
Desire rebuilt. Sizzled through her core like a match being struck. She spread her legs, pressed back against him. Braced her hands against the rocks and lifted to look over her shoulder.
Desire flushed his face. His eyes were as intense as she’d ever seen them. He looked down into the water where they touched and bent his legs. The hard, thick, blunt head of his erection slid through her sex, found her opening. She groaned as her body stretched around him. Leaning her head back against her shoulder, she turned her mouth toward his.
This. Yes. Just this…
His lips closed over hers. His tongue licked hot into her mouth. His cock drove hard into her body. Flames ignited every nerve ending when he slid out, when he drove in even deeper. Turned her cells to liquid fire. Turned her mind to only him.
“Titus…”
His hands moved to her hips. Her body fell forward against the rocks. Running water tormented her aching nipples. His fingers dug into her skin, and she knew she’d have bruises in the morning, but she didn’t care. He thrust home again and again, stroking that special spot so far inside, her eyes rolled back in her head.
“Yes, baby. Feel me inside. Feel me so deep. No one could ever make you feel the way I do.”
One hand dipped between her legs and slid over her clit. She jerked at the thousand-watt sensation. He flicked in time with his thrusts. Her orgasm spiraled and roared toward her with the strength of a firestorm. His other hand skimmed her belly, palming her breast,
He tugged her back tight against his body, closed his mouth over hers, claiming every part of her. She moaned, kissed him back, reached behind her to grasp his hip and pull him closer.
“I’m not letting you go.” The hand at her breast closed around her jaw, holding the back of her head tight against his shoulder. His thrusts grew harder. His fingers faster. Water slapped against their bodies, against the rocks in front of her. “Say you’re mine.”
Her heart raced. Her body felt like it could burst into flames at any moment. She kissed him again and again, arching so he could press deeper, so she could feel him everywhere.
“Say it,” he growled.
“I’m yours.”
Everything inside her exploded. White light erupted behind her eyes. Vibrations shook her core. Against her, he groaned and trembled through his own release.
Her legs buckled, and she fell back against him. But unlike her, he wasn’t limp and boneless. He caught her, turned her gently, cradled her in his arms, then lowered them both in the water until cool, clear liquid brushed her shoulders.
Sweet lips pressed against her ear. Tantalizing breath ran down her neck, sending shivers all along her spine. His heart pounded hard in time with hers, but it was his strong, muscular arms holding her close, cherishing her, that she would remember most about this night.
Gods, what he did to her… The things he made her feel…
He kissed the sensitive spot behind her ear. “You constantly amaze me.”
She trembled again then sighed. “That’s what I do best. Shock and awe.”
“I said amaze. There’s a big difference.”
Not to her. Not anymore.
She stared at the sleek surface of the water while her pulse slowed. Now that her voracious need had been sated, she didn’t want to let reality slink back in to their cozy cocoon, but knew she couldn’t keep it at bay for long. “There are things you don’t know about me, Titus.”
“I’m learning. Slowly.” He brushed a curl away from her forehead. “And I like every single thing I see.”
She didn’t have the strength to warn him away. And she didn’t want to. Not tonight. “You might not. When you know more.”
“I’m going to have all the time in the world to get to know every one of your quirks, ligos Vesuvius. And trust me, I plan to explore each one in depth. Nothing I learn is going to change how I feel about you.”
Her heart bumped, even though she knew he was wrong. On both counts. But she wasn’t about to say so. For the rest of tonight, for what little time she had left, she wanted to pretend like tomorrow didn’t exist.
She framed his face with her hands and brushed her mouth against his, a whisper-soft caress that sent chills all along her spine and desire reforming in her core. His arms closed around her, holding her tight. His lips and tongue moved against hers as if they were made for each other. And when they were both breathl
ess, she eased back, tangled her fingers in his hair, and knew—without a doubt—that what she planned to do tomorrow was the only choice she could make.
“What would you say about doing a little more of that…exploring…right now?” she asked.
His lips curled into a gorgeous smile, one that lit up his entire face and crinkled the skin around his eyes. A full-blown grin she hadn’t seen before. One that made him not just sexy as hell, but devastatingly handsome. “I’d say…get me out of this water, and I will explore until you scream.”
She could think of no better way to spend her last night. “You’re on.”
