Daughter of Asteria (The Daughter Trilogy) (43 page)

“Build up. Remember?”

He offers me a daring half grin, and then his eyebrows bounce up and down before flashing his

body against mine. His hands grip me through the dress, as his lips control mine.

The feverish flow of his breath entering my body forces me to groan in pleasure, and his grip

threatens to rip my dress free from my body.

“No, no, no!” Camara growls as she storms in and separates us. “I swear. You two have no

respect for tradition. Hasn’t anyone told you it’s bad luck to see the bride before the wedding?” she

scolds.

Devin grins sheepishly, and I blush severely.

“Adisia isn’t superstitious,” Devin teases.

“Well I am, and I’m supposed to be the maid of honor, so here I am doing my duty for the bride.

Out,” she commands while pointing to the door.

Devin laughs a little, and then his eyes look me up and down one last time before he completely

disappears out the door.

“I love you,” he murmurs gently.

“I love you,” I giggle back with such dorky demeanor.

“You two are pitiful,” Camara laughs.

“So, when are you and Deacon getting married,” I boldly tease.

She heaves out her laughter and shakes her head.

“Just let me know when hell freezes over, and then I’ll walk down the aisle. I’m too wild to tame,

sweetie,” she chuckles out.

I smile as she disappears, but the door opens almost as soon as it shuts. Jace walks in, and his

eyes almost pop out of his head when they rest on me.

My dress fits too perfectly, and my hair has been curled and pinned to one side to offer one

shoulder a veil. Each brushstroke was very deliberate for makeup placement, and every piece of my

body has been thoroughly primped.

“Wow,” he barely manages.

“Thank you,” I say with mock smugness as I give him a modeling twirl.

“I only thought I hated Devin until now,” he gushes.

“Jace,” I warn.

His eyes turn more serious, and I feel the sudden awkwardness.

Please don’t do this, Jace.

“I know I said I would back off, and I have. You’re getting married though, and I still think we’re

meant to be together. If you marry him, your powers will be bound to each other, and you’ll be locked

in for life,” he says very rapidly.

“We’re already locked in for life. This is just making it official. I sincerely believe your mom

saw you standing by me, but that doesn’t mean you were meant to be with me. Don’t chase me, Jace.

I belong to him,” I console.

“You don’t belong to anyone, and it shouldn’t matter if he’s your trigger or somehow immune to

all your powers. It doesn’t make him the one,” he argues.

“You’re right. None of that makes him the
one.
The fact I can’t imagine a day without him in my

life is what makes him the one.”

“I think you’re wrong, and I know this is a mistake. I know this sounds crazy, but I love you. I

love you, Adisia,” he whimpers.

He flashes toward me, but I hold my hand up just before he reaches me. It lightly pounds against

his chest to halt his fruitless endeavor, and his eyes drop hopelessly.

“I love Devin,” I repeat. “I’m sorry.”

He takes a deep breath and quickly flashes out of the room to relieve me of the puppy dog eyes

he’s about to cry out of. I flop down on the bed and fight off tears of my own.

I hear the wedding march playing, and I know everyone is waiting on me to make my grand

entrance.

Now my prize moment has been stolen by the pain I’ve just inflicted on Jace. Most of the guys

here have taken numerous stabs at making me their trophy, but no one has told me they loved me.

Now Jace has been torn apart by my cruel rejection, and I’m worried I’ll never see him again.

I slowly stand up, and I feel my heavy legs wobbling beneath me as I flash down the stairs. As

soon as the doors open, I’m blinded, but not by the radiant sun.

The white has filled my eyes, and this time I’m seeing the blinding glow. I scream in agony as I

feel stabs of pain surging through me, and it’s as if there’s something piercing my lungs.

Muffled, echoed voices barely reach the grasp of my ears as panic sets in among the crowd. Then

I see what Asteria wants show me. She’s throwing me through Safina’s barricade that keeps all others

out, and I scream more with each step my impossible vision takes.

Safina is speaking to the leader of the Athena bitches. I see vines ripping free from the ground

and swirling around victoriously. Time fast forwards and I see us fighting. Van is killing me as he

invokes my fear, and it completely destroys my mind. Everyone is depending on me, but he’s

stopping me from being the savior they expect.

I scream louder as I see Devin being held down by Safina, and her gloating eyes wink just before

she repeats the same deadly blow she delivered once before.

Time rewinds, and I see us… here… now. I’m in my wedding dress, and there’s something

coming.

Heaps of sirens, Medusa soldiers, and so many more are stalking toward us with deadly intent.

They’ve been sent as a distraction. They’ve been sent to thin our herd, and they’re not far away.

I gasp for air as the white subsides, and reality slowly starts to return. I look around to see

everyone screaming my name, but I can still just barely hear them. Finally, all of my cognitive

functions return at once, and the dull screams turn to piercing shrieks.

“Adisia, please, baby, talk to me,” Devin pleads as he holds me in his arms.

“Get everyone out,” I breathlessly command.

“What?” he says with puzzled dismay.

“Now. Everyone go now. Every enemy of everyone here is on their way, and we don’t have long

before they reach us,” I murmur with a grimace as I free myself from the humbled position.

“I don’t see anything,” Devin says with a little concern.

“You won’t. Safina sent them, and she’s having her mignon block them from you like only that

person can do. The daughters of Athena and Safina aren’t with them. They want them to take out

some of our army, and we’ve got to get out everyone we can now,” I demand.

Theia’s eyes widen, and she turns to face Deidra.

“Start loading the jets. We’ll come as soon as we can,” she urges.

“We’ll stay and fight beside you,” Lydia asserts.

“No. That’s what they want. They know you’re here, and they’ve sent your counterparts to take

you out. Go. That’s an order,” I blare.

