Seduced in Shadow (9 page)

That couldn’t be him standing there. Which meant she’d finally lost her mind. Ellie wondered if anything else that had happened today was real. Maybe it was all just a dream, some weird, freaky dream she would wake from and call her brother to laugh about. Maybe she’d fallen at Nolde on her run this morning and was lying on the trail hallucinating.

Or maybe she’d fallen, hit her head and she was in a coma. Or—

The panic attack hit her like a load of bricks dropped from a great height onto her chest. Unlike other attacks she’d had—the ones that started with tight muscles, lightheadedness and faint nausea—this one sideswiped her with its intensity.

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Stephanie Julian

Her heart rate went from normal to “holy-shit-I’m-gonna-die” in seconds. Her head swam and her stomach heaved. She couldn’t draw in enough air. It felt as if she’d swallowed a rock and it was blocking her air passages.

Ellie closed her eyes, trying to calm down.

Around her, she heard Sal and Justin yelling.

No, not yelling. They weren’t angry. They were trying to help. Vaguely she heard the fear in their voices but she didn’t care about that right now. She knew she had to calm down or she would completely embarrass herself by throwing up and passing out.

Unfortunately it’d happened before.

“Ellie, I’m right here. It’ll be okay. Just listen to me, okay?”
Antonin.
His voice was calm in her ear, rational. It soothed her mind. Ellie opened her eyes and looked straight into his clear gray ones. “Sit up straight, take a deep breath and relax. Come on. There you go. Now take another one. It’ll be all right.”

Surprisingly it was. Ellie took another breath, this one a little deeper than the last, all the time staring at Antonin. After a few more breaths, she knew everything would be okay.

“Is that… Is that really my dad?”

Antonin’s beautiful mouth tilted up at the corners. “Yeah. Hey, it’s okay, hon,” he said when her hand tightened around his. “Deep breaths. Just listen to me. Your dad’s an ancient Etruscan deity. His real name is Selvans. He holds dominion over the forests and all the creatures who live there.”

Her mouth opened and she felt her lungs contract but she couldn’t speak.

“Keep breathing, Ellie.” Antonin gripped both of her hands in his now, his thumbs caressing her skin. “You and Justin, as Selvans’ children, are in danger from a group of humans called the
Malandante
. The
Mal
also have magical powers but they’re prone to evil and they want to rule the world. If they caught you or Justin, or any of the
Fata
, they’d hurt you. Worse, they’d torture you until you turned and worked for them. Last 68

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year they tried to capture Scarlata. Somehow they discovered where she was living and set a trap for her. They baited it with Justin without knowing who he really was.”

Her gaze slid to her brother, who was holding Scarlata’s hand.

Justin nodded, his expression somber. “I know it’s a shock, Ellie. But there’s a whole world out there that we—well, I at least—never knew about. Red and I managed to get away that time but we were lucky and…we had some help.” He looked as if he wanted to say more but he shook his head and glanced over his shoulder.

To where her father stood in the same place she’d first seen him. He hadn’t moved and his expression was pained.

“Daddy?” Ellie’s voice trembled, making her sound like a little girl again.

Her dad’s mouth held a faint grimace as he stood there, his hands in the pockets of his worn jeans, a white t-shirt stretched over his broad shoulders and chest. Her father was one of the most handsome men she’d ever known with his bright eyes the most pure shade of lavender. Well over six feet tall, he had curly black hair, strong features and the gentlest hands. He looked exactly as she remembered him. He hadn’t aged a day.

“Yeah, baby. It’s me.”

Ellie stood so suddenly her chair toppled over and nearly made her trip as she ran for him, throwing her arms around his waist and squeezing. “I missed you, Daddy.”

His arms came around her, enveloping her. “I missed you too, sweetheart.”

She drew her head back to look up at him. “Does Mom know?”

Her dad shook his head, a frown twisting his lips. “No. It’s complicated but it’s for the best. She’s got a new life now, a new husband. She’s safer this way. Unfortunately you and your brother are now targets and that was never my intention. We’re still not sure how the
Mal
found out about Justin or Scarlata. Or why they decided today was the day to make a move on you.”

