Enslaved (21 page)

“You can?”

“I can,” Persephone said with a grin. “And trust me, it’s much better than what you’ve been planning. The guardian who has kidnapped you has given us the perfect opportunity. Convince him to take you to Argolea. The Argolean queen has something that I want. A small orb with four chambers. When you have it, bring it to me, and I will make sure the gates of Olympus are finally opened to you.”

Maelea’s skin chilled. Her mother wanted her to steal the Orb of Krónos for her. The relic that held the power to release the Titans from Tartarus and bring about the war to end all wars. The talisman every god was searching for, including her father, Zeus, and her mother’s sadistic husband.

No…way.

“Why…why me? Why can’t you get it yourself? You’re not technically an Olympian. You can cross into Argolea.”

“True, but I cannot get into the castle, which is undoubtedly where the queen has hidden my gem. But she will let your guardian in. In fact, her Argonauts are searching for him now, trying to bring him back. He has ulterior motives, child. Motives that will lead to your demise, if you are not careful. Convince him to go back to Argolea and get help. Then when you’re there, find the Orb and bring it to me. Once you do, Olympus will be yours.”

Wariness crept through Maelea. “Why are you offering me this deal now? Why did you never offer it before?”

“Because I couldn’t when I was in the Underworld. Hades would have known what I was up to. And before that…the Orb had not been located.”

“You’re not planning to give it to Hades?”

A wicked smile spread across Persephone’s ruby red lips. “Of course not. Do I look stupid? I may love the son of a bitch, but I will not let him control something that should be mine.”

Persephone wanted power. All the gods did. The fact Maelea thought her mother would be different just because she was
her
mother
proved just what a fantasy she’d been living all these years.

“I don’t need your help,” she said. “I found Hades’s therillium mines. Once I tell Zeus where they are, he’ll grant me access to Olympus.”

“You found the mines?” Interest sparked in Persephone’s eyes. And too late, Maelea realized she should have held her tongue. Even if her mother plotted against Hades, she was ultimately loyal to him, and there was no guarantee the secret Maelea had just revealed wouldn’t make its way back to his ears. A secret that would only inflame his hatred for her. “Oh, now that is an interesting turn of events. One that might yet become useful to me.”

A smile slinked across Persephone’s face while Maelea cursed her quick tongue and held her breath, waiting…for what, she didn’t know.

“It is of no matter to you, though,” Persephone finally said. “The therillium mines will not be enough to prove your allegiance to the gods. A good start, but not enough. The gods require sacrifice. One made in blood. Proving the risk you take is worthy of the reward.” Her smile grew wider. “Which is why you need me. With me, there is no risk. No blood. Get me the Orb and I will grant you the freedom from this world you have long sought.”

Persephone pushed to her feet, crossed the space between them, and slid a small vial filled with clear liquid into Maelea’s pocket. “This will help you lure the Argonaut to your way of thinking.”

Maelea knew her mother was right. The location of the mines wouldn’t be enough. Disappointment flowed even as she looked down at the vial disappearing into her pocket. “What is it?”

“A concoction of ancient herbs guaranteed to grant you control. Seduction is a powerful aphrodisiac, and no male can resist a woman’s wants when he’s under her spell. If you play him right, he’ll take you to Argolea. Then it’s up to you.”

She stepped back. Began to fade.

“Wait!” Maelea jerked on the cuffs. The headboard rattled again. “Release me first!”

Persephone’s lips turned up at the corners. “You have to continue to let him think he holds power over you, even if he doesn’t. Only then will he be unguarded long enough for you to get what I need. Don’t forget our deal, child.”

She left as quickly as she’d arrived. Maelea stared at the empty chair as the room swirled around her. Her mother wanted her to steal the Orb of Krónos? Dread filled Maelea’s chest as she thought of the consequences. If she did that—even if Persephone did grant her access to Olympus—Zeus would be pissed. All the gods would be pissed. Life there would be no better than it was here. Worse, in fact. And if Hades ever found out…

She shuddered at the thought. No, that was most definitely
not
an option. No matter how much she wanted to get to Olympus, even that wasn’t a risk she was willing to—

A growl echoed near the door. Maelea jerked around, listened. A clicking sound echoed, followed by the door handle rattling.

Her heart rate skyrocketed.

“I smell her,” a voice echoed from the other side of the door. A nonhuman voice. A monster voice. “And she’s alone.”

***

Titus’s brain was running a mile a minute trying to figure out who the redhead with the emerald eyes could possibly be, and how the hell she was messing with his gift—and curse.

As she stood rooted in place in Nick’s office, staring wide-eyed at Theron and Nick engaged in a heated argument about Gryphon, he tried again to tap into her thoughts. But just the same as in Maelea’s room and again in the elevator, he wasn’t getting enough to read her.

Who
the
hell
is
this?

I
don’t remember seeing her around here before.

Wow, she is hot.

Thoughts from his Argonaut kin swirled in the room, several of whom had finally noticed he’d dragged some unknown female into the office. The last came from Cerek, which not only shocked the hell out of Titus, because Cerek never paid females any kind of attention, but set off some protective instinct inside him he didn’t know was there. He stepped in front of her and shot Cerek a warning look.

Then realized, belatedly, that he could hear his kin clear as day, but still not her.

Okay, freakin’ weird. She was definitely screwing with his powers. And yeah, it was juvenile and totally not like him, but he didn’t want anyone else touching her until he figured out just what was going on.

Nick finally looked past Theron and caught sight of her, then narrowed his eyes in suspicion. Silence settled over the room. Theron turned, noticed her standing behind and to the right of Titus, and narrowed his own eyes. “Who is this?”

