The thought propelled her from the bed and she frowned down at the remains of her dress lying on the bedroom floor. She didn’t want to put it back on, but she had little else to wear. Nose wrinkling, she held it up next to her. Well, it would have to do.
As she started to slip her arms into the material, Hephaestus pushed open the bedroom door and she stilled.
“Hi.” Her mouth went dry as he approached her. Could any man or god look as incredible? His hair was damp and dripped water onto his shoulders. The rawhide pants he wore clung to his crotch and Amy’s breath quickened. She well remembered what hid beneath that leather pouch.
“Good morning.” His voice warmed her from head to toe and as he walked toward her, muscles rippling, her pussy took notice, throbbing and pulsing with need. She didn’t understand the sudden mind-numbing desire robbing her of thought. The feelings were foreign, making her uncertain, vulnerable.
“Will I be going home today?” She didn’t know what made her ask that question first when really, she wanted to demand he kiss her, ravage her as he did the night before. How could she leave now? Would he want her to?
Hephaestus studied her for a long moment before responding. “Do you want to go home?”
The ball was in her court, and nerves jumped in the pit of her stomach. “I need to see my family.”
He reached out and twirled one lock of hair around his fingers. “That didn’t answer my question.”
Her tongue touched her lips. “I need to make sure they’re all right. They will be worried about me.” Anxiety rushed onward. “I mean, even now they are probably wondering where I am, if I’m all right.”
“I can send word. Your family will know you are safe. I would not allow them to worry.” He brought her hair to his nose, inhaling deeply. “I love your smell.”
By the gods, she was going to come just standing in front of him. “This-um-doesn’t really-um-solve anything. I mean, last night was just one night and we didn’t really say what today would bring. I never asked for any promises and…” she stopped, shaking her head almost violently. “Never mind. I’m just rambling. I tend to do that when I get nervous.”
One eyebrow arched. “You’re nervous?” He leaned in closer, his breath whispering across her cheek. “Do I make you nervous?”
Her hand pressed against his chest. “A little.”
“Even after last night?”
“Because of last night.”
He took another step toward her, bringing his bulging cock to her thigh. “Explain.”
She blew out a breath and lifted a shaky hand to her tangled hair. “I’ve never felt that way before. It was all new to me, but then, you know that. I just never expected it to be so-so powerful.”
A smile coated his lips. “That’s a good thing, right?”
“Yes-no-I’m not sure.” Her heart pounded so loud she was sure he could hear it. “I’m not sure what to think, but I’m not supposed to be here.”
“This is my home, Amy, and who I choose to have in my home is my business. You’re an invited guest.”
“But I’m a mortal and you’re a god.”
Her words seemed to give him pause and for a brief moment, she thought she saw wariness in his gaze. Then he quickly brought his expression under control. “No matter. Some things we have no control over.”
She frowned. “Is that what you intend to do with me, control me?”
“Amy, I…” he broke off, his eyes alert. Amy sensed the anger tightening his muscles, but before she could speak, he whirled around, barked a “stay put” over his shoulder and then disappeared.
And instincts told her this was an omen of bad things to come.
* * *
The village lay in ruins, charred and torn with little to resemble a happy community. Hephaestus walked from cabin to cabin, looking for life but finding none.
Pyron had left none alive.
There was no doubt in Hephaestus’ mind that the god had caused the chaos. Since he’d discovered Pyron had somehow managed to escape, he knew the god would seek revenge. But Hephaestus had assumed the revenge would be against him and not Amy.
Now he must tell her the village she called home was no more. She’d lost everything, including her family, in Pyron’s vicious retribution.
Pyron smiled, rubbing his hands together with glee. One half of his revenge was complete, but not even Hera’s warning could prevent him from punishing Hephaestus. The god had humiliated him, chaining him like a dog.
Shoulders squared to thrust his puny chest forward, Pyron ascended into the air, ready to confront the God of Fire again, but this time, it would be on his terms. He wouldn’t be so foolish as to get caught again.
No, this time, he would be the victor and Hephaestus would long remember the name of Pyron.
Amy knew simply by looking at Hephaestus’ face that something terrible had happened. She took two steps toward him the minute he reappeared in the bedroom, but he held up on hand, halting her in her tracks.
“Amy, I fear there is something I must tell you, something which will not be easy to hear.”
Her legs went weak, but she forced herself to remain standing. She would not fall, no matter what. Calling upon every ounce of strength she possessed, she replied, “Go on.”
His eyes flashed with pain and the look caught Amy unawares. She felt the agony deep within her soul and without another word, she knew. Like a rushing waterfall, the depth of despair began to wash over her, drawing her under while flashes of images raced in front of her eyes.
Her mother laughing. Her father racing her to the well. Even the dog barking at her heels as she skipped off to school.
“No,” she whispered, backing toward the bed.
Hephaestus didn’t move. He simply stood in place, his hands fisted at his sides. “Pyron attacked your village this morning.”
“No. You told me they were okay. That’s what you said, and I believed you.” Her throat constricted and she staggered, one hand going to her forehead. “My family?” She didn’t want to hear his next words, but the knowledge was already there, deep within her. Emptiness coated her soul and left her feeling hopeless and bleak. She was well and truly alone in this world.
