friend’s body crumpled lifeless to the ground.
Talus’ hollow, sightless eyes—
Cal cut off the unwanted visions and let the flames slip back to orange.
Tabby and Chloe let out disappointed moans as he walked away from the fire.
Nix stopped dancing. The change in Cal’s face, from enjoyment to darkness, grabbed her. She knew the expression. It was the same face he had worn when he told her about his partner’s death. Without a second thought, she left her sisters to their fun and followed his path.
He wasn’t far. She found him leaning against the rock seawall, partially hidden in darkness. Flames danced in his eyes, casting harsh shadows across the planes of his cheekbones.
“Hey, you okay?” Nix joined him against the wall. After a moment, she hoisted herself onto the edge making her more equal to his height. “Talus?”
“Yeah,” his voice rasped.
“I’m sorry.” She didn’t know what had set him off, but somehow she felt like it was her fault.
“It’s not your fault,” he said, as if he heard her thoughts.
“Can you read my mind?”
“No.” He swallowed hard. “There’s a reason your father allowed me to be a handler. I have firsthand knowledge of post-traumatic stress.”
Nix nodded, “That’s Nereus. The grand puppet master.” Would he ever stop using them all?
Cal shook his head and turned to face her. The shadows disappeared from his face, erased by soft glowing lamplight from the houses that lined the shore. “Don’t judge your father too harshly. You have no idea what a truly manipulative parent is.”
“Ares.” Nix’s pulse sped up as Cal focused his eyes on her, the flames still dancing inside his pupils.
“Yes.” Cal moved in front of her. “Would it surprise you to learn that I asked to be assigned to your case?”
“Why?” she blurted out. Realizing that sounded harsher than she meant, she softened her voice. “I mean, why me?”
He didn’t respond immediately, his face shut down tight. After a moment, his shoulders relaxed and he gave her a smile. “I’ve been admiring you from afar for a long time.”
What? She bit the word back. “I . . . I don’t know what to say to that. Why?”
Cal lightly pressed his chest against her knees causing her breath to catch. His body was so warm, like beach sand on a hot sunny day. “You’re different.”
What the hell does that mean? Instead she asked, “Different, like weird?”
“No. Like brave. Compassionate.” He leaned in closer, the contours of his muscles hard against her shins as he lightly traced a line up the back of her calf with his finger. Shivers danced under skin. Heat traveled up her spine. He added, “I like that you’re outspoken and not afraid to be true to yourself.”
She was speechless for a moment. The angry flames in his eyes had dimmed to a comforting amber glow. “I don’t have a great track record with relationships.” The words spilled out. She was sure he already knew the story. Everyone did. “I should have known better than to get involved with a Son of Apollo, but Nate Adonis charmed me. He actually had me convinced that he would be waiting for me when my tour of duty ended. I was such an idiot to believe his line of bullshit.”
“Don’t think about him right now.” Cal squeezed her knees. “Nix, look at me.” She complied. His face was serious, his gaze capturing hers. “I’ve been hurt before too. This isn’t easy. For either of us. But I have to know if you would at least . . .” he breathed in hard, then words rushed out on the exhale, “. . . give me a chance. To prove to you that not all males are alike.”
Blood pounded in her ears. She must be drunk. Cal was one of the most desirable males in The Delian League. She had no idea that he had even noticed her before being assigned as a handler. They had been in the same room, maybe half a dozen times. “This isn’t some line. Is it?”
“No.” He grabbed her hands. His palms were as warm as his
Talus’ hollow, sightless eyes—
Cal cut off the unwanted visions and let the flames slip back to orange.
Tabby and Chloe let out disappointed moans as he walked away from the fire.
Nix stopped dancing. The change in Cal’s face, from enjoyment to darkness, grabbed her. She knew the expression. It was the same face he had worn when he told her about his partner’s death. Without a second thought, she left her sisters to their fun and followed his path.
He wasn’t far. She found him leaning against the rock seawall, partially hidden in darkness. Flames danced in his eyes, casting harsh shadows across the planes of his cheekbones.
“Hey, you okay?” Nix joined him against the wall. After a moment, she hoisted herself onto the edge making her more equal to his height. “Talus?”
“Yeah,” his voice rasped.
“I’m sorry.” She didn’t know what had set him off, but somehow she felt like it was her fault.
“It’s not your fault,” he said, as if he heard her thoughts.
“Can you read my mind?”
“No.” He swallowed hard. “There’s a reason your father allowed me to be a handler. I have firsthand knowledge of post-traumatic stress.”
Nix nodded, “That’s Nereus. The grand puppet master.” Would he ever stop using them all?
Cal shook his head and turned to face her. The shadows disappeared from his face, erased by soft glowing lamplight from the houses that lined the shore. “Don’t judge your father too harshly. You have no idea what a truly manipulative parent is.”
“Ares.” Nix’s pulse sped up as Cal focused his eyes on her, the flames still dancing inside his pupils.
“Yes.” Cal moved in front of her. “Would it surprise you to learn that I asked to be assigned to your case?”
“Why?” she blurted out. Realizing that sounded harsher than she meant, she softened her voice. “I mean, why me?”
He didn’t respond immediately, his face shut down tight. After a moment, his shoulders relaxed and he gave her a smile. “I’ve been admiring you from afar for a long time.”
What? She bit the word back. “I . . . I don’t know what to say to that. Why?”
Cal lightly pressed his chest against her knees causing her breath to catch. His body was so warm, like beach sand on a hot sunny day. “You’re different.”
What the hell does that mean? Instead she asked, “Different, like weird?”
“No. Like brave. Compassionate.” He leaned in closer, the contours of his muscles hard against her shins as he lightly traced a line up the back of her calf with his finger. Shivers danced under skin. Heat traveled up her spine. He added, “I like that you’re outspoken and not afraid to be true to yourself.”
She was speechless for a moment. The angry flames in his eyes had dimmed to a comforting amber glow. “I don’t have a great track record with relationships.” The words spilled out. She was sure he already knew the story. Everyone did. “I should have known better than to get involved with a Son of Apollo, but Nate Adonis charmed me. He actually had me convinced that he would be waiting for me when my tour of duty ended. I was such an idiot to believe his line of bullshit.”
“Don’t think about him right now.” Cal squeezed her knees. “Nix, look at me.” She complied. His face was serious, his gaze capturing hers. “I’ve been hurt before too. This isn’t easy. For either of us. But I have to know if you would at least . . .” he breathed in hard, then words rushed out on the exhale, “. . . give me a chance. To prove to you that not all males are alike.”
Blood pounded in her ears. She must be drunk. Cal was one of the most desirable males in The Delian League. She had no idea that he had even noticed her before being assigned as a handler. They had been in the same room, maybe half a dozen times. “This isn’t some line. Is it?”
“No.” He grabbed her hands. His palms were as warm as his
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