Flynn laughed. “Very well, my goddess. What do you want to know first?”
Tina frowned, mind racing back to the way she had brought the men in her throne room to their knees. “Back when the kings tried to threaten me, I accessed my powers and could feel their heartbeats.” She hesitated to continue, but she needed to be honest with him. If Flynn was going to help her, she would need to confess what she could and couldn’t do, and that meant sharing with him a few truths she didn’t like to admit. “I could control their hearts, but the ability faded. I couldn’t keep control for long. How do I do that again consistently?”
Flynn chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. “You go right for the jugular, wow. You don’t mess around, Tina.”
She shrugged, sitting up and leaning back on her palms as she waited for the demigod to answer. “You did say you would teach me.”
“I did, and I will.” He smiled, all charm and muscle. “God-magic is universal in some ways, so the way to access it is the same for all of us. Yours will be far more powerful than a demigod’s, and the more you use it, the more magic you’ll find.”
Tina grinned. “That’s awesome.”
“It’s truly incredible.” Flynn rubbed his beard, his warm eyes roving briefly over her body. “To access your magic, you simply need to feel for it. It exists, always, deep in your core at your connection to your goddess.” He set his palm against her abdomen, his palm warm and soothing, and she leaned into his soothing touch as he spoke. “Listen for Damara. Feel her, right here.”
Tina closed her eyes and listened hard, focusing her attention on the space beneath his warm palm. As she did, a flicker of energy snaked through her from the spot, leading her deeper into her own mind. Her body hummed to life, vibrant and alive, aching with need and sensation. Her sense of smell sharpened, and the earthy scent of cut grass and the sweet scent of running water wafted by. The twitter of a little animal running through her garden caught her attention, and the gentle scratch of the grass beneath her fingers reminded her of the joys of being alive.
“Good,” Flynn said softly, his deep voice shooting a shiver of desire and need down her spine. When she was this connected with her world, warmth spread between her thighs, and her body ached for him to reach up her skirt.
After all, he was so much nicer, so much kinder, so much gentler than she had expected he would be. Around the others, he was a controlling leader who did what needed to be done, but around her, he was his true self, a kind man who she enjoyed being around.
“Listen for my heartbeat,” he said.
Careful to take deep and steady breaths, Tina listened and remained connected to her goddess. Slowly, the distant drum of a pulse filled her ears, finally building to a crescendo. She paused, pulling away from the sound. “I don’t want to hurt you,” she said.
“You won’t.” On her abdomen, his thumb gently brushed her body. “I trust you.”
With a grateful smile, she connected again to his heartbeat. It pounded like thunder in her ears, close and willing. Like a new driver behind the wheel for the first time, she tenderly tapped the accelerator, careful not to make his heart race too quickly. It obeyed, speeding up as she controlled his body.
Once again, her body hummed with lust. It radiated from her, and beside her, she felt Flynn lean in closer. He breathed harder, his fingers twitching slightly on her belly from the strain.
Careful not to hurt her demigod, Tina pulled back, tapping on the brakes and slowing his pulse slightly. The thunder of his heartbeat began to slow, and his breathing eased once more.
She smiled, opening her eyes, almost disbelieving. “I did it! First try!”
Flynn smiled and pulled her into a hug. “I’m so impressed!” He kissed her scalp, the tingle of his lips on her skin riveting her in place. Her eyes fluttered closed as she enjoyed his powerful arms around her, holding her close, keeping her safe. “I knew you’d be a natural, but it’s something else entirely to feel your power.”
“Thanks,” she said, a little embarrassed.
He nodded. “Keep practicing, but don’t push yourself.” He ran a finger along her jawline as he watched her with a mix of admiration and pride. “A little bit every day goes a long way. If you’re okay with it, I think we should pause for now and try again in a bit. That work for you?”
Even though Tina felt fine, like she could go again and maybe hold it for longer this time, she figured he had a point. If she was controlling hearts, she could kill people, and she had to be careful not to make a fatal mistake. “Okay.”
He ran a hand through her hair, and she leaned into his electric touch. “The more you focus on that connection, the longer you’ll be able to hold it and the more bodies you’ll be able to control at once.”
“Good.” An impish grin crossed her face. The sooner she learned to control her magic, the sooner she would be able to protect herself.
“What would you like to do today, Tina?”
Tina tapped her finger on her cheek, thinking for a moment as her eyes scanned the distant forest. “Well, since you asked, I would like to explore Bali. You know, the real tourist experience. Show me every tourist trap, every photo op. I want to see it all.”
“Done. I’ll call an agency to put something fun together for us. Until then, are you hungry?”
Though she hadn’t eaten yet today, only a mild hunger gnawed at her stomach. For the most part, her only hunger since fusing with Damara had been of the primal sort. She shrugged. “Sure. Let’s go raid the kitchen. I’m pretty sure you’re going to eat me out of house and home, though.”
He laughed and helped her to her feet, and the warm grip of his hands around hers stirred the embers of her soul. Deep within her, the scintillating desire she had felt when she first met him returned.
I want them all, it said.
21
Tina
The day sped by almost too quickly for Tina, filled as it was with private cars and the flashing of Flynn’s cell phone camera. With his long reach, he quickly became the selfie king as he posed with her in front of temples, beaches, and tourist traps.
There was something surreal about a demigod snapping selfies. Tina chuckled to herself each time he did it, prodding him to take more and more simply so she could watch his smile flash on the screen afterward. He obliged her each and every time.
“Can you tell me a bit about Olympus?” she asked over lunch. They sat in a private room at a restaurant near the water, the white tablecloth spotless beneath the glass of red wine the waiter had delivered mere seconds after her arrival.
Across from her, Flynn towered over the table and filled his chair to the brim. His muscular bulk commanded the space, and she was growing to love the way he had to duck to go through doorways.
He nodded enthusiastically at the mention of his home. “Olympus is stunning. Mountains and waterfalls, forests and skyscrapers. It’s a blend of science and nature you have to see to believe. Descendants of all the gods and goddess live there.”
She leaned her elbows on the table, tucking her fists beneath her chin as she leaned toward him. “And who are you descended from, Mr. Muscles?”
He laughed. “Odin, actually.”
Her eyebrows shot into her hairline. “Odin? The Odin?”
“Well, there’s only one.” He winked.
She stuck out her tongue at his sarcasm. “Wow, Odin. That’s incredible. I don’t know about all the gods, but I know him. He was really powerful. God of war, death, wisdom, and the sky, right?”
Flynn shrugged one shoulder modestly. “That’s him. Being his heir has its perks.”
“Ah, well, what kind of magic do you have??”
A playful smile spread across Flynn’s face. “You know it’s rude to ask about a demigod’s powers, right?”
She blushed. “I didn’t, actually, but come on, humor me.”