Daughter Trilogy Bundle (31 page)

"She's not holding you my ass.  You said you can't see her or the person pulling the strings, and you can see everything.  It's no coincidence that you're blinded twice at the same time.  There's no secret puppet master, it's her.  Your New York apartments have never been found.  It's impossible to find an immortal in this clustered pheromone fest.  She led them there.  She's a mole!  The goddess gaze of Aphrodite is the only enslaving act known to our kind.  Considering there aren't any others, it has to be her," she berates.

In less than a breath, she lunges toward me, and the once docile orchid spirals around my neck.  I start gasping for air, but then Devin leaps up to throw her against the wall - his hand choking her at neck.

"Let her fucking go now, or I swear I'll break your neck," he threatens.

"She's controlling you.  Fight it," she strangles out.

I keep gasping, and my head starts to feel as though it's going to explode as the blood and oxygen rip from it.  I sure as hell feel mortal right now.

"Enough, Gemma.  Control yourself," another lady yells as she holds out her hand, and the plant drops free from its choking embrace.

I gasp for air and grab my neck to make sure that vicious thing is really gone.  Devin drops Gemma and rushes to me to make sure I'm okay.

I officially hate plants.

The woman who saved me looks to Theia as Devin inspects the damage that has been done.

"You know for sure it isn't her?" the woman I thought to be my savior asks suspiciously.

"I'm positive.  Devin has been with her every minute since her change.  She didn't get her powers until after the first attack," Theia reports.

Gemma cries from the betrayal she feels as she screams at Devin.

"You're being used!  Can't you see that?  This is all her!"

"It's not her!" he shouts in complete frustration.  "She's been attacked with me.  She's fought to stop them.  They've almost killed her, damn it!  If she hadn't obtained her immortality, she would be dead right now.

"She freed them.  They weren't trapped by an Aphrodite at all.  I've seen the look in those eyes.  She's accidentally rattled Trey and Deacon.  The eyes are completely different.  This was something terrifyingly dark.  There're some sort of powers that have been mixed together and produced this.  We have to find out what and who... soon," Devin berates back.

He resumes his examination of me, and Theia walks over to view me as well.

"Devin can't see her at all.  Absolutely nothing comes to him in the least.  The person running this is blurry.  He can tell they're blocking him.  There's a difference.  If you don't trust us, then you're welcome to leave," Theia says to the woman and Gemma.

"I trust you.  My daughter's emotions are clouding her judgment.  Please forgive her, and forgive me for questioning you," the woman says humbly while bowing toward Theia.

Daughter,
I inwardly scoff. 
That figures
.

She could unwind the strangling orchid because she has the same power, and Gemma had been under duress and unfocused while Devin was choking the life out of her.

"I'm not crazy.  I know she's behind this no matter what you try to say," Gemma sobs.  "I won't let her have you because she has the power to force you into love."

"She's not forcing him.  He told me he was in love her when she was still mortal," Kry says in an effort to shut her up.

Devin's eyes dart to meet mine, and I feel the green eyes brewing over now.  He told people he loved me?

How can I sit here without ripping his clothes off now?

"He told me the same thing, and she was very mortal at the time.  Her Aphrodite stare didn't kick in until we were at the safe house.  Trey was the first one afflicted by it.  It's never fazed Devin.  He's immune to her," Ther adds.  "
We
kidnapped
her
when she refused to go with him.  I can swear to you she's not holding him against his will.  If anything, it would be the other way around.  Devin hasn't let her out of his sight since they met.  Dude would have been arrested if he was an average mortal."

I snicker slightly, and Devin rolls his eyes.

"I simply wanted to discuss a plan of action.  This shouldn't be about Adisia at all.  I think we've gotten away from the actual problem at hand.  Maybe we should resume this meeting at a time when emotions aren't running so high.  Anyone who wishes to join Kry, Ther, and myself tomorrow is welcome.  We're going to speak to some of the California crew about their suspicious activities.  They had a similar run-in not too long ago.  For now, meeting adjourned," Devin asserts.

