The Tempting Touch Of Fire (Elemental Awakening, Book 1) (7 page)

"I've never been in the presence of a King," I admitted, as we began climbing the curved stairs in the centre of his house. My eyes darted from one beautiful piece of artwork to another. Sculptures, marble statues, fine paintings. It was too much for my mind to take in. I think the handrail was gold. I didn't want to tarnish it, so walked up the middle of the treads, my hands firmly at my sides.

"You have not met your own
Rigas
?" Theo asked, surprised. And then he huffed out a breath. "Of course, the two days in the pit thing. How could I forget?"

"You still don't believe me," I said quietly, as we entered what had to be the master bedroom. Oh, and here was that nervous feeling again.

I glanced around the room, to hide my ridiculous embarrassment from Theo. Luckily he was too busy pulling a new suit off a rack in an attached walk-in wardrobe. I scanned the little objets d'art, dotted here and there. The artwork in his most private space looked Greek. Paintings of white colonnaded structures. Gods in white flowing robes. It was beautiful and serene, the perfect accompaniment to restful slumber.

My eyes landed on his bed. I tried not to think it, but my nerves were well and truly in charge right now. How many women had he
entertained
in that bed? I shook my head, disgusted at myself. Get a freaking grip!

"It is an unbelievable story, Cassandra," Theo said, answering my statement of before. He was stripping his clothes off in the walk-in room, perfectly at ease to undress with me present. I turned my back and stared at the far wall, and heard him chuckle. Cursing my stupid inexperience I concentrated on one of the paintings, taking the few steps needed to bring me close enough to see the artist's name. I couldn't read it, the letters were from the Greek alphabet and made no sense at all.

"It's the truth, nonetheless," I said over my shoulder, catching a tantalising glimpse of a tanned muscular chest.

Torture. This was a slow kind of torture.

My attention returned swiftly to the picture. It was again a white colonnaded structure, but many people lounged over a wide set of sweeping steps. They were all dressed in white robes, but a mixture of men, women and children. The children were playing under the watchful eyes of the mothers. The fathers were deep in conversation, talking politics or war, who knew?

I turned around and came face to face with a fully clothed Theo.

"The
Temple of Aetheros
," Theo said, eyes on the painting, not on me. "It is a ruin now, but still sacred. Often our kind make pilgrimages there."

"Our kind?" Did he mean me as well, or just the
Pyrkagia
?

"
Athanatos
," he said, his eyes shifting to me. "It is the only place where disputes are ignored and peace reigns between us all."

"What is..." I didn't get to finish my question, just then the doorbell rang.

"Your dresses," Theo said, offering me his arm, like some old world gentleman.

I hesitantly took it. I may be inexperienced in this sort of thing, but I was betting most women would have looked twice at the gesture too. Sometimes Theo seemed very old indeed.

We walked down the stairs and found the tailor had let himself in. He was not alone. Two other men were with him. One about Theo's age, same dark looks, same tanned skin, same stunning hazel coloured eyes. The other had all the hallmarks of a Peters as well, but was much older and seemed more frail. He also wore what had to be a butler's uniform.

"Sir, your guests," the butler said, bowing and moving quietly from the hallway. I was stunned speechless. Theo had a servant. It seemed so unexpected, but strangely quite believable too.

"Theo, is this the lovely lady?" the man, who was not the tailor laden down with garment bags, said enthusiastically. "I can see the appeal. And the need for different attire." He beamed at me, a wide, welcoming smile, from a handsome face.

"Easy, Nico. Who said you could poke your nose in?" Theo replied, grasping the man's outstretched hand and slapping him on the shoulder familiarly. Nico did the reverse to him.

"And miss seeing your latest obsession first, I think not."

My eyebrows raised on those words.
Latest obsession?
I made a snorting sound, obviously incredulous in nature. Both men's eyes shifted to my face.

"She is intriguing," Theo said. "A little wild cat with claws." I gave Theo a pointed glare.

"Hmm, I can see the appeal," Nico replied, wickedly. "I'm afraid though, you may have bitten off more than you can chew with this one. She looks a little put-out."

"Nothing I can't handle, I assure you," Theo answered quickly.

"In your dreams," I muttered and watched as Nico burst out laughing, while Theo's eyebrow simply rose up his forehead.

"Oh she is amusing. I can't wait to see what your..."

"Yes, well," Theo interrupted, turning Nico and the tailor towards a side room, "we all know how he views my hobbies."

