“Are you okay Alex?” Soteria Parthenopaeus asked her son.
Alex sighed. Really, he loved his mom but someday she’d have to learn that he wasn’t six years old anymore.
“I’m fine mom,” he answered.
His dad on the other hand went straight to the point. “Why’d you drop your shield?”
“Dad, do you not see the really hot girl behind me? I couldn’t have attacked the Daimons full on could I? She’d have thought that I was psycho. I needed them to attack first. But I needed them to attack to kill not attack to feed. I have to say I hate the Daimons who’ve fed of the Gallu. They seriously suck ass.”
Acheron concurred with his son’s statement. Ever since Stryker’s wife, Zephrya, had introduced drinking Gallu blood to the Daimons, they’d been walking in the day and causing a hell of a lot of problems for him and the rest of the Dark-Hunters.
“How are you holding up Alli?” Tory asked.
Alli looked at Alex’s mother. So this was the famous Soteria Kafieri. She wasn’t what Alli had expected. She’s seen pictures of Dr. Kafieri online, at dig sites and at ruin all over the world dated a few years back. Yet, she still looked the same.
“I…I’m fine. I think. Once I get over the shock and disbelief, everything will sink in and then I’ll always be paranoid. But no biggie.” She shrugged nonchalantly.
Ash chuckled. “I like you. You have a sense of humour. It’s nice.”
“Well, what am I supposed to do? Go screaming about hysterically? That’ll help the situation,” she said dryly.
“Sarcasm,” Tory noted. “She’s fits in perfectly.”
“I know.” Ash wiped a fake tear from his eye.
Alli turned to Alex and raised an eyebrow. He just shrugged.
“She seems to be holding out fine, given the circumstances,” Ash said as he studied her.
Alli regarded him just as coolly. Well at least she thought so. She could definitely see where Alex got most of his looks. There was something about Acheron that just made her want to reach out and touch him yet, there was the presence of a threat. Somehow, she knew that it was not the smartest thing to do.
And yet, he looked no more than twenty one. Alex was eighteen so he had to be older.
“Curiousity never hurt anyone. Ask what you want to ask Alli.”
“Uh…I should get used to that shouldn’t I?” she asked.
Acheron smiled. “Probably. Yes Alli, I’m older than twenty one. I’m eleven thousand, five hundred something.”
Alli could have sworn her jaw hit the ground.
Alex laughed at her expression.
“You’re serious?” she asked, her eyes still wide.
Ash nodded. “Dead serious.”
Alli nodded. She turned to Alex’s mom. “You’re not over a century old are you?”
Soteria laughed. “No. I was born in this age. I’ve got a couple of decades yet before I cross a century.”
“I think I have a migraine,” Alli groaned putting her fingers to her temple.
Alex put an arm around her shoulders. “Don’t worry. You’ll get used to it in time. I hope.”
“I honestly don’t think I have a choice in the matter. I either get used to it or end up insane for the rest of my life.”
“She’s practical too,” Ash commented. “That’s good. I like you. And trust me that is not something I say often. I like keeping people confused.”
“Thanks…I think.”
“So what now?” Alex asked his parents.
Ash shrugged. “You’ve got about an hour and a half. Have fun.”
Tory and Acheron vanished.
“That was…interesting.”
Alex gave a nervous chuckle. “Uh huh. I’m not gonna be yelled at am I?”
Alli shook her head. “Nah, I don’t think so. Um…what now?”
To that, Alex gave a mischievous grin. “Well…I could tell you all you want to know about my family- I know you want to know. Or…” he trailed off as he wrapped his arms around her waist.
“Or…what?” she asked, twining her arms around his neck.
He lowered his face to hers and pressed his lips to her cheek.
“I can take you somewhere-anywhere you want to go and we’ll continue where we left off.” He kissed the corner of her mouth.
She smiled against his lips. “I’m up for option two.”
No sooner had the words left her mouth than they were standing at the top of the Eiffel Tower. Yes, in Paris.
The wind threatened to blow them away and Alli clutched at Alex. Gently, he turned her in his arms and held her flush against him; her back against his front.
“Look at it Alli, beautiful isn’t it?”
“Amazing,” she breathed. “It’s absolutely amazing. Look at Notre Dame. I can’t believe that you can see it so clearly from here. Thank you. We can’t really continue where we left off here, but I appreciate you bringing me. It’s always been one of the places on my ‘Must Visit’ list.”
“You’re very welcome. Would you like to see my favourite spot in the entire universe?”
“You’d take me there?”
