Daughter Trilogy Bundle (117 page)

“
If you say so,” and I pull Devin to a fiery kiss to bring forth the sleeping goddess within. 

His hands grip my sides when he feels the desire for the passion I
’m pleading for.  I feel him smirking when Jake grumbles a little.

“
That’s not what I was expecting.  I’ve seen that crap,” he scoffs.

“
That’s just how I get it up,” I crudely tease, and I see all four of my parents shaking their heads from the corner of my green eyes.

I turn to face him, but he can
’t see the green in place of my blue.  I smirk as I stare him directly in the eyes, and he falters slightly for footing.

“
Dance,” I command, and he instantly does as I say. 

Everyone starts laughing, including his wife.

“Walk like an Egyptian,” I order, and his arms take their silly position while following my command.

“
Unbelievable,” Dad gasps, and then I see Persia smiling proudly.

I smirk a little and close my eyes to release Jake from his embarrassing bind, and he stammers around like a drunken fool for a minute while trying to recompose himself.

“That’s not cool,” he growls.

“
You asked,” I tease.

“
Be glad it was that and not her newest power,” Kry snickers.  “You’d be in far worse pain.”

I frown at his remark, suddenly realizing how dangerous it is to play with my untrained powers.

“I wouldn’t do that even if I knew how to,” I seriously interject, and Kry suddenly feels guilty for his morbid joke.

“
Sorry,” he murmurs.

“
New power?” Persia chimes in curiously.

“
We can discuss it later, not here,” I assert.

“
So you two really do get to be married for all eternity?” Clara sighs dreamily.

“
It’s our eternity,” Devin murmurs adoringly.

I turn to face him and his thumb strokes across my pulsing lips.  It
’s unfortunate all eyes are on us because my passion is still lingering from the piping hot kiss.

“
What are you going to do?” Mom worries.

“
Eliminate the threat.  Then you can return to your lives,” Devin answers very matter-of-factly.

“
Define
eliminate
,” Dad says anxiously.

“
I’d prefer to leave some of the specifics out,” Devin mutters, and I can see Dad shifting uncomfortably.

“
It’s a lot to digest, I know,” I utter to comfort him.  “I promise I’ll call when I can, but for the most part you don’t need to contact us unless absolutely necessary.  Please take care of Nadia,” I say gently, and the bouncing, golden-haired beauty comes bounding over to me.

I kneel to hug her gently, and she strokes my hair with her hands.

“Be careful, Angel.”

“
Let them know any time you need something,” I urge, and she grins while nodding.

“
We’ll take good care of her, sweetie,” Mom murmurs while hugging me.

“
Thanks,” I sigh out, and I smile when Devin kneels to hug her as well.

“
Take care of our girl,” Dad says to Kahl, and I smile when they shake hands.

“
You did a fine job of raising her, and I can’t thank you enough for giving her the life we never would have been able to,” Kahl says appreciatively.

“
Don’t thank me, please.  She’s my daughter, and I’ve loved every minute I’ve ever had with her.  She’s an incredible girl, and I’m still struggling with all this, but I’m having a harder time dealing with the fact she’s married to be honest,” he chuckles out.

Devin smirks a little, and then he walks over to shake my dad
’s hand.

“
Whatever happened between you two, don’t let it happen again.  You may be immortal, but I’ll still find a way to inflict some sort of damage,” he threatens, and Devin’s eyes glaze over with guilt.

“
I can’t promise what happened won’t try to happen again, but I can assure you we’ll be prepared if it does,” Devin murmurs vaguely.

“
If it had been something he could have avoided, I would have already dealt with the matter,” Kahl interjects.

He almost did deal with the matter
… several times.  Persia had to keep distracting him to keep him from showing his merciless side.

Dad
’s curiosity is piqued, but I insert myself between them before Devin reveals too much.

“
I’m staying with him regardless.  We were meant for each other.  I didn’t show you everything because I was trying to keep it a kid-friendly sort of viewing, but there’s more to us than meets the eye.  I love you, Daddy,” I murmur encouragingly, and tears stain his eyes while his arms wrap around me.

“
We need to get going.  If we stay too long we’ll attract attention,” Devin whispers softly.

“
I’ll call you when I can,” I murmur again, and everyone waves as we disappear into the cars. 

Chapter 11

New Life in an Old World

“
We’ll meet up back at the house in a few hours,” Persia says with a wink, and I’m not sure why she’s winking.

“
Where are you guys going?” I muse.

“
We have some plans to shop.  We’re probably going to be in San Diego for a while this time, and we’ll need some more variety for our wardrobe selection,” Theia murmurs with blushing cheeks.

“
Okay,” I mutter.  “Where did Devin go?”

“
He went on to the house.  He needed to sort through some things, and he had Camara do a sweep of the house before anyone even went in.”

Sheesh
.  All I did was go grab something to eat, and suddenly he’s gone.  What the crap?

“
Are you okay?” Persia worries.