I see the sand stirring wildly miles down the road, and suddenly Jace is at my side. Theia

continues pushes the masses back, and she shouts at them.

“The Emperian said to leave. Go. Go now. We’ll call you when we’re safe,” she promises.

“I don’t suppose you saw the outcome of the fight,” Jace says warily.

“No, but I can promise you I’m not going to die before I’m married,” I gripe.

Devin’s hand squeezes mine, and I feel the wind starting to whistle in raging streaks.

Shrill screams erupt just as the sun fully sets behind the horizon of the ocean, and Hale begins

rushing in.

I scream, “No. They’ve sent something that captures your light and sends it back at you.”

He skids to a halt, and returns to us just as abruptly.

“They have a deflector?” he panics. “That’s impossible. Deidra killed the last of them long ago

to keep them away from me.”

“This one won’t last long,” I murmur with an echoed tone as Aphrodite and Asteria begin swapping

power trips.

“Easy, baby. Not yet,” Devin cautions while squeezing my hand.

“Why not?” my voice chimes out, and I flash him a wicked grin as the earth in front us starts to

quake.

I feel something new stirring violently and begging to break free. Each bit of me tingles with

dangerous excitement, and then I feel the heat rising from me.

“Tell me you’re immune to this too,” I say to Devin.

“Immune to what?” he worries.

I touch Jace, and he squeals as my hand burns against his skin.

“Shit! What the hell is that?” he screeches.

Devin’s eyes widen, and I feel the anxiety rushing through his body as he grips my hand even

tighter.

“I’m immune,” he breathes uneasily.

“That’s all I needed to know,” I say with a devilish grin as I begin stalking toward the terrifying

screams.

“We’re not,” Hale panics.

My eyes burn brighter, and the fire suddenly explodes from me to spread a warning of what’s to

come if they dare to fight. The screams of the sirens begin weighing down everyone… but me.

I smile as I see Hale’s adversary step into view, and they all charge us at once when they see the

screams of the sirens have done their jobs.

The sight of Devin crumbling under the pointed shrills wipes away my smile, and I release my

newfound power at the only thing holding Hale back.

The man from my warning vision crumbles beneath the blaze, and the wide eyes of the sirens let

me know they’re smarter than the last ones we encountered.

They release their shrieking battle call and begin fleeing. Kry whips his blades through the air,

and Devin brings the ocean to the fight.

He launches a ripple that shatters one man, and then the ocean drags several out to sea. Persia

opens the sky and Kahl aides me in my fiery attack.

I feel more power surging through me, and I force out an even stronger flame.

Everyone in front of us crumbles and ashes as the fire consumes them. The weakening effects of

my sudden burst stings, but the power inside of me is burning too strong to let go. I love it too much

to let it subside.

“Devin, stop her before she kills herself. It’s too much,” Kahl yelps as he shields himself from

the blare of my stronger flames.

“Not until they’re all dead,” a new voice speaks from my mouth, and it scares me with its deeper

tone mingling with mine, forcing an echo around the oddly united sounds.

“Damn it. Kaos is fully awake. Stop her now,” Kry screams.

Devin steps directly into the flames that are swirling around me before flashing to me.

His eyes show fear as they stare into mine, and I feel myself growing even weaker as his lips grip

mine. His hands pull me into him and keep me from dropping to the ground as everything around me

fades from my eyes.

I feel the darkness swirling in, and I don’t bother fighting the sleep it drags me into.

“She’s been out for longer
this time,” Theia worries, and I can barely hear her hollow voice.

“That was another awakening. She has three awake, and I don’t know if she can handle that

much. I don’t know how she’s handling Asteria and Aphrodite as it is. Adding Kaos is just too

much,” Persia whimpers.

“Her eyes swirled red and black. He’s definitely awake,” Kahl grumbles. “Her fire was too hot

for even me. I’ve never felt anything like it. I’m surprised no one from our side was injured.”

I could have injured someone?

I barely remember anything this time. It’s like I was outside of my body watching a show.

“It’s amazing you’re immune to that as well,” Persia sighs.

“She checked to make sure I would be,” Devin adds. “She held some control until the very end.

The power is just too intoxicating right now. She’s struggling to release it,” he worries.

“How did you walk through that?” Kry inserts.

“We’ve already gone through this. The only bit of me that suffered was my clothes. I never felt a

thing - other than severe panic when I saw her eyes,” he sighs.

“You’re scared of her?” Kahl asks with a touch of dread, and in that moment my heart threatens to

stop beating.

“Of course not. I’m worried about her having three fucking entities awake. Only one should be

awake, and none should ever control. I’ve never seen anyone controlled by an awakened entity, and

I’ve sure as hell never thought it possible to have three awake. What happens if they all keep waking

up?” Devin panics.

“We should explore the option of blocking her Kaos part,” Theia prompts. “I know you objected

before, but-”

Theia stops short when I finally manage to groan a little when I grow agitated with hearing them

talk about me as if I’m a child with no say.

“Adisia? Are you okay?” Devin gently murmurs as he pulls me into his arms.

“I’m fine. I think. Someone want to fill me in on what happened after the second blaze?” I

growl.

“You don’t remember?” Devin says with more fear rattling around.

“No, but I’m assuming it was bad considering I smell like an incinerator, and you’re all

discussing blocking my Kaos part again. Want to give me the highlights?” I grumble.

“You went supernova, and you almost killed yourself while trying to rid the world of the filth

attacking us,” Kry says rapidly.

“Okay… How did I almost kill myself?” I slowly draw out.

“The power you used was too much in such an early state of awakening. Kaos woke-”

“Yeah. I got that part. You can block him after we face Safina. I need everything I’ve got to beat

her,” I assert.

“Adisia, this is so new, and none of us really know how it’ll play out if they all try to take over at

once,” Devin murmurs with hesitance.