Goddess Bound: Goddess Series Book 6 (Young Adult / New Adult) (18 page)

Chapter Twenty

Legacy was dreaming. The cool thing was that she knew it was a dream. She’d had so many over the last year that had helped her and guided her that there would never be a doubt when she experienced one again. She’d know to embrace the dream and what the knowledge or insight it provided. In this one, she was on the beach with Adin, River, and Calli when her mother appeared.

“Happy birthday,” she murmured.

Legacy stood and her mother hugged her. In her ear, she whispered, “It’s not over. Your duty only now begins.” Dora smiled at her and glanced at Adin before looking at Legacy again. “Though I feel one sacrifice you must make will not be much of a sacrifice at all.”

She woke up slowly, wrapped in Adin’s arms and loving the protected feeling he gave her. Which was a good thing. A very good thing. After the graduation party, he and River had gone into super protective mode. As in all alpha caveman mode. The guys had decided sequestering the girls was necessary. He and River had orchestrated a land deal out of state to lure Calli’s parents away, and the four of them had remained locked in Adin’s house. Her boyfriend wasn’t taking any chances with the last remaining weeks until her birthday. He had wanted River there to help protect her, but he also knew Calli could be used lure her away. No way would Legacy leave her BFF unprotected. And frankly, Legacy felt that had just been an excuse to get Calli in the house so River wouldn’t be worried about her out in the world while he was here making sure nothing else interfered with Legacy’s ascension.

Though living with River and Calli had been rough. The two of them were either yelling at each other, moping around, or staring from across the room. Civil moments were few and far between. When Calli had gotten upset that men kept screwing her over, that had thrown River into a rage. Of course, she didn’t know he’d been avoiding her to save her a life of grief…and possibly her life too. She just assumed he was jerk who’d tried to see if he could get her and then let her loose. And Legacy couldn’t tell her the truth.

Unfortunately, that hadn’t been the worst of River’s outbursts. Oh no. Calli had hinted that she and Zach had done the deed on prom night during one of their many fights. River had broken a lot of things that night. Legacy had vowed to herself then that she would find a way to free River of the oracle’s punishment…because it wasn’t just River that was hurting. She wanted to help both of her best friends.

What gave her hope that she’d be successful was understanding she didn’t
know
everything about there was to know about Greek mythology. To help pass the time while they were all stuck in Adin’s house, they all researched about their heritage. River knew the most going into this because he’d known who his mother and father were since his birth. In fact, he’d been the one to explain to her how Hades was able to appear that day in his backyard and why Zach had been making her sick. Apparently, anyone could call Hades to them by banging on the ground and offering a sacrifice of blood. Since he couldn’t figure out a way to get her to slaughter an animal, River had theorized that Zach had made her sick so she’d offer her own blood. Yep, River had been a wealth of knowledge. As for Adin, he’d heard stories growing up, but after he hadn’t ascended on his eighteenth birthday, he’d disregarded everything as family legends. False family legends. Legacy and Calli had the most to learn. It gave her hope that there was an answer out there for River’s problem.

“Happy birthday, princess,” Adin murmured as he pulled her tighter against him. “How do you feel?”

She smiled to herself as warmth enveloped. “Perfect.” And she did. There was no other way to describe it. She was physically complete. She was whole. She only now truly understood River’s words to her on his birthday about feeling as if he was completely in control of everything. Though he’d been quick to ask her that last night…well, early this morning…when they’d stayed up late to be there when she actually turned eighteen. She’d wondered about time zones and other earthly factors, but those curiosities had been unnecessary.

“You’ve always been perfect.”

“Mmm.” Legacy rolled over and threw her leg over his hip. He was hard and ready for her, and she loved it. Besides research, the two of them had found another way to kill the time. A much more fun and naked way.

Adin’s chuckle turned into a groan when she wrapped her hand around his cock. “I-I don’t think we have time for this. We have to get ready to go to Lissa’s for your party. It’s almost noon. We stayed up late last—
shit
,” he breathed when he squeezed him. Oh yeah, they’d stayed up late last night. Adin had ravished her newly goddess body well into the wee hours of the morning. She pushed him onto his back and rolled on top of him.

