Free Immortal Heat by Lanette Curington

lived, but the more he thought about it the less he liked it. She knew his name and what he looked like. There was nowhere to hide on an island, and he had nowhere else to run. The lady wouldn't go to the queen, but she might know others just as important. Or the big man might have even bigger friends.
     
     Phlius had to find Croco and get to the queen. She would want to know...and might pay for the information. Or she might get angry that he and Croco hadn't done their jobs properly, even though she was watching when they tossed the lady over.
     
     As Phlius scrambled along the path to the nearest village to find Croco, he had a bad feeling about the whole thing. He was afraid the queen would want them to come back here and finish the job they'd started. He didn't look forward to facing the big man on the shore.
     
      
     
     * * * * *
     
     Passion!
     
     Aglaia had certainly found an impassioned lover in Hephaestus. She couldn't have imagined a more glorious union if she tried. She couldn't keep her eyes from him as they shook sand from the clothing they hadn't taken the time to remove. Rippling shoulder muscles enticed her as he straightened his underlinen. She tingled all over, growing warm again, just thinking about sharing his bed with him.
     
     When Hephaestus swept her up into his strong arms, she protested. "You don't have to carry me. I can walk."
     
     He kissed her. "I don't want you tired out before we reach my bed."
     
     Pleased, Aglaia rubbed her cheek against his. The short beard was softer than she expected, not at all bristly. She brushed her mouth over his, raking her tongue along his lip.
     
     Hephaestus stopped in his tracks and responded hungrily, as if he hadn't made incredible love to her moments before. She closed her eyes and reveled in the sensations he aroused, from the ache of her breasts to the gathering of heat in her womanhood.
     
     "If we keep this up, we'll never reach the bed," he said when they parted.
     
     Aglaia opened her eyes, but a movement on the cliff caught her attention. By the time she tilted her head to get a better look, nothing was there.
     
     Hephaestus turned his head to follow her gaze.
     
     "What's wrong?
     
     Aglaia shook her head. "I thought I saw something on the cliff, but there's nothing now. It must have been a falling rock or the wind."
     
     Hephaestus scanned the rocks above. "Maybe I should have a look."
     
     "Oh, no, you don't!" Aglaia grabbed his chin and pulled him round to look at her. She kissed him deeply and thoroughly to remind him of what they were doing.
     
     "I'll have Talos stand watch in the vestibule," he said, his voice husky with desire. He started toward the cave entrance once more.
     
     "A wonderful idea," Aglaia agreed and nuzzled his cheek again.
     
     He swung her around to go through the entryway, and the little tripod bolted from the wall ready to follow them.
     
     "And the tripod can assist him," Hephaestus added with a nod toward the stool.
     
     "Yes, that's a good idea, too," Aglaia said and giggled.
     
     As he carried her down the long passageways, she thought it would have been much easier if he'd aetherized them into the bed, and much quicker, but not nearly as much fun, she decided when he stopped to kiss her again. They met Neda along the way, and Hephaestus instructed her to send Talos to the vestibule to stand watch. He also told her to take the tripod with her. But the little tripod struggled against Neda's hold until Aglaia explained that it was to aid Talos in a very important assignment. Hephaestus just shook his head helplessly.
     
     On the way to the bedchamber, they decided a bath would rid them of the sand still clinging to hair and skin. Hephaestus loosened the bronze fitting as Aglaia undressed. She carefully stepped into the basin beneath the sluice, closing her eyes, and tilting back her head to let the water soak her hair and flow over her body.
     
     Aglaia felt Hephaestus'