“Good morning.” Juliana greeted her. “I have an appointment with Professor Dominic Mellor?”
“You must be from the heir company,” the woman replied beaming. She shuffled out of the way. “Come in! It must be freezing out there.”
“Thank you.” Juliana said grateful for the warmth of the house.
“My grandson will be with you in a minute,” she said before closing the door.
“You must be Miss Theodora Mellor.”
She nodded. “Call me Theda. I never married so you can just imagine the scandal,” she chuckled. “Dominic’s my grandson though I’m sure you already know that. Tea?”
“Yes, please.” Juliana replied as she removed her gloves and unbuttoned her coat while Theda made her way to the kitchen. For a woman who was past ninety, Theodora Mellor hardly looked over the age of seventy.
“Milk and sugar?” Theda enquired as she set the kettle to boil.
“Just milk please.”
Theda took out the milk from the fridge and set it on the counter. “Have a seat, my dear. Let’s talk before Dominic arrives. Most of the time he hardly talks to me because he is so busy.”
“That’s a shame.” Juliana said as she settled into a chair, her back facing the hallway.
“Oh it doesn’t happen often.” Theda waved her hand in the air. “It’s only during certain times of the year or when he’s preparing for a conference.”
Juliana smiled. A little while later, the kettle whistled and Theda made Juliana a brew. Juliana thanked her as she held her mug in both hands, feeling the heat thaw her frozen fingers.
“But I think he has a woman.” Theda said out of the blue.
“I’m sure he has.” Juliana’s eyebrows rose in bemusement, unsure why the old woman was telling her. She took a sip from her tea.
“I’ve not seen her though,” Theda continued thoughtfully. “When Dominic works in his study, he sometimes takes to sleeping there. And he mumbles her name in his sleep. So I think when he says he goes to conferences, I think he meets her.” She finished with a twinkle in her eye.
Juliana grinned. Theda must really miss talking to someone. Poor thing, she thought. Might as well indulge her. Besides, Professor Mellor was taking his time arriving. “Well I’m sure you will meet her soon.”
“Oh I hope so.” Theda said after taking a sip from her cup. “I’m about to enter the door we all open only once and I’d like to know that my grandson will not be alone in this world.”
“Oh don’t say that.” Juliana gently admonished her, automatically reaching out for her gnarled hand.
Theda gave her a smile filled with wisdom. “I can say it because I know my time is almost over. I’ve had a wonderful journey and soon I will embark on another one.”
Wanting to move away from the morose subject, Juliana asked, “What’s the name of the woman your grandson dreams about?”
“Juliana.” Theda said before taking another sip from her mug.
Juliana’s heart somersaulted. She blinked several times.
“My name’s Juliana too.”
“What a coincidence!” Theda’s face lit up. Before she could say more, they both heard steps coming down the stairs.
“Dominic,” the old lady greeted the person behind Juliana. “We have been waiting for you.”
“I’m sorry, Miss Stevens. I’m not usually this late. Gran, please.”
Oh my God! Juliana felt the blood drain from her face. An electric shock coursed through her body. It was Simon’s voice!
Theda spoke. “Dominic doesn’t want me to call him by that name. He prefers his other name,” she sighed. “Very well. Simon, her name’s Juliana too! Isn’t that a coincidence?”
Juliana heard Dominic suck in his breath before his grandmother spoke again. “Juliana, my grandson, Dominic Simon Mellor.”
Juliana tried to swallow as she stood. When she turned, her knees nearly buckled underneath her had she not gripped the edge of the table. She saw Dominic’s eyes widen in stunned amazement when he saw her. Despite the buzzing in her ears, and her sight nearly swimming, she saw the recognition on his face.
“Good heavens, Juliana. Are you all right?” Theda’s concerned voice sounded as though it came from far away.
With one swift move, Simon reached her side, holding her around the waist. At that moment, Juliana knew. It was the familiarity of his touch, how it soothed and comforted her.
It was the same touch that had driven her into a frenzied passion and had brought her to a whole new level of ecstasy in the grove.
And now, it was real.
She looked at those mesmerizing blue eyes that crinkled at the sides as he smiled. This time, his eyes weren’t haunted anymore. They were happy and at peace.
“It’s okay,” he said, the huskiness of his voice drawing her to him once more. “I’ve got you.”
THE END
Book 2 – WARRIORS OF THE ATLANTEAN EMPIRE By C.L. Pardington
Warriors
of the
Atlantean Empire
(The Ensuing War)
The Prelude
C. L. Pardington
Front Cover Art by Cora Graphics
Editor Tracy Stephen
Assistant Gayle Latreille
Photos: underdogstudios by Fotolia.com
This eBook is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
Copyright © 2013 by C. L. Pardington
C. L. Pardington, L.L.C.
All rights reserved
In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the author is unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), prior written permission must be obtained by contacting the author at [email protected]. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.
