Goddess in the Middle (13 page)

They’d have to find another place to live because their lease was about to run out and the family they’d rented the place from was set to return within the month.

He looked in the rearview again and caught Remy’s gaze for a long second.

We
have
to
get
her
to
let
us
stay, Rom. What if another demon comes for her?

His cousin’s thought rang through Rom’s brain clear as a bell.

Shit.

His hands tightened on the wheel, but he knew Remy was right. He turned the problem over and over in his head for the length of the short drive but didn’t come up with another plan that Remy would have agreed to and that would’ve given Rom the chance to get the hell out of town. And away from Amity.

Before he knew it, they were in front of her home. As he put the car in park and turned off the engine, he felt the pull of the magic from the city across the river, the magic that had drawn the Etruscans here all those years ago. The ley line that ran beneath Reading gave those who knew how to use it a boost in magical powers.

Yet, even with all that energy, the deities had weakened until they couldn’t manage to save themselves from attack.

That really had to suck.

Amity sat quietly for a few seconds before she turned from the window. “I… don’t really know how to thank you both.” She gave them that trembling smile again as she reached for the door handle. “I owe you my life.”

In the rearview, he caught a glimpse of Remy’s mouth tightening and knew his cousin was swearing silently.

“We’re just glad we were able to help.” Rom watched as she bit down into that full bottom lip. That mouth had been wrapped around his cock last night. He wanted to feel her mouth on him again. Wanted to sink inside her ass while Rom fucked her pussy and—

Yeah, really not what he should be thinking about.

Except now that was all he
could
think about. Shit.

He glanced at Remy, who stared back at him with raised eyebrows. Waiting for Rom to agree.

Shit.

Remy huffed and leaned over the front seat, putting his hand on Amity’s shoulder. As if he didn’t want her to get away.

“Amity, why don’t you let us come inside with you?” Remy said. “We could check out the house, make sure everything’s okay. You can never be too careful.”

Was that excitement or gratitude that flared in her beautiful eyes for a few brief seconds before she slowly nodded?

“I’m not going to turn down such a kind offer. If you really don’t mind…”

“Trust me.” Remy’s grin made her smile in return. “It’s not a hardship.”

Rom slid from the car before she could say anything else. Remy knew enough to keep her there until Rom could open her door. Smiling up at him, she put her hand in his and let him help her from the car. Thank the Blessed Goddess his mother had instilled some manners in him.

Remy stepped in front of Amity while Rom fell into place behind her. As if they actually knew what they were doing.

Imagine that. Maybe all those years of paranoia had finally paid off.

Before they got to the steps leading to the porch, Amity stopped to lift a brightly colored garden gnome from the flower bed and pulled a key out of the bottom.

As both he and Remy’s mouths dropped open at the idea that anyone could have access to her home, she shrugged, her expression only slightly chagrined.

“It really is a safe neighborhood.”

Holy shit, she left a key to her front door in the most obvious place.

He opened his mouth to tell her how stupid that was—

And stopped just in time. Amity wasn’t just another woman. She was a goddess.

Sure, she was dressed in Rom’s T-shirt and Remy’s sweatpants because her clothes had been ruined. She wore no makeup, and her tousled hair looked like she’d spent the entire night in a man’s bed.

She smelled like them and that turned him on too. Hell, everything about her turned him on.

Vaffanculo
, this was one big freaking mess waiting for a train wreck to make it even more fun.

Mentally slapping himself, he made sure he kept alert for anything. Anything at all.

Maybe Charun had already sent another demon. Maybe he had something else planned.

Since it was close to midnight, the only light came from the widely spaced streetlamps. The nearest light was two houses away, and it didn’t really cast enough of a glow to see the front door clearly from the sidewalk.

Rom visually checked the shrubs surrounding the house’s foundation, not big enough to hide a full-grown man but full enough to make him look hard to make sure no one was hiding there.

In seconds, they’d reached the small wooden porch that matched the Cape Cod home. Remy walked straight to the front door, holding out one hand behind him to motion Amity to stay off the steps. Rom wrapped his fingers around her upper arm, just to make sure she didn’t follow along after Remy.

And nearly lost himself in the softness of her skin beneath his fingers.

