Divine Destiny- the Divine Chronicles Book 2

by JoAnna Grace

  Remember why you are doing this.

  Only after going over her tantalizing body once more did he seem to remember how to move. Slowly, as not to wake from the fantastic dream, he walked to her and gazed into those emerald eyes. They seemed deeper, more mystical. The black fan of her lashes fluttered.

  “Hey there, good-lookin’.” The sweet satin of her voice, low and seductive, licked over him. She smiled and his heart became enslaved. Somehow he still couldn’t speak. Her beauty was staggering. “You sure clean up nice, baby.” Her hand reached for the collar of his shirt. He didn’t miss the fact that she was shaking.

  “Ryse?” Her eyes went down nervously and she bit on her bottom lip. Gently, he cupped her chin and lifted it so she could look into his eyes.

  Heartbreakingly beautiful.

  “The gods should be jealous of you tonight.” His words a bare whisper against her lips before he kissed her. The magic of her overtook him, feeding him until he felt more acutely aware of her than ever before. He knew what was refining his senses. “I see that mother helped you release your aura successfully.” He traced her jaw line as she nodded. “I can feel you now.”

  Avery looked up at him with a hint of hesitancy. “That’s good, right?”

  “Yes, my love.” He smiled, amazed at how such a woman could ever have the self-confidence issues that she possessed. If she only knew. “Can you sense anything about me?”

  The gleam in her eyes was priceless. She nodded and pushed up on her toes to kiss him on the cheek. “You’re as nervous as I am.” Then she smiled and once again, he was lost to her enchantment.

  “Did Nikki let you look in a mirror before leaving? How could a man not be nervous around such a goddess?”

  A mischievous glint in her eyes formed as she teased him. “Hayden wasn’t nervous at all. He nearly molested me when the door opened.”

  “Did he now?” Ryse realized his little brother now had a co-conspirator. Great. “I guess I should find him and teach him what happens when he molests my Lady.” Ryse pulled her body close to his, noticing that her heels gave just enough extra height to put her lips closer. He decided that high heels were damn good things.

  “He kissed me—a lot.” She wiggled her brows.

  “Did he kiss you like this?” He pecked her on the cheek. She giggled and nodded. “How about this?” He delivered one kiss on her lips. Again, she smiled and nodded. “On the lips? Really?” He made his worst attempt at being playfully angry. “Humph, I have some real competition here.” The happy smiles being given to him were like patches to the broken pieces of his soul. “Fine, but did he kiss you like this?” Threading his hands through her hair gently, he pulled back her head, exposing her neck as a sacrifice. He placed a series of slow kisses from the base of her neck all the way up to her ears. Smiling to himself when he felt her hands clench his shirt, he nibbled at her ear. There was no need to read her aura to see that she enjoyed it. Even so, it was shining with ripples of her delight. Avery had closed her eyes and bitten down on her lip.

  “Did he kiss you like that, baby?” Ryse whispered against her skin. Avery shook her head, letting out the breath of air she had taken in many seconds ago. How in gods’ name could any one woman be so innocently attractive? “Well, that’s good,” Ryse smiled triumphantly. “Because if any other man kisses you like that, I’ll kill him.”

  “If another man kissed me like that you wouldn’t have to,” Avery whispered. Ryse tilted his head and squinted his eyes at her. “I’d kill him before you had the chance.” She grinned again.

  “That’s my girl.” He kissed her forehead before taking her hand and leading her across the gentle arch of a bridge to their destination for the evening. Seating her like a true gentleman, Ryse then sat across the table from her and let her have a moment to take it all in.

  Avery scanned everything. The candles danced in her reflection and there was no mistaking the surprise and happiness upon her face. “This is so beautiful, Ryse.” Then he could see her ears perking up. “Do I hear music?”

  “Provided by Hammon and Philippe.”

  “Hammon and Philippe?” She searched for the two men.

