Flame of the Phoenix: Hades' Carnival, Book 6 (9 page)

“I said I love you.” She walked toward him, ignoring the water dripping on her and the floor. “I’ve never said that to another man.” She took a deep breath and let it out. “I know I have issues with commitment, but I want to be with you.”

“For how long?” He wasn’t making this easy on her.

“For as long as we both want.”

“I want forever.” He reached out, wrapped his muscular arm around her and dragged her into the tiny space. He pressed her back against the wall and loomed over her.

He really was huge, but his large size always made her feel protected, not threatened. And that really said it all. She trusted Phoenix. And she loved him.

She twined her arms around his neck. “I’d like forever too.” She couldn’t imagine a time she wouldn’t want him.

A huge smile crossed his face. He lifted her and slid his cock into her slick pussy. Because of her arousal and the water, he fit easily. She gasped and gripped his shoulders. “I think it will take me forever to be sated,” he told her.

Tilly smiled and deliberately clenched her pussy muscles around his shaft. He groaned and began to work his hips, pressing in and out. “I’m willing to try if you are,” she told him before she totally lost the ability to speak.

A long time later, they were curled up in bed once again. She was half lying on Phoenix. She knew the space was cramped, but he hadn’t complained once. “I think I’m going to sell this place.”

He tilted his head so he could see her face. “Are you sure?”

She ran her fingers over his hard jaw. “Yes. It’s time. The past is over and done with. I’m looking forward to the future.”

“That’s good.” One corner of his mouth kicked up. “And does this future include a bigger bed?”

Tilly began to laugh. “It does. Let’s get dressed and drive back to the city.” She walked her fingers playfully over his chest. “I bet we can find a bed or two there.”

He bolted from the bed with her in his arms, making her laugh. “I take it you’re in a hurry?” she asked.

He lowered her down until her feet touched the floor and then patted her bare butt. “Whatever gave you that idea?” he replied, totally deadpan.

She adored his dry sense of humor and laughed. “I have no idea. Maybe I’m mistaken.” She took a step toward the bed, but he wrapped his thick arm around her and yanked her back.

“You need to get dressed. The faster the better.” He nipped at her neck, sending shivers down her spine.

No, forever wouldn’t be long enough for her to spend with this man. “Since you can poof into your clothing—” which wasn’t really fair since she couldn’t, “—you can pack up the few things we brought with us and load them in the car.”

Phoenix dropped a kiss on her mouth. “Whatever my lady wishes.”

She knew he meant that. He’d never try to change her or control her. “I love you.” She needed to tell him again.

His gaze grew solemn and he wrapped his hands around her face. “You are my life. My everything.” Then he grinned. “Life with you will always be interesting.”

Tilly laughed, knowing he was right. She was strong-willed, but he was confident enough to handle anything she might throw at him.

Epilogue

Stavros sat on the fringe of the group, watching them all interact. Both Jessica and Tilly had been saved from Hades’ wrath, and Mordecai and Phoenix had claimed their women. Everyone was happy.

Everyone but him.

As always, he was alone. And he’d have to stay that way. No way was he going to get involved with a woman and bring Hades’ attention to her. No, he would not do something so selfish.

“Are you all right?” Phoenix sat down beside him and handed him a beer. He took the fermented beverage and drank deep. He rather enjoyed the brew. The alcohol had no effect on him, but he liked the flavor.

“I am fine.” He pointed the bottle at Tilly. “Your woman looks well.”

His friend gave a low rumble of pleasure and a satisfied smile filled his face. “She is perfection.”

Stavros wondered what it would feel like to be that connected to another person, a woman. All the women were now a part of their mates, shared their immortality. It was a gift from the Lady of the Beasts, but one he could never avail himself of.

“Are you going in search of the Lady again?” Phoenix asked.

“Yes.” Whatever Hades was doing, he was still blocking their communication with their goddess. It might be months before she’d notice unless she needed to be in contact with them for any reason. And Stavros rather thought she was giving the warriors and their women time to enjoy themselves and discover their new lives. No, the goddess would not contact them unless there was an emergency of some kind.

“Be well, my friend.” Phoenix glanced toward his mate. “You will find your woman someday.”

Stavros shook his head. “I cannot. For how can I get to know a woman without drawing Hades’ attention to her? And if I can’t get to know her, how will I discover if she is the one?” It was a dilemma he could see no way out of.