Damn, keep your head on straight, asshole, or she could end up dead.

That made his spine straighten, and he concentrated on using his wolf-sharp hearing to listen for anyone in the house.

All he heard was the beating of her heart.

Remy turned and took the key from her then opened the door as silently as he could. Unfortunately, the door looked to be the same age as the house, probably built sometime in the sixties. And it creaked like a sonuvabitch, announcing to anyone who might be there that they were home.

“Shit.” Remy spoke under his breath, so low only Rom could hear him. “Gotta fix that.”

Remy flashed a look at Rom, and Rom nodded. He’d keep Amity out here until Remy had checked the house.

After slipping through the open door, Remy closed it behind him as Amity’s muscles tensed and bunched beneath Rom’s hand.

When she turned, her lips parting to ask him why, he placed two fingers over her soft lips and shook his head.

Her eyebrows raised and her expression told him she knew what he was up to, and that she really didn’t think it was necessary.

Too
bad. Remy wants you and now you’re stuck with us. At least for a little while.

She remained silent, but he couldn’t resist the softness of her lips. He stroked his fingertips across them, blood rushing through his body to pound through his cock.

Which, of course, made him remember last night. Which made his cock harden even more.

At the rate he was going, he’d have her naked and up against a wall in seconds. Or maybe he’d watch as Remy fucked her over a table. He’d watch her pleasure build as Remy made her come. Then he’d take her from Remy and make her come around his cock.

They’d made her come so hard, she’d nearly passed out. And the energy they’d created together… Holy fuck, it’d rated off the charts.

So… what? Had it meant anything to her other than being a way to recharge her batteries? Did he want it to?

Amity’s head tilted to the side, eyes narrowing as she watched him. Her lips shifted under his fingers and he felt her smile.

Shit. Remy better fucking clear the house soon.

As if thinking about Remy managed to conjure him, Rom saw and heard the door open and Remy appeared, his expression impossible to read.

Withdrawing his hand, Rom took a step back, which made her head tilt even farther before she drew in a deep breath and turned to Remy.

“All clear,” he said. “Come on in.”

She sighed. “Thank you. I really do appreciate all you’ve done.” She turned to include him in her smile. “Both of you.”

Rom heard clear relief in her voice and felt like he’d saved the goddamn world for her.

Then her smile faltered a bit. “I know it’s late, but would you like to come in for a drink before…”

Before what? They left? Did she want them to leave? When the hell had he reverted to a sixteen-year-old?

Remy beat him to an answer. “Sure. That’d be great.”

As Rom moved to her side, he saw the smile that lit up her face. “I’m pretty sure I have a few bottles of Stoudt’s in the fridge. Or there’s whiskey or tequila.” Then she clapped her hands together. “Oh, wait. I know. Have you ever had Fuflun’s Prosecco? I just got a bottle. I think you’ll really like it. Unless you don’t like wine?”

Remy looked at him—his eyes bright and a grin on his face—for a second before he turned to Amity. “I’d love some.”

Guess
we’re staying.

Following her into the house, Rom’s gaze dropped to her ass. He’d always been an ass man, and she had one of the best he’d ever had his hands on.

Remy shoved his elbow into his side, after making sure Amity couldn’t see him as she walked through the front living room into the back of the house. A light came on and he saw her moving around in the brightly lit kitchen.

“Dude,” Remy said. “What the hell?”

Rom barely restrained his own eye roll. Much of the time, he forgot Remy was still in his twenties. Not by much and not for long, but his cousin sometimes reminded him in odd ways. And though Rom acted like it annoyed the hell out of him… honestly, he liked seeing his cousin act his age.

He hadn’t had much chance to since he’d been a teenager.

Remy leaned in close enough that Amity wouldn’t be able to hear him. “You were checking out her ass like some douche in a meat market.”

Rom made sure his expression was sufficiently scornful as he pulled back to look at Remy. “And you didn’t have your eyes glued to her chest?”

Remy’s mouth curved in a grin that was pure hound dog, and damn if Rom’s mood didn’t lighten.

“What can I say? She’s a beautiful woman.”

Except she wasn’t just a woman. She was a freaking goddess who was looking for a bottle of a god’s wine to serve to them.

When had their life passed through the Twilight Zone and into the Outer Limits?

