Soul Cursed, page 5
“Ow.”
The man behind her moved, muttering a little, something hard and jagged poking into her back. But not his cock – although that had firmed a little against her bottom when she moved – but something that lay between her shoulder blades.
It was uncomfortable. She shifted around to see what it was, not caring too much if she woke her bed companion.
“Morning,” said a deep, sleep-roughened voice. A voice she knew too well.
“Tam! What are you doing in my bed?” She sat bolt upright, completely dislodging his hold on her, memories of yesterday flooding her mind.
Ah Hells! She’d yelled at him, hit him, argued with him then struck a bargain to help him so she could get the Eleusinian Mysteries Grimoire and a closer look at the HeartsBlood Gem – which still hung around his neck. It had been the hard thing poking her in the middle of the back.
She wanted to see the gem, to feel its weight and warmth in her hand, to poke at the magic that lay at its core with the help of Dianna, to uncover its secrets, but right now, her mind kept spiralling to the fact he sat on her bed. And the fact she’d woken up, clutching his arm, spooned against him.
How in everything holy had that happened? What the Hells had happened?
She glanced down, almost sighing in relief when she saw she had her Yummy Sushi pyjamas on – a present from Persephone and Hades on her last birthday in a nod to her Buffy obsession – the TV show the only thing for centuries that Persephone had got her to engage with from the Earthly Realm.
If she was wearing her pyjamas, it meant nothing had happened between them. And he still had his suit on – she couldn’t believe Tam wore suits! – although the jacket was missing and the white shirt, looking a little less crisp than it had yesterday, was rolled up at the sleeves to his elbows, showing off the tattoo of an owl on his right forearm.
He still had that? After all this time, it should have worn off, but it looked as fresh as the day she’d put it on him. She touched the matching one hidden under her sleeve, her gaze darting up to his, questioning.
His lips curled in that smile again as he gestured at her. “Nice jim-jams.”
She pulled the sheet up in front of her. It seemed to amuse him more, his lips twitching as he edged up onto his elbows.
“They look better on you than they did on Buffy.”
“You watch Buffy?”
“Of course.” He cocked his brow. “I’m a little surprised you do.”
“Why? Why wouldn’t I like a show where the kick-arse heroine fights evil and wins the day?”
“Well, when you put it like that ...” He smiled at her, the curve of his lips having a similar effect on her as a caress.
She clutched the sheet tighter. “Why are you in my bed?”
He rubbed one hand over his dark auburn hair, the movement giving her a glimpse of his tanned chest – he’d undone the top buttons on his shirt – and the chain that held the HeartsBlood Gem. Her mouth dried. He looked deliciously dishevelled sitting on her bed, his hair spiked up now in a sexy just-awake kind of way, his jaw covered with a red-tinted five o’clock shadow – a far cry from the suave, suited stranger she’d been so angry with yesterday. She tried to ignore the way his dishevelment made him even more handsome and raised her brows – a look he used to call ‘haughty Rinna’. “Well? Why are you here?”
“You asked me to stay. You were having a nightmare.”
Oh crap. She hoped she hadn’t talked in her sleep. She looked more closely at him. He didn’t look like he was appalled, or pitied her. He looked his usual self. Well, not quite his usual self. He’d been a young cupid of fifty when they first met – the human equivalent of about fifteen or sixteen – and had left her just as he’d entered his demi-God manhood at one-hundred years old.
His face was even handsomer now than it had been back then, his unruly auburn hair cut short at the back and sides with just enough at the top to sit up without the help of product – not flop all over his forehead like it once had. His indigo eyes were even more vivid than she remembered – probably something to do with the increase in power emanating from his every pore. And he’d filled out. Her fingers tingled as she remembered the sensation of the wiry muscles of the forearm she’d clutched in sleep, the taut strength of the chest and stomach muscles she’d nestled against last night. She had a vague memory of doing that, of holding him tight and not letting go.
How embarrassing! What must he think of her? She swung away from him, intending to get off the bed, make an excuse about needing to get dressed. She needed to find her anger again: it was her only armour against him.
