War's Passion (Sons of War) (9 page)

“What happened when you killed the Imperial?”

A
sick feeling churned in her belly. “It was self-defense.”

Drawing her
closer, he kissed her forehead. “You did what you had to. Plus, he would have killed you without a thought.”

He was right. The hatred in the man’s features as he held Ash at knifepoint said there was no pure bone left in his body. “I felt helpless while Ash was being
threatened. I did the only thing I knew I could. As soon as I got in the position to make skin contact with him, I poured everything into him and told him to let us go and stab his own heart.”

Relief flooded her when Markus didn’t move away. Instead he continued the slow, calming circles on her back with his fingers. “That
’s why you are tired. Well, that and your body is healing itself.”

Nodding, she yawned and let her eyes drift close.
She’d guessed the same thing. The ability to heal three times faster than a normal human had always made her a little low on energy. With the extent of the injury from the god bolt and the amount of power she used on the Imperial male, she wasn’t surprised she was so tired.

Even with Thea’
s help healing.

“Sleep. You’ll need your strength for training tomorrow.”

A smiled tugged at her lips. “I’ll kick your butt all over the gym this time.”

He chuckled and eased down so he laid flat on the mattress. “That sounds like a challenge, Ms. Preston.”

“You betcha…” she said as she drifted off to sleep.

Chapter Fifteen

June 29, 1977

It’s been about nine months since I met my friend, Garrick
, and about six months since I started working in his research division. The amount of reference material that I have at my disposal is overwhelming and exciting. I wish I could call on my mother to verify the authenticity of it all. Then again, if she was permitted to talk with me, I could ask her directly what I desired to know. Like, how many others like me are out there? I know there are others. I just haven’t found them.

Yet, Aphrodite
is bound by the curse placed on them all by Zeus after the war between the gods and humans thousands of years ago. She, like all the other gods, is not allowed direct contact with her earth borne children.

I understand t
he whys, but I don’t understand the logic. My powers are bound. I’m no threat to the gods, nor do I have any desire to overtake the Heavens.

I want to keep the balance between the worlds and find others like me to help keep that balance.
That’s what I’m hoping Garrick will be able to help me with and the reason why I told him about my heritage today. I was pleased to learn that he, too, is a demi-god. He shares my vision of meeting others like us.

He even told me he’s
working on a way to unlock our powers to aid in finding the others. I’m excited to finally be able to give back to the gods who watch over us.

Gwen stopped reading and
glanced around the too quiet room. She, Markus, and Zavier came to the study after she’d showed Markus the journal entry. “It’s not much, but it’s a start, right?”

Markus nodded, but it was
Zavier who spat out, “Gary is no more a demi-god than I can transform into Pegasus.”

Gwen laughed, but pressed her lips together when she met Markus’s unamused gaze. His
was mouth set in a harsh line. Amused, she bit back a giggle, because his lips twitched as if withholding his smile. It was in the way his eyes shimmered from the black of the dragon to the dark blue that was his natural eye color.

“My father always had a
good, caring heart. He saw the positive in everything.” A lump formed in her throat and she swallowed it, not allowing the pain to rise and overtake her. It was time to move past the pain and seek the justice that would make Tom Preston proud.

Zavier
sat next to her. “You mentioned research division. That almost confirms my theory that Garrick has a home base somewhere.”

“He has to sleep somewhere
,” Gwen said.

Markus tapped his finger on the dark
, cherry-colored oak desk. “Not necessarily. We don’t need a lot of sleep. Maybe a few hours a day. Sometimes, if needed, we can go for days without sleep.”

Gwen t
hought about that. “Well, hell. That would mean he could be anywhere while his Imperials are managing home base.”

Zavier nodded. “But it’s just as important that we find the facilities and take them out.”

“Ash will know.”

Markus snorted. “And
she’d tell us, why?”

Gwen narrowed her gaze at him. “Because I’m going to ask her.”