  “You won’t see them. They’re giving us music, rain protection, and privacy. Wine?” He took the bottle from the cradle of ice and poured two glasses. “It’s from a family vineyard in Spain.”

  “Family vineyard?” she asked, taking a taste of the light wine.

  “We have quite a bit of family in Spain still. A distant cousin on my father’s side owns a vineyard and is gracious enough to keep us stocked up. He and his wife are both Gaians so their vineyard is one of the most successful in the world.”

  “People of the earth.” Avery nodded. “That explains why this is the best wine I’ve ever tasted.” She looked over at the cart that carried many silver covered dishes.

  “Tonight, Madame,” Ryse said, rising to his feet and throwing a napkin over his arm. “You will be treated to a three course meal. First up is a grilled shrimp salad in a vinaigrette.” She smiled and made an oohing sound. “The main course will be lobster and steamed vegetables and the third course is a surprise. Would you like to begin?”

  “Please. I’m starving.”

  Ryse licked his lips. He was starving as well, but the food was the last thing on his mind.

  He served them their first course and couldn’t help but revel in how she seemed to eat differently than anyone he had ever seen. It made him think of the most erotic things. How was he supposed to eat and not choke on his food watching those lips?

  “What?” she asked, finishing her salad. “Why do you keep looking at me like that?”

  “Can you tell by my aura? Try?”

  It was entertaining as hell when she squinted her eyes and looked at him like he was a dissected frog. “It changed.”

  “I imagine it did. That’s because I went from thinking how much I love your mouth to how adorable you look when you focus on something.”

  As if she couldn’t get any more damned cute, she blushed and tilted her head down before peeking up at him shyly. “I guess I have a lot to learn about auras, huh?”

  Taking some time in between the first and second course, he told her what the different colors meant, what the variations in ripples could mean. Avery listened and they devoured their lobster.

  The conversation never seemed to have a stopping point. Avery had so many questions about everything from auras to magic to history of Thracians to how they train. She was a captive audience, listening to him like there would be a test afterward. The plate in front of her had been pushed aside so she could fold her arms on the table and listen.

  Figuring now was as good a time as any, he decided she should know about her amazing blood. “I bet Hayden is having a field day doing research right now,” he said after gliding genetic research into the stream of conversation. “He came to me, very excitedly, this morning and told me about the results of your blood scans.”

  First, he told her how the blood was tested and matched to figure out what skills an Olympian had. The explanation he gave her was a lot less scientific than the one Hayden had given him; she seemed to understand better than he did. “So he began placing a drop of your blood in with blood donated from our controls.”

  “People who have very specific and specialized gifts?”

  “Exactly. When your blood was introduced to theirs, it absorbed that particular gift.”

  “Is that normal?” she asked. Her posture changed, and she leaned back in her chair and folded her arms protectively across her chest. Defensive. Scared. Worried. Her aura was a neon sign above her head.

  “Hayden’s never seen it. He would know. It’s very rare that an Olympian is able to absorb the powers of another into their blood.”

  “So what does this mean? What am I?”

  “There isn’t a classification for you.” Her face dropped, her brows furrowed. “What this means is that you can harness the powers of those around you. You can take
them in, use them, make them your own. It’s nearly the same thing I can do with all the Thracians who have bound themselves to me, only on a much more physical level. We will have to do some testing and see. I imagine that we will all be pleasantly surprised. Think what you could do,” he said, getting up to stand beside her. He lifted her into his embrace and looked at her. “You could have the powers of everyone around you. It’s amazing.”

  “What if no one wants me to share their gifts?” She touched his cheek and he leaned his face in to her palm. “I guess that is why my powers never tried to rear their ugly head all these years, huh? ’Cause I don’t have any.”

  “You have one for sure. I’ve seen you manifest fire with my own eyes.” They watched each other for a moment while.

  “I don’t think that’s a gift.” She lowered her face. “I felt like I had lava running through my veins. Then I turned into a campfire. It was painful.”

