“Choice is always with you, Niko. No one controls you. No one ever did. Every god has the same choice. Most are simply too caught up in the trappings of power to be anything but selfish. If love is your guide, however, I know you’ll make the right choice when the time comes. Live and be happy. Use your gifts for good. But be wary of Zeus and Poseidon.”
She disappeared as abruptly as she’d arrived, and as soon as she was gone, Cynna looked up at Nick. “Zeus and Poseidon?”
“I’ll explain later.” When she lifted her brows, a wary expression crept over his face, and he added, “In exchange for their help, I agreed to do them a favor.”
Being indebted to the gods could not be good. “That sounds ominous.”
He glanced toward the sinkhole filled with water and frowned. “It might be. Now.”
Before she could ask more, he wrapped his arms around her and whispered, “Enough about them.”
She lifted to his kiss. Reveled in his strength, his warmth. His love. And as she slid her arms around his neck and stroked her tongue along his, she felt herself flying and knew he was flashing them away from Zagreus’s lair forever.
She opened her eyes and discovered he’d brought her back to the same bedroom where they’d stayed together last night. The one at Delia’s house in the settlement. “Don’t you have work to do? Helping move your people back from the mountains?”
“Someone else can deal with that. For the next few hours I plan to work only on you.”
She smiled, loving that answer. But before she could ease up and show him just how much she loved that with her mouth, a shiver rippled across her spine. One look told her he’d obliterated her clothing again.
Her brow lifted. “Not interested in unwrapping?”
“Not right now.” He lowered her to the bed, and warmth bloomed all through her belly when she realized he was already naked too. “Right now I just need you.”
Love and happiness filled her soul. “You have me, Nick.” She stroked her fingertips over the scar on his cheek. “You always will.”
He rolled to his back and pulled her on top of him so she was straddling his legs, then slid his hands to her bare hips. “Prove it to me, my strong, sexy, sinful Cynna. Show me that I am yours and you are mine. I’m completely at your mercy, exactly as I was before.”
A wicked, erotic smile pulled at her mouth. He was remembering the tunnels, when she’d pleasured him with her hand. Her whole body tingled with a surge of white-hot lust as she thought back to that moment too. Only this time, she planned to use way more than her fingers to bring him to a soul-shattering release.
She grasped his wrists and pinned them to the mattress above his head, then leaned down and gently brushed her lips across his. “Brace yourself, handsome. I can’t promise this won’t hurt.”
His lust-filled grin consumed his entire face. And as she pressed her lips to his neck, his collarbone, his chest, and worked her way south, he groaned. “Mm… That’s it, baby. That’s exactly how I like it. Don’t you dare stop.”
She wouldn’t. If it took the rest of her life, she’d show him just how much his love meant to her. Because, thanks to him, she was finally home.
ETERNAL GUARDIANS
LEXICON
adelfos. Brother
agapi. Term of endearment; my love.
ándras; pl. ándres. Male Argolean
archdaemon. Head of the daemon order; has enhanced powers from Atalanta
Argolea. Realm established by Zeus for the blessed heroes and their descendants
Argonauts. Eternal guardian warriors who protect Argolea. In every generation, one from the original seven bloodlines (Heracles, Achilles, Jason, Odysseus, Perseus, Theseus, and Bellerophon) is chosen to continue the guardian tradition.
Chosen. One Argolean, one human; two individuals who, when united, completed the Argolean Prophecy and broke Atalanta’s contract with Hades, thereby ejecting her from the Underworld and ending her immortality.
Council of Elders. Twelve lords of Argolea who advise the king
daemons. Beasts who were once human, recruited from the
Fields of Asphodel (purgatory) by Atalanta to join her army.
Dimiourgos. Creator
doulas. Slave
élencho. Mind-control technique Argonauts use on humans
Fates. Three goddesses who control the thread of life for all mortals from birth until death
Fields of Asphodel. Purgatory
fotia. Term of endearment. My fire.