“Ah ha! I found it.”

Amity appeared in the doorway leading into the kitchen, holding a bottle in one hand. Her smile made his lungs forget how to work.

That was bad. Totally and completely fucked up. He didn’t do nerves. He couldn’t. He’d be dead if he’d let his nerves paralyze him like they wanted to.

“Why don’t you both have a seat? I’ll open this bottle, put together some munchies, and we can chill for a while before…”

Before what? Before they left? Or before they all got naked and jumped into bed again?

Hell, Rom figured he was going to need more than a few glasses of Prosecco to chill out.

He was afraid nothing he drank or did would quench his desire for Amity.

And that could drive a wedge between him and Remy that might never be fixed.

Remy could practically hear Rom thinking.

Which was
so
not a good thing.

Rom tended to overthink everything, which generally led to a disagreement that usually ended with a couple of punches thrown before they worked out a plan they could both agree on.

But Remy had a raging disgust for waiting and generally took what he wanted before life took it away.

Yeah, yeah, he had issues. But he thought he’d dealt with them pretty well up until now.

Hell, if you considered the situation, most people would think the same thing.

Rom didn’t. Rom thought he was fragile from the damage to his face and his psyche and, yeah, to some degree he was. But Rom had decided to take the weight of their world on his shoulders, and nothing anyone could say would convince him he didn’t need to.

Usually Remy took it on himself to make sure Rom didn’t burn out from all the stress.

And spending a few more hours with a beautiful, totally hot goddess would certainly reduce some of that stress.

Sure, Remy wanted to pursue the
Mal
bastards who’d put that demon on their asses. He would hunt them down and make their deaths slow and painful. But they’d waited this long to kill the demon. A few more days for the
Mal
wouldn’t matter.

He and Rom could use some time to regroup. Spending another couple of hours in Amity’s bed would give them that time.

And when they left to pursue the
Mal
… they’d leave her vulnerable to Charun.

He had a hard time keeping the frown from his face.

“We’d love to stay for a while.” Rom bowed his head and gave the slightest bit of a smile, which made Amity’s expression fairly glow with happiness and shocked the almighty hell out of Remy.

So much so, he turned to his cousin after Amity gave Rom the bottle to open then disappeared back into the kitchen.

He stared until Rom turned to glare at him.

“Why the hell are you staring at me like that?” Rom’s barely vocal growl made the hair stand up on Remy’s arms. But he wasn’t about to let Rom intimidate him.

In fact… “Are you sure you didn’t have your brain knocked loose during the fight? I think that might’ve been the fastest decision you’ve ever made.”

Remy expected Rom to totally ignore his dig, which is what he usually did. The guy just didn’t have the snark gene.

Instead, Rom scowled. “My brain works just fine. Not sure about yours yet. I’m not the one who got myself knocked out during the fight.”

Rom was steady as a rock and had absolutely no sense of humor. He definitely needed to have a stickectomy on the one shoved up his ass.

“Wow. I swear your brain is full of gears and cogs. When—”

“Here we go.” Amity slid through the doorway from the kitchen into the living area, an overburdened tray in her hands. “I didn’t know what you liked so I put on a little bit of everything. Maybe a little too much, actually. This tray is really hea—”

“Here.” Remy reached for the tray. “Let me take that for you.”

Her smile brightened the room and made Remy’s heart beat just a little faster.

“Thank you, Remy. Just set it on the table there and you two sit down. Please.”

Remy slid onto one end of the couch, hoping she and Rom would get the hint and sit there too. Amity did.

Rom, the idiot, sat on the chair across from her.

They fell silent as Amity poured the wine and he and Rom dug into the food. She’d made a huge antipasto plate with all sorts of cheeses, meats, and olives; a bowl of thick-cut potato chips; and another bowl of pesto with crackers.

He and Rom fell on the food like hungry wolves, though both of them managed to remember their table manners before they embarrassed themselves.

“Did you make this yourself?” Remy pointed to the pesto. “I’ve never tasted anything like it. It’s great.”

She smiled at him and he swore he felt the earth shift under this feet. He nearly choked on a piece of mozzarella and had to wash it down with a sip of the awesome Prosecco. The God of the Vine absolutely knew what he was doing.

