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6. Artemis

Chapter 6

Artemis

R riiinnnnggg!

“Goddammit!” Cade roared as he reached toward the bedside table and knocked the clock off. “Fucking alarm.”

Artemis let out a frustrated groan. “We need to get ready.”

He looked up at her from between her legs. “Just one more minute.”

“But it’s?—”

“One.” He pushed her legs apart. “Minute.”

She threw her head back on the pillow and let Cade’s mouth do its magic. His tongue lashed at her clit, flicking over the sensitive nub until she squirmed her hips up at him. His mouth devoured her, lapping all over her pussy like a man who hadn’t had a meal for days. Sure enough, exactly one minute later, her fingers dug into the pillows as her hips lifted up to meet Cade’s face as an earth-shattering orgasm—the second of that morning—ripped through her.

“What did I tell you?” he smiled smugly at her. “All I needed was a minute to get you off.” He crawled on top of her and gave her a kiss. “No need for the bullshit detector on that one.”

“Ha!” she giggled, then gently pushed him away. “As much as I want to return the favor, you’re really cutting it close. This is the last day of your meetings, and you haven’t gotten all the alpha’s phone data yet, nor do we have any proof in the ones we do have. Let’s get showered?—”

“Nuh-uh.” He shook his head. “You can’t join me.”

“And why not?”

“Because…” His mouth trailed down her neck all the way to her breasts. “You’re just going to distract me, and then we’ll really be late.” He sucked one already-hard nipple into his mouth before releasing it. “Stay here.” Sliding off the bed, he dashed toward the bathroom, the door closing behind him but not before Artemis had devoured the sight of his naked back and ass.

With a sigh, she hugged a pillow to her heated body—not that it helped. Her skin was still tingling from that orgasm.

What have I done?

And what am I doing still?

She rolled to her side, clutching at the pillow. Last night had been indescribable. The things he’d done to her, and her to him…it still made her shiver, and yet she couldn’t get enough. A curl of heat gathered low in her belly, making her squeeze her thighs together, wondering what it would be like to have him between them and inside?—

No.

She wasn’t ready. She hadn’t been last night and she wasn’t now.

Nor was she sure if she’d ever be.

Because despite the clawing desire ripping at her, she couldn’t have sex with Cade. It felt like a definitive line she couldn’t ever cross because once she did, there was no going back. She could never go back or put the genie back in the bottle. He made her feel things and want things that she knew she just couldn’t have.

Closing her eyes shut, she reminded herself of her friend Lida.

Lida had been a shepherdess, a devoted follower of Artemis, but then she also became something more—a friend. She would have done anything for Artemis and vice versa, so much so that when she was at her deathbed, she made Artemis promise to watch over her daughter, Kyra.

And, of course, she did because she always kept her promises. Kyra, under the care of her grandparents and Artemis’s guidance, grew into a beautiful, accomplished young woman, who too, married and had children of her own. For a time, Artemis was happy, watching over her ward and spending time with her and her children and grandchildren. But then came the dreaded day—Kyra, so old and frail, surrounded by her family, passed on too, just like her mother.

The pain had been too much, and for an immortal, the years of watching her grow from a chubby little baby to a withered old woman felt like it had been mere days, the time slipping through her fingers like sand.

No, she couldn’t watch another child die while she remained young and healthy. And when The Fates told her, on that day, the worst day of her life, that she would never have a child who would be immortal or choose to be immortal by eating the golden apple, she made her choice.

It’s just sex. Or not sex, as it was.

But then, it wasn’t like Cade was asking her to marry him. This was all fun for him too. As he explained, shifters needed sex, not necessarily the emotional connection. They mated and married for political reasons, and had heirs to continue their line and keep their packs strong. Maybe it was time she gave up her virginity. And he did volunteer to be her first.

“Shower’s all yours.”

She rolled around to face him. “Thanks, I—” Her mouth was dry as a desert as she stared at him, hair all wet, water droplets clinging to his chest and six-pack, and his towel wrapped low on his slim hips. Gods, she’d already seen him naked, yet in this half-dressed state, he still managed to make her temperature rise a few degrees.

“Ahem.” Cade shot her an amused smile. “Eyes up here, please.”

She tossed her pillow at him, which he lobbed with ease before jumping into bed and wrapping his arms around her.

“Cade! Your hair is still wet,” she protested.

“So?”

“And you have your meeting. Last day, remember?”

He waggled his eyebrows at her. “I can be a minute late.”