gigia. Grandmother
gynaíka; pl. gynaíkes. Female Argolean
Horae. Three goddesses of balance controlling life and order
Isles of the Blessed. Heaven
ilithios. Idiot
kardia. Term of endearment; my heart
Kore. Another name for the goddess Persephone. “The maiden”
ligos-Vesuvius. Term of endearment; little volcano
matéras. Mother
meli. Term of endearment; beloved
Misos. Half-human/half-Argolean race that lives hidden among humans
Olympians. Current ruling gods of the Greek pantheon, led by Zeus; meddle in human life
oraios. Beautiful
Orb of Krónos. Four-chambered disk that, when filled with the four classic elements—earth, wind, fire, and water—has the power to release the Titans from Tartarus
patéras. Father
sotiria. Term of endearment; my salvation
Siren Order. Zeus’s elite band of personal warriors. Commanded by Athena
skata. Swearword
syzygos. Wife
Tartarus. Realm of the Underworld similar to hell
therillium. Invisibility ore, sought after by all the gods
Titans. The ruling gods before the Olympians
Titanomachy. The war between the Olympians and the Titans, which resulted in Krónos being cast into Tartarus and the Olympians becoming the ruling gods.
thea. Term of endearment; goddess
yios. Son
Dear Reader,
Thank you for reading TWISTED, the 7th book in my Eternal Guardians series. Nick has been a huge part of this series since the very first book, and I was thrilled to finally have the opportunity write his story. I hope you enjoyed reading about Nick and Cynna as much as I enjoyed writing them.
If you’re interested in reading more books in the Eternal Guardians series, visit my website here to check out exclusive excerpts and access buy links for the different books. While each book in the series can be read as a stand alone, it is, of course, more fun to read them together. The books in the Eternal Guardians series include:
MARKED – Book 1
Theron & Casey
ENTWINED – Book 2
Zander & Callia
TEMPTED – Book 3
Demetrius & Isadora
ENRAPTURED – Book 4
Orpheus & Skyla
ENSLAVED – Book 5
Gryphon & Maelea
BOUND – Book 6
Titus & Natasa
TWISTED – Book 7
Nick & Cynna
And coming soon...
RAVAGED
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Happy Reading!
Elisabeth Naughton
BOOKS BY
ELISABETH NAUGHTON
Against All Odds Series
(Contemporary Romance)
HOLD ON TO ME
WAIT FOR ME
Aegis Security Series
(Romantic Suspense)
EXTREME MEASURES
SINFUL SURRENDER
FIRST EXPOSURE
ACAPULCO HEAT
(in the BODYGUARDS IN BED Anthology)
Stolen Series
(Romantic Suspense)
STOLEN CHANCES
STOLEN SEDUCTION
STOLEN HEAT
STOLEN FURY
Eternal Guardians Series
(Paranormal romance)
TWISTED
BOUND
ENSLAVED
ENRAPTURED
TEMPTED
ENTWINED
MARKED
Firebrand Series
(Paranormal romance)
POSSESSED BY DESIRE
SLAVE TO PASSION
BOUND TO SEDUCTION
Anthologies
SINFUL SECONDS
WICKED FIRSTS
DARK NIGHTS DANGEROUS MEN
BODYGUARDS IN BED
Read on for a sneak peek at
EXTREME MEASURES
The first book in
Elisabeth Naughton’s
sexy new Aegis Series:
Being prepared for any scenario is the trademark of any good CIA operative, and Eve Wolfe is one of the best. But when her latest mission literally explodes in her face, she wakes up labeled a traitor and—even more surprising—in the custody of elite Aegis Security operative and ex-lover Zane Archer. Although she still secretly has feelings for Zane, he’s now demanding the one thing that she can’t give him: the truth.
When he caught her breaking the rules years ago, Zane let Eve walk away without an explanation. Now someone has not only sabotaged Aegis but also turned an American city into a war zone, and all signs point to Eve. Zane needs answers that can come only from Eve’s still-tempting lips, and he finally has the elusive operative right where he wants her—at his mercy.
The first full-length book in bestselling author Elisabeth Naughton’s new steamy romantic suspense series brings a spy in from the cold…and sets her heart ablaze.
CHAPTER ONE
Guatemala
ETA to extraction: Twelve minutes and counting.
Zane Archer scanned the darkened compound from the trees just beyond the perimeter wall and tried to ignore the sweltering jungle heat.
Too bad it didn’t work.
Sweat gathered under his fatigues and beneath his helmet, but he knew soon the temperature would be the least of his worries. Wiping a hand over the moisture dripping into his eyes, he looked through the scope. At this hour—nearly three A.M.—the only lights flickering were in two windows on the second floor of the Mediterranean-style mansion. A guard roamed the portico outside the first floor, and other than a few howler monkeys chirping in the jungle canopy nearby, no other sound besides leaves and palm fronds rustling met his ears.