  There was no way he was going to let her fears take over. “Avery, baby, we are going to test you and find out what exactly you can do. I will keep a hundred guards with every talent known to the Olympian world around you to make sure you are never caught powerless.”

  “I know you would.”

  “Come, sit with me.” He guided her onto the comfy large couch and they leaned back against a wall of pillows. He held her close and he could smell the fragrances of the shampoo in her hair, feel the softness of her skin and the warmth her aura was emitting. “You know I would do anything to make you happy and keep you safe,” he whispered against her skin.

  YES, AVERY KNEW without a doubt that Ryse Castille would do anything in his powers to keep her safe and happy from now until eternity’s end. Tonight had been one little glimpse of the life she was ready to sign up for. But how to tell him? Blurt it out? Be subtle? Give him hints until he figured it out on his own?

  “I wish a thousand times over that things had been different from the moment we met,” he said, cutting into her thoughts. “Everything would be easier. We would have all the time in the world to grow together and learn each other.”

  “We still can,” Avery said, propping herself up to look at his face.

  “Don’t you feel rushed, overwhelmed?” he said, shaking his head slightly.

  Avery took a long breath and thought about it. Everything had been rushed, yes. It seemed like since the time he stepped foot in her café, things had been put into fast forward. The events all happened so fast that she didn’t have time to really process what was playing out. “I’m not sorry, though.” She finished her thought out loud. “Ryse, you have been the center of this crazy world of mine for the last week and a half. It’s been the Texas Giant of roller coasters, only this one has been all emotional, I admit. And somehow, it all fits—you, me, your family, my place in this world. It fits.”

  “I’ve caused you a lot of unnecessary pain.” He looked into the sky, avoiding her gaze. She pulled his face down to meet her eyes.

  “You have also been the glue that keeps me from falling apart. Perhaps I’m mimicking your strength already.”

  He pressed his lips to hers, gently teasing her bottom lip with his teeth, “My beloved.”

  “I need you, Ryse. I’ve never needed anyone. But I need you.”

  “Do you want me, Avery? Do you think you could learn to love me even if we have to do things backwards?”

  He didn’t have to explain. First they needed to get married, then they could worry about dating. There was no need to worry about it in her mind. She had made her decision. The details could be worked out later. “I already love you, Ryse.” She smiled at him.

  The enormity of those words was written all over his face. Two deep, warm eyes stared at her for the longest moments before she noticed the slow ring of moisture that was building at their rims. His hand moved and he took a small black velvet box from his pants pocket. He held it up in front of her and grinned. “You’ll want this then?” he teased her, holding up the box.

  Obliging him to play his cute games, Avery tapped her lips, pretending it required deep thought. “What strings come attached?”

  Ryse laughed, the sound like a warm fire at home on a winter day. So soothing and so rich, it made her toes curl in delight. “Plenty, more than you can imagine and more than I can explain in one night. But part of that is my undying love and devotion, everything I have and everything I can be.”

  He smiled when he said those words, but they did not diminish what they really meant. Their relationship wasn’t solely about the bonds Avery would vow to him, but those he would vow to her as well. It would not be a one-sided agreement. Deep down inside of this gloriously beautiful man, there was enough love and passion to last her a thousand lifetimes. She saw it every time he looked at her. Every kiss was one small ember escaping from the fires that burned within him.

  “Promise me something first.”

  “Anything,” He ran his free hand through her hair.

  She took a deep breath. “Don’t hide things from me. Please. There’s nothin’ in this world that I can’t handle as long as you’re honest and up front. I’m tired of not understanding things because someone else decided to protect me from the truth. I’m not weak.”

  “Oh my sweet, sweet, Avery. You are nothing close to weak. I see strength in you so deep it moves me. After everything you have been through, there is no one who could ever mistake you as weak.” He took a deep breath and his face changed a little. “It is in my blood to protect you. On that issue I will not budge. Every power, every gift I have was placed in me to protect those under my charge. If you are in danger, I will do whatever it takes to keep you safe.”

