Page 5 of Fated to the Phoenix
The goddess glanced at said son with laser focus, not happy at being interrupted.
Ignoring the death stare, Trace stepped around his mother, then walked toward me with his right hand out.
The compulsion I experienced to take his hand almost won out. Locking my knees, I cemented my feet to the floor in order to keep myself from throwing myself at him. To wrap my arms and legs around his yummy, sculpted form, begging him to never let go. Speaking of spells, was I under one now?
I called myself all kinds of fool for not carrying at least a small pouch on me. It was my only hope of extracting myself. The spell book which brought me here wasn’t worth the rewards Aunt Betty convinced me it would give our coven, or me.
Getting away from the scary goddess and the winged-male wet dream became my highest priority.
“Really? So, you’ve already taken her to bed and spilled your seed? Even your father couldn’t work that fast.” The smirk Athena sent Trace was epic.
I might like the goddess’s style if I wasn’t currently trying to escape. Sarcasm and I were close friends, my favorite ammunition in a house full of witches who continuously attempted to drag me every chance they could. Decades of jealously had sharpened my defenses.
“Remind me again why you’re here?” Trace gritted.
Ignoring her son, she stepped closer to me. “I just realized we haven’t been properly introduced. I’m Athena from…well, I’m sure you’ve heard of me. And I’m here to make sure you two do what needs to be done, and sooner rather than later. But knowing how capricious my youngest son is, I wanted to make sure he stays put. So, I’ve added a new layer of security. And now, regretfully, I’ll be on my way. Don’t worry, I’ll return once all my grandchildren have arrived.”
“Wait! Athena, damn you!” Trace raced to the spot his mother had stood seconds ago. Anger marred his face.
Where she’d been, there was now a wisp of smoke and the scent of summer rain hung in the air.
Alone once again, I had no choice but to keep an eye on my handsome rescuer. His face seemed frozen in a scowl that on another man would be off-putting. But on Trace, it added yet another level of attraction, drawing me to him. The need to soothe his, er, ruffled feathers, compelled me to inch closer.
“I’m not going to pretend I know what’s going on here, but if it makes you feel any better, I have one of those, too.” I offered him a smile and a shrug.
His eyebrows slanted at my statement. “One of what?”
“An interfering parent. Well, in my case, it’s my crazy aunt. She raised me after my mother died and she’s the one who sent me here, thinking I had to find something that would change my future, or destiny, or whatever. Obviously, she was wrong.”
Trace’s face had softened into a sexy smirk as he listened to me speak. It was disconcerting and ignited a swarm of butterflies inside me.
“Oh, she wasn’t wrong, mate.” In a flash, his eyes glowed silver and his wings rippled.
When he began moving toward me, I stumbled back, trying to keep some distance between us, until I bumped into the massive doors.
As he reached toward me, and I thought he was going to pull me to him and kiss me again. Instead, he waved his hand over the mahogany wood. I wasn’t disappointed. Not in the slightest. My ego may have taken a quick hit, but I knew having his full lips back on mine wouldn’t be smart.
Still unsure what he was trying to do, I watched in fascination as a wide range of emotions played out over his features. Confusion, frustration, then shock as he waved his hand again, and finally the anger he’d worn just moments ago.
“I’m going to…to…strangle her.” The growled threat echoed around the room, giving me my first real shot of fear. I was alone with a man who was more than human and who could do anything he wanted to me, and no one would know.
I straightened my shoulders and dug deep into my soul, collecting every molecule of natural persuasion I possessed. Releasing the breath I held, I repeated the words I’d already spoken twice in my mind. “Open the door for me. You’ll be free of me. I’ll be free of you. So mote it be.” The lilt in my voice was pleasant and soothing. As much as it could be under the circumstances.
Trace stood with his hands on his hips, his red, orange, and gold feathered wings shaking in time to his laughter. “Did you just try to bespell me to do your bidding?”
A lead weight landed in my gut and it took everything within me not to stamp my feet like a spoiled toddler.
“The door is not going to open for you. In fact, it’s not even opening for me. And before you try again, know this. You’ll never be free of me. You are my mate, and I’m yours. And because my mother is who she is, she always gets her way. At least down here. So, we’re stuck together until she decides to release the new security she just added.”
I didn’t know whether to be scared or excited at the possibility of being forced to spend time with the sexy shifter.
CHAPTER FOUR
TRACE
Mixed emotions filled me as I stared down at my mate’s lovely face, her plump lips begging to be taken again. Her eyes had gone round at the realization we were locked within the castle together.
No escape.