“
Just tired.  It’s been a long day,” I grumble.  “A lot of plane riding, strategizing, emotional roller coasters, and heavy changes.  I just need a minute to regain my bearings.”

I feel so off, and my balance has suffered severely.  How long is Aphrodite going to punish me for the four months I took off?

“We’ll see you soon,” Persia says gently, and then she kisses my forehead.

“
Yeah,” I murmur softly, and then I turn the corner to head to the massive home Devin has brought us to.

It
’s not a large apartment, it’s a beast of a house, and I’m so exhausted.

My eyes widen as I step into the gallant parlor, and then I smell the velvet air full of lavender, roses, and champagne.  I smirk slightly when I see the roses I first smelled lining the room and I giggle a little when I see a display of petals lined up to form a dove.

I flash up the winding staircase to follow the sound of sensual music playing dully in the background.

I gush a little when I walk into the enormous room with a four post bed dressed with golden fabric.  The curtains puddle in the floor, and the windows are shut tight.  I can tell the room is padded, and a small gust of homemade wind closes the doors behind me.

Two champagne glasses sit eagerly on the silver tray in front of the bed, and a note is propped up against them.

The house is ours for an hour or two.  The teasing game has come to an end.

Seductively,

Your husband.

I giggle a little, and then I feel lips burning against the back of my neck as his hands slowly glide down my arms to add to my building suspense.  His body presses against my back momentarily before he spins me around to meet his eyes.

“
Any last words, Mrs. Cole,” he seduces.

“
Take me,” I murmur breathlessly, and his lips consume mine completely as his savage hands rip me free from my weighted clothing, leaving me in only my lacy underwear.

I feel my body sliding up the cool, satin sheets, and his teeth scrape across my stomach.  His hands cuff mine above my head, and his grip on them tightens when I squirm beneath him.

I can taste the champagne on his breath, and it’s the first time alcohol hasn’t disgusted me in months.

“
I love you, Adisia Cole,” he murmurs into my mouth.

“
I love you,” I moan, and his hips press against mine while his one hand still cuffs my two.

His free hand trails up and down my body until he uses it to undo his complicated belt.  The zipper
’s descent echoes in my ears and the throbbing in my lower half becomes all too powerful.

I thrust my hips up to meet his, but he bears down on them to keep them at bay.

He smirks against my neck while his lips play carelessly on my pulsating host, and then his eyes burn into mine for seconds before his lips forcefully take mine once more. 

His strength is surreal, and he continues binding my hands effortlessly with only one hand.  Then his teeth tug at my lower lip, and he finally releases his grasp on my hands.

I wrap my arms around his neck, and I feel the cold metal of his undone pants as the flopping belt hinders my access.

I can only imagine how much this room cost to furnish, and I almost feel guilty considering my twisted mind is picturing the destruction I wish to cause.

We can start with destroying the bed.

His eyes stare into mine
as he traces his finger up and down my arm.  His small smile is so endearing, and it’s hard to picture life without him ever again.

The bed beneath us has been thoroughly shattered, and the rest of the devastated room shivers in terror as it prays we
’re finished.

“
I’m amazed by you daily, Mrs. Cole,” he smolders.

“
I’m thoroughly impressed by your stamina, Mr. Cole,” I seduce, and he chuckles a little at my crude remark.  “I don’t know how I made it four months without you,” I sigh while reveling in the afterglow of our incredible afternoon sexcursion.

“
I don’t ever want to try it again,” he replies dryly, and the pain pronounces itself in his eyes.

“
We won’t ever try it again,” I promise, and his lips gently close over mine.

“
The others are probably here by now,” he murmurs with some reluctance against our kiss.

I huff in frustration.  This is the first time we
’ve had a moment alone since we got back together. 

I shouldn
’t have ever left him in Greece.  I should have believed him.  Now I feel like I’ve wasted too much time.

I snuggle into his chest, and his arms wrap around me while his luscious lips gently play across my forehead.

“I wish we could just stay like this forever,” I sigh.

“
I know, babe.  I do too.  Maybe we can take a break when we find the root of the harpie and hellhound phenomenon.”

“
Don’t forget about Pyrrha.”

“
I haven’t forgotten her in the least.  She’s made the top of my list, and I swear she’ll pay for what she took away,” he growls.

“
She didn’t take me away, I just left for a while,” I comfort, and his hands pull me tighter to his body.

“
Promise me nothing will ever take you away from me again,” he prays.

“
Nothing,” I assert, and then the door to the bedroom slowly creaks to be barely ajar.

“
Is it safe to come in?” Deacon bellows through the crack.

I snicker a little, and Devin covers me better with the sheet while rolling his eyes before answering.

“Barely,” he teases, and Deacon strolls in and plops down in a chair that has managed to remain standing.

“
Wow.  You two really can fuck a room up,” he muses while staring around at the disaster zone.

Devin stifles a grin, and I cover my blushing face.

“I can buy more stuff,” Devin chuckles out.  “What do you want?”

