Blessed (27 page)

With a mental check, she tightened her shields even more, drawing them as taut on her person as she could. The energy buzz died, and she could walk through the room without shivering. Heads turned as they strolled past, and more than one person greeted Jack and motioned for them to come over.

The moment she saw Aiden her heart began to race and she couldn’t help the no doubt goofy smile that curved her lips. Just seeing him made her feel so happy and when his gaze caught hers her smile only grew wider. He rose from the table and turned toward her, a big smile lighting his face. Jack muttered next to her, “He's a goner.” She ignored him and let go of his arm.

“Hello, Eliana. That dress looks amazing on you,” Aiden said as he held her hand, stroking his thumb over her palm.

“Hello, handsome,” she said in a surprisingly husky voice.

He filled out his tuxedo well. Really well. The cut accented his broad shoulders and narrow waist, making her want to run her hands over his hard body. In her high heels, she still only reached the top of his shoulders, and she had to resist the urge to steal a kiss.

Jack cleared his throat and said in a mock falsetto, “Oh, so nice to see you, Jack. Thank you for bringing Eliana here. Oh, don't worry about it, Aiden. It was my pleasure.”

“Hi, Jack. Thank you,” Aiden said, never taking his eyes from Eliana.

Jack rolled his eyes and strolled over to the table were Aiden had been sitting, leaving them alone in the crowd.

“I like your hair like that. You're the most beautiful woman in the room,” he said softly.

She blushed and looked at him from beneath her lashes. “Thanks, you don't clean up so bad yourself.”

He laughed and led her to his table. Jack was sitting and talking to a woman who had Aiden's red-brown hair cut into an elegant bob and wore a sleeveless, glittering black dress. Next to her sat a stunning woman with silver-blond hair that fell in waves to her waist. Two ivory combs artfully held it back, revealing a woman who was so beautiful Eliana felt like a kid playing dress up next to her. Something about the blonde was seductive and sensual, even when she was taking a sip from her wineglass and watching them approach.

The brunette stood and gave Eliana an unexpected hug. “You must be Eliana, it is so nice to meet you. Aiden has told us so much about you. I'm Aiden's younger sister, Kayla.”

Aiden laughed. “Younger by two minutes you mean.” He turned to the seductive blonde. “This is Erin, Kayla's wife.”

The blond stood, revealing the kind of curved figure that would have made Marilyn Monroe weep with envy. She held Eliana's hand in her own and her husky voice made Eliana’s body uncomfortably warm. “Pleased to meet you.”

Eliana stared at the woman as a wave of desire washed through her and settled in her pussy with a low throb. She found herself wondering if the woman's full pink lips were as soft as they appeared, and if they tasted like nectar. She stroked her fingers over Erin's hand and sighed at the silky texture. The woman's deep blue eyes widened, and she dropped Eliana's hand.

“I'm so sorry,” she said with a blush that painted her cheeks in pale pink. “My aura got away from me. I'm afraid my goddess wanted a taste of you. I didn't mean to affect you like that, please forgive me. You must think I’m some kind of pervert.”

Blinking rapidly, Eliana glanced at Aiden in confusion, but he was laughing, as was his sister. “Don’t worry, Erin is a Chosen of Aphrodite. She wasn’t hitting on you. Should we be expecting a visit from your goddess, Erin?”

Erin smiled softly. “I don't think so. Something in Eliana resonated with Aphrodite, but it's not her...” Erin searched for the right words, “...it's not the right flavor. Like biting into a peach when you expected an apple.”

“Interesting,” Aiden murmured as he seated her to his right.

Kayla patted Erin's hand. “Don't feel bad, love. I'm sure Eliana knows that you didn't mean to make her uncomfortable. We cannot always be responsible for how our gods choose to use us. She’ll find that out soon enough.”

Erin turned to look at her across the table. “Please accept my apologies again. I don't want you to think that Aiden's family is made up of a bunch of crazy people.”

Eliana laughed, thinking about what their reaction would be if they found out her parents were atheists. “I'm flattered by Aphrodite's interest, Erin. Who wouldn't want the goddess of love, sex, and beauty to find them interesting?”

Aiden gave her a soft smile. “My mother and father are around here somewhere. Networking I'm sure. They'll join us by the time dinner is served.”

