Next, Ray gestured toward Flynn’s party. “King Frederick Astor of the demigods in Olympus and Crown Prince Flynn Astor.”
Tina couldn’t resist raising one eyebrow in surprise. She hadn’t realized he was the crown prince. He hadn’t even introduced himself as royalty. At least he didn’t have a runaway ego. And damn, as she stared at him, it was hard to resist thinking about his massive hands exploring her body. She blushed at the goddess’s urges, but she couldn’t lie to herself any longer. Let’s be honest. That’s not all you, Damara.
As Tina shut her eyes so she could stem her rampant imagination, Ray continued. “These are the dragons of Mersarth, King Edward Zaffiro and his son, Crown Prince Draven Zaffiro.”
Draven. As Tina looked at him, he shot her a mischievous smile. His ear-length black hair nearly fell into his hazel eyes. He exuded sex and power with the way his stance and demeanor dared her to come over and join him. The untamed, careless part of her wanted to indulge him. And that had nothing to do with the goddess.
Ray gestured to the next clump of men, interrupting Tina’s thoughts. “King James Blackwood, of the eagle nation Aurous. With him is the Crown Prince Killian Blackwood.”
Though his father frowned deeply, Killian watched Tina with a compassionate expression, as though he wanted nothing more than to hold her and tell her it would be all right. His square jaw and the stubble along his face reminded her of a white knight, and the side part in his blond hair made her think of the boys milling about in the country clubs Amy had dragged her to on more than one occasion.
Ray gestured to the final clump of shifters in the throne room. “And finally, King Alexander Sambridge of the Cimarron, home to the cat shifters. And of course, his son, Crown Prince Zane Sambridge.”
Zane smiled broadly. He was the only one thus far who actually looked happy, and as he smiled at her, Tina couldn’t resist smiling back.
His father, however, shot a quick glare down at him, and Zane adjusted the thin glasses resting on his nose before looking away. His dirty blond hair had been carefully combed, but he ran a hand through it and ruffled the part as if he wasn’t used to it being carefully tucked away.
“Fine, you’ve introduced us all,” King William snapped, drawing Tina’s attention back toward the leader of the wolf shifters.
“Yes.” King Frederick of the demigods agreed. “Let us get to the heart of the matter, High Priestess. The goddess cannot remain here. It’s unsafe.”
Ray scoffed. “What goddess is unsafe in her own temple?”
Tina didn’t point out all the times Ray herself had said those very words. Instead, she eyed the high priestess thoughtfully.
King James of the eagles huffed. “And let me guess, Olympus is the safest place for her, Frederick?”
The king of the demigods bristled. “Of course. She’s one of us.”
“She’s far superior to you,” Anthony said, drawing a glare from Frederick.
Embarrassed by the compliment, Tina shifted uncomfortably in her seat. This was exactly what she didn’t want, a bunch of aging royals fighting over her as if they had any say in her fate.
King James shook his head, and his long silver hair brushed his shoulders. “In the past, Damara chose to live with my ancestors. It might be best if she once again joins the cat shifters in Cimarron.”
King William snorted in disgust. “The girl and Damara fused in Wolfcrest. She belongs with the wolves.”
Tina frowned as a bubble of annoyance festered within her, threatening to pop.
King Frederick gestured to Tina. “She is a goddess. She belongs with us. With her kind.”
King William laughed. “Hardly! She belongs—”
“Enough!” Tina shouted, her anger getting the best of her. She stood so quickly that she knocked her chair over. The deafening bang caused the bickering men to gape at her as though they hadn’t realized she could speak.
“I’m not a steak for you to fight over!” Tina snapped, hands on her hips. “Who are you to make these choices for me?”
For a moment, no one spoke. King Frederick of the demigods was the first to break the silence. “My dear, do you know what you’re capable of doing?”
“Of course,” she lied. Truth be told, she had only the barest scraps of clues as to her true potential, but these assholes didn’t need to know that.
“You’re a threat to us all,” King James of the eagles said, his eyes narrowing.
Every head turned toward him, but he glared at Tina with a hatred she didn’t understand. Even Killian watched him incredulously, as if surprised by his father’s outburst.
She forced a laugh. If they feared her, maybe they wouldn’t dare try to control her. “You’re right. I’m dangerous. I’m powerful. I’m also curious as to why you all feel entitled to make decisions about my future?”
King James nodded silently to himself as if she had confirmed something for him. He watched her like she was prey, as though he could strike at any moment and effortlessly close the distance between them faster than she could run away.
Chin held high, Tina tightened her hand into a fist in an effort to keep calm.
“That’s exactly the problem, my dear.” King James gestured at her. “Seeing as Damara was forced into our dimension by an unknown party with unknown intentions, I believe the goddess should be returned to her dimension.” He pointed to Tina with a thick finger. “And the girl killed.”
9
Tina
The sudden and deafening clamor of men arguing in the ensuing uproar that followed King James’ suggestion made her want to run and hide, but instead she stood her ground, meeting King James’ glare with one of her own.
She knew some thought of her as too powerful to be left alive, but the idea of a king blatantly suggesting it right in front of her … well, she hadn’t been prepared for that.
“Come on,” Ray whispered, reaching out to take her hand so she could lead Tina through the chaos in the throne room.
“Listen to me, all of you!” Anthony snarled before they could move more than a step. As the room turned toward him, he jumped onto the platform and stepped between her and the eagle shifters’ king. He bristled, shoulders squared as the edges of his powerful frame shimmered with the threat of a shift. “If you so much as bruise her, you’re declaring war against all of Wolfcrest.”
“On that, at least we can agree.” Flynn pushed his way past his father and joined Anthony to stand between Tina and the eagles, blocking her view of King James and Prince Killian entirely. “No harm must come to Damara nor her host. To even think of it is blasphemy.”
The uproar grew louder as Flynn’s statement sparked more heated debate. She could only catch snippets of the arguments, and each voice worried her more than the last.
“… what kind of army can she possibly have in this tiny …”
“… you only want a new queen, William …”
“… the temple can’t possibly withstand an assault …”
No. This wouldn’t work. Half of them were still thinking about her like a weakling they could do what they pleased with, and the other half was running on full blown fear. If this continued, a fight would break out and that wouldn’t solve anything.
Running on instinct alone, she pushed her way through Anthony and Flynn to find the five groups of men at each other’s throats. Forms shimmered as men prepared to shift.
“ENOUGH!” she yelled. Her voice resonated with more power and authority than she had ever heard in her life. It bounced off the walls, filling the room with her command. The arguing men went still.
As she spoke, her skin glowed white again. This time, she once more felt the overwhelming, almost orgasmic connection to her surroundings that she had experienced back in the altar room under the strip club. She could hear every heartbeat. Sense every breath. Feel every sultry swish of her dress against her thighs.