My stomach ruffles in knots.  He's going to California?  Why didn't I know?  Am I going, too?

Everyone starts dispersing, and I pick up the orchid sitting on the perch while it pretends it doesn't remember trying to kill me.  I walk over to the trash and dump it in.  Devin laughs slightly as I dust my hands free of the grit left on them.

Gemma glares at me as her mother ushers her out the door.  I can't believe she tried to kill me. 
Psycho bitch
.

"I'm sorry," Devin says with serious eyes.

"It's not your fault.  I wish I had zapped the bitch, but I didn't want to provoke the room into believing I was capable of such a thing."

He smirks a little at my feisty response, and then he pulls my lips to his.  I smile as I hear two throat clearings beside of us.

"Sorry," Ther grumbles.  "I just wanted to tell you we'll have ten joining us tomorrow."

"Okay.  Thanks for having my back in there," Devin says to both Ther and Kry.

"Gemma's a crazy bitch.  We've known that for centuries," Kry chuckles.

"She means well.  She just wasn't expecting
… Adisia," Ther chirps.

"Yeah.  I should have excluded her from these proceedings tonight, but we need her family's contacts and power.  Pick me up in the morning," Devin sighs.

They wave as they load the elevator, and my pout instantly forms.

"You're leaving me here, aren't you?"

He smirks slightly as he kisses my forehead.

"I'm not happy about it either.  Deacon and Camara will be staying here with you.  If you have any problems at all, please call me."

"I already have a problem - being here without you," I gripe.

His lips devour mine the moment mine pucker again.

"I'm sorry," he murmurs against my lips.  "I have to go.  Believe me, I wouldn't be leaving you if I didn't have to," he promises.

"You didn't have to send Deacon to retrieve me," the girl I can only assume is Camara says in interruption.

She's nowhere nearly the vicious, wild animal Deacon made her sound like.  She's actually very calm, pretty, and even sweet in appearance.

Devin chuckles a little as he says, "I know.  He's the best at tracking you down though, and we needed you here.  Thank you for coming."

"I owe you and your family my life, so I couldn't imagine being anywhere else.  I'll begin the process of tracking tomorrow," she says mildly.

"You're going after them?" I ask with a slight bit of concern for the girl I don't know.

Her unkempt, yet gorgeous, curly blond hair sways gently as she turns to face me with a devious, smug smirk.

"No.  I can see through the eyes of nature's creatures.  I'll use their senses which will be amplified by own to track them down.  It may take a couple of days to catch a break though."

"That'll be fine.  We need to exert caution in every effort," Devin offers.

"I'll be wary of anything out of place, and I'll desert the animal I'm linked to if I see something set for a trap.  They'll never know we were there."

"Good.  Call me immediately if anything happens," Devin gingerly adds.

"I will, and we'll take care of her.  Deacon's a vile creature at best, but he's rather loyal to you."

Deacon scowls at her.  "Don't be disclosing any details you've caught scent of during your prying searches, love.  I don't need this pompous ass thinking I like him that bloody much," Deacon teases.

"He can see the future.  Do you really think he doesn't already know?" she retorts.

"True.  Hadn't really thought about that," Deacon mumbles with a shrug before walking over to pour a glass of scotch.

You can tell they're old.  They all drink the same thing my grandfather did.  I don't need to think about that.  It just makes my relationship seem creepy.

"Gemma hasn't changed much," Camara murmurs with a turned-up nose.

"No, unfortunately not.  It's been over a century since I saw her last, and now everyone knows why I've avoided her."

"A century?" I gasp in disbelief.  "You haven't seen her in over a hundred years, and she's still this hung up on you?  You'd think it would have gone cold by now," I grumble.

"Time loses value after a while.  A century becomes no more severe to an immortal than a week to a mortal.  It's just time when you don't age.  It's a ticking clock when you do.  You'll see," Camara offers with an insightful tone.

I suppose this is all still too much to digest.  I need a drink.

I walk over and join them in their
old
drink of choice, and Devin kisses my shoulder while I pour a glass.

