Unbound, a Paranormal Romance (Book 2 of the Spellbound Series) (12 page)

My world broke into a million pieces hearing her call Hades her love. I felt defeated but not willing to give up. She loved me, and I was determined to be with her for an eternity.

“I have been her all the while,” he responded, in between her fervent kisses, “but let Benjamin explain something to you.”

She nodded and sat down in the bed as she leaned against Hades.

I swallowed hard. It was difficult to imagine her in love with Hades when I loved her so.

“Ben.” She smiled as she looked over at me.

“Antonia, do you remember what happened to you?” I asked.

She shook her head. “What do you mean? I have been here with Hades. Bion interrupted us when Circe came to visit, and then I took a nap because I was exhausted.” She smiled deviously as she looked at Hades. “I mean, getting all of my memories back was exhausting.” She smirked.

“And nothing after that?” I asked as my envious eyes met Hades’.

“No. I woke from my nap to find all of you here.”

“A lot has happened since that interruption,” I said with distaste that peppered my tongue.

“What do you mean? Did something happen while I was asleep?”

“Yes, my sweet, but we don’t need to go over the details at this moment.”

Hades kissed the top of her head as she gazed at him. She slowly moved her head to look back at me, and my heart began to break as I watched them together.
She should have that gaze with me,
I thought.
I love her.

I sighed and continued. “Yes, but Antonia, you died,” I said carefully.

“A very gruesome death, too,” Dawn snorted.

Hades eyed Dawn and could have burned a hole through her with his death stare. Dawn folded her arms across her chest and turned her head.

“Died? But if I died, then how am I sitting here talking to you all?” she rationalized as she joined Dawn with the folded arms.

I frowned and closed my eyes.

“That is because you are now a vampire.” I couldn’t look at her as the words left my mouth.

“Me, a vampire!” she giggled. “Ben, you’re not very convincing.”

“My sweet, his words are true,” Hades offered as he looked down at her.

She tossed her head to the side as she stared into Hades’ eyes, and I felt sick. “But…” she started. “I’ll need those details now.” She looked over at me. “I remember Hades went to visit with Circe,” she gritted between her teeth.

“And we did visit, and I warned him of the witch.” Circe glanced over at Hades and then over to Annie, who still sat on the floor, shocked by the turn in events. Her mouth gaped opened after gasping for air from the surprise.

“Circe?” Antonia choked as she eyed Dawn, who looked at Circe with adoration. “I remember now. I was eavesdropping outside your office, Hades, and I became jealous when she claimed to be the
loveliest
of all the gods.” She looked at Hades then back over at Dawn, her face contorted with grief. 

“Toni, beyond being the loveliest, she’s also my mom!” Dawn exclaimed with more excitement.

“Your mom?
But how?”

“Now that’s a story for another day…after we get past this Toni the Vampire stuff,” Dawn said.

“Somehow, you set Annie free, and she came to collect Dawn, Kevin, and I to
help
you, we thought, but it was a trap. Annie was working with Persephone the entire time.” I sighed with my words.

“Persephone?
That name seems familiar.” Antonia looked around at each of us for an explanation.

Hades wrapped his arms more tightly around Antonia. I scowled at Hades as he kissed the top of her head before he whispered to her. “She is a goddess, my wife, and the queen of the underworld.” It was so low that only I could hear.

“What?” Antonia’s eyes widened and her mouth dropped open.
“Wife?”
She looked in complete shock but everything finally resonated. She pulled away from the hug Hades held her in. “It’s all coming back to me.” She looked at me with such clear desire in her eyes that I remembered that same look from the night in the arboretum.

That’s when it hit me.

“You were sick that day you left the hospital…before you ended up here. You had too much of
my
blood in your system. Your body wanted to turn into a vampire but you didn’t because of the spell you were under,” I said.

“You cracked the spell, Vampire,” Annie said as she stood. “Zelma said you must have compelled her, and the compulsion cracked the spell Zelma placed on her. That’s why Hades was able to feel her presence in my vision.”

“I did.” I hung my head.

“Then she must have started remembering things before my spell.” Annie dusted herself off.

“I am in the room. You don’t have to talk about me like I am not,” Antonia said. In a blur of white, she stood in front of Annie. “You manipulated me and made me believe that you were my friend,” Antonia said as she backed Annie into a wall.

I was at her side in a nanosecond. “Calm down, Antonia,” I reasoned as she licked her lips, her fangs elongated. I put my hand on her shoulder but she glared at me with a try-and-stop-me look. I dropped my hand. “Just don’t kill her. You will probably regret it later.”

She smiled as she attacked the side of Annie’s neck and sunk her fangs into her jugular. Annie screeched. As I watched, my mouth began to salivate. Annie began to wave her hand as Antonia released her hold, and then her limp and lifeless body dropped to the floor.
And I wasn’t sure if she was still alive. I heard no heartbeat come from her body.

Antonia faced me. Blood dripped down her chin and onto her chest. I closed the space between us, lifting her chin with my index finger. Her eyes burned with bloodlust and desire. She slowly licked her lips as her bloody hand rubbed the side of my face. I closed my eyes at her touch. Then I tasted the familiar tang of blood on my lips. I parted my lips as her tongue reached mine with urgency. I knew why. It was the desire that followed drinking live human blood. Our tongues danced a familiar dance. I forgot about everything and everyone in the room. I was kissing and holding the woman I loved. I wrapped my arms tighter around her until the clearing of someone’s throat broke me from my insatiable desire. I opened my eyes and pulled my lips from hers. In my peripheral vision, Hades’ eyes bore into mine. Antonia turned her head to look at Hades, the blood now smeared around her face and mine.

