Flynn rained kisses down her neck, but a pestering thought finally broke through his bliss. Their time was coming to a close, and she would leave within an hour to freshen up for her day with Anthony tomorrow.
The irrational part of him wanted to lock the door and keep her distracted in the vain hope she would simply forget the other men, but he knew better than to try. Flynn had to share, at least until she chose him … if she chose him.
With his lips against her collarbone and his hand cradling her shoulder, he paused at the shattering thought. The more time he spent with her, the more he felt compelled to remain at her side no matter what it took. No matter what she needed. No matter what she asked him to do.
Flynn wanted nothing more than to protect and cherish her. He had always lived for his people and his family, doing whatever he had to do to keep them safe, and now she felt like a part of his family after not even two weeks.
“Are you okay?” Her sweet voice cut through his thoughts.
Flynn forced a reassuring smile and continued his exploration of her skin. He didn’t fully understand what kind of magic the goddess within Tina possessed, but it had already ensnared him. The most baffling part of it all, though, was that he wanted absolutely nothing else.
37
Anthony
Anthony ran a hand through Tina’s silky hair as she laid her head on his shoulder. As their day together neared a close, they sat on the palace’s lookout roof, a flat stretch of tile lined with handrails that provided a perfect view of everything not blocked by a mountain. The wind ripped through their hair as they sat together in silence, simply enjoying the view.
Tina sighed happily, her shoulders lifting nearly to her cheeks as she released a mighty breath. The musky scent of sex still clung to her body despite the scent of soap and shampoo that mostly masked it. It would likely fade within a day, but not much could fool Anthony’s keen senses. What made it worse was that he would’ve loved to be in the shower with her.
His grip on her arm tightened at the thought of Flynn’s hands pulling her legs apart. He wanted to punch the demigod in the face, to kick open the door and demand to know if he had coerced Tina into his bed. He was jealous, furious not only at the demigod but also at himself for letting his emotions get the best of him.
He gritted his teeth, trying his best to soothe the pacing wolf within that wanted to protect what he felt belonged to him.
She doesn’t belong to me yet, he had to remind his inner animal.
Not yet.
Maybe not ever.
No. I absolutely cannot lose.
Damara was a fertility goddess, and it would be na?ve of him to think Tina wouldn’t explore the sexual prowess of the contestants. She’d had sex with Flynn, and she would probably do it again. In fact, he was pretty sure she’d taken Draven and Zane to bed as well, which was her right and privilege to do. He couldn’t be mad, but he was jealous. Still, there wasn’t a thing he could do about it, and he would never dream of asking her to stop.
After all, this contest wasn’t over yet. He still stood a chance with her.
Anthony held Tina tight, savoring the rosy scent of her shampoo as she wrapped her hand around his waist and held him close. Damara wasn’t used to having just one man, and it had occurred to him that perhaps Tina would follow in her predecessor’s footsteps.
It wasn’t like Anthony to share, but if he had to, he would.
38
Tina
For Tina, her week in Olympus felt as though it were flying by too quickly.
Her incredible amount of energy surprised her most of all. Usually, Tina required a lot of time alone to recharge. Whether it was the sheer power and majesty of Olympus or the magic running through her blood thanks to her sex with her men, Tina barely felt like she needed to sleep at all, much less be alone.
When her day with Killian came along, she was ready an entire hourly and spent the entire time staring out the beautiful city below. She knew in her bones that Olympus was a special place, a place of magic and wonder, a place where she would forever feel at home.
Though her adventures outside of the temple had been rocky at first, she was more certain than ever that this was the smart thing to do. If she had left her new homeland to chance, she would’ve missed out on an entire aspect of her future.
Someone knocked on her door, and she answered it with a broad smile on her face to find Killian in a sexy polo shirt that hinted at his trim build and the muscles across his chest and arms.
For the briefest second after she answered, he stared at the ground with his eyes glossed over as if lost in thought. Tina hasn’t been around the eagle shifter for very long, but she could already tell when something was consuming his thoughts.
When his eyes darted up to hers, he smiled. “You look beautiful.”
“Charmer,” she said, shutting the door behind her as she stepped into the hallway.
“What would you like to do today? Have you seen the gardens?”
“Not yet, but let’s talk about what’s bothering you first.”
He lifted an eyebrow quizzically. “What you mean?”
“Don’t play dumb.” She rolled her eyes. “You’re too smart for me to believe it.”
“Fair enough.” Killian chuckled and rubbed the stubble on his jaw. “I didn’t want to bring it up because it didn’t seem like the kind of thing we should talk about on a date.”
Tina leaned against the wall, her arms crossing as she studied the eagle prince and waited for him to ask her if she’d had sex with Flynn or any of the others, for that matter. It had been a constant thought throughout her time with the other princes. Not really a worry but more of an inevitability.
She already knew what she would say. She wasn’t sorry in the least. She had Damara’s magic in her bones, and that magic was fueled by primal, sexual energy. She wouldn’t apologize for it.
Killian rubbed his neck, eyes downcast as he spoke. “I still can’t quite figure out what’s happening with the dignitaries.”
It took a moment for Tina to remember what the hell he was talking about. In her surprise, she couldn’t speak for a moment. “Wait, you’re talking about the shifter and demigod ambassadors that keep going missing?”
“Well, yeah. What else would I be talking about?”
Tina lowered her head to hide a grin, wondering why she had been getting herself all worked up. “Nothing, never mind.”
Killian set his hands on her shoulders. “You’re very important to me, Tina. I don’t want to spend all of our time talking about politics. It’s not all I do, I promise. It’s just that when I’m faced with a puzzle I can’t solve, I obsess over it. It’s all I can think about.”
“Have you talked about this with Zane? He’s fantastic with the sort of thing. He may even have a few answers for you.”
Killian shook his head. “We don’t discuss state secrets with others. You’re an exception, given the circumstances. An honorary eagle.”
Tina stood a little taller with pride at the idea of being an honorary eagle. “As flattered as I am, I think you should talk to Zane anyway. He’s a good person, and he can help you.”
Killian kissed her forehead. “Duly noted.”
Darn it. She could already tell he wasn’t going to do it. “If you won’t talk to Zane, why don’t you and I try to figure this out?”
The eagle prince shook his head. “We won’t spend another day buried in paper and notes. I intend to be a little less boring this time.”
Tina laughed. “It wasn’t boring. I was happy to help, and I’m happy to help again.”
“I know. It’s one of many things I adore about you.” Killian ran his hands possessively through her hair and kissed her temple. The touch sent shivers of delight down her spine, and she wished he would trail his kisses down her cheek to her mouth.
He didn’t, apparently preferring to tease her. Without another word, he set his hand on the small of her back and led her toward the escalator.
39
Killian