CHAPTER 20
Clio loaded up her bag and set the alarm on the dance studio. Mason carried her duffel and followed her back to her car. She couldn’t wait to get home. It took all she had to keep from pinching herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming.
Mason got in the car beside her, his smile warming her heart. “How long have I been gone?”
“About a week.”
“Damn.” He shook his head. “What have I missed?”
She told him about the meeting with Ted Belkin, and before he could ask, she filled in the blanks. “We haven’t seen the Kevin guy who Ted thinks is Kronos.”
“Did Nate get Tera and Trinity protected?”
“Tera is supposed to meet her bodyguard soon. Until then, she and Trinity are staying at Callie’s house.” She rested her hand on his thigh. “Now that you’re back, Trinity can probably come home with us, though.”
He glanced her way. “You didn’t hire a new contractor for the theater, did you?”
She grinned, shaking her head. “Nah. I was counting on you coming back.”
After she parked, she pointed to his truck. “It’s right where you left it.”
He got out and came around to her side. “And Trinity is at Callie’s?”
She nodded, grabbing her purse as she stood up. “Yeah, why?”
He swooped in, picking her up and jogging to the front door. Clio laughed, lacing her fingers behind his neck. “What are you doing?”
“Sweepin’ you off your feet.”
“You did that the moment we met.”
She unlocked the door, and he carried her inside, kicking the door closed behind him. He went straight for her room and laid her on her bed. She didn’t release her hold on him, pulling him down with her. She stared up into his eyes, trying to read the emotion smoldering there.
“Thank you for believing in me.” His voice raw and his gaze honest. “And for pushing me. I can’t find the words to tell you how amazing I feel. Until now, I don’t think I realized how much dread I carried around with me. I don’t feel cursed anymore.”
“I’m glad.” She caressed his cheek. “And you’re not cursed. You’re Lycan.”
He nuzzled her neck, then kissed down to her shoulder. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” She ran her fingers through the back of his hair. “I’ve got to tell you something first.”
He lifted his head, the desire in his eyes stoking the fire low in her belly. “All right.”
She tipped her head toward the nightstand. “I bought condoms.”
His mischievous grin had her laughing as he slid his hands under her top. His touch made her ache for more. She pulled his shirt up and off his head, humming as his bare chest pressed against hers.
He breathed against her ear. “I need you naked.”
Mason got up from the bed, bringing her with him. Once they got rid of their pants, he kissed her again, his tongue wrestling hungrily with hers, and he laid her back on the bed. She flailed her hand around the nightstand until she found the handle to the drawer. Her concentration was off as he took her nipple into his mouth. She moaned, running her nails up his back and abandoning her half-hearted search for condoms.
His eyes met hers as he kissed his way lower. She surrendered to the passion he stoked in her, barely registering the sound of the drawer opening. His tongue teased her core, and he growled against her. She shuddered in pleasure, her hips rocking into him.
He crawled up over her, the tip of his erection brushing her center as she pulled her knees up, opening herself so he could get even closer. His gaze locked on hers as he slowly entered her, connecting their bodies until she wasn’t sure where she ended and he began. His thrusts were slow and deep, and his eyes never left hers.
She stared up at him, enjoying the pleasure and love on his face. He bent to kiss her, his breath hot on her lips. “I never want this to end.”
“Me neither. But…” Her words trailed off as she struggled to catch her breath. She was so close.
“Yeah, me too…” Sweat shone on his brow as he slid his hand between their bodies.
She’d been right on the edge, and his teasing sent her right over, her inner muscles clenching tight around him. Mason thrusted into her faster and finally froze, exploding deep inside her.
He rested his head on her chest, and she stroked his hair back from his forehead. Nothing had ever felt so natural. He was made for her, destiny formed into flesh.
“Mason?”
He lifted his head, searching her face. “Yeah?”
“You’re mine.”
He kissed her lips so slowly, her pulse thumped in answer. “Heart and soul,” he whispered when he opened his eyes.
“And I’m yours.”
Mason growled. “Remind me to kiss Zeus next time we see him.”
Clio laughed as she pulled him back down to her, fusing her lips to his. Whatever fate the gods had planned for them, they’d face it together. All of them.
Clio, Mason, and the wolf.
Ted walked into Mikolas’s office and tossed a folder on his desk. “So that’s it?”
Mikolas glanced at the file and back up to Ted. “You have a problem with shutting down the Oceanus oil rig?”
“If we do this, it’ll be the end of the Order.” Ted sat down in one of Mikolas’s chairs. The Order was his father’s legacy. He knew he should let it go, but that boy hungry for approval still dogged him. “The few who believed us about Pamela’s photos will abandon us.”
