Hot and Bothered Read online

  Her head tipped back to see his face and the confusion swirling in the depths of his silver eyes. “But we aren’t connected.”

  He yanked her forward and her breath caught on a gasp. “We must be. Otherwise, there would not be such a strong attraction between us and I would not now have the desire to kill Pyron.”

  She gasped. “You can’t kill him! He’s a god.”

  “Even gods are destructible,” he corrected, one hand coming up to her face to smooth the hair away from her cheek. “Do you know how beautiful you are?”

  The change in his eyes, his demeanor sent her senses whirling. How could she be connected to a god? It was impossible. She would know, wouldn’t she? Her family would have known and if they had, they would have told her. She was sure of it.

  “Amy,” his voice caressed her, “stop trying to figure it out. The connection is there. I didn’t realize it until now, but it’s strong. Perhaps we were meant to meet.”

  Her heart thundered in her breast and that spot held Hephaestus’ gaze. He wanted to touch her. She felt the need shimmering through her veins. And the realization that she craved the feel of his hand gliding over her skin was intoxicating.

  The air changed, intensified, and vibrated with their emotions. The curtains covering the bed began to shift, gliding open over the rods and the ground shifted beneath Amy’s feet. She clutched at Hephaestus as her abdomen roiled in fear.

  “What’s happening?” she asked in a hushed tone of voice.

  Hephaestus cupped her face. “The fates have spoken, Amy.” He dropped his head lower, his lips hovering over hers. “They said you belong to me.”

  She blinked at him. “Belong to you?” Her temper began to flare. “I don’t belong to any man or-or-god!” She gave his chest a hearty shove and tried to move around him, but Hephaestus caught her around the waist and brought her face to face with him again. “Let go of me,” she demanded.

  “Why are you so angry? I only told you what the fates said.” His jaw clenched. “It wasn’t my choice.”

  “And it’s apparent you find the entire idea loathsome.” She shoved him again. “Well, thank you for saving my life, but if you would be so kind as to poof me back home, I’d greatly appreciate it.”

  His brows lowered and Amy felt the tension in his body. “Gods do not poof and unfortunately,” he shot a glance over his shoulder, “I have something else to take care of at present.” He turned toward the door. “Stay put. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” Without waiting for her response, he disappeared.

  “Zeus demands that you release me,” Pyron announced in a self-righteous tone of voice.

  “Don’t pretend to know what my father commands,” Hephaestus replied as he descended the stairs into the basement where he’d sent Pyron. “I make the decisions here.”

  “You cannot keep me here!” The roar was preceded by Pyron’s frantic struggles against the manacles.

  Hephaestus folded his arms across his chest. “I can do whatever I want to do, Pyron. You crossed a line and for that, I will decide your punishment.”

  The God of Mockery swallowed hard and for a brief moment, Hephaestus wondered if he would plead for his freedom. But then Pyron’s face closed and his jaw clenched.

  “Go to hell,” he snarled.

  Hephaestus held out one hand and danced a fireball in the center of his palm. “You first.” He unleashed the deadly missile, bouncing it off the wall atop Pyron’s head, igniting the bricks behind him.

  Pyron cringed and yelped, trying to duck the flames. “You’re crazy. You’re fucking crazy! I’ll call a tribunal for this.”

  Hephaestus laughed. “You’re a lesser god. Do you really think you have that much power?” He walked closer, wanting the god to see he meant business. “The wall was a warning. Go near Amy again and you’ll be my target next time. Do I make myself clear?”

  “Why are you so crazy over this wench? Have you gotten pussy from her already?”

  Balling his fist, Hephaestus punched him squarely in the nose. Pyron howled in pain, unable to do anything else. “Heed my words, Pyron. Go near her again and I will send your body to Hades piece by charred piece.” With a curl to his lip, he disappeared, leaving the god still moaning from his injury.

  Amy paced the confines of the bedchamber, chafing against Hephaestus’ command that she stay put, but unable to do much more. She certainly didn’t want to wander out of the room and possibly run into Ares or some other god.