First Edition
ISBN: 978-0-9889783-1-7
Visit my website at www.CLPardingtonBooks.com
Follow on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CLPardington
Follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/#!/CLPardington
Dedication
To my beloved family for their understanding, sacrifice, and most especially their unconditional love so that I could make my dream a reality.
I’m truly blessed.
I’ll love you always and forever.
Acknowledgements
A special thank you to Gabrielle Bisset, Laura Kaye, Scott Prussing, and Tina Folsom, I’m forever grateful for your mentoring and friendship over the past year. It’s because of your help that my dream has become a reality.
Although it was The Twilight Saga that got me back into reading, it was these amazing authors and friends that inspired me to write…
Ally Thomas
Amanda Ashley
Everly Drummond
Gabrielle Bisset
Laura Kaye
Sharon Hamilton
Tina Folsom
…Thank you
To Cora Graphics, my sister, my friend, thank you for creating this amazing cover. You are extraordinary at what you do. If it wasn’t for your random creativity, this story may have never been told.
To Tracy Stephen, thank you for being my best friend and editor. You and your family have become a part of my own. I look forward to our morning edit sessions over coffee; they’re more fun than they are work. I truly couldn’t do this without you nor would I want to.
To Gayle Latreille, thank you for being my assistant, dear friend and confidant. You are second-to-none in what you do. You keep me grounded, you make me laugh, and I definitely couldn’t have done this without you either.
Over the past year I have formed many wonderful and lasting friendships on Facebook. There are a few friends that
I’ve had the privilege to really get to know outside the realm of Facebook and we’ve formed a special bond. I’ve even had the honor of getting to know some of their families and they’ve gotten to know mine as well. I would like to give a special acknowledgement and thank you for letting me become a part of your lives to Christi Doporto, Chrissy Peebles, Deborah Gafford, Dora-lee Harrison, Karen Roma, and Nicole Garcia. Your friendship will always have a special place in my heart.
Cast of Atlantis
Crehon Ariskan: Emperor of Atlantis
Magna Oricha-Ariskan: Empress of Atlantis; Crehon’s
wife;
Carnaxa Oricha: Magna’s sister
Zimora Ilareth: Magna’s best friend
Thoun Edirishol: Commander of the Imperial Army
Baneth Moros: Admiral of the Imperial Navy
Drakon Stathos: Ambassador of Atlantis
Chrysis: Priestess of the Temple of Poseidon
Cast of Oceania
Atargatis (Atty): General of the Oceanic Royal Guard;
Naia’s life mate
Naia: Atargatis’s life mate
Hekili: Captain of the Royal Guard
Cast of Cythera
Straton Ethos: Emperor of Cythera; Hektor’s half
brother
Hektor Alexios: Ambassador of Cythera; Straton’s half
brother
It’s impossible to escape from what is destined.
~ Ancient Greek Adage
Chapter One
Slipping through the depths as fast as she could, Naia made her way to their secluded spot. They were meeting in secrecy because neither of their families would approve of their union.
It was nearly dark above the surface and below, the hundreds of floating orbs were brighter now. She’d made this trip so many times before that she didn’t need the radiance of their light to find her way.
As the dark sapphire liquid rushed past her, her excitement grew. Naia’s skin was already tingling with the anticipation of his touch. Her time with him was limited so she had to make every second count.
She swam faster.
This was the moment they had been waiting for. It was going to be the beginning of their forever.
Deeper and deeper she dove until she reached a dense forest of long bladder kelp. Just beyond that was their hidden cavern.
As Naia swam through the tall swaying sea of brown, she could faintly see the crabs scurrying across the rocky bottom below and the mollusks darting in different directions as if they feared for their lives.
She came to a stop near the entrance of the cavern, pausing to make sure she wasn’t being followed. After taking a full twirl around to check out her surroundings, she pushed aside the seaweed canopy covering the opening and entered.
There was a soft glow of light from a couple of orbs they had brought in previously. It was small inside with nothing more than just a thick bed of kelp off to one side padding the grainy floor. But it was theirs, so that made it perfect in her eyes.
As she moved forward something behind her grabbed her left arm, pulling her backwards and twisting her around until her back met up with the coral rock which formed the wall of the cavern.
He crushed his lips into hers, hard and fast. Her lips parted as she granted him entry. He kissed her as if she held his very existence in the palms of her hands.
She felt his urgency. The emotions attached to this moment had been building for some time.
Releasing her lips from his, she pulled her face a couple of inches away from his and whispered, “I missed you too, Atargatis.”
