Blessed (The Chosen Book 2)

by Mayburn, Ann

  A shudder ripped through David's body as a deity broke his wards and entered his home. He looked about frantically, knowing he couldn’t escape but still needing to at least try. The energy of the deity felt similar to his goddess Eris, but subtly different. Footsteps echoed up the stairway as someone made their way toward him.

  An extremely tall woman with a narrow face, dark hair, and green eyes strode into the room with a cutting smile. Looking at her, David felt himself lose control of his bowels and bladder, the stench filling the room. She was terrifying and he would rather die than let her touch him.

  The woman continued to watch him with a nasty smile curving her thin lips. She was dressed in a traditional Roman gown, and a bloodstained dagger hung from the girdle at her waist, dripping blood in an endless stream to the wood floor. The puddle grew until it dripped down the stairs in slow, wet, plops.

  “I am Sorrow, and you have failed my Mother,” Sorrow said, and her voice was filled with shrieks of mourning and grief.

  David dropped to the ground and lay flat on his belly, humbling himself before her. As he lay there in a wet spot of his own urine, he said, “I beg your forgiveness. I didn't know Kyle would fail to take her virginity.”

  Sorrow hissed in anger. “She never was a virgin, you idiot. Athena and Bes tricked us. Athena never wanted that girl. She was there to lead us down the wrong path.”

  David shuddered as her anger washed over him in a stinging wave. It felt as though thousands of needles were being jabbed into his skin. A soft moan of pain and terror escaped his lips.

  “You were to make sure she never became a Chosen. You have failed. She was Chosen tonight by that fat Egyptian dwarf, Bes.” Sorrow paused, and David held his breath, afraid to draw any attention.

  “All is not lost. We learned something about our little Chosen that may yet shatter her heart and her spirit, turning her into a broken vessel. Love is such a delicious double edged sword.”

  Sorrow removed an envelope from her girdle and tossed it onto the coffee table. “You will arrange to have this note delivered to that place they call Mother's Arms. We cannot go there. It is too heavily guarded, and someone may notice.”

  “Yes, my goddess. I live to serve,” David said as he groveled at her feet.

  She kicked David across the room. His arm snapped with a sharp crack as he hit the wall, and he screamed in agony. Sorrow laughed and clapped her hands.

  “Fail my Mother again, Chosen, and my brother, Torture, will come to visit. He may bring Rape with him...he's rather fond of you.”

  Through tear-blurred eyes and quivering like a mouse watching a cat, David watched Sorrow walk away.

  David sobbed as he cradled his broken arm to his bruised chest. Crawling over to the coffee table, he picked up the sealed letter and saw the name Aiden Klemenson written on it. Trying not to throw up, David called his housekeeper on the intercom and told her he needed her to deliver something for him.

  ****

  Aiden looked with unseeing eyes at the softly lit room with its impressionist paintings and tasteful furniture looked more like it belonged in a five-star hotel than a hospital. But even the low lighting and expensive paintings could not disguise the medical equipment or hospital bed in the large room. Eliana lay in one of the hospital rooms at Mother's Arms, suspended in a dream state as she met with her god in the Spirit Realm.

  She was dressed in a long white gown, and her chopped hair was brushed back onto the pillow. The sides of her face were discolored by bruises, and her lower lip had required a couple of small, self-dissolving stitches on the inside to get the bleeding to stop. His heart still seized every time he thought about how close he’d come to losing her.

  He sat in the comfortable chair next to her bed, as he had been doing for the past four hours. Not once had he let her leave his sight and he wasn’t moving until she woke. He watched her face as she slept, reaching forward now and then to gently stroke her hair. The women here had taken good care of her, but he needed to see her open those beautiful silver eyes of hers and look at him with that special glow that seemed to be reserved especially for him. There was an IV giving her fluids while she dreamed and other monitors keeping check on her vital signs, so he knew she was being taken care of, but every moment of waiting was torture for him.