Phoenix clapped his hand on Stavros’s shoulder. “Don’t give up. You will know if the woman is the one.” Phoenix placed his hand over his heart. “You will feel it here.”

Stavros said nothing, and Phoenix left him to his thoughts. His friend was wrong. He couldn’t allow himself to get close enough to any woman to discover if she was his mate. He’d seen enough death in his long life and now all he wanted was peace.

About the Author

Once upon a time N.J. had the idea that she would like to quit her job at the bookstore, sell everything she owned, leave her hometown, and write romance novels in a place where no one knew her. And she did. Two years later, she went back to the bookstore and her hometown and settled in for another seven years.

One day she gave notice at her job on a Friday morning. On Sunday afternoon, she received a tentative acceptance for her first erotic romance novel and life would never be the same.

N.J. has always been a voracious reader, and now she spends her days writing novels of her own. Vampires, werewolves, dragons, time-travelers, seductive handymen, and next-door neighbors with smoldering good looks—all vie for her attention. It’s a tough life, but someone’s got to live it.

N.J. enjoys hearing from readers, and she can be reached at
[email protected]
. You can check out her web site at
www.njwalters.com
.

Look for these titles by N.J. Walters

Now Available:

Jamesville

Discovering Dani

The Way Home

The Return of Patrick O’Rourke

The Seduction of Shamus O’Rourke

A Legal Affair

By the Book

Past Promises

Legacy

Alexandra’s Legacy

Isaiah’s Haven

Legacy Found

Quinn’s Quest

Finding Chrissten

Damek’s Redemption

Crai
g’s Heart

Spells, Secrets and Seduction

A Touch of Magick

Dreams of Seduction

Love in Flames

Hades’ Carniva
l

Night of the Tiger

Mark of the Bear

Pride of the Lion

Howl of the Wolf

Heart of the Serpent

Salvation Pack

Wolf at the Door

Wolf in her Bed

Wolf on the Run

Coming Soon:

Salvation Pack

Wolf from the Past

Wolf on the Hunt

Hades’ Carnival

Lure of the Jaguar

Hell’s last chance could mean their last breath.

Howl of the Wolf

© 2013 N.J. Walters

Hades Carnival, Book 4

When artist and tarot reader Sabrina Wolfe runs across an old carousel wolf in an antique shop, she can’t resist buying the compelling symbol of her totem animal, her protector. But she isn’t prepared when the wooden animal comes to fang-flashing life—and shifts into a darkly sexy man.

Arand is the last of seven immortal warriors sworn to protect the Lady of the Beasts. Freed by Sabrina’s touch, their instant physical attraction is hot, intense—yet neither is safe until twenty-four hours has passed and the curse is truly broken.

Hades plans to use every one of those hours to unleash his last effort to control the world—or see both the warrior and his woman dead. Though help comes from unexpected quarters, Arand and Sabrina alone risk paying the ultimate price for victory. Their lives…and their very souls.

Warning: This book contains an immortal warrior who can pour on the heat, a woman who can take it, gods, demons, and downright nasty battles. Now really, does it get any better than this?

Enjoy the following excerpt for
Howl of the Wolf:

The wolf was carved from wood. It wasn’t real. But there was no denying the growl that grew louder with each passing second.

It was making her dizzy to watch him so she closed her eyes and tried to figure out what she should do. Call animal control? They’d think she was out of her mind. Call her friends? She had no idea how dangerous the creature was.

She opened her eyes and made herself look again. What she was thinking was insane. An inanimate object didn’t come to life. That was impossible.

Yet the wolf was still in the corner, moving faster and faster. Suddenly, the creature sank down on his back haunches. Muscles straining, he launched himself into the air straight at her.

She thought she might have screamed, but she couldn’t be sure. There was no time. She thrust her arms out in front of her, but there was no stopping the wolf’s momentum as he flew through the air.

At the last possible second, the wolf twisted in midair, arching his spine as he hit the sofa a few feet away from her.

“Holy shit.”

The wolf scrambled to his feet, faced the now empty corner of the room and displayed his razor sharp fangs. She couldn’t blame him for being upset. She never wanted to go through anything like that ever again.

Her head was still whirling, making her stomach slightly unsettled, but the pounding in the back of her head was down to a dull roar. She didn’t think she had a concussion. At least she hoped she didn’t.