  “Accepted.”

  “Then I promise to always be honest with you.” He sealed that vow with a kiss. “Will you promise me something in return?”

  “Anything.”

  “No matter what happens, no matter what you might have to witness me do,” he paused and pinched his lips together, “never fear me.”

  The request took Avery by surprise. She looked at Ryse, touched his face. “I could never—”

  “Avery.” He gripped her hand tightly. “My job, my calling is dealing out justice. I am often the assassin and punisher of the gods. Sometimes that means being a monster. There have been people close to me that I’ve had to punish. For that reason, everyone avoids me. My own father once confessed that he feared the obligations given by my station.”

  Avery whispered his name, feeling the pain in his eyes. This man before her was so open, so vulnerable to her now. How could she ever betray him when he bared his soul to her and none other? “I know what you are. It scares me,” she said honestly. “But I couldn’t fear you. I know you’d never hurt me. And when the time comes that you have to do something hard, I’ll be here for you to fall back on. I promise you that.”

  “In that case, my love.” He opened the small black box and her eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. “I believe this belongs to you.”

  So much for smearing the makeup. Avery clasped her mouth closed with her hand when she realized she was hanging it open. Ryse pointed out the features of the ring to her. The thin band was white gold. Resting on top was a heart full of tiny sparkling white diamonds in a carat that only an Olympian could harvest. Intertwined vertically through the middle of the heart were a strand of emeralds and a strand of black diamonds. He took the ring from the velvet bed and held her left hand.

  “I thought the emeralds looked like your eyes,” he said, sliding it on her finger. It fit perfectly. “Even the black diamonds are fitting, don’t you think?”

  “They are very much like you,” she said, wiping her tears. “Made stronger under pressure, unique, dark and beautiful.” Avery held up her hand and looked at the ring glistening in the candlelight. “It’s so amazing.”

  “It’s only the beginning of the pleasures I plan to give you.” As if her heart couldn’t beat any faster, he gave her the kind of kiss that made her skin tingle in exhilaration. “I love you,
Avery.”

  “And I love you.” She smiled and wiped her face. “Didn’t that invitation say something about a film?” It was an effort to get the attention off her blubbering, but thankfully he obliged.

  “Yes, milady.” With nothing more than the flick of his powerful wrist, a theater size screen appeared over the water. “I thought you would like this one.”

  The screen came to life and the familiar title of her favorite musical danced on the screen.

  “Aw, Ryse!” She laughed. “This is perfect!”

  “MISTRESS,” THE HANDMAID said, leaning over the chair Salina was sitting in. “I have news that the man you wanted to talk to is currently in the sauna in the first basement level.”

  Salina slapped her book shut. “Perfect. I will be headed there. Please make sure that there is no one else around.” Salina walked down to the first sub level of the castle in nothing but her bathrobe. She had one objective tonight and clothing was not needed to achieve it.

  After a lengthy conversation with her brother, he informed her that one of the first things they would do with Avery was test her blood to see what powers she possessed. Salina and Ashton needed this information. There was one man who could get it for her. This man happened to be sitting in a sauna.

  Opening the door to the steamed room, Salina pretended that she didn’t see the man sitting there in his towel. With her back turned to him, she dropped the robe before the scientist had the chance to object. When he cleared his throat, she turned, wrapping the robe around herself like she had been caught unaware.

  “Oh, I’m so sorry! I didn’t see you there,” she laughed nervously.

  “My apologies, milady. I will leave so that you may have your privacy. I was done anyhow.” The man stood and headed to the door. A slight push of telepathy hit him as she spoke.

  “I don’t want to make you leave. Please sit. I would enjoy some company. What’s your name?”

  He turned to her, trepidation on his face, and stood still. He was not in the best shape, but like all Olympian males, he had a fairly nice physique. His eyes were soft and innocent looking, a pretty shade of blue. He was nothing that Salina would call special and he certainly didn’t compare to Ryse. But he would do.