Goddess Bound: Goddess Series Book 6 (Young Adult / New Adult) (11 page)

He suddenly moved, twisted so that she was now flat on her back and he above her, all without breaking their kiss. He ran his free hand up the front of her negligee, between her breasts, along the side of her throat, and back down.

“I’m supposed to be the one…oh gods,” she moaned as he broke away and started kissing behind her ear and down the column of her neck.

“It’s my birthday. I should get to play with my present the way I want to,” he mumbled between kisses as he forged a path to the top of her cleavage. He tugged at the thin strap until her nipple was exposed. When he took it into his mouth, she realized there was no way she could she argue with his logic.

Once he’d tasted that one, he pulled the other side down and dove for her other breast. She arched her back, loving the feel of his mouth on her and knowing she’d never tire of it. Never. After alternating between the two, her insides were shaking, her core aching for more.

He sat up and rubbed his hands along the lace. “As much as I love this, I need it off. Otherwise, I’ll treat it like any other wrapping and rip it off what’s mine.” The dark blue of his eyes, that intent look, was proof of how little control he had. Legacy stood up and let the robe fall to the floor. She unclipped the attached garter from her stockings and peeled the naughty nightie off. She stood now wearing only the heels and stockings. She considered leaving them on, but that felt too brazen, so she lifted her foot and put it on Adin’s lap.

“I think you should get to take something off.”

He growled as he slowly pulled her shoe off. Then she lifted the other one for him to remove. She turned around and slowly rolled down the stocking on her right leg, making sure to bend over and give him one heck of a view. “Shit,” he breathed. “Hurry up.”

She stifled a laugh and then went to work on the other one. She turned back to face him and slowly stalked toward the bed. She put one knee on it and reached for the drawstring of his pants, making sure she
accidentally
grazed his erection. He fell back on his elbows with a groan, but kept his eyes opened as he watched her closely. Once she got his pants untied, she tugged on them and he lifted up his hips so she could remove them.

As soon as his pants hit the floor, he pounced. They kissed, touched, licked, and sucked every part of each other’s bodies. After what seemed like hours of pure bliss and them both covered in sweat, Adin finally, thankfully started to push into her. He gasped and pulled out. “Shit.” He rummaged around in his nightstand. She leaned up to see what he was doing and it dawned on her that he was getting a condom. That had been close. She was on birth control, but one could never be too careful. He quickly donned it and crushed her to the bed. Within seconds, he was pushing into her again.

“Gods, Adin.”

He thrust into her slowly at first, but any patience he’d been displaying had shattered when she gripped the cheeks of his backside. He cursed and moved faster, taking her with abandon, and she loved it. She came immediately, and he shortly followed her over that precipice.

Panting, he held her tightly to him. She rubbed his slick back and ran her fingers through his damp hair. They’d need to wash up before going to sleep, which gave her an excellent idea.

“Do you want to get the shower ready?” she asked softly.

He groaned. “I don’t think I can move.”

She smiled into his hair. “That’s too bad. I like the idea of warm water hitting your back while I clean you, paying special attention to certain parts of your body.”

He chuckled. “I think I’d be too worn out to respond.”

She moved her head so her breath hit his ear. “Not when I clean said parts with my mouth.”

He sat up instantly. “I’ll get the towels.”

She laughed as she watched him jog into bathroom.

Chapter Thirteen

“I’m glad you called,” Legacy said to River as she approached the picnic table behind the rocket slide in the park. She had told him she’d come to his house to talk, but he’d told her he was out running errands. She figured he’d lied about that. Since he was doing everything in his power to avoid Calli, she knew if her BFF saw her at his house, she’d have a reason to come over. She would’ve called him out on it, too, but he’d seemed anxious to speak with her and she didn’t want to do anything to ruffle his feathers. She sat down across from him.

“There have been some developments.”

“I figured.” She rolled her eyes.

“How was Adin’s birthday?”

Legacy glared at him. “Fine. Is this small talk or do you have a point?” She didn’t know what River had up his sleeve, but she didn’t want Adin to be a part of it.

He shook his head. “Small talk. And apparently really bad small talk at that.” He sighed as he rubbed his head. “I stopped by yesterday but no one was home. Tell him I said happy birthday, okay?”