  Her feet sank in the plush rug covering the floor and the fire in the hearth warmed the air to a pleasurable degree. Glancing down at her tattered dress, she wished, not for the first time, she had something else to change into. She needed every bit of self-confidence she possessed if she was going to be able to convince Hephaestus he’d misunderstood the fates.

  As if conjured by her thoughts, Hephaestus returned to the center of the room, his eyes sweeping over her in one long look, which warmed her from head to toe. “Are you okay?”

  Her brows lowered and she felt her temper spiking again. “I’m fine, but I want to go home.”

  The god cursed below his breath. “I’m afraid I cannot take you home now, Amy.”

  Her eyes widened. “So now, I’m to be held captive here.”

  He shook his head slowly. “That has never been my intention, but the hunger you have created within me has nearly driven me to my knees.”

  Heart thumping wildly, she approached him. Her palms grew damp. “You’re saying you’re keeping me here to sate your lust?” Not that the idea didn’t have its merits.

  “As long as Pyron can harm you, I would not feel right about returning you to your home.” He cupped her cheek like before. “You must trust me, Amy. I will only do what is best for you.”

  “How can I trust you? I don’t even know you.”

  His nostrils flared. “As of tonight, that will change.”

  Her blood heated and that heat spliced her pussy. “What are you talking about? What does tonight have to do with anything? If you think I’m going to do anything with you out of gratitude, you are sadly mistaken.”

  Hand fisting in her hair, he brought her head lower, close to his lips. Her breath caught in her throat and the fire in his eyes made her tingle from head to toe and all places in between. “Look into my eyes, Amy. Tell me what you see.”

  The richness of his deep voice enticed her and she followed the command, her gaze connecting with his. And what she saw shocked her. Desire. Need. Uncertainty. That a god could display such emotion, especially to a mortal, astounded her.

  “How do you know the fates weren’t mistaken?” she whispered.

  Thunder crashed and lightning sizzled just outside the window. Hephaestus’ lips curved into a smile. “I do not believe the sisters are happy with your question.”

  She shot a glance toward the window. “So what do we do now?” The minute she said the words, she realized she’d made a mistake. The god would read between the lines and assume she’d issued a subliminal invitation, but that hadn’t been her intention. Or had it?

  “So where’s Pyron?” She attempted to change the subject.

  Hephaestus shook his head. “No, Amy. We will not speak of Pyron or anything else tonight.” He swept one hand toward the fireplace and the flames intensified, rising higher and higher until the room began to glow.

  Amy shivered as his eyes began to warm like melted silver. “So what do we talk about then?”

  He held out one hand. “Us.”

  “Hephaestus, there is no us.” Even as she said the words, she took his hand.

  His fingers curled around hers and he began to guide her toward the bed. Heat swarmed her, more than just the flames from the fireplace. This was an intense inferno growing from within.

  Was Hephaestus drawing her to him in some way? Was this some type of hypnosis? She tried to explain away the magnetism, but there was a strong connection she couldn’t decipher. She felt herself swaying toward him, sinking under his spell.
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br />   With a flick of his fingers, he lowered the blankets on the bed. “Let me be with you, Amy. Let me show you the beauty, which exists between a woman and a man.”

  Her hand glided over his cheek. “But you’re not just a man.’

  His lips twitched. “That’s true, but then, when I make love to you, the difference will be better than you could ever have imagined.”

  Her pussy began to throb, beating in time with her heart. “I’ve never…” she broke off, uncertain of how to continue. She’d never been with a man. Did he know that already? He was a god; surely, he knew everything about her.

  Hephaestus’ smile faded as he took hold of her hands. “Then your first time must be the most memorable. Come let me love you.”

  And in that moment, she was lost. It didn’t seem to matter that she’d jumped from the frying pan and into the fire. Amy didn’t think about the repercussions or what would happen once they made love. She only saw the promise of tonight in the god’s eyes and for now, that would have to be enough.

  “Yes.” The whisper was barely audible, but it was all the compliance Hephaestus needed.