“
Everyone’s back now, and your mom and Persia are asking questions about Adisia’s new power.  I thought she’d be the one who wanted to tell them, and they’re growing restless.”

“
Thanks.  We’ll be down in a minute,” Devin murmurs sincerely.

Deacon flashes out of the room, and I walk to the closet with the sheet wrapped around me.

Devin’s lips play across the back of my shoulders and neck while I sift through the ridiculous selection of clothing, and I smile each time he grips me a little tighter.

“
Can we make them wait?” I seduce.

He snickers lightly, and then sighs with a touch of dismay when he grabs a pair of pants from his side.

“I wish, but I made them promise me an hour or two, and they gave us three hours.  I suppose it would be rather ungrateful of me to take more.”

“
Fine,” I grumble, and I pull on a short, tight dress that hugs me perfectly before flashing to the mirror to fly through the motions of my makeup.

“
I don’t suppose I could talk you into wearing an oversized sweat suit?” he smolders.

“
Not a chance.  I prefer knowing I’m getting to you,” I tempt, and his eyes narrow provocatively.

“
You’d be getting to me even in the sweat suit.  I fear there’s no cure for the depth of my desire for you.”

I giggle a little, and then I comb through my hair before he opens the door for me.  Our fingers intertwine as we walk through the glorious living room ornately decorated with luxuries more suited for royalty.

Our pictures are dressing the walls, and I chuckle at the fact they’re proudly displayed beside a Rembrandt and a Picasso.  Only Devin would deem something as mundane as our wedding to be in the same realm of class as such.

“
We’re here,” Devin says to the room we haven’t walked into yet, and I get sick the moment I see Nina leaning against the wall drinking my vodka again.

“
Did you two enjoy your alone time,” Camara giggles out.

“
It was exactly what we needed,” I murmur, and I avoid looking in the direction of Nina again.

Devin
’s arms pull me closer, and I feel his smile against my forehead when he bends to kiss it.

“
I agree.  Thank you,” Devin says to everyone.

Kry and Ther walk in with grocery bags packed full, and I smirk when I see the packaged fish.  Devin winks at me, and I lean into him to show appreciation for his thoughtfulness.

“What’s with all the fish?” Kahl asks while sipping on his amber drink.

“
Adisia has a craving for the sea, and she can put away some fish,” Ther chuckles.

Theia starts laughing, and an odd grin spreads across her face.

“I remember when I was pregnant with Devin.  I craved fish all the time.  I ate it every meal, and I smelled the ocean no matter where I was,” she reminisces.

“
All of my food had to be burnt to almost ash when I was pregnant with Adisia.  I would turn my nose up at anything that wasn’t profoundly charred,” Persia murmurs with a sweet smile, and Kahl kisses her on the top of the head.

Kry spews his drink slightly, and his eyes widen.

“You two aren’t pregnant are you?” he gasps.

The room falls silent, and all eyes glue themselves to me while awaiting an answer.  Devin bursts out laughing, and I fan my burning face.

Nina has stopped breathing all together, and our parents are in a completely frozen state.

“
No.  We’ve not opened ourselves up to a pregnancy,” Devin chuckles out, and then everyone breathes out sigh of relief.

I almost feel offended by their reaction.  I touch my stomach reflexively, and then I roll my eyes.  Nina has resumed her breaths, and Kry chugs a bigger sip of his ale.

Theia’s phone buzzes and she steps to another room to receive the call.  Persia hands me a bag, and I smile when I see what’s inside.

I pull out a pale pink, sexy, silky long gown that has a see-through back, and Devin instantly tugs at his collar. 

“Wow,” I murmur, and Kahl offers her very displeased glare for her indiscretion.

“
Is it necessary to give her something like that?  And if so, why not do it in private?” he admonishes.

Persia starts laughing and shrugs at him.

“I wanted her to have it, and there’s no such thing as privacy anymore.  In case you haven’t noticed, the two of them always have people around,” she teases.

Hale leans over the counter with a devilish smirk, and I roll my eyes at the rest of the shifty men.  Jace gently touches my side as he joins the room, and I push the sexy gown back into the bag.

“Why are we all staring at Adisia?  Did she just reveal the secret of her new power?” he asks quizzically.

“
You don’t want to know,” Kry mumbles, and I see a blushing color staining his cheeks.  “Damn Aphrodite hotties,” he grumbles, and Devin laughs at his candor.

“
So what is your new power?” Persia inquires, but before I can answer, I see all the color gone from Devin’s face.

“
What’s wrong?” Kry asks, and then Theia comes out of the padded room sobbing uncontrollably.

“
What?” Phillip urges.

“
It’s Deidra,” Theia murmurs through her muffled sobbing sounds.

“
What’s Deidra?” Kahl insists.

“
She’s dead,” Devin answers.

“
What!” Everyone gasps in unison.

“
A hoard of harpies, sirens, hellhounds, Furies, and so many more teamed up to storm her house,” Theia cries.

“
They’re working together?” Kry panics.

“
They’ve assembled an army,” Devin murmurs.