“Remy, are you okay?” The concern in her tone struck a place deep inside his chest, one he thought had been hacked out long ago. It made every protective instinct he thought he’d gotten rid of rise up until it nearly choked him.

“Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine. Lady—”

“Please. Just Amity. Both of you. I’d really prefer that.”

He’d call her whatever she wanted to make her happy.

Did that make him a sap? At the moment, he didn’t give a fuck. He only wanted to please her. And if Rom said something stupid, he’d—

“Then we’ll call you Amity.” Rom’s tone had a note of finality that should have rubbed Remy the wrong way, but since it was basically exactly what he was thinking, he figured he’d let it go.

“So, Amity.” Remy put his arm on the back of the couch, letting his fingers graze along her nape and smiling when she shivered. He figured he might as well dive in headfirst, because Rom would take the rest of the night to ask for what they both wanted. “Would you mind if we crashed here tonight?”

***

Amity tried to temper her delighted grin but figured why bother.

Remy’s question simply meant she didn’t have to ask them to stay and possibly guilt them into it.

“I wouldn’t mind at all. If you’re sure it won’t be an imposition? I’d certainly feel safer with you both in the house.”

“Not a problem,” Rom said. “And since we’ve got some time, why don’t you tell us a little more about this situation with Charun. What’s it gonna take to get him off your back?”

Her heart gave a little extra thump at Rom’s oh-so-serious gaze. He was worried about her. How sweet was that? “Short of me getting rid of what he wants, I don’t think there’s going to be any foolproof way to do that.”

“You said he’s done this before. With whom?” Remy asked. “And how did they get him off their back?”

Amity sighed, unsure how much she should tell them.

Two Etruscan goddesses had already given up their powers. What would they think of that? Not many people in their relatively small community knew what was happening. And that was probably a good thing.

If the Etruscan people realized what was going on, would they lose faith in the entire pantheon?

Hadn’t they already?

Such a depressing thought, one she really didn’t want to dwell on.

“Amity.” Remy reached for her hand, which she hadn’t realized she’d clenched into a fist on her knee.

His hand felt so warm, so comforting, she wanted to grab hold and never let go.

“Thesan gave up most of her powers and Lusna has… passed hers on.”

For a second, both men looked confused. Then, as realization struck, the exact same expression of stunned disbelief settled on their faces.

“You can do that?” Rom said.

She nodded. “Apparently so.”

Remy opened his mouth then shut it before finally asking, “Why? How?”

And now it got tricky. “Tessa did it for love. Lucy…”

“Lucy what?” Rom’s gaze narrowed even more.

“Lucy had another choice.”

Remy opened his mouth to ask another question she really shouldn’t answer, but from the corner of her eye, she saw Rom shake his head, just once.

And Remy shut his mouth. But not before he gave Rom a glare sharp enough to cut glass.

“Okay.” Rom’s voice had fallen into a low, steady tone, as if he were gentling her. “That’s fine. So what are your choices?”

Good question. The entire situation felt surreal, like she’d come into a movie midway through and suddenly found herself the subject of it.

“I honestly don’t know. Tessa and Lucy had extenuating circumstances.” Namely, they’d fallen in love for the first time in their very long lives and had had something more to live for than being Forgotten Goddesses.

Amity didn’t have that choice.

“Well, I know I won’t be giving up my powers.” She stared straight into Rom’s eyes so he could see her conviction. “I use them on a daily basis as part of my job. I am damn proud of what I do. And I enjoy helping people.”

Not to mention her job had saved her sanity. There had been a few deities who’d run amok when the burden of everlasting life became more than they could handle.

She’d had to deal with that herself, at least on a smaller scale. Several centuries ago, when the world had been an even bloodier mess. The death and destruction wrought by the
Malandante
against the rest of the Etruscan race had been minor in comparison to what’d been going on in the rest of the world, but their methods had been particularly brutal.

She’d almost given in to despair then. Barely stopped herself from turning her powers on herself and draining the life from her body after she’d lost a young, mated
silvani
and
fauni
.

They’d been savaged by the
lucani
under the control of the
Mal
, their bodies bloodied and battered, their minds broken.

