South of Surrender (Hearts of the Anemoi)

  She twisted her lips. “I could. Because—I know this is going to sound crazy—but…”

  “After everything I’ve told you? I doubt it.”

  She gave a small laugh. “I guess that’s true. Okay. When I look at you, you seem to…glow.”

  Laney chewed on her lip, waiting for Chrys to tell her how ridiculous that was. When he pulled his hand away from hers, her stomach plummeted.

  “I do? What does it look like?”

  She focused on his face, and the gold seemed stronger. His expression was…serious. “You seem to be surrounded in golden light. It moves with you like it’s part of you. And not just you, either. Zeph had a blue glow around him. And Snake Lady glowed red.” She clasped her hands together as relief flowed through her. “Oh, man. I just realized that if I’m seeing these glows because you’re all gods, that means my vision isn’t getting worse. I thought the glowing was halos, and…” She shook her head. “Wow. A bit of silver lining in the midst of all this craziness.”

  The gold surrounding him appeared more intense, more bright. Even his eyes seemed to glow with it. He cupped her cheek in his big, warm hand, and she leaned into it. “I’m glad. Seems like something about the changes to your vision has given you an interesting ability to perceive us.”

  “Well, score one for the human. I need some way to see you guys as you pop in and out of a room.” In truth, though, relief flowed so strongly through her that it helped even out some of the chaos in her mind.

  Chrys chuckled, and the sound of it was sweet and sexy. She hadn’t heard him laugh often, and she enjoyed the sound of it very much. “I know you don’t want to leave for a longer period, but do you think you’d be up for a short trip?” Chrys asked. “My family is meeting to discuss what to do about this situation and I need to go. Given everything, I’d like to bring you.”

  “Uh…what kind of trip?” And how in the hell would she explain taking a trip to Seth? “I’m not sure if I could get away without it raising questions. It’s not like I leave the house very often.” She gestured to her face.

  “Questions from the human man,” Chrys said, an odd tone to his voice. Like he was…no. No way.

  “Yes, Seth. There’s no way he wouldn’t find my getting in someone’s car and driving away suspicious.”

  An odd moment of silence passed. “Er, what time does he normally leave?”

  “Around five or six, depending. He’s interviewing contractors today to fix my barn roof, so I’m not sure when the last scheduled appointment is.”

  “Hmm,” he said, pulling his touch away and pacing. He turned. “What if we left after he does this evening and came back tonight?”

  Excitement and just a little fear set off a troop of butterflies in her stomach. Dare to know. “I think that could work.”

  He returned to her. “Okay, good. Thank you. I know this is a lot coming at you all at once. You’re handling it beautifully.” His voice was soft in Laney’s ear. She found herself leaning toward him. And, God, there was that scent again.

  Slowly, she raised her gaze. Chrys towered over her, and heat absolutely rolled off him. In that moment, his eyes possessed a strange intensity she didn’t understand. She only knew how her body was interpreting all of it, what she wished he would do.

  “I really am sorry,” he said. “About all of this.”

  Laney blinked away the haze of lust that had wrapped around her. “I know.”

  “Eurus won’t get near you. On my honor.”

  Right. That’s why he was here. Don’t forget it, Laney. You’re neither experienced nor tough enough to protect your heart around someone as powerful and magical as him. Her heart? What did her heart have to do with anything? Yeah, keep kidding yourself. You were attached from the moment you thought you’d found a stray Pegasus in your barn. “How exactly is that going to work?” she managed.

  “I’ll stay here as much as I can, and when I can’t, I’ll have someone else stand guard.”

  Stay here? It was exactly what she’d wanted, what she’d yearned for all morning after she’d awakened to an empty bed, an empty house. She thought to ask where he’d gone this morning, but his words raised a more pressing question. “But how am I going to explain you to Seth?”

  He frowned. “Why do you have to say anything to him at all?”

  “Because no one’s ever here just to visit me and he’ll demand to know who you are. He’s a protective pain in the ass.” You know, in a totally loveable way. But still. His head would go all Exorcist at the appearance of a strange man just hanging around her house.

  “Then, we can remain elemental. Never see us.”