"I'm going to miss you," he murmurs softly in my ear.

I frown slightly.  "I'll miss you, too.  How long will you be gone?"

"No longer than I have to be, I swear.  I hate that I have to do this, but these are my connections.  I'll call you though," he promises.

I pout once again, and he scoops me into his arms.  Camara smiles behind her glass as she turns her eyes toward the skyline view.  I smile as well when Devin's lips find mine while carrying me over the threshold of his room.

"Send me those pictures," he murmurs through the kiss.

I pull back slightly as he kicks the door shut behind him.

"What pictures?" I inquire.

"The pictures from Clara's wedding.  You said there were several of us.  I want them all.  I want to be able to see you while I'm gone.  Forward them to my email."

I smile with a blushing hue.  "I will.  I love you, Devin."

I feel the velvet of his lips brushing against mine slightly before consuming them.  He lays me on the broken bed, and brushes the hair from my face as he draws back just barely.

"I love you, Adisia."

That's all the goddess can be held back for now.  She needs a minute to run free, and she has to take me with her.  The green engulfs my eyes, and the passion flames around us.

Chapter 12

Colliding Worlds

"When are you coming back?" I whine into the phone.

"I'll be back soon, I promise.  We've tracked down almost every lead," Devin says with a tired tone.

"I'm sick of Deacon, for the record.  I have to sit in the padded room just to talk to you in private.  He never goes anywhere.  He's only funny for a little while, and then he's just annoying," I grumble.

"Well that's because you've been cooped up with him for over a week, and he's not supposed to go anywhere.  Anyone grows annoying after that amount of togetherness," he says with a chuckle.

"I would never be that annoyed with you.  In fact, the new bed finally arrived this morning, and I've been wondering how much
togetherness
it can withstand," I seduce.

"Please don't use that voice with me.  I'm dying as it is.  I swear I've been having withdrawal pains for you," he groans.

I smile at my victorious attempt to tease him, and then I decide to step up my game.  I turn on the laptop and pull up the pictures I had taken during a devilish attempt to make him miss me more.

Until this moment, I have lacked the desperation and the courage to actually send them.  There are several of me in a tight, red corset that has a small black faux-fur trim and black satin laces drawing together the back.  The fishnet stockings bear rose designs on them, and the black underwear shows just enough to truly tease the wandering mind.

In a gutsy moment, I had set up the camera to take several very provocative and daring poses.  In several pictures, the green eyes glare against the camera - though only immortal eyes can see them - and even I'm a little turned on by them.

I take a deep breath as my finger hovers over the send option.  I grit my teeth and finally gain the courage to go through with it.

"Adisia?  You there?" Devin asks.

"Yeah.  Sorry.  I got a little distracted.  I just sent you something that will hopefully give you some incentive to hurry up out there.  Or you're going to laugh, and then I'm going to be really embarrassed."

"What did you send?" he muses while laughing under his breath.

I blush even though he can't see me, and I resist the urge to squeal.  I wish Aphrodite would take over and control this situation for me.

I don't think I have the scandalous ferocity needed to follow this through, but I attempt it anyway.

"Check your email," I prompt.

"Okay," he almost snickers out.

I wait very impatiently, and my nails find their way to my mouth.  I chew them vigorously as I await his response, but there's a deathly silence on the other side.

"Holy shit," he coughs out as if he's strangling on something.

I giggle slightly at his caught-off-guard reaction, and then I shake hands with Aphrodite.

"Well?" I urge.

"Well, I'm definitely wishing I hadn't opened my email.  I only thought I was hurting until now.  Please be wearing that when I come home tomorrow," he says breathlessly.

"Tomorrow?  You're coming home tomorrow?" I squeal.

"Yes.  I was going to surprise you, but now I just want to come home to you wearing that.  Damn it.  Where the hell did you even get that?"

I blush slightly as I recall the awkward interaction I had in order to acquire the racy garment.  I didn't realize Devin has such strict security.  If you don't forewarn Greer that a package is coming, then he inspects it to ensure Devin's safety before delivering it.  He'll never look at me without blushing again.