Eliana nodded and fought a no doubt besotted as Aiden held her hand beneath the table. Erin watched them and leaned in, whispering something to Kayla, who hid a small smile behind her hand. Aiden began talking with his sister and Eliana soon found herself involved in a conversation with them. As the time passed and she relaxed, she was surprised to find that she was actually enjoying herself.

Erin and Kayla were very accomplished and interesting women. They talked of the horse breeding that Kayla did and the sex therapy clinic Erin ran. She specialized in treating people who had lost their desire because of tragedies like rape and molestation. Erin also volunteered at the Mother's Arms House and talked with Eliana in depth about all the hard work they did there with abused women and their families. It made Eliana proud to hear about how much work Aiden also did at the shelter, from working with spells to just hanging out with the children there. Kayla none too subtly hinted at what a good father Aiden would be someday until Aiden threatened to tell their mother that Kayla was looking into potential sperm donors and wanted her mother’s help in finding a good match.

While they were laughing at a story Kayla was telling about one of her grooms that had a crush on Erin, an elegant older couple approached the table. The woman was tall and good looking, dressed in a navy blue beaded gown she had a regal bearing that instantly drew Eliana’s attention. Her blonde hair was streaked with white and swept into an up-do and she wore a glittering strand of diamonds around her neck that Eliana had no doubt were real. The man was an older version of Aiden, with deep laugh lines around his mouth and a thick scar across one cheek.

Aiden stood and embraced them. “I'd like you to meet my date, Eliana Shay,” he said, pulling out her chair and helping her to her feet.

She tried to fight a blush as she giggled on the inside at being called his date. “Eliana, this is my mother, Rana, and my father, Talic.”

Rana extended her hand in a graceful gesture. “Pleasure to meet you, Eliana.” Rana had a faint accent that clipped some of her words.

She shook her hand, surprised by the strength of the woman's grip. “It's nice to meet you as well, Mrs. Klemenson.”

Smiling, the older woman said, “Please, call me Rana. Aiden seems quite taken with you, and I would like for us to be friends.”

Kayla raised her eyebrows to Aiden at their mother's words, and Aiden frowned at his mother while the faintest hint of color flushed his cheeks. “Mother…”

Talic took Eliana’s hand and placed a kiss on the back of it, drawing her attention away from the fascinating sight of Aiden blushing. “Pleasure to meet you, Eliana. Aiden is so proud of you and all that you've accomplished. We're most interested to see which god or goddess Chooses you.”

Rana nodded as she sat in her seat across the table and placed her napkin on her lap. “Yes, we're certain that you will be Chosen and that you will be a great asset to our cause. Have you had any visits yet?”

“Mother,” Kayla interrupted, “that's between Eliana and the gods.”

With a sniff Rana, said, “Well, it can't hurt to ask. It's a great honor for Aiden to have been picked to Mentor her. It brings prestige to our Dynasty.” Rana’s small smile held a secretive quality. “The gods always have a reason for putting you with your Mentor. Who knows what plans they have in store for you and Aiden.”

“Mother,” Aiden said again in a low, warning voice before he flashed Eliana an apologetic look.

Rana gave her son such an innocent look that Eliana couldn’t help but giggle as the other woman said, “What? I can’t be proud of my son.”

Kayla snorted, but Aiden just shook his head and laughed.

They were interrupted by dinner being served, and the conversation turned to lighter topics as they ate. After a delicious strawberry and chocolate cake was served for dessert, the band started to play. Couples moved out to the dance floor and she glanced at Aiden out of the corner of her eye, wondering if he’d like to dance with her. She wasn’t very good, but she’d use any excuse to touch him right now.

Watching him with his family, noticing the way he paid constant attention to her, was making her fall dangerously head over heels in love with him. Well, deeper in love. She was pretty sure her heart was already a lost cause as far as he was concerned because she’d loved him from the moment their eyes met during the first day of class.

Hopefully he felt the same way, because right now she couldn’t imagine a future that didn’t have Aiden in it. She was about to ask him to dance with her when his mother beat her to the punch. He gave Eliana a longing look, but she laughed and urged him to go dance with his mom. Aiden led his mother out to the floor with a smile at Eliana that made her feel like a million bucks. She smiled back and slowly licked the last of the chocolate frosting off her fork with a wink.

A smooth voice asked from over her shoulder, “Eliana, may we join you?”

