“Yeah,” Aric says. “He’s an odd one. Let’s leave Quaid out of this for a moment and just think about you and me, Declan. We’re both demigods who have been given powers by actual gods.”
“So have I,” Quaid protests. “My power comes from Apollo.”
“No,” Aric says, looking at Quaid. “You’re nothing like us.” And the funny thing is, he’s not being mean or facetious about it. “I’m not saying you’re not important in what’s happening. Obviously, you are. I’m just working with what I know for the moment. And what I know is that demigods and gods don’t operate under the same power regulations. That’s why they make us.”
Declan chuckles. “So they can cheat.”
Aric points at him. “Yes. Exactly. So they can cheat.” Now he looks at me. “Star is a demigod too. Not only that, she was sent to the mortal world to be hidden.” His eyes narrow down a little as he stares at me, like he’s seeing me for the very first time. And this direct, full attention makes my stomach jump and my heart rate surge. Despite his brutish appearance, there’s a lot to like about Aric and I’m very attracted to him. “There’s something unique about you, Star.”
I really like hearing him say my name and I’m suddenly wondering when Aric and I will take our turn in the bathroom. I can totally picture showering with him.
He smiles at me in this moment, then winks like he’s reading my mind.
This makes me blush.
“She’s doing it again,” Quaid says.
“Doing what?” Declan asks.
“She’s got that weird look on her face.”
I let out a breath and roll my eyes.
Aric continues. “Something has happened here.” He makes a motion with his finger to me, and Declan, and himself. “Something unexpected.”
“Something that broke my glasses,” Quaid adds. Like he’s pissed off that he’s not being included in the conversation.
And just to piss him off more, I decide to participate in this conversation even though I have no clue what’s going on. We’re all standing in a rough circle, Declan on my right, Aric on my left, and Quaid across from me. I reach for Declan’s hand, then for Aric’s and I tug them closer to me, like they’re mine.
Neither of them object. Both of them smile and reach for me, letting go of my hands and slipping their arms around my waist in a similarly possessive move. This causes a thrill of desire and arousal to course through my body and then, something else happens.
The lights go out and there is a brief moment of total darkness. Then… the whole place lights up with those tiny celestial carvings in the walls.
“There!” Declan says, pointing to the walls.
“Yeah,” Aric agrees. “I see it. Wow.” Then he pulls his arm back from me, like he’s unsure, and the glowing stops and darkness fades.
“No!” Declan says, looking at me. “What did you do?”
“It wasn’t me,” I say, looking up at Aric. “It was him.”
“Put your arm back around her,” Declan says. “The magic is between us.”
“Yeah,” Aric agrees. But he doesn’t put his arm around me again. “I get that. But… how? And why? What are we doing? This was supposed to be an abduction job and now I’m stuck in the fucking maze and my target is affecting my magic in ways I don’t understand.”
“Isn’t that I good thing?” I ask. Because he’s pulling back and I don’t want him to.
Declan wraps both his arms around me now, kinda grinding in to me. “More for me, if he’s not interested.”
And to my surprise, it is Quaid, not Aric, who responds. “I’m interested.”
We all look at him. Everyone’s eyes narrowing down in suspicion. “Interested in what?” I ask, unable to hide my hostility.
I get a crooked smile as an answer. “Well, you’re the wellspring, Star. And I’d like to take a drink.”
Declan chuckles. “Hey, I’m down with sharing.”
“No,” Aric suddenly says. “No,” he says again. “We can’t combine the powers.”
