Daughter of Asteria (The Daughter Trilogy) (31 page)

“I’m glad to hear you’re back to your normal self,” I say to emulation of sun.

“Seeing you in such skimpy attire makes me forget my place. My apologies,” he jokes.

I nudge him with my elbow, and he swirls me around.

“He’s trying to make you jealous,” Hale whispers carefully.

“I know,” I whisper back.

He gives me a menacing smirk, and I can tell he’s learned my plan.

“Anything he can do, you can do better,” he murmurs in a deeply muted tone.

“I know,” I mouth.

I strip off the sarong, and reveal the goddess body Aphrodite has reacquainted me with as I flash

my green eyes to Hale. He laughs a little, and Devin’s jaw clenches before he turns his back on me

completely.

“Shall we?” Hale tempts.

“I don’t see anyone stopping us,” I mock.

Gemma skips over to Devin, and I see her climb onto the countertop to face him. It’s killing me

to see him with someone he’s been with. I hope this is a juvenile jealously game and not real.

I feel arms scooping me up and throwing me over a shoulder. I scream out my laughter as Hale

charges me down to the water.

I laugh harder as the water splashes up to warn me of its perfect temperature. He launches me

gently, and I splash into the light ocean completely devoid of any tainted residue.

Gemma flashes out with her bathing suit that’s too skimpy for her to pull off, and Devin slowly

strolls out behind her with his sexy as hell shorts dangling from his waist

He brought those on purpose. Damn him. Now I wish I had chosen a sexier suit.

“Oh hell yeah. Adisia in a bathing suit,” Jace jokes.

Hale gives me a wink as he whispers again.

“Devin’s going to regret this game when the others arrive. There will be more men than women

attending this thing,” he murmurs.

“Just remind me not to go too far. I don’t want to hurt anyone,” I mumble.

He chokes on the ocean water that has just been inhaled into his lungs, and I laugh hysterically at

the misconception.

“I meant … mentally… with my powers,” I chuckle out.

I feel myself being scooped up again, and I feel the currents colliding with the water. Jace smiles

as he pulls me to his body a little too close.

“Down boy,” Hale lashes.

His eyes dance menacingly, and I give him a small zap to remind him of the boundaries.

“Careful,” I caution teasingly.

“Is that how you want to play?” he says with a dangerously playful tone.

“No,” I squeal as he suddenly launches me over his head and sends me splashing into the water.

I can’t help but laugh ridiculously hard as I surface, and then I see another jet starting to descend.

I thought the others weren’t going to be here for a while though.

“That’s the Caribbean crew. They weren’t too far away,” Devin says to Hale.

Apparently he asked a question I missed. Devin’s eyes offer me a worrisome look, but then he

connects with Hale’s eyes again.

Hale nods as if something has been said, but no words ever crossed their lips. He turns to me as

Devin flashes to greet the new arrivals.

“Just a warning, some of these people are more like Deidra than us. You’ll need to keep that in

mind when associating with them. They might take a joke very literally, and they might start a war

over something foolish until they understand why you’re the Emperian,” he warns.

“Actually, I’ve asked Deidra to keep acting as though she’s still such. I don’t want this, and if I

can’t get someone to take it away, then I’ll just have them fake it. I don’t want someone else getting

ballsy and challenging me. When provoked, I can’t stop myself, and now I don’t have Devin to help

me control it. Until I can anchor Asteria, it’ll be safer if I stay out of unnecessary conflict,” I

grumble.

“You know he’s here for you when you need him, don’t you? He’s not going to just let you go off

the deep end,” Hale says in surprise for my lack of confidence.

“He shouldn’t have to control me, and this is just the excuse I need to stop using him as a crutch.”

“You may always need him for control. You’ve been bound to him in the most surreal way. I’ve

never seen anything like it. I’d settle down if I could find that sort of bond,” Hale murmurs as he

props against the rock beside me.

“Are you encouraging her to get back with him?” Jace huffs.

“They’re not really apart. She’s still wearing the ring,” Hale murmurs through gritted teeth.

