Warrior Rising (Goddess Summoning #6)(50)

“You shouldn’t be so cynical, Katrina. It really isn’t attractive,” Venus said.

“You didn’t answer the question.”

“No, it’s not the seeing kind of oracle, only the hearing kind. And only when it’s open. Now go back to your Achilles and remember, Love is on your side.” Venus snapped her fingers and disappeared in a puff of glittering smoke.

Kat walked slowly back to Achilles’ tent. She’d meant what she’d said to Venus, she did think that she and Achilles had been doing well together. Kat actually liked spending time with him. Yes, he was very alpha male and completely testosteroney. He was also interesting and sexy. But now here they were, back where they’d started last night with her being warned off by him.

Kat paused outside the tent, drew a deep breath and straightened her spine. Well, last night hadn’t been so bad. Tonight she had the backup of Love herself and maybe she could work on a rerun… maybe even one with a twist…

He’d already dimmed the lanterns when she entered the tent. Kat could see his shape in bed, and that he was sitting up and definitely not asleep.

“I thought you might not return.”

“Where else did you think I’d go?”

"If the servants helped you to escape, I wouldn’t stop them,” he said.

“Nice to know you want me here so badly.” She made no attempt to hide the sarcasm in her voice.

“What I want is not the point.”

“Well maybe it should be.” Kat strode across the chamber and pushed aside the bed curtains. “Today when Diomedes accidentally wounded you, did you want the berserker to possess you?”

“No, of course not.”

“And so he didn’t.”

“It’s not that simple.”

“Achilles, maybe it is that simple.”

He shook his head, clearly disgusted. “I have carried this curse for thirteen years. If that were true do you think I wouldn’t know?”

“How about considering this theory: You are older now, you have dealt with the berserker for more than a decade. You understand it better. Hell, Achilles, you understand yourself better. Maybe there’s a way you can use your age and experience to fight what triggers the possession.”

“So tell me, Princess, how do I practice this theory of yours? On whom do I chance unleashing a monster?”

“What do you remember from last night?”

“Everything.”

She felt a shiver of excitement at how his voice had deepened and became intimate with just that one word. “Then you also remember that the berserker didn’t possess you.”

“No, but you did.”

Kat forced herself not to squirm. She didn’t particularly like Achilles believing that she had used some magic spell on him, but how else could she describe it? Explaining her master’s degree and the intricacies of hypnotism was simply not a possibility. Instead she cleared her throat, tried not to look too uncomfortable and said, “Well, I was sent to you by a goddess.”

“An oracle of Athena in my bed…” His lips tilted up just slightly. “It is an intriguing, alluring thought.”

“I didn’t stay in your bed all night last night.” She couldn’t look away from the brilliant blue in his eyes. God, he was so incredibly male and sexy, and so obviously like playing with a captivating fire.

“Perhaps you could remedy that tonight.” And then, as if catching himself in saying too much, he added, “If you think it wise, Princess.”

“Wise is probably not the word I’d use.” Like he was pulling her to him by an invisible rope, Kat approached the bed. Without saying anything he moved over, though not far enough to keep their bodies from touching. Kat sat beside him as she had the night before. “So since I didn’t run screaming from you, would you like to try that spell again?”

“There are few things I would like more.”

“You’ll have to relax,” she said.

“And you will have to help me with that,” he said.

“Then close those gorgeous blue eyes,” she said with a smile.

His brows lifted in surprise.

“Oh, come on,” she teased. “You must have been told you have beautiful blue eyes.”

“Not for more than a decade I haven’t.” He didn’t say it in an oh-please-feel-sorry-for-me voice. He said it in a practical, no-nonsense, that’s-just-the-way-it-is voice. Which made Kat’s heart squeeze.

“Well, I’m telling you. Now close them.” Kat brushed a hand gently down his face and he closed his eyes obediently. “And relax your body.” He shifted his posture a little, like he was settling in against the thick down mattress. “I want you to focus on your breathing.” Kat’s voice automatically changed, became softer, more soothing, as she began to take Achilles through the stages of relaxation that would induce hypnotism. He responded more quickly than he had the night before, and within just a few minutes Kat had him back on the beach in his special cove, completely and deeply hypnotized.

“Tell me what you see in the cove tonight, Achilles.”

“The sun is setting. It’s hot, but the breeze is cool against my skin.”

“What are you doing?”

“Touching myself while I wait for you.”