Fragmented memories filled his head, causing his skin to tingle. Her long fingers rushing across his flesh. Her lithe body climbing over his. Her warm breath fanning his cheek. And her luscious lips whispering, “It’ll never be too late, dios. Not for you and me.”
The music changed. He watched as she smiled at her dance partner, then eased out of his arms and stepped toward a nearby table where she reached for a goblet of wine.
Most of the females were dressed in the same skimpy outfits as Talisa. The males were all shirtless, and every one of the partygoers were barefoot. But none captured Zagreus’s attention. None were like a beacon he couldn’t ignore. None but the intoxicating female staring at him over the cup at her lips while bodies swayed together at her back.
His pulse kicked up as she set the glass down, moved around the table, then headed his direction, her smoldering eyes never leaving his.
She shouldn’t be here. She should already be back in her realm, as far from him as she could get. And never in a million years should she be staring at him like that.
He fixed an impassive look on his face as she drew close and crossed his arms over his chest. She stopped mere steps away, but he didn’t meet her gaze. Was determined to keep his eyes on the ridiculous party instead. And he wasn’t about to be distracted by her skimpy outfit. Or that eroticly spicy scent he remembered oh-so well.
“You stick out like a sore thumb, you know.”
He tightened his jaw and didn’t respond, continuing to look past her in the hopes she’d get the hint and move on.
“It’s a festival, not a funeral.”
His focus wavered, and he made the mistake of glancing at her. Mischief twinkled in her eyes. Mischief and heat and all kinds of temptations he couldn’t give in to.
“You should try smiling instead of scowling.” A coy grin curled her lips. “It would make you look less miserable.”
He forced his gaze away and looked back out toward Nysa and Rhen pressing against each other, then to the other nymphs and silens already partnering up for what he knew would come next.
He was always miserable. It was the one thing he could count on in his never-ending life. And lucky him, he had only more misery to look forward to when she wised up and returned to her own world, where she belonged.
She belongs with you…
He ignored the voice in his head, the one that was responsible for every one of the fuckups in his life, and tried to figure out how long he had before the silens passed the point of no return.
Soft fingers wrapped around his forearms and tugged. Surprised, he looked down again only to realize Talisa was drawing him away from the column and out of the shadows.
“What do you think you’re doing?” he asked with a scowl.
“Dancing with you.” She let go of his arms, stepped close, and skimmed her hands up his chest and around his neck. “Or trying to, at least. What do you think I’m doing?”
Her sinful body grazed his. The amulet on the chain around her neck pressed between them. His grey matter fogged, just as it always had near her. Only this time was worse. A thousand times worse. And he wasn’t sure why.
Reluctantly, he let his hands fall to her hips, but he didn’t slide them around her back or pull her closer. And he didn’t sway, even when she started to move. “I think you’re trying to piss me off by not following my orders.”
“I told you before, I never do as I’m told. Lighten up, already, Grumpy Prince. Everyone’s looking.”
“I don’t give a shit if they look at me.” He glanced over her head only to realize no one was looking at him—at them. The nymphs and silens were already too lost in the wine and each other to care about anything else.
Shit. That was going to be a problem. This little party was about to turn into a clusterfuck faster than he’d realized.
He was just about to tell her it was time to go when he caught her expression from the corner of his eye. Not irritation. Not wariness. No, the minx was grinning up at him as if she found him completely amusing.
He cursed himself for letting her distract him. “Stop smiling like that.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t like it.”
The sweet sound of her laughter drifted in the air. “You know, you were a lot more fun at that club where we met.”
Memories of the way she’d ground against him in that club filled his mind. Memories he shouldn’t have, dammit. Memories he shouldn’t like. Going to that club had been a giant mistake. Just as every second with her in this lifetime and all the rest had been mistakes.
Straightening, he looked past her again only to realize—shit—he was now staring at the column he’d been leaning against earlier. Which meant he was dancing with her. Something he’d told himself he wouldn’t do.
“Do you still have a concussion?”
His gaze snapped back to hers. “What?”
“Your head? Does it still hurt?”
“No.”
“How about a fever?”
He had no idea what she was talking about. “I don’t have a fever.”
“Then I must.” She pushed to her toes and brought her mouth within a breath of his. “Touch me and tell me if I’m hot.”
His feet came to a stop. He stared down at her, sure he’d heard her wrong. Sure he was hallucinating again.
She laughed, lowered to her heels, then pushed away. “Well, if you’re not interested in checking, I guess I’ll go find someone else who is.”
She turned to face the dance floor then whispered, “Oh my…”
Zagreus’s brain was pure mush, but Talisa’s breathy words filtered through the fog, causing him to blink and look toward what had caught her attention.
The music had changed. It was no longer festive but now a suggestive beat with a heavy bass. The lights had dimmed. Electricity charged the air. And while bodies still littered the dance floor, all eyes were focused on one couple in the middle—on a nymph and sileni getting hot and heavy as they made out in the center of the crowd.
“Well, now,” Talisa said in a low voice, her gaze fixed on the couple. “Those two definitely look like they have a fever.” She lifted a hand to her throat as she watched the male push the straps of the skimpy dress down the nymph’s shoulders. “Wait. Are those horns coming out of his head?”
Motherfucker. Those were definitely horns. And in a matter of seconds, that sileni was going to bust the seams on his pants as the rest of the change came over him.
Zagreus stepped up to Talisa, grasped her hand, and turned her to face him. Sliding his arms around her waist, he said, “Hold on to me.”
“Mm…” She smiled and let her hands drift up his chest once more. “Now, that’s the spirit.”
His blood warmed, but he tried to ignore it. She’d had a fair bit of the nymphs’ wine, and he knew the effect that wine could have. The only smart thing he’d done tonight was not partake in any himself.
Like you need any to get you going…
He clenched his jaw, ignored that voice again, too, and said, “Don’t let go.”
The muscles in his arms and legs contracted, and air whooshed past their faces as the ground disappeared beneath their feet.
Seconds later, they stood on the balcony off his room, the lights and sounds of the party far below.