by Lia Davis
****
Ash stared at Ty as he willed on only a pair of jeans. The dragon had serious control issues, barking out commands like she was supposed to jump to attention. “I can’t.”
He raised a brow. “Yes, you can.”
She pushed off the doorframe and strode toward him. “You’re a bossy ass.”
His sensual mouth lifted at the corners, but there was pure mischief in his gaze. When she walked by him instead of stopping in front him, he snaked one arm around her waist, jerking her back into his front. He pressed his lips to her neck, then growled, “Don’t push me, female.”
Hot shivers of desire skittered over her skin and rushed through her veins. She wanted to twist around and push him back on the bed, rip his jeans from him, and fuck him like he did her earlier. Memories of the pleasure he gave her multiple times made her moan.
He inhaled and tightened his hold. “On second thought, push. I’m going to enjoy bringing you to submission.”
A smile tugged at her lips. “Only in the bedroom, drakon.”
Chuckling, he nipped at her earlobe. “Get dressed, goddess.”
He let her go abruptly and she had to reach out for the dresser to catch her balance. The desire and need he raised within her was dizzying.
Damned dragon.
Less than five minutes later, they materialized a few feet from the garage where Evangelos worked. Ash watched for movement inside the bays. “He goes by the name of Evan Martin.”
Ty grunted next to her, much too close for her heightened senses. “Common name. Almost perfect for hiding amongst humans.”
Yeah, she’d thought the same thing. But was it by her father’s choice or the god who cursed him? Taking a deep breath, she pushed forward. “Let’s get this over with.”
When they entered the first bay of the garage, she spied Evan with his head under the open hood of a car. As if sensing her, he jerked to a stand and glared at her.
“You.” He stalked toward her, anger in his green eyes.
She backed up, unsure what to expect. Then he suddenly grabbed her by the throat. Ty moved in behind him, but Ash shook her head hoping he would let her handle it. To her relief, Ty stopped, but fixed a narrowed eye on Evan as if not liking the other man’s hands on her. Well, she couldn’t blame him. She was a little annoyed with the situation too.
Focusing on Evan, she said softly, “You have me mixed up with some else.”
“I think not, goddess.”
She sighed. At times like these, she didn’t like looking like her mother. At least she knew he was her father. “Let me go so we can go inside and talk. We’ll draw a crowd out here.”
He narrowed his eyes, a mixture of pain and anger making them darken. “I’ll let you go and kick you out of my business. You’re not welcome here.”
Her heart ached as rejection started to settle in. Pushing it way, she dropped the news on him she’d hoped to break to him gently. “I’m not Artemis. I’m her daughter…and yours.”
He paused and searched her eyes. Of course he wouldn’t believe her. His gaze flicked to his right shoulder. “Who’s the dragon?”
“My mate.”
Releasing her, Evan stepped back from both of them. “I have no daughter. Tell the gods their tricks no longer work to taunt me. Leave now, before I call the police.”
He turned and walked into the small office on the far side of the garage. Ash’s nose tingled and her vision blurred as fat tears filled her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. Ty stepped in close and hugged her to his chest. Then he teleported them out of there.
Chapter Twelve
Gwen drummed her fingers on the desk in the hotel room she and Markus checked into an hour ago. They gotten the first lead on a weaver. “Why do they hide?”
Markus massaged her shoulders gently. “Because, love, they use to be hunted by daemons for their powers. The few left do everything they can to hide their true natures.”
“And that’s why I’m perfect for locating them,” she said dryly.
Leaning down, he kissed her cheek and then her neck. Warmth spread through her, making her smile. Gods, she loved him with every fiber of her being. They were a mated pair, bonded to each other—soul, mind, and body. His strength was hers and hers, his.
Gwen would have it no other way.
Markus was hers, as was his dragon.
His low growl vibrated against her skin. “Your desires drive me crazy.”
She pressed her thighs together as his need filtered down the mating bond. All of the sudden, he was gone. Turning her head, she found him looking through the peephole in the door. A ting of fear made her heart rate spike a little.
