Daughter Trilogy Bundle (54 page)

"If Kry gets a hug, then so do I," Ther plays.

"I don't have a problem with that," I say with a slight sniffle.

"Don't start all that," Ther warns.  "We're all doing good to hold it together right now.  I really don't want to cry in front of anyone, so spare me the embarrassment."

I pull back and snicker slightly as I wipe my eyes.  He gives me a warm smile.

Devin's waiting for me with his seductive, bare chest, and his dazzling low hanging jogging pants that love to show me his delectable hip lines.

He pulls me into his arms and bends to kiss me when I finally reach him.  He lifts me up, and I feel the breeze brushing my hair as he swirls me around.

The door claps behind us as it shuts, and I draw back a little to observe the newly placed bedroom.

There's a bar area, a bathroom, a sitting area, and now a bed.

"Thank you."

"Anything for you, baby," he smolders.

"I'm so tired," I say through a yawn.

He smiles as he scoops me up and places me on the bed.

"Get some sleep," he says as he pulls the covers over me.

I sit up with a pouting look.  "You're leaving?"

"I have to make some calls."

"Stay with me," I murmur, grinning, mimicking his repetitive plea.

His eyes soften, and he flashes into the bed to cuddle me against him.

"Okay," he utters.  "I'll stay."

I feel my heavy eyes closing as sleep takes me, and I feel safe in his arms.

Please hurry up and awaken, Aphrodite.  Make me strong again.

Chapter 3

Assembling the Troops

I wake up to feel Devin's warm body against mine, but he's wide awake and typing on his phone.  He smiles as he looks down at my newly opened eyes that are still dragging from the tiring night.

"Good morning," he murmurs gingerly.

"It's morning all right," I growl out with irritation plaguing each syllable of my words.

He laughs a little at my bitter morning mood as the room's whitewashed, sterile appearance offers me nothing but more agitation.  There are no windows to offer a bright perspective - a soundproofing factor.  But I can't complain because this was my idea.

"What time is it?" I groan while stretching in the bed.

"Six."

I grumble as I climb free from the bed and walk to pull on some pants over my underwear.  His menacing eyes perk up as he watches me, and I have no choice but to smile.

"I need coffee before you give me that sort of look," I tease.

He chuckles lightly and resumes messing with his phone.

"Contacting your contacts?" I ask.

"No.  I'm doing a little business," he says casually.

"Oh.  Right now?  I mean, is that really necessary?"

He smirks a little as he finishes what he's doing and puts his phone down.

"This is.  I just set up a meeting with Henry via email.  He'll be coming by later to look over the paperwork, and he'll also have Clara with him because they'll be picking up the key to my Parisian home.  Like I said, there are some things that don't need to be changed."

I smile at his thoughtfulness, and I walk over to snuggle into his open arms.  He kisses my forehead, and I yawn a little.

"Were you able to get in touch with any of your contacts?"

"I had some luck.  I didn't spend too much time on it, so I'll make up for it today," he says with a chipper tone.

"Sorry I asked you to stay with me.  I know there's a lot to be done, and I'm already in the way as it is," I mumble.

"You're not in the way.  I was tired, too.  I haven't slept in a couple of days, and I needed to rest.  Some of my contacts are testing on a tired man's patience."

"Have you been up long?"

"About two hours.  Some of the others were just going to bed when I went out there to grab some water."

I smile a little and stand back up.

"I'm going to make some coffee.  Do you want some?"

"Yes.  Coffee would be greatly appreciated.  I need the strong stuff," he teases.

"Yeah, yeah.  I know," I huff.

I hate being mortal when I'm in a house full of immortals.  They need everything stronger- coffee, alcohol, sex…
oh sheesh
.  I passed out instead of having sex last night.  He'll grow bored with me very quickly if I continue to do stupid shit like that.

"Sorry I was so wiped last night," I mumble.

He shrugs as he picks his phone back up.

"There's nothing to be sorry about," he says so casually.

"I know I kind of made the night very uneventful, considering my mortal body needed sleep."

He flashes from the bed to me, and his lips cover mine to silence them.  He gently tugs me to him, but not to seduce me, it's to comfort me.  When he draws back, his delicious breath falls over me as he speaks.