“It’s my birthday,” she purred as she rubbed her slickening core over him. He grabbed her hips and angled her so that the tip of his dick found her entrance. He pushed into her slowly, the sensation so good that her head fell back with a moan.

“Damn, beautiful, how did I get so lucky?” Adin asked once she was fully seated.

“Talk later,” she said as she lifted up and slammed down onto him. He shouted a curse, gripped her more tightly, and allowed her to have her way with him. Gods, he felt incredible. He fit her perfectly and she’d never tire of being with him like this. She wanted to be with him forever. Make a life with him. Have children.

She immediately stopped on him. That was a forbidden thought to be having while having sex. If she thought about kids, she could get pregnant. He was panting, but seemed to understand where her thought process was going. “Don’t think about it.”

Great, now she wasn’t the only one. “Don’t
you
think about it.”

“I wasn’t thinking about it until you started thinking about it.”

“Well stop thinking about it.”

“How can I stop thinking about it if you keep talking about it?”

He smirked, but that was the only warning she got when she suddenly found herself on her back with him on top of her. His mouth crashed over hers in a searing kiss, stealing her thoughts and liquefying her body. When he pulled away, he had an eyebrow raised. “I’ll just have to make sure you’re so focused on me that you have no other choice.” He punctuated that statement with a thrust. She wrapped her arms and legs around him as he began to pound into her.

It worked all right. By the time they’d both came an hour later, she’d even forgotten her own name.

* * * * *

Legacy and Adin were late to her party. Of course, she knew she was glowing and could see Adin beaming from ear to ear as they arrived, freshly showered. Calli was sporting a knowing little grin when she saw her. She was standing with Ellen and Kate, probably gabbing about the latest fashion trends. She doubted graduating high school would change any of those girls’ interest in designer threads.

River walked up to them. “Glad to see you two finally decided to get out of bed this morning.” He turned to Legacy and pulled her into a hug. “I would wish you a happy birthday, but from the sounds I heard coming from the bedroom, I’d say ‘happy’ would be an understatement.”

She felt heat rush to her face, but she pulled away and glared at him through her embarrassment. “I’m so glad you don’t have to stay at our house anymore.”

River’s eyes got wide in mock surprise. “
’Our
house?’ I thought it was Adin’s house.”

Oh gods, there was the heat again. Only this time, she felt her face flaming. She grappled for a response, one that wouldn’t make her look like a clingy girlfriend who was pushing her way into her boyfriend’s house, but she was seriously coming up empty.

Adin put his hand on her back and rubbed it soothingly. “Everything I have is hers. Now quit being a dick.”

“Don’t get your panties in a wad, ghost-boy. I was just playing with her.”

“How many times do I have to tell you, I’m a
god,
not a ghost?”

“Hey, you died, man. That makes you a ghost.”

Legacy had heard this playful argument many times already, but she knew the only reason Adin had brought it up was to push the conversation in a direction that did not revolve around their living arrangements. If she didn’t already love him, she’d fall in love right this very moment.

“Happy birthday,” Calli squealed from beside her. She turned and pulled her BFF into a hug.

“Thanks, girl.”

“Your parents are a hoot. I was seriously nervous about meeting them. Mainly your dad.”

“I told you not to worry,” River said softly. Legacy looked at him, but he was looking at the few clouds in the sky, apparently avoiding eye contact with anyone.

“I know. Thanks.”

He did look at Calli then and smiled quickly at her. Then he glanced at Legacy. “I need to check on my dad. He was fighting with your dad earlier on what was more important…sea life or water fowl.” When Legacy frowned and opened her mouth to ask what he meant by that, he lifted a halting hand. “Don’t ask. Those two would debate the color of sky if given the opportunity. Thankfully, their sibling rivalry is just good-natured fun. Their way of shooting the shit.”

Adin chuckled and gave him a fist-bump before he left. Legacy turned to say something to Calli when her mother walked into view. Legacy excused herself from her BFF and boyfriend to meet her mom en route.

“Happy birthday, my beautiful Legacy.” Legacy thanked her as her mom wrapped her arms around her and held her. “With the amount of pride I feel, I am beyond words.” When Dora released her, she took one of Legacy’s hands into both of hers. “Come. Let’s begin the festivities. Today is a day to be celebrated for all eternity.”

