Daughter Trilogy Bundle (76 page)

"No," I say with a tempting dare, and his eyes light up with exciting desire.  "Because there's not going to be anything to see," I spout with my anticlimactic tease.

He huffs as he sits back, but a foolish grin plays on his face.

"I'm wearing you down," he cockily replies.

"Easy, Romeo.  It's going to hurt worse the next time I have to shock you back to reality," I playfully threaten.

Kry relaxes a little when he overhears my last line, and I see Ther visibly exhale his own relief.

Hmph.  Loyalists.

Where were they when Devin was all too cozy with Gemma?

I wake up just as
the landing gear connects with the runway, and I look up to see I've curled into Jace's arms.

Oh good grief.

I pull away to see Kry glaring directly at me.

"Stop looking at me like that?" I growl.

"Is that an order?" he snarks.

"I realize you're Devin's friend, but I didn't see you intervening when he and Gemma were inches away from each other."

"They weren't doing anything," he gripes.

"Neither am I," I grumble.

"What'd I miss?" Jace yawns as he wakes up, his arm sliding back around my shoulders

"Nothing worth mentioning," I huff as I quickly stand and exit the freshly opened door.

I gasp as I step outside and see the marvel kept a secret from the rest of the world.

"Oh my paradise," I squeal, sounding more like a teen than an adult.

The trapped waves push against the shore as their foam bubbles over the sand.  The sea mist sprays my face and offers it a moment of peace with its serene release.

The salty tingle of the air removes the sour taste in my mouth.  I'm entranced by the perfect sand grabbing the bottom of my feet, and the palm trees growing diagonally across the crystal clear water.

The animated life below the surface reveals an aquatic rainbow of colors, life, and excitement.  The wild and unruly jungle life that surrounds the other side calls out with its animalistic curiosity.

I giggle as I see the adorable monkeys dancing in the trees when they get excited from the visitors in their private home.

"Wow.  I've definitely got to look into a new line of work," Jace pipes in as he walks up to join me.

"The house is just over there," Theia says while pointing.

"Wow.  I wish I had brought a better selection of clothes for a place as magnificent as this," I blubber.

"I've got us covered," Persia adds with a smirk.

"Huh?"

"I went shopping last night.  I don't do well in such a congested atmosphere, especially when there's an awkward air.  I love shopping, and I enjoy getting to buy my daughter stuff now that I can be a part of your life," she says so compassionately.

I smile at her affection, and her arm drapes over my shoulders as we continue our trail to the house.  I almost stumble forward when I see the immaculate piece of art towering on the beach.

The sea is almost an ornament next to this impressive beast.  The wall-to-wall windows stretch across the entire house - offering no privacy.  A long pier leads to the deeper parts of the ocean, and the gallant perks of being immortal are all the more seductive.

"Wow," I gasp again.

"I've got a place similar to this one.  We need to go there sometime," Persia murmurs.

"Really?  That's awesome," I giggle, but then reality settles back in.

She acknowledges my frown, and quickly shifts to comforting mother.

"He'll be back.  They always come back."

"When they're mortal," I whimper.

She squeezes my arm, and Theia opens the massive doors to the impossibly huge home.  The pale blues and various greens offer more friendliness than the stark white choices Devin uses.

The furniture matches every clich
é of beach themed articles, but it's almost a comforting normalcy.

"I'm going to go swim for a while and clear my head before the others get here," I say to Persia.

"Do you have a suit?"

"No, but I can manage without one," I whisper.

Jace trips and plasters into the sand headfirst, while Kry walks into a palm tree just in front of the house.  Ther laughs ridiculously hard as he shakes his head and joins us inside the wide open doorway.

"You just caused a pileup," he chuckles out.

I roll my eyes.  "I meant I can swim in my clothes - not naked," I squeal.

Kry shakes his head with embarrassment, and Jace stands with a blushing face.

"I'm glad you're not so juvenile," I huff to Ther.

"Oh I flipped over the railing, but you didn't see me," he snickers out.

Crap.

"I have suits, many of them.  I bought them for you.  I had planned on poolside bonding in Dallas," Persia giggles out.

I smile as she hands me a bag, and I smile appreciatively before flashing upstairs to change.

I pick a white one with diamond-like trim decking the sides, center, and neckline.  The thin strip in the middle is the only thing making this a one-piece, but it's by far the most decent - even though it's anything but.

I wrap a small, red sarong around my waist and jog down the stairs to head to the beach.  The guys have already changed, and they're inspecting the island.

I step out, and I see a jet landing.

I guess I just thought I was going to swim.

As soon as the jet stops, Devin and the others flash over to the house.  He stops quickly, and his eyes widen when he sees my daring ensemble.

Gemma is right behind him, and I look away quickly as she bumps into him playfully.  He laughs a little at her childlike gesture, and I can feel my blood boiling.

If he wants to play this game, then sound the whistle.

I'm good with the adolescent game of jealously, and now I've got the help of Aphrodite.

"The others won't be here until tonight, but you can brief us now if you want," Gemma says with a girly, giggly tone.

"I'll wait.  I only want to go over this once," I say as if I'm unaffected by their bullshit flirting.

Devin tosses her a bottle of water, and I can feel the sting of betrayal surging to the front.

Maybe I'm not as good at this game as I thought I was.

My eyes drift down to the ring I've been unable to take off, and I'm startled out of my trance when Hale's serious voice interrupts my silent panic.

