by Helen Scott
He was constantly on the edge of her thoughts, almost as if her brain could feel how close he was.
Thinking about him frustrated her. She desperately tried not to, but every time she closed her eyes, there he was. The image always morphed between the nights they’d spent together and the shock and embarrassment on his face when he’d realized who she was.
Who the hell was he to be embarrassed?
She ripped the covers off and stood. Today was the day. She was going to go talk to him, and they were going to get over whatever awkwardness this was. If Hal was out with Robin, then no one would know she’d gone over there except Dem, which suited her just fine.
Her shower had been brief but needed. She felt more alive because of it, so now her brain and her body were buzzing with energy. The clothes weren’t exactly her first choice, but since her wardrobe had been left at her apartment, which she would probably never see again, she was just grateful for what was provided. Her leggings and sweater combo seemed out of place for the tail end of summer, but on this island, the weather could shift in an instant. It didn’t help that she hadn’t really been able to get warm ever since she was taken.
The boots went on over her leggings, and even though they were a little big, she liked them. She had always been immaculately put together before, something her mom had instilled in her. Heels, hair done, makeup done, the whole nine yards. Now, she was about to leave this house without a scrap of makeup on her face, and her hair pulled back haphazardly into something resembling a bun. Her mother would be so disappointed.
She grabbed a snack from the fridge and saw the note.
Aster,
Robin is having trouble sleeping here. We are finding somewhere more appropriate. Will be back tomorrow, just not sure when. Call if you need me.
Hal
Well, that was just fine with her. She was happy to be alone, and happy to have Hal out of her hair, even though the place was uncomfortably quiet without him moving around.
Stomping out of the house, she realized she wasn’t sure where exactly Dem’s place was. She did know where Thad’s place was, and Hal’s, obviously, so that only left two options. She would find it. Besides, going for a walk would be nice. Right?
Two hours later and she was finally standing in front of Dem’s house. She wasn’t sure how she knew it was his house, but she knew. Every fiber of her being hummed with the sense that he was just beyond the weird glass door. She wasn’t sure what she expected from his place, but the number of windows and their size were surprising.
She was going to knock.
Any second now.
When Dem walked past, holding a book and crunching on an apple, her heart leaped into her throat. He paused and looked up at her. Awkwardly, she raised a hand in a half wave. She tried a smile, but it felt more like she was bearing her teeth than anything else.
He cautiously approached the door, pushing on one side to open it.
“What are you doing here?” His voice was reproachful.
“So polite, as always. I wanted to come and clear the air.”
“There’s no air to clear.” His massive frame blocked her from entering.
“Can I come in? I’ve been looking for your place for way too long, and now I’m frozen.”
“Does Hal know where you are?”
“No. He wasn’t home when I left, and he’s hanging out somewhere with Robin.”
“He left you alone?” Dem’s eyebrows pinched in concern.
“What? Like someone’s going to kidnap me from a secret island that they can’t even get to without an escort?”
“That’s not what I was worried about.” He sighed. “Come in.”
The door pushed all the way open, swinging on the center hinge, so instead of a flat pane of glass that matched the rest of the house, it turned perpendicular to the walls. Aster had never seen a house designed like this, except for in the movies.
“You want some coffee?”
“Sure.”
Dem walked away from her. She wasn’t sure whether she was expected to follow or not, but if she did, then she got to watch his fabulous behind move under some jeans that a man with his physique had no business wearing. He should be in shorts, permanently. Or one of those tiny swimsuits that male swimmers wore at the Olympics.
That thought made her face warm. She knew exactly what that scrap of swimsuit would contain, and she wasn’t sure that it would be able to actually contain everything.
As he put the coffeemaker on, Aster watched. His movements were jerky, as if he was irritated, which in turn made her frustrated.
“Look,” she began, before he cut her off with a stony glare.
“Let’s have some coffee and go sit.”
Thankfully, it was one of those individual coffeemakers, so they each had a warm mug of dark coffee in their hands within moments. She followed Dem again in silence as he led her to the other side of the house where the living room opened into an indoor-outdoor pool. Her jaw fell open at the sight of it. Who had something like that in their house?
Sirens. That was who.
Crazy immortal idiots who didn’t know what they were doing most of the time, from what Aster could tell.
They sat in two comfy, overstuffed chairs. Dem carefully kept away from her. She could see it in his movements. Adjusting his legs so she didn’t brush them as she walked by, retracting his arm from the side of his chair that butted up against hers.
“So . . .” Dem began, as if he was going to say something meaningful as he stared down into the depths of his coffee, “clear away.”
“We slept together. It wasn’t a big deal.” Crap, she was making herself sound slutty. “I mean, it’s not like I do things like that all the time, but I just wanted you to know that I don’t expect anything to come of it since we have been forced into each other’s lives again.”
“I see.”
She waited for him to continue. When he didn’t, her frustration threatened to boil over. “That’s it?” Her voice was sharper than she intended, but maybe that was a good thing.