“What does it matter? The Order is dead. Kronos is free, and he’s certainly not thanking us for our efforts to open Tartarus.” Mikolas ran a hand down his face. “This is the time to do it. I can tell the media that after careful consideration, the repairs to the rig after the explosion aren’t cost-effective. We can move the employees to different sites.”
Ted stared out the window. “I haven’t heard from Kevin, but I saw him in the newspaper.”
“What?” Mikolas straightened in his chair. “Why?”
“He went to some charity fundraiser in town. It was one of the charities Pamela supported.”
Mikolas shook his head. “What is he doing?”
“Your guess is as good as mine, but he wasn’t alone.” Ted brought up the article on his phone and placed it on the desk.
Mikolas studied the picture and pushed the cell away. “Who is she?”
“Her name is Doris Muldoon. According to the caption, she’s a patron of the American Ballet Theater in New York. Sound familiar?”
“Muldoon.” Mikolas met his eyes. “Isn’t that the name of the dance studio here in Crystal City?”
“Yeah.” Ted punched the name in his phone, raising his brow. He set the phone back on the desk. “Tera Muldoon. The Muse of Dance.”
Mikolas frowned. “This isn’t a coincidence. The woman with Kronos must be her, what? Mother?”
“Do you think the muses know she’s in town?”
Mikolas shrugged. “Maybe they asked her to get close to Kevin.”
Ted put his phone in his pocket. “Either way, he’s apparently done keeping a low profile.”
Mikolas sighed and stood up. “I have a bad feeling about this.”
“You don’t think he’s going to bring back the Golden Age of Man?”
Mikolas met his eyes. “I think he’s ready to step out of the spotlight, and choosing someone connected to the muses wasn’t by chance. Maybe he’s sending them a warning.”
“If we close the Oceanus rig, the rest of the Titans should still be trapped inside, right?” Ted asked.
Mikolas went to the window. “We can hope.” He glanced back over his shoulder. “Whatever is coming, I can’t imagine it’s going to be good.”
Mason finished attaching the joist for the roof and wiped his brow. He was one step closer to getting started on shingling the roof of the theater.
Sitting about twenty feet off the ground, with the sun setting over the ocean, he counted himself lucky. Over the last two weeks, he and Clio had worked together on his shifts between man and wolf. The shifts were faster now, a smoother transition from man to beast and back. The gods had been silent, too, but he didn’t expect it to last.
With the Order of the Titans broken into factions and everyone looking over their shoulders for an older guy named Kevin, Mason’s determination to finish the theater had never been stronger. But the waiting and worrying about Clio and the other muses was exhausting.
“Mason, you sleeping up there tonight, old man?”
“Who you callin’ old?” He chuckled, glaring down at Reed. “Just catchin’ my breath.”
“Well, get your ass down here. Clio’s in the parking lot. She’s got a surprise for you.” Then he added, “But you didn’t hear it from me.”
Mason climbed down the ladder and quickly cleaned up the jobsite with a hand from Reed and Nate.
Nate clapped Mason on the shoulder. “It’s starting to look like a building.”
“Yeah.” Mason nodded. “We’re finally making some real progress now that Belkin helped me get a couple laborers. There’s hope for this theater yet. Maybe we can even have a roof on before the rain starts.” He glanced over at the lot and smiled when Clio waved from her car. “Can you guys lock up?”
“Yeah, we got it.” Reed nodded. “Have fun, man. You earned it.”
Mason dropped his tool belt in the back of his truck and headed for Clio’s car. “Do I need to shower first?”
She shook her head. “Not where we’re going.”
He got in and leaned over to kiss her. “Where are you taking me?”
“It’s a surprise.” She grinned and pulled out of the lot.
They didn’t go far. She parked near the beach and got out of the car. Then she popped the trunk and took out a cooler.
“I can’t let you carry that, darlin’.” He took the cooler and stole a kiss. “Lead the way.”
He followed her down a rocky trail along the cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The sun sparkled on the water.
She stopped at an outcropping of rocks. “You can put that down.”
He did as she’d said and moved to stand beside her. Carved into the side of the rocks were images of a tribe, a woman, and a wolf. Mason bent down for a closer look. “What is this?”
“They’re petroglyphs. Before I got swamped searching for every ancient Greek scroll and prophecy, Native American history was where my heart was.”
Mason straightened, taking her hand. “What do you think it means?”
“I’m not sure, but when you told me you were a Lycan, I thought about bringing you here to see this. My gut says this is a story of a werewolf or maybe a skin-walker.” She looked up at him. “I wanted you to know that you’re not alone in the world.”
Every damned day he loved her even more. How was that possible?
But it was true.
He sat with her and took out a couple of beers from the cooler. They clinked the necks together and watched the sun dip below the horizon. She rested her head on his shoulder, and he kissed her hair.
Paradise.
THE END