Bliss (10 page)

“You seem to be handling things pretty well
.” He said it casually, while his large, muscular leg moved between hers. She felt his toes gently scrap the inside of her calf, and she gulped. She was no longer cold from the breeze as passion rippled through her, flames lighting from her calf to the pit of her stomach, leaving her all but breathless.

“Whatever,” she replied, trying once again to assume her
most sarcastic tone.
Forget about him. He doesn’t matter. All that matters is getting away.

“Kassandra,
” he said, as gently as he had ever spoken to her, “I know this has been strange. Heck, it’s been somewhat strange for me, too, but I like your courage, your spunk and your...um, ability to adapt. I’ve got to go somewhere today and you’re going to have to come along with me because of that damn book, but trust me, once I’ve figured out how to get unbound from it, I’ll let you go back to your normal life. As for today, I hate to say it, but it’s not going to be a picnic. Saad, has arranged for us to use his yacht and after breakfast we’re going out to sea.”

“That sea?” she asked. She looked out at the Atlantic and felt the southwest wind. She also noticed how the swell was picking
up.

“That sea,” he
confirmed, taking a small sip of coffee and grimacing immediately.

“I take it you don’t drink coffee,” she said, almost laughing.

Leaning back in the patio chair, he stuffed two large strawberries in his mouth before answering her. “That stuff is disgusting. I have no idea how you humans drink it.

You
humans? What the hell does that make him?

“The yacht is ready at your disposal,” said Saad, entering the patio with his favorite female pet hanging off his arm.

Annoyed at the interruption, Kassandra eyed the beauty who was all but salivating at Darius. She secretly hoped the woman drooled and made a fool of herself.

“Would you like me to come with you, Darius?” asked Fiona, dropping Saad’s arm to sashay towards their table.

Kassandra fought the urge to throw a piece of fruit at her.

“That won’t be necessary. Thanks
, Saad,” said Darius, who immediately got up to move her chair back for her.

She fought the urge to flash Fiona a wicked smile. That wo
uld be way too childish, even for the mood she was in right now.

“Darius
, before you leave, a moment of your time,” said Saad, holding open the patio door for them.

“That won’t be necessary
, Saad. I will see you later tonight.” His tone broached no argument, and once again Kassandra watched as Saad bowed his head in acknowledgment.

“The sharks...”
he said in a small voice.

Darius turned to face Saad, his voice gruff as he said, “I am not worried
, nor should you be. We will be fine.”

“Take this, just in case,” said Saad, handing Darius a large blue crystal.

As Darius cradled the crystal in his large hand, a look of complete disbelief came over his face. “Where did you...?”

“Your mother,” said Saad, brushing
past them.

Darius
growled low in his throat and eyed their host. A range of conflicting emotions played across his face.

Kassandra knew she had to do something to distract him from going after Saad.
“Darius where are we going?”

“To hell and back...I hope,” he replied, taking her by the arm,
to march them out of the house.

Gone was the compassionate Darius
, and once again the imposing Greek warrior who chilled her heart and soul stood shoulder to shoulder with her. And once again, Kassandra shivered with mixed emotions.

Darius loved to listen to Reece talk. His nephew was the anchor holding him in place for this suicide mission. He couldn’t fail them. His
mardom
was counting on him and the fact a decade had passed and he’d been helpless to help made him furious with the Fates. He was pleased to know his sister had used her gift to ease their anxiety. Mentally, he tried to connect with her but failed. Darius was praying silently that when he raptured he’d be able to touch base with family.

The yacht was speedy
, and in no time Darius found himself exactly where he wanted to be. Now came the hard part. He was still trying to figure out a way to rapture into his true form without killing Kassandra.

Piloting the yacht
, he’d been surprised to see joy light up her face. He had watched with amusement as she sauntered about the deck with sea legs that would make an accomplished sailor proud. As it was, it made him hot and hard for her. His eyes kept getting diverted by her cute ass as she romped playfully around in the tight space. Knowing that she was also wearing a lacy, white thong that his eyes could discern didn’t help matters. And, just where had she gotten those tight jeans, or that blasted tank top that barely concealed her bountiful breasts? he wondered. He wished he’d tied his long hair back with something to keep it from flying into his eyes.

There had been a time he’d kept it cut short and neat. No longer. What was the point? Once he raptured into his
Titan form, his hair grew back to its shoulder length so keeping it constantly trimmed had become a nuisance.

Kassandra’s laugher
broke through his thoughts. She stood at the stern of the yacht, her arms outstretched, her face titled back in joy as the sun’s rays steamed over her slim body.

He had thought she’d be nervous on the water. Learning she practically grew up on boats of all sorts explained her ease.

“What’s that?” she asked, moving from the stern to stand next to him as she reached for the binoculars.

Darius didn’t binoculars. He could hear the hum of life coming from the island, even though it was dark and fuzzy to his eyes. He knew to the human eye, it would look like a small island. To him, it was
Miradith
, the place the high court of Cabiri had currently chosen for its location and his summoning. The fact
Miradith
was one temperamental, very-much-alive island bothered him. Why Sangarius, a mighty river god and first born son to Oceanus, had created the island still remained a mystery to all. It was more of a headache than anything else. Darius slowed the engine down to stop the yacht.

“Is this it?” Kassandra asked, putting the binoculars back in their case.

Darius moved to the side of the boat. A slight cool breeze ruffled his hair. He took a deep breath and the scent of salt water filled his senses. His heart filled with longing for the sea. As if it could read his thoughts, two dolphins surfaced, spraying him with water.

“Dolphins, Darius
! Look at them, aren’t they beautiful?” said Kassandra, her eyes sparkling in the high sun.