"Don't ever think that.  I'm not in love with you for your bed-breaking skills.  I'm in love with you for a whole list of reasons that don't have anything at all to do with sex.  You're amazing in every possible way.  I've gone years without such physical contact, so I can assure you last night was in no way an inconvenience," he murmurs so genuinely, putting my minor panic attack to rest.

I sigh in relief, and he kisses me again before pulling back and resting his forehead against mine.

"Go get you some coffee.  I'll make some calls, but don't forget about Henry and Clara coming over later.  They'll probably be here by lunch."

"Okay," I mutter with a smile.

I walk out and maneuver around the individual cup coffee maker, and find the bold blend for my immortal hottie.  I smile a little when I suddenly feel like we're a normal couple.

He's sitting in bed making calls, and I'm making him coffee.  If those calls weren't to counteract the hoard of crazy bitches searching for us, it would be an incredibly mundane morning.

I hear the elevator rising, and I know Devin hears it, too, because the door is still cracked open to the padded room.  He most likely already knows who it is, or he would have already flashed out.

The doors slide open and reveal one of the faces I've been eager to see.  I rush to throw my arms around the Scottish friend, and he chuckles as he returns the embrace.

"Well, I certainly dig the welcoming party Devin has assembled.  Perhaps we should take this somewhere a little more private, love," Deacon says with his devilish intentions shining through.

I pull back with a slight frown.  "Oh crap.  I forgot," I grumble. 
He doesn't remember yet. 
"Hey, Deacon," I mutter.

His eyes cock up in surprise, and I return to the coffee maker to resume my simple, mortal-friendly task.  He walks over to follow me, and he props up as he tries to figure out how I know him.  I find it amusing, so I pretend as though he should already know me.

"I realize I've been around a while, but you're a very gorgeous girl.  I would remember you," he says with an arrogantly seductive tone that still has no effect on me.

"I'm sure the embodiment of war has taken a few blows to his head.  It's possible my memory was knocked right out of you," I tease.

"Now, I have to know where it is you know me from.  There's no way I overlooked or forgot you," he muses.

I giggle out my amusement and continue on with my mediocre morning task.  I pick the cup of coffee up, and some of the brew sloshes out of the cup and onto my very meek skin.

I quickly put it down and accidentally slosh out more as I screech out my pain from the burning liquid's bite.

"Ow!  Damn it."

I put my hand under the faucet and blast the cold water to help relieve the scalding sensation.  Deacon's eyes are wide when I turn around.

"Sorry, but did that just burn you?" he gasps.

"Yes, and it hurt like a son of a bitch," I gripe.

Devin flashes in while still on his phone to inspect the wound I've pronounced.

"Yeah… That sounds great… See you then," he says to the other person on the line.

He puts his phone on the counter and assesses my damage, and then he reaches under the counter to pull out some burn gel.

"Why do you have that?" I ask quizzically.

"I keep mortal medicinal things on hand," he says vaguely.

My eyes narrow and I tilt my head to the side.

"I thought I was the first girl you brought here," I murmur suspiciously.

He smirks at my candor.  "You are.  I keep them on hand for emergencies.  I have numerous mortal acquaintances in the business world.  It would look rather odd if I didn't have any sort of things around.  Mortals are clumsy," he teases.

I roll my eyes, and he finishes up.  Deacon's eyes are glaring at us when we turn around.

"She's a fucking mortal, and she knows about us?  Have you lost your bloody mind?  She'll be in all kinds of danger, and not to mention the addiction she'll have to the supernatural," he fervently admonishes.

Devin sighs.  "Mom will be in here in a minute to help clarify things for you, but Adisia hasn't always been mortal."

Deacon's eyes go from scolding to completely baffled.

"What are you talking about?"

"There's been a rewind, and Adisia was the one to initiate it," Devin explains.

The doors slide open again, and Camara steps out.  I rush over to hug her, and she hisses at me when I approach too quickly.

I jerk my hands back as I see the wild swirling in her eyes, and a slight snicker escapes from my lips.

"Sorry.  I didn't mean to spook you, Camara," I chuckle.