  She frowned. “I’m sorry but that’s…creepy. I can’t see enough as it is without wondering where my invisible god-protectors are. And how will I be able to talk to you? That’s too weird. I’ll be a nervous wreck and Seth will be all over me about it.”

  He made a gruff noise low in his throat. “Then we need a good reason for me to be here.”

  “What the heck would that be?” An idea came to mind. “Wait. I’ve got it. Only…any chance your godly bag of tricks includes knowing how to build a roof?”

  …

  Chrys drove the truck up the long gravel driveway. The one demarcated on the road by a sign that read, “Summerlyn Stables, Est. 1945.”

  Summerlyn. Laney’s family name was Summerlyn. He tucked that little nugget away for further exploration.

  Focusing on the driveway again, Chrys had one thought: For the love of the gods, this better work.

  “What’s the plan, my lord?” Livos asked from the passenger seat. After Laney had shared her idea, Chrys had summoned his subordinate to gather all the things needed to give them a shot at pulling this off.

  “First step is getting Laney’s farm manager to hire me. Second step…well, that one’s gonna be a bit more interesting. Just let me do the talking. And drop the ‘my lord’ crap.”

  Livos nodded. “As you wish.”

  “I know you haven’t spent as much time with humans as I have, but tone down the formality or no one’s going to buy this, okay? How’s Aphel?”

  “I’ll try. And Apheliotes is healed. Thanks to your generosity.”

  Chrys waved away the compliment. No one deserved to be abused at his brother’s hands. Each new evidence of Eurus’s malevolence called Chrys’s hopes into question more and more. Maybe he wasn’t savable. Maybe he wasn’t redeemable. But contemplating such a thing about his own brother was a whole lot easier than accepting it in his heart, especially since he was to blame for some part of it.

  And now, with the Olympians growing impatient, it was clear that all of his effort was likely for nothing. Little time remained to convince Eurus to do the right thing, assuming he was capable of being convinced. Chrys’s doubts were multiplying.

  Which meant he needed Seth’s cooperation. Because Chrys had every intention of being here to ensure Laney’s safety. No matter what. If anything happened to her, because of him… His gut squeezed and Chrys gripped the steering wheel harder. Not gonna happen. Enough pain already lay at his feet.

  As he rounded a curve in the driveway, Laney’s long white house came into view. Sprawled out in front of it were white-fenced paddocks where a few horses grazed. To the left sat the red barn with its peaked roof, damaged at one low end by Chrys’s fall.

  Chrys parked the truck and grabbed the clipboard just as Seth emerged from the barn. He climbed down from the driver’s seat and met the human in front of vehicle.

  “Hi, I’m Chrys Notos. Olympic Construction.” He extended his hand, bracing for the touch.

  The man had brown hair and eyes, and the kind of brawn that came from doing manual labor. He returned the shake. “Seth Griffin. Thanks for coming out.”

  Chrys frowned. For a moment, he could’ve sworn he’d felt the kind of energy only divine beings possessed. But the sensation passed so quickly, he couldn’t be sure it wasn’t his anxiety over touching playing tricks on him. “Absolutely.”
He dropped his hand and gestured toward Livos. “And this is Li…Len.”

  “Len,” Seth said with a nod. “Well, come on in and I’ll show you what needs done.”

  “Lead the way.”

  Len? Livos mouthed, his eyebrows downward slashes on his forehead.

  Chrys ignored the god’s ire. “Barn looks new. How old is it?”

  “Little over three years old. Mr. Summerlyn had it rebuilt not too long before he died. Unfortunately, that contractor has since moved out of town.”

  “Whoever it was did nice work.”

  Seth nodded. “Yeah. So, in that storm the other night, a tree came through the roof over here.” He led them to the two stalls in the back left corner. “I don’t think we lost any structural integrity, but the roof obviously needs to be replaced, as well as some of the grillwork on the end stall.