“I found her snooping in Maelea’s room,” Titus said. “I don’t know who she is, but she says she’s a friend of Maelea’s.”

“What do you want with Maelea?” Theron asked her.

She moved back a step until she bumped into the windows that looked down over the lake. “N-nothing.”

“She had this.” Titus held out the book she’d been holding. The one that he’d taken from her in the elevator. The one she’d found in Maelea’s room. The one that was a diary of sorts, giving a detailed listing of the gods and their offspring.

Theron took the book and flipped it open. The redhead drew in a sharp breath and held it as he scanned pages. And even though Titus couldn’t read her mind, he knew panic when he saw it. Something important was in that book. Something she didn’t want them to see.

Theron lifted his head, focused on her eyes. But only one thought reached Titus’s mind:
This
is
all
we
fucking
need.

Before he could read more, footsteps echoed near the door, drawing Theron’s attention. Noticing the queen and her sisters, Titus reached for the sleeve of the redhead’s sweater to tug her out of the way. She stumbled, reached out to steady herself. Her fingers landed against his bare forearm, and just as before when he’d touched her bare skin, the room spun, and warm tingles rushed all over his skin.

She drew in a quick breath, tensed against him. The sweet scent of her perfume—or maybe it was just her—bombarded him. A scent as sweet as roses he’d never smelled before, one that hit him on the most basic of levels and sent his already overly aware hormones into overdrive.

Holy hell. Who was this chick?

She let go of him quickly. Pushed back. But in her eyes, he saw the same awareness he was suddenly feeling.

Theron’s eyes lit when he caught sight of Casey, but ever the leader of the Argonauts, he bowed in Isadora’s direction before moving toward his wife. “Your Highness.”

Isadora frowned, rubbed a hand over her pregnant belly. “Am I ever going to get you to stop that, Theron? It’s bad enough I get it in Argolea. Here, at least, I’d like you to treat me as you do everyone else.”

Casey moved up on Theron’s left, smiled, then rose on her toes to kiss his cheek. “He treats everyone but me like a bear, Isadora. I’m not sure you want him barking orders at you the way he does at them.”

At his side, the redhead watched the conversation with careful eyes, but Titus recognized the moment she realized who the females were. Every muscle in her body tightened all over again and worry crept into her emerald eyes.

Oh yeah, definitely otherworldly. And she was definitely somehow linked to the gods, if this reaction was any sort of indication.

“Careful,
meli
,” Theron said to Casey, “or I’ll start barking at
you
.”

“Promises, promises,” Casey answered with a grin.

Titus watched in more than a little awe as Theron’s face softened while he looked down at his mate with longing and love. He tried to block out the sappy thoughts rushing through both their minds but couldn’t, not entirely. He’d served with Theron for over a hundred years, and it still amazed him that a hard-ass, honor-bound Argonaut like Theron could change so much all because of a female. But then, that’s what a soul mate did to an Argonaut. They changed everything.

Not that he was looking for a soul mate. Considering his gift—and his curse—he didn’t want one. And he definitely didn’t need the responsibility or worry. Demetrius’s harried thoughts about Isadora simply being in the human realm pinged around the room as he stood next to the queen, as did Zander’s, regarding not only Callia but their son Max—neither of which were things Titus wanted to know, let alone stress over. He didn’t want to be responsible for anyone else, not if this was the result. But that didn’t lessen his interest in the redhead standing at his side.

The redhead radiating warmth, even inches away from him, who was suddenly breathing like a racehorse in heat.

He looked down at her. And noticed her face was turning quickly from pink to red. “What’s wrong with you?”

Air. Tight. Can’t…
She waved her hand as if she were having trouble breathing.

Confusion morphed to concern, and Titus pushed away from the window, grasped her by the sleeve again. “Uh, Callia?”

Callia’s footsteps echoed across the floor. “Let go of her, Titus.”

“Who is she?” Zander asked as Callia took her from Titus and led her toward a chair.

“Have a seat here.” Callia eased her into a chair Phin had pulled out for her. Titus watched as she bent forward and put her head between her knees, weird, raspy breathing sounds coming from her lips.

Callia knelt at her feet. “Look at me. That’s it. Slow breaths. I want you to draw in a breath then let it out while I count, not stopping until I get to four. Ready? Breathe in. Good, now let it out…one, two, three, four… Good. Again.”

The redhead focused on Callia’s eyes. Tried to follow directions. Her hands shook against her knees, and concern for her well-being—a concern that came out of nowhere—shot through Titus as he watched.

“Should I get a paper bag?” Isadora asked, coming to stand on Callia’s right.

“No. This is better. Sure and steady,” Callia said to the redhead. “One, two, three, four. Again.” Then to the rest of the group, “She’s having a panic attack. We just have to rebalance her oxygen and carbon dioxide levels. Good, you’re doing great. Now slow. In through the nose, out through the mouth.”

Slowly, the female’s breathing regulated and the pink tinge to her cheeks began to fade. Relief swept through Titus.

Callia smiled. “Better. Much better. Keep breathing, just like that.”

“Is she okay?” Casey asked.

The Argonauts were as quiet as Titus, watching and wondering who the hell she could be. And all seemed to be in awe of Callia’s calm handling of a situation none of them knew how to manage. Put them in a field full of daemons, and they knew exactly what needed to be done. Give them a hysterical female, and each one froze in fear.

“Yes, she’s going to be fine,” Callia said. “She just needs some space. It’s no wonder she had a panic attack in a room full of you guys. I’ve felt like freaking out while surrounded by the Argonauts myself on more than one occasion. Good, keep breathing. You’re doing perfect.”

Argonauts?
The redhead lifted her eyes, looked around the room with wariness. But no other thoughts got through to Titus.