He marveled at her as the flow of water caused her long black hair to sweep across her bare breasts. She was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen, and soon she would be his. She would be his life mate, his future queen, and the mother of his merchildren.
“Are you sure this is what you want?” he asked. “Because once it is done, it cannot be undone.”
He gazed deeply into her eyes, searching her soul. What he saw there reassured him more than her heartfelt reply. “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life, my love.”
And with that, he wrapped Naia in the comfort of his golden brown tailfin and drew her into the center of the cavern with him. The need to possess her raged through him. He was about to make her his and his alone.
As she leaned into him, he felt her erect nipples rubbing against his chest, making his loins stir.
She tangled her delicate fingers in his long white hair and drew him closer. Their eyes locked and a low, guttural groan escaped his lips as she kissed him.
His warm hands lingered as he slowly traced patterns across her skin, igniting a flame inside her. Her nipples started to tingle and she felt a warmth forming within her.
She realized something inside her was changing. It wasn’t the tingling in her breasts or the heat of her passion for Atargatis, but something different, something she had never felt before. Unsure of what she was feeling, she pushed it aside.
His hand paused on her breast and he stroked the taut peak. The subtle moans that escaped her increased his growing passion. He lowered his head and kissed between her breasts then slowly ran his tongue up to her neck. He heard her breath hitch as he kissed and nibbled on the soft skin just under her earlobe.
His fingers gently grazed her arms, her shoulders, and her back. His skin burned feverishly where they touched.
His hand traveled down the curve of her breasts, the soft swell of her stomach and lower, leaving a heated trail everywhere he touched. Slipping between her opening, his fingers found her folds, fondling and teasing them, opening and readying her more for him. Her head fell back as he caressed her. Her folds were slick and smooth to the touch. He teased her until she cried out in pleasant agony then he slid his finger deep within her. Closing her eyes, Naia moaned and arched into him. As she did so, he felt the opening beneath his scales separate and his cock emerge.
As they continued to float in the center of their secret place, her hair shimmered in the soft light as it danced through the water. Her skin was soft, beautiful, and radiant. He grew even harder for her and knew it was almost time.
Naia felt it again. The strange sensation was running through her body. It felt incredible and she liked it. Opening her eyes, she noticed her skin was starting to glow. It startled her.
“What’s happening to me?” she asked.
“It’s okay. There’s nothing to fear. It’s part of the mating. The light comes from within you, proving to me you want to mate and that this is your deepest desire. The light will travel through you, into me, and it’s what binds us for life and gives us our magical abilities.”
The sensation wasn’t painful but it was beginning to overwhelm her. “I have a sudden need to have you inside me,” she whispered.
Her arms circled his back and she pressed her fingers hard into his skin, pulling him tighter against her. As he held her closely, she seductively ran her fingers up his arms, delicately following the mer markings on his right arm until she reached his shoulders. Hooking her arms around them, she buried her face in his neck and kissed him gently. She felt him grasp her hips as he readied himself. He entered her slowly, only stopping once he was deep inside her. She could feel all of his strength and love within the confines of his muscular arms and never wanted that feeling to leave her.
She moved rhythmically with him and allowed herself to go to the place she was meant to be. Opening her eyes, she watched him in the dim light and reveled in his beauty as he moved with her. With every breath, she felt herself coming one step closer to release.
Atargatis guided her movements with his hands while keeping them afloat with his tailfin. He felt her warmth encompassing his throbbing cock with each stroke. He felt the pressure building and he could feel it in her too. Her inner light was becoming more radiant with each passing moment of gratifying pleasure.
Naia’s insides were a swirling mass of waves, robbing her of every coherent thought, and she felt hersel
f losing all control. Her skin was getting brighter and she was starting to tremble.
Atargatis’s strokes became deeper and faster, and as his movements increased she felt the light slowly creeping from her limbs, pulsating as it moved through her. Starting from the tips of her fingers, the glow under her skin retracted until it was past her elbows, then past her shoulders until it completely gathered into the center of her chest. She felt its force churning inside her like a violent storm, becoming larger until it felt like she could no longer hold its power. For a split second she felt a sharp pain, then an overwhelming blast of energy shot through her, releasing the light. It reverberated down her arms, into her hands, out through her fingertips, and straight into Atargatis’s body. It sent him jolting backward a bit, but not enough to where he left the safe haven of her sheath.
His entire being was now glowing like hers once had. The radiant light pulsed from dim to bright. It would remain inside him now, coursing throughout his body until they completed their mating.
As they came back together, their bodies met with shuddering ripples of ecstasy as they both reached the peak of their orgasms. It engulfed them and as they came down from their release, Atargatis’s light faded away until it was completely burned out.
Darlings of Paranormal Romance (Anthology) Page 5
