Page 8 of Fated to the Panther (Mated to the Monster: Season 3)

Chapter

Eight

ROANE

A mazement filled me at the sight of my mate on my bed. But was more incredible was the power emanating from her. Her palms had risen, and balls of light hovered over her flesh.

“Uh, love. Easy. Tell me what’s happening right now?” Nodding toward her hands, I held my arms out as I tried to calm the tempest brewing in her eyes. “It’s okay. I’ll handle things. Can you lower your arms for me?”

She slowly did as I asked. I sensed the magic she’d called up lessening until the light she held in her hands winked out. “What was all that about, love?’”

Rapidly blinking, her eyes returned to normal, she shook her head, then focused on me. “I, that hasn’t…it’s been forever since I’ve used my magic. I can use it to uh, move things.” Her grin lit up her face.

“Well, damn. That’ll come in handy. But not tonight, okay?” I couldn’t wait to quiz her on what else her power could do, but like everything today, it would have to wait.

Whoever interrupted us would soon beg for their lives as my hypersensitive hearing tuned in to the indistinct murmurs and movement from the balcony. There were two distinct voices. One I’d spoken with not hours ago, and the other, what seemed like a lifetime had passed since our last meeting.

My parents.

“Demons?” Kara asked.

The worry in her voice hit me hard. I never wanted her to believe I couldn’t protect her. More so my panther, who began to chuff insistently.

“Unfortunately, worse. Stay right there. I expect to pick back up exactly where we left off as soon as I get rid of them.”

“What could possibly be worse than demons? Do panthers have a natural enemy I’m not aware of?”

I snorted. “If you count a goddess and an otherworlder as enemies, then yes. But these enemies? I can handle.”

“Wait. Otherworlder. Is that a nonthreatening way of saying alien? As in capital A-L-I-E-N, alien?” Kara’s kiss-bruised lips were a beacon I had to ignore because, of course, my parents chose now to insert themselves in my life.

Not sure how much time I had, but it definitely wasn’t enough to give an explanation about my father and equally unexplainable mother, I crept to the doorway and observed what could only be described as an unprecedented event. To my memory, they had gone centuries without seeing each other.

Dammit, Kara had witnessed merely a fraction of my capabilities. What I hadn’t had time to tell her was that my brothers and I were unique in the immortal world thanks to our parentage. And I wasn’t sure what to expect from my father, especially which form he’d decided to take for this visit.

When my parents didn’t attempt to enter, I did what any son would do when faced with beings who could end me with a mere thought. I eavesdropped.

“Whatever. Just tell me why you’re here?” Athena, Goddess of War and a dozen other titles, her tone as imperial as ever, looked down her nose at Tiegh, or rather at his chest as he was almost eight feet tall. His form human, towering, muscular and lethal. The thing about our father was he was able to shift into any form imaginable and, thankfully, today, he chose to look like his sons.

We’d heard the humans describe us a cross between MMA fighters and bodybuilders. The only feature that distinguished us from one another was our hair, from my shaved skull. I loathed taking care of it ever since I became frozen in my immortality during my third decade. The rest ranged from silver to dark brown in varying lengths.

My favorite prank ever was sending them hot rollers and a year’s supply of conditioner which I’d ordered from the humans’ favorite twenty-four-hour shopping network. Looked as if Tiegh needed a set of rollers as his mane of hair rivaled that of Trace’s, our youngest brother who wore his flowing white-blond locks the longest.

“To be clear, goddess…” Tiegh crossed his arms, then widened his stance and settled his feet encased in combat boots far apart. Peacocking much? Our parents’ hatred for each other was legendary, but I sensed that our age-unknown sire was attempting to impress Athena. “My presence here is none of your concern. Why are you here?” His voice boomed, setting off a chorus of squawking by the harpy eagles roosting nearby.

As far as I knew, he’d been self-exiled to guarding the Olympian gods he’d vanquished to the heavenly plane shortly after our birth a millennia ago. His appearance more than my mother’s was a puzzle I planned on solving. Nothing with our father was as simple as it seemed.

“Enlighten me, alien. Your sudden interest in our sons can’t only be because their mates have finally appeared. I sense something else. Something…self-serving.”

My mother had crowded into Tiegh’s personal space. Her flowing robe swirled around her legs, then around her estranged lover’s, and according to the three Fates, the Moirai, her fated mate. I suddenly felt like a young boy finding out that his parents had to have gotten naked together in order for me and the rest of my brothers to be here. The sexual tension between them changed the very essence and temperature of the air. Electricity shimmered around me, but it wasn’t only because of my parents.

Kara had snuck up behind me. Looking over my shoulder, I zeroed in on her tousled hair, one lock curling under her breast, her unique scent tempting me to ignore my bickering parents and drag her back to bed.

Instead, I tore my gaze from her. Intent on ending the soap opera playing outside my home, I turned and leaned to take a step outside. But then my mother did the unexpected and ran her fingers along Tiegh’s upper arm and fireworks exploded. Honest to god real fireworks.

