I HAD NO time to savor the feeling of my mind-blowing orgasm, because Roth had thrown me onto my back and was looming over me, his hands in my hair and his delicious mouth claiming mine. The buildup began anew as his tongue stroked mine, making my hips move against his still-hard erection of their own accord. He growled low in this throat and eased into me once again.

A slight sting of soreness, and then I spread my legs open wide, inviting him deeper. I’d never known such pure animal desire, but one look in his eyes made me burn for him. I dug my nails into his back as he rocked into me.

He began slowly, his body shaking with the effort to maintain slow, measured thrusts until I could fully accommodate him. Before long I was urging him on, needing more and more. I lifted my hips to his pounding body, wanting every inch he had to offer. Roth sat up and brought me with him, leveraging my body so he could suck the hard bud of my nipple as he still pistoned into me.

His teasing tongue on my flesh had my toes curling with the intense pleasure, and I couldn’t stop myself from crying out his name.

He slowed, though I could tell it took more than a little effort. “Did I hurt you?”

“Don’t stop!” I twined my fingers in his hair.

His body answered as he threw me back down on the bed and covered me possessively, thrusting into me while he nipped at my neck. His sensuous rhythm had me wrapping my legs around him, urging him deeper, not caring how wanton I seemed. All I knew was here and now I wanted this. The consequences be damned. I pulled him closer, kissing him with all the passion I felt for him. He kissed me back hard.

He broke the kiss and breathed one word, “Lilah,” as his hard body tensed. The heat raged in my center, on the edge of the wave that would take me far beyond anything I’d ever known. He held my gaze, his eyes a beautiful mix of darkness and glowing embers. Each thrust took me closer to the brink. When he reached between us and stroked my clit, I broke into pieces, my orgasm rushing through my veins like a hit of some mind-blowing drug.

Roth groaned with release as his body bucked against me. His hot seed flowed into me as I milked his shaft and arched my back, loving the feel of him inside me.

My orgasm continued to cascade, not stopping until we were both spent. Panting, he rolled over, still inside me, and pressed me into his chest. I lay on top of him, blissfully satisfied.

Though comfortable in his arms in a way I’d never felt before, I went to move off him and onto the bed. His arms tightened around me, keeping me pinned to his chest, so close I could hear his heart beating a pounding rhythm, only now slowing. I nestled back into him.

He ran his hand through my hair, sifting the strands with his fingers, and then said something in a language I didn’t know. He spoke with reverence before quieting and continuing his caresses.

“What language was that?” My eyelids became heavier by the second.

“Latin.”

“You must be the only one left on the planet who can still speak Latin.” I moved my cheek to get more comfortable, the soft hair on his chest tickling my nose.

“Not the only one.” His fingers wandered from my hair to my back, stroking it softly. “Are you all right?”

I smiled. “I’m better than all right.”

“Good.” He dropped a kiss on my crown. “I’d never want to hurt you.”

“You didn’t.”

He cleared his throat. “Did you… Did you feel it, too?”

My smile grew wider. “What do you mean?”

“Nothing. I just… Nothing.”

I kissed his chest. Did I feel the communion of our souls? Yes. Was I about to say that sentence out loud? No. But I felt it, like an earthquake deep inside me, shifting my foundations. I’d felt him clicking into place in my world. “Yes.”

He sighed, the sudden tension dissipating. “Thank the gods. I thought I’d just made an ass of myself.”

I laughed. “You do that just fine. Don’t worry.”

“Saucy female.” He continued stroking my back, his fingertips warm and calming.

He was so gentle. Raw and unbelievably powerful at one moment, and the next, he was treating me like something precious, fragile even. I’d never known this kind of male before. In all honesty, I’d only ever known one male, and he’d betrayed me. But the warmth coming from Roth, his care with me, spoke of something deeper than anything I could have ever had with Farrow. Roth was a male of worth, I finally admitted to myself. Though there was something else I was hesitant to admit, something that had been growing in my heart ever since Roth came to my aid in that alley.

It felt like years had passed since he had placed those titillating kisses on my neck in the shadow of a grand cathedral. Getting to know his story, how he’d become an incubus and how he’d fought his demon until it almost killed him—it had changed me. I never let anyone get close to me, but now, though I’d shared very little of my past, I felt as if Roth knew me better than anyone else. Even Elena. But I couldn’t think about that now, couldn’t let myself fall any further than I already had. Too late.

I snuggled into him more until his chin was propped on my head before drowsily asking, “What did you say in Latin?”

I dozed off before he could answer, though he replied softly. I tried to wake myself and ask again, but I had lapsed into a dream of forests and friends.

* * *

I awoke with a start, still cradled in Roth’s arms as he slept. His handsome face was made all the more beautiful in sleep—worry no longer creasing his brow.

Glancing around, I saw the reason I had awoken. It was Corinne, standing at the foot of the bed with a murderous glint in her cold eyes.

She sneered. “What are you doing here?”