"Indeed," Nico said jovially. "By the way, are you remodelling your garden?"

Theo shifted his gaze to me, but answered Nico, "I was toying with something, it got a little out of hand."

My mouth opened to say the first thing on my mind and then Theo was in front of me, finger across my lips. He'd moved so quickly. I had no warning at all. His face leaned into my cheek, his lips rested on my ear, and he whispered one word, "Behave."

I wanted to bristle, I wanted to shove his big body back a step or two, but something in his tone made me stop. Nico seemed to know Theo well, maybe he was a good friend. But Theo was not as relaxed as he appeared. His one word warning sent a chill down my spine. I nodded, his cheek brushed mine with the movement, his body blocking our exchange from the rest of the room.

He pulled back, but not before laying one soft kiss on the corner of my mouth. It was nothing really. Just a brush of skin on skin. No different from his cheek running along my cheek as I nodded. But it
felt
entirely different. I could hardly breathe.

"Well, it looks bloody awful," Nico advised. "I'd fire your landscaper, if I were you."

"I intend to punish her well," Theo advised, crossing the room to the tailor. I just sucked in a timid breath of air. "What did you bring?"

The tailor went about setting the dresses on display. In all there were four. Beautiful, extravagant and nothing like I had ever worn before. The material alone would have cost a fortune, and there were swathes and swathes of the glorious stuff. But the workmanship on each dress was phenomenal; intricate stitching, hand sewn beading, crystals and gems in delightful patterns and whimsical swirls.

They were stunning.

I took an involuntary step towards them, never having been in the presence of such beauty and fine craftsmanship before. Theo watched me, an amused look on his face.

Then turned to the tailor and said, "We'll take them all."

I couldn't stop the gasp that sprang from my lips. Again every eye in the room turned to me.

"Oh, she is a delight," Nico said quietly. "We'll leave you to it, cousin. I feel we are intruding anyway."

Within moments we were alone. I heard their car start up out on the driveway, the gravel shift beneath its tyres as it pulled away. The entire time it took for that to occur, Theo just looked at me. And I was held trapped by the desire in his eyes.

It melted me.

It commanded me.

It completely and utterly undid me.

"I told you,
Oraia,"
he whispered seductively. "I take care of what is mine."

Oh dear God, was this the most dangerous mistake I'd ever made?

I chose the green one. It called to me. It reminded me of the forest of trees out on Theo's front lawn. As soon as I slipped it on I knew I'd chosen well. It hugged my body like a second skin, the silk wrapping around my frame lovingly. I felt draped in delicate leaves right down to my ankles.

There were shoes to match. How the tailor had guessed my shoe size correctly, I don't know. But I also didn't care. I felt like a princess and for a brief moment in time, while I stared at myself in the full length mirror Theo had brought in, I forgot why I was here. I forgot what this all meant. I simply forgot.

I'm not normally a fanciful person, but I challenge anyone to don such an exquisite outfit and not lose their head. I think I lost mine a little. If it wasn't for the pale mauve Orchid in the corner of the room, waving its long stemmed head to get my attention, I may have spent longer staring at my reflection and forgetting myself.

My eyes got drawn to the plant's movement. I walked over, getting used to the heels on my feet, and reached out a hand. The flowers draped themselves across my palm. I inhaled deeply and let the scent of earth centre me again. Why was this happening?

You have come home,
the Orchid whispered.
We have been waiting
, it added and then stroked the side of my forearm.

A throat clearing over my shoulder told me I was no longer alone. I turned slowly and met the golden eyes of Theo. They were completely devoid of hazel, entirely infused with that shining, bright yellow of gold.

I took a deep breath in and said, "You're glowing," waving my hand in the direction of his eyes.

"Because you look stunning communing with my plant." It was a compliment of sorts, I supposed. I would have preferred that he thought I looked stunning in the dress, but if the Orchid hadn't woken me up from the fairytale moment, his words certainly did.

This was an arrangement, nothing more.

"Time to leave?" I asked, walking as casually as I could manage across the floor toward him.

He shifted his body so he could watch every step I took. When I came abreast of him, I stopped and forced myself to look him in the eyes. The gold had vanished, it might as well have not been there at all. I wondered if I could ever turn off the magic that makes my eyes change colour as easily as he just did.

It helped to think like that. To remind myself I had much to learn and Theo Peters could teach me. I needed him, even as I tried to tell myself I didn't want him. I still needed him.