She nodded slowly. “Okaaay,” she said, wondering what his deal was.

He smirked. “Look, we spent a lot of time together while you were gone. You’ve been back almost a week, and I think I’m going through Adin withdrawals. Don’t tell that ghost-boy I said that. He’d never let me live it down.” The smile on his face was genuine and the first time she’d seen River smile since the day she’d returned.

“Awww, you
like
my boyfriend,” she teased.

“Shut up, Legacy. He’s the only guy friend I feel comfortable hanging with.”

“Apparently, he’s the
only
friend you feel comfortable hanging with,” she griped. “You avoid me like I’m a poisonous snake or something.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Interesting choice of words.”

She snorted. “Yeah, okay, I should’ve picked something different than snakes.” She waved her hand. “So what’s so important you had to call me out here on a Sunday afternoon? You could’ve just not avoided me in gym class tomorrow.”

“Again with the avoidance talk.” He sighed. “I’m sorry about that. I really am, but unless you agree to drop one very important topic, I feel better staying away. She’s your best friend, and I want her to feel comfortable talking to you about anything without questioning if you’re running back to me to spill.”

Legacy knew exactly who he was talking about. She looked at him while she gathered her thoughts. “It sounds to me like you’re worried about her.”

“Drop. It.”

She nodded. Gods, he was so stubborn. “It’s dropped. But don’t worry about me running and telling you what she said. If anything, it’d be the other way around. We gals have to stick together.” She winked at him, but then frowned. “But I’m not one to break confidence. It’s one thing to giggle about news and something altogether different if something serious is going down. I don’t share things unless someone can get hurt or laws are involved. Unless you plan on killing her in her sleep, your secret is safe with me.”

“Nice try.”

“Damn. Your secrets are locked up in a vault. Got it.” She looked around before facing him again. “So why are we out here in the heat?”

“To discuss Kate and Ellen.”

That sobered her. “What about them?”

“I’m not sure Kate’s motives in helping us are genuine. I checked in with my father the other day and happened to mention Kate spying on Ellen. He said that Kate’s heart isn’t pure. When I pressed him, he didn’t elaborate except to say that people in love do stupid things.”

“First of all, what other motive could she possibly have in helping us, and second, why does it matter if that motive is pure?”

River leaned back and folded his arms across his chest. “It matters because her boyfriend kidnapped you and tried to keep you for himself for all eternity.”

Legacy’s shoulders slumped. “Okay, that’s true, but he kidnapped her too. You didn’t see her. She wanted to get out just as much as I did.”

“You’ve said that he was different around her a few times. At times he was murderous with you both, and at other times, he seemed apologetic.”

“Typical domestic abuse. Beat up on her one minute, buy her flowers the next.” She shrugged. “This isn’t news.”

“No one has heard from Seth since you two came back.”

Her heart raced. “That’s good then. Maybe I killed him when I shocked him away.”

He shook his head slowly. “Tartarus is where those who have been killed are cast never to be reincarnated. It is for the truly evil, or those who have been overthrown just as Zeus’ father, Kronos, had been. Where my mother was sent. It is far below the surface of Hades.”

Legacy gaped at him. “How do you know this?”

“About Tartarus? It’s common knowledge among our people. About my mother? She’s tried making contact through the king of Tartarus with my father.”

She’d been asking about his mother, but his short answer told her he didn’t want to talk about Medusa. “So what does this have to do with Kate?”

“Like I said, no one has head from Seth. When my father was contacted this most recent time from Kronos, the king of Tartarus, with a plea from my mother, he asked the king about Seth. He was told Seth had not been cast to his realm. My father then met with your dad and held a meeting with Hades…the original one. He was evasive about your abduction, but did say he hadn’t made contact with Seth since your escape. After our fathers threatened the king of the underworld if he were to ever try to take you himself, they closed off communication with him.”

“I’m still not making the connection here, River.” Legacy shook her head.

“The thing is, baby, if you’d have killed Seth, he would have been cast to Tartarus just like my mother. Kronos has no reason to lie about Seth not being there. Maybe his evilness hadn’t warranted eternity in our real version of Hell, but he should at least still be in Hades. If not in the Fields of Punishment, then in the Asphodel Meadows at the very least.”

