Maybe if I kept telling myself it was far too dangerous and foolhardy to sleep her with, I’d actually believe it. She was too much of everything, there was no way she’d let me keep her, and it’d just end badly.

  I blew out a breath, finished getting dressed in a pair of jeans and a conforming black T, then headed back out to the fence line.

  She was texting someone, and her face had a smirking smile on it. She truly was stunning, and I took her distraction as an opportunity to truly enjoy the view. Damn, I was so screwed, her warm smile hit me pretty hard when she looked up at me through her eyelashes, from just a few feet away.

  “Meet me there?”

  I shrugged, “That works, or you can drive.”

  I didn’t blame her, no gods would let me take them anywhere, because the same billowing darkness I used to travel was used to move people in and out of Tartarus. They’d be helpless in Tartarus, cut off from their power and imprisoned for as long as I willed. Those were pretty high stakes attached to the possibility of betrayal. Hell, I wouldn’t chance it, and I knew me.

  She giggled, “Works for me,” and her golden power enveloped us in a sphere, and in the blink of an eye we were in in Chicago, in front of a huge mansion. Or I should say, in the backyard. It wasn’t the small one I’d been to before, it was a large ten bedroom mansion and about four thousand square feet.

  The back was covered in vines with budding flowers, and the backyard looked like a fae wonderland, one of Mark’s servants no doubt.

  Mark was also there, and he spared me a glare before turning to Natasha with a smile.

  Natasha squealed, “Daddy!” and ran and tackled him, and giggled as he lifted her and spun her around.

  He said as he put her down, “Hi, baby-girl. This is quite a surprise.”

  She grinned, “Isn’t it?”

  Huh, didn’t see that coming. Daddy? Baby-girl? Apparently, the total package, and a bit kinky.

  I hated the disappointment I felt even after telling myself earlier it would be a horrible idea to pursue her. Of course her flirting hadn’t meant anything, just her inner sensuality as the goddess of love, pleasure, fertility, and beauty. Her power, to ensnare, manipulate, and control. She was so breathtaking.

  And I was an idiot.

  Chapter Three

  Natasha

  It was good to see dad again. I could admit I was totally a daddy’s girl, always had been, but I felt a bit flushed and embarrassed at our usual playful greeting. I was twenty-one after all, and Gary was devastatingly cute and handsome of face, with a body of an Olympian athlete. Or Olympian god, I supposed.

  The man was obviously a bit gun shy, and his twenty years as a puppet hadn’t done much for his pessimistic side, but he was funny, confident in a relaxed way, and his aura was dangerous. I mean, he didn’t feel dangerous to me as a person, but his aura was so potent it made me quivery inside, in a good way.

  His eyes were a dreamy dark gray, his hair black, and his skin a natural medium tan. His presence was intense, and all my instincts were telling me he was a good guy.

  Which had been a shock. When I’d gone there, I’d expected a fight to get Amber back, instead I’d rescued him and recruited him. He was perfect for my plans. I needed a dark aligned god. Two actually, but I didn’t want to count my chickens. I just hoped he stayed with me. I hadn’t had a guy affect me so powerfully with just his presence in a long time, and I was already toying with the idea of seducing the hell out of him. I know he’d enjoyed the view as much as I had.

  I winked at dad, then turned back to Gary. His body language was closed, arms crossed and a look of annoyance on his face. I had no idea why, maybe it was a history thing with dad?

  “Umm, Gary? Can you let her out please?”

  He looked at me, then nodded, “Sure thing, trouble.”

  My body flushed at that, I don’t know why, but I really enjoyed it when he looked at me with desire and called me trouble. Our sexual tension was delicious, but I worried for a moment because he seemed even more pessimistic now for some reason.

  I frowned as I tried to figure out what prompted that, then narrowed my eyes as I realized he was jealous. That wasn’t pessimism, it was jealousy. Of my father. I suppressed a snort, did he think we were kinky roleplaying, or something? I’d set him straight later. Later, because it’d be far too embarrassing to do it in front of dad.