  He drew her toward the bed, his eyes holding hers, and in those silver depths, Amy began to drown. His hand swept over her face. “Close your eyes. Enjoy each sensation.”

  Amy did as instructed, her teeth nibbling her lower lips. Her nipples peaked, pushing against the tattered material of her dress. The rustle of his rawhide pants made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up, and the woodsy male scent of his skin intoxicated her. Then she felt the mattress against the back of her legs before Hephaestus slowly lowered her.

  She caught her breath and held it, but she didn’t open her eyes, not even when the dress slid off her body. The cool air washed over her skin, pebbling her nipples further. And for a long, agonizing moment, nothing happened. Her heart began to rap against the wall of her chest.

  Then he touched her. The tip of his fingertips stroked the line of her jaw, the length of her neck, and she began to draw shallow breaths. Those wicked fingers crawled down between her breasts, tip-toed down to her abdomen and tickled her bikini line.

  Drowning, she clenched her hands atop the coverlet. The wispy material covering her mons gave way beneath the tug of his hand and Amy felt exposed and deliciously sexy.

  “Do you know how beautiful you are?” The heated words spilled over her, and for a moment, her eyes flickered. “Uh-uh-uh-. Closed, remember? It enhances the pleasure.”

  That she could believe. The lips of her pussy quivered and a drop of moisture seeped out of the crease.

  “So perfect,” Hephaestus began to caress the fullness of her nether lips, absorbing the slickness of her juices. “I’ve never wanted to make love to a woman as much as I do you.”

  She moaned. The man was pure sex, each word a seduction, each move intended to send her spiraling into the sweet oblivion of orgasm. A sound she didn’t recognize reached her ears, then a rustle. A clink as his pants hit the floor.

  And then a different kind of touch. He rubbed her thighs with the head of his cock, circling the skin in tantalizing spirals. Working his way up, he straddled her thighs and caressed her belly button with his thickness.

  Amy bit her lower lip to keep from screaming. The heat and softness of the head of his cock came closer, sliding in between her breasts. She plumped the mounds and Hephaestus began to rock, pumping in and out of the valley.

  “Now, open your eyes,” he commanded in a guttural voice. “See what you do to me.”

  Following the dictate, she caught sight of the beauty of his cock, thick veins, smooth skin with a drop of moisture clinging to the slit, which seemed to grow wider before her eyes. She’d never seen a man naked before, but if Hephaestus was the model, she’d missed a lot.

  She opened her mouth to speak, but Hephaestus pressed his finger against her lips. “No words,” he whispered, beginning to slide back down her body, rubbing his cock over every inch of her skin, taking his time.

  “Are you wet for me?”

  The erotic words made her heart skip a beat, but she couldn’t answer, but then she didn’t need to. For the god’s fingers slipped between the lips of her pussy to check for himself.

  “Oh, yeah. You’re wet.”

  The feel of his hard fingers sinking deep into her channel, stretching her flesh made her hips arch off the bed. Her body begged for his, her pussy weeping with need.

  “I can’t wait,” she managed to whisper before she reached for him, dragging his face down to hers. Lips collided and the kiss was raw, hungry, and like a starving man reaching for a piece of bread, Amy fell into it, her hands cupping his face. In the far reaches of her mind, where common sense still resided, she knew she should put a stop to this wild, desperate longing, but common sense had been cast aside, walked on by emotions much more powerful, stronger, controlling.

  Her blood turned to a rich, thick liquid, moving languorously through her veins, humming in her ears. Hephaestus’ hands moved against her bare skin, drifting over the tops of her breasts and her pulse thrummed, jumping against her neck.

  He dipped his head and pressed a kiss against her bare abdomen; her breath hissed out from between her teeth. His hands lifted her hips, drawing her lithe body closer to the devastating scrape of his teeth on her exposed skin.

  Her head twisted atop the pillow. His cock was so close, ready to sink into her pussy and yet, he hesitated, drawing out each sensation with maddening precision. Finally, she arched her hips, leaving no doubt what she wanted. Demanding and needy, she could feel his eyes on her, hot and piercing. Seconds after she whispered his name, he filled her with the silken length of his cock, pushing into her tight channel.