Chapter Eighteen
A chill spread down Demetrius’s spine, one born not just of the cool air in the room but of fear.
Behind the drape, Callia spoke quietly with the Misos healer, Lena, and a nurse who’d stayed behind to help with the delivery. Metal clanked against metal as they picked up or put down instruments. The scent of antiseptic cleaners filled the operating room.
He looked down at Isadora and brushed a lock of hair back that had slipped free of the cap on her head. “You did great at the ceremony the other day. I didn’t get a chance to tell you. You had the Council quaking with your speech.”
She tipped her head toward him. A faint smile tugged at her lips, but her eyes were closed. “Thanks. But we both know you exaggerate. The Council has never been intimidated by me.”
“Yeah, they are. You’re stronger than your father, and they know it. They’re afraid of change, and you’re bringing it. I’ll never forget the looks on their faces when you charged into that hall and stopped my execution.”
Her eyes drifted open. Fathomless, chocolate eyes he could look into forever. “I’ll never forget that moment either. Seeing you strung up like that… It was the worst moment of my life.”
His heart took a long, hard roll. “And seeing you was my very best.”
“Oh, Demetrius...”
He wanted to hold her hand, but her arms were strapped down for the surgery, so instead he brushed his fingers against the cap on her head and lowered his forehead to hers. Please don’t take her from me… “There’s more for you to do. Still so many things in Argolea that only you can change.”
A weak smile tugged at her mouth. “You worry too much about me.”
“I always have. That’s nothing new.”
“I’m going to be fine, Demetrius. It’s our baby I’m worried ab—”
Isadora’s body jostled from whatever they were doing behind the curtain, and she sucked in a sudden breath, as if in pain. He tensed, and then, from beyond the drape, a tiny cough echoed, followed by a high-pitched infant scream.
Isadora’s eyes grew wide. She lifted her head but couldn’t move any other part of her body. “Is it…”?
“It’s a girl,” Callia announced, a smile in her voice. “Give us a minute to get her cleaned up.”
“A girl?” Isadora looked toward Demetrius with wide eyes. “Are you sure? Look again. It has to be a boy. I dreamt about it.”
A hundred emotions pummeled Demetrius’s chest but he was too afraid the Fates were about to rip his world out from under him to smile. “Your gift of foresight isn’t reliable when it comes to you, kardia.” Lifting his head, he asked, “Is she okay?”
“She’s perfect,” Callia answered. “Ten fingers, ten toes. A little small, but so is her mom.”
The baby screamed louder, and Callia laughed. “Can you hear that? I’d say she definitely has some Argonaut genes in her.”
Dressed in scrubs, Callia emerged from behind the screen, a smile bright on her face. In her arms, she held a tiny bundle wrapped in a pale blue blanket. “Here you go, Daddy.”
Demetrius pushed to his feet. The rolling chair he’d been sitting on skidded backwards. Callia handed him the bundle. Nerves pinged through his stomach, and his arms shook as he cradled the small package against his chest.
There were two moments in his life he would never forget. The day Isadora had saved his life, and this. The baby stopped screaming, stared up at him with big, gray eyes. And blinked several times.
All these months he’d been afraid, not just for Isadora’s health but for what he’d see in his child’s eyes. Would she be evil, like his mother Atlanta? Would she fight an inner darkness, as he and Nick did on a daily basis? Or would the light from Isadora and her link to the Horae be enough to overpower everything else?
But when he looked into his daughter’s eyes for the first time, he didn’t see darkness. He didn’t see hatred or revenge or the million other things his mother had hoped for in an heir. He saw the future. And he saw love.
Tears pricked his eyes. He smiled, blinked several times to clear his vision, and whispered, “Heaven.”
“Demetrius?”
He swiped at his eyes with his shoulder, turned, and lowered the baby so Isadora could see her. “Say hi to your matéras, sweet baby girl.”
Isadora lifted her head. The baby stared at her, then opened her little mouth wide and yawned.
“Oh my gods,” Isadora whispered. “She’s beautiful.”
Demetrius smiled at the tears filling his mate’s eyes. “She’s not a boy.”
“Are you kidding? Boys are useless. She’s…perfect.”
At Demetrius’s side, Callia laughed. She patted Demetrius’s shoulder and looked down at her sister. “We’re almost done here, Isa. Once we get you stitched up, we’ll let you hold your baby.”