  Darkness billowed out near him, and when it receded Amber was there. She was even prettier than in dad’s paintings, light brown hair, hazel eyes, a beauty not unlike mine of face, and a petitely lush body.

  Dad didn’t move as the shocked goddess looked around with haunted eyes, like a hunted deer on the verge of running for it.

  She stiffened when I stepped forward and hugged her, my power flowed out of me and into her. She almost collapsed into me, when she felt the infusion of love I was pouring into her. It was instinct.

  “You’re safe, Aunt Amber. I’m your sort of niece, Natasha. Dad needs you, and you need him.”

  She shuddered, then pulled away and looked into my eyes in grateful thanks. She looked… better, like the love infusion had chased away the cold darkness that’d seeped into her mind and body the last twenty-two years. I couldn’t even imagine it, my whole life this woman had been in a place of darkness that kept her alive. No need to eat or drink, time was meaningless there, and her powers would be suppressed so at least she didn’t have to deal with not being able to seduce or inspire someone.

  If not for that last, she’d have been driven howling mad and insane by her mantel.

  Mark said, “Amber?”

  Amber ran into his arms, and I felt warm watching it. She whispered into his ear and I almost missed it.

  “Sexpot.”

  I grinned, not sure what that meant, but it made dad smile and hold her tighter.

  “I know you have a whole celebration and a lot of time to make up for to get to, but I need dad for ten minutes,” I tilted my head at the house, then smiled, “I also need to see Aunt Brenna.”

  Dad said, “Office, ten minutes. Go talk to Brenna first.”

  I nodded, “Okay,” I turned to Gary who looked even more jealous, like he thought I was asking for a quick hookup and pounding as a reward for my rescue efforts, and I said pointedly, “Mark is my father, as in raised me and knocked up the woman that birthed me,” in a rather sharp tone. I left off the last word, idiot, but it was definitely there in implication.

  He blinked, then his eyes went wide, and he blushed, “But he… you… wow.”

  I snorted, “Yes, wow. I won’t be long, fifteen minutes, twenty tops.”

  He looked really cute flustered, and with the edge of jealousy gone he just looked at me the way he was before. He wanted me, but he had reservations, which was normal for people just meeting with a strong mutual attraction that didn’t know much about each other of substance. I mean, I felt the same thing to an extent, but I also was picking up how possessive he was, and that he had romantic notions about dating. Which is what I wanted, a man with dad’s values that knew how to treat a woman like a princess and whore both, but there was no telling at that point what else he was.

  But I was also picking up now that he was making a whole lot of assumptions about me because of what I was and my mantel, and those assumptions were not kind, so I’d have to set his ass straight later. I mean, he was a good guy, I felt it in my bones, I just needed to get past his wary pessimism.

  The only reason I wasn’t beyond furious, and only annoyed by his assumptions, was because Aphrodite did have the reputation of a manipulative slut who loved to stir up mischief and trouble. A man as possessive as he seemed to be, wouldn’t be able to deal with that, so he was trying to shut me out and ignore his attraction.

  I had other things I needed to get done right now first however, and I’d have him to myself and alone soon enough. The truth was I didn’t have anything I really absolutely had to do here. But I loved Brenna, and my mantel was pushing me to interfere. I also wanted to run my plans by dad, see what he thought of them, and ask about mom.

  I hugged them both, then moved past and into the house. It was a little new and weird to be able to feel magic without a spell, but I could feel all the goddesses in the house, and I knew exactly where Caitria and Brenna were as well, feeling their fae and witch magic.

  Which really, were just subsets of my own. My original magic anyway, as a demigod.

  Brenna was in the upstairs office with June, but they weren’t doing anything wicked so I had no compunctions about barging in. I’d feel that too, if they were being naughty I mean, with my mantel’s power of pleasure and love, anyone… call it generating pleasure, within range of my aura would be busted, so to speak.

  I knocked on the door lightly, then opened it.

  June said, “Oh my god, Natasha?” then she squealed and tackled me.

