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Was it too soon to have these feelings? And was I strong enough to not act on sexual impulses that would tie me to a stranger—if what he said was true—forever?
CHAPTER SIX
TRACE
Holding back my reaction to Bex staring at my erection was one of the hardest things I’d ever done. And I’d slaughtered demons most of my life. Clearing my throat, I took another hit of caffeine and willed my thoughts away from how sexy she looked in the outfit I’d found for her.
“So, I think now’s as good a time as any to let you in on what you don’t know, and ask if you have any questions.”
She released a puff of air, then shook her head as if she’d been in a trance or something. “Okay, so I’m not saying I believe you, but I know there’s something going on between us. I’ve seen enough as a witch to know there are bigger things going on in the world beyond what my coven and I have learned. And I’m open to hearing more about this prophecy.”
It was my turn to release a big breath. “Okay, long story short, well, as short as I can make it, our father is from another world, an alien. He crash-landed outside of what is now Cairo over two millennia ago. He was worshipped by the Egyptians and became known in human history as Thoth. He often fought with the Greek gods, Zeus mainly, then hooked up with our mother Athena, just to spite him, we think. After we were born, he left us to be raised and trained by others, then at some point, took on the name Tiegh. He also had in his possession tablets from his home world made of green crystal, which are now referred to as the Emerald Tablets.”
I had to stop. Her scent had me grasping the edge of the table. I wanted nothing more than to take her into my arms and tunnel under those damn tight leggings and discover if she was slick with need between her curvy thighs. The craving within me to know her taste grew with each second that passed.
Closing my eyes, I imagined placing her curvy body on top of the table, stripping her, then spreading her legs, spearing her folds with my tongue and drinking my fill of her sweet nectar.
“Trace? Your eyes. They’re uh, glowing. Are you alright?” Bex’s breathless concern pulled me back to the moment.
Blinking rapidly, I shifted in the seat, seeking relief from the strain my unyielding erection caused.
How much longer could I hold myself back from taking my mate?
Clearing my throat, I shook my head. “I’m good. Sorry about that. So, our sire’s race had forged these tablets to document the secrets of the universe. It’s kind of hazy whether he was given them or if he stole them. Anyhow, fast forward a few centuries. The tablets, which we believe there are three of, became lost, most likely stolen by the priests he’d entrusted to guard them. Once Athena’s sisters, the Fates, discovered she had given birth to us, they pretty much blackmailed her to keep us secret from the rest of their siblings. Zeus knew, but since Tiegh had banished the gods to the heavenly plane after we were born, our grandfather has had no control over our lives. But we were saddled with the Brethren’s Prophecy. Which basically means we are overseers of mankind. We ensure their survival by keeping the demons in hell, and any other immortals in alliance with them.”
Pausing again, I asked, “You still with me?”
She nodded and I noticed her expression wasn’t skeptical but it wasn’t accepting either.
Continuing, I said, “And that brings us to where we can only procreate with our fated mates. In order to secure the safety of man, our sons will join us, strengthening our battle against one demon in particular, a Duke of Hell known as Dantalion, or Dante. He’s already made two attempts, unsuccessfully, on my brother’s mates, and he claims to have a third under his control.
So, the one positive of Athena’s lockdown is you will be safe until we, um, mate, thus securing our bond. A formal binding will follow as soon as we can locate my brother Gavin, who performs this ceremony.” Saying it all out loud sounded slightly insane, even to me, and by the look on Bex’s face, she did as well.
CHAPTER SEVEN
BEX
“Demons? Demons are real?” I croaked out. Goose bumps erupted all over me. Not because of his story. No, after the events of yesterday, and meeting a real goddess, why not believe that demons are real? Heck, maybe other mythical creatures would be as well.
Snorting, I leaned back in my chair, staring at Trace, imagining what he would look like in his shifted form. "Next, I suppose you’ll tell me dragons are real, too.” I leveled my gaze at him, not in anger but in wonder.
No matter what he revealed about himself, no matter how frightening, I knew deep down it would not extinguish my body’s need for him. I sensed that this inexplicable draw was not going to cease, only grow. And I feared it would never end, not even if I gave in to my desire and took him into my body. I had to stop objectifying him and his lickable body. He was more than a walking sex dream, right?
“Actually, you’ll have a chance to meet one eventually. My brother Quinn is a dragon shifter.”
Huh? I had half been suspecting Trace was one because of his wings, but his were made of feathers, not scales.
“Wow, okay. So I’m guessing you’re something else.”
“I’m a phoenix shifter. Our mother has a warped sense of humor. At our birth, she gifted us each with an alternate form. I’ve always suspected she did it to piss our father off. But she so rarely speaks of their time together, so we’ve had to piece together some things on our own.”
A phoenix shifter? “Wait. Don’t phoenix die every thousand years, then be reborn? Or so I’ve read. Does that mean you come back as an actual bird, or…?”
This question seemed to agitate Trace. He pushed back from the table and paced the room.
“Actually, it’s once a century and I’m at the beginning of a cycle. That’s why my wings are out. I’m unable to shift them back as I’ll gradually turn into my phoenix form before igniting into fire, then flaming out in a spectacular display. But, yeah, typically, I rise from the ashes in human form.”
All of this was too fantastical. But being who and what I was, most of what he just told me didn’t seem that far out there. If I had grown up without magic, I probably would have collapsed into a blubbering mass of confusion. So, okay, I could deal with this. Still wasn’t sure about the mate thing, but I’d handle this new world of immortals that included gods, monsters and, yes, even aliens.
