“But—”
Amy cut her protestations off. “No. You’re going to be okay. It’s not a takeover. The goddess isn’t trying to usurp your body. She’s not an evil parasite. She’s a powerful and downright fun being from another dimension that’s hitching a ride. Damara didn’t ask for this either, Tina, and she’s probably just as scared as you. That’s probably why you’re feeling so nervous. You have your own emotions and hers, all blending together, and you don’t know how to tell the two apart.”
“But what if I do something she doesn’t like?” Tina asked, her cheeks flushing. “Like, I’m horny enough to fuck my way through a football team. What if I go do that and it pisses Damara off?”
“I’d be more worried about you pissing her off by not doing it.” Amy laughed. “You’re hot as hell and have super sex powers, woman. Enjoy this.”
Tina laughed. “Are you sure?”
“Definitely.”
“Okay.” Tina sighed deeply and returned her friend’s hug. Her shoulders relaxed a bit, and she had to admit Amy did kind of have a point. After all, if Damara wanted to have a good time, it was up to Tina to show her one, right?
“You are so fired, by the way,” Amy added, breaking the hug. “You’re already late to work and my dad is probably losing his mind without you.”
“I own a temple now. Who cares?” Tina shrugged and gestured around the room. “It’s all high class living from here.”
Amy grinned broadly. “That’s the spirit.”
“I should at least call your dad and explain. And, you know, quit, if I wasn’t actually fired.” Tina glanced around the room. “Where’s my phone?”
“Destroyed when we escaped. Sorry. Cracked the screen to hell. It’s dead.” Amy shrugged. “Guess you have to buy a new one.”
Tina’s shoulders slumped. “Damn it. Can I use yours?”
“Hell no.”
“What? Why not? Calling him is the professional thing to do, and you have the only phone.”
“Yeah, well, most professionals who quit their secretary jobs aren’t graduating to ‘goddess’ afterward.”
“So?”
“So,” Amy said with an exaggerated eye roll, “the fewer who know about this, the better. I’ll tell him what happened when I see him in person, but you and I have to keep our connection on the down-low, or I’ll be used against you as leverage. You already saved me once, and your newfound admirers might be counting on you to do it again.”
She shrugged. “Besides, Dad’s phone could be bugged when you call him. A man that rich has enemies, you know, and there are always other shifters who want to know what goes on in Wolfcrest. I can pretty much guarantee his phone is tapped.”
Tina frowned. “Don’t you spend most of your time drunk? How do you know all this?”
Amy laughed. “Thanks. Glad you think so highly of me.”
“Oh, hush. You know I love you, but when did you take Espionage 101?”
“Dad tells me some stuff, I guess.” Amy shrugged. “He’s made it clear I’m not supposed to talk about certain things over any phone line. The same should apply to you. I’ll try to find a secure phone line for us to talk on. It’s going to be lonely without you in Wolfcrest.”
Tina’s shoulders drooped, and she shuffled her feet. “You could stay here. At least for a while.”
“Hey, I’m not leaving you just yet,” Amy said with a soft smile.
“But you will. Someday.”
“I have a life to lead too, girl. We can’t all be goddesses. But don’t worry, okay? I’m not going to leave until you’re back on your feet. I’ve seen you refuse to let scary-ass werewolves in to see my father. You’ve ducked bodyguards and nearly gotten arrested twice. You can handle this, Tina.”
“I’d like to remind you that the police incidents were mostly your fault.”
“They were character building. You’re welcome.”
Tina chuckled. “You’re such an idiot.”
“Well, you know me. I—”
Outside, a car horn blared. Tina flinched, the jarring city noise out of place among the forests and gurgle of the garden steams. She raced to the window and peeked out, careful to keep most of herself hidden.
Tina’s window offered a clear view of the paved road that ran outside the tall white walls that surrounded her temple. Two limousines sat parked on the street as men funneled out of them both. Though most wore nearly identical suits and sunglasses, the occupants of each car glared at those getting out of the other.
“Oh shit,” Amy said softly.
“What? Who are those men?”
“Shifter royalty.”
Tina bristled. “What? Why are they here?”
“You’re a big deal, girl,” Amy said with a shrug. “By now, the human leaders, as well as the shifter and demigod kings, have been notified of what happened to you. Yours is the first known goddess merging in centuries.”
A blend of excitement and nerves bubbled within Tina. Over her years of working for Mr. Saunders, she had gotten used to the thrill of danger that came with being in a werewolf’s presence, but there were other shifters she had never met that were supposed to be infinitely more powerful. The dragons made her the most nervous, though she once heard the golden eagles were even more fearsome in battle. And the cats, well, tigers, lions, and leopards made her anxious. The untamed ferocity. The calm way predators stalked their prey.
When a shifter changed form, he became much larger than his natural counterpart. Tina couldn’t even imagine what a shifter tiger would look like, much less a dragon.
“Amy, why don’t the gods and goddesses visit Earth anymore?” She gestured at the limo outside. “Why am I the only one in centuries? Why is this such a big deal?”
Amy hesitated, and a flicker of sadness broke through her carefree expression. “Their magic was abused, and they stopped trusting us.” Amy patted Tina on the shoulder. “But don’t worry, girl. This is a neutral zone. If anyone, shifter or demigod, does anything violent in a god’s temple, it’s an act of war. They’re just here to talk.”
“Yeah, but I’m not too keen on what they want to talk about,” Tina admitted.
“Don’t worry. I’ll be here for the whole thing.”
Tina smiled, gratitude melting her nerves somewhat. “You’re the best.”
“Duh.”
Outside, the men took their time scanning the walls of the temple and its gardens, as if they were searching for something. Her, most likely. Each man kept his back arched and chest out, likely to look more intimidating.
Amy chuckled. “Prepare yourself. You may see more than one naked man in the next few days.”
“Wait, what?” Tina spun around to find an impish grin on her friend’s face.
“We shifters don’t care about being naked.” The werewolf heiress shrugged. “Our shifts rip our clothes to shreds, so most of the time we strip down before a shift. It’s a cultural thing. Even other shifter men don’t care about being naked around each other.”
“That never happened at your dad’s office.”
Amy’s nose wrinkled in disgust. “Thank God, but duh. It’s a place of business, and no one would need to shift there.”
“So that means …”
“Yep. Prepare to see some glorious naked man booty.”
“Amy, you pervert.” Tina laughed and smacked her friend’s shoulder, but Amy just laughed.
Tina stared out the window as the last man walked through the temple doors below, and she chewed her nail as her mind raced. “Amy, when we first met, you told me you would never answer questions about being a shifter.”
“Yeah, and I appreciate that you never asked. You’ve always been really respectful about it.”
“Why share this now?”
Amy sighed and leaned against the wall, arms crossed. “With everything you’re about to face, you need to be prepared. You—I mean, I’m worried and I just, you know—ugh, don’t make me talk about my feelings, Tina.”