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Stephanie Julian

“Are you really a…a…” She couldn’t say the word. It had sounded so normal coming from Antonin. He’d called her father a deity. An Etruscan deity named Selvans.

A deity who was living and breathing and standing in front of her. The last time she’d seen her father had been the day before his death.

Ellie remembered the overwhelming grief she’d felt for months afterward. Her mother had been her rock during that dark time, but the grief he had caused…

“You faked your death. Why would you do that, Daddy?”

Her dad nodded, pain evident in his eyes. “Because I was starting to get the looks.

The ones from the neighbors, who were all growing old when I wasn’t. The ones from your mom were the worst. Your mom never would’ve understood who and what I was.

I loved her and she is a strong woman, but finding out your husband is, or at least thinks, he’s a mythological god? It’s not something you agree to in your wedding vows.”

He sighed, shaking his head. “It wouldn’t have been fair to her or to you and your brother to make you live your life constantly wondering what you are allowed to say and to whom.”

That black pit was threatening to open again in her stomach. Ellie took a deep breath and forced away the dizziness, staring into her father’s eyes to center herself.

It really
was
him. Tears welled up but she bit her tongue until they receded. “You’re an ancient god? From Italy.”

He nodded steadily. “Yes, but from a good, long time before they called it Italy. I’ve seen the rise and fall of empires and someday we’ll get to talk about that. But I’m still, first and foremost, your father. I love you and your brother more than anything in the world and I don’t want any harm to come to you.”

He cupped her face with one large hand and smiled sadly at her. “Unfortunately I don’t have the power I once used to control. Over the years, our powers have faded. I can’t just wave my hands and make everything better… But I can take every precaution to make sure you’re safe. I’m sending your brother and Scarlata back to Florida, where 70

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they’ve been hiding the past few months. I want you to stay here with Antonin until I find some way to neutralize Bonnini.” Her dad’s face tightened into an expression of pure fury. “That bastard thinks he’s safe in his little world. But don’t worry. I’ll get him.”

Ellie had a momentary flash of panic. “You’re leaving me again?”

Her father smiled and patted her cheek. “Just for a little while. We have to determine what the
Mal
are planning. I’ve put some extra protective wards on the house, so for the moment, you’re safest here. I’m leaving you in good hands with Antonin. Just sit tight for a little while, baby. I’ll be back.”

* * * * *

The house cleared pretty quickly after that. Sal and her father disappeared on the heels of Justin and Scarlata.

Her dad practically had to twist Justin’s arm while Scarlata tugged on his other to get him to leave first. Her brother hadn’t been happy about it but he’d left—with a final, hard glare at Antonin. Then Sal had touched Justin and Scarlata and they’d disappeared. Literally.

That was going to take some getting used to, Ellie decided.

Hell,
all
of this was going to take some getting used to.

Shortly after Justin and Scarlata left, Sal and her father did too. They went looking for the man who used to be her boss, Daniel Bonnini. Apparently he was the leader of the
Mal
. How weird was that?

Standing in the living room, staring at the spot where her father had vanished, Ellie sighed, feeling as if someone had left all the air out of her—until a pair of warm strong arms encircled her from behind.

Antonin pulled her back against his body, fitting himself to her. The gesture made her feel safe, protected. When he leaned close to whisper in her ear, she shivered.

“Are you okay, Ellie?”

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She thought about his question for a few seconds before answering. Mentally she was picking her way through all the information she’d learned today, trying to keep it all straight, figure out what it all meant. Where she fit into it. Where her dad and her brother fit in.

Her head was already pounding and a full-on headache wasn’t that far off.

“Do you mind if I lie down for a while? I need a little time to think.” Ellie turned her neck to look at him.

Antonin nodded, his expression solemn. “Sure.”

“Would you…come up with me?”

She didn’t want to be alone. If she were left to her own devices, it would all be too much, too overwhelming.

