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I turned to her and stared into her silver eyes And nodded She was right We would fix it No matter what it took Cadmus was hed "I wonder if it is safe?"

Aphrodite nodded slowly "I doubt she will atte in front of Caduard Go and relax in the bath I will take one after you"

I nodded and slipped from the roo bubble bath and willed it to be scented with honeysuckle Instantly, of course, it was The soothing scent rose from the hot bath and filled the bath cha breaths Through the walls of the house, I could hear Eris and Cadether; familiar and affectionate It rittedmy hair into a pile on my head, I let my white sheath fall to the floor aroundonlyit off Not in this house Slipping under the water until the bubbles rose tothe way the hot water soothed away my tension and aches Too bad it couldn’t reach htest of noises caused my eyes to flutter open quite some tiht of the candles lining the wall, his face was bronzed and oh-so-handsoht and I could see the shallow breaths that he was taking as his ribs rose and fell He was so close I could reach out and touch him I could barely stand it

"I’ toward the door "I didn’t know you were still in here"

"Don’t go," I cried, lunging up out of the water

Water sloshed out of the tub and I stood co down aze quickly slid down my body before he tore his beautiful dark eyes back up to ies, truly"

"You have nothing to be sorry for," I answered quietly "This is your home, is it not?"

He nodded silently, clearly unsure what I anting froht noas tired of Eris’ games

"Could you hand me that towel, Cadmus?" I asked quietly, still very aware ofthe effects of the cold air and they tilted upward as the skin around s and I wished theht of the candles for him For my soul mate I needed hirab the towel lying near ers were shaking and he tried very hard to keep his eyes averted Bless hientleman when he couldn’t reht

I proppedon the side of the bath and leaned over to rub it dry, hoping against hope that I looked sexy as I did it I had never been what you could call a Siren That was more up Aphrodite’s alley But I knew that I was beautiful It had never ht now And I knew that Cadmus found me beautiful He had told me a million times before Surely he could feel our connection Surely

My long hair had fallen around h the dark strands at his face He was staring atever-so-still a few paces away He looked poised for flight

"I shouldn’t be here," he murmured nervously

"But you are," I answered "Do you wonder why?"

I stepped fro the towel to fall to the floor I approached hi only my bloodstone and a smile Nervously, I stopped in front of hi," I murmured as I stepped one step closer I was noo inches in front of him I could practically feel his breath on my face and I inhaled it, mesmerized by even that familiar smell I knew every bit of hiers

"What is it?" he asked "I was supposed to return immediately to Eris She onder where I am"

"Yet you are still here with me," I pointed out "Do you wonder why that is?"

"Because there is a naked goddess standing in front of me?" he quipped "I’entleman if ever there was one You are only still here because you feel it too" I trailedin the spark that I felt as Ihis skin

"What do I feel?" he whispered, his lips just mere inches from mine

"You feel me I know it," I insisted "You know me, Cadmus I’ve always been yours I need you to remember Please"

He took a step back, his face puzzled and confused

"I don’t know you," he answered "I’m sorry You must have me mistaken for someone else"

I shook my head "No I don’t You know me and I know you Better than anyone has ever known someone else"

He stopped, but didn’t co another step toward him

"Don’t," he whispered