  I laughed as I hugged her back, “I know right? Just little old me. I can’t stay long, Aunt June, I need to talk to Brenna and dad really quick, but we’ll talk soon. I’m stirring up trouble,” I said that last in amusement, realizing I was like Aphrodite in one way. But the trouble I was stirring up wasn’t just for the sake of drama, betrayal, screwing, and screwing people over. My trouble was the good kind, I’d like to think, and I was doing it out of love, not hate.

  June kissed my cheek, “Can’t wait. They say Aphrodite was tight with the muses, you know.”

  I chuckled, “We already are tight, June. I love you, and you’re my family. But yes, we need a girls night out, as soon as I… figure things out. It may take a little bit, for now why don’t you go welcome Amber back home.”

  She leaned back, and then gasped, tears in her eyes, “It’s you,” then she started to laugh as she walked out of the room.

  “What did I just miss?”

  Brenna said, “Clotho said Nate would pay a price for taking Amber from us. That if he killed Mark, he wouldn’t just pay a price, he’d be dethroned permanently, because Mark wouldn’t be able to intercede to prevent it. We all assumed he’d be interceding as a god, using visions and advice.

  “But it seems that intercession was a lot more personal, because he raised you right. You’re a wonder, mistress.”

  That… well, I considered it for a second. If he had died, then he wouldn’t have raised me, but it would be more than that. Brenna wouldn’t have taught me magic and responsibility toward it either, and the muses would’ve been scattered and abused without dad to protect them. So I’d have lost all of their love and advice over the years too. I’d have been raised by mom alone.

  My mom was fantastic, and loved me, but I’d have felt isolated in my magic and being a demi-god, losing all those lessons taught… knowing that Nate had killed my father and taken that away from me. Well, I could see how I might’ve turned to a much darker and angrier form of vengeance.

  Lastly, that didn’t mean I’d survive it, or even win. It just meant Nate would pay a price, but what price would I pay to make that happen? I was aiming for none of course, and hoped my plans worked, believed I had a good chance, but there were no guarantees in life. I couldn’t afford to make any assumptions, and my life would be on the line in this. It already was, I’d already crossed Nate and taken from him. His enslaved ally, and his leverage over my father. It could even be argued he’d already paid a price, if he hadn’t taken Amber I’d have never tracked down and freed Gary.

  It was incredibly complex, and arrogant to think that anyone but the fates could understand it in its entirety, but it all tied back to dad still being alive to ensure it all happened the way it did.

  I was also not Brenna’s mistress. She was my teacher, mentor, and I’d like to think close friend.

  I snorted, “Oh no, you get to call me Natasha, or Tasha, always. You’re my teacher, now get over here and hug me.”

  Brenna snickered, and got up and teased, “Yes, mistress. Right away, mistress,” as the cheeky redhead took me in her arms.

  “I want to give you a gift, your heart’s true greatest desire, will you accept it?”

  Brenna said, “I trust your heart, Tasha.”

  I smiled, and my power flowed, “I bless you, Brenna. I bless you with fertility.”

  Brenna gasped, and then trembled.

  I giggled in joy, “I love you, Brenna. All my pleasure. I know how wicked you are for my dad, that you claim it as your deepest desire, but I also know how much you longed for another child, dad’s child. That your true greatest joy in this second life is also in family and children. The joy and jealous love you held toward my half brothers and sisters. You’ll have to wait a bit to seduce him though, I need to talk to him first. Don’t worry, you’ll be extremely fertile the next four days, and of course normally fertile every cycle. You’ll have to buy tampons and brew up contraceptive potions if you don’t want a whole village in here.”

  Point being, it wasn’t a one-shot deal, I’d restored her ovaries to the brim.

  Brenna giggled, sniffled, and just hugged me harder, “I love you, Natasha. Thank you doesn’t seem like enough.”

  “Just being you is enough, at the risk of sounding sappy. Just… be you, take care of dad, everything you already do that flows from your very being.”

  I blushed, that sounded so pompous and sappy, but it was just the truth. Brenna was amazing, and it was a gift for dad too. I knew he’d be thrilled, but I wouldn’t tell him. I wouldn’t dream of ruining the surprise… or her seduction of him. I know, it was weird for me too, that the idea of dad sex wasn’t grossing me out and sounded like a good present, but I totally blame my mantel.

