Daughter Trilogy Bundle (17 page)

Devin answers, sounding a little agitated.

"I told you not to believe the crap you read.  Some of it is half truths, but most of it is a bag of nonsense.  Aphrodite was the only corporealized entity that embodied love, passion, lust, and many other emotionally discharged energies around the world.  You said the whole town was crying.  When did that start?"

I shrug.  "I'm not sure."

"Were you crying when they were?" he asks.

"No.  I was all cried out at that point, or at least I thought I was," I mumble.

His lips tighten as a guilty look covers his face.

"The town was crying the tears you could no longer shed.  They grieved for you when you were too exhausted to continue.  It's another key piece to the puzzle that proves your origins.  It also makes you a target," he mutters with reservation.

"Why?"

"Because the daughters of Aphrodite were deemed too strong to contend with.  They could assemble an army by simply walking through a crowd.  Athena was believed to be the embodiment of virtue, and most of the mortal world believed her to have never had children, but that is another falsehood.  She did believe herself to be the embodiment of virtue, though nothing could be further from the truth.  She loathed Aphrodite because she thought of her as her adversary.  Aphrodite was the opposite of virtue in Athena's eyes, and she considered her to be a threat.

"She and her daughters hunted and killed the daughters of Aphrodite for centuries, leaving none left in existence... or so we thought.  Athena's self-righteous quest led to the massacre of numerous women.  Aphrodite mourned herself to death - literally.

"The daughters of Aphrodite were strong, but they never had a father of a higher power.  Aphrodite only bore children from mortals... or so we thought.  You're an anomaly, and we have to learn more about your other half."

Okay
.  I just thought the crazy side of the scale had been broken.  It has just sunk into the floor, and now it's tunneling through the earth on its quest to find China.

"If Aphrodite had such a child, why didn't she step up when the others were being slaughtered?" I ask.

"Because there was something greater at stake.  She most likely had a love or another child of her own.  There's no way to tell without finding your real mother.  She can probably do just as you do, and she'll be the best one to teach you."

The wind outside slaps the side of the house, and windows begin shattering all around.

"No," I protest, an eerie crawl to my tone.

The wind picks up harder, and Devin stands to walk to me as the electricity surges violently, causing things to reach the point of eruption.

"This is to keep you safe.  I wouldn't do anything to hurt you," he promises.

"You already have," my unfamiliar voice echoes with a wind chime sound.

The trees begin to snap, and the winds around the house threaten to pull it apart.

Devin slowly wraps his arms around me and pulls me into his arms.  I can feel my tears of a lifetime's resentment starting to pour, and the rain responds by slashing into the broken windows.

"I've got you.  Nothing is going to happen," he coos.

I shove him off of me, and he catches himself against the couch.  I walk out and stare at the crazy storm I've just brought forth.

"Stop!" I scream.

The winds stir harder, and I take a deep breath.  I think of my brother carrying me around in a red wagon.  I think of Clara and me playing in the sandbox together.  My mind fills with pleasant memories, and the winds slowly start to calm.

I think back to the first time Clara met Henry, and how she giggled so excitedly.  I think of how we danced for the school talent show in eighth grade, and I laugh to myself when I see how terrible it looked.

I slowly open my eyes to see the sky has completely cleared, and only a few ruffled leaves fall to tell the story of the short storm.  I turn back to see Devin and the others standing on the porch.

"I can do this without her.  If you find her, I swear I'll lose all control.  I never want to see her," I growl, and the winds slightly stir in response.

I take a deep, cleansing breath before walking back to the house.  Devin takes my hand, but I jerk it free.  I stare him in the eye, and my voice reaches an icy tone.

"I don't care what you or anyone else thinks.  I'm not ever going to be in love with a man or an immortal who watched me fall apart and did nothing to stop my pain.  I'm still the same person.  I've broken my rule before, and I gave you a second chance.  Just like before, I ended up humiliated.  No third chances for you or my mother."

I walk by him, and he calls to me from behind.

"Adisia.  Please don't do this.  I want to be with you," he sighs.

I stop, turn, and glare.

"Then you should have thought of a way to keep us together before you ripped us apart," I snap.

When I walk in, his people have already reassembled, and they're desperately trying not to look at me.  I point my question toward Theia.

"Do I have to stay here?  I don't know you or anyone here, including Devin.  I want to be around my family or no one at all.  I've never done well in groups of strangers."

She frowns slightly.

"Your family could be at risk if you return.  I know we've had an unorthodox introduction, given my rudeness when I thought my son had fallen in love with a mortal, but perhaps we could start over.  We need to help you before you hurt yourself or someone else."

I look at Devin as he walks in, still drenched from the down pouring rain I unleashed.

"I don’t do reintroductions.  They end with the same consequence as the first."

His eyes fall to the ground, and Theia speaks gently so as not to provoke my anger.

"Your father's half has to be strong to enable you to deny your Aphrodite half the satisfaction it seeks from Devin.  It's only when your Aphrodite half intoxicates you that you succumb to your true desire.  See?  We're learning more about you already.  We need to learn as much as possible to ensure your safety and the safety of the ones around you.  Maybe I could get you a cup of coffee or tea?"

I sigh loudly when I feel the storm trying to brew.

"No.  I need a shower.  I'll clean up my mess when I get done."

I look around at the shattered windows and the flipped over furniture pieces left by my storm.  Devin walks toward me, but I turn and walk away before he reaches me.

Stay calm
.  How can I do that if I'm stuck around him?