"I ordered it online.  I thought it would be fun to entice your return.  I can
’t believe I actually did it," I bashfully reply.

"Oh, it's definitely enticing.  I'm afraid you've just destroyed my mindset for the day.  I'm going to be completely lost in my fantasies for the rest of my stay."

I smile deviously.  "So there's really no need in you staying there another night then.  Perhaps you could just come on home to me," I seduce.

He sighs loudly as if he's struggling with the new encouraging bits of temptation.

"I love the way you said that.  I can't believe I'm looking forward to coming home to anyone.  I love you, baby."

I grin foolishly, and my cheeks cringe in pain when the smile extends too far.

"I love you, too," I almost giggle out.

"I should be home by noon tomorrow.  We have to get some leads sorted out right now.  I have to go, and I'll try to think of something other than how completely dazzling, tempting, and intoxicating you look in these goddess pictures you've tortured me with."

I giggle again, and then I sigh with a twinge of disappointment.

"Okay.  Go be a hero.  I'll see you soon,"

"Bye, babe."

"Bye, Devin," I say with some seductiveness and disappointment at once.

I put my phone in my pocket and stare at the picture of us kissing.  I'm going crazy being confined to this apartment.  I'm sick of being here without him here to keep me occupied.

My phone rings, and I juggle it for a minute as I scurry to answer it.

"Miss me already," I seduce.

"I've been missing you for too damn long, Aphrodisia Titan," Clara says with a chuckle.

I blush slightly as I answer with an embarrassed giggle.

"I miss you, too, hot stuff.  How's the married life?" I ask in an effort to recover.

"It's pretty great.  I still haven't gotten my freaking honeymoon, due to the fact I married a workaholic, but I love him.  I was actually calling to see if you had lunch plans because I'm coming into the city right now."

I cringe a little.  I'm not supposed to leave the apartment, but I can't tell her that, and I suck at lying.

"I don't.  How about you come see me at the apartment?  I know a great Thai place that delivers, and you haven't seen my new place," I say with a perky, hopefully affective offer.

"I'll see your place, but you're totally going out with me.  I can't come to New York and eat in," she says with exaggerated drama.

Crap
.

"Okay.  I'll text you the address," I murmur nervously.

"Awesome," she squeals.  "See you soon."

I slowly lower the phone as my mind starts strategizing a plan.  I rush out of the padded room to find Deacon or Camara.

I see Deacon at the bar and steady my breath as I walk over to him.

"I kind of have a problem," I awkwardly mumble.

He turns with a menacing smirk plastered to his slightly shadowed face.

"I knew it.  I knew with Devin gone you'd fall for me.  Come, love," he says while crunching on his cereal.  "Let's go break the bed."

I scowl at him as I narrow my eyes.

"You're not even the slightest bit funny anymore," I grumble.

He chuckles lightly to himself, and then he adds, "So you say.  I find myself to be wildly amusing."

He returns to his bowl of cereal, shrugging as he does so.

"Or just incredibly obnoxious," Camara says with a smirk as she emerges from the guestroom.

He rolls his eyes, and then he gives me a semi-serious look.  It's probably the best serious-face he can muster.

"What's the problem?"

I take another deep breath as I grimace.

"I sort of have a friend from back home coming over, and she's expecting me to go out."

"Oh a friend.  That's cool, but no," he snarks, still crunching on the enormous bowl of his cereal.

I feel like a child asking for permission to hang out with my friend on a school night.  This is absurd.

"I'm not asking for permission.  I'm telling you my plans for the day, so either help me work it out, or watch me walk out without your approval," I scold.

He shakes his head.  "And I'm saying it's not going to happen.  I'll tie you up if I have to - no pun intended," he teases as his eyebrows bounce up and down.

I roll my eyes and grab my purse.

"Forget it.  I'm going now.  I'll just meet her somewhere.  If you try to tie me up, I'll just force you to let me go.  I've become quite adept with that little skill, in case you've forgotten," I smugly counter.

