A Spartan's Kiss (45 page)

“You look like you’ve survived your battle,” Dare whispered.

Tabithia was tempted to ask which one, but Aeros sitting so close, and the gods surrounding her, had her biting her inner cheek instead.

“‘Tis good. Now, Ares. You have wronged our daughter, stolen her from us when her spirit could have been aiding her sisters. For this, we agree with her demands. And yet, we do not wish for your death. Nor that of your Spartans.”

Bridget, the eldest, broke off when Ares sat forward, appearing ready to strangle on his words.

“Aided her sisters? She nearly died aiding her sisters. I found her nearly dead, trying to crawl back to a battle my Spartans would not have been able to win! Her arm was broken, crushed, her ribs cracked, her very life leaving her. If not for me? She’d have died on that battlefield.” He stood up, toppling his chair, and glared at the women, both powerful fists coming down hard on the table. “I saved her. Me! She was mine from that moment on. Not yours. You dare to claim her now? After forsaking her?”

Dare stood, as well, clearly shocked by Ares’ words. “Ares! How could you! You mustn’t bellow in such a way. ‘Tis no’ right. My goddess did not forsake me. I was a coward, too afraid to stand and fight.”

“You little fool! You were almost dead and still wanted back on that field. I’ve never seen such bravery, never seen a human, witch or otherwise, fight with such bravery, you silly woman.”

Ares brought his fist down on the table again, and a crack appeared in the surface, widening until the poor table toppled to the ground, cleaved in two.

“I will not suffer them to have you, nor my brother.” He took a breath and Dare screeched—like a banshee but much, much louder.

“I never, never wanted your brother, you stupid man!”

The silence after her scream was almost peaceful except for Aeros’ tense grip on Tabithia’s arm, and the breathless couple facing each other. Dare’s bangs had fallen in her eyes, and she was fisting her hands so tight her small body shook. Ares simply stood as if someone had knocked him in the head. Bridget had her bow up and out of the way, her feet firmly on the turf at her feet. The littlest one covered her mouth with her small hand and met the eldest’s stern look with a giggle.

“Well, that is finally done.” Bridget, the fighter, stood and hooked her bow over her shoulder, grimacing at the two lovers, and shook her head. “I would never have believed two people could be so stubborn, but you two have proven to be made for each other. Stubborn and hard-headed.”

Dare startled a glance at Bridget and slowly her cheeks flushed. “I—”

“I knew you didn’t accept him. I thought you wanted him, though, and I apologise for not trusting you,” Ares murmured.

Every eye in the glen landed on him. He’d somehow cleaned up, even put on his war gear, with his studded wristbands, and broad sword at his side. He glowed, slightly golden around the eyes. His power was back on.

Dare glanced down, fidgeting with her hands. “You are forgiven.”

Ares closed the distance between them and took her hands and brought them to his lips. “You are my dancer now,” he murmured then they were gone.

“Holy hell…” Tabithia said.

She glanced up at Aeros, and he looked just as amazed as she felt. Dare and Ares. Together. Ten years, huh? So much for the grovelling.

“She punished him by simply being out of reach, Tabithia. Even in his home, he couldn’t bear to touch her. His worries, inability to trust her, created a rift he couldn’t repair.”

“But was she his godhead? I mean, what of us? Of Aeros, I mean.” She felt Aeros lift his arm, and he pulled her close to his side.

“Aeros is still in danger.”

The new, unwelcome female voice set Tabithia’s teeth on edge. Artemis walked into view, her two fawns at her heels, the viper missing from her neck. This time, though, her clothing appeared nearly see-through. Tabithia narrowed her eyes at the woman’s chest. She could see her nipples. What the hell? The other woman—goddess, whatever—bugged Tabithia.

“I warned you before, Tabithia, you must save him.”

Aeros reacted to the threat in the goddess’s tone by moving Tab closer, clearly not liking Artemis either.

“Why are you here, Artemis?” Bridget the eldest called. The frown she wore was reflected on all three of her faces.

“We did not ask you to interfere,” the warrior Bridget added. She loosened her bow from her shoulder and settled one end in the turf at her feet.

Artemis tossed her head and dismissed both goddesses to focus on Aeros with an intensity that bothered Tabithia on a level that had her nearly growling. Thankfully, Aeros didn’t appear impressed with the scantily clad goddess.