  I mean, it didn’t change my mind or morals toward sex, love, or dating. I was still me that way, but it had erased any kind of hang-ups, embarrassment, or modesty when it came to that kind of thing. Talking about it seemed normal, even with one of the women that had helped raise me.

  I grinned, “Have fun seducing the hell out of him with the possibilities. Try to stand near something comfortable to be bent over when you do it.”

  She gasped, “Natasha!” then blushed.

  I chuckled a bit wickedly, “I have to go, like I told June it may be a while before I can drop in again. I don’t want to draw the lightning here by accident, or at mom’s house.”

  She squeezed me and then let me go, her eyes moist, “Cheeky goddess.”

  I laughed, “Little bit. Shameless might be closer, I’d have been mortified saying that yesterday.”

  She smirked playfully, “I suppose it takes one to know one?”

  I giggled.

  I think I loved being me, the new me, and life felt full of possibilities. Love and pleasure, children, and beauty. I couldn’t think of a more wonderful mantle, honestly. Yes, my mantle could be twisted to do horrific things, love and pleasure were two edged weapons, and they had more than one side, but that wasn’t something I’d ever do.

  Assuming of course, I survived my coming confrontation with the king of the gods.

  “Did you talk to mom yet?” I asked as I closed the door to the office.

  Amber was in his lap, and she was clinging to him like a barnacle with her face in his neck. I wasn’t going to ask her to leave.

  He nodded, “She’s moving in tonight, taking the third advisor role, and of course she’ll finally be a part of my family too, not just our family. You know what I mean. You also brought me Amber. You do know it’s your birthday, right? You’ve brought your dad two priceless gifts.”

  I grinned, “Three actually, so enjoy it. I’m not talking though, don’t want to ruin the surprise.”

  He reached into his desk and pulled out a small box wrapped in pink and white paper, then held it out, “Happy Birthday, baby-girl.”

  I suppressed the squeal and bounced forward to take it, then looked into his eyes. When he nodded in amusement that I could open it now, I started to rip the paper off of it. It crinkled and ripped, revealing a small light brown wooden box which was about three by four by two inches in size. Just the box itself was a work of art, with a carving of my own face in partial profile on the front. Exquisite scrollwork around the edges as well, and it fit so well the seam was hard to detect. It was beautiful, and it would’ve been a hell of a gift in itself, but it was just the wrapping and presentation.

  I opened it up and felt my heart in my throat as I examined it.

  My dad’s gifts were almost always made with his own hands, with heart, love, and effort behind it. I mean, my mother was a billionaire, and I had a trust fund somewhere over three hundred million. My father was also quite rich, so giving things like diamonds or jewelry from a store would be kind of empty, you know? I could afford to drip myself in jewels, but I wasn’t that kind of girl. I usually wore earrings, and necklaces on occasion, maybe a simple bracelet, but that was it. In that moment, I didn’t have any jewelry on except a charm bracelet.

  But something made from my father’s hands, god of art or not, was priceless to me. It wasn’t just what it was, I could feel the love invested in it. Just to be clear, I was the goddess of love, all love, not just romantic love, I felt the love of a father toward a daughter in it.

  “It’s beautiful, dad,” I said softly, “Perfect, I love it.”

  The filigree pendant was painstakingly carved in delicately appearing marble lattice in the shape of a stalking tigress, which was my favorite wild animal, with shiny reddish-brown opals for eyes and small diamond claws. Appeared delicate, because marble that thin like wire should’ve been brittle near the joints, but I could feel the strength of it thanks to some witch magic. It also would work as a charm necklace, each of the lattices holding a separate active witch spell if I wished. The pendant was on a twisting platinum chain that was just long enough that the small tiger would sit right below the hollow of my throat.

  There were already spells set. Projectile defenses, so the government or some bigoted human psychopath couldn’t just kill us from afar with surprise. Also an automatic heal spell triggered by harm, and a spell that would keep my clothes clean and fresh, even dry in the rain, the water would just bead and run off. There were six more lattices without spells where I could put whatever I wanted.