She smirked at him. “As tempting as that is, I need to remind you that you’ll need every minute you have.”

“I’m almost done, just one, or rather, two more phones to go.”

Gently, she pushed him away and sat up. “Who do we have left on the list?”

“Daniel and Mallory Philipps.”

“Are they husband and wife?”

“Mother and son, actually,” he explained. “Mallory is Alpha, but he’s her heir, so he’s sitting in on all the meetings, making connections, learning the ropes, that kind of thing.”

“And why can’t you copy their data?”

He shrugged. “That’s the thing, I don’t know. I get my phone as close to theirs as I can, for as long as I can, but the app keeps saying ‘error, data cannot be copied.’”

“Maybe there’s something wrong with the app?” She grabbed her phone from under her pillow and called Hephaestus. “H?”

“Yeah?” came the god of fire’s voice from the speaker.

Artemis quickly explained the situation to him. “They’re the last ones we need, H. Any idea what’s wrong? Could the app be malfunctioning?”

“My apps do not malfunction,” he stated. “Give me one sec…” There was a clacking of keys and a series of beeps before his voice came back on the line. “Ah, interesting.”

“What is it?” Cade asked.

“They have top-of-the-line security installed on their phones. Like, shit that the NSA could only dream of.”

“Really?” Cade’s nose wrinkled. “And why would they need that kind of protection on their phone?”

“Because they have something to hide,” Hephaestus concluded. “I’ve only seen this kind of encryption on Fortune 500 company servers and devices. Corporate espionage is no joke, you know.”

Cade snorted. “Well, when billions are on the line…”

“Exactly,” Hephaestus said.

“Can you break the encryption, H?”

“Hell yeah, I can. But you’ll have to get closer, maybe less than a foot this time. And you can’t just use any ordinary phone. You’ll need an Olympus Network-enabled phone.”

“Like mine?” Artemis offered.

“Sure. I can install it remotely. Then you’ll just use it the same way.”

“And how long will it take to install?” Cade asked, glancing at his watch. “I have my meeting in ten minutes.”

“Not in time for that, I’m afraid,” Hephaestus said. “I’ll have it finished and installed in…about three hours or so.”

“Three hours?” Cade said, incredulous. “We’ll be done with our meetings. No, that’s too late. There has to be another way.”

“I have an idea,” Artemis said. “Isn’t there some kind of activity this afternoon after the last meeting?”

“The ATV tour?” Cade said. “Yeah, I think Daniel signed up for that one. Mallory doesn’t go to these things.”

Artemis chewed on her lower lip. “Well, we don’t need both their phones, do we?”

“Once I break the encryption on one phone, I should be able to get access to any other phone it’s connected to,” Hephaestus said.

“And if he is her heir, and Mallory’s pack is responsible for the bombing, he’s probably in on the whole thing anyway,” Artemis reasoned. “Cade, you really need to get going, or you’ll be late.

“Fine. I’m gonna get dressed and head out,” he said before padding over to the massive walk-in closet on the other side of the bedroom.

“He’s gonna get dressed, huh?”

Hephaestus’s voice coming from the speaker of her phone made her start. “Uh, it’s not what you think, H.”

“Uh-huh.” He snorted. “Anyway, after we hang up, just keep your phone connected to the network, and I’ll install the software.”

“Right. Thanks, H.”

“And Artemis?”

“Yes?”

“Be careful.”

But before she could ask him what he meant exactly, the line went silent.

Artemis huffed as she put her phone down. Hephaestus had never meddled in her personal life before. In fact, she was surprised he even picked up on small clues like he did just now. While the god of fire and the forge was brilliant when it came to all things technology, he tended to be, well, oblivious when it came to things like relationships and women. She couldn’t blame him, though, considering what he’d gone through with his ex-wife.

But that wasn’t any of her business. And she had more important things to think about.

After a quick glance toward the walk-in closet, she plugged her phone into the charger. She trusted Hephaestus would be able to update the app to work, but there was still something she had to figure out: finding a way to get close enough to Daniel’s phone to even start the process.

When Hephaestus called her back to explain how the updated app worked, Artemis quickly found that that getting close enough wasn’t the problem.

“… and there’s one more thing,” Hephaestus said. “The phones will have to stay connected for about thirty minutes.”

“ Gramoto! Thirty minutes?” she repeated. “And how am I supposed to do that? H, you gotta figure something out.”

“If I had the time, I could,” the god replied. “But you gave me less than half a day. It’s the best I can do for now. Now, do you want to do this or not?”

