Daughter Trilogy Bundle (48 page)

I feel the weakening effects and the power of death's promise pulling the air from my lungs again.  Tears flow down my paralyzed cheeks as I stay frozen awake for the moment.

I stare at the dead sky I've created, and my mind begins working in reverse as memories of everything Devin and I have done together form a melody and sing me to sleep.

Each tear represents a day with him, and each stab of pain represents a day lost.  I feel the ground beneath me spinning, and there's some radiant power flowing from me again, but I don't know what.

I'm dizzy while lying perfectly still, and the earth trembles beneath me to retract its deadly news as the backward force of the air whips around me.  The darkness consumes me as I gasp for my last breath, and I stare at Devin's resting place, though his body is no longer there.

The grass turns green as the scenes around me change back to what they once were, but I can't watch any longer.  My last tear falls, followed by the last exhaled breath that evades my lips.

I’m so weak and…and…

Reliving the Storm

I wake up with a pounding headache.  It feels as though I've consumed an entire bottle of vodka, but I barely had a glass of wine last night.

"Adisia!" Clara squeals as she dives onto the bed and falls beside me.  I laugh a little at her excitement despite the vicious hammering inside my head.  "Can you believe I'm getting married in just a few more days?" she giggles out in her shrill pitch.

I laugh again as I sit up to meet her eyes.  I feel a sharp pain against my heart, but I don't know what's wrong.  I feel like something is missing - like there's a void in me that wasn't there yesterday.

"What's wrong?" she prompts, her eyes gauging mine with concern falling across her soft face.

I shake my head as I try to compose the slight panic attack I can't explain.

"I don't know," I murmur as I stare into the mirror at the blue eyes hiding secrets I should know.

Daughter of Asteria

Published by C.M. Owens at Smashwords

Text
© 2013 by Christie M Owens

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only.  This eBook may not be re-sold or given to other people.  If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient.  Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This is a work of fiction.  Characters, names, places, events, or incidents are products of the author's imagination.  Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to places or incidents is purely coincidental.
Chapter 1

Reliving the Storm

I step out of the limo with a forced smile plastered onto my face for the sake of my very excited friend.

We walk into the exclusive club, and I roll my eyes as she gets us in effortlessly by using her rich fianc
é's name.

The loud, obnoxious music is not really my taste, but Clara is my best friend, and it's her bachelorette party.  It's also our last night in New York.

"I've got us a spot in the VIP room.  It's supposed to be a little quieter," she yells over the music.

The stairs are actually laughing at me as I try to awkwardly maneuver against them in the wretched high heels I have been forced to wear.  What sadist thought it would be sexy to strap stilts to the bottom of shoes, and what masochists went along with his salacious vision?

A table has been reserved for us, and I'm very happy to relieve my feet from their burden as I sit down.  My eyes are instantly drawn to a devilishly bewitching man standing across the room.

He is completely ignoring the party scene behind him as his eyes focus on the news.

Who comes to a nightclub to watch the news?

"He's hot," Clara whispers, noting my fixed gaze.  "Go talk to him."

"His left hand is in his pocket.  He could be married," I defend, my eyes gesturing to the only thing stopping me from making a fool of myself.

His left hand emerges from its hiding spot as he signs a tab, and I now know this gorgeous creature has no proof of ties.

Crap.  Now what?

"He's not married.  What's the harm in talking to him now?" Clara purrs like the devil on my shoulder.

There's something about him and all of this that seems so familiar.  It has to be the worst case of deja vu I've ever experienced.

I start to object, but there's something almost gravitating me to him.

"I think I will," I murmur softly as the inexplicable desire to touch him overwhelms me.

"Good.  Go get him, Alexius," she teases.

I roll my eyes as I start my sexy saunter to him, but he doesn't acknowledge my overly showy prowess.

Suddenly, the image of him on one knee flashes through my mind.  He's holding an extravagantly decadent ring bearing a ridiculously huge diamond.

Whoa, Adisia.  Slow it down.  What the hell is wrong with you?

At the last minute, I lose my nerve and walk past him to go to the bar instead.  A waitress bumps into me as I try to make my quick detour, and I fall backwards very ungracefully in true klutz fashion.

Strong, gentle arms catch me just before I slap the floor, and I turn to stare into the smoky blue eyes offering me nothing but seduction.

"Sorry," I mutter with embarrassment, my cheeks staining red.

He tilts his head as his eyes study mine, and another flash consumes me.  We're breathing underwater, and he's telling me he loves me.  I gasp slightly, and his eyes show even more intrigue.

"Well I didn't see that coming," he says with amusement cascading through his smooth tone.

Oh damn.

His voice is spellbinding and so delicious.  His lips are etched perfectly on his chiseled face.  He's unbelievable.

Run!

"Devin Cole," he announces as his arms stay wrapped around me, burning against me.

Why am I so captivated by those gorgeous, intoxicating, entrancing blue eyes?  This guy is a tub of Ben and Jerry's just waiting to happen.

Alexius Smith.  I'm Alexius Smith.

"I'm Adisia Titan," I blurt out with accidental abandon.

He smirks as though I've said something he finds amusing.

"What?" I prompt curiously.

"That's a very strong name," he seduces, and I can feel my skin burning as the blood beneath the surface boils.

A dorky smile invades my face, and I blush for no real reason.  I swear it's as though I've forgotten how to frigging breathe.

"I should probably go dance with my friends," I mumble in an effort to break free from his beguiling gaze.