“Ah, you are here for him. You think that he will recall you.” The youngest goddess tilted her head, her childlike face full of wonder. “But you must know his heart, his very soul is Tabithia’s.”

“It is?” Tabithia blurted before she could still the thought.

Aeros tipped her head up, and his gaze was charged with his emotions. “Always. Always.” He bent until all she could see was his face, his dark eyes shot through with love. Their lips met in a tender kiss just once before he pulled up. “With this breath I bind you—”

“No!” Artemis’ scream burst Tabithia’s eardrums. Tabithia stumbled back, but Aeros tugged her wrist and planted her against his chest. He tightened his embrace, crushing her to him as he fought to stand under an onslaught of wind and flying debris.

“Enough!” The three voices mingled into one long, low sound. It grew until the pain in Tabithia’s ear subsided and slowly dimmed as the syllables faded.

Blinking her eyes open, she caught hold of Aeros and tried to calm her racing heart. She felt like someone had shoved wood through her body, making her movements stiff and alarmingly slow. “Aeros?”

“You’re safe. I have you,” he whispered against her face, his deep voice full of something she’d not heard before. One look in his dark expression, and she saw the rage, utter, unblinking rage in his expression. Fear hit her hard, like a cold splash of water. He couldn’t fight a goddess and win.

“Don’t. For me. Don’t.”

He gazed at her for a long, intense moment before his face relaxed slightly and he nodded stiffly. She sucked in a breath and brushed her arm over her eyes. Damn, she was crying all the time.

“Don’t you remember, Aeros? Don’t you remember how I saved you? How you pledged your life to me? To me, not Ares. How I saved your life and that of your friend? I am yours. You wanted me. You just need to remember and leave this Celtic witch. She is blinding you, she must be. She’s spelled you into thinking you are hers.”

Aeros frowned at the goddess. Clearly he didn’t remember anything of what she said. “My life in Sparta was over centuries before. I don’t remember you saving me, nor anyone, Artemis.”

She wailed, and the fawns bolted from her side. “I was there for you. Always. I waited for you. For you to come to me, for your time with Ares to be over. But you turned to this little whore instead? A broken, pathetic woman who would never be able to satisfy you as I can?”

Aeros sucked in a breath at the word whore. His body turned to steel the more the crazy goddess spoke, but when the witch threw Tabithia’s past out at them, even showing her cutting herself, Tab had enough. Something inside snapped.

“What the hell!” She broke away from Aeros and stood, fists clenched, power filling her as she faced the witch. “You little whore. How dare you? I’ve lived and you’ve what? Read books? Played with your damn animals and men’s lives, it would seem! Where were you all these centuries, getting a manicure? If you wanted Aeros, you should have stepped up to the plate, chica. It’s too late to call foul ball now. He’s mine and no one, not Ares, not you, will take him from me. Got it?”

She added a blast of power on the last and shoved the goddess back against the nearest tree, about three hundred feet away. Holding her there, she made sure the little goddess could hear every word she said.

“And if I catch you near me or near Aeros again? I’ll let him kick your ass.”

Aeros stood next to her and chuckled. “Damn straight, baby. Now let up on the goddess, so she can leave.”

“As long as she doesn’t come back.”

Artemis fell to the forest floor, gasping and holding her throat. She struggled up and glared at them both. Head up, she straightened her robes and gradually drew closer. Tab kept her power ready, and Aeros, her man, brought his sword up.

“You heard her, Artemis. Tabithia is mine. And I am hers. Always hers.”

Making a nasty face, the goddess sniffed and glared at them, then over at the Three. “This is your fault.”

“Nay, ‘tis your fault. Aeros was always made for Tabithia, just as Tabithia was meant to give him enough strength to want to live. They are parts to the same whole, Greek. Best remember that.”

“If you ever want to, you know, break the mood again,” the warrior Bridget muttered. “Now, go. We have a ceremony to perform.”

With another dirty look, Artemis spun and disappeared in a flash of light.
What an actress
. Tabithia rolled her eyes at the youngest Bridget, and the child smiled over at her.

“You kick ass when you wish, little witch,” Bridget called, tugging her bow out of sight again. “I worried for a bit there, with the little cutting scene, but you have closed the page on that part of your life. Aeros will heal you, as you will heal him, I believe. But maybe work on the temper, eh? And maybe work on trusting your instinct more, Aeros and Tabithia.”