Legacy didn’t know what to make about that, so she just smiled and nodded.

The party was wonderful. The food, the cake, the atmosphere, they were all perfect. Everybody talked and laughed, and the overall feelings of peace and happiness were so strong that Legacy knew everybody felt it. When the time came to open her presents, she knew people were probably ready to start leaving.  She opened several from her friends and acquaintances first, thanking them as she opened them. When she got to Calli’s, she couldn’t read the card aloud. It referenced color and her virtue and noted that she’d never be able to pull off the color white again. She blushed and glared at her giggling friend. When she’d opened the gift, she discovered a pink pair of stilettos.

“Princesses wear pink,” Calli said, and several people laughed. The responses of those who got the joke were varied from her Uncle Don gaping at Calli to her father choking on his drink.

Legacy chuckled. “I don’t have anything to wear with these. I guess I’ll just
have
to go shopping.” She turned toward her side where Adin was seated beside her and leaned toward him. “There’s a pink bra and panties set I’d love to get that’d go great with these. I’d look hot wearing that and nothing else.”

He groaned. “We’re going to the mall right after this party.”

She laughed and wiggled her eyebrows before turning her attention back to her presents. River had gotten her gift card to Victoria’s Secret, and he had murmured, “You’re welcome,” to Adin. Thankfully, no one was close enough to tell what store the gift card was to, so she’d been able to play if off and move on to the next gift without getting extremely embarrassed in front of her parents. The fact that Adin had practically shoved his gift into her lap was proof that he didn’t want her parents to catch it either. It was probably a bad idea to piss off Zeus.

She opened it quickly and felt tears sting her eyes. It was a conch shell, smaller than the first one he’d given her, but the colors were different. It was reminiscent of the first thing he’d ever given to her.

“See, I don’t have to spend a lot of money to get you something meaningful.”

She raised an eyebrow at him and peeked inside the shell. When he’d given her the old one back after she’d tried throwing it away, he’d hidden earrings in it.

He shook his head. “Nope. No trick. Just the shell. Besides, do you think I’m so unoriginal I’d do the same thing twice?” He tsked. “I found it while we were in Florida and knew right then it’d be perfect.”

“At least you give her shells and not crabs,” River said dryly. People laughed. She glared. “What? Crabs live in shells,” he said innocently.

“Shut up. Just shut up,” Legacy said, finally laughing.

Her parents had saved her gift for last. When she opened it, she gasped. It was beautiful, but she didn’t know exactly what it was. It looked like thin wires of various colors of gold wrapped around in a cone shape with gems scattered in a few places

“It’s an arm cuff,” her mother said, answering her question. “Here.” She took it from Legacy pushed it up her arm past her elbow.

“It’s beautiful.” Legacy looked down and noticed that at the top the gold veered off into a shape of a lightning bolt.

“Women in our realm wear them to signify stature. You no longer need to hide your true heritage. You are Legacy, the Goddess of Olympus and all of Pantheon.”

Legacy gaped at her and looked around at her friends. Her mother hadn’t actually been quiet while saying this. Not everybody knew about Greek mythology or her heritage. Until now. “Mom,” she warned.

“It is all right, child,” Zeus said, and turned to the guests. Those of you who need to know will remember. Those of you who don’t will have no recollection of this. He turned to his daughter. “It’s time. You have ascended and you must know how important this ascension was to our kind.”

Her mother squeezed her shoulder. “My dear, it’s not over. Your duty only now begins.”

Legacy would have smiled at hearing the words of her dream, but she was still reeling over the fact that they were talking about this in front of everyone.

“Please, Dora. I wish to tell her,” Zeus said, slightly irritated.

Her mother smiled at her and winked just before she said, “Of course.”

“It was prophesied that the Titans would rise again and challenge for control of all gods. If you were not to succeed in your ascension, they would know sure victory. It was not guaranteed that we would prevail if you reached your godly status, but we were given a fighting chance if you did. I am sorry about your brother Zach. He needed to be killed for his treachery. He was not a noble god and he’s been going behind our backs to help the Titans out of revenge for not being the chosen one. You, my dear, are the chosen one. You will lead the gods below you to victory or you will know death.”