But he touched her arm before she could get off the bed and she froze as a tsunami of sensation flooded through her – ye Gods! How could he still make her feel like this?
“Rinna. Are you okay?”
She glanced back over her shoulder. He blinked, his gaze roving over her in a way that made her tingle low in her belly, a sensation that heralded an earthquake of trembling deep in her core.
She leaped to her feet. “Fine. I’m fine. Very rested. Thanks for helping with the ...” She waved at the bed. “Nightmares.”
“My pleasure.” He smiled, that slow curl of lips on one side that made a dimple pop out.
The tremors went up a notch on the Richter scale. How could this be happening? She was angry with him. Wasn’t she?
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Fine.” Had she just squeaked? She cleared her throat, spoke deeply. “Fine.”
His lips twitched. “Good. I’m glad.” He swung his legs around and over the side of the bed. As he moved, a darkly red shadow under the crumpled white of his shirt caught her attention. The HeartsBlood Gem. How could she have forgotten about it?
She wanted to see it again.
Her fingers brushed against the hot skin at his collar as she reached for the chain.
He stilled. She stilled.
Slowly, their gazes met.
He swallowed hard. “Rinna.”
“Yes,” she breathed. She stood in between his legs, the warmth of him wrapping around her. Ye Gods. The trembling tightened, tightened: an eight on the Richter scale; a nine …
He leaned up. She leaned down.
The door opened with a loud squeak.
Korinna jumped away from Tam as Dianna walked in, a tray in her hands. “Breakfast is prepared at Lady Persephone’s request … Oh, sorry, did I interrupt something?”
“No.” She couldn’t even look at him. “Tam was just showing me his gem.”
Dianna’s lips twitched as she walked closer, her gaze roving over him salaciously. “I bet he was.”
“Not like that!” Korinna blustered, her face hotter than Satan’s fires. “The HeartsBlood Gem. Show her, Tam.”
He grinned as he pulled it out slowly from beneath his shirt, playing up to Dianna, who had put the tray down to say, “Oh my,” while she fanned her face, her gaze not on the gem, but lower. Embarrassment gave way to a spark of anger, which quickly devolved into self-pity. Dianna made flirting look so easy. As a Soteira should. As she’d somehow never been able to do.
Not that she wanted to know how to flirt with Tam. That would be completely inappropriate. Particularly as she hated him. Was mad at him. Furious really. No amount of Richter-scale trembling could make her forget that. So no need to want to flirt or anything like it. And definitely no need to keep thinking about the way his gaze had dipped to her lips as he’d leaned towards her before Dianna had barged in. Or the way she’d woken. Warm and ruffled from sleeping. In his arms. All night.
Or how she’d almost orgasmed standing between his legs as they’d looked at each other.
Oh Hells. She wanted to fan herself, but then, that would give away too much. Wouldn’t it?
Yes, yes, it would. Not to mention, she wouldn’t look sexy like Dianna did – eyes sparking flirtatiously, her entire body screaming she’d be up for sex if it was on offer.
Was it?
Her gaze darted to Tam.
He no longer looked at Dianna as he held the HeartsBlood Gem out of his shirt. His gaze was fixed firmly on her.
Her face flamed to volcanic levels in less than a second. Why now? Why Tam?
She reached for the glass on her bedside stand, desperate to have an excuse to look away and hide herself for a moment – suddenly horribly aware of the fact she was in pyjamas, her dark hair a wild mess of curls falling everywhere. Dianna, with her sweep of long, glossy blonde hair and slinky black party dress and heals, looked far sexier without trying than Korinna had ever managed.
She gulped down the cooling water. It helped, but not as much as if she could tip it over her head, or bury her face in it.
Satan and all his devils be damned. This morning was not going like she meant it to. Not that it was entirely her fault. I mean, I didn’t ask Tam to come to my bed. Well, I did. But not like that. And I certainly never intended to sleep with him.