Without answering, Antonin gathered her into his arms as if she weighed nothing and headed back upstairs.

Her nose was on his neck. His scent surrounded her, pushing everything from her senses but him.

Instant desire for him rose, strong and hot, shutting off her brain. Ellie welcomed the feeling with a sigh of relief. This she understood. This she could handle.

In his bedroom, he set her on her feet and she wasted no time reaching for his pants. Antonin didn’t say a word, just let her unzip them.

Before the trousers hit the floor, his hands were stripping her of his t-shirt and boxers. In less than five seconds, he had her naked and on her back on the bed, her legs hanging over the side.

Ellie drew in a sharp breath that ended on a moan when he dropped to his knees, shouldered his way between her legs and put his mouth over her pussy.

With his hand flat on her stomach, he held her in place while his tongue traced the outer lips of her sex, still slightly swollen from their earlier sex play. He lapped at her, tasting her juices. His lazy strokes made her wet and her blood boil.

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She reached for him, sliding her fingers into his hair, urging him to hurry. But the man had an agenda of his own. To drive her out of her mind.

Antonin teased her with his tongue, swiping it between her lips then stiffening it before sliding it into her channel. It was almost enough. Her body arched, reaching for something he needed to give her. A release she wanted so badly she could taste it.

But then he pulled out his tongue and blew on her pussy lips, his warm breath creating a different kind of friction. Not bad, just not enough.

Her fingers tightened in his hair, trying to pull him closer, but he resisted. Even though she knew she had to be hurting him, she wouldn’t release him. He never even flinched.

Placing his lips over her clit, he sucked the little bundle of nerves into his mouth and nibbled, making her cry out and shudder. Sensations streaked into her womb, making it clench.

“Antonin, please.” She ached for more.

He didn’t lift his head from between her legs but the hand on her stomach slid to her breast, caressing her with a firm motion.

Almost there.

His other hand spread her right leg open just a little farther before she felt his fingers enter her sex and fuck her while his mouth continued suckling on her clit.

Tension built, the sharp pangs making her muscles tight with anticipation. His fingers moved in and out slowly at first, easily.

But Ellie didn’t want easy. She wanted hard, wanted to scream and come so hard it hurt.

She considered begging but she couldn’t form the words, her head thrashing from side to side. Antonin kept up a slow, steady pace until, finally, she felt the tension snap and her sex clench around his fingers as she cried out in orgasm.

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Antonin stood, Ellie’s cries still ringing in his ears. Her eyes were closed, her expression one of sheer pleasure. He’d never seen a more beautiful woman.

His balls tightened in warning and he knew if he didn’t get inside her soon he was going to come standing here.

With just a few movements, he grabbed a condom from the bedside table and covered himself. Then he rolled her on her side, curled himself around her pliant body and thrust inside her. He slid into her tight channel, the position making for a tight fit.

A perfect fit.

Bending her slightly forward with one hand on her shoulder, he let his hips take over, shuttling his cock back and forth between her legs into her still-pulsing sex. Ellie arched her back, pressing her hips even closer to his. One of her hands reached behind, searching. For him.

Her fingers found his cheek, rubbed along his scruffy jaw then slid into his hair and urged him still closer.

Even though his body wanted to race, Antonin forced himself to keep a slow, steady pace. He leaned forward until he could rest his mouth where her neck met her shoulder.

Gods, her soft skin was like silk. He rubbed his lips against her, feeling goose bumps rise, then opened his mouth and bit her. Not hard, just enough to satisfy his need to mark her.

Her gasp and the way her pussy clenched around him urged him on.

“Ellie, come on, babe. Come with me.”

She arched back into him again, the sound of her ass slapping against his thighs as sensual as her throaty moan.

Sliding his hand to her lower waist, Antonin sank his fingers into the curls on her mound then further to her clit. Taking the little nub between his forefinger and thumb, he tweaked it and rubbed. When she came again, he wanted to roar.

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Her cry triggered his release. Pulsing heat seared through him as his cock jerked and shot cum inside her.