Daughter Trilogy Bundle (90 page)

I scramble to pull my shirt off, and then something catches my eye to subdue the fiery moment.

"What's that?" I ask curiously as I grab his left hand and pull it to me.

He smirks as he carries me with one arm around my waist as we make our way back over to the bed.  He flips on the lamp to cast a better light for my inquisitive mind.

Tears fill my eyes, and I gasp when I see my name mixed with fire on his ring finger.

"As cheesy as it might sound, I decided to let everyone know I was yours for eternity as well.  Call me a copycat, but I found it to be a very endearing idea.  I had planned on you seeing it when we made it to the ring exchange, but you didn't even get to make it down the aisle," he sighs.

A few tears escape from my eyes, and his thumb strums them away while his lips spread in such a genuinely pleased smile.

"I love you, babe," he says so softly.

"I love you," I giggle out as more tears fall.  "We've got to get through this because I have to be your wife."

His eyes soften, and then suddenly his lips are claiming mine again.  He pulls me beneath him, and he doesn't waste time with any foreplay.

I can feel his desire, his ferocity, and his need for me burning against my skin.  The unbidden thought of the hopeless war springs to mind, but Devin's intoxicating breath brings me back to the fantasy world we love escaping into.

For the moment, I'm just his.

Chapter 15

Counting Down

The sands sweep over the desert floor as my churning winds stir them.  I've read Theia's journal from cover to cover at least four times, and I'm still nowhere closer to figuring out a way to stop the three threats aimed at me.

Safina is strong, and I'm the only one capable of killing her.  The daughters of Athena have lethal poison that I personally know will lead to a burning death.

Then there's Van.  He was brutal, merciless, and horrific when he was a mortal.  The thought of him having unlimited capabilities is terrifying - more so when I still don't know how to kill him.

Everyone's enemies will be in attendance, and no one will be safe from the ensuing massacre if I can't figure out a way to piece the puzzle together in time.  I feel so sick.  I wasted days being unconscious, and now tomorrow will end the suspense one way or the other.

Devin stirs lightly, and I smile barely before turning my gaze back to the desert.  The brave balcony extends far out over the desert floor, and it offers me a break from the starchy room.

I feel so claustrophobic when I'm this close to revisiting an impending death.

Warm arms wrap around me as Devin joins me on my perched hideaway.  His lips graze the top of my head before he turns me to face him.  His swirling Poseidon blue eyes offer insight to his dreadful anxiety that matches mine.

"Tell me it's all going to be okay," I murmur.

"It is.  I'm not going to lose you.  I don't care what I have to do, I'm damn well going to marry you.  We're going to have a long, incredible eternity.  One day we'll have a daughter, and we'll raise her without looking over our shoulder.  This will end all of that.  All of our strongest adversaries will be in one place at one time," he says very convincingly.

I smile a little at the depth of his promise, and then I nestle into his chest before sighing out, "I'd settle for a moment of peace before the next storm."

He pulls me back and tilts my chin up so my eyes are forced to stare into his glorious ones.

"You aim too low.  We're going to have it all.  I'm going to make sure you have it all," he softly adds.

His lips seduce mine, and he scoops me into his arms before sitting on one of the balcony chairs.  We stare out at the desert together, but he doesn't seem as impressed as I am.

"You don't like the desert?" I speculate.

"Not really," he says with a turned up nose.  I laugh a little, and he continues, "There's barely a drop of water.  It makes me feel a little
… impotent," he snarls.

I laugh a little harder, and then my bedroom door squeaks open.  We look up to see a timid Slash acting uncertain about whether or not he should come any closer.

"What?" Devin barks.

"We're ready when you guys are.  We're taking the jets to the port, and we'll be on the water the rest of the way," he trembles out.

"We'll be down in a minute," Devin says in a calmer tone.

Slash disappears quicker than he appeared, and then Devin lets out a smirk and a touch of laughter.

"You enjoy torturing him, don't you?" I muse.

"He kissed my girl with my face on.  The punishment is going to be brutal for a while," he chuckles.

