companion held an athame in his hands.
In his peripheral vision, Cal saw Tessa take a seat on one of the benches closest to the altar. He felt her gaze follow him as he circled the room, checking for any other access points. He found only the entrance they’d used, and he walked back to that door to flip down the solid iron bar that acted as a lock. Probably wouldn’t do a damn bit of good if someone really wanted in, but still…
Finally, he walked back to the altar. The top slab was as wide as a twin bed and as slick and shiny as glass. He’d probably slide off the damn thing.
Christ, was he really going to go through with this?
He reached up to scratch the nagging itch at the back of his skull.
“So… what? You want me to just strip down and spread myself out here?”
Her laughter sent a wave of lust so fucking hot through his blood, he thought he’d come right then.
He turned to find Tessa standing only inches from him, smiling up at him. “I think we have time for a little foreplay, unless you’re really that eager to get down to business.”
He crossed his arms across his chest so he didn’t grab her, strip her, and spread her on the altar so he could worship her with his mouth. “So why don’t you tell me how this is supposed to work, Tess.”
“Well…” She walked over to run her hand along the top of the altar and circled until she was on the opposite side from Cal. “The idea of a sacrifice is to offer something to the gods in order for them to hear your plea. In this case, I’m hoping the energy we create by having sex will give my plea the necessary power to reach the Involuti. Uni, in particular, since this is her temple, and, theoretically at least, she should be monitoring what goes on here.”
“The Involuti have been gone for centuries. You can’t tell me someone hasn’t tried this before.”
Her brows lifted as she faced him across the altar. “Are you trying to find out if you’ll be the first sex sacrifice on this altar?”
He shook his head. “I wasn’t born yesterday. I’m sure this table’s seen more action than a by-the-hour hotel. But that’s my point. No one’s heard from the Involuti. Not since they left. What makes you think you will?”
Doubt crept like ice through Tessa’s veins, making her shiver.
And that’s the problem, isn’t it?
She had no faith that she’d be able to reach Uni, much less convince the Great Mother Goddess to listen to her.
Why would Uni hear Tessa’s plea when she’d not answered anyone else’s in all the centuries since Uni and the rest of the founding gods of the Etruscans had returned to Invol and hidden the gate?
“Shit, Tessa.” Cal sighed, his expression one of self-disgust. “Look, forget I said that.”
Shaking her head, she gave him a brief smile. “No, you’ve got a valid point. I just don’t know what else to do.”
“Then we’ve got nothing to lose.”
So true. She’d already lost so much that she was obsolete. And really sick of feeling sorry for herself.
Maybe, just maybe, she could find a way to make this work. Especially with Cal by her side. Or on top. Or beneath.
Yes, sex with Cal was much more pleasant to contemplate than failure.
She let her gaze eat him up from head to toe. The man truly was a prime specimen of masculinity. Definitely not one of the pretty boys she typically found to amuse herself.
No, Cal wouldn’t bow to her every whim or fawn over her beauty. Not that she needed to be fawned over. Well, maybe a little fawning would be nice.
It always made her feel… loved.
Of course, Cal didn’t love her. She still wasn’t sure why he’d agreed to protect her. He hadn’t seemed to like her very much in the beginning, though he did seem to be warming to her.
Or maybe that was just the sex. The sex was really good.
As her lips began to curve in a smile, his gaze narrowed. Before she could say anything, though, he beat her to it.
“So, how do you want to do this?”
Her smile
In his peripheral vision, Cal saw Tessa take a seat on one of the benches closest to the altar. He felt her gaze follow him as he circled the room, checking for any other access points. He found only the entrance they’d used, and he walked back to that door to flip down the solid iron bar that acted as a lock. Probably wouldn’t do a damn bit of good if someone really wanted in, but still…
Finally, he walked back to the altar. The top slab was as wide as a twin bed and as slick and shiny as glass. He’d probably slide off the damn thing.
Christ, was he really going to go through with this?
He reached up to scratch the nagging itch at the back of his skull.
“So… what? You want me to just strip down and spread myself out here?”
Her laughter sent a wave of lust so fucking hot through his blood, he thought he’d come right then.
He turned to find Tessa standing only inches from him, smiling up at him. “I think we have time for a little foreplay, unless you’re really that eager to get down to business.”
He crossed his arms across his chest so he didn’t grab her, strip her, and spread her on the altar so he could worship her with his mouth. “So why don’t you tell me how this is supposed to work, Tess.”
“Well…” She walked over to run her hand along the top of the altar and circled until she was on the opposite side from Cal. “The idea of a sacrifice is to offer something to the gods in order for them to hear your plea. In this case, I’m hoping the energy we create by having sex will give my plea the necessary power to reach the Involuti. Uni, in particular, since this is her temple, and, theoretically at least, she should be monitoring what goes on here.”
“The Involuti have been gone for centuries. You can’t tell me someone hasn’t tried this before.”
Her brows lifted as she faced him across the altar. “Are you trying to find out if you’ll be the first sex sacrifice on this altar?”
He shook his head. “I wasn’t born yesterday. I’m sure this table’s seen more action than a by-the-hour hotel. But that’s my point. No one’s heard from the Involuti. Not since they left. What makes you think you will?”
Doubt crept like ice through Tessa’s veins, making her shiver.
And that’s the problem, isn’t it?
She had no faith that she’d be able to reach Uni, much less convince the Great Mother Goddess to listen to her.
Why would Uni hear Tessa’s plea when she’d not answered anyone else’s in all the centuries since Uni and the rest of the founding gods of the Etruscans had returned to Invol and hidden the gate?
“Shit, Tessa.” Cal sighed, his expression one of self-disgust. “Look, forget I said that.”
Shaking her head, she gave him a brief smile. “No, you’ve got a valid point. I just don’t know what else to do.”
“Then we’ve got nothing to lose.”
So true. She’d already lost so much that she was obsolete. And really sick of feeling sorry for herself.
Maybe, just maybe, she could find a way to make this work. Especially with Cal by her side. Or on top. Or beneath.
Yes, sex with Cal was much more pleasant to contemplate than failure.
She let her gaze eat him up from head to toe. The man truly was a prime specimen of masculinity. Definitely not one of the pretty boys she typically found to amuse herself.
No, Cal wouldn’t bow to her every whim or fawn over her beauty. Not that she needed to be fawned over. Well, maybe a little fawning would be nice.
It always made her feel… loved.
Of course, Cal didn’t love her. She still wasn’t sure why he’d agreed to protect her. He hadn’t seemed to like her very much in the beginning, though he did seem to be warming to her.
Or maybe that was just the sex. The sex was really good.
As her lips began to curve in a smile, his gaze narrowed. Before she could say anything, though, he beat her to it.
“So, how do you want to do this?”
Her smile
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