  Nuri sat on Eliana's other side and held her hand, gently singing her Egyptian cradlesongs. She had come as soon as Devon called her to let her know what had happened. His parents and along with Kayla and Erin were waiting for them at his home. They had all wanted to come with him to rescue her, but he declined their help. He would need them when it was time to take Eliana home to help him convince her to give him another chance since he’d failed to keep her safe. Guilt gnawed at him and even though he knew it was the will of the gods that Eliana face her Trial alone, he felt like he should have somehow been able to stop them.

  Devon sat on the couch on the far side of the room with his arms folded. He and Aiden had come to blows soon after they arrived. Aiden wanted him to leave, and Devon had refused. Nuri grabbed both of them by their ears like little boys and marched them out into the hallway. She then gave them a blistering lecture on anger in a healing room and made them both promise to behave before she let them back in. While he knew Devon wasn’t really interested in Eliana, the other man’s over protective nature towards woman was really getting Aiden’s last fucking nerve.

  Eliana was his, period, and no one was going to take her from him.

  Aiden stared at Eliana's battered face, his heart too full of emotions. He knew she was okay, but seeing her still like this made his stomach clench in fear. She was so beautiful and so strong, always seeking to do what she thought was the right thing even when it hurt her. Reaching out, he gently brushed his fingers against the uneven fringe of her hair. She shifted her head, and he held his breath, releasing it when she settled back into the dream state.

  Devon's head whipped up. “Something is happening.”

  Nuri nodded and turned to watch Eliana, who began to moan softly in pain. She thrashed her legs hard enough for the blankets to come off and was at risk of jerking the IV out of her hand. All three of them tried to hold her down, but it was like trying to hold an angry bear.

  “Do you smell that?” Nuri asked as she struggled to keep Eliana's arm down.

  He wrinkled his nose. “Burning skin. Devon, help me get her still.”

  Without argument, Devon held her arm down and braced his heavy shoulder into her chest. He had to struggle to keep her still, the muscles in his forearms straining.

  Aiden followed his nose to her legs but couldn't see any burns. Feeling frustrated, he tried to grab her leg, but she kicked it out of his hand.

  “Well, she sure is stronger,” Devon grunted as he held her.

  As abruptly as they’d started, Eliana's movements stopped, and she slumped back into the pillows. Aiden and Devon waited by her head to see if her eyes would open, but Nuri moved to the foot of the bed. She lifted the edge of Eliana's gown, revealing her thigh and part of her hip.

  Nuri laughed with delight. “Well done, Eliana.”

  Confused, Devon and Aiden moved to look at what Nuri was beaming at. On the top of Eliana's tanned thigh was a rampant lioness tattoo done in gold, about two inches long, that following the curve of her leg. The tattoo didn't look like regular gold ink. It appeared more like liquid gold had been sealed into her skin, shining like a jewel. Aiden let out a loud whoop of joy and turned to Nuri, “Who is that, Nuri? Who does she belong to?”

  Nuri smiled. “Bes. She's a Chosen of Bes.”

  Devon's jaw dropped, and Aiden stroked a hesitant finger around the mark. “Okay, who is Bes?”

  “Bes is an Egyptian God of War, Protector of Women and Children, and patron of sexuality, dancing, and music,” Nuri said with a smug smile. “Our little Eliana has a powerful god backing her now.”

  Rubbing his jaw, Devon tried to hide a smile as he said, “War god, figures. No wonder we fight like
cats and dogs.”

  Aiden sat in his chair next to her bed, stunned. Eliana was a Chosen. She had survived and been picked by a powerful Egyptian god. The proof was on her lovely thigh in a mark that gleamed like gold. She would not become Rejected and live a normal mortal life. She was special, she was blessed, and she was his.

  A knock came at the door, and Jack strode in carrying a letter. “Hey, Aiden, this...” Jack trailed off as he took in the emotions in the room. “What happened?”

  Nuri showed Jack Eliana's mark before pulling her gown back in place and tucking the sheets beneath the sleeping woman’s chin.

  “Wow, our little bunny got picked by a war god. I never would have pictured it before last night. I would have pegged her as belonging to a gentler god, but you know what, it suits her.”

  Nuri shrugged her shoulders in an elegant gesture. “The gods see things we do not, High Priest of Loki.”

