The Power (Titan #2)

by Jennifer L. Armentrout

  My hips twitched as his tongue moved closer to where I really, really wanted his tongue to be.

  “Don’t move,” he commanded in a rough voice that sent a shiver racing across my skin.

  At my sides, my fingers spasmed with the need to bury them in his hair and guide that wonderful, and somehow still incredibly annoying mouth over just a few inches. “I’m not moving.”

  “You’re moving.” He kissed my inner thigh. “Restraint is an acquired skill.”

  I glared at the top of his head.

  “One that I haven’t really mastered.” Lashes lifted, and air lodged in my throat as our gazes connected. “Which will be sort of obvious in a few seconds.”

  His warm breath danced over where I wanted him so badly. I held my breath. He moved his hands, using his thumbs to open me up.

  “Oh gods,” I whispered.

  His tongue skimmed along the heated flesh, wringing a tight gasp from me. He moved to the other side, avoiding the center, and he kept licking and tasting until my legs shook.

  “Ambrosia could not be sweeter than you,” he growled, and then his tongue delved in. He lapped and sucked, and I couldn’t keep my hips still. There was no way. I moved against his mouth.

  There was a stuttered heartbeat and then his mouth closed over me. Crying out, I let my head fall back as he suckled deep and hard. I fell right over the edge, into waves and waves of shuddering pleasure.

  Suddenly, I was flipped around. A hand landed on the center of my back, guiding me over. My hands hit the bed and my arms shook as Seth gripped my hip with his other hand. I was still coming when he entered me from behind.

  This position was new, and holy crap, I’d never felt anything like it. He was in and in deep, and moving, pounding. His strokes were hard and fast, knocking my hair forward and in front of my face. My arms gave out, but before I could fall forward, I was lifted up once more. He moved me, controlled me with an ease that was overwhelming.

  And hot.

  Really, really hot.

  I was on my back and my legs were over his shoulders and he was in me, plunging and retreating, and the tension was spinning tighter and tighter again.

  Seth’s striking face was a mask of determination, jaw hard and lips thin. His eyes were an incredible, luminous tawny color. My hips buckled and my back arched as he drove in, over and over until the tension broke apart once more, taking him with me. He stiffened, kicking his head back as he groaned out my name. Veins jutted out in stark relief as he pulsed deep inside me.

  When he lowered my legs and eased out, he climbed over me, kissing my lips. I had a hard time mustering the energy to do much more than lie there as he disappeared to take care of the condom. I hadn’t moved by the time he returned.

  Seth was all okey-dokey about that.

  He stretched out beside me, tossing his arm and leg over me. He drew me close and every part of us was touching. Both of us were nude and sweaty and it was freaking perfect. In moments like this, it was easy to let myself think, dream, that he and I were just normal, like any other couple in the world.

  His hand grazed my breast. “I was thinking . . .”

  “I didn’t know you were capable of that,” I teased.

  He chuckled. “Sometimes.” That wandering thumb of his found the hardened tip. “But I was wondering if there was any way I could convince you to stay here while we head to California.”

  That knocked me out of my pleasure-induced haze. I turned my head toward him. “Come again?”

  “You don’t really need to be there. Hercules, the legendary Bag of Dicks, can find them without you,” he explained as my eyes narrowed. “We can bring the demigods back here, to you, where it’s safer.”

  “Besides the roaming packs of daimons, potential shades and Titans, and halfs and pures fighting constantly,” I pointed out.

  He raised his head up, propping his cheek on his fist. “Yeah, but the Covenant is warded against Titans.”

  “For now.”

  “But you’ll still be safer.” He smoothed his thumb over my nipple, but that wasn’t going to distract me. “I just don’t want you in a dangerous—”

  “Don’t say it.” I lifted my hand, placing my fingers against his lips. “I get it, Seth. I really do. You want me to be safe. I want you to be safe, but you know that you can’t keep me here. Eventually I’m going to have to fight the Titans.” My heart rate kicked up at the thought even though my voice was level and calm. I sounded so mature and accepting of my future that I thought I sort of deserved a basket of chicken tenders or something. “That’s going to happen.”