I roll my eyes, but I can't stifle my grin.

"I knew it wasn't you.  I know your taste, scent, and incredible heated touch.  I think he was pretty well punished the moment I realized the trick being played," I add.

"Gemma hates the fact you knew and she didn't.  It proves to her all the more that you and I were meant to be," he smolders.  His lips briefly play with mine before he continues with, "I love the fact you knew."

"Do you?" I seduce.

"Very much.  It excited me in a completely arousing way," he dares.

"I know numerous things to excite you in that sort of way," I provocatively murmur.

My lips graze the side of his neck as I turn to straddle him.  His hands grip me at my hips as he jerks me forward.  I don't give into the temptation to kiss him as my lips continue their neck seduction.

"I'll never tire of you're incredible lips," he moans in a near whisper.

I smile against his neck, and then my lips trail to meet his longing ones.  He pulls me tighter against him, and I can feel his passion seeping through his skin.  The kiss erupts into a torrid attack.

"They're waiting," I breathlessly remind.

"We can be quick," he counters with a hot, menacing tone.

I moan into his mouth as he lifts me and carries me to the bed.  My wind pulls the doors to the balcony shut, and I feel his sculpted, masterpiece of a body sliding across mine.

They can wait.

"What took you guys so
long?" Ther asks innocently.

"Really?  You want to go there?" Kry murmurs sardonically with a smile.

"Oh… Never mind," Ther murmurs while blushing.

"You two are animals," Camara chuckles, and the irony is obvious considering the
wild
woman behind the remark.

I laugh a little, and Devin kisses the top of my head as he chuckles a bit as well.  He pulls my hand in his to lead me to the car, and Ther beats Kry to the driver's seat.

"Dude, I'm totally faster," Ther chuckles out.

"You're totally a jump-starter," Kry snarks.

Although the air seems light, I can feel the heavy, worrisome anxiety radiating from everyone.  Devin's arm pulls me closer to his body, and Slash warily joins us.

"Sorry.  The other vehicles are full," he mumbles.

"You drew the short straw, eh?" Kry laughs.

"Something like that," he grumbles.

"Don't even look at me," Gemma scolds as she barges past him to climb into the third row.

"Wasn't gonna," he retorts.

Ther's eyes never waver from the rearview mirror until she's completely seated.  He quickly looks away when she looks up to catch his spying.

"How far to the dock?" she barks.

"We'll be there in a few hours, so chill," Kry snaps.

"I'm just ready to sit still for five minutes," she gripes.

"So are we all," Devin exasperates.

Suddenly inspiration strikes.  Slash, Gemma, me, Devin
… I piece it all together, and I'm baffled by the insane genius of it.

"I know how to beat them," I gasp.

"What?" Kry says in confusion.

"I know how to beat Safina and the others," I gush.

"How?" Devin muses with a hint of skepticism.

"Call Theia and the others.  Put them on speaker.  I'm too excited to wait," I exhale in relief.

"Ther," Devin addresses.

"Got it," Ther answers to the unspoken request.

"Hello?" Theia says very mildly.

"Theia, I know how to beat them," I roar.

"How?" she insists.

"It's risky, but I think it'll work."

"Tell me."

I smile as the plan dangles in front of the eager ears, and everyone waits for my startling revelation.

We step onto the mind-blowing
yacht, and Devin's hand is still tightly fastened to mine.  Theia and the others weren't as excited about the plan as I was.  It's the only thing anyone has come up with though, and it may very well work.

Theia and Deidra are huddled with Lydia and the others as we walk over to their exhausted expressions.

"Now that you've had time to think about it, how do you feel?" I eagerly assert.

"I feel like this puts a lot on you," she sighs.

"Slash?" I ask.

"I'll be good with it if he promises to drop his taunting threats, and he has to promise not to mention the incident between you and me again," he pouts.

I look expectantly toward Devin, and he frowns a little before answering.

"I promise," he dryly mutters.

"Then I'm game," Slash says with a little
oomph
.

"You know everything could go wrong the moment Gemma provokes a plant.  What if they don't come right away?  What if they sense a trap?" Theia worries.

