Tempted

“Oh, no! I’ll get it myself. No problem.” Aphrodite boinged up like one of those freaky puppets with strings and walked over to the sink in the opposite corner of the room. She was filling up a paper cone with water when Darius was suddenly behind her. His strong hands were on her shoulders again. This time his thumbs gently began to knead the ultratight muscles in her neck.

“You carry all your tension here,” he said, working from her neck to her shoulders.

Aphrodite downed the cup of water and then couldn’t make herself move. Darius massaged her shoulders silently, letting his touch tell her how much he cared for her. Finally, she allowed the cup to slide from her fingers. Her head lolled forward and Aphrodite breathed a deep, contented sigh. “Your hands are totally magic.”

“Anything for you, my lady.”

Aphrodite smiled and leaned into his hands, allowing herself to relax more and more. She loved it that Darius treated her like she was his High Priestess, even though she had no Mark and would never be a vampyre. She loved that he had no doubt that she was special to Nyx—that she was Chosen by the Goddess. He so obviously didn’t care whether a Mark went along with that or not. She loved that he—

Ohmygoddess! She actually loved him! Holy shit!

Aphrodite’s head snapped up and she turned around so quickly that Darius took a short, startled step back, automatically giving her room.

“What is it?” he asked.

“I love you!” she blurted, and then pressed her hand against her mouth like she was trying, too late, to keep the words from exploding from it.

The warrior’s smile was long and slow. “I am glad to hear you say it. I’m in love with you, too.”

Aphrodite’s eyes began to fill with tears and she blinked hard to stop them as she shoved past him. “Goddess! This sucks!”

Instead of responding to her outburst, Darius simply watched her stalk over to the bed. Aphrodite could feel his steady gaze on her as she considered whether she should sit on the bed, or get in it. Finally, she did neither, deciding she didn’t like the picture she’d be creating in bed. She already felt vulnerable and exposed enough standing there in her T-shirt, panties, and nothing else. She turned to face Darius.

“What?” she snapped.

He tilted his head. A sad smile lifted just the corners of his lips. She thought his eyes looked decades older than the rest of his face. “Your parents are not in love, Aphrodite. From what you’ve shared with me about them, they may not be capable of feeling that emotion for anyone, and that includes you.”

She lifted her chin and met his gaze. “So tell me something I don’t know.”

“You aren’t your mother.”

He’d said the words gently, but she felt them as if he’d flung knives at her that had buried themselves in her heart.

“I know that!” She spoke through lips that were suddenly cold.

Darius moved slowly toward her. Aphrodite thought how graceful he was—how powerful he always looked. He loved her? How? Why? Didn’t he realize what an awful bitch she was?

“Do you really know that? You are capable of love, even if your mother is not,” he told her.

But am I capable of being loved? She wanted to scream the question, but she couldn’t. Pride, who spoke louder to her than the understanding in Darius’s eyes, stopped the words. Instead she did what made her feel safe—she went on the offensive.

“Of course I know that. But this whole thing between us still sucks. The truth is you’re a vampyre. I’m a human. The most I can ever be to you would be your consort, and I can’t even be that because I’m already fucking Imprinted with stupid-ass Stevie Bumpkin Rae—an Imprint I can’t seem to get rid of even though you’ve bitten me, too.” Aphrodite paused, trying not to remember the tenderness Darius had shown her when he drank from her, even though to him her Imprinted blood was tainted. She tried, unsuccessfully, not to think about the pleasure and peace she’d found in his arms, all without having sex with him.

“I don’t think you’re right about all of that. You’re not just a human, and your Imprint with Stevie Rae doesn’t affect us. I see it as further evidence of your importance to Nyx. She knows Stevie Rae has need of you.”

“But you don’t need me,” Aphrodite said bitterly.

“I do need you,” he corrected her firmly.

“For what? We’re not even fucking!”

“Aphrodite, why are you doing this? You know I desire you, but you and I are more than just bodies and lust. We’re connected beyond that.”

“I don’t see how!” Aphrodite was perilously close to tears again, which made her even more pissed off.

“I do.” He closed the rest of the space between them and, taking one of her hands in his, Darius dropped to one knee before her. “I need to ask you something.”

“Oh, Goddess! What?” Was he going to do something ridiculous like ask her to marry him?

He fisted his right hand over his heart and stared into her eyes. “Aphrodite, Beloved Prophetess of Nyx, I ask you to accept my Warrior’s Oath. Sworn to you this day I pledge to protect you with my heart, my mind, my body, and my soul. I pledge to belong to you before all others, and to be your Warrior until I draw my last breath on this world, and beyond, if our Goddess so wills it. Do you accept my oath?”

Aphrodite was filled with an overwhelming tide of joy. Darius wanted to be her Warrior! But that joy was short-lived as she thought about the repercussions of his oath.

“You can’t be my Warrior. Zoey is your High Priestess. If you’re going to pledge yourself to someone, it has to be her.” Aphrodite hated saying the words—and hated even more thinking about Darius being on his knee in front of Zoey.

“Zoey is my High Priestess, just as she is yours, but she already has a Warrior. I have witnessed young Stark’s enthusiasm for his oath-sworn position. She will need no other Warrior shadowing her. Also, Zoey already gave me her blessing to pledge to you.”

“She did what?”

The warrior nodded solemnly. “It was only right that I explained to Zoey what I intended.”

“So this isn’t just an impulse? You’ve actually thought this out?”

“Of course.” He smiled up at her. “I want to protect you forever.”

Aphrodite was shaking her head from side to side. “You can’t.”

Darius’s smile faded. “My pledge is mine to give, so that is no hindrance. I am young, but my skills are vast. I assure you that I can protect you.”

“I don’t mean that! I know you’re good—you’re too damn good! That’s the problem.” Silently, Aphrodite began to cry.

“Aphrodite, I don’t understand.”

“Why would you want to be sworn to me? I’m a total bitch!”

His smile returned. “You are unique.”

Aphrodite shook her head. “I’ll hurt you. I always hurt anyone who gets close to me.”

“Then it is a good thing I am a strong warrior. Nyx was wise in giving me to you, and I am more than content with our Goddess’s choice for me.”

“Why?” Tears were running freely down Aphrodite’s cheeks now, dripping from her chin and soaking into the T-shirt.

“Because you deserve someone who values you beyond wealth and beauty and status. You deserve someone who values you for yourself. Now, I ask you again, do you accept my oath?”

Aphrodite stared down into his strong, gorgeous face, and something within her broke free as she saw her future in his honest, unflinching gaze.

“Yes, I do accept your oath,” she said.

With a joyous shout, Darius stood and took his Prophetess into his arms. Then he held her gently until sunset as she cried out the knot of sadness and loneliness and anger that had for so long bound her heart.