The water streaks against my
skin, cleansing me of the toxic day.  The soap lathers and removes the grit and dust from my hair and body.   Mango's heavenly scent reaches my nose and brings a slight smile to my face.

I push my head under the water and smile against the warm stream covering my face.

I open my eyes, and there's a creepy, crawling, disgustingly hideous spider staring at me from the ceiling.  I scream and fall out of the shower, bringing the shower curtain with me.  I hear the tile floor crack from the impact, and I cringe at the accidental damage I've now added to this house.

I shriek as Devin flashes into the room.  I scramble to cover myself with the shower curtain, and his eyes lock with mine.  The water splashing from the showerhead begins to boil and bubble in response to the shared heated gaze.

He walks toward me, and I feel the drunken desire filling me as my strength begins to fade.  He bends and opens a cabinet door to pull out a towel.

"Sorry.  I heard a scream," he says softly with his menacing, wry smile still cocked to one side.

My eyes dance as the bubbles begin exaggerating their boil.

"I saw a spider," I whisper.

He smirks slightly, and the steamy gaze pushes the room into a haze.  Every surface fogs over with a thick coat, and he smiles a little more.

He wraps the towel around me, and the water shuts off by itself.  I look around curiously as he helps me up.

"You did that?" I ask.

His devious smirk smugly spreads.  "Yes."

I scowl a little.  "My elevator too?"

He lets an adorable throaty chuckle free.  "Yes.  I have the ability to manipulate sound waves as well, and I used my ability to fuse together the tattered wires."

Now I'm fighting a grin.  My Aphrodite half is starting to intoxicate me.  I have to stay strong, but it's hard to do when I feel his hands burning against the towel he's securing in place.

Our eyes are desperately clinging to each other's, and my hands slide against the thin shirt he's wearing to feel the secret of his perfect body hidden beneath.

"I don't want to do this until you want me - all of you," he murmurs in forced objection.

My Aphrodite half surges through me and my body moves against his.  The passion is oozing from me, and the monster inside is begging to be unleashed.  My lips graze his arm as my eyes begin their burning torment once more.

"Take me now, and we'll worry about the rest later," I dare in a tone that's almost sexy enough to even turn me on.

He smiles his smoldering, full-flashing grin, and his lips graze mine lightly, forcing my body to throb in desire.

"I like this half of you," he taunts.  "This half wants me, needs me, and begs me."

He starts to cover my mouth with his and my hands grip against his shoulders.  Just as I'm about to quench my goddess's thirst, he pulls back.  My body almost distorts to pose my writhing pain when he withdraws before I even feel truly teased.

"But I'm not going to take advantage of you when this half is in sole control.  I want all of you, just like I used to have.  I'll change your mind," he says with a seductive wink.

My hands drop from his shoulders, and he turns to walks out.  The door slams in front of him when a wind finds its way into the room, and I know I
’m the one who just did it.  I can see him smiling through the cloudy mirror.

"You're getting a little control," he murmurs with his back still turned.  "That's good."

He tugs at the door and forces it open.  I skulk out with a mystifying pout, and listen to him treading lightly down the staircase.

Very slowly, my sanity begins to return.  The problem is, I want him regardless of my anonymous half.  It's not just Aphrodite begging for him, it's all of me.  I'm just smart enough to know the consequences for revisiting an old path.

Oh, but damn, that path is so good in bed.  Now I just sound like a goddess wanting sex as opposed to a sex goddess.  And I sound crazy.

Good grief.

Devin is propped against a
post on the porch while he stares out at the lake.  The house was cleaned up completely before I could help.  The windows are still robbed of their glass, but I can't exactly do anything about that.

I walk up behind him and resist the urge to wrap my arms around him.

"Feel better after your shower?" he asks with his back still turned.

No.  I fucking want you so bad it hurts.  Happy?  Asshole.

I take a deep breath, praying I can show some dignity around him for a change.

"How'd you know it was me?" I ask while intentionally avoiding his question.

He slowly turns to face me.  "I can feel your presence now.  It's sort of hard to explain, but I know when you're near, and I can feel so much from you."

Please don't feel me fighting my addiction.

"Ah.  Well, I came to tell you I have to go home.  My parents are used to me checking in, and Clara will be fit to be tied if I don't go see her.  Not to mention, I have a job - that is, if I haven't already lost it.  I have bills to pay, things to do… I can't hide out here no matter how badly you want me to."

He frowns a little at my request before he answers with a soft, disgruntled tone.

"I have a cell that is tied to a false name, and you're welcome to it anytime you want.  You can call your parents and Clara whenever you wish.  As for your job, if you haven't been fired, you need to quit.  Your bills have been paid by one of my accounts listed under another false name, and your to-do list will have to wait until you can control yourself."

Damn him and his sex- as-hell self.  He's too fucking hot like this. 
It makes arguing hard because I'm so distracted.

His hair is tousled, and he's still wearing those low jogging pants and sleeveless shirt.  His voice is so steady, the complete opposite of my shaky one.

"No one asked you to pay my bills, and I like seeing my family and Clara.  My job was a hard one to get, and I haven't put up with all the bullshit to just quit.  Please stop holding me captive.  I'm tired, and I want to go home."

He tightens his lips before continuing.  "Think of what might happen if you do.  What happens if you get pissed?  The apartment building could crumble beneath a storm you accidentally invite.  What happens if you're in a car with Clara, and some jerk cuts you off?  What happens if you watch a movie that evokes a sad emotion?  What happens if you're at work and your bitch boss finally makes you snap?"