She hadn’t been powerful enough to save them. Why should she continue to give her heart and soul for those she couldn’t save? Better to simply disappear than be forced to watch the death and destruction.

“Amity. Hey, talk to us.”

She came out of those bloody memories with a deep breath, sensing both men’s visceral concern. For her.

It made her blood heat and her heart stutter a beat. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had a man care for her like this. And never two.

Or maybe she’d just never let any other man get close enough to get to that point.

She and Remy and Rom had shared so much in the past twenty-four hours, they’d slipped past all of her normal safeguards.

And for a goddess who dealt with the very real world of pain every day, who knew better than most the cost of physical and emotional pain, they’d become dangerous.

“I think… it’s been a long day.”

Rom watched her with the sharpness of the predator he held inside. He wanted to keep digging, get to the heart of what bothered her.

But the memory of having to repair their broken bodies had risen too close to the surface now.

She needed space. Just a little. Time to think. A little space to breathe without their combined scents making her brain hazy.

She was being selfish in allowing them to stay, knowing Charun would come for her again. But she didn’t want them to leave, either.

Damn it, she needed a plan to deal with Charun. Before Remy and Rom came up with one she’d be tempted to allow them to put into action. To put themselves in more danger because of her.

At least for tonight, she thought they’d be safe with her. She didn’t think Charun would send another demon so soon.

A little alone time would not be out of line here.

“If you both don’t mind, I’m going to take a hot bath. The house has been warded against unauthorized intrusion, though I’m sure you know those spells won’t work against deities. But since Charun is still locked in Aitás, I don’t think I have more to fear from him tonight.”

She hoped.

“And I have some paperwork to catch up on before I return to work tomorrow.”

The men exchanged a glance she could read, even though their expressions never changed.

“Yes, I will be going to work. I will not allow Charun to affect that. And I have so much lovely energy now, thanks to both of you.”

As a distraction, it worked for several seconds. At least until they figured that’s exactly what she’d intended.

But by that time, she’d turned and was headed toward the steps to the second floor. “There’s a guest bedroom on the second floor to the left as you come up the stairs,” she called over her shoulder. “There’s another, smaller guest room off the kitchen. Please make yourselves at home.”

Her feet felt like they had lead weights attached to them as she trudged up the narrow flight of stairs at the back of the living room.

She hadn’t been kidding about the hot bath. She wanted to soak for hours. Sure, she wished she’d have some company to wash her back. But she also knew she needed to talk to someone with more intimate knowledge of what was going on.

As she ran the water, she used the old-fashioned landline phone in her bedroom to make a call. The line was magically warded, enchanted, and connected a select network of homes and businesses.

The female operator with the incongruous name of Phil agreed to put the call through. She must have been in a good mood because she didn’t give Amity grief over the time.

The phone clicked several times before the line connected.

“Hey, sorry it’s so late, but we need to talk.”

There was a pause on the other end before Kari answered. “I sensed something had happened last night and I tried to reach you, but you didn’t respond. I was worried. He’s come after you.”

Not a question. Amity had figured her twin would realize what had happened. They were connected by such a strong thread of fate.

“Last night,” Amity continued. “A
tukhulkha
demon came for me outside the hospital. I had… unexpected champions come to my rescue when I was attacked.”

“Champions?”

“Yes, I’ll get to them in a minute. Of bigger concern right now is that I also had a dream visit from the man himself.”

“Charun contacted you personally?” Surprise sounded loud and clear in Kari’s voice. “How did he manage that?”

“He told me he had help from Hinthial.”

“No.” Kari’s answer was firm and clear. “She wouldn’t.”

“I agree. Then you know what that means.”

Another pause. “We need to talk to Sal.”

“Yes, we do. But we’ll have to meet here. I’m afraid if I leave the safety of my wards, I’ll alert Charun.”

“No problem. I’ll contact Sal and have him meet me at your place.”

“Why don’t you have Sal transport you here, Kari?”

Kari’s bright laugh eased something inside Amity. “Always the worrier. Charun’s not after me, sister. At least not yet. But to put your mind at ease, I’ll contact Sal. Haven’t seen the horny little devil in a while. It’ll give us a chance to catch up. Now, about these champions…”

“You’ll meet them soon enough, Kari. They’ve agreed to stay with me tonight.”