“I’m sorry, but there were no survivors.”
The words battered her, pushing her to her knees. Crippled and blind with agony, she held her head in her hands and began to weep. In the next instant, she felt his arms going around her, strong and secure, holding her against his chest, while her heart broke.
Whispering words she didn’t understand, Hephaestus rocked her, offering comfort, which she gladly took. His warm hands stroked her chilled skin before he lifted her and carried her to the bed.
He placed her upon the coverlet and smoothed her hair away from her face. “I cannot tell you how sorry I am for your loss. Such pain is devastating.” Sitting down on the edge next to her hip, he took hold of her hand. “I can only assure you that Pyron will never do this again.”
The words offered no reassurance. Hephaestus’ vengeance wouldn’t bring her family back. She lifted her eyes to his face. “What will I do now? I have no home. No family.” Her voice broke and she looked down at their joined hands. “Never mind. I didn’t mean to…”
He shushed her with one finger against her lips. “Hush now. There’s no need to think about tomorrow when you still need to get through today.”
Her lips began to quiver. “I don’t even have bodies to bury.”
Hephaestus’ jaw clenched, and he stood. “You should rest now. I’ll bring you something to eat in a while, but for now, close your eyes.”
His hand moved, sweeping over her face, and Amy felt her eyelids droop. Exhaustion stole into her limbs, making them heavy and cumbersome. Whatever magic Hephaestus used, worked.
The last thing she saw before she succumbed to his spell was his face, his gentle eyes offering a reprieve from the horrors she’d have to face again.
Chapter Four
Hephaest
us left Amy in a deep sleep, rage guiding him through the night. Pyron had run like the rat he was, hiding from retribution, but his efforts were fruitless. Hephaestus would find him, and this time, there would be no mercy.
“You’re choosing a god over a mortal.”
The feminine voice stopped him in his tracks, and he turned slowly. As usual, his mother looked like an elegant queen, only without even the merest hint of congeniality on her face.
“Mother, why do I think you had something to do with this?”
His words didn’t affect her. “You left him chained like an animal, Hephaestus. Pyron is a god.”
“He destroyed an entire village, killed Amy’s family.” Blood suffused his face.
Hera studied her nails even in the darkness. “Well, that was a shame indeed, but really, you didn’t expect him not to retaliate, did you? I mean, he was bested by a mortal and then chained in your dungeon. Even a god has his pride.”
His hands curled into fists. “Stop interfering in my life.”
“Then stop fucking mortals.”
Fury roared through him, sucking him into a dark vortex, but he refused to give in. His mission wasn’t complete and Amy would awaken soon.
“You’ve had your say, now get the hell out of my life. And don’t return unless you’re invited.” The way he said the sentence would leave his mother in no doubt as to when that invitation would take place. On the back side of never.
Hera’s eyes narrowed. “Be careful, Son. You might just find yourself catching hold of a tail of a tiger you can’t defeat.”
Hephaestus waved a hand and disappeared, shutting out his mother’s smug face. He would have to deal with her later because she would return.
Hera always returned.
Pyron’s knees knocked together, but he attributed it to the chilliness in the air. Never would he admit fear made his limbs shake, but catching Hephaestus’ scent in his nostrils gave him palpations.
When in the throes of anger, Pyron was capable of much destruction, but face to face with the god of fire, the one god the others admired, respected, and came to for weapons and unbreakable chains, he wasn’t so sure of his abilities. But he was deadly sure of Hephaestus’.
Swallowing the lump in his throat, he squatted next to a fallen log and sought refuge behind a copse of trees, attempting to mask his scent. The muskiness of the wet leaves and the aroma of pine would have to be adequate cover. It was all he had, especially since he’d expended most of his energy destroying that village. Apparently, Zeus hadn’t seen fit to gift him with enough power to sustain himself longer than a few minutes at a time.
An owl hooted and Pyron jumped. By the gods, he almost prayed that Hephaestus would find him so the fear could be confronted. Perhaps Hades would have mercy on him and allow him to spend eternity in the Elysian Fields.
A twig snapped and Pyron came to his feet, sweat pouring down the back of his neck. He didn’t need to ask if someone was approaching. The smell of burning wood assaulted his nose seconds before the flames began licking at his feet.
Dear God, Hephaestus was burning him out!
Grimly, Hephaestus directed the steady stream of fire into the forest, having picked up Pyron’s scent seconds before, along with the palpable feel of the lesser god’s terror.
His lips curled upwards in a smile. Good. He wanted Pyron to taste the fear the villagers would have felt before he incinerated them. Beyond that, he wanted the god to know in a matter of minutes, his life would be over.
A yelp reached his ears and flailing arms and legs came into view as Pyron dashed out of his hiding place.
“Hello, Pyron.” Hephaestus’ voice held no welcome.
“Now, Hephaestus, I know why you’re here, but Zeus wouldn’t be happy if you hurt me. You know how he feels about gods hurting other gods.” Pyron shifted from one foot to the other. “In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if he directed his anger at you if you were to take my life. See,” he held up one finger, “the way I see it is you don’t really have the choice to kill me because that would bring retribution on yourself.”