“What do you want me to say, Aster? You called me by the wrong name the whole time, but I didn’t care because I couldn’t bring myself to leave you alone? Or how about I felt awful walking out in the morning while you were still sleeping, but I did it because I didn’t have a choice? Oh, or this—I have found you captivating since I first saw you, but since I knew there could never be anything between us, I didn’t give in except for that one weekend? Do you know why any of these thoughts crossed my mind? Because I had to lock the last woman I cared for up in an asylum after Zeus drove her mad. Literally.”
Aster’s mouth worked, but no sounds came out. She was speechless for probably the first time in her life.
“I’m not trying to be mean. The night we spent together was fantastic, but I’ve already lost one person because of a jealous god. I’m not about to risk anyone else. I don’t care how many of my brothers have found their soulmates. I lost mine a long time ago, so there is no point to any of this.” His coffee was sloshing in his mug by the time he was done talking, and he was still refusing to look at her.
“Dem, I—”
“If you say you’re sorry, then I’m walking out right now.”
“I didn’t realize I was calling you by the wrong name. I honestly thought you said your name was Don. And for the record, I didn’t want you to leave me alone. That weekend was amazing. Seriously, like I can’t think about it because otherwise I get all flustered.”
His eyes cut across to hers, wary and full of pain.
Before he could interrupt and shut her down, she continued. “All I was trying to do was clear out whatever awkwardness was between us before your family, or my sister, noticed. I understand you’ve been through hell, and I’m not asking you to go through it again, but I want you to know that I don’t regret our time together at all, no matter how awkward things are now.”
“I don’t, either.” His voice was so quiet, she almo
st missed it.
Dem had gone back to staring at his coffee now that she was done talking. She desperately wanted him to look at her again, for those rich midnight eyes to explore her own. They didn’t budge from the mug of coffee, though, and she had to stifle her disappointment.
Aster knew why she’d picked today to come talk to Dem. She just hadn’t wanted to admit it to herself. Today, with Hal being gone, was perfect for this exact situation, so once they were done here, she could go back to the house and cry without that gentle giant hovering over her.
She’d known in her gut that Dem was going to reject her, but part of her had held out hope that the time they’d spent together was just as amazing for him as it was for her, and that it could possibly happen again, and again, until they were finally satisfied. She hadn’t wanted him to respond this way. She’d suspected he would, but it didn’t make it sting any less.
Aster was still looking at him. He could feel her warm amber eyes on him. She unnerved Dem. Whenever he was around her, his heart decided to beat out of time and his brain went fuzzy, like static on the TV. She wanted more from him, more words, more looks, more everything, but he couldn’t give it. If he did, he might not be able to stop.
When he’d seen her standing on his doorstep, his brain had flashed images into his head of the night they’d spent together, and it hadn’t stopped since. All he could think about was her blonde hair splayed out underneath her in golden waves, highlighting her liquid-gold eyes as he claimed every inch of her flesh as his own. She was his own personal siren, but the rocks by her shore would be deadly for him. He couldn’t risk getting attached.
He stood and started pacing, unable to quiet his mind as every cell in his body yearned for him to touch her, to take her. Dem had already calculated exactly how far away the bedroom was, which was why they were drinking coffee out here. It was as far away from his bed as he could get in the house. If she hadn’t been wearing a sweater that looked a few sizes too big for her, then he wouldn’t have been able to resist her.
She was so opposite from his Isa that it was almost comical. Isa had been tall and elegant, with legs that went on for days and stick-straight ebony hair. Aster was short and blonde and a ray of sunshine in his otherwise gray life. He didn’t know what to do with her—well, that wasn’t entirely true. He did know what to do with her, but he didn’t know how to handle this emotionally. Something he would never admit to anyone except her, mainly because he believed she had a right to know.
“I want to be friends. Is that okay?” Her honeyed voice shocked him out of his thoughts. If he hadn’t spent time with her already, she would have sounded insincere, but he knew that her voice just sounded like that. She had yet to say anything to him that she didn’t mean; at least, that he could tell.
“Of course.” He turned to her then, her eyes piercing his own with their fear and disappointment.
He’d known it was a risk telling her the truth, but he couldn’t bring himself to lie to her.
“I should get back. If Hal comes home and I’m not there, he’s going to worry.”
As she stood, she shoved her hands into the kangaroo pocket of the sweater and gnawed on her lower lip.
“Okay.” His desire for her was liable to get the better of him if she didn’t leave soon, anyway.
Aster brushed past him, smelling of lavender and something sweet. His hand had connected with her upper arm before he even knew he’d reached out. She stopped and turned to him, her amber eyes gazing up at him as his breathing increased.
He leaned down and brushed his lips to hers. She readily accepted. His tongue was out and claiming her mouth while his hands tangled in the hair at the nape of her neck.
Gods, she kissed as if this was her last wish. Every ounce of her body pressed against him, her nipples poking through the fabric of the sweater as he crushed her against his chest.
“Dem . . .” She sighed his actual name this time, and it went straight to his cock. How could he resist her?
As their tongues danced and their bodies moved against each other, he knew he should stop before he took her to bed and made her his. He just didn’t want to. When her hands reached around and grabbed his ass, pressing him tightly to her, it was his turn to groan.
“By the gods, Aster, if you don’t stop, I’m taking you to bed.”