He offered me his arm again, this time taking it didn't feel so foreign. I was learning already it seemed.

Theo drove us to wherever it was we were going. It soon became obvious it was out Howick way, the Eastern suburbs. I was betting the
Rigas
had a house on the cliff overlooking the Tamaki Strait. Some of those places rivalled Malibu or Beverly Hills. I wasn't disappointed.

Guards stood at the gates and waved us through as soon as they got a look at Theo. They all bowed their heads in respect as we passed.

"Is everyone this courteous, or are you special?" I asked, just to fill the silence. I was thinking Theo's silence was because he was preparing himself to face the King, but unlike my terrifying reasons for preparation, his were probably just getting into the mindset to bow and scrape.

"A little of both," he replied, manoeuvring the car up the winding driveway until an enormous structure came into sight. "Welcome to
Pyrgos
,
Gi
," he said, as the car came to a stop in front of the impressive white steps.

The whole place reminded me of the artwork in Theo's home. Greek colonnades, white marble stonework and sweeping, wide steps. I could picture the inhabitants wearing white, flowing robes. I sincerely hoped they didn't. I was freaked enough as it was.

"I'm not sure this is a good idea," I admitted, as another guard came to open my door.

"You're probably right, but he's already sensed your presence. To leave now would mean your death."

"To stay might as well," I pointed out, as the door swung open and the guard offered a hand to help me step out.

Theo rounded the car in a flash and took my arm from the guard's grip. The guard bowed, like those at the gate had, and stepped backward until he was several feet away. It was unusual seeing the
never show your back
rule in practise. They must use it for all dignitaries or guests, I supposed.

"Ah, but Cassandra, here I can at least attempt to protect that beautiful neck," Theo said, leaning in to whisper the words in my ear as we ascended the stairs. "Out there, you would be alone."

"So, the arrangement doesn't stand if I run now?" I asked, lifting the skirt of my dress so I wouldn't trip.

"The desire to do so,
Oraia
, would still exist. The possibility wouldn't however." I didn't understand what he was saying, and chanced a glance at his face. It was set hard. He had fortified himself for whatever lay ahead. It didn't calm me in the slightest, his preparedness. It made my heart rate escalate and small panting breaths escape clenched teeth.

The ornate double doors to the building were opened then and we stepped through to another world.

Marble everywhere, in all manner of creams, golds and whites. Palms and ferns, that soothed my soul and made it possible to breathe without panting. Statues and sculptures that made Theo's house seem ordinary. High moulded ceilings, enormous gold framed paintings. And the smell of the Mediterranean Sea.

Time seemed stalled here for some reason. A pocket out of the modern day world. But it could never be considered stagnant. This was vibrant, alive. Life.
Pyrkagia
life. It pulsed with it. I could actually feel its presence. My body flushed with heat, as I swayed on my feet and gripped Theo's arm tighter. His free hand came over and covered mine, a gesture to calm me, or warn me, I wasn't sure. Something very unnatural was enveloping me right then, it was all I could do not turn on my new heels and run.

It wasn't evil, it wasn't even wrong. It was just so jarring in its blatant attempt to get me to react, that I panicked. The pot plants around the room began to sway. Theo stiffened.

Luckily, the butler who approached didn't notice. "Welcome back, sir," he said. "The
Rigas
is in a meeting, but asked for you to wait in the parlour. He shouldn't be too long."

"Of course," Theo said, pulling me almost frantically from the hallway and into a side room. He shut the door in the butler's surprised face as soon as we crossed the threshold and then turned angry eyes on me. "Control yourself. He will sense your energy. He will know you are calling on your
Stoicheio
."

I nodded, too freaked out to question what the hell a
Stoicheio
was right then. I walked over to another nearby plant and wrapped my sweaty palm around its leaves.

Please, don't react to me here. Stay hidden, help me hide.

Theo made a growling sound behind me and then two strong hands on my shoulders tugged me back from the plant, but not before I heard its whispered compliance. My back met his broad chest and his angry instruction was breathed in my ear from behind.

"Behave."

"I can't get enough air," I complained, the panic not evaporating under his reprimand.

"Casey, you must," Theo insisted, turning me in his arms and lifting his hands to cup my face. His head ducked down to look me in the eye. I frantically tried to look away, too scared he would see
me
when he looked there. "
Oraia,
" he whispered across my lips. "Look at me."