  Jack clapped Aiden on the shoulder. “Your mother is going to love this. A daughter-in-law who is also a devotee of a war god. Can't wait to see them duke it out when they try to establish who the dominant power is.”

  His heart felt as if it might burst with joy. “I love her. Gods, I love her.”

  His mind filled with thoughts of a future with her. He would take it slow. They would have to keep their relationship secret until she was out of his class. Glancing at her sleeping face, he amended that idea. If he was blessed enough to get a yes, they could get married as soon as she wanted. His job no longer seemed as important, and he could take the position of High Priest that was waiting for him at Odin’s Temple. Nothing, nothing mattered now that he’d found the woman who would someday, gods willing, be his wife

  Devon stood staring down at Eliana, and his mother put her hand on his shoulder. He turned to look at her, and she nodded, rubbing his back with a gentle touch. Devon closed his eyes, stroked the back of Eliana's hand, then stepped back and took a deep breath before leaving the room with his mother. Jack watched all of this with a suspicious look in his eyes, but he smiled and gave Eliana's hand a pat before walking over to Aiden.

  “Hey, man. Are you going to open that letter? The Novice at the door said the woman who brought it in was acting weird,” Jack said as he gestured to the envelope sitting in Aiden's lap, forgotten while he daydreamed.

  He blinked and grinned at Jack. “Sorry about that. I was thinking about...the future,” he said with a bright smile.

  “You're a lucky man, Aiden. She's a treasure.”

  Still feeling that silly grin curving his lips, Aiden tore open the envelope and shook out the heavy parchment inside.

  Dearest Aiden,

  You did a search on the wrong name for Eliana's mother. Her birth name is Colleen Olivia Marie. She changed it to Colleen Marie Shay when she was married to honor her maiden name. She's a Reject of Athena. Your little piece of ass has a tainted bloodline.

  Love,

  Eris

  Jack glanced over his shoulder and read the letter, whispering, “Holy shit. You don't think it's true, do you?”

  For a moment Aiden’s breath caught as he thought about the ramifications of his mother finding out Eliana had a tainted bloodline, but just as quickly he decided he didn’t give a fuck, and he certainly wasn’t going to let some Destro bitch goddess hurt his woman. Crinkling the offensive paper in his hand, he tossed it into the garbage and then spat on it. “No…and even if it is it doesn’t matter. In fact, I think it’s just a sick joke. Nothing even worth remembering or mentioning.”

  After a long moment, Jack nodded. “Doesn’t matter to me either. In fact, I can’t really remember what it even said.” He gave Aiden a hard look. “Especially around your mother.”

  “Exactly.” While Aiden wasn’t sure if the accusations were true or not, he didn’t give a shit.

  Eliana was his and that was the end of it.

  Grinning, Jack took the bucket with the wad of paper in it and set it outside of the room. He gave Aiden a sheepish grin and said, “I don't like having it in here.”

  “Agreed.”

  Walking over to the side of Eliana’s bed, Aiden gently stroked his hand down her arm and watched the soft golden hairs move beneath his fingertips. As if he would ever give up this woman without a fight, as if he gave one flying fuck about her bloodlines. If it came down to it he would rather be disowned by his mother than give up a chance at the happiness he could have with Eliana. He wasn’t surprised that Eris would try something like this, but the Destruction goddess didn’t understand love, and certainly would never be able to comprehend Aiden’s devotion to Eliana.

  Jack's comforting presence moved up behind him. “You know, some day she is going to realize she's way too good for you and come find me.”

  Aiden growled and socked Jack hard enough in the shoulder that he winced. It didn't, however, do anything to wipe the grin off his face. “Watch your mouth, or I'm going to tell Chrissy.”

  The twinkle in Jack’s grin faded, and he fiddled with the wooden buttons of his Hawaiian shirt. “You know I was just kidding, right? You wouldn't really tell Chrissy, would you?”

  When silence met his pleading, Jack slung his arm over Aiden's shoulder. “Come on, man, I really like Chrissy. I don't want her worrying about me.”