"Or you could dance with me," he insists.

My lips part to speak - though I have no idea what will come out of them at this point - but fortunately we're interrupted.

"Devin.  I'm glad you could make it, and I see you brought a guest," a very refined and older businessman says.

"Evening, Bob.  This is Adisia," he says, acting as if I really am his guest.

"You're one beautiful woman, Adisia.  You're a very lucky man, Devin," he murmurs with wide and approving eyes.

Devin smirks as though he's enjoying seeing me squirm, due to the misconception.  His sexy-as-hell voice breaks something inside of me loose, and I feel the seduction trapping me in the mundane comment.

"I'll catch up with you in just a little while.  I've got some business to sift through," he murmurs gently to me.

Crap.  Crap.  Crap.

I feel like such an idiot.  Here I am still, standing here like I'm his date or something.

"Yeah.  Sure.  Sorry," I stammer.

His hand takes mine, and there's almost a spark that zaps through me with ferocity.  I lightly gasp at the electric tingle, and my eyes lock with his.

"Don't be sorry, and please don't look as though I've offended you.  I prefer your smile," he murmurs sincerely, and his thumb strokes my lips.

Oh wow, he tastes so good.

I gasp again as several images of him mimicking this very same action roam through my mind, while provoking wild fantasies.

I step back, and his eyes seem to swirl with the tides, sending shivers through me.  He tilts his head to the side as if he's studying me intensely.  A smirk spreads over his face, and he draws my hand to his lips so he can kiss the back of it.

"Until later," he bids.

Mmm
.

His lips are crazy soft, and now mine throb to touch them.  What's going on with me?  I'm flipping out over a complete stranger.

"We'll see," I dare with a forced air of mystery.

His enigmatic smirk cocks up again.  "Interesting choice of words, Adisia.  But yes, we'll see."

I shiver again.  Why does all of this seem so familiar?  It seems as though I know him from somewhere, and my mind is still running wild with erotic fantasies.

I smile as I turn to walk away, though my hand bears some reluctance as it slides out of his.  Clara's eyes are wide, and all the girls are staring with mouths gaped open as I casually make my way back over to them.

"You're such a goddess," Jenny spouts.

"I'm so jealous right now," Melissa harps.

I look over to see Devin smiling, but it can't be because he hears us.  There's no way.  I still don't want to take any chances though.

"Let's go dance," I mumble as I guzzle the drink on the table.

I cringe slightly when I taste the strong alcohol buried under the fruity flavor.  I've never had a high tolerance.  I don't know what compelled me to order something with so much vodka in it.

Clara grabs my hand and assists my balancing act down the stairs, since I look like a fool in heels.

We weave through the crowded floor, and right away I have to knock drunk, groping idiots away. 
Good grief.

My eyes lift up to the VIP room, but I can't see Devin.

Why am I even looking for him?

Then an old song starts playing, and I laugh as I hear the lyrics playing loudly in a club where this song doesn't belong.

I'm your Venus, I'm your fire, at your desire.

"Hell no," I refute to the obvious question she's about to ask.

"Please, I'm begging you," Clara pleads.

"Our eighth grade dance routine was hideous when we were in eighth grade.  How foolish do you think we'd look now?" I chuckle.

"Please, please, pretty please.  I need this, Adisia."

I give the VIP room another glance to make sure Devin's eyes aren't in view before huffing in defeat.

"Ah crap," I sigh out as my shoulders slump.

She squeals and kicks her heels off.  I follow her lead and toss mine to the side as well.

She pulls me onto the floor, and my head pops back in laughter as soon as the ridiculous dancing starts.  She giggles with me and our drunken crowd whistles while clapping.

It's a really good thing there are very few sober people left in attendance, otherwise this would be a little more mortifying.

She hugs me as soon as the song ends, and the bouncer stalks toward us with disapproving eyes ablaze.

"Shoes are a dress code requirement," he barks.

Uh-oh.

We cower slightly as we run over to retrieve our abandoned shoes, and then we giggle like children on an adrenaline rush after an embarrassing scolding.

"I can't believe you talked me into that," I say with exasperation.

"Dance with me," a guy says from behind, rudely interrupting my conversation with Clara.

I turn to see the brown eyes mingling with complete intoxication from the heavy alcohol still roaming on his breath.

"Sorry, but I can't," I scream out over the music.

"Why can't you?" he gripes.

I start to deliver my cruel line of rejection when another voice interjects itself into our conversation.

"Because she has to dance with me."

I turn to see the smoky blue eyes that continue to render me helpless.  Devin is standing so close, and his hands slide around my waist in an odd, but hot, possessive manner.

My body inches toward him as if gravity is working against me.  I feel my hips stop against his body, and the throbbing I experience is actually painful.

"Sorry, dude.  My bad," the guy whimpers as he skulks away.

I can't look away from Devin now.  I'm trapped, and I know I'm going to gain twenty pounds with all the ice cream it'll take to get over this insanely hot man.

"I told you I'd find you," he smolders.

I shiver once again under the gaze that shocked me to life earlier, and now it's stealing my breath, my heartbeat, and my damn mind.

"Do you always do as you say you will?" I flirt.

"Yes.  I do," he seduces, making my trembling knees try to give out.

His hands grip my back and pull me into him all the more.  I feel his breath grazing my face as he bends slightly.  I have no control over anything on me, and my lips find the courage to meet his.