Closing her eyes, she breathed in and out slowly to calm the panic that still haunted her. After all, watching her father die in front of her eyes by a fire breathing dragon and spending fourteen years running from the dragon kind of made her edgy. Okay, so she was a little more than edgy. More like a pathetic mess who suffered from panic attacks at every loud noise.
“Gwen?” Markus’s concerned, low tone broke her from her thoughts.
She waved her hand at him over her shoulder. “I’m fine.”
The door clicked open and the oddest sensation circled her, kissing her bare arms. Turning toward the now open door, she stared at the woman who walked into the room at Markus’s encouragement.
Standing about five foot four with modest curves and long, curly, fiery red hair, the woman was pretty and glowed from inner magic. The glow was her magical signature, an aura. Gwen wasn’t sure how she saw it. She was almost tempted to ask Markus if he saw the soft ice blue hue, which surrounded the woman.
“I’m Selene, the weaver you’ve been looking for.”
Gwen blinked, then turned to Markus, who shrugged and closed the door. Focusing back on Selene, Gwen rose from her chair. “I’m sorry. I’m being rude. I didn’t expect you to just show up.”
Selene laughed softly, a beautiful and infectious child-like sound. “You and your dragon are drawing too much attention with your inquiries.”
“What do you mean? We were discreet.” Gwen glanced at Markus for some kind of reassurance. Of course, he didn’t give it.
Selene sighed. “Most the people in town know what I am and are very aware some seek to harm me and anyone standing in their way.”
“Oh.”
Markus walked over to stand next to Gwen, his arms folded over his chest. “Will you help us?”
Holding a hand up, Selene shook her head. “Not so fast, dragon. You haven’t told me what you want. Nothing comes free.”
“We’ll pay you for your time.” Markus shot back with a low growl.
Selene glanced to Gwen. “Does he always growl?”
Nodding, Gwen tried to hide her smile. “Yes. We seek a weaver to help break a memory spell.”
Tapping her chin with an index finger, Selene thought about it while studying the two of them. After a couple of moments, she asked, “Memory spells are tricky. Are you sure it is a spell?”
Gwen looked over at Markus, waiting for him to answer. He rolled his eyes at her, then turned to Selene. “Not a hundred percent. Will you come to Maine with us and help?”
Folding her arms over her chest, Selene glared at him. “I can’t just up and leave. I have…responsibilities here.”
Markus took a step, but Gwen reached out and closed her hand over his forearm, stopping him. Gwen offered her hand to Selene. “You know I’m the granddaughter of one of the Fates.” When the woman nodded, Gwen continued, “Then you know I can’t lie.”
“You can twist your words to not be a lie, but to mean something else.”
Gwen rolled her eyes. “Yes, but it takes too much effort. I find it a waste of my time. Time I don’t have in this moment.”
She tried to keep the annoyance out of her tone, but failed. Ty’s life depended on unlocking his memories and discovering what really went on during his captivity. “Selene, please. We need your help, so please come with us.
I give my word, you will not be harmed while at the mansion.”
Shaking her head, Selene started to pace. Gwen could sense her unease and fear. Her own patience grew thinner with each passing moment. Eagerness to get the weaver to Ty flowed through her, setting her on edge. She wanted to grab the woman and teleport her back to Maine. Or at least use force to get Selene to them help solve the mystery behind the gods’ accusations so they could begin building their own case for Ty’s judgment.
Releasing a heavy sigh, Gwen shook off the urges to do something completely out of character. She really didn’t know what had gotten into her lately. It seemed her newfound powers made her more violent and protective…
She turned her gaze to Markus on the heels of that thought. Could she be?
Suddenly, the room seemed to grow warmer, then a wave of dizziness washed over her, making her stumble back to grip the back of the chair. Just as the dizziness faded, nausea rose and she rushed to the bathroom, slamming the door behind her as she ran to the toilet and heaved up her breakfast.