Talic rose with a smile and an outstretched hand to someone standing behind her. Turning around, Eliana was surprised to see Nuri dressed in a long, flowing cream silk gown, cinched around the waist with an elaborate jeweled Egyptian designed belt. Behind her was an elderly man leaning on an elaborately carved cane. His face was weathered and wrinkled, but he had an easy smile and the same arresting teal blue eyes that Devon had.

Must be his grandfather,
she thought as she stood and gave Nuri a hug.

Kayla and Erin raised their eyebrows in disbelief as Nuri returned her hug with a smile. Talic shook the elderly man's hand. “John, it's so good to see you again.”

Gesturing to the empty seats at the table, Talic said, “Please, have a seat. It has been a long time since we've seen you as well Nuri. Your work with Mother's Arms is most appreciated.”

Nuri smiled and said in a mild voice, “I'm not sure your wife was as appreciative of my input in the design of the house. But I'm glad we were able to move past our...differences...and find a middle ground.”

She glanced curiously from Nuri to Talic as he actually blushed, and Kayla coughed into her napkin to hide a laugh. Nuri turned to Eliana. “I see Aiden has been practicing some high magic with you. Odin's blessing sparkles about you like fireflies on a summer night.”

Thinking of how that blessing got there, she fought a blush. “He's trying his best to protect me.”

Talic smiled broadly at her words. “I think my son recognizes that he’s found someone special.”

Rolling her eyes, Kayla said, “Not you too, Dad.”

Eliana pretended to be confused at their words as she sipped her water. Inside, she was beaming. She had hoped that his parents would approve of her despite their age difference, and it seemed they did.

With a smile, Nuri said, “Forgive me for being rude. This is Johnathan.” Nuri gently placed her hand on his and smiled into his eyes. “My husband.”

Blinking, Eliana fought to keep the surprise off her face and said brightly, “A pleasure to meet you, Johnathan. Your wife is a remarkable woman.”

Johnathan smiled and gently stroked Nuri's cheek with his age-spotted hand. She turned her face into his touch. In a soft voice that held a trace of a British accent, Johnathan said, “Thank you. She was and always will be my greatest treasure.”

Erin sniffed and Eliana glanced over at her, puzzled by Erin's sad expression, Eliana tried to fill the silence. “So, is Devon here tonight?”

Nuri nodded. “Oh, he's here somewhere, fighting off an infatuated Chosen of Mazu. She seeks to wear down his resistance, as the ocean wears down a rock.”

Kayla laughed. “The ocean may have better luck. Devon is a lot of fun as long as you keep your heart out of it. Thankfully, that was never an issue with us. I've gone shooting with him at the police gun range in the past. I think he was relieved to be around a female Chosen who wasn't trying to get him to settle down and make babies.”

Nuri smiled. “He just hasn’t found the right woman…yet.”

****

Aiden held his mother in a formal pose as they twirled around the polished wood dance floor. Every time they turned, he would find his gaze searching for Eliana, to the point where he was stepping on his mother's toes.

“Aiden, she isn't going anywhere,” Rana said in an amused voice.

“You've been nice to her. What's going on?” he asked suspiciously.

His mother blinked back at him with an innocent expression. “Whatever do you mean, Aiden?”

“Every woman that I've brought home to meet you since high school has been given either the cold shoulder or the hot edge of your temper.”

Thinning her lips, she gave up the innocent act. “I'll not have you wasting your time on mortal women. You have a duty to uphold, a thousand-year-old Dynasty that sacrificed and fought to provide you with the best future possible. You owe it to the family to find a nice Chosen girl and continue the line.”

“I don’t like Eliana because she’s a potential Chosen. I like her because of who she is, a good woman.”

She gave an exasperated sigh and put a hand to his cheek. “Aiden, I know this is hard for you. It was hard for me too, but it was the right thing to do. I waited for and found your father, and we are happy together and have two strong Chosen children.”

He didn't answer her, his irritation building. He stared at her, trying to keep his anger off his face as they moved along with the other couples dancing. It pissed him off that his mother saw Eliana as nothing more than a breeding machine.

Rana tried again. “Is the thought of having beautiful and strong little silver-eyed babies with Eliana so bad? Think of all the different gods and goddesses that your children could choose from. Greek, Egyptian, African, there are so many and you know that makes their chances of being a Chosen even higher.”