She moved back behind the curtain, and Demetrius sniffled and pushed the blanket down so Isadora could see their daughter’s tiny hands.
“Oh…see?” Isadora blinked back tears. “I told you everything was going to be okay. Didn’t I tell you?”
“You did. I’ll never doubt you again. Gods, I love you so damn much.” He pressed his lips against Isadora’s, then laughed when the baby grunted from being squeezed between them.
He eased back and swiped at the tear sliding down Isadora’s temple. Love flooded his heart—for his wife, for his baby, for everything he’d never expected and now couldn’t live without. “She needs a name, kardia.”
Isadora tipped her head and studied their daughter. “You said heaven when you first saw her. What about…Elysia?”
From Elysium, the Isles of the Blessed, the afterlife where the heroes were said to dwell. He looked down at his daughter’s picture-perfect face and smiled. “Elysia. I like that. It fits. It’s how I feel when I’m with you.”
Isadora’s gaze drifted up, held his and softened. “I love you too. Thank you. Thank you for her.”
He lowered his lips to hers again and kissed her gently, sweetly. The baby yawned again, content now between them.
“Um, Callia…” From behind the curtain, Lena’s voice rang out. “I need you. Her blood pressure’s dropping.”
Demetrius drew back from Isadora. Her face paled. Her eyes grew distant. From behind the screen, Callia’s tense voice said, “Hold on. Let me just—”
Isadora’s eyes drifted closed. A crash echoed, and Lena yelled, “Callia!”
All that relief Demetrius had felt jolted to bone-chilling panic. “Kardia?”
Oh gods…
The door to the operating room pushed open. Voices flooded the space. Zander’s. Lena’s arguing with him to get out. Casey’s as she rushed in to help.
But all Demetrius could focus on was his mate. Lying still as death. Growing paler by the second. He handed the baby to Casey and pulled the cap off Isadora’s head. “Kardia, stay with me. Stay with me!”
“Shit,” Lena muttered. Metal clanked against metal. “Come on, Isadora…”
* * *
Nick turned for the grand stairs, his heart a knot beneath his ribs. If he’d had any hope that Isadora might need him, that he could help her if something were wrong, he’d realized his stupidity the second he’d seen her and Demetrius together.
He had to let this go. There was nothing he could do for her. He wasn’t her mate. That wasn’t his baby. She—
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A slash of pain raked through his chest. He sucked in a breath and gripped the banister at his side. Darkness rolled through the castle like a black, slinking fog.
He was here. Hades had found a way in. Only he wasn’t here to conquer like the daemons and satyrs outside. He was here to take.
Nick turned, raced back up the steps, and tore down the hall.
He burst through the door into the waiting room of the medical clinic. It was empty. His boots echoed through the corridor as he ran for the operating room. He pushed the door open, then froze.
Isadora lay motionless on the table. A machine beeped slowly behind her head, so slowly even he knew it was ticking down the seconds of her life. At her side stood Demetrius, a heart-stricken expression across his face. Next to him, Casey, looking almost as pale as Isadora, held a bundle of blankets. Zander was kneeling on the floor next to Callia, who—also pale—sat leaning against the wall, a hand over her stomach. And Lena, dressed in scrubs and covered in blood, stood motionless near Isadora’s feet.
No one noticed him. No one moved. No one spoke. Everyone was too busy staring at the seven-foot-tall god dressed all in black in the center of the room.
Hades’s gaze raked the group, then slid over Isadora. “Oh, this is a good day. The half-breed colony and the little queen. I did not expect she’d be mine so soon, but I am not complaining.”
Fury erupted over Demetrius’s face. He moved out from behind the bed and launched himself at Hades. “You won’t touch her!”
Hades lifted a hand. An arc of electricity erupted from his palm, shooting through Demetrius. His body flew back, crashed against medical equipment, and hit the wall. He slumped to the ground in a mess of machinery.
“None of you can stop this,” Hades announced, looking from face to face. “A deal with the King of the Underworld cannot be revoked. In a few seconds, that deal will be fulfilled, and her soul will belong to me.”
At Isadora’s side, Casey’s face paled even more. She held the baby close. Nick’s gaze shot from her to Callia, then back to Isadora.
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