“Where’s your sea god now? I don’t see him anywhere, and this all happening in one of his sanctuaries. Tsk, tsk. How sad for you. Perhaps I’ll kill his daughter right here in front of his statue. It will hurt him deeply, to see his one of his precious half-human children perish and not be able to stop it.”
“How dare you?” Aella raged.
“Aella, quiet. He’s toying with you, don’t listen to him,” Damon crooned.
Pythias kept his attention on his quarry, studying his moves, his gaze shifting from Linos’ hands to his sure steps. He’d make a mistake, and Pythias would only have one chance.
“Enough, Linos. You asked to be the one to kill these two and I gave you that. Now, quit wasting my time and get on with it.” Zeus yawned as he studied his nails.
Linos turned his head to look at his god, exactly the moment Pyth was waiting for. He tensed his legs, moving forward to tackle Linos. He ducked and rolled with the sniveling weasel in his arms, a lightning bolt just barely missing them, crashing into the wall at their back. Rock cracked and smoke billowed around them, hiding and then revealing their surroundings. Zeus’ roar shook the room, rumbling the floor beneath them. Ignoring him, Pythias swung hard with his right arm, connecting solidly with Linos’ face. The man’s head snapped back, blood spurting from his broken nose.
Pythias stood, holding Linos in front of him. He had to practically support the man’s full weight, he couldn’t stand on his own.
“If you don’t want your servant to die, you’ll leave us now.” He placed his dagger against Linos’ neck, pressing the tip hard into his skin. A drop of blood welled up, joining the river of red that was flowing from his nose.
Zeus faced them, his face mottled with rage.
“You swore you would protect me. You gave me your word. I gave you everything for your protection, my lord god. Please, save me.” Linos babbled, trembling in Pythias’ hold. He didn’t want to feel sorry for the pitiful creature, but he was seriously pathetic.
Zeus froze, studying them. If it was true and he gave Linos his word of protection, then he’d have to do something to save the man. Pythias was counting on it.
“What would you have me do?” The words were thrust out through gritted teeth.
Pythias didn’t hesitate. “Swear the oath of Styx, you will not try to harm us again.”
“Do I look like I was born yesterday? I cannot promise something that extreme. You know better, servant to my brother.” Zeus sneered at them.
“If you want this to end without bloodshed, you’ll swear it.” Pythias tightened his hold on Linos, holding the dagger below his trembling chin.
Zeus paused, stroking his own chin. “A century.”
“Five.”
“Three, my final offer.”
“Deal. Now swear to it.”
Zeus sighed. “Let the heavens and earth be my witness, and the down-flowing waters of Styx, the greatest and most solemn oath that I myself hold the blessed gods to, I will not try to harm you for three centuries. Happy now?”
Pythias released Linos, pushing him toward the god. “Take your trash and get out of here. Now.”
Zeus laughed cruelly. “I tire of him anyway. I saved his life, my word has been upheld. Do what you will.” He flashed out of the room, leaving sudden silence in his wake.
“I was only doing his bidding. I swear it. You have to believe me,” Linos wailed.
Shaking his head, Pythias considered the sniveling man in front of him. He wasn’t about to kill a man in front of his Aella, she might accept what they were but she was too innocent to be brought into this. He’d have to let the man go, trusting he would leave them alone.
What do you think you’re doing?
Damon asked him, confusion in his voice.
Pythias angled his body, keeping Linos in his line of sight, but able now to see Damon holding Aella close to his chest.
We don’t know for sure that he wasn’t merely doing the bidding of Zeus. I cannot kill him if he was just a pawn in all of this.
He killed her seals. He made her cry.
Even I won’t kill a man just for making Aella cry.
You know this won’t end. He’s not sane.
Damon, don’t ask this of me. I beg you.
Damon paused, nodding his head.
Forgive me, Pyth, I forgot myself. I don’t like that he will walk away without any repercussions for his actions.
“Who said anything about him walking away?”
A bright flash of light entered the room, hitting Linos squarely. The man fried right before their eyes, his expression frozen in fear before his body disintegrated.
Chapter Five
Aella froze, staring at her father. “What?” She knew she was gaping, but she hadn’t expected this turn of events.
“I always hated that whiny little man. Good riddance.” Poseidon frowned, lowering his trident.
He turned to Aella, holding open his arms. With a cry of joy, she ran to him, letting him lift her up in a massive bear hug. Leaning back, she studied him.
“Where were you? I tried calling you and calling you, but you wouldn’t answer. The seals are dead, that crummy man poisoned them to get back at you for something that happened millennia ago and I’ve finally found someone I want to spend my life with. Someones, actually. You won’t believe all that’s --”
“Breathe, Aella,” he interrupted. “I know what’s happened.”
“How can you possibly know? You haven’t even been here.”
“Have you forgotten where you’re standing? Anything and everything that happens within one of my temples instantly becomes known to me. When you entered, Zeus lost his hold on you and I was able to break the blockage he put in place.”
Poseidon looked behind her. “It appears you’ve found my men.”
Aella slowly extracted herself from her father’s embrace, blushing madly. “Uh, yeah.”
Pythias appeared on her left, Damon on her right. Both men bowed their heads to Poseidon, remaining silent.
Guess this is all up to me to explain.
She bit her lower lip.
We are here with you, do not fear.
Damon’s voice calmed her and she sent him a grateful smile.
Yeah, we’re here with you. Although I’d give anything to be balls deep within you at the moment.
Aella smacked Pythias in the chest, glaring at his smirking face.
My father could have heard that, you moron.
“You’re father did hear that.” Poseidon shook his head.
“Kill me now,” Aella moaned, burrowing her face in her hands.