  A muscle thrummed along his jaw, but he kissed the tip of my finger. I smiled at him. “We don’t even know what’s going to happen out there. Probably nothing but really awkward conversations with some person who has no idea we’re about to tell them they’re a demigod.”

  “Yeah, I figured that would be your response, but I had to try.”

  “And that’s the only reason why I’m not throat punching you right now,” I paused, smiling sweetly, “with love.”

  His lips curved up on one corner. “Can you make me a promise though?”

  I waited. “Yes. I promise to forever use you as my Pillow Pet.”

  Seth chuckled. “I’m glad to hear that, but that’s not what I was asking about.”

  I giggled. “Okay. What?”

  There was a pause. “If we run into any problems, promise me that you’ll stick close to Alex and Aiden.”

  Unsure I heard him correctly, I looked over at him again. “What?”

  “If anything goes down, you’ll stick close to them,” he repeated. “I know you’ve been training. I know you can fight and you’re using the elements. I’m not saying this because I doubt your ability to fight and hold your own.” He paused, brows furrowing together. “Even though I sort of suggested that earlier, but I was being a dick because, well, I’m a dick.”

  I snorted.

  “But I just want you to stick close to them, okay?” he finished.

  I really had no idea where to start with this. “Why would you tell me to stay close to them and not you?”

  His hand stilled on my breast. “I can get a little . . . out of control if a fight turns bad.”

  My brows inched up.

  “I just don’t want anything to blow . . . back on you,” he added as his lashes lowered. “I couldn’t deal with being the reason something—”

  “You’re not going to be the reason.” I placed my hand on his cheek, lifting his chin so his eyes met mine. “And I know you’re never going to hurt me.”

  A muscle flickered along his jaw. “How did I . . . ?”

  When he trailed off and didn’t finish, I ran my finger under his lower lip, smoothing out the skin. “How did you what?”

  Those eyes met mine again. “How did I get so lucky with you?”

  “Good question,” I murmured.

  He laughed, but the light sound quickly faded, as if it was never there. “I know that sounds stupid, saying something like that, but I . . . I never expected you, Josie. Not once did I ever think any of this was going to happen.” He paused, dragging his hand down, over my stomach. “I’ve never been in a serious relationship.”

  “And this is serious?” I asked, wanting to squeeze my eyes shut.

  “More serious than I’ve ever been about anything in my life,” he said, and there wasn’t a part of me that doubted what he said. He shifted his palm against his cheek. “But you know that this . . . this won’t last.”

  Ice drenched my skin.

  “No matter how badly I want it to, and I do, Josie.” His eyes closed briefly. “I want it more than anything, but I made a deal, and at some point they will come to collect.”

  “And I’ll be there to stop them,” I stated.

  His eyes flew open. Surprise flickered over his face. “Josie—”

  “If I have to fight every god, including my father, to get you out of that deal, I will.” Determination fill
ed me. “That’s a check you can take to the bank and cash.”

  “Wait. Did you just say that’s ‘a check you can take to the bank?’”

  Heat hit my cheeks. “My granny used to always say that.”

  Seth looked at me a moment and then dipped his head to mine. He didn’t kiss me, just rested his lips against the curve of my cheek. “You are still so very mortal.”

  “And you still like that about me?”

  “Yes.” He kissed my cheek then, sliding his hand further south. He cupped me, squeezing. “I also really like this about you.”

  “Perv.”

  “Believe it.” His hand drifted away though, and he grinned as he stared down at me, but that smile didn’t reach his eyes.

  “You need to learn to trust yourself more,” I told him, patting his cheek. “Like start some kind of daily affirmations or something.”

  “Oh yeah, Joe, I’ll start doing that in the morning. Immediately.”

  “I won’t tell anyone.” I grinned.

  “Whatever.” He laughed as his hand drifted across my belly.

