Page 60 of Summer's Seduction

Camilla stared at her, her eyes darkening as her hands slipped down the goddess’s back. “Should I help you look?”

Artemis grinned before pressing a chaste kiss to Camilla’s cheek. “No, my huntress. Stay here.”

“We’ll be back as soon as we find water,” Cyrene said, cutting through the moment as she and Hebe stalked forward.

Camilla was still staring after her, eyes hooded and face flushed. There’d been charged tension between themthroughout our journey, but I’d heard long ago that Artemis was a virgin goddess.

“Are you two…” I wasn’t sure how to finish that question and quickly realized it was none of my business. “Never mind. I’m sorry.”

Arete laughed, her arm looped around a wobbly Megara who’d not only finished her glass but helped herself to a second.

“Her father tried to marry her off,” Camilla said, finally tearing her gaze away from Artemis as she disappeared into the crowd. “Unwilling to anchor herself to a man, Artemis swore an oath to Zeus to never bed a man and remain virginal in all ways of men for the rest of her existence. He accepted her vow.” Mischief danced in Camilla’s warm, brown eyes. “But she never promised to stay away from women.”

I laugh, grinning at the goddess’s cleverness.

“Am I interrupting?” a deep voice from behind me asked.

I turned, finding a pair of sapphire eyes ringed in red staring back at me. Dark wings flexed as he grinned, revealing the tips of sharp fangs. His dark hair had been recently cut, the edges clean and close along his scalp. It was obvious he took pride in his appearance and expected most would find him irresistible—most, but not all.

“Lucius, is it?” I asked, wishing the lingering effects of the wine would dissipate quicker.

His cocky grin widened. “Morpheus has been talking about me.”

“No,” I countered, my voice icy. “But I pay attention.”

A thick and perfectly manicured brow lifted. “Is that so, princess?”

My eyes narrowed at the pet name.

“Is there something you wanted?” Arete asked, her voice reverberating with all the annoyance I felt.

Lucius’s gaze flicked to her before settling on Megara with a tsk. “Gluttony is never pretty.”

“Says the man with red rings around his irises depicting just how gluttons he is,” I snapped, positioning my body in front of Megara.

“Don’t be jealous, princess,” Lucius grinned, leaning in like we were conspirators. “I’m happy to indulge in some of her baser desires. As you can see, I have a huge appetite.”

My palms tingled as magic swelled beneath my fingertips, but I clenched my fists before I could do anything stupid. I was supposed to blend in. I was supposed to blend?—

“Don’t worry about your boyfriend,” Lucius said, his large black wings obstructing nearly all the ballroom behind us.

There was a groan of the large wooden doors opening, followed by footsteps across the tiled floors. I stepped to the side, done with whatever power play this was, but Lucius was there the next moment, blocking my path.

“He’s not thinking about you, Larkspur,” Lucius cooed, lifting a hand toward my face as if he meant to brush my cheek. One look at my narrowed gaze brimming with fury had him lowering it.

Other sounds were adding to the array of music and conversations around us—gasps and sucking and moans. I needed to get to Morpheus, to get away from Lucius and whatever was happening.

“Get out of my way,” I growled through clenched teeth, only just managing to hold back persuasion from leaching into my words.

Lucius’s grin softened, his eyes boring into mine as he dared to lean closer. “Morpheus and I always did have the same taste in women,” he whispered, the warmth of his breath fanning my ear. “But I would never leave you alone in a crowded room.”

My nostrils flared, mouth opening with a magic poised on my tongue as I decided I’d rather watch Lucius squirm than blend in, but he pulled back a moment before I breathed the curse into life.

Taking large steps back, Lucius tucked his wings in. “Find me tonight if you change your mind.”

Before I could tell him to fuck off, he flitted away, exposing the entirety of the ballroom.

Everything had changed.

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