An image of rolling around naked in the bed with him imprinted itself in her mind. A little gasp escaped her mouth.
“Rinna – are you okay?”
He was there in front of her again suddenly, the gem she should be concentrating on glittering as it swung against his chest. But she couldn’t seem to focus on it. Only on his brilliant indigo eyes and their framing of long dark lashes. Those eyes glowed as he touched her, as he looked down at her. His voice buzzed in her ear. She looked at his lips as they moved over words of concern. All she wanted to do was put her thumb in the divot right in the middle of his bottom lip. Then she’d like to follow up with her tongue.
“Ye Gods!” she muttered. This was insane. Why was this happening to her? It never had before. Maybe it had something to do with the gem. Yes. That must be it. It was said to be a piece of the Goddess Vesta’s heart – she was the Goddess of Hearth and Home but also fecundity. Maybe there was a little something sexy, a little something naughty, locked inside the depths of the gem that spoke to her; made her feel like this. Maybe it had unlocked the sensuality that was supposed to be part of her Soteira nature.
It made more sense than the alternative. That she wasn’t furious at Tam. That she ...
She groaned again, not wanting to put words to the feelings inside her. It would make them too real – whether they were influenced by the gem or not.
His hands tightened on her shoulders at her groan. She wished he’d let go.
“You don’t feel dizzy again, do you? Perhaps you should rest some more? Or eat? Dianna – bring that tray over here.”
“No, no, I’m fine. It’s not that,” she managed to say, her voice so dry, as if she’d swallowed salt and sand rather than water only moments ago. “I’m rested enough.” Her entire body sang with energy in a way it never had before. Ye Gods. Was this desire? It felt nothing like what she’d felt the times she’d taken a bed mate – primarily to get Persephone and Hades off her back about not living a full life. And also, because the scholar side of her wanted to see what she’d been missing. All the other Soteira made such a fuss over how great sex was. But after trying a dozen bed mates over a few centuries – she’d needed a reasonable selection to gather the relevant data – she’d come to the conclusion that, despite having been brought up as one of them, she wasn’t a true Soteira. Not surprising given she’d been taken in by Demeter as a kindness when her mother had died, her mother having been friends with the Goddess. Nobody knew who her father was – her mother took that secret to the grave. I was partly why she’d been quite content to believe she just wasn’t that into sex … until now. So why had she made such a massive mistake?
Maybe the problem was her sample group hadn’t been big enough. Or maybe they just hadn’t been good enough. They certainly had never made her feel like this just by gripping her shoulders and staring solemnly down at her. And none of them had ever smelled like Tam; like lemons and sandalwood and the wildness of the sea – how that could be a scent, she wasn’t sure, but it was the perfect description for the elusive aroma that teased her and made her ache.
He was staring at her. He’d asked her a question. What was it? Ah yes … was she rested. “Plenty rested,” she choked out.
“But you’re trembling.”
“Ah ... hungry. Need food.”
“Yes. Of course. Dianna?” He helped her sit on the bed as Dianna went to place the tray next to her.
Korinna popped up before the tray hit the mattress. “Ah, not here.” She couldn’t sit in bed and eat with Tam watching her. Remembering all over again how she’d woken. “I don’t like eating in bed.”
“It’s hardly in bed ...” Tam began, but she was already out the door, heading towards the table – where she could sit at one end and he could sit way down the other end as far from her as possible.
Chapter
Six
Korinna fell into her seat and gestured to the one at the other end of the table for Tam. He glanced at it, brow cocked, but then headed towards it.
“Don’t sit down there.” Dianna – the traitor! – put the tray down in front of Korinna and pulled the chair out catty-corner to her. “It’s much easier for everyone – namely me,” she said, pursing her lips and touching her hair, “if you sit down here. Then I won’t have to wear out my pretties traipsing between you both.” She waved at her hot pink strappy stilettos.
Korinna eyed her friend’s outfit. “I thought you were supposed to go in a costume to the party.”