  Relieved that he was joking and laughing again, I let my gaze roam over his striking face. His lashes were lowered and the corners of his lips were curled up on one side. As I watched him, I thought about what Alex had said earlier. I pushed those thoughts aside and another thought surfaced, something I’d forgotten about with the arrival of Hercules and . . . well, Seth being Seth . . .

  “Hey,” I said, and his lashes lifted. “Do you think it’s possible that Alex is still the God Killer?”

  One eyebrow rose. “No. It was why the gods insisted that . . . that she had to die a mortal death. That way, she would no longer be the God Killer.”

  I frowned. What in the heck was Medusa talking about then?

  “Why are you asking that?”

  I shrugged. “Just wondering.”

  Seth curled his hand over my hip. “Alex isn’t the God Killer. She’s still an Apollyon somehow. A demigod and an Apollyon.”

  My frown increased. “How can she be both . . . ?” I trailed off as I realized what that meant. My stomach seized. “Are you two still connected?”

  His gaze flicked up to mine. “Yes.”

  Every muscle locked up. I lay there, unable to move. I couldn’t think around the knowledge that Alex and Seth were connected, joined in a way that I could never fathom, couldn’t—

  “Josie.” His hand left my hip and curled around my cheek. “Alex and I are connected still, but not like it was before. Nowhere near as powerful.”

  I drew in a shallow breath as I grabbed his wrist. My stomach churned, and I felt like I might vomit. “Are you just telling me that to make me feel better about it?”

  “No. I swear. I can barely pick up anything from her and when I do, it’s faint.” He dipped his head and kissed the tip of my nose. “Trust me, I’m not overly thrilled about it, but compared to before, it’s not a big deal.”

  Not a big deal. I kept repeating that, over and over, but knowing the man you loved was connected to another woman on a mystical, cellular level was totally a big deal!

  Seth smoothed his thumb along my lower lip. “It doesn’t affect us, Josie. Never has. Never will. What I have with you—”

  “It’s okay.” It had to be, and I could be cool about this. Alex was in love with Aiden, and Seth cared about me in a way he never cared about someone before. I knew that. I turned my cheek and kissed his palm. “It’s okay.”

  He slid his hand off my cheek and gripped the back of my neck. “You sure?”

  “Positive.” I let go of his wrist and placed my hand on his chest, feeling his warm, hard skin. Honestly, I wasn’t all that okay, but I had to deal with this, and maybe after we found the demigod in California, I could have a minor freak-out session.

  “You ready to do this? It’s going to be a long-ass day,” Seth said after a few moments. “Over a twenty-hour ride between here and Malibu.”

  “Yeah.” I stretched, wiggling my fingers and toes. “But I refuse to be in the same vehicle as Hercules.”

  “Cosign,” he replied. “Fucking cosign.”

  Chapter 25

  Seth

  Shit rolled downhill the moment we all were standing by the outer wall, preparing to climb into two Covenant SUVs.

  First off, it was too early, and Josie and I hadn’t spent the night sleeping and being all responsible, getting rest or anything. Maybe dozing here and there, but definitely not being restful.

  More like ridiculously active.

  But the things she said last night, about fighting the gods, including her father, weighed on me. Fighting those twisted fuckers usually ended with someone being dead or getting turned into some kind of sedentary object for their enjoyment.

  I didn’t want her fighting for me.

  And I also didn’t want the faint connection between Alex and me to bother her. I couldn’t blame her for being upset though. Honestly, I admired her for how she was dealing with it.

  The second thing that warned me this trip was going to be full of potholes was the fact that Deacon was out here. Why in the hell he was tagging along was beyond me, but he was not going to be my problem.

  “I call shotgun,” Hercules called out.

  And there was the third and final giant pain in my ass. I turned around, squinting as I stared into the glare of the morning sun.

  “Oh my gosh,” murmured Josie, her wide eyes moving from him to me. She did a double take. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.

  Hercules was dressed like me. Sporting faded jeans and a gray Henley pushed up to his elbows. He had a cup of coffee that smelled like . . . vanilla and mint?

  “We’re wearing the same shirt,” he pointed out with a smirk.

  “Except I’m wearing it better,” I remarked.