  His gasp mingled with hers and though she’d expected pain, Amy only felt the sheer perfection of being joined with a man, and not just any man, but one who by his eyes alone could make her panties wet.

  His hips bumped against hers, bare flesh smacking against bare flesh. Amy’s muscles tensed and she held him tightly against her, the hairiness of his chest scraping her bare breasts.

  “Ah, God, Amy. You’re so tight. I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “You’re not.” She stroked his back as an added measure of reassurance. “Just don’t stop.”

  He stiffen, muttered something under his breath. “I can’t hold on. I’m going to come.”

  Amy recognized her own release building within her, having experienced it in the darkness of her own bedroom despite her mother’s warnings against such wickedness. And then the stars exploded, showering her, cramping her muscles. The orgasm infused her with more heat than any fire the god could have built and left her spent, exhausted and craving more.

  Hephaestus drew in a sharp breath and jerked, groaning low and long. “Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah,” he chanted, continuing to pump until she’d milked him dry. After a long pause, he lifted his head from her shoulder and whispered, “From the moment I saw you, I knew you’d be this perfect.”

  Amy fell asleep with those words resounding in her mind and her head cradled on Hephaestus’ warm chest.

  Chapter Three

  Pyron raged against his shackles, fury building within his soul. He would make Hephaestus pay for this inhumanity.

  “Hera, if you’re listening, I need your help! Release me, Hera, that I may take revenge on my enemies.” He tipped his face toward the ceiling and closed his eyes, waiting to feel the goddess’ power.

  The air sizzled and split, heralding the arrival of Zeus’ powerful wife. “Who are you to summon me?” Tall and regal with chestnut hair swept atop her head, Hera folded her arms across her chest, the sleeves of her crystal blue robe dipping low.

  Pyron swallowed his fear and responded, dipping his head low. “Hera, you honor me with your presence.”

  She snapped her fingers with irritation. “Answer my question.”

  “Your son has bound me here against my will and refuses to release me. You are the only one who can break your son’s chains.�
�� Pyron’s voice took on a squeak. “He only holds me so he can sleep with the mortal woman who belongs to me.”

  Hera’s brows knitted. “If this woman does indeed belong to you, why is she with Hephaestus now?”

  Pyron knew Hera was playing with him. The goddess knew everything that happened with her sons and he doubted she didn’t know about Hephaestus’ dalliance with the mortal woman now.

  He gritted his teeth to keep his temper under control. “Because he wants to fuck her.”

  The goddess laughed low, her porcelain face devoid of any humor. “You dare to speak in such a manner in front of one you know can take your life. You’re either very determined or very stupid. Which is it?”

  He felt the heat rush to his cheeks and his knees went weak. A flash of anger flickered in Hera’s eyes and he began to doubt his decision to call her. But at present, she was his only hope. He had to convince her to free him or he would be stuck here until Hephaestus decided to either kill him or forget about him.

  “I’m determined to save my own life.”

  Hera strolled toward him and grabbed the shackles binding Pyron’s wrist. “I don’t agree with my son’s methods. Choosing a mortal over a god is deplorable.” She snapped the other manacle surrounding the opposite wrist. “But I will not allow you to harm my son.”

  Pyron nodded his head in acknowledgement. “That was never my intention. I only sought my freedom.”

  She released the chains holding his feet in place and stepped back. “Be gone with you then and heed my warning. If you harm my son, I will find you.”

  Pyron bowed low. “Thank you, Hera. I will always remember this kindness.”

  “Of course, you shall. I shall make sure of it.”

  Amy woke alone but deliciously tired. She stretched her arms over her head and smiled. A rose lay on the pillow next to her and Hephaestus’ scent enveloped her. Her smile broadened.

  Last night had been phenomenal, a night she would never forget. Her happiness began to fade. But it would be the only night she had with the god. Today, she would return to her home, to her family.