  Chrys stepped into the last stall and looked up at the blue sky through the enormous jagged hole above him. In his mind’s eye, Eurus plunged the lightning toward Chrys’s heart. Sizzling phantom pain slashed through his shoulder. He looked away, surveying the warped piece of metal framing out the stall. “Floor escaped any real damage,” Chrys said, completing his evaluation. In a flash, he recalled the incredible warmth Laney had shared with him while he lay there. A hot breeze blew through the space.

  “Yeah, it’s the damnedest thing. We’re lucky the tree didn’t take out this whole half of the barn, big as it was.”

  Chrys turned to him, ignoring Livos’s smirk. “Any special considerations you need taken into account in getting the work done?”

  “Matching materials, for one. And with all the crazy storms we’ve had this summer, I’m giving priority to anyone who can get started right away.”

  “Well, let me take some measurements. And I’d like to get up on the roof, too.”

  Seth nodded. “Do what you need to do. Just give me a shout when you’re done.”

  But that was the thing, wasn’t it? Who knew how long this battle with Eurus was going to take.

  Chapter Ten

  Laney couldn’t stand it anymore. She’d finally finished her column, but that left her with nothing to distract her from wondering whether their plan would work. She knew Chrys was here for his “appointment” because she’d heard a truck arrive about a half hour ago. Much as she should stay off her feet, she couldn’t resist going outside for some fresh air and a little snooping.

  Slowly, she made her way to the front door. As her hand gripped the doorknob, fear erupted in goose bumps all down her arms. Last time she’d opened this door, a vengeance-seeking, snake-headed creature from the Underworld had stood there. How much weirder could this whole situation get?

  Don’t even ask that. Right.

  She pulled the door open and stepped out onto the thankfully empty porch. Late summer heat surrounded her, and the shift from the dimness inside to the brightness outside momentarily stole her remaining vision as her eye adjusted. Counting her paces, she eased herself down onto the top step—no way she wanted to chance the walk to the barn—and then called for Seth. Finn stood watch next to her, his breath a steady pant.

  “What’s the matter?” Seth’s voice came from the direction of the lean-to storage area that formed one side of the barn.

  The sun’s glare made it hard to track him in the distance. “Why does something have to be the matter? I was just taking a break from the computer and thought I’d see how things were going.”

  “Last contractor’s here right now. They should be wrapping up soon. I’m not sure how quickly we’ll be able to get this done, though. Contractors are always busiest this time of year, and with all these storms—”

  “Seth?” a voice—Chrys’s voice—called from a distance.

  “Be right back,” Seth said.

  Laney sat up straighter, her ears straining to hear what they said. Who had Chrys brought with him? When their voices trailed off into the barn, she chanted an internal prayer that Chrys would win over Seth. Maybe ten minutes later, their voices emerged again.

  “Come on up,” Seth said. “Let me introduce you to the owner.” Footsteps approached. “Chrys Notos, this is Laney Summerlyn. She owns the farm.”

  Laney pulled herself up by the railing next to her.

  “You don’t have to get— Here, let me help you,” Chrys said, grasping her other hand.

  She didn’t really need the assistance, but she reveled in the opportunity to touch him again. “Thank you. I’m Laney.”

  “Chrys,” he said in that deep voice she…really liked.

  When the handshake went on for a moment, Seth cleared his throat. Laney dropped Chrys’s hand and met her manager’s gaze. “Chrys is with Olympic Construction, and he has a crew available to start right away,” he said.

  “That would be great.” She scanned her gaze between the men. They contrasted like a yin yang symbol, Chrys with his blond waves and golden skin, and Seth with his dark hair and farmer’s tan. Seth wasn’t a small man, by any measure—he could carry her butt, for goodness sake—but Chrys was at least four inches taller, his shoulders broader.

  “Based on his estimate and availability, I’d recommend going with Olympic, assuming the references are good,” Seth continued.

  “I’d be happy to provide you with some,” Chrys said. A sheet of paper crinkled. “But I hope you’ll be able to decide soon, because we’ve got other customers wanting estimates. With so much work around, my crew won’t sit idle for long.”

  Ooh, he’s good.

  “Understood.” Seth held out his hand. The men shook. “I’ll give you a call later tonight.”

  “That’ll work. Look forward to hearing from you,” Chrys said. “And, Miss Summerlyn, nice to meet you.”