“Yup. Close your eyes. It might be disconcerting for you this way.”
Alli complied and less than five seconds had passed when Alex told her that she could open them. Even though she could no longer feel the wind, she was still hesitant.
She opened one eye and was so amazed by what she saw that the other flew open instantaneously.
“Wow. This is unreal.”
He smiled at her. He’d known that she’d appreciated it.
“This is my meditation spot. No one but me ever comes here. It’s the only place in the world I can call mine.”
“It’s incredible Alex. I can’t believe that a guy like you has a spot like this.”
To that he gave a self conscious shrug. “I’m a god. I hear the pain and suffering of everyone on earth. I’m the god of Death mainly, your Atlantean equivalent to Hades you might say. Though I don’t have to manage the underworld. Hades can deal with that himself. I hate going down there. But because of my godhood, there’s no escape from it. Except here.”
“It must be hard huh? Having those powers? Must be a huge burden to have them.”
How was it that she could pick up on that already? She really wasn’t like other people. She didn’t think it was just a walk in the park. She saw the darker side of things.
“It is,” Alex answered. “Sometimes. The thing is, my dad believes in free will which means that no matter the situation someone is in may it be bad or good, I can’t do anything to influence it because it’s their decision. Sometimes it’s such a temptation to just help someone who needs it. But, usually, they can find their own way and just don’t know it.”
“I get that. I really do. So…out of curiousity, just how powerful are you and do you come with limitations?”
Alex scratched the back of his head. “Uh…put it this way, my dad is one of the most powerful beings in the universe. He’s second only to source. My powers are derived from his and my mom’s. My mom’s powers were derived from my dad’s and my grandma-my dad’s mom. She’s Apollymi, and her powers also gave my dad his powers. It’s some real freaky shit. My sister, being borne of two pantheons, has a lot of power also but it’s my niece that I’m worried about.”
“Your sister was borne of two pantheons? Your mom’s not her mom?” Alli asked confused. By the way Alex had spoken about her, she’s assumed that they shared the same parents. Apparently, they were only half sibs.
“My sister’s mom is Artemis,” he said softly.
“The Greek Goddess of Virginity? She has a daughter? Well then…”
“Yeah…the thing is, she kinda throws tantrums and no one ever acknowledged the fact that she and dad had been sleeping together for the better part of eleven thousand years. Hell, dad didn’t even know he had a daughter until like a year or two before he met mom. And she’s his age minus twenty-one.”
“Acheron must have really bitched about that huh?”
“He actually almost killed Artemis but he can’t do that because then the world would end since she’s also the goddess of the moon.”
That made sense. The moon was needed for celestial balance.
“So what about your niece now?” Alli asked.
Alex sighed heavily. “Well, for one, she’s older than me. She was born before my parents even got married and she never lets me forget it. Usually she has a really good reign on her powers. She has like uber control.
“But the thing is Kat’s powers are second to my dad. And her husband’s a Sumerian god. He’s the last Sumerian god, with the exception his brother Zakar but Zakar hasn’t been seen in decades so…Anyway, I think that if she ever loses control we’ll all be in serious trouble.
“It’ll be like a nuclear bomb going off. Except more catastrophic. Way more catastrophic,” he said seriously.
“Scary,” Alli noted. She didn’t take lightly the burden of having those powers.
“Exactly.”
“So…What would happen if you lost control?” she asked with a smirk.
Alex grinned, knowing what she was getting at. “Depends on the situation. Why? Would you like to see me out of control?”
She licked her lips. “Maybe.”
He leaned over and kissed her. She kissed him back and he pushed her back so she was lying on the grass with him above her.
“I still don’t think you’re out of control,” Alli said as he left her mouth to kiss her neck.
“Not yet I’m not. Just you wait Alli Marshall, you’re slowly driving me insane,” he murmured against her throat. Then he delivered a sensual lick to the entire column earning him a shudder and a moan.
He smiled and began to suck on that spot just below her jaw, where she was so responsive. She moaned again and her breathing turned rapid. He trailed a hand down her body down to her calf where he hitched her leg on his hip. The move brought her flush against the erection he had for her.
Alli couldn’t think beyond what Alex was doing to her. All she knew was the pleasure of his hands and mouth on her. When he returned to kissing her, he cupped her face in one of his hands, bracing his weight on the other arm next to her head.
Alli brought her hands up around his neck then slowly slid them down his chest. She could feel his muscles through his shirt but it wasn’t enough for her. When she got to the hem of his shirt, she slid her hands underneath and caressed the perfect set of washboard abs and his heated skin.