“Hades.”
She looked into his longing eyes as she licked her lips and a smile turned up one corner of her mouth. “I…” she started but his finger to her lips shushed her before she could utter another word.

His eyes darted to mine before he spoke. “Benjamin, I’d like a word with you.” He extended his hand toward the doorway.

I nodded and released my hold on Antonia. I walked through the threshold and into the hallway where Hades, back to me, faced the dark hallway. “Yes?” I tried to remain cool and calm even though the god that still owned my soul had just witnessed me kissing Antonia.
Oh,
shit
.

“It would seem that my sweet Antonia has feelings for both of us.” He turned around as he spoke.

“Yes, it would. And the choice she must make is not one
we
can make for her,” I retorted. My body shifted as I felt a presence in the doorway.

“Understood,” Hades, agreed. “So, I suppose the question is to you, my sweet.” Hades turned to Antonia, who stood in the doorway, her hand covering her mouth in astonishment.

“Who do you choose to spend your eternity with, my love? Benjamin or me…?”

Chapter 11

Antonia

My chest felt heavy with the question that loomed. How did I choose or had the decision been made for me since Hades
was
married to that psychopath, Persephone?

“Antonia.” I looked over my shoulder to see my father standing behind me with Kevin on his heels.
Great!
Just what I needed in the already complicated situation––another man that loved me.

“Papa.”
I turned and met him where he had stopped.

“I just want you to know that I love you and support whatever decision you make. I haven’t always been the most supportive of your choice’s but I know that you can make the best decisions for yourself. I will be right here waiting for you, no matter what or who you choose.” Tears sprang from my eyes and overwhelming warmth covered me at the realization of having my father back in my life after the heartache and thought of losing him. A smile touched my lips at his proclamation of support and blessing of my choice. All those years ago, I had no choice but to run away with Hades and now I have my life, eternally, and the hardest decision to make of whom to spend it with. 

“Thank you, papa.”
I wrapped my arms around him feeling the warmth of his embrace on my cool skin.

“The vampire loves you, Moro
mou
,” he whispered in my ear. I smiled as we released one another from the hug. It had been a long time since I’d heard him call me
my baby
in Greek.

Kevin's sad, glassy eyes met mine. His brow was set in a furrowed line and he was wearing sad smile that was almost a frown. “Kevin, I don’t even know where to begin.” He took me in his arms without a word.

“You don’t have to begin anywhere, I understand now. You deserve to love someone the way that I have loved you all these years.”

“Y’all better not
be
fighting out here!” Dawn words echoed in the hallway as she made it out the door to find me hugging Kevin. She eyed Hades and Ben, the two men I had to choose between.

“Take care, Antonia Nikos.” Kevin released me from his hug as my father led him down the hallway.

“Daughter of Circe, I would never fight, I am just waiting for my love to make her decision on who she wants between Benjamin and me.” Hades nodded his head in Ben’s direction.

“Well hell, Toni, that’s easy, the one that’s NOT married to the psycho-bitch.” Dawn sneered at Hades as Circe came to join us in the hallway of fun.

“Dawn, do not interfere with her decision.” Circe touched Dawn’s shoulder as a lovely vision of a man appeared from thin air in front of where Dawn and I stood. I was mesmerized by his handsome face, as was Dawn. She all but drooled on him as she looked up at him.

“Yes, let the vampire make her own decision, plus your presence along with Circe and Hades is requested in Olympus,” he said. Staring directly at Dawn, he put a piece of her hair behind her ear. A bubbly giggle escaped her lips.

“Hermes, is this necessary at
this
moment?” Hades asked, with a frown on his face.

“Very necessary and
at Zeus’ request!”
Hermes extended his hand to Dawn as she giggled and placed her tiny hand in his.

Hades closed the space between us. “I will return soon my sweet.” He took my hand, kissing my fingertips before he released my hand. Then the three gods and Dawn disappeared. 

Ben and I stood alone in the hallway as I moved closer to him.
The lust from our kiss still lingered and thick between us.

“Ben…I––”

“
Shhh
.”
His finger touched my lips, stopping my ramble of thoughts. “We have only a short time, and I need to plead my case to you so let me show rather than tell you why it should be me you pick for eternity.”

I had no words. I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded my head as he took my hand intertwining his fingers with mine. We walked to the nearest door that was Hades office, once inside he closed the door behind us.

His lips touched mine, and my free hand fisted a hand full of his dark hair, deepening his light kiss into something more carnal. The faint taste of blood was still on his mouth and it turned me on.

My animal instincts took over. I freed the hand he held as my lips never left his and my tongue danced in his mouth. I slid my hands down his face and onto his chest gripping his collar. I bit his bottom lip as I pulled his shirt off.

“
Oopsy
.”
I said as he let his shirt drop to the floor. I smiled as he slowly licked his lips. His mouth engulfed mine as I heard the rip of fabric and felt the top of my dress fall to my waist. I
broke our kiss and looked down at my bare breasts as I
shimmied
the dress down my waist until it dropped to my feet. 

I giggled as he lifted me in his arms. I wrapped my legs around his waist and my hand around his neck. I wanted more than anything to feel him inside of me. His kisses descended from my lips to my neck and I felt his fangs trace my neck to my collarbone with a kiss. He scattered the items off the black glass desk and set me down. I
lay
back on the cold glass. 

Ben kissed me softly on my lips and trailed his tongue from the right side of my neck to my right breast, to cover my protruding nipples with his mouth.
He sucked softly before taking my nipple between his teeth and biting. He kissed the space between my breasts before he rolled his tongue over my left nipple. The tender flesh ached for him to suck, and I moaned in pleasure as ecstasy took over.