“Yes, beautiful,” said Dar
ius, turning to look at her. She turned her face to his, a pink blush spreading across her cheeks. Grabbing the rail he fought the urge to take her in his arms and kiss those lush lips of hers. Knowing his voice was gruffer than he intended, he asked “Do you know how to snorkel?”

The light disappeared from her eyes as she replied, “Yes.”

“Good, put these on, and we’re going in.” He handed her a snorkel mask and flippers.

With
easy familiarity, she slipped the flippers onto her small feet.

“Darius
, where exactly are we going?”

It was on the tip of his tongue to say
“Tartarus,” but he caught himself just in time. Instead he said, “I’m going to that island and you’re going in the ocean,” as he undid the top button on his jeans.

“You’re not...”

“Not what, Kassandra? Not stripping? No, nothing like that,” he said grinning as he shrugged his body out of the tight confines of his jeans, hoping for once his bloody erection wouldn’t command any attention. He heard her hitch her breath and the Titan part of him almost purred in satisfaction, knowing she wasn’t missing anything as he stood before her in all his splendor.

“Darius, seriously, you’re planning to skinny dip in the Atlantic?”

Was that a touch of fear in her voice? The Titan in him said so, while the compassionate part of him tried to reason her fear. Swimming in the middle of the ocean wasn’t that unusual, but the chill of the water would nip into her skin after about ten minutes.
By Zeus, why didn’t I think to bring along a human wet suit for her?
Annoyed at himself, he realized he hadn’t taken time to care for her feelings. And that irked him more.

“Um, those
jeans of yours are going to have to come off,” he said, fighting the urge to grin. She looked down and realized she’d put the flippers on first without taking off her pants. He especially liked how her eyes grew wide with shock as the full meaning of what he said penetrated her brain.

“What...oh...I hadn’t thought of that,” she said, her cheeks now flaming red.
“Look the other way. And, Darius, no peeking.”

He
wasn’t surprised by her request. Humans and their modesty! But then again, seeing her strip might make him forget the importance of his mission. Plus, he already longed to rip off her clothes.

Knowing they’d never get in the sea unless he complied
, he forced his body to turn in the opposite direction. He could hear her unzip her jeans and tried to think of some mundane thing before his erection took on a life on its own.

“Ready,” she
said, giving him the grace to turn around.

Darius knew he was staring. Who wouldn’t? He eyed her graceful form. She wore a white thong, its lace barely covering her dark curls
. Worse yet, she’d also taken off her shirt.

His heart did a double take. That was the last thing he had expected. He’d tasted her. Knew she was an innocent, yet there she stood before him
, holding herself proud, her chin tilted up in defiance, while her breasts beckoned to him. The beast within him roared to life. He couldn’t pry his eyes away from her dark rosy buds as they peaked from the gentle breeze.

“Darius...”

He couldn’t stop himself. He advanced toward her, knowing his erection was huge and pulsing. He heard her indrawn breath and knew her heartbeat was accelerating. There was more than a whisper of fear in her voice as she tried to back away from him, but she was tight up against the yacht’s rail with no place to turn except to him.

His arms circled her small waist, grabbing her ass, bringing her in tight and close to his arousal. Her head barely reached below his chin.

“Darius, we should...”

She tried to bring her arms up in a pathetic attempt to put some distance between them, but he growled a low, throaty warning that vibrated through him.

“These are mine.” There was no hesitation. No pause, as he breathed the words into her lips and then moved his head down to claim her peaked nipple with one long suckle. Her body bent to meet his need and it took every ounce of willpower not to hoist her ass up high onto the railing, fling her legs around his waist, rip that thong to shreds with his teeth, and delve his painful erection into her tight sheath.

He inhaled deeply
, reveling in her scent. He suckled harder bringing as much of her breast into his mouth as he could. He cupped her ass cheeks, his fingers pressing into the round globes in earnest when he stepped between her open legs.

His erection throbbed against her belly as he managed to bring her in closer, so he could deepen his suckle. He heard her moan of delight and moved a hand down from her ass to feel what his senses could smell. Her lacy thong was damp with sex. He felt her move her trembling legs a bit further apart and he didn’t hesitate. Sliding his hand inside her thong from behind, he dove one finger in deep. She was hot, tight and slick with need. She arched her neck back in pleasure and he took a small step back to admire the view.

She tilted her head back to look at him and the look of pure pleasure cresting in her brown eyes and turning them a dark shade of chocolate made him growl. Her chestnut hair fell down past her shoulders, swaying in the breeze. She reminded him of the graceful royal blood Hu’lan Sirens, who lived in the Red Sea. The Sirens there lived in harems where they were trained in the art of sexual pleasure. A finer art, he couldn’t imagine.

His eyes burned as the pain of the rapture, the pain of wanting to claim her, tried
to take over. Her eyes gave his body a leisurely once over, and the look was so sexy it almost undid him. He could just imagine what he looked like to her. His body was straining to keep the rapture at bay. He knew his arm muscles were bulging and that his erection was huge and pulsing with a need that made him grit his teeth. The pain of the rapture, the desire to claim her was running like a cyclone through his veins.

Her
small hands reached out to grasp him and he heard his own indrawn breath as both of her hands claimed his member.

“You are so huge, beautiful and sleek,” she mouthed the words as her eyes took in all of him. “And there is no way we could ever...”

He knew what she was thinking as she eyed his arousal warily.
There is no way we can make love.
He damned the lust that raged like a rutting sea lion in heat. Why she wasn’t running from him remained a mystery to him. He knew he looked like a caged beast, but the Titan in him wanted more.