She stared at the phone and bit at her lip. “Fine. Just finish installing the app. I’ll find a way.”

Rising from the bed, Artemis grabbed her purse and cap, then checked on her reflection. She had put on a sporty outfit of yoga pants, sports bra, and a tank top, plus sneakers. She was going to be riding on an ATV after all, so she had to dress comfortably.

Heading downstairs, she greeted the rest of the group who were already in the lobby. Candice waved her over right away, and they sat in the back of the buggy that would take them to where they would start their ATV tour. To her surprise, Cade was already there, along with the other alphas. He was in conversation with a sandy-haired man wearing board shorts and a white tank shirt.

“Who’s Cade talking to?” Artemis asked Candice as they alighted from the buggy.

“That’s Daniel Philipps,” Candice said, lowering her voice. “Mallory Philipps’s son and heir. Ever heard of them?”

“No,” she lied. “Why? Should I?”

She chuckled. “Well, he is your bedmate’s closest neighbor. His pack is from the Yukon. Technically, they’re Canadian, but Mallory’s pack is so old, they formed before modern borders existed, so they’re considered part of the West Coast packs.”

“Are they friendly with the Alaska pack?”

“I guess, but then again, you know the saying about keeping your enemies closer…” Candice shot her a knowing look. “I mean, it’s no secret that the Yukon pack always thought that Alaska was theirs, even though they never really expanded their den into that part of the land. They’ve always been sore that Cade’s great-great-grandfather was able to stake their claim and grow their pack so quickly.”

“Oh, I see.” Hmmm, that could be a strong motivation to bomb the pack. “Would you excuse me, Candice? I should go over and say hi to Cade.” With a quick goodbye, she sashayed over to him. Heat pooled in her belly, seeing how sexy he looked in his casual outfit of khaki shorts and white linen shirt. Memories of last night flashed into her brain, and if they were alone, she would have probably been all over him.

“Hey, Cade,” she greeted as she approached him, then glanced over at the man next to him. “Hello, Alpha.”

“He’s not an Alpha.” Cade’s arm snaked around her waist possessively and pulled her to his side.

“Not yet,” the other man replied in a good-natured tone. His blue eyes twinkled, and while he looked to be in his thirties, his smile made him look boyish. “But someday. I’m Daniel Philipps. And you are?”

“Taken,” Cade grumbled.

Artemis rolled her eyes at Cade. “Artemis. I came here with Cade.”

“Nice to meet you, Artemis.” He grinned at her. “Cade, you’re a very lucky man.”

“I am.” His arm tightened around her.

“Maybe someday I’ll be as lucky.” There was a wistful tone in his voice, something that told Artemis he was very much telling the truth, and his envy was real.

“And you will make some girl very lucky too,” she added. An idea struck her. “Cade, can I speak with you in private?”

“Of course. Philipps,” he nodded at the other man before he led Artemis away. Once they were far away enough from the group, he said. “Well? Did Hephaestus finish the app? Does it work?”

“Yes. And, uh, kinda?”

Cade released her and turned to face her. “What do you mean, kinda?”

“Well…” She explained everything to him. “And so, you see, the phone needs to be in range for thirty minutes, and you’ll need to be really close, within a foot of him.”

“How am I supposed to stay with him for that long now? If we had it this morning then it wouldn’t have been a problem. And I have to be less than a foot away? What am I supposed to do, sit on his lap?”

“I know. But, I think I have an idea. However, there’s one thing I need you to do.”

“And what’s that?”

“You have to go away. Don’t join the tour.”

“Excuse me?”

“I have a plan, but you can’t be here.”

Cade’s voice rose. “And what exactly is your plan? And why can’t I be here?”

“Because then it won’t work!” She planted her hands on her hips.

“Tell me what this plan is.”

“It’s simple, really,” she said in a casual tone. “Around halfway through the tour, I’ll make my ATV malfunction. We’ll be too far ahead to turn back. Then, Daniel will have to let me ride on the back of his ATV, and our phones will be in range. If you’re around, it won’t make sense for me to ride with him.”

“But that also means you’ll be next to him.”

“Yes, that’s generally how being within range works”

“He’ll be touching you.”

“And why—” She paused, seeing how his jaw tensed and his green eyes blazed.

Ine ziliaris? The thought that he was jealous sent a thrill through her.

“Why don’t you just stand beside him? Or drive up really close?”