He glanced at his watch again. ETA to extraction: Eleven minutes, Twenty-five seconds.
Nerves fluttered in his belly, but he ignored those too. Keeping the M4 carbine rifle trained on the guard, he tipped his head toward the com unit near his shoulder. “Look alive, boys. We’re coming up on go time.”
In his earpiece, the radio squawked. “You’re sure he’s in there?”
Jake Ryder’s skepticism was nothing new. But on this, Zane was confident. “Carter’s intel is sound.”
“It’d better be,” Jake muttered. “Our balls are dangling out here in the breeze, Archer.”
Zane bit back the smartass comment because Jake had let him take the lead on this one and looked through his scope again, scanning the perimeter once more.
His heart picked up speed, and adrenaline flooded his system. Ryder and Hedley should have their men in position on the far side of the compound by now. Though Zane was confident this extraction was going to go down without a hitch, he knew Jake Ryder—CEO of Aegis Security, the private company comprised of Zane and a handful of elite specialists from around the globe—wasn’t so sure. Jake didn’t know “Carter” from a fart in the wind. And though he was aware Zane and Carter had teamed together during Zane’s five years with the CIA, he still questioned the fact this whole op hinged on the intel Carter had passed along to Zane. Intel that said one Adam Humbolt, Ph.D. and specialist in chemical weaponry, was being held in this Guatemalan compound by a gang of thugs who worked for Central American drug lord Roberto Contosa.
“Humbolt’s in there,” he said into his com unit. “Trust me, Carter and the Company want this guy free as much as we do.”
Not as much. More. Humbolt “officially” didn’t work for the U.S. government, but word on the street was the scientist knew some super top secret shit the U.S. didn’t want shared with anyone—Central American drug lords included. And though logic said this extraction probably should have fallen to a SEAL or DELTA team, because the State Department didn’t want this op on record, the job had been handed off to Aegis with its superior track record. Their orders were simple: get the job done quietly and quickly and with no link back to the U.S. government whatsoever.
Ryder didn’t respond, and Zane knew his boss was thinking, we’ll see, but facts were facts. Sure, there were a whole lot of people who wanted the science percolating in Humbolt’s genius mind, another bunch who’d like to see him dead, but the ones who mattered just wanted him back in the States alive and in one piece.
Time ticked by slowly in the oppressive early morning heat. Zane could all but feel the adrenaline from his teammates stationed around the compound. And though he tried to stay focused as he waited, he couldn’t stop his mind from drifting back to the last time he’d worked with Carter. To being stuck in that run-down apartment in Beirut he’d shared with Carter and Juliet. To the months of running surveillance, blending in, fighting back the boredom. To the nights he’d been alone with Juliet when Carter had been out. To the laughs, the looks, the heated moments that never should have happened.
“Jesus,” he whispered. “You are such a fucking moron.”
“You say something?” Hedley piped in his ear.
Shit, he was talking to himself. He cleared his throat, peered through the scope again, and put all thoughts of Juliet out of his mind for good. “Remember, boys,” he said. “Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast.”
“Ooh-rah,” Landon Miller murmured, the only communication the former Marine had uttered since they’d set up the perimeter.
As the team went black, Zane said a quick prayer they’d be in and out in seconds rather than minutes or hours. Said another that no one got dead.
He shifted his finger from guard to trigger. Lined up the compound sentry in his crosshairs. And just as the last second passed on his watch, he fired once, killing the south end sentry with a barely audible pop. On the north end, he was confident Ryder had just accomplished the same.
He was out of the tree and across the wall before the sentry’s body hit the ground, rappelling the cement structure as quickly as possible and bracing his rifle against his shoulder as he crossed the dew-covered grass. At the southwest corner of the compound, he caught up with Hedley’s group coming in from the side and pointed up, signaling the hostage room they’d identified earlier on the second floor.
Miller and Stone tossed ropes up and over the second story balcony, the grappling hooks catching the balustrade and securing tight. Zane followed Hedley to the second floor, waiting in silence as the other two men climbed up and over the railing. As a silent unit, they made their way across the balcony and lined up outside the hostage room.
Hedley signaled with his finger, counted to three, then pulled an M84 flash grenade from his pack. When he got the nod from Hedley, Zane us
ed his rifle to blow open the door of the compound. Hedley jerked the pin from his grenade and tossed it into the room.
A roar shook the building and echoed through the darkness, followed by a blinding flash of light, intended to disorient those inside.