  Aiden snorted, giving Jack's hand a pat while keeping his eyes on his woman the whole time. The bruises on her face hurt his heart, and he hoped she didn't take the loss of her gorgeous hair too hard. He’d just have to work doubly hard to let her know how beautiful she was, inside and out. “If Chrissy loves you as much as you love her, I pity the girl and wouldn't want to add to her sorrows.”

  “You think she loves me? Did she tell you? When did she tell you? How did she say it? What was she wearing?” Jack continued on, but Aiden ignored him and waited for his heart to wake up.

  ****

  Eliana blinked, trying to adjust her eyes to the dim light and her ears to the low beep of a machine. A large hand stroked down the side of her face, smelling faintly like smoke and an autumn forest. Her sore lips stretched into a smile even before she opened her eyes fully. Only Aiden smelled that delicious.

  “Eliana.” Aiden's rough voice rolled over her like velvet.

  “Aiden, I did it.” She rubbed her throat and grimaced. Her voice sounded huskier than it used to. The incredible meeting with Bes filled her thoughts, and she opened and closed her mouth. How could she make him understand how amazing her meeting had been? How could she put into words being in the presence of a god?

  Blinking against the bright light from the bedside lamp, she turned her head and groaned. “Ow!” Her face ached, and it was hard to concentrate with the low throb of pain that filled her head.

  “Eliana, are you all right?” He watched her with an intense expression on his handsome face, his dark green eyes rimmed with red. She realized he had been crying, and her heart hurt for him.

  “Yeah, I’m fine.” Reaching out, she took his limp hand in her own. “Really, other than being beat up, I feel better than I ever have before.”

  He still didn’t say anything, but his thumb stroked against the back of her hand with a butterfly-soft touch. The sensation of his caress made her gasp softly and stare at him in wonder. Then he smiled at her and she realized those intense emotions were a dizzying mixture of joy, relief, and love.

  “Your body is changing. You will feel things more intensely now, both pleasure and pain. It sounds like Bes has changed your voice a bit to make it more...seductive.”

  He stroked his hand down her arm, his soft touch merging with the throb in her face in an odd combination. The pleasure and pain seemed to balance each other on a razor-sharp edge. All she could do was stare at him and try to absorb the intensity of her new sensations.

  “Did Bes show you his mark?”

  “No, I...I think I passed out before it was complete. Can you pass out in a vision? Isn't that redundant? How did you know about Bes?” She had to resist the urge to clear her throat. She still so
unded like herself, but her words had the edge of a sensual purr. “My eyesight is blurry, too.”

  He chuckled and smoothed her hair back. Giving her a wink, he pulled the blankets back from her legs. The feeling of the sheets sliding across her legs was unlike anything she had ever experienced. She could feel the uneven places in the wave of the fabric if she concentrated.

  “Your eyes will soon adjust. Your body in changing, and your vision is being enhanced. When they clear, you will have perfect vision. I didn't get that gift, but I'm not the Chosen of a war god so I didn’t need the battle enhancements that you’re getting.”

  “Battle enhancements? Wow, that’ll be handy next time I have to kick some Destro ass.” She twitched her shoulders as her lip throbbed. “How long am I going to be hyper-sensitive like this? The pleasure part is awesome, but the pain part I could totally do without.”

  “You’ll learn to control it.” His eyes darkened again, and he took a deep breath then let it out with a soft hiss. “Your psychic scent is stronger now too. Gods, you smell delicious.” He leaned closer to her on the bed, studying her intently.

  “What is it?”

  “I was just reminded of how empty and desolate my world would be without you. The thought of never wrapping your scent around me again is the worst thing I could imagine.” The tenderness of his voice held a note of steel, and she smiled at him as best she could.

  He inched up the long white nightgown and revealed the top of her thigh.

  “Really, Aiden. I admire your stamina, but now is not the time.”

  Rolling his eyes, he used the tip of his finger to direct her gaze down. A rampant lioness flashed her claws into the air on her thigh. Rather than ink, the tattoo looked like liquid gold.

  “Oh, man. That is so bad-ass!” She ignored his snicker and turned her leg in the light, marveling at the mark of Bes. “Better not let my mom see this. She’ll kill me.”