“What if they’re not supposed to be together? What if this is the way things are supposed to work

out?” he argues.

“He’s her trigger. Nothing like this has ever happened before. Two people have never been more

destined for each other,” Hale growls.

“I never pictured you as the hopeless romantic type,” Jace retorts.

“You’re impossible,” Hale spouts as he swims away in a furious puff.

“You really have to stop antagonizing everyone here,” I exasperate.

“You really have to stop letting them tell you that you have to be with him. You don’t have to be

with any-damn-body.”

My hand slides over to rest on his shoulder as I ready him for the blow he’s tired of hearing.

“I love him, Jace. That’s why I want to be with him. I know you hate that, and I know you don’t

understand it, but it’s the truth.”

Tears well up in my eyes, and he lets out a deep breath before climbing up on a rock that towers

over the water. I follow him up, and he motions for me to join him at his side to sit on the jagged

surface that stares out over the beastly ocean.

“I do hate it, but I’ll back off if it’s pissing you off,” he gripes.

“Good.”

“So, are you into that Hale guy?” he whimpers.

I laugh ridiculously hard, and I see Devin walking back down with the wild assortment of

visitors. There are so many insanely dressed guys and girls.

Two drooling bimbos trail Devin, and he offers them polite conversation. He makes sure I’m

watching, but he doesn’t push the boundaries too far to piss me off to the point of breaking out

Asteria.

“Hale’s trying to help me make Devin jealous,” I finally answer distractedly.

“He’ll never fall for a jealously scheme unless you quit gawking at him like a fool.”

I blush instantly and cut my eyes toward the sea.

“I didn’t realize I was,” I mumble.

“Look, pretty boy isn’t going to cut it. If you want him back, then you have to tangle with

someone he greatly distrusts,” Jace adds menacingly.

The sun slowly starts to set, and I know it won’t be long until everyone else gets here too. Then

all eyes will be on me as I tell them what I know.

“Actually, I think I’m going to take a break from the jealously game. I need to focus more on

what’s to come.”

His eyes drop in a little disappointment, and Persia walks up looking incredible in her suit. Jace’s

jaw pops open as she struts her Aphrodite strut.

“There you are,” she says with enthusiasm. “I finally broke free from Theia. She’s a rather high-

strung and intense individual,” she exasperates.

“Yeah,” I chuckle.

She frowns a little as she toys with my wet hair.

“You’re scent is starting to build. These men are going to feel tortured, and they’re going to do

some foolish things if you and Devin don’t reconcile,” she whispers.

“Scent?” Jace asks quizzically. “Is that her?”

I ignore his intrigue, and my eyes look expectantly to Persia.

“How do you control yours?”

She laughs a little as Jace huffs in agitation.

“I don’t have to. It’s one of the traits I didn’t inherit. You’ve taken on so many of the wonderful

and not so wonderful pieces. I’ve never seen someone so diverse. It’s truly amazing,” she adores.

“What scent?” Jace whines.

“I wish I had taken on less. Apparently I wasn’t ever meant to control all this. Hale thinks that

with Devin being my dominant trigger, I’ll always need him to help me. That’s going to be a little

difficult when he won’t even look at me,” I grumble.

“What damn scent?” Jace yelps.

Devin and some of the others look up to the rocks after Jace’s too loud outburst, and Persia finally

turns to face him.

“When Adisia is… frustrated, she expels an intoxicating, seductive, and almost irresistible scent

that is far too potent for most to ignore.”

He purses his lips as if he’s trying to fully understand what she’s saying. I roll my eyes and

continue our conversation.

“Anyway, I need to learn to be able to control this stuff for myself.”

“I heard some of the others talking. Devin threw their stuff onto the jet, and he rushed everyone

here. Even the pilots were getting an ear full when he didn’t think they were going fast enough.”

I smile a little, but then I look to see the swarm of eager girls beckoning for his attention. Devin

seems a little less enthused with our game now as well, but he offers me no hope at all when he

refuses to look at me.