“Now, now, you know better than to say things like that in front of a god. I may just take you up on it one of these days if you aren’t careful.”
“Poseidon, we have been your loyal men for centuries and I would ask now for a boon.” Pythias squared his shoulders, stepping in front of her. She placed her hand on his back, confused.
“Anything you ask will be granted to you.” A twinkle appeared in his eye as Poseidon studied the men who looked so serious. What were they doing? Aella stepped back, watching as both Pythias and Damon went down to one knee in front of her father.
“Release us from service. We belong with your daughter, if she will have us.” Pythias looked back at her, a hint of vulnerability on his face. She turned her head, bringing her hands up to her face again to touch her heated cheeks. Damon studied her from beside Pythias, a question in his eyes.
“Father,” she started. She didn’t know how to ask this, or even if it was something the men wanted. But she couldn’t let this chance go when he was standing right in front of her. They were his men, but she wanted both Damon and Pythias. She’d risk her father’s wrath if it meant being with them. She was in love with the exasperating men.
Will you be ours?
Pythias asked.
“Oh, I already am,” she cried. Aella stood in place, unable to move for fear that this wasn’t actually happening.
Pythias grinned broadly, swiveling to look at her father again.
“You don’t have to say the words, daughter. I would never refuse your happiness.” Her father smiled gently at her.
She gasped, unable to form the words to thank him.
“Granted, my most loyal men. You are free from my service. But, if you harm her in any way, trust that you’ll end up like the pile of ash over there that used to be Linos.”
Aella laughed, rushing forward to be enveloped by Damon. He lifted her clear off her feet, swinging her around in a circle. When he stopped, Pythias was there, embracing her from behind, both men holding her tight. She breathed deeply, smelling the familiar scent of the ocean coupled with the wild winds that she loved so much. They were hers.
“Always, we’ll always be yours. You hold our hearts,” Damon crooned.
“And you hold mine. Both of you.”
“We belong together. I knew it from the moment I saw your beautiful face. It has only grown since I’ve known you. My heart is full.”
She sniffed, overcome by the emotion in Pythias’ voice.
“Hey, I thought you couldn’t do the emotion crap, as you called it. Way to outshine me, buddy.” Damon’s voice was full of mirth.
She laughed, peeking past her mates at her father. “I still have one question.”
“Shoot.”
“Why did you send them to me? How did you know this would happen?”
Poseidon held out a hand, stopping her. “Zeus has been a busy little bee. I had an inkling he might be trying something, so I sent for the best men I could think of to throw in his path.” Poseidon preened, obviously proud of himself.
“You’re incorrigible, father.”
“I was right, wasn’t I?”
“This time, so I’m going to thank you. But, don’t think you can always keep me in the dark. You should have come to me. Told me what was going on.”
“Now, now. I know you don’t really mean that. None of this would have turned out the way it did if I hadn’t done something.”
She arched a brow, daring him to continue. Her father gave a great boom of laughter.
“I know when I’ve been beaten. I’ll leave you three alone, now. Goodbye, Aella.”
“Goodbye, Father.”
She waited a moment before looking up at them. “You don’t think we’re rushing things, do you?” Aella knew it was a little late to ask, but she was half-human, after all. Every once in awhile her upbringing was bound to rear its head.
“I want to spend eternity with you,” Damon said, resolute.
Aella smiled, wrapping her arms around both him and Pythias. Well, that answered her question. It was time for her to trust in the gods again. Trust in fate. Trust in her two men and see what would happen. “And I you.”
“Forever. That’s what I promise you both.” Pythias rubbed his cheek along her hair.
Aella smiled. “I’ll take that, love. Forever.”
It would sure be interesting, to see what that forever would look like. She couldn’t wait to get started.
BIO
Jade’s writing is as eclectic as her reading tastes, with over thirty erotic romance tales currently published. She’s been known to accept writing challenges from friends and family just to see their reactions and Jade is also a firm believer that love and romance are universal concepts, no matter a person’s gender identity or sexual orientation.
Originally from Northern Ontario, she's lived in British Columbia and the Sultanate of Oman in the Middle East. Jade currently lives in Calgary, Alberta where she’s hard at work on her next story.
Jade loves to hear from readers! You can contact her at:
Website:
http://www.jadebuchananbooks.com
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/jadebuchanan
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/jade.buchanan1
MORE JADE BUCHANAN TITLES AVAILABLE
The Bandit Creek series:
PENNY CANDY
HARD CANDY
The Wolf Creek series:
BLACK WOLF
DUCK FART
The Felidae series:
LAITHE’S PRIDE
ASAD’S MATE
USAMA’S JOURNEY
LEV’S DISCOVERY
NAVIN’S MASTER
ROWAN’S MEN
The Pridelands series:
DARREN’S SURPRISE
ZULA’S STAND
SHEER’S CHOICE
GRIFFIN’S JOY
KHALID’S CHALLENGE
ACHAN’S PEACE
The Broken Trilogy:
BROKEN RULES
BROKEN SILENCE – coming soon
BROKEN DISTANCE – coming soon
The Horsfall Trilogy:
TAIL OF TWO BROTHERS
TASTE TEST
AS THE CROW FLIES
The Northern Bears Trilogy:
BEAR WITH ME
UNBEARABLE
BEAR OUT
Single titles:
NUT CREAM
THE FROG IN THE ROOM
ALL WRAPPED UP 3 COLLECTION: BOUND TO PLEASE
SPACEPORT: MARKED
ROOKERY COVE: FAUN OF A TIME
BULL RIDER
DREAMING OF HARMONY
FIRESTORM ANTHOLOGY
THE HANDYMAN
THE BOARDROOM
TAKING CHANCES
AELLA’S SONG
Table of Contents