Alex trembled at her touch. His control was hanging by a thread. All he wanted to do was make their clothes disintegrate and take her. If he dissolved their clothes, all he’d have to do is push into her. He was already positioned perfectly. But…
He rolled them over so he was on the bottom and she was straddling him. She looked totally disoriented and so frickin’ sexy that he almost came by just looking at her.
“Trust me?” he asked.
“Yeah,” she answered her eyes cloudy with desire.
He smiled at her and flashed her top away. She wore a black bra with little red skulls and crossbones on them. He wanted to take it off but this was her first time and he wanted to go slow with her.
He put his hands on the bare skin of her and groaned at the feel of her soft skin under his hands. She leaned down and kissed him again. Then kissed his jaw, his throat.
“Off,” she ordered breathlessly. “Take it off Alex.”
So he did. Her denim clad thighs pressed against his naked stomach and he longed for the feel of her bare skin on his. He was about to undo the button on her jeans when she bent down and kissed his chest. The feel of her mouth on him made him think of how it would feel around his shaft.
His eyes rolled back in his head as she slid her self backwards and brushed his erection with her ass.
Alex trailed his hands up her body and cupped her breasts in his palms. She moaned and arched her back.
Snap.
And his control was gone.
He pulled her down and ravaged her mouth. She tasted so fucking good. He just couldn’t get enough.
Then something against his stomach vibrated, causing both of them to moan. Then his cell in his jean pocket vibrated also. He groaned as it snapped them out of the haze of desire they were in.
“Race,” they breathed together.
Alli slid off him and answered her phone as he reached in his back pocket for his.
“Hello? Yeah…With Alex…Okay…Yeah…Yeah…We’re coming…Bye.”
“Hello? Yeah…With Alli…Okay…Yeah…Yeah…We’re coming…Bye.”
They looked at each other.
“Allie,” Alli said.
“Dimitri,” Alex responded.
“We gotta go.”
“Yup,” he answered.
But neither of them made a move to get up.
“Gods, you’re gorgeous,” Alex said with a grin. “I could seriously kill Dimitri right now.”
She laughed and leaned over to run her hand down his chest and those killer abs. “I think I could too.”
He kissed her hard on the mouth then pulled away with a groan. “If we continue this, we’ll be seriously late.”
“Yeah…yeah we will.” He stood up and held his hand out to help her.
Once she was standing, he picked some grass from her hair and she did the same for him also brushing some grass off his back. After they were cleaned off, Alex replaced their clothes and leaned in to kiss her again.
While her eyes were closed, he flashed them back to the show.
“I get the nuisance thing now,” she said when they broke apart.
He laughed.
They emerged from behind the DJ booth and made their way to the tent where Alex had said their friends were.
When they were about four feet away, Allie saw them.
“Finally!” she yelled.
“You need to get ready,” Ally said as she and Allie came towards them.
“You’ve got a real demanding crew there,” Alex commented with a laugh.
“Yeah, I know. I’ll see you in a few.”
He just smiled and leaned down to kiss her.
Then she was being towed away by her Allieys.
“Cheater!” she hollered after him.
“Whatever works babe!”
Allie waited until they were out of earshot before speaking. “You kissed him!”
Alli blushed. “Yeah. But what’s the big deal? You’ve made out with Dimitri and I’m sure Hammonds has already swapped spit with Bob. Haven’t you?” she fired at her other best friend.
Ally grinned. Then all three of them squealed.
“Who would have thought that this is how our day would end up? With all of us hooking up with an insanely sexy guy,” Allie commented.
“Hell, this morning, I didn’t know I’d even see you guys,” Ally added.
“True that. But we aren’t complaining,” Alli contributed.
“Damn straight,” they responded.
While they shared their experiences with each other, they had no idea that the same guys they were talking about were talking about them as well.
Alex couldn’t stop smiling. He had had an insanely ridiculous grin on his face when he had parted with Alli and it was still on his face.
“Someone got lucky.”
Alex looked up from his crouch near his tires. Dimitri was grinning at him.
“I wish. I would have if I my phone hadn’t rung.”
Dimitri’s grin widened. “Seriously? You would have?”
“Yup,” Alex said straightening.
“How?” Bob asked, coming over to where they stood. “This setting isn’t exactly conducive to seducing a seventeen year old girl.”
“I know that; which is why I took her to my meditation spot.”
“No freaking way. You took her to Katoteros? What the hell were you thinking?” Dimitri asked as though Alex was insane.