The dragon on the other side of desk held her gaze for several moments before raising his brow. “Give all the info to Zavier, even if it is a half-truth or untrue. Gods have a way of twisting words so they can tell you things without coming out and saying them.”

“Ash isn’t a
goddess.”

Markus sighed. “Yes, she is
a goddess by law. She was born in Olympus.”

And because Gwen was born on earth
, and had her powers locked at birth, she wasn’t worthy of the title. Even though she was only one third human.

Whatever,
she wasn’t sure she wanted to be a goddess anyway. Although having powers to fight Garrick and the Imperials would be an added bonus.

“I’ll ask her after dinner.”

Markus’s lips lifted in a sensual, yet dangerous smile. “Make that breakfast tomorrow. I have plans for you the rest of today, this evening, and tonight.”

Desire tingled in her belly, then spread through her like a wildfire. Gods, she couldn’t wait to get him all to herself.

Zavier cleared his throat. “Gwen also needs time to read the journal for more info.”

Gwen took a breath and pushed away the desire, for now. “I’ll keep searching. I want Garrick stopped as much you guys do.”

Markus walked around the desk, stopped in front of her, and leaned against it. Zavier closed his laptop and quietly left the room. It made Gwen wonder if the two men used their brotherly-telepathic abilities with one another.

However, she didn’t have time to ask. Markus took the tablet from her and set it on the desk behind him, out of her reach.
“You are still low on energy.”

“I feel fine.”

Leaning forward, he placed his hands on the chair arms and caged her in. “No, you’re not. As a love goddess, you need sex to recharge.”

Her heart skipped a beat, then pounded like it was in her head. “I do not,” she squeaked, making Markus grin.

Damn, sexy dragon.

“Shall I call Aphrodite and ask her?”

Gwen shook her head.

“Why not?”

Staring into his dragon-like gaze, she whispered. “Because I already know.”

He inched closer and brushed his lips against her cheek and she fought a whimper and the need to rub up against him.
Inhaling deeply, she closed her eyes. The draw to him grew stronger each day. She didn’t understand it. She barely knew him, yet her body didn’t care.

His kiss was
quick and soft before he pulled back. Opening her eyes, she watched him extend his hand to her. “Come, take a walk with me.”

She placed her hand in his and allowed him to pull her
up with the trust she’d never felt for anyone in her life, but her parents and Elle.

****

Markus led Gwen down the path toward the beach. He loved the ocean during the early evening. With the sun hidden by the mountain behind them, the whole section of beach was cast in a shadow, making the sand and the water seem darker.

Beside him, Gwen drew in a deep breath and sighed. “I love the ocean.”
When she look up at him, she let out a soft, musical laugh. “I guess I told you that already.”

H
is lips tugged into a smile as he ran his knuckles down her cheek and watched her lean into his touch. “What else do you love?”

She tilted her head. “I don’t think there is anything that I don’t love.”
Her brows dipped as she frowned and added, “Beside Garrick and anyone out to harm my family and friends.”

Markus smil
ed again and couldn’t remember the last time he’d smiled like this. There was a time that he was content with life enough to be happy, but never felt so alive just by being near someone.

“Go for a swim with me
?”

Gwen look
ed around the beach, then to the ocean. “You’re serious? I don’t have a swimsuit.”

He waggled his brows. “You don’t need one.”

Her eyes grew round and she stepped back. “You mean skinny dip? In the ocean?”

I
rritation started to set in, dampening his good mood. “Are you chicken?”

She bit her bottom lip, which made his cock twitch behind the zipper of his jeans, and glance
d at the water. “Is this beach private?”

He nodded
. A shy smile formed on her lips as she stepped closer to him. “Do something for me first?”

Unfolding his arms, he wrapped them around her waist and drew her into him. “What does my little love
goddess want?”

Her nose
scrunched up at the title, and she flatted her hands on the chest. “Change into your dragon.”

Drawing back, he studied
her. There was no fear in the blue depths of her eyes, just curiosity.  “Are you sure?”