“So I didn’t actually kill him?”

“I don’t think so. Since you are going to be all-powerful, I’d think being killed by you would be a one-way ticket to Tartarus. Do not pass go. Do not collect two hundred dollars.”

“Oh gods, do you think he came after me again?”

River shook his head. “No. I think Hades is lying.”

Legacy frowned. “Why would he lie about Seth?”

“Hades is a greedy son-of-a-bitch. I think he’s been controlling Seth to do whatever the hell he wants. The fact that you said he had moments of clarity, like he was himself again, proves that he might not be in control. Maybe he really hasn’t been himself.”

“You think the original Hades has been using him to get to me?”

“Yep. And I also think Seth is being held there against his will.”

Legacy gasped. “That’s horrible. Why would he do that? Besides being a complete jerk?”

“He knows you’re destined to acquire your mother’s and father’s powers. He’s never liked being cast to the underworld. He could kill you and get those powers, which to an outsider seems like the right thing for him to do.”

“Gee, thanks.”

“Or he could bind you to him and control your powers and keep his control over the underworld. Turn his kingdom into the most powerful of all while controlling three-quarters of everything. From a strategic standpoint, that makes more sense. If he kills you, he continues to look like the lowly god he has been, but if he gets Zeus’ very powerful daughter to marry him, well, then he looks like a hot commodity to everybody. He gets the coveted control while keeping his hands clean.”

“You keep talking like it’s Hades we should be worried about and not Seth.”

River smirked. “If Hades controls Seth, then Seth is someone to avoid or take out. But the bigger issue here is I think Hades has no intention of stepping aside for Seth. I think Hades would rather kill him then let that happen. When I asked my father why he wouldn’t just kill Seth, he mentioned something very important. If gods take out their own offspring before they ascend, they too are cast to Tartarus. It’s a form of protection for the young gods and goddesses. Of course, when they ascend, all bets are off. They won’t acquire their powers if they kill them. They’ll just take out the threat against their status.”

“But according to Kate, Seth should have ascended while we were trapped there. If your logic is right, then why hasn’t Hades killed him already?”

“You got away.” He shrugged and then leaned in closer to her. “I think Hades is holding Seth hostage, and I bet he planned on keeping him around until after you were bound to Hades. Once he was sure he had you for all eternity, he’d do away with Seth. But now that you’re gone, he might not wait until your ascension. Hades might try again to get you through Seth, but if not, he could just kill Seth and wash his hands of the newer version of himself.”

“Oh gods, Seth could be a sitting duck down there.”

“Exactly. At this point, he could’ve been tortured so much that he might be wishing you
had
killed him. So I ask you, what would you do if the man you loved was stuck there?”

Her eyes popped open. “I’d do whatever was in my power to save him.”

He nodded. “Not only do I think Hades is holding Seth hostage, but I think Kate found out. She knows too much about you and is too close to the person the oracle warned us about. I’m worried that by sending Kate to watch over Ellen, we’re just ensuring whatever outcome Ellen is destined to play.”

“H-how would she find out about Seth?”

River took a deep breath. “I’m not sure. But she knows she was created in the likeness of Hecate. She could have researched ways to contact that original god, or any god for that matter. We left her alone to watch over Ellen, but she could be spending all her time learning everything she can about Seth and his situation. At this point, I’m not sure she can be trusted, and if I can’t be sure, then I won’t trust her. I don’t think you should either.”

“Even if this is true and she found out about Seth, that doesn’t mean she’s going to harm me.”

River laughed sarcastically. “Baby, she’s done. Not only is she not doing what we’ve tasked her to do, but if she knows about Seth and does try to get him out, who’s to say Hades won’t take control of him again and grab you? She can’t be trusted to watch over Ellen anymore, and no way in hell are we going to just sit back and let her rescue Seth.”

“What kind of person would it make me if I just sit back and let the person Kate loves die?
She’s
the reason I got out safely!”

“And
he’s
the reason you were there in the first place. Don’t go all noble on me now. You are weeks away from your ascension. You have to be smart about this, Legacy.”