Now that the world had stopped spinning, she was faced with the reality of a massive wolf hunkered down a few feet away from her, watching her intently through eyes as black as midnight. He was much larger than any wolf species she’d ever heard of, and she’d studied them plenty during her teenage obsession with them. He resembled a gigantic timber wolf.

“Nice wolf.” She kept her voice pitched low, not wanting to startle him in any way. His paws were huge and the claws at the end of them were nothing to fool around with. He could kill her with one swipe.

The wolf moved slowly, as though he was trying not to spook her. Muscles flexed and rippled beneath his shiny coat of fur. Sabrina held her breath, hoping, praying he wouldn’t attack.

He climbed down off the sofa and began to explore his surroundings. Maybe he was hungry. Not that she had much to feed him. She didn’t think he’d particularly enjoy vanilla yogurt or peanut butter and crackers, which were her staples. The only meat she had on hand was some two-day-old sweet and sour chicken.

His toenails clicked on the hardwood planks as he wandered into the dining area. She sucked in a breath and slowly moved her hand toward her phone. She’d call Tilly. That woman knew everyone and could call in some men to help her contain the wolf until he could be released back into the wild.

Sensing her movement, the wolf spun around and growled. Her hand fell back to her side.

And common sense came to the fore. What exactly would she tell Mathilda? Oh, the wood carousel animal I bought from Jules came to life and is standing in my living room. Her friend wouldn’t contact animal control. She’d contact the psychiatric ward of the hospital and Sabrina wouldn’t blame her a bit.

She was beginning to wonder if she was losing her mind.

The wolf really was spectacular. Fierce and wild, he made her heart ache just looking at him.

His fur was a combination of black and gray, his eyes dark and fathomless. It was as though he could see into her very soul. She lost herself in those eyes for a few seconds before reluctantly shaking herself out from under his spell. And muscular, that was an understatement. The wolf had muscles on his muscles.

He padded toward her, his big paws making no sound. She held out her hand as fear skated through her. He hadn’t hurt her so far, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t.

Surprisingly, the creature stopped a few feet away from her. He kept his gaze locked on her and his body began to shimmer in front of her. Sabrina sat up straighter. What was happening?

Digging her fingers into one of the throw pillows on the sofa, she watched in awe and fear as the wolf began to change before her. Fur was absorbed into his body to reveal smooth, tanned flesh. Claws retracted and paws became hands and feet. The wolf stood upright, his snout shortening, his jaw retracting.

Sabrina shook her head in disbelief, ignoring the slight twinge of pain at the back of her skull. A man stood before her, naked and perfectly formed—washboard abs, well-defined pecs, thighs like tree trunks. A thatch of dark hair covered his chest and arrowed downward to his groin.

Her breathing was fast and shallow and she made herself take slower breaths. Last thing she wanted to do was hyperventilate. But it wasn’t easy. Sweat popped out on her back and forehead and her heart raced along at a speed much too fast for comfort. She rubbed her chest and tried to calm herself.

She swallowed past the lump in her throat as her gaze slid over his erection. The guy was hard and thick everywhere.

He gave a low growl and she jerked her eyes up to his face, ignoring the heat creeping up her cheeks. She couldn’t believe she was ogling the guy instead of offering him the soft cotton throw lying across the back of her sofa.

His face stopped her breath. She knew that face, the hard line of his powerful jaw, his thin lips, his straight nose and broad forehead. Crap, this was the guy from her daydream.

Maybe she’d hit her head harder than she’d thought. After all, a wolf had just shifted into a man in front of her. Maybe she’d connected the man and the wolf in her subconscious because of her daydream.

Or maybe she was still deep in a meditative state and had only dreamed the wolf was real and that she’d been thrown from his back. Maybe this was nothing more than a vision, one she was supposed to learn something from. That made perfect sense and allowed her to feel as though she wasn’t totally losing it.

“Okay, I can deal with this.” She really didn’t have much choice. Last night’s debacle with whatever evil was trying to invade her life had shown her that much. Hiding her head in the sand wouldn’t help. First thing she had to do was figure out what was real and what was nothing more than imagination or a vision.

“Who are you?”

He rubbed a hand over his chest and she bit her bottom lip to keep from groaning aloud. Really, it wasn’t fair of him to bring attention to all that prime male real estate he was showing off.