  Josie made a soft choking sound as the demigod tilted his head to the side, expression perplexed. “That’s not possible. You do not have the body that I do. I’m a ten.”

  I stared at him, brow rising. “Are you for real?”

  “Am I not standing here?” Hercules chuckled, lifting the coffee cup. “I know. I know. Seeing me, the Hercules, is hard to believe, that such a legend could be—”

  “I know this part is hard to believe,” I said, reaching down and clasping Josie’s hand. “But I don’t care, and if you could, like, I don’t know, eat shit and shut the fuck up, I’d be forever grateful.”

  I pulled Josie around to the back of the SUV, letting go of her hand to throw open the hatch. Slipping her bag off her shoulder, I tossed it into the back and added mine with it.

  “I think he likes you.” Aiden leaned against the bumper.

  Alex snorted as she walked by.

  I snatched the aviator sunglasses off his head and slipped them on. “I’d also like it if you’d eat shit—”

  “Seth.” Josie smacked my arm and then smiled apologetically. “Sorry. He’s not much of a morning person today.”

  “Would’ve never guessed that.” Aiden folded his arms. “I was thinking we’d stop near Vegas for the night. That’d leave us about five hours and get us to Malibu sometime in the afternoon, depending on when we leave.”

  Luke stopped by, his gray beanie pulled low. “We just need to keep our eyes open for daimons. We’ll be super-close to a huge colony out there.”

  I nodded.

  “We got this.” Alex bumped her hip against Aiden’s. “Nothing like taking out a few daimons to break up the boredom of a long drive.”

  “Like old times.” Aiden lowered his head, kissing her. “But let’s try not to have a repeat of that.”

  “True.” Luke backed off, walking over to where Deacon was rummaging through the back of the SUV, which reminded me of something.

  I grabbed my bag and opened it. Reaching inside, I found the slender tablet and pulled it out. “You forgot this.”

  Josie’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Ah, I totally forgot my e-reader. Awesome.” She popped forward, kissing my
cheek as she clutched it close to her chest. “Thank you. I’d go crazy without this.”

  “That’s sweet,” Alex teased, punching my arm. “You’re such a sweetie, a big old ball of sweetness.”

  “People are really annoying this morning,” I grumbled.

  Alex laughed as Aiden dragged her over to the other SUV. “It is very sweet of you,” Josie said, stepping back from the rear door. “Thank you.”

  “Uh-huh,” I muttered.

  Marcus appeared outside the wall, flanked by several Guards. He spoke to Aiden and Solos first, and then frowned at something Hercules said. Only gods knew what it was. Probably something about the size of his muscles.

  I turned, brushing the dust off my hands, as Marcus and crew made their way over to us. The dean smiled tightly at Josie and then those cool emerald eyes landed on me. “We’ll be waiting to hear from you all once you arrive in California and locate the first demigod.”

  I nodded as Marcus spoke to Alex and Aiden. The game plan was to take the demigod to the University and then head to Canada. Bending over, I picked up another duffel bag. This one was loaded with enough guns and weapons to bring Homeland Security screaming down on us. Several of the blades inside were wrapped and protected after being dipped in the Pegasus blood.

  Which made flying a bit tricky.

  We could use compulsion on a few mortals, but all of TSA and everyone nearby? Yeah, that would be a pain.

  “You’ll be seeing us again, sooner than you expect.” Hercules paused long enough to slug down some coffee. “It will take no matter of time for me to zero in on who you’re looking for.”

  “That’s good to hear.” Marcus’s tone was bland.

  “All right. We’re ready to head out,” I announced before Hercules could launch into a massive speech on how awesome he was.

  Hercules tossed his cup aside. It hit the ground, breaking into four large sections. A vein popped along Marcus’s temple as Hercules headed for our SUV. “I’m riding with you guys.”

  Solos stopped, bag in hand, and veered around sharply, heading for where Aiden stood.

  “Oh, no,” I called out, smacking my hand on the rear door. “You’re going with us, buddy. Oh yeah, you’re going down in a ball of flames right along with us.”