“You tell me,” I said, my face hardening. “He didn’t go to the streets to fight the demons as you did but came to my dorm to harass me. Then he ordered Jack, his pawn, to beat me within an inch of my life. He made me pay because I didn’t bow down to him like all the others. Pigston marked me and promised to break me. I regenerated and escaped before they finished me off.”
I sobbed a little now, but I felt no shame crying in front of the formidable death demigod.
“That’s why you saw me covered in my own blood and wandering the dangerous Manhattan streets. If you hadn’t showed up, Héctor, I’d have been done with, all thanks to Pigston.”
Death folded like a shadow around him, and blackness swallowed the beautiful sapphire color of his eyes. His fists balled. His ebony wings spread to full in aggression. In an instant, Héctor turned to the Demigod of Death in every sense.
“Héctor?” I called in alarm.
Darkness retreated from him slowly as he gazed back at me.
“Lamb, do not fear,” he said. “I wasn’t angry at you. I’ll confront Paxton. If he did those things to you, he’ll no longer be my brother.”
“You think I lied?” I cried in outrage.
“Of course not, lamb,” he said gently. His eyes returned to dark teal, and his wings vanished from his back. “Paxton won’t lay a finger on you again. If he does, I’ll kill him.”
I widened my eyes. “You’ll kill your cousin for me?”
Paxton had said the Demigod of Death was his unyielding ally and they went way back.
“I’d kill anyone for you,” Héctor said.
I eased my breath. I’d found the ultimate, powerful protector.
“Thank you,” I said. “Just don’t kill the wrong one. I’ll point a finger at the bad ones for you to slay.”
Though we were talking about killing and violence, I felt incredibly romantic and safe. This girl didn’t seem like the Marigold I knew. But my every fiber beat with appreciation that Héctor would pound terror into my enemy’s heart for me.
Héctor braced his large hands on my arms. Pleasure rippled through me from the touch.
I’d taken off everything except for my panties.
Héctor stared at my black panties. For a moment, he seemed lost, as if he couldn’t decide where to touch me first: cup my breast or have a taut, pink nipple in his mouth?
He looked like he wanted to do so many things to me at once. He wanted to have his hands all over me.
“Shouldn’t I get into the Jacuzzi?” I said, making the decision for him. “The water has filled up.”
“Yes, lamb. That’s a good thought,” he said, starting to turn me around to inspect me. “You’ve recovered well from your injuries. And now let’s check your butt.”
With that announcement, he pulled my panties down to my knees, then all the way down, and tossed them to the ground.
His gaze dipped to my golden pubic hair and the valley between my thighs. I inhaled sharply at the unbridled lust raging in his eyes.
My aching sex throbbed in need.
“Héctor?” I whimpered and shivered.
“Bathe first, lamb,” he said huskily, lifting me up from the counter and carting me toward the Jacuzzi.
Bubbles churned inside. Faint blue light adorned the ceilings and illuminated the marble tub.
Héctor laid me inside the tub, his eyes never leaving me. Neither did I take mine off him.
He inhaled. “I’ll be back.”
I was about to protest since I didn’t want him to leave, but I had no intention of scaring him away by showing him my suddenly developed needy and clingy traits.