“Aye,” Aeros murmured and captured Tabithia for a big hug. “I am sorry, Tabithia for not telling you I knew and for not telling you my fears.”

“Oh, Aeros, I’m sorry too. I wanted to tell you, to talk about it with you, but after the alley, and your home, it just never felt like the right time, and it was such a good time. I think”—she broke off and took a deep, stress-free breath—“I think maybe Bridget is right. That part of my life has changed. Let’s just say you and Trouble have given me something more to fill it.”

“Ah.” Aeros grinned and snatched a quick, hard kiss. “I will fill your life, with love, so much love Tabithia.”

“You love me.”

It wasn’t a question, but her Spartan gave her a smouldering look. “Always. I’ll love you always. And beyond, Tabithia.”

She squealed from pure delight and didn’t even try to stop the happy sound.

Aeros grinned his cocky, heart-stopping grin and picked her up, spinning her in place.

Chapter Thirty-One

“Aeros, put her down, you’ll get her too dizzy to say the words.”

Tabithia sucked in a breath and cupped Aeros’ face, pressing wet kisses all over him as he set her down. She grinned up at him and turned towards what had to be her two aunts. Trouble he knew, but Sorcha he’d not met. Not even in council. She looked a great deal like her niece but not as vibrant. Tabithia laughed. She sounded so happy he couldn’t stop smiling. She glanced up at him and tiptoed to press a kiss to his jaw.

“Be right back.”

He didn’t stop her from racing over to her aunts. She practically toppled the two other women with the hug she gave them. He walked over in time to hear her aunts whispering.

“Goddess, I’m proud of you,” Trouble murmured in her hair.

“Ah, Tabithia, my love, you are whole, are you not?” Sorcha pulled back from their group hug to meet her eyes.

“I am.” She tossed her hair and gave him a happy look. “We both are.”

Sorcha lifted a delicate eyebrow and nodded. “Then we’d best get this ceremony started.”

Aeros cleared his throat. He’d been ready to bond her at home, even here in the glen, but a ceremony? He’d not brought the ring he’d found for her. Tabithia turned to him. She was so beautiful, and he was so damn lucky she’d forgiven him.

He swallowed twice before he could speak. “I don’t have her ring.”

She smiled and wiggled out of her aunts’ arms. “We don’t need a ring, just our words—those bind us.”

Just their words. He’d told her he loved her, but she’d not said the same. Something of his thoughts must have been clear to her for she walked up to him, closing the distance until she could reach up and touch his jaw. Her touch felt necessary. Her green eyes turned soft and warm and she leaned against his chest so that her body rested on his. His arms came up and curled around her automatically. She felt so right. All of this felt so quick, the truth about Ares and Dare, Artemis and her crazy accusations and now Tabithia in his arms. But her lovely face, full of such tenderness, reminded him of every other time she’d met his eyes. Love simmered there. He hoped.

“I love you, Aeros.”

Ah, God, his vision blurred like a baby. “I love you, Tabithia.” He sounded choked and later he’d be embarrassed but right now, with her looking at him like he could lift the world on his shoulders for her, he simply let her words settle over him. She loved him.

“With this breath, with this body,” she began, “with this heart,” she cupped his hand over her heart and did the same to him. “I freely bind myself to you for all time.”

Sweet gods. “With this breath,” he leant down and took her lips, kissing her thoroughly before drawing back far enough to say, “with this heart, I freely bind myself to you for all time, Tabithia.”

Instantly, the palm he had over her heart warmed and tingled until he felt his body trembling like a tuning fork. Light flooded him. Pure, beautiful Tabithia filled every secret place of his lonely soul and surrounded him with love and laughter. Against his body, he felt her shiver and gasp as the binding deepened until their hearts became one.

“With those vows, you are bound for all eternity. Life, happiness and love await you both.” The words dimmed and the sunshine slowly eased away until the warmth from their fireplace replaced it.

“Oh!” Tabithia huffed a laugh and shook her head against their coverlet. “Roses.”

He lifted his head and glanced around them. They were in his home—their home—but the bedroom was lit by the soft glow of firelight, and red rose petals left a trail across the floor all the way to the bed. “Beautiful.” He gazed down at her smiling face and brushed a kiss to her lips. “Can you ditch our clothes without me having to move, baby?”