Good to know he was a little scared.
“Zoey, it’s fine.” Padric kept his voice calm, trying to reassure me. “He won’t hurt you.”
I wasn’t so damn sure about that. Dev sported completely green eyes and spoke with a voice that didn’t sound like him. His eyes had no white at all, a bit like Daniel’s when his beast was off the leash. His hair had grown, too, as though all that magic pouring off him had to change him in some way. It had been at the top of his neck just past his ears before, but now it was thicker and hit past his shoulders. He was a gorgeous god of a man. If he was still a man at all. He studied me with great curiosity, and I knew it wasn’t my Dev who stared at me. I used my feet to push away from him, thinking to go off the other side of the altar. When I got to the ground, I could run.
His hand shot out, catching my ankle and pulling me back to him.
“Do not run,” he said, his voice deep and dark. “This one’s instincts are to chase you, to bend you to his will. They’re quite powerful. I don’t know if I can resist them. I’m stronger than he is, but I’m not sure how to use this body yet. I do not wish to harm you.”
“Zoey,” Declan was speaking now. “Relax, it is Dev. This is the ascension. He did it.”
I shook my head because it wasn’t Dev. And I really didn’t give a shit about the ascension.
“I am Devinshea,” the man above me said with a thick Irish brogue. “I’m Dev and something more.” He was looking at my body, his eyes more than curious now. They were hot and his body was aroused, the cock I knew so well swelling again.
“Yeah, well, it’s the ‘more’ part I’m scared of.” I tried to fight my instinct to run. I wished like hell I had some damn clothes on. It hadn’t bothered me before, but now I felt so vulnerable.
“She was not prepared for this?” The god in my lover asked, his mouth curling down as he frowned back at Padric and Declan. “You sent her into this unaware and ignorant. Perhaps you were looking to bond this one with another god. I do not take advantage of mortals. If she does not consent, then I will leave this bonding.”
Padric shook his head. “Please don’t. I do not understand, My Lord. My…the prince is very thorough. I assure you he followed every rule and tradition of this ritual. He would never have allowed her to come into it ignorant.”
“I might not have been listening,” I admitted even as I tried to gently pull away. “I don’t always do as I’m told.”
“No goddess worth her salt would,” he said with a chuckle, relaxing again. “I believe you about the priest.” His hand slid from my chest to my naval, where the little ring I’d put in glinted in the light. He seemed fascinated by it. He gazed at the two gems on either side of the ring. “The emerald is for this one, for Devinshea. Who is the sapphire for? Ahh. Very intriguing. A vampire? You have interesting tastes. And he’s your partner? No, I do not mind. I do not mind at all. You are in control. I am merely a guest, priest.”
I was pretty sure he wasn’t talking to me. It’s odd to have a conversation with someone who has two people in their body.
He smiled fondly down at me and pulled me close, wrapping my legs around his waist. I could feel his release had done nothing to curb his appetite. He was huge and pressed against my core, though he made no moves to impale me yet. “The priest loves the ring. He’s very aroused by it. He says your vampire will enjoy it as well.”
“I’m glad he likes it.” I tried to relax because it didn’t look like I would be going anywhere soon.
He seemed content for the moment to run his hands along my skin and rub his face in my hair. The magic was softer now, warming my skin and making me the slightest bit drunk. “Do not fight me, sweet goddess. It’s been so long since I held soft flesh in my arms. It feels so good to have a body again. Your lover is here. I would not shut him out.” His eyes were thoughtful for a moment as though he was listening for something. “He wants to know where you were when someone named Ingrid told you this could happen. He wants to know what you were daydreaming about. I don’t know what that means exactly.”
I laughed because Dev was definitely in there. I did remember now she had said something about ancient gods and taking their aspects, but it had seemed like one of those non-literal things at the time, like calling Dev a fertility god because his magic came from sex. He was actually mortal, but now I wondered about the god part.
This particular ancient god smiled down at me as he played with my hair, his fingers stroking lightly. “He’s so grateful to you, Zoey. He knows you did not want that…what is a brat?”
“He’s talking about his brother,” I replied.
Dev’s lips kissed my forehead and while I wasn’t sure about the whole “god taking over his body” thing, it felt really good. He was being so gentle and loving, and I needed that after the brutal pleasure of before. I needed to be reminded he loved me. I could play all the parts he required and I enjoyed it, but after I wanted his sweetness and care.
I felt something tickle my hands, and when I looked down I saw the marigolds had exploded as though they had multiplied. They were rich, perfect blooms that should have been planted in fertile ground. They weren’t dying flowers. The magic was gentler now, but it still filled my lungs and hummed along my skin.
“Yes, he is pleased to have proven him wrong. It is often like that with brothers,” he said. “Devinshea wants you to know he understands why you went to him. He was faltering and you pulled him back. He couldn’t have done this without you. He also wants you to never do it again. He’s possessive for a priest. I find him an interesting host.”
“May we know your name, My Lord?” Padric asked carefully, as though the answer would tell him something important.
“I am Bris,” he replied absently, kissing my ear. He ran his tongue along the shell, and I shuddered in response. His hands found their way to my breasts, and he cupped them as he sighed in appreciation. I felt my nipples harden as he brushed his thumbs across the tips.
My female parts were all warming right back up again.
“Yes,” Padric said with satisfaction. “We hoped it would be you. It seemed a good match because you are right. The prince is not an ordinary priest. Zoey, Bris is a revered Irish god of fertility and agriculture. He is also known to be gentle. My Lord, I hope you find our prince a good match.”
He turned to the two Fae watching the scene with rapt intensity. I felt the loss of his attention and my head fell forward against his chest. His arms went around me to support me, cradling me close, surrounding me with his tenderness. “He is worthy. He’s mortal but strong, and his goddess is certainly most worthy. She’s lovely and feminine and so fertile. I’ve been dormant for a long time. I feel the world has changed. This language I’m speaking is odd. I’ve not heard it before. Am I not in my homeland? The land looks strange.”
“You’re in a country called America,” Declan explained. “It did not exist before.”
The god laughed and pulled me closer, as though he enjoyed the warmth of my body against his skin. His hands moved on me constantly, petting my hair, stroking down my back, caressing my breasts, as though he couldn’t get enough of me. “Perhaps its name didn’t exist, but the land did. You’re arrogant, but you’re a royal so it’s to be expected. Why has it taken so long for a host to appear? Is my magic no longer needed?”
“We left this plane.” Padric’s voice was sad as though he missed his former home. “The world changed too much for the Fae, and we sought refuge elsewhere. Our numbers are few now and your magic is needed more than ever. We lost the only one of our kind with fertility magic. Devinshea is the first in many generations to show an aptitude. We feared his mortality would displease you.”