"Your ring too big?" he jokes.

I smile at him, and I can see Devin staring at us out of the corner of my eye.

"I'm glad to hear you're back to your normal self," I say to emulation of sun.

"Seeing you in such skimpy attire makes me forget my place.  My apologies," he jokes.

I nudge him with my elbow, and he swirls me around.

"He's trying to make you jealous," Hale whispers carefully.

"I know," I whisper back.

He gives me a menacing smirk, and I can tell he's learned my plan.

"Anything he can do, you can do better," he murmurs in a deeply muted tone.

"I know," I mouth.

I strip off the sarong, and reveal the goddess body Aphrodite has reacquainted me with as I flash my green eyes to Hale.  He laughs a little, and Devin's jaw clenches before he turns his back on me completely.

"Shall we?" Hale tempts.

"I don't see anyone stopping us," I mock.

Gemma skips over to Devin, and I see her climb onto the countertop to face him.  It's killing me to see him with someone he's been with.  I hope this is a juvenile jealously game and not real.

I feel arms scooping me up and throwing me over a shoulder.  I scream out my laughter as Hale charges me down to the water.

I laugh harder as the water splashes up to warn me of its perfect temperature.  He launches me gently, and I splash into the light ocean completely devoid of any tainted residue.

Gemma flashes out with her bathing suit that's too skimpy for her to pull off, and Devin slowly strolls out behind her with his sexy as hell shorts dangling from his waist

He brought those on purpose.  Damn him.  Now I wish I had chosen a sexier suit.

"Oh hell yeah.  Adisia in a bathing suit," Jace jokes.

Hale gives me a wink as he whispers again.

"Devin's going to regret this game when the others arrive.  There will be more men than women attending this thing," he murmurs.

"Just remind me not to go too far.  I don't want to hurt anyone," I mumble.

He chokes on the ocean water that has just been inhaled into his lungs, and I laugh hysterically at the misconception.

"I meant
… mentally… with my powers," I chuckle out.

I feel myself being scooped up again, and I feel the currents colliding with the water.  Jace smiles as he pulls me to his body a little too close.

"Down boy," Hale lashes.

His eyes dance menacingly, and I give him a small zap to remind him of the boundaries.

"Careful," I caution teasingly.

"Is that how you want to play?" he says with a dangerously playful tone.

"No," I squeal as he suddenly launches me over his head and sends me splashing into the water.

I can't help but laugh ridiculously hard as I surface, and then I see another jet starting to descend.  I thought the others weren't going to be here for a while though.

"That's the Caribbean crew.  They weren't too far away," Devin says to Hale.

Apparently he asked a question I missed.  Devin's eyes offer me a worrisome look, but then he connects with Hale's eyes again.

Hale nods as if something has been said, but no words ever crossed their lips.  He turns to me as Devin flashes to greet the new arrivals.

"Just a warning, some of these people are more like Deidra than us.  You'll need to keep that in mind when associating with them.  They might take a joke very literally, and they might start a war over something foolish until they understand why you're the Emperian," he warns.

"Actually, I've asked Deidra to keep acting as though she's still such.  I don't want this, and if I can't get someone to take it away, then I'll just have them fake it.  I don't want someone else getting ballsy and challenging me.  When provoked, I can't stop myself, and now I don't have Devin to help me control it.  Until I can anchor Asteria, it'll be safer if I stay out of unnecessary conflict," I grumble.

"You know he's here for you when you need him, don't you?  He's not going to just let you go off the deep end," Hale says in surprise for my lack of confidence.

"He shouldn't have to control me, and this is just the excuse I need to stop using him as a crutch."

"You may always need him for control.  You've been bound to him in the most surreal way.  I've never seen anything like it.  I'd settle down if I could find that sort of bond," Hale murmurs as he props against the rock beside me.

"Are you encouraging her to get back with him?" Jace huffs.

"They're not really apart.  She's still wearing the ring," Hale murmurs through gritted teeth.

"What if they're not supposed to be together?  What if this is the way things are supposed to work out?" he argues.

"He's her trigger.  Nothing like this has ever happened before.  Two people have never been more destined for each other," Hale growls.

"I never pictured you as the hopeless romantic type," Jace retorts.

"You're impossible," Hale spouts as he swims away in a furious puff.

"You really have to stop antagonizing everyone here," I exasperate.

"You really have to stop letting them tell you that you have to be with him.  You don't have to be with any-damn-body."

My hand slides over to rest on his shoulder as I ready him for the blow he's tired of hearing.

"I love him, Jace.  That's why I want to be with him.  I know you hate that, and I know you don't understand it, but it's the truth."

Tears well up in my eyes, and he lets out a deep breath before climbing up on a rock that towers over the water.  I follow him up, and he motions for me to join him at his side to sit on the jagged surface that stares out over the beastly ocean.

"I do hate it, but I'll back off if it's pissing you off," he gripes.

"Good."

"So, are you into that Hale guy?" he whimpers.

I laugh ridiculously hard, and I see Devin walking back down with the wild assortment of visitors.  There are so many insanely dressed guys and girls.

Two drooling bimbos trail Devin, and he offers them polite conversation.  He makes sure I'm watching, but he doesn't push the boundaries too far to piss me off to the point of breaking out Asteria.

"Hale's trying to help me make Devin jealous," I finally answer distractedly.

"He'll never fall for a jealously scheme unless you quit gawking at him like a fool."