Part 9 (2/2)
”For how long?” After a pause he added, ”At what cost?”
She huffed, raising her chin a notch. ”The price has already been paid. Despite what I did to you, you saved the life of my son. If this will --”
”You are Chaos's mother?”
Hera scowled. ”Don't sound so surprised. If your husband cheated on you every time you turned around, you'd be tempted to return the favor. I just didn't realize Hades was so fertile. Can we discuss the link now? I have a rather full agenda today.”
”Pardon me.” Sheri inclined her head. ”Please continue.”
Hera turned back to Ryder, dismissing Sheri with a look. ”What you haven't realized about the link is that you can transfer energy. You can keep this mortal alive for as long as you want her.”
That made Sheri sound like a s.e.x toy, but she chose not to object. Hera was obviously anxious to have the conversation finished.
”Morpheus wants you to report to his hall once the mortal has gone off to work. He is willing to compromise on a schedule that will allow you to spend your leisure hours in this realm. Do you have any questions?”
”I'm sure I'll have many, but I need to discuss the situation with Sheri.”
”The link can be severed at any time. She would go on with her mortal life, and you would return to the Dream Realm.”
”I understand.”
Her dark eyes narrowed. ”I thought this would please you. I was ... attempting to make amends.”
”I'm grateful for the opportunity. I appreciate your gift, but I'm not the only one affected by your actions.”
Hera's gaze moved over Sheri, then, without a word, she disappeared.
”She's more into entrances than exits?”
Ryder placed his hands on her shoulders, turning her to face him. ”Do you understand what she did, what all of this means?”
”Hera is the reason we can hear each other's thoughts. The link she created allows us access to each other, and it will allow you to keep me alive ... how did she put it? For as long as you want me.”
”Tact has never been Hera's strong suit.”
Sheri smiled and wrapped her arms around his lean waist. ”I won't age as long as you feed me energy?”
”Apparently not.”
”And we can be together in the Dream Realm as well as here?”
”That's what she said.”
”Then why aren't you happy?”
”I just have a hard time believing this came from Hera.”
”You saved her son, so she gave me to you as a thank-you present.”
He smiled. ”Do you mind being a thank-you present?”
”What do you think?” Raising her hands to his shoulders, she leaned in close. ”I was ready to live the rest of my life with a dream lover. I like this arrangement just a little bit better.”
She ended the conversation with a pa.s.sionate kiss.
Epilogue.
Velvety darkness embraced Dora Gunther. She blinked repeatedly, but the blackness remained. Drawing deep, calming breaths into her lungs, she refused to entertain the panic ricocheting through her brain.
Focus.
Think.
Remember.
Where am I? What happened to me?
A strand of hair tickled her face. She tried to brush it away. She couldn't move! Struggling frantically against her bonds, she twisted and thrashed upon a flat, slightly giving surface. A bed? Where the h.e.l.l was she? How had she gotten here?
Her wrists and ankles were encircled by some sort of cuff. The restraints spread her limbs wide. This position had only one purpose. A scream lodged in her throat. Did she really want her captor to know she'd regained consciousness?
A low, mournful creak cut through the darkness. Boots sc.r.a.ped against stone, and a man spoke a phrase she didn't understand. Torches spontaneously flickered to life, illuminating the bedchamber. Red, gold, and black -- Dora had never seen anything like it.
The man was huge, tall and heavily muscled. Long red-streaked black hair flowed to his broad shoulders. His back was to her as he crossed to the hearth.
She was chained to a ma.s.sive bed like a virgin sacrifice, naked and helpless, awaiting his pleasure. Fear shredded her composure. Bile rose into her throat. Her b.r.e.a.s.t.s heaved with every ragged breath. This couldn't be real. She was hallucinating. This was some bizarre dream. A strangled sound escaped her, and the man turned around.
Their gazes collided, and Dora screamed ...
Cyndi Friberg Cyndi has been a member of Romance Writers of America since 1999 and also belongs to two local chapters of RWA. She is the winner of multiple national contests, including The Molly and The Merritt. In 2003, she was chosen as a finalist in the prestigious Golden Heart, as well as winning the Jasmine with Rebel Angels 1: Born of the Shadows. After dabbling in freelance journalism and songwriting, she returned to her true pa.s.sion: paranormal romance. Visit Cyndi on the Web at , or email her at
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Angel is a Centerfold
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