“Sexually frustrated?” Jace chokes out in sudden shock as he finally catches on.

Persia bursts out laughing, and I blush instantly. Devin’s eyes cut back to stare in our direction,

but I look away as I try to ignore him.

If I look at him, he’ll just look away.

Hale steps over to us and rolls his eyes.

“Really? Do you have to ask?” he mocks.

Jace’s eyes widen in disbelief, and then a devious smirk spreads across his face. I instantly shake

my head to answer him before he speaks.

“Well, if that’s the problem, then I’ll be glad to help out,” he seduces.

“I’m just going to go… over there,” Hale quickly mumbles before flashing out of reach of the

enormous wave gushing over the rocks.

Jace is swept away with a startled yell. I almost laugh but tears spring free instead. I wipe them

away while staring over the edge at the scrambling Jace.

“Thanks for the warning, Hale,” he growls.

Hale is laughing so hard he’s doubled over.

“Oh no, you get no warnings and no sympathy from me. Welcome to my world,” he chuckles.

I look over to Devin, but his back is turned to me. My eyes glance around for Phillip, but he’s

missing from the action. It had to be Devin, so why won’t he just speak to me?

“Told you he’s not going anywhere,” Hale whispers in my ear.

“That just proves he doesn’t want someone else to have me. It doesn’t prove he still wants me,” I

rebut.

“You’re a stubborn fool, Adisia Titan,” he chuckles just before walking away.

The night finally wraps around
us, and I see some of the guys sparking a bonfire. I dive

headfirst into the choppier water, and casually swim to shore. Persia strides her strokes beside me,

and I can see all eyes gluing to us as we begin emerging from the ocean water gradually with only the

moonlight casting a glow around us.

“Holy fucking shit,” one guy pops out as he drools.

“What the fuck?” another one spouts.

“When did you guys get girls this hot?” a gruff guy asks.

Devin rolls his eyes and turns to take a seat by Kry. They engage in a private conversation, and I

huff at his complete indifference to me.

“Hale, are these some of your contacts?” a short guy eagerly inquires.

Hale laughs, and shakes his head.

“No. I wish I had met them first, but these are Devin’s contacts,” he snickers.

“Devin, dude, you’ve so been holding out.”

“We’re here on business, not pleasure,” Devin grumbles.

“Well it’s sure as hell pleasure now,” a mysteriously handsome one pops out as he flashes to be

just in front of me.

His hands slide around my waist, and I instantly feel the waves rustling in a threatening roar from

behind me.

“Whoa, Dev. Just checking her out. Didn’t know you were involved with them,” he apologizes.

Them? Does Devin usually have two girls at once? Oh, I hope not.

“The blond is free,” Hale says as his eyes dare her to succumb to his charm.

She laughs a little as she struts away and lets the jaws slap the ground behind her saucy shake.

“Wow. I’m in love. I just don’t know who with,” a guy replies dreamily.

The fire glows against Devin as he does his best to tune everything out and continues his

conversation with Kry.

“Well that’s bromantic,” Jace snarks. “Two young immortal men talking by the cozy fire.”

Kry and Devin both slowly turn their eyes to glare at him, and he laughs in response. I cover my

mouth to hide my amused grin, and Devin turns back around after rolling his eyes again.

“You’re such an instigator,” I try to say seriously.

“Yes, yes I am, and you happen to enjoy my snide, twisted sense of humor on occasion,” he

whispers.

I let a laugh escape and then quickly turn my back so no one sees my cruel chuckles.

“So, are we sharing a room?” a stranger asks from behind.

I turn to see a gorgeous guy standing dangerously close to me, and I take a step back. Jace steps

between us, and the guy shrugs a little.

“Is that your rock on her hand?” the stranger remarks with a menacing grin.

“No,” Jace replies vaguely.

“Then why are you standing in my way?” he dares.

Jace’s body surges with electricity, and Devin casually jogs down to us to interrupt the standoff.

“It’s my rock on her hand, and I need you to focus. We’re combining forces, not starting feuds,”