I fumbled to pull the sheet over both Roth and me. Corinne’s voice was like nails on a chalkboard. Apparently, her demon’s emotions came through in sound whereas Roth’s came through in temperature.

“Get out.” Roth’s voice ricocheted through the room. He had tensed and set me aside before rising from the bed.

“I don’t think so.” Corinne slipped off her barely-there negligee, never taking her eyes from me. “I want in on the action.”

“I said leave.” The cold flowed off him like a winter wind.

Her voice changed to high-pitched, playful, yet still decidedly sinister. “Are you going to hurt me if I don’t? I hope so.” She climbed onto the bed, wrapping a hand around my ankle under the sheet. Her eyes glowed that deep ember, and I noticed for the first time that Corinne had fangs. They lengthened into two sharp points. “You are something special, aren’t you?”

She focused on my lips, no doubt still bruised from the night before. Turning to Roth, she hissed, “You kissed her?”

I was about to bring up my free leg and nail the harpy right in the breast, where I knew it would hurt, but Roth had already grabbed Corinne’s wrist and wrenched it away.

“Good. Let’s play.” Fury laced Corinne’s tone as she launched herself at him, wrapping her legs around his bare torso before sinking her fangs into his neck.

Bitch. Must. Pay. I was out of the bed and on top of the demon in two seconds flat. Roth had thrown Corinne off him with ease, but I didn’t wait before pouncing on her and pinning her to the floor. I nailed her across the face with a right cross. And, gods, did it ever feel good.

Corinne snapped her fangs at me like a nipping dog. “He’s mine!” The sound was almost earsplitting.

Before I could hit her again, the bedroom door opened and Apollo strode in. He was fresh from the shower, wearing only a towel around his waist. When he caught sight of Corinne and me naked on the floor, he couldn’t hide his excitement and didn’t seem to want to.

After taking it all in, the god wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, which made me finally come to my senses. I shot to my feet and wrapped myself in the sheet. Roth stepped in front of me, blocking Apollo’s view.

“My, oh my. What did I miss?” His rakish smile reminded me of the Cheshire cat.

Corinne stood and rubbed her jaw where I’d hit her. “This isn’t over.”

I pressed against Roth’s back. “Try me.”

“Corinne was just leaving.” He wrapped a protective arm around me.

“And so was I.” I stepped out of his hold. Things had gotten a little too intense for me, and I needed some space.

As I approached the door, Apollo held out a hand as if he was going to escort me to my room. Roth’s distinct growl made Apollo drop his hand with a smirk and offer it to Corinne instead.

“Come on. Let’s play in my room.”

Corinne accepted Apollo’s hand. Neither god nor succubus gave Roth or me another look.

“You don’t have to go.” Roth’s voice had gentled again. He hastily pulled on a pair of boxers as I hesitated at the door. I wanted to stay with him, just lie in bed and tell him about my past. But doing that meant talking about Ares, and I couldn’t—wouldn’t—do that. I had to think and form a new plan, and I had to do it alone.

“I need to work on the next chapter.” I dropped my gaze for the lie.

Roth strode to me, though I turned my back on him, and ran his fingers down the side of my neck.

“Stay with me.” He dropped a kiss on my bare shoulder. His touch was loving and made me melt inside and out. He was so hard to resist. I suddenly realized it was a miracle I’d held out as long as I had.

“I-I have to work.” I made my retreat, though it took every ounce of willpower in my body to walk away from him. If I turned to look into his midnight eyes, I’d be lost.

“I’ll see you later tonight.” Another lie.

“I’ll be waiting.” His voice followed me, his sinful tone making erotic promises that sent a shiver down my spine.

I hurried to my room, closed the door, and leaned my head against the cool wood. Flashbacks from my time with Roth kept playing through my mind, and even thoughts of the darkest valley in Thrace couldn’t block them out. He’d been so tender with me, even trying to hold back, fearing he’d lose control.

I bounced my head against the mahogany, cursing myself. But there was no need. I was already cursed. Because now I knew the truth. A bitter chuckle escaped me as the Oracle’s words careened around in my head. “Sacrifice,” she’d told me. That was the only way I could achieve my heart’s desire. And at this very moment, I desired nothing more than to keep Roth as far from Ares as possible.

I’d come to care for him so intensely that just the thought of him in Ares’s clutches turned my stomach. But keeping Roth safe would require a sacrifice. One that I only now realized would be of my own flesh and blood.

I would never give Roth to Ares, couldn’t bring myself to even consider it anymore. I was caught in a trap of my own making, and there was only one clear way out of it.

I toyed briefly with the idea of telling Roth, but I couldn’t. I was too ashamed of what I’d done and too afraid Roth would do something stupid to try and save me. There was no bargaining with the gods, especially the bloody Ares.

My mind was made up. If I had to go down, I would go down fighting, even if it meant angering the gods. My blood would surely flow, but not before I got a piece of Ares. By my count, I had two more days before the hourglass would empty and Ares would come for me.

It didn’t matter.

I wouldn’t wait around for the god of war to claim me. I would take the fight to him.