“So don’t stop,” she breathed against his lips, her breath a warm caress.
“I have to. I shouldn’t do this,” he said in between kisses. “We can’t do this.”
She pulled away from him as if he’d slapped her. Guilt crawled over his skin.
“Why did you start, then?” She put her hands on her hips, accentuating the small frame hidden under the sweatshirt.
“Because I can’t resist you. It’s why I’ve been staying away, why I haven’t come to talk to you about this.” He gestured between them.
“Screw you, Dem. Oh wait, I already did.” Venom dripped from her voice. “Don’t start shit you can’t finish. And this,” she said, mimicking his gesture, “will never happen again, so don’t worry.”
“Aster . . .” he called out to her as she started to walk away.
“I don’t know how long I’m going to be on the island, but while I’m here, let’s just stay out of each other’s way, okay?”
She didn’t turn around as she spoke and was out of the door before he could even think of a way to respond. Usually he didn’t suck so badly at communicating. His brain just couldn’t work around her.
Chapter 14
Hal was exhausted. He’d jumped from the island to a number of different stores and back again to pick things up for Robin. The woman had nothing, not a shred of clothing, that she could call her own. He just hadn’t been able to leave her like that. So he’d spent the morning shopping for her, unwilling to risk taking her off the island.
Now, she was in front of him, ensconced in one of the oversized armchairs, clad in the jeans, T-shirt, and hoodie he’d picked out for her. It gave him a strange sense of pride to know she was happy with his choices, that they fit her personality and she wasn’t repulsed by them.
The glasses he had gotten for her were the biggest achievement. He had picked out a couple different frames and hadn’t told her which were his favorites. The soft, almost pink-colored frames were rounded and made her look like a sexy but elegant librarian. They were slightly too big for her face, but she said she loved them, which made his heart swell with honor. The frames were perfect for her, and they had been his favorite all along.
He’d noticed that they’d both calmed down once she’d had some clothing that covered her better. She had surprised him earlier with how up front she was about what she wanted. He wasn’t used to it, but he appreciated it. As someone who felt as if he was constantly missing part of the conversation, he valued honesty above all else.
As his family started to trickle into the living room, Robin put her book down, evaluating each one of them. He watched her in turn, noticing the slight adjustments she made with her body, seeming to indicate whether or not she was comfortable. Aster was close by her side but jumped up as soon as her sister walked in. They exchanged a brief but intense hug before sitting next to each other.
It had taken Hal a while to get used to Cin, especially after she became a full fury. While her outer temperament hadn’t changed, he could feel the side that sought justice battering against his senses. The need to leave the room was almost unbearable, but this was too important to be derailed by his sensitivity to intense emotions.
Finally, Dem skulked in to prop up a wall, with Alec and Ellie just behind him. The petite, curvaceous woman sent a warm smile in Robin’s direction. Hal had always liked being around Ellie. Maybe it was the Fae in her, but the vibes she put out were always pleasant and calm. Alec’s hand never left the small of her back. Jealousy flared within him. He’d wanted something like that for so long. Could it finally be within his reach? Or were the fates just teasing him?
“So, everyone, t
his is Robin.” Hal gestured to the wide-eyed redhead in the armchair and did a quick round of introductions for her benefit. “Now, she has something she would like to share with us.” As he spoke, Hal walked over and sat next to her in the spot Aster had vacated, resting a hand on her back for encouragement.
“Hi!” She gave a little wave as she glanced around with eyes so wide, they bordered on panic. “Um, ok, so, here’s the thing.” Robin tucked an errant lock of hair behind her ear before continuing. “The Order of Talos is huge. They have very powerful people all over the world. Not only that but they are tapping into magic from different magical beings. Before you guys rescued me, Randall took me to a meeting of members of the Order. Apparently they were giving their approval for me to be an initiate, not that I had a choice.” She raised her hands defensively as a couple of his brothers took breaths to speak.
Hal glared at them until they shut their mouths. This was her show.
“So they were all mad at him for what happened at The Farm. It completely spooked them and made them concerned about the safety of their Keys, which I thought was weird. Anyway, after the meeting, where I was treated more like livestock than anything else, he took me to an estate in England that had a cavern deep underground where his Key resided. The crazy thing is, the Key is a person, and not just any person.”
Hal couldn’t help but smile as she became more animated as she spoke.
“I’m ninety percent sure that Randall’s key is the Lady of the Lake, Nimue. I couldn’t remember where I knew the name from at first, but once I had time to think, I knew it was her. The thing that is mind-blowing is that she has been held prisoner down there for centuries, and the member of the Order who is assigned to her can siphon power from her, basically using her life force to power whatever they want.
“So, when Randall fought Hal and Thad at The Farm, he used her magic to make himself stronger and faster, and then again to open the portal. As a side note, I want to try and rescue her. I know we should wait for Randall to cool off so he’s not suspicious, but I would really appreciate your help with it. Oh, and the other crazy thing is that each member of the Order has a Key. I’m not sure if they are all as powerful as Nimue, but they are all magical beings.” She put air quotes around the word “Key” as though she wanted to emphasize that she didn’t like the term.