****
Markus stared at the closed bathroom door, confused and stunned. What the fuck just happened? He strode to door and tapped on it. “Gwen?”
When she didn’t answer, he yanked the door open and found her sitting on the floor with her forehead resting on the toilet seat. He tugged a hand towel from the towel bar and ran it under cold water before kneeling down beside his mate. “What is it?”
He didn’t know how to care for someone who was sick. He’d never had to deal with illness himself. Come to think of it, neither should Gwen. His heart hammered at the thought. What if someone poisoned her? He should had never brought her here, expose her to Garrick and his imperials.
“Gwen?” he pleaded softly.
She waved a hand and shook her head as she rose to her feet. Markus gripped her elbow when she swayed. “I’m fine, now.”
“She is with child.”
Markus whirled his gaze to Selene, standing in the doorway watching them. Reality hit him like a two-ton boulder to the chest. Disbelief clouded his thoughts for a brief moment. Then joy sparked in his heart at the thought of a child, along with fear and an overwhelming need to protect. His dragon paced within, wanting out to fly Gwen far away from everyone and everything.
Gwen sagged into him and wrapped her arms around his waist. “I was so worried for you and Ty, I ignored the signs.”
He hugged her close and kissed the top of her head. “Me too, love.”
Since he got smacked with a healthy dose of reality and clarity, he noticed the slight change in her scent. It wasn’t like he hadn’t noticed before. Gwen was an emotional and caring person. Her scent changed often as she continued to learn to control her panic attacks, which only came when she was out in public. Then there was her new powers.
Hell, it was like relearning everything about her.
Now they were going to be parents.
“We need to get you home.” He scooped her up in his arms and carried her out of the bathroom, causing Selene to dart out of the way. “Aphrodite!”
A moment later the love goddess materialized next to him. “Must you shout?” She paused, then let out a small squeak. “Oh! Gwen’s pregnant.”
When the goddess reached for Gwen, Markus turned so she’d be out of reach. “She’s ill.”
Aphrodite propped her fist on her hips and tapped the toe of one pink heel she wore. Markus glanced at the tapping shoe, then up to the goddess face, and raised a brow. Annoyance flowed from her. “My granddaughter is not ill. She’s pregnant. Morning sickness—I have no idea why they call it that—can come at any time of the day. And for the love of Zeus, put her down. She’s not fragile.”
Gwen wiggled in his arms, so he slowly set her on her feet. “Can she teleport home?”
“Yes. Thea will be able to help her through the pregnancy.” Aphrodite smiled wildly until Selene cleared her throat behind them.
“Aphrodite, this is Selene, the weaver.”
Beside him, Aphrodite froze and stared at the other female. Gwen noticed too and pushed past him to touch the goddess on the shoulder. “Yaya, what is it?”
The goddess blinked and smiled. “I’m sorry. There is something familiar about you.”
Selene glanced to Gwen, then back to Aphrodite. “I’m not sure what you mean. I’ve lived in this town all my life.”
Aphrodite shrugged and turned back to Markus. He studied her for a long moment. There was something she wasn’t telling them. He didn’t have time to read into it at the moment. Ty needed the weaver.
“Selene, please come with us. As Gwen said, no harm will come to you.”
The weaver dropped her shoulders. “I have to go collect my things and my son.”
“Your son?” he and Gwen asked at the same time.
Selene nodded. “He’s fifteen months old.”
Markus inhaled deeply, then released the breath in a rush. His patience wore thinner and thinner by the second. “What about his father?”
Sadness flowed from her and she hung her head. “He was killed by Imperials before Trenton was born.”
Fuck.
No wonder the female was afraid and mistrusting. “I’ll escort you to get your son. Aphrodite, take Gwen home.”
Gwen narrowed her eyes at him, but before she could argue, he stepped closer to her, cupped her face, and kissed her. Pulling back, he met her heated, desire-filled gaze. His lips twitched. “Please, love, don’t argue.”
Aphrodite let out a soft laugh and linked her fingers with her granddaughter’s. “Come, dear. He will only get worse now that you are carrying his child.”