  “You, too,” she said, hoping her voice didn’t sound as breathy to Seth as it did to her own ears. What the heck was wrong with her, anyway? She was acting like some lovesick teenager. As Chrys’s footsteps retreated down the path, Laney forced normality into her voice. “Well, that’s good news, huh?”

  “You’re all flushed. You feeling okay?”

  “Sure.” She waved his concern away. In the distance, a truck engine started. Gravel crunched under its tires. “It feels nice being outside after being cooped up all week. Wish I could ride.”

  “Don’t even go there. You know the doctor said—”

  “Yeah, yeah, I know.” She hated it, but she did know and she wasn’t going to do anything stupid. “So, what are you thinking?”

  “I’ll make some calls and we’ll get this set up if everything checks out.”

  “Okay, great.” Bracing against the railing, she hiked herself up a step.

  “Damnit, Laney. You’re not supposed to do steps.” He appeared next to her.

  “Done, see? I got it.”

  He huffed.

  “What?”

  “I try to help, and I get Miss Independence. Pretty-boy contractor offers you help, and you’re all ‘thaaank youuu,’” he said in a high-pitched sing-song voice.

  “I did not do that.” Did I?

  He scoffed.

  “What are you? Twelve? I was just being polite.” She pushed through the front door and concentrated on the sound of the retreating truck. With Chrys leaving, did he have one of his gods here watching her even now? Man, Seth would go ballistic if he knew…

  “You’re doing too much walking.”

  “I know. I just needed a break. I’m going a little crazy in here.” Laney took a deep breath and prepared to make nice. “Maybe I’ll try the cane again.” She settled onto the corner of the couch.

  “Yeah? I think that’d be good. I can pick it up for you tomorrow.” Her fridge opened and closed. The crack and fizz of a can of soda followed. Proof of how long she’d known Seth. He always just made himself at home.

  “Okay,” she said with a yawn. This day had taken more of a toll on her than she’d realized.

  “I’m going to drive out to the cottage site before I head home. The builder was out
again today and I want to see how things are going. Need anything before I leave?”

  “Can you grab my iPhone and ear buds off my desk?” Lying here and listening to a book sounded like another plan she could get behind. Seth returned a moment later. “Thanks,” she said as she accepted the phone from him. Oh, and a soda, too. Always taking care of her.

  He kissed the top of her head. “Stay off your feet tonight, okay? I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Okay,” she whispered, her voice stolen by the memory of Chrys kissing her hair before. Her body went hot at the remembered feel of his lips… “See ya,” she managed as Seth reached the door.

  The silence rang loud after he closed it behind him.

  “Is anybody here?” Laney whispered to the empty room, feeling like an idiot. No response. Crap, until the roof work started, maybe whoever was here to guard her would have to remain invisible. Not relishing that thought, she untangled the cord to the ear buds and heaved a breath.

  Her constant lust for Chrys was going to be a problem. But, holy crap, she couldn’t help it. Not only was he hot as hell with his sexy, tousled hair and his piercing green eyes and muscled shoulders you could just imagine holding and gripping, but if men could be beautiful, he truly was. Wholly masculine and utterly sensual at the same time. Like a big cat with its stealthy feline movement that could turn lethal predator in an instant.

  Unhelpfully, her mind conjured the feel of his hand holding her wrist, his tongue invading her mouth.

  To be with him, just once…

  Not freaking likely. Him being a god, and all. A supreme god, thank you very much.

  Ugh.

  Laney slipped in her ear buds and opened the audiobook application on her iPhone. She stretched her legs out, hit play, and settled back into the comfy cushions. God knew she could use a good escape right about now. And how ironic was it that her novel was more believable than her life?

  …

  We are running out of time, Boreas thought as he walked back and forth across the living room, Teddy in his arms. The baby was doing everything within his power to resist sleep. His mismatched eyes—one brown and one bright blue, just like Owen’s—would droop until his long, dark lashes spread out on his cheek, then pop back open again. Megan was dead on her feet, so Boreas had sent her to nap. He didn’t mind his grandfather duties one bit.