I shook my head, my eyes still averted. Theo swore in his customary Greek, then ran an all too tender hand across my jaw until he wrapped it around the back of my neck. He pulled me closer, lay a soft kiss on my forehead, and then pressed my cheek to his chest.

"Just breathe," he instructed. And held me until breathing was all I could do.

I don't know how long we stayed like that, but it was long enough for the King to finish his meeting and storm into the room. We jumped apart, Theo as surprised as me, I think. Had he lost himself in that embrace too?

"What have you brought for me, Theodoros?" he boomed, his voice deeply accented and commanding. I wondered if they trained all Kings to sound like that from birth.

"
Pateras
," Theo said respectfully, bowing at the waist. I quickly curtseyed awkwardly. I think they both missed it entirely. I hoped they did anyway.

"Well, is this the trespassing
Gi
or not?" the
Rigas
demanded, walking over to a drinks trolley and pouring himself a glass full of Scotch. He grabbed a second glass and poured a couple of fingers in that, then turned and handed it to Theo.

I felt a part of me relax. How bad could it be, if the King was prepared to share a drink with Theo?

My eyes trailed over the
Rigas'
features. Again he looked related to Theo, but then every single one of the
Pyrkagia
I had met did too. Were they one big happy family?

"This is she," Theo said, nodding his thanks as he took the drink in his hand. "Compliant, as you can see."

I was too freaked to even contemplate the falseness of his words. I stood stock still, gaze cast to the floor, and watched the entire exchange from the corner of my eyes.

"I felt her
Stoicheio
before. Was she attacking one of my guards?"

I stopped breathing.

"I made the mistake of kissing her,
Rigas
," Theo boldly lied. "She cannot help her reaction to that." The last was said smugly. The King chuckled.

"You always did live life on the edge, Theo. Whatever possessed you to do that?"

"She intrigues me," Theo admitted and I watched, from my lowered lids, as the King straightened his back.

"Please don't tell me you have more than a passing interest in this creature," he said, his voice firm and harsh with disdain.

"I am sorry,
Rigas
, but I do." Theo didn't sound apologetic.

"Tell me why she is in our city unannounced and I may spare you the Bull."

The Bull? Theo sucked in a slow breath at the threat, which made no sense to me, but obviously was dire.

"She has been outcast from her
Gi
," Theo started, his fingers pressed so firmly into the glass he held, I thought it may shatter. "Wandered into our territory seeking asylum."

He hadn't warned me that this was the excuse he'd use. I wondered if it was chosen in the heat of the moment, due to the King's unusual threat. I had the impression Theo was floundering slightly and it made me, strangely, want to shake up the earth.

"You believe she poses no immediate threat?" The King asked, then downed the last of his whiskey.

"I do,
Rigas
. However, I would like to claim her as mine."

The whiskey the King had just swallowed caught in his throat. He coughed a few times, making gagging sounds that alerted a guard who ran into the room ready for battle. The King waved his hand regally, indicating he was all right, and the guard reluctantly backed out.

"Have you lost your mind?" the King ground out eventually. His voice was raspy from the alcohol burn. "This is not how you were raised."

"No,
Pateras
," Theo admitted. "But it has been many aeons since anyone has captured my attention so. I have been bored and disgruntled, you knew this. I require a distraction. She distracts nicely."

The King chuckled. It sounded so like Theo, I lifted my head.

"And here I thought more responsibility would do the trick. Your mother did warn me, you just needed to get laid." I choked out a sound and the King glared at me. "But really? A
Gi?
What will the elders say?"

"They can say what they like, she is already mine."

"You have claimed her?" the King asked, sounding half-shocked and half-revolted.

"Yes," Theo answered, straightening his spine.

"And it was good?"

"I'd rather not divulge details,
Rigas
. If it does not offend."

"You always did have a strange sense of honour. But, son, a
Gi
?" I didn't even have it in me to suck in breath at the term,
son
. Was it just an endearment he'd use on any of those under his rule? Or was it actually real? "Please, tell me, she is not your
Thisavros?"

There was that word again. The Norfolk Pine on Theo's property had called me that. Had said I
was
Theo's
Thisavros
. I had no idea what it meant, but I would find out. Theo had a hell of a lot to explain after all of this.

"No, of course not," Theo lied. I worked on keeping my face blank. Theo's eyes darted to mine briefly, as the King turned to pour another drink. He cocked his head and raised an eyebrow in question.