With a heavy heart, he locked down control over his dragon to keep the beast contained while their mate dematerialized from their sight. Good gods, he was going to be a father.
Chapter Thirteen
Ash watched the fish swim around, carefree and happy, in the small pond in her mother’s garden. For the first time, she wished she was with the fish and just as ignorant to how much people sucked.
She sensed her mother before she heard her. Not bothering to get up, she waited for her. They were close and Artemis always knew when Ash was upset. The goddess would come searching for her, just as Ash wanted.
A moment later, Artemis sat on the large boulder beside her. “Your heart is broken.”
It was more than broken. Try smashed. Instead of answering, Ash shrugged, trying to find the right words to form the questions whirling in her mind. There was no gentle way to bring up the subject of her father, especially to a woman who seemed to be fine forgetting him.
“You shouldn’t put yourself through this. Bring Tyson in for judgment and be done with it. The pain will ease in time.”
Ash jerked her gaze to her mother, annoyance bubbling up. “This isn’t about Ty. In fact, I believe more than ever he couldn’t ever kill Elizabeth.”
Artemis’s expression didn’t change. It remained the cool, practiced, and perfect features of the goddess of the hunt. “Why?”
“Because he believed Elizabeth could have been his mate.”
“That does throw a wrench into things, doesn’t it? So why are you sad?”
Ash turned her attention back to the fish. “I found my father today.”
“What? That’s not possible. Your father died before you were born.”
There was a tremble in her voice Ash hadn’t heard before. Gazing back at her mother, she took her hands, which shook. Ash drew their linked hands to her chest. “Mama, look at me. I would never lie to you. Not about this. I believe you believed he died. But I saw him today. I saw my eyes in the face of an auburn haired, mocha-skinned man.”
Artemis’s bottom lip trembled. “How?”
“The oracle.” Ash went on to tell her about the ledger and where she’d found him. “He thought I was you and was very angry.”
The goddess frowned. “Did you tell him you were his daughter?”
Ash nodded. “Yes, but I didn’t get a chance to sa
y anything else before he kicked us out.”
Artemis tugged her hands free and stood. “Evangelos and I were in love. We kept it a secret, unsure how others would react. He was only half-god. His mother was a siren. Many feared him and thought he was unworthy to live in Olympus. When Zeus found out about our affair, he was furious. Then Evan left. A few days later, Zeus came to me and told me he died.”
Tears streamed down Artemis’s face. Ash threw her arms around her mother and squeezed. “Oh, mitera. I’m so sorry.”
Artemis pulled back out of the hug and framed Ash’s face in her hands. “I have you. My beautiful daughter who is so much like her father.”
A weak smile lifted Ash’s lips and she hugged her mother again. There has got to be a way to bring them back together and figure out why he was banned to earth. No matter how long it took, she would find out.
****
Ty let out a low growl. “Female, what did I tell about being in my room?”
Ash faced him, brows raised and a smile on her face. “If I got my scent in your space, you’d fuck me until I scream.”
Damn. His cock jerked to attention, pressing painfully against the zipper of his jeans. With three quick strides, he stood in front her. He wrapped an arm tightly around her waist, holding her against his body.
Then he saw it. Sadness stole the fire from her eyes, though she tried hard to hide it. “What happened?”
She let out a soft sigh and laid her head against his chest while she hugged him closer. Ty loosened his hold and just held her, not knowing what to do. His strong, stubborn hunter was hurting, and he didn’t have a clue on how to fix it.
After several long moments, she finally spoke. “They were in love. Zeus cursed Evangelos and told mitera he died.”
Anger heated his blood. The gods fought with each other about as much as the humans, jealousy and power being the main causes of strife. He had no doubt both were involved in tearing Ash’s parents apart.
For Ash to call Artemis mother to him told him just how much it pained her. Usually she called the goddess of the hunt by her name, and he’d bet only called her ma or mitera in private—the address common among the gods and their children.
