the top floor of the house where they maintained an observatory. Long and narrow, it ran the roof of the brownstone and offered a clear view of the sky.
Through an elaborate set of physics having something to do with astral planes he had no earthly clue how to understand, the observatory wasn’t actually visible to anyone who might be staring at the roof. The brownstone’s simultaneous cohabitation on both the island of Manhattan and Mount Olympus ensured it was not only far larger than it looked, but that much of what made it a fortress for he and his brothers made it invisible to the average human.
Drake’s gaze was drawn unerringly to the Pisces constellation, where it bound the twinned fish together in the sky. No matter how disillusioned he grew with the depraved actions of humanity, he always found comfort in the proof of what he was.
The balance in the heavens Themis used so many millennia ago in her Great Agreement with Zeus. That same balance that allowed a disparate group of men—all with different strengths, skills and abilities—to work together on her behalf.
To save the humans worth saving.
He didn’t know why he was drawn there this evening, but couldn’t argue with the impulse once he sat breathing in the night air, watching the stars.
Long ago, before technology had made their lives both easier and harder, he and his brothers could communicate with each other through the stars simply by using the ink that marked their bodies. Now, their sat phones did the communicating and the night sky was just something nice to look at.
“I thought I saw you head up here.”
Drake ignored the voice in favor of a deep drag on his longneck.
“I’m sorry for what I said.”
He kept his gaze on the stars, but his voice was easy when he finally spoke. “Don’t worry about it, Ilsa.”
“It’s no excuse, but I still haven’t mastered that fine art of knowing when to shut the hell up.”
Drake turned to look at her and saw the tense lines that bracketed her mouth. No matter how heavy the urge to brood, he couldn’t stay mad at that winsome face with the sky-blue eyes. He knew what it had taken for her to begin to feel a part of their lives after her betrayal by Zeus, followed by endless millennia of soul-hunting for Hades.
“Don’t worry about it.”
She hesitated for a moment, clearly weighing her thoughts before they tumbled out in a rush as if she couldn’t help herself. “We’re only curious because she makes you happy.”
“Happy?” What a joke that was. And even if it were true, he sure as hell couldn’t find a way to return the favor.
If he made her happy, he’d have an armful of witch on his lap right now as he played poker, all the while imagining her clad in her own pair of fuck me pumps later in the evening.
“You can’t possibly see what I see,” he muttered on a harsh laugh.
“What’s that?”
“A woman who wants nothing to do with me.”
Ilsa moved forward until she stood next to him along the narrow wall that made up the edge of the observatory. “She wants a whole lot to do with you, Drake. More than a lot, if I’m not mistaken.”
“And what makes you think that?”
“Let’s just say I suck at social pleasantries, but I spent an awfully long time observing people. And I know what I see when I look at the two of you.”
“What’s that?”
“Sorry cowboy, I’m not letting you off that easy. Besides,” she flashed the wicked grin he’d come to associate with her, “I think you already know.”
Before he could reply, Ilsa flounced toward the staircase at the edge of the roof hollering over her shoulder as she went. “Sorry to rush off, but I’ve got a pair of heels to go break in.”
Drake wanted to stay mad. He knew he did. But the wiggling ass that flashed her good-bye at him was too much to keep him in a dour mood.
Resuming his position at the end of the roof, he let his gaze drift toward the house next door. Brownstones lined the observatory on
Through an elaborate set of physics having something to do with astral planes he had no earthly clue how to understand, the observatory wasn’t actually visible to anyone who might be staring at the roof. The brownstone’s simultaneous cohabitation on both the island of Manhattan and Mount Olympus ensured it was not only far larger than it looked, but that much of what made it a fortress for he and his brothers made it invisible to the average human.
Drake’s gaze was drawn unerringly to the Pisces constellation, where it bound the twinned fish together in the sky. No matter how disillusioned he grew with the depraved actions of humanity, he always found comfort in the proof of what he was.
The balance in the heavens Themis used so many millennia ago in her Great Agreement with Zeus. That same balance that allowed a disparate group of men—all with different strengths, skills and abilities—to work together on her behalf.
To save the humans worth saving.
He didn’t know why he was drawn there this evening, but couldn’t argue with the impulse once he sat breathing in the night air, watching the stars.
Long ago, before technology had made their lives both easier and harder, he and his brothers could communicate with each other through the stars simply by using the ink that marked their bodies. Now, their sat phones did the communicating and the night sky was just something nice to look at.
“I thought I saw you head up here.”
Drake ignored the voice in favor of a deep drag on his longneck.
“I’m sorry for what I said.”
He kept his gaze on the stars, but his voice was easy when he finally spoke. “Don’t worry about it, Ilsa.”
“It’s no excuse, but I still haven’t mastered that fine art of knowing when to shut the hell up.”
Drake turned to look at her and saw the tense lines that bracketed her mouth. No matter how heavy the urge to brood, he couldn’t stay mad at that winsome face with the sky-blue eyes. He knew what it had taken for her to begin to feel a part of their lives after her betrayal by Zeus, followed by endless millennia of soul-hunting for Hades.
“Don’t worry about it.”
She hesitated for a moment, clearly weighing her thoughts before they tumbled out in a rush as if she couldn’t help herself. “We’re only curious because she makes you happy.”
“Happy?” What a joke that was. And even if it were true, he sure as hell couldn’t find a way to return the favor.
If he made her happy, he’d have an armful of witch on his lap right now as he played poker, all the while imagining her clad in her own pair of fuck me pumps later in the evening.
“You can’t possibly see what I see,” he muttered on a harsh laugh.
“What’s that?”
“A woman who wants nothing to do with me.”
Ilsa moved forward until she stood next to him along the narrow wall that made up the edge of the observatory. “She wants a whole lot to do with you, Drake. More than a lot, if I’m not mistaken.”
“And what makes you think that?”
“Let’s just say I suck at social pleasantries, but I spent an awfully long time observing people. And I know what I see when I look at the two of you.”
“What’s that?”
“Sorry cowboy, I’m not letting you off that easy. Besides,” she flashed the wicked grin he’d come to associate with her, “I think you already know.”
Before he could reply, Ilsa flounced toward the staircase at the edge of the roof hollering over her shoulder as she went. “Sorry to rush off, but I’ve got a pair of heels to go break in.”
Drake wanted to stay mad. He knew he did. But the wiggling ass that flashed her good-bye at him was too much to keep him in a dour mood.
Resuming his position at the end of the roof, he let his gaze drift toward the house next door. Brownstones lined the observatory on
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