He glares at me as he thinks back to when I enslaved his mind long enough to have him wait on Camara and me for bits and pieces of a day.  He even wore an apron to add to his humiliation.

Camara and I immensely enjoyed the show, and we took pictures of the entire charade for intense mocking purposes.  It's amazing what someone finds to do for entertainment when they've been locked away in a tower for so long.  Even a tower as lavish as this one becomes dreadfully boring after a while.

Camara chuckles lightly in amusement, and then she sighs with slight dismay.

"It's really not safe.  There are eyes watching from all over.  It's possible someone can use the mortals the way I can use the animals," she gently inserts.

"It's possible they can, and it's also possible they can do as I do in a different way.  It's possible they can infect masses by some unknown medley of powers and control them that way as well.  It's possible they can use mind control without even seeing their victim, and it's possible they've created something to use on the mortals.

"There are so many theories about what they can do that I can't even keep up anymore, and we're no closer to finding out who
they
are.  I'm tired of being held captive, and I need the fresh air before I blow up inside this apartment.  It’s just lunch.  I'm not going to be frolicking around the city aimlessly.  We'll eat, chat and share a drink.  I'll make up a reason to excuse myself if she tries to extend the visit," I murmur with exasperation.

Camara sits back and sighs as if she feels sorry for me, and it's possible she empathizes with me.  She is the embodiment of the wild.  The wild isn't meant to be kept locked up.  It's very likely she's going as stir-crazy as I am.

Deacon continues shaking his head.

"It's too risky.  Devin will flip out if I go along with this," he grumbles with a mouthful.

"I'll go with her.  You can stake out the place and keep a watch for anything seeming suspicious.  They can't possibly find us every time we're out there," Camara says while joining my side.

I almost squeal and look expectantly at Deacon.

"You're going regardless of any perfectly executed argument I make, aren't you?"

I nod with my critical and stubborn eyes staring confidently into his.  He sighs loudly and spoons the last mouthful of food.

"I'll make myself scarce before your friend gets here.  I'll follow you lasses, but if I call you and tell you to get the hell out, you do as I say," he sternly orders.

"Deal," I squeak.

"Bloody hell.  Devin's going to kick my ass for this," he gripes.

I rush to the bedroom and decide to change into a sleek, dark red, low cut, and completely flattering shirt coupled with a black pencil skirt.  I look in the mirror at the refined goddess staring at me, and I smirk.

I've changed so much since I last saw Clara.

The elevator dings, and Clara
steps out with wide eyes.

"Holy crap.  You hit the jackpot.  This place is huge," she gasps, her busy eyes not yet finding me.

I giggle a little as she looks around at the massive space with the spectacular view.

"The guy who owns it is far more impressive," I chuckle out like a silly girl.

She rolls her eyes and pretends to gag on her finger before finally looking me over.

"You're such a cornball," she mocks.  "Are you ready to wine me and dine me with your flashy, hot-as-hell new style?  You look fantastic.  Have you been working out?"

Hmm… That depends on what one might refer to as
working out.

"Here and there.  It's just the new clothes mostly.  They fit a little better than my old ones," I lie.

Being immortal has its perks.  Eat what you want.  Drink what you want.  Sleep when you want.  There's really only one downfall - people want you dead all the damn time.

I pull her into the bedroom that is a masterpiece in its own accord.

"Holy shit.  This room is huge.  And I thought Henry was loaded.  Wow."

Her eyes flash to the immaculate, large, and intimidating bed.

"Now
that's
a bed.  Who buys a bed that monstrously thick, and is that steel?"

I laugh a little.  Reinforced steel, actually, but I know it still won't be strong enough to endure the reunion after a week long sabbatical.

"Devin has odd tastes in some areas," I fib.

"Well, I'm starving, and seeing you all fit, trim, and sexy is making me feel guilty for being so hungry.  We need to go and eat before I lose my appetite."

I laugh a little as Camara walks into the room.

"Oh, this is Camara.  I asked her to come with us.  I hope that's all right," I add.