"I don't know you, and I never forget a scent.  How do you know me?" she growls.

She's definitely wilder than the last time I met her.  Devin walks over with a goofy grin, and she turns her attention to him.

"You didn't have to send Deacon after me," she gripes.

The last time they had come in together.  Why was she behind him this time?

"Why didn't you two come up together?" I ask to satisfy my curiosity.

Deacon scowls.  "She bit me," he growls.

Devin bursts out laughing, as do I, and Camara shrugs in nonchalance as she drops her purse beside the counter.

"It happens," she chirps.  "He tried to break my concentration while I was linked to a wolf in Alaska.  I've been trying to find a contact of mine.  You said we needed all the help we could get, so I've been tracking.  I was still in wolf frame of mind when he startled me."

I cover my mouth to muffle my laughter, and Camara's eyes cut back to me.

"Who is she?  I don't know her, but she knows my name.  You know I don't like that," she gripes.

"Sorry.  You actually do know her.  There's been a rewind, and Mom will unlock your memories when she gets in here.  For now, just kick back and get ready to settle in.  We're pulling a closed house party," Devin sighs.

"You said she rewound time," Deacon says, finally acknowledging that little bit of shocking information.

He has been speechless ever since Devin dropped that bomb.

"Please don't make me try to explain it.  I don't even know how she did it, but Mom was dead before the rewind occurred.  The only one left was her, and she was the only to remember.  It had to be her," Devin explains while kissing my head.

"Were we there?" Camara asks in surprise.

"Yes.  You're both really good friends of mine," I answer, a slight crackle coming to my throat.

She turns back to me and tilts her head.

"How are we good friends if I have no memories of you," she asks pitifully.

"Because she rewound time back almost a month.  It's a ridiculously long rewind, but we need to capitalize on our opportunity.  You grew closer faster because of your protective bond.  She's a daughter of Aphrodite," Devin almost whispers.

They both gasp, and Camara sits down on the edge of the couch to keep from losing her balance.

"Well, someone pour me a drink," she mumbles.

Deacon hops up to fill her request, and Theia walks into the room.  She motions for the two of them to follow her, and Devin walks over to pull me in his arms.

"Is your hand okay?" he asks compassionately.

"It's fine.  It was a little overkill to bring out the burn gel, but it was sweet."

He smirks a little.  "It's been a while since I was mortal, so I'm unfamiliar with the severity of such wounds."

I kiss him lightly and give him a seductive gaze - which would be more appealing if I could flash him a peek at my green eyes.

"Perhaps I could take a little time to educate you on the mortal body," I seduce.

His eyes swirl in response, and a devilish grin spreads over his face.

"I wouldn't object to such a lesson," he almost whispers.

A chill runs up my back, and the gaze between us heats to a flaming inferno.  I hear the coffee cup shatter behind us as the boiling liquid in it becomes too much for the sad, fragile porcelain to handle.

I smirk as does he, and I very enticingly add, "Looks like I'm coming back little by little."

He scoops me up and flashes us into the bedroom while kicking the door shut behind him.  His hands slowly work their way through the removal of my garments, and his lips begin sliding against my stomach as the bulbs in the room explode.

"I've missed that sound," I murmur with elation.

"You're not immortal yet, so I'll take it easy on you," he teases.

I laugh a little as I push against him, and his lips consume mine.  I quickly push him back as I catch my breath.

"Don't take it too easy on me," I daringly add with my vixen's tone ringing out clearly.

His wolfish grin spreads to show his incredibly aroused state, and then he falls between my parted legs as his lips grab mine once more.

I feel his body heating against mine with a burning passion - though not literally burning yet.  I'm really glad these walls are padded because I don't intend on being the least bit considerate of the guests.

Devin stands to his feet,
and then bends back over to kiss my smiling lips.

"I'll go make us some coffee," he snickers.

I sit up while holding the sheet to my chest, feeling a little embarrassed now that I couldn't even finish such a miniscule task.

"I'm sorry.  Let me go get it," I mumble while climbing out of bed.

"There's nothing to be sorry about.  I prefer that wakeup call to any cup of brew you could offer, but I'll get the coffee this time," he chuckles out.