Her head bobbed up and down
. “I need to get over my fears. I trust you, even in the short time that we’ve known each other. If I agree to have sex with you to gain my strength back, I need to be able to accept all of you.”

He pressed a kiss to her forehead, then stepped back
, knowing her eyes never left him while he stripped. Her gaze caressed his naked skin and, gods, if it didn’t feel like a physical touch.

Fuck
. His body warmed and his skin tingled, needing her hands on him.

Once his clothes were re
moved, he turned and walked about twenty feet from her. He didn’t want his tail or wings injuring her as he shifted. Turning to face her, he spread his arms. Usually he could shift in a matter of seconds, sometimes faster, depending on the situation, but right now he wanted to take it slow.

M
ostly because he didn’t want to scare her.

“What are you waiting on?” she called out
, teasing.

The corner of his lips lifted as he
visualized his dragon in his head. It was an automatic process. One he’d been born knowing, since he was never a child and most things came naturally to him and his brothers.

Giving
into his dragon and allowing the beast to take over, he completed the transformation. The burn of power grew from the center of his chest then shot out in all directions as his body grew and changed in a flash of black and blue.

Extending his wings, he stretched them wide before folding them back into his body. He
stared down the beach and spotted Gwen where he’d left her. Only now she appeared to be closer due to the fact he was now the size of a passenger train car.

Lowering his large body into the warm sand, he
waited—hoping she wouldn’t have a panic attack—for her to approach him. It was ten painfully slow minutes before she approached. Excitement he never knew before filled him at her acceptance.

Hesitation slowed her steps and when
stopped about a foot away from his snout, she just stared.

Growing impatient, Markus sent her a thought, unsure if it would work.
Although he could connect telepathically with his brothers and the gods with ease, he wasn’t so sure it would be the same with Gwen. Yet there was always a small chance it would, considering she was almost a full-blooded goddess herself.

I will not harm you. Besides it
is killing me to hold onto my patience for much longer.

S
urprise lit up her face, showing she heard his thoughts. “How?”

I can communicate to most gods and my brothers through thought.

Her blue eyes danced with delight and he wanted to kiss her. “I’m not a goddess.”

A growl rumbled through him
and she stepped back. He sighed and laid his head on the sand.
Come here, Gwen.

W
ith her hand extended, she stepped forward until her palm touched his nose. Smiling, she ran her hand down the side of his jaw. “You are incredibly soft.”

Thanks, I think.

Gwen laughed and relaxed her shoulders. “It is a compliment. I expected the scales to be rough, but they almost feel like soft leather.”

With her hand still on him, she walked
along his side. He turned his head so he could watch her. Stopping where his wings started, she ran a careful hand over the joint and down the edge of his wing. He shuddered, making her jerk her hand away.

Don’t stop. That feels good.

“Oh.” A glimpse pink appeared in her cheeks.

Would you like to fly?

She twisted back around, her eyes lit with excitement. “Are you serious?”

He nodded his large head and extended a wing.
Just climb up. Don’t worry, you can’t hurt me. My wings are just as strong as my arms and legs.

A nervous laugh escaped her as she slowly crawled onto his wing, then up his back. Settling herself between where his wings connected to his back, she rested her legs atop of his wings.

You ready?

“Yes,” she said on a laugh that told him she was enjoying herself.

Good.
He and his dragon loved it when she was smiling, calm, and happy, which they hadn’t seen much since meeting her. They’d have to change that, he decided as he stood.

Gwen let out a squeak and laid on her belly and tried to hold onto his neck. Laughing in his head, he flapped his large wings and leaped in the air. It was always tricky taking off from the ground, but it was a skill
he and each of his brothers had learned in order to be able to retreat at a moment’s notice. Wind gusts coming off the mountain aided his lift off.

They
flew over the ocean because it was safer than flying over the village. Even though the villagers knew about them and trusted them, they still feared their dragons. Markus and his brothers agreed not to expose their beasts too often in order to keep the residents of Serenity Cove peaceful and stress free. Especially with Garrick making the occasional appearance to plant fear in the people Markus and his brothers protected.