“I was thinking that I wanted a place where we couldn’t be interrupted and where I could maybe get lucky.”
“She didn’t freak out?” Bob asked amazed. Usually Alex was the most responsible of them all. For him to pull a stunt like this…it was beyond belief.
“Not really. I took her to Paris first. Top of the Eiffel Tower. Best kiss of my life.”
“Ash is gonna skin your ass,” Dimitri commented.
“Nah, he won’t. He’s cool with her and shit.”
“You’re gonna make us drag it out of you aren’t you?” Bob asked. When Alex only grinned, both Bob and Dimitri groaned. “Fine you bastard. Tell us what happened.”
“I killed four Daimons in front of her and then mom and dad popped in-I mean that literally- and she found out everything. I didn’t tell her I took her to the home of the Atlantean gods obviously, but she basically knows the rest. I don’t think I told her about you guys though. But she’s smart. She’ll probably figure it out.”
“You killed four Daimons. That’s why you dropped your shield?”
“No. I dropped my shield so that they’d attack first.”
“Why?”
Alex gave Dimitri a droll stare. “She would have thought I was psycho had I attacked first. Better she fear them than me.”
“Good point. She a good kisser?”
Alex said nothing to his god-brother’s nosy question. He just left a smug smile on his face as he finished getting ready.
Alli was already at the starting line when Alex saw her. She was fully dressed in her riding gear minus her helmet which was on the seat of her bike.
She stood chatting with her friends and Alex thought that he’d never seen anyone who took his breath away quite as she did.
“Hey,” he said as he dropped his kickstand.
“Hey,” she said turning to face him. “I…uh…” Wow. If she hadn’t seen him shirtless she’d have thought that there was nothing sexier than Alex in his riding gear. “WOW.”
Alex smiled. “I’m gonna win for no other reason than the fact that you can’t take your eyes of me. Cake.”
Alli scoffed. “Oh honey, you’re gonna lose for the reason that I’m just so much better.”
“Is that a bet I feel coming on?”
“Another one?” Ally asked watching her friends with great amusement.
Alli shrugged. “Why not? What do you have in mind Alex?”
To that, he gave an evil smirk. “How about if I win, you promise to submit yourself to me for an entire day.”
Alli smirked back. Oh two could so play this game.
“And if I win, you submit to me for an entire day.”
“Deal,” Alex agreed, holding his hand out for her to shake.
“Deal,” she said putting her hand in his.
Then he pulled her flush against and gave her a kiss that rendered her temporarily senseless.
“That is so not fair,” she complained when she regained her ability to think and speak.
“Who said anything about being fair?” Alex countered. If only she knew that he was just as shaken by the kiss as she was.
He wanted to play like that? Sure. Bring it on.
Alli smiled and pulled him down for another kiss, this time she was the one who teased. Her hand slipped inside his still open jacket and under his shirt. She raked her nails over his abs before she pulled away.
Alex thought he was about to die. He still had the boner from when he bumped into her. His want for her only increased after their play and her little stunt.
He was going to win for no other reason than to get her naked and under him.
“Yeah, I’m definitely gonna win,” he said as she pulled away.
She just smiled at him.
Someone cleared hid throat behind Alli. Alex looked up and over her head and instantly flushed in chagrin. Alli seeing the red tinge in Alex’s cheeks turned around to come face to face with her parents.
She wanted to disappear.
“Hi Mom. Hi Dad,” she said.
“Hi honey,” her mother said. “Isn’t he the Alex you’re racing?”
Alli’s cheeks turned red too. “Yeeeeaaaah…Um…Alex these are my parents…Mom, Dad, this is Alexandros Parthenopaeus.”
“Hi Mr. and Mrs. Marshall. Nice to meet you,” Alex said extending a hand towards her mother.
She shook it then he shook with her dad who had kept a fixed glare on him since they’d first made eye-contact.
“Nice to meet you too,” Mrs. Marshall said.
Then Alli’s dad smiled, catching both teens of guard.
“I hope you beat her Alex,” he said. “She needs to lose to someone.”
“Dad! You’re supposed to be on my side,” Alli protested.
“‘Supposed to be’ being your key words. It’ll be good for you to lose. That way your head doesn’t get any bigger.”
She frowned. “I don’t have a big head.”
“Sure you don’t,” Allie said.
Alli glared.
“Okay people, it’s time,” Acheron said coming into view.
Alli and Alex mounted their bikes and Alex had a vivid flashback of not too long ago when Alli was straddling him. He groaned. His hard-on was going nowhere fast.