"What choice do we have?" I prompt.

"You sure you want to do this early?" Devin asks warily.

"I'm positive.  They think we're running.  If we give them an easy target, they won't refuse.  Where's the nearest island?  I want to be as far away from civilian life as possible."

"There's one about three hours from here.  It doesn't have but a few people living there, so it shouldn't be hard to evacuate them," Devin murmurs hesitantly.

His eyes are casting shadows of doubt as he looks anywhere but directly at me.  I tug on his hand to pull him away from the others.

"You don't like it, do you?"

"I don't like anything that puts you directly in harm's way," he grumbles.

"You know this could be our only shot of winning," I urge.

"I do, but I also know this is one dangerous way to go about it."

"I can do this.  If they're looking one way, I may be able to hit Van with everything I have before he freezes me solid," I tremble out.  "It's the only way we get the chance.  If we wait for them to come when they're ready, then we lose the upper hand."

"I don't know that we really gain enough advantage to call the element of surprise a loss.  I'm worried we're just speeding into something a little too recklessly," he breathes with too much anxiety.

I stroke his tense cheek with the back of my hand, and he pulls it to his lips to plant a soft kiss in the center of my palm.  My name on his finger still wants to draw tears from my eyes, and I move to be in his lap as he sits down.

"I love you," I murmur through my gush of emotion.

"I love you," he soothes, and his lips call to mine before I can utter another word.

I stare out at the ocean for what seems like minutes, but then there's land just ahead.

"We're here?" I gasp.

"Yeah.  Time flies when there could be little left," Kry softly answers.

"It flies when you have an eternity of it as well," Devin offers.
"Are you ready?" I ask Gemma.

"Yes
… No… Yes… I don't think I really have a choice," she stammers.

"Just wake a plant, and then we'll wait," I whisper.

She turns to the beach as we dock, and I see the others flashing off the boat to evacuate the unsuspecting mortals.  A palm tree bends to the ground, and Gemma's eyes close as she concentrates on not giving away her inner thoughts.

She releases it, and Devin takes my hand as we stare out at the sea.  Everyone speaks in code so as not to reveal our plan.

"Do you think it's going to rain?" Kry asks softly.

"It's hard to tell right now," I answer dryly.

Hours tick by as if they're minutes, and we continue talking idly in order to keep suspicions low.  Devin's hand squeezes against mine each time the wind rustles too long.

Then we hear it
… the buzzing.  Devin almost crushes my hand when he squeezes too tightly as the buzzing nearly deafens us to all other sounds.

We can't see anything, and the ocean is wiped from our sight as the buzzing flakes darken the sky.

"The first part of your plan is already a miss.  I can't take out their boat if I can't see it coming," Devin whispers.

"We'll break that bridge when we get there," I whisper back.

"It's
cross
that bridge… not break it," Gemma scolds.

"I plan on breaking everything today," I growl.

The buzzing continues, and I bring my hood lower so my face isn't revealed.  Suddenly, each flake begins swarming into a corporeal form, and the army of dead materializes.

I stare down at myself as if I've been exported from my body.  Van's eyes glare into mine, and I see his smirk etching out when I tremble in fear.

"Hey, gorgeous.  It’s a good day to join me, don't you think?" his eerie tone mocks.

"One last chance to walk away," I offer.

"I've got nothing to live for," he jokes, and then his eyes swell with a flame as he glares his penetrable stare of fear into my far too blue eyes.

I smirk as I see myself trembling and unable to do anything while Van thinks he's winning.  Then I hear the pounding footsteps on the earth as the daughters of Athena appear.

I stand frozen as their vines wrap around me, and then Safina's smug tone chills me to my bone as she shows up in the immortal flesh and blood.

I have to kill Van first.  She's not supposed to be here yet, damn it.

"You summoned us?  How stupid are you?  Did you really think Van could be held back for the full seven days?" she laughs.  "He's strong.  His bloodlust is unparallel to any army of dead leader I've used thus far.  I'm surprised you're so eager to die."