“I am in costume. I’m Samantha from Sex in the City.” She rolled her eyes at Korinna when she just stared. “You know – sex on legs, wears LBDs and stilettos.” She cocked her brow at Tam. “I was hoping I could sell it.”
“You certainly do that,” Tam said as he took his seat.
“LBD?” Korinna asked, jaw tight.
“Little Black Dress,” Tam answered, reaching for the coffee pot.
Of course he would know that. She glanced down at her friend’s feet again. “They look like little torture machines. Why would you wear them at all?”
“I love my Louboutins – they’re so pretty. And they do such great things for my calf muscles.” She did a little turn to show off her legs.
Korinna shook her head and chuckled. “Maybe you should give them over to Hades to use on his worst offenders. A couple of centuries wearing them would be the best punishment ever.”
Dianna took a step back, hand to her chest. “Sacrilege! You will not even suggest such a thing to our lord. He might just do it and then I’d be without my pretties.”
“You are ridiculous, you know,” Korinna said to her friend.
“At least I’m ridiculous with pretty shoes. Right, Tamuel? I see from your suit you’re a man who enjoys fashion.”
He nodded. “I am. And your shoes are lovely. And certainly shouldn’t be wasted serving us. You should go to the party now.”
Her pale blue eyes glowed. “Really? If you’re sure? I could always stay a little longer to see to your every need.” She winked as she stepped back from the table.
He didn’t respond. In fact, his gaze was on Korinna, not Dianna. Strange. Not only would most men be begging at Dianna’s feet about now, he was a cupid. Playful flirting was his thing. Pity she’d realised that too late when they were younger. Frowning, she said, “We’ll call if we need anything.” She didn’t need Dianna to help her investigate the gem’s magic. At least, not while Tam was here. “Have fun at the party.”
“Thank you. You’re the best, Kor.” Dianna kissed her on the cheek before turning to Tam. “Ring if you need anything.” She draped her hand on his shoulder. “Anything at all.” Then she spun in a circle and disappeared in a cloud of pink and lavender.
He waved his hand, coughing a little. “Someone should tell your friend she needs to work on her exit magic.”
Korinna snorted. “Oh, I think it worked exactly as she wanted it to.” There were now pink and lavender sparkles shining in Tam’s auburn hair. Korinna’s fingers tingled with the need to brush them off. Her friend couldn’t lay claim to him! He was hers first.
She blinked, pulling her hand back into her lap, fingers curling in so hard, her fingernails bit into her palm.
Tam wasn’t hers. He’d never been hers. It was best she remember that.
She glared at him as he brushed the sparkles off his shirt. He glanced up, a rueful smile on his face. She quickly looked at the tray, grabbing the first thing that came to hand.
“Umm, since when do you like bacon?” Tam asked.
“Since forever.” Instead of putting it on her plate, she bit into it and chewed, swallowed.
“Do you want some more?” he asked, lips twitching as he watched her.
She forced herself to swallow the last bit, managing not to dry retch at the salty-fatty taste left in her mouth. She couldn’t let him know she’d been so distracted as to pick it up in the first place. He’d want to know why and that was a question she did not want to answer. No way, no how. She smiled brightly at him and waved away the plate. “No, it’s fine. You take the rest. I know how much you love it.”
“Who doesn’t love bacon, right?”
“Absolutely.” Her smile slipped as he tucked in. She grabbed the cranberry juice, pouring herself a large glass and swallowed it down in one go. The tartness helped rid her of the taste of bacon. Blech. Horrid stuff.
Tam had always teased her about her hatred of bacon – he’d said it was unnatural. Perhaps it was. But then, many things about her had never been quite right, had they? This was just one more thing.
She turned her attention to the rest of the tray. Eggs, scrambled as she liked them; sourdough toast, lightly golden; a bowl of fresh berries – strawberries, blackberries and blueberries, her favourites; and a couple of croissants and jam. She frowned a little as she spooned some eggs onto toast. There was way too much food here for one person.
Oh! Dianna’s surprise when she’d caught Tam in Korinna’s room this morning had been fake. But how had she known he was there?