Centuries of avoiding each other melted away and the kiss they shared knocked me backward, literally. The shock tore a guttural shout from me, and I spun around, took Kara with me and walked her backward toward the kitchen.

Attempting to rid myself of what I’d witnessed, I shook my head, then rubbed my eyes as if that would banish the vision. My mate’s soft chuckling brought me back from the edge.

“You find humor in my discomfort?” I growled.

“Aw, seeing your parents kiss just yucked your yum, didn’t it? Well, you do know how little immortals are made, right?”

My jaw dropped. “Don’t. I don’t need you putting those images into my mind.” I strode back to the balcony door and did something I never thought I’d need to do.

I ordered my parents inside.

Jumping apart at my voice, their faces appearing guilty for a brief moment before they blanked their expressions and acted as if they hadn’t been wrapped up in a clinch.

“Introduce us to your mate. We have much to discuss,” Tiegh ordered, then strode inside.

Athena followed at a slower pace, practically floating into my home.

“Son, how nice to see you again. In case you’re wondering, I’m here to meet your delightful mate. Not sure about your father as he’s never shown such interest before in the rest of your brothers’ fated ones. Tiegh?” Mother fluffed the folds of her gold-threaded toga, smoothing wrinkles that weren’t there, as the heavenly made material was not only self-cleaning, it prevented any hint of a crease. For this trip, her beloved owl nor her spear were with her, so at least she wasn’t expecting any real danger.

“Do I need a reason to visit anyone? And I have visited my sons and their mates recently. You weren’t around when I did. Besides, I was in the area and felt the buzz of demons and thought I’d drop in. It’s been so long since I was part of a good slay-fest.”

“My point exactly. You’ve never taken the wants or needs of others into account, so why should you begin now?” Athena accused.

“Not so, my goddess. I seem to recall not long after you arrived on the Isle of Legend, where you and your brothers were conceived by the way, I gave you and your needs my unwavering attention, to the point of?—”

“Stop. Please stop,” I shouted.

“I’m sure the children aren’t interested.” Athena spoke at the same time as me.

Lord, now I needed to poke something into my ears. “I don’t know what’s worse. Being called children or the embarrassment of hearing about my parents’ sex life.”

“Hi, I’m Kara Wildwood.” Stepping around me, where I’d tried to keep her hidden, my little mate showed she wasn’t intimidated.

Athena reached out to take her hand while Tiegh continued speaking as if none of us had said a word.

“I’d say our son could use a lesson from our shared history, goddess. Especially as I detect their bond has yet to be consummated.”

“ Argh . Father, it’s been less than a day. I think Kara deserves a bit more respect and time to come to terms with her new life.” Reaching out, I wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her into my side. The need to protect my mate rode me hard, even from my parents.

“More than enough time. As lovely as Kara is, and indeed she will provide you with a fine son, she’s not the mate I’d anticipated meeting today. My dear, do you have a sister? Is she an earth witch like you?” Tiegh had no filter. He had zero issues laying it out there whether he stepped on feelings or not.

“Roane, I do apologize, son, for the interruption. Kara, in this I agree with Tiegh. You are beyond lovely, and I look forward to spending time with you once we all return to the castle.” Turning to my father, Athena asked, “Shall we go and let them continue their get-to-know-you phase?”

I gave Kara a gentle squeeze, hoping to soothe any hurt feelings. “I’m sorry, love. As you can see, they’re uncontrollable, but they do have one redeeming quality that I should share with you, as much as it pains me.”

“Sorry, son. I sense what you’re about to ask, but like your brother Trace and his mate Bex, you need your alone time. Believe me Kara, you’re better off here than in Scotland. I don’t think you want your first time with Roane to happen in castle filled with in-laws and a newborn.” Athena offered Kara a sympathetic smile and vanished.

“Mother, wait, take us….”

“For once, I agree with your mother. We’ll have a sit-down once Gavin’s mate is discovered, and by then, hopefully, you’ll forgive our interruption.” Between one blink and the next, Tiegh too disappeared.

Kara wore a stunned expression on her beautiful face. “What…how did they do that?”

Instead of answering, I cupped her shoulders and aimed her toward the bathroom.

“But, but…” Her confusion stabbed me in the heart.

There would be no picking up where Kara and I had left off, as hoped. From the lines around her mouth and drooping of her shoulders, I now saw that the encounter with my parents had sucked the last bit of energy from my mate.

“Grab a shower, I’ll leave a t-shirt on the bed for you that you can sleep in. It’s late and when we do make love for the first time, I want you refreshed and with no doubts about me. I’ll be back soon.”

She needed sleep and I needed to return below. Especially now that my parents had left us here instead of flashing us to the home base in Scotland.

Now was not the time to pick a fight with Athena and Tiegh. I needed to make sure the demon threat had passed now that I had a mate to protect.