“He could be innocent.”

“He kidnapped you!” River roared. “He’s the reason I had to make a deal—” He stopped abruptly and slammed his fist on the table.

She felt the blood drain out of her face. “He’s the reason you had to make what kind of deal?”

“Forget it,” he said between teeth. “If you want to see if Seth is even worth saving to
you
, then talk to Lissa. See if she can look into it. He can rot down there for all I care, and you will not be getting involved with anything that asshat is connected to.”

Legacy narrowed her eyes, shooting daggers at him. “You cannot tell me what to do.”

“I damn sure can. And I can tell Adin all about this too. I’m positive he’d agree with me. You didn’t see him while you were gone. Do you actually think he’ll stand by and let you do anything to save Seth? I guarantee you, if Seth and Adin were ever to cross paths, there’d be nothing left of him to save.”

“Fine.” Legacy glared at him. “What do you propose we do about Kate? Or are you taking the same stance with her and not helping her either?”

River growled at her. “No, I don’t propose that. Quit being such a bitch.”

“You’re a grouch,” Legacy mumbled as she leaned back. She needed to defuse the situation or they’d just continue to go round and round about nothing. “What do you want me to do about her?”

He sighed and ran his hand through his dark hair. “We have to watch her.”

“So your plan is to watch Kate while she watches Ellen? That the best you got?”

“No. Yes. Shit, I don’t know. We need to watch them both. I don’t think you should say anything to Kate about Seth. On the off chance she doesn’t know he might be being held against his will and controlled by Hades, we don’t want to set her off. If she does already know and you approach her about it, she could get defensive. We don’t need another loose cannon. We already have one with Ellen.”

“Good point. Maybe we should call her off Ellen then. Tell her something believable so she can do her own thing. That way, she’d be easier to watch. Any research she does we’ll be sure it’s about Seth and not Ellen.”

River nodded. “Good. Good. Okay. I’ll think of something.”

Legacy licked her lips as she regarded him. She needed to bring up something else, but worried how well he’d take it. She thought of the best way to approach the topic and forged ahead. It wouldn’t be fair, but she was beyond playing nice with him where her BFF was concerned. “You going to Florida over spring break?”

River stiffened. “No,” he said slowly.

“Hmmm… I think you should. Kate and Ellen are both going to be there. It’d be a perfect time to watch over them and see what they’re doing without classes and home life getting in the way.”

“If this is your attempt at getting me back with Calli—”

“Don’t be silly. You never
were
with Calli, and for all I know Zach will be there.”

He paled. “What?”

Legacy shrugged, trying to remain calm and not gloat at River’s obvious reaction to the news. “They hit it off. I mean, like really hit it off. It’s as if they never broke up. You know we all had that double date Friday. Calli said he’d already asked to see her Saturday. I talked to her this morning, and I could hear the smile in her voice. She said they were going out again tonight. That’s three dates in three days.”

“I see.” His jaw ticked.

“Hey, as long as she’s happy. You didn’t want to see her, so she moved on. As long as both of my best friends get what they want, then I’m cool with it.” She raised a challenging eyebrow at him. “Right?”

He hesitated and then nodded. “Right.”

“So it shouldn’t be a big deal for you to come to Florida over spring break and look into the Kate and Ellen mess. Plus, Adin will be there. I’m sure he’d love the extra set of eyes watching over me too. He’s been crazy protective. The only reason he let me come here by myself was because it was to meet you. That probably hasn’t stopped him from lurking in the bushes, though.”

River chuckled, but without any humor. “Yeah.”

She suppressed her smile of triumph. “So can I tell him you’ll be there? We can all caravan.”

“Sure.” Another one word response. She knew it wasn’t nice, but if River had his reasons for tossing Calli to the curb, he needed his nose rubbed in her happiness. Maybe it’d help him face what he had done to her. And possibly face his real feelings. But something else niggled at her. Just what kind of deal had River made, and did it have anything to do with Calli?

River had been a wealth of knowledge for her, providing tons of details about Greek mythology that helped steered her research in the right direction over and over again, but she knew there was no way she’d learn the answer to whatever the deal was he’d mentioned from the source. From
him
.

She’d have to find out another way.