Head tipped to one side, Hephaestus allowed the god to babble for a few seconds longer before he wearied of the noise. “That’s enough.”
Pyron stopped talking at once and clasped his hands together nervously in front of his body. His eyes flicked left and right, never quite settling on Hephaestus’ face. A long silence fell, heavy and oppressive.
“I’m going to kill you.”
“Didn’t you hear a word I said?”
Hephaestus closed one eye and used his hands to form a frame in the air. “I heard, but I’m still going to kill you.”
Pyron stumbled backwards. “You can’t kill me, and what are you doing? Stop that!” A few more staggering steps brought his back against a tree trunk.
“I’m just trying to determine the best target area.”
The smaller god grew pale. “Stop fucking with me! If you’re going to do it, then be man enough to just do it. I’m not going to stand here while you—“
A quick bolt of energy silenced the god forever.
Hephaestus looked down at his handiwork. “When I say enough, I mean enough.”
Chapter Five
Amy paced back and forth just inside the front entrance. Occasionally, she would crack open the door to peer out into the darkness. The fire behind her had died down to barely a flicker, and time had ceased to exist. She didn’t know how long Hephaestus had been gone or how long she’d slept.
She only knew she’d awakened to an empty house and a pain so deep in her heart it sliced to the bone.
Standing in the open doorway, she tipped her face up to the cool breeze. Stars winked in the sky, offering a soothing glow against the inky sky. But Amy couldn’t focus on the beauty of the night.
“Where are you? And why am I thinking about you?” Placing her hand over her heart, she turned back toward the foyer, and her eyes instantly connected with a pair of silver orbs.
“Hephaestus?” She came closer. He looked dark and dangerous, his jaw hard, unyielding. “What’s wrong?” Her hand lifted to touch his bare chest, and the muscles contracted beneath her fingertips.
“Pyron is dead,” he said bluntly.
She swallowed the lump of anxiety in her throat. “You killed him.”
“I did.”
“Why?”
An eyebrow lifted. “Do you not think he deserved to die for what he did to your family?”
Yes. No. Amy didn’t know how to respond. No one had ever sought retribution on her behalf before. She wasn’t sure what she should say. A part of her wanted to thank him, but nothing would soothe the ache in the pit of her stomach.
She turned away. “I should go.”
“Where will you go?” His voice sounded close, just over her right shoulder.
The words brought a sharp reminder of her loss. “I-I don’t know. I haven’t thought that far ahead.”
He lifted her hair away from her neck, and chills leapfrogged down her spine. “Stay here.”
The invitation startled her, and she turned her head, meeting his gaze to gauge his sincerity. “Why would you want me to stay here?”
Honesty sparked in his eyes. “I’m not sure. I just know I don’t want you to leave.”
Pivoting fully, she touched her hand to his face. “Thank you for everything you’ve done for me, but I can’t ask you to allow me to stay. That’s taking on a lot more than you bargained for.”
His fingers curled around her wrist, holding her hand in place. “Amy, don’t consider my words as an act of benevolence.” Thumb stroking the soft skin he held, he gave her a toe-curling smile. “I’ve had sex before, but I’ve never made love in such a way that my mind can think of nothing else.”
Suddenly, breathing wasn’t so important anymore. Looking into pools of liquid silver, she found herself leaning closer to him, seeking the touch of his lips, the caress of his tongue against hers.
The kiss was both soft and
gentle, reassuring and demanding, coaxing and yielding. Hephaestus’ tongue caressed the corners of her mouth, and with a sudden growl, he tugged her forward into his warm embrace.
“Wait.” She twisted her head to break the kiss. “How do we know this is right?”
The god ran his knuckles along her cheek. “Does everything have to be right in your mind before you yield to needs of your body?”
His words made her shiver. What the man could do with his voice! “You say the fates have chosen our destiny, but would they really use Pyron to bring the two of us together?”
“The fates can create good things out of bad.”
A tear leaked down her cheek. “Will you take me to see them?”
Hephaestus sighed. “There’s not much to see, Amy.”
“But I need to see it anyway.”
He nodded his head. “Then you shall.”
Hephaestus stood to one side, watching Amy absorb the horrors of her loss. Unaccustomed to the protective feelings overwhelming him, he crossed his arms over his chest and followed her with his eyes.
She knelt in the ashes and soot, sobs racking her body until Hephaestus could take no more of her pain. The sounds of her agony tore through his heart, nearly crippling him.
Coming to her side, he lifted her to her feet and pulled her into his embrace. Her head went to his shoulder, an automatic need for comfort. He caressed her hair and let her cry until no more tears would come. Then he tipped her face up with two fingers under her chin.
“Let’s go home.”
She sniffed and looked down at the ground. “I don’t have a home anymore, Hephaestus.”
“You do now.” Lifting her in his arms, he shimmered in the air, cradling her all the way to his house.
Amy wound her arms around his neck. “I’m not sure I should be here.”
He set her feet on the ground. “Then let me be sure for you.” Brushing her hair away from her face, he touched his forehead to hers. “For now anyway.”
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