“I can’t guarantee I’ll be able to do that. Based on the tour itinerary, we won’t be staying at any of the sites long enough.”

“Try.” His tone, however, made it sound like an order. “Do anything else you have to.”

“I…I guess I could try. But Cade, this is our last chance to do this.” He looked ready to explode, so she attempted to divert his attention. “And by the way, why didn’t you tell me that Mallory Philipps has a strong motive for bombing your pack?”

“That old rumor?” He blew out a breath. “Ancient history. We’re on good terms with the Yukon pack. Have been since my grandfather’s time.”

“But still, it’s suspicious that she and her son have that industrial-strength encryption on their phones. We need to know what they’re hiding.”

Cade hesitated. “Fine. Get close to the phone and get the data.”

“I will—” His mouth smashing down on hers caught her by surprise, but she eagerly returned his kiss. By the time he let go of her, her knees were like wet noodles. “Cade…”

“Stay safe. And remember what I said,” he growled against her mouth before giving it a nip. “I’ll see you at the end.”

“I will.” She watched him walk away, still trying to grasp what happened. His possessiveness and jealousy made her stomach flutter, but when she tried to make sense of it, her brain just wouldn’t work. Other parts of her, however…

She shook her head. She had a job to do and a promise to keep.

Heading back to where the others were already getting ready to ride the ATVs, she positioned herself closer to Daniel, pulling her tank top off so she was only wearing her sports bra and yoga pants. Putting on her brightest smile, she approached him.

“Oh hey,” she greeted the almost-Alpha. “Daniel, right?”

“Artemis!” To his credit, his eyes only strayed down to her cleavage for half a second.

He really is sweet. That sincerity she had sensed in him was real, and she knew he would play knight in shining armor to any woman in trouble. She was almost sorry if it turned out he did know something about the bombing.

“Where’s Cade?”

“Oh, he had to go back to the villa. Pack business, you know.”

“Yeah, I understand.” The corners of his eyes crinkled as he grinned. “Mother’s the same. Didn’t even want to do any of the fun stuff while we were here. Actually, she didn’t want me to do it either, but I said I was gonna take advantage of the sunshine and beach while we’re here before we had to go back. So, just you, huh?”

“Yeah, just me.” She wrinkled her nose at the ATV. “I hope I can handle this thing. It’s sooooo big and scary.”

“Oh, it’s really easy,” he said. “We have a few of these on our territory. Tons of fun to ride.”

“Do you think you can teach me, Daniel?” She bent down to reach for the handle, making sure her ass faced toward him.

“Not to worry, they’ll give us lessons at the beginning, so you should be set.”

He really was sweet . And kinda clueless. She almost hated having to manipulate him. “Er, right.”

The guide called for everyone’s attention, and after about fifteen minutes of lessons, they were off. Artemis maneuvered her ATV so she stayed behind Daniel, slowly accelerating until she was right next to him. She flashed him a smile.

You okay? he mouthed over the roar of the engines.

She nodded and gave him a thumbs-up.

Their tour continued down beaches and trails, with a few scenic stops along the way. Artemis took that time to make small talk with Daniel when she could, trying to get near him, but since time was tight on the tour, she never got to stand less than a foot next to him for too long. The closest she got was when they stopped at a local ice-cream shop, but they had to leave after fifteen minutes. It was obvious she would have to put her original plan into action.

So, on the next leg of the tour, when they reached the mangrove area, she stuck close to Daniel, smiling and laughing with him as they drove through the sandy trail, but slowly decreased her speed, so they fell behind. When the rest of the group was far away enough, she waved her hand at the ATV, killing the engine. As her vehicle came to a halt, she called out to Daniel.

“Help! Oh, please!”

Daniel’s head turned back, and immediately upon seeing her, he slowed and then swung around.

“Artemis!” He dashed toward her. “Are you okay? What’s the matter? Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine, Daniel. Thank you.” She accepted the hand he offered to help her off, stumbling forward so she brushed against his body. “This thing…it just stopped.”

“Oh, let me see…” After helping steady her, he circled around the ATV, bending down to check the engine. “Whoa! This thing’s fried.” He clucked his tongue. “You should complain to the manager. They shouldn’t be letting anyone on this hunk of junk.”

“I suppose I could once we get back.” She let out an exaggerated sigh. “How am I going to get back now?”

“Don’t you worry,” Daniel assured her. “You can ride with me.”

“Really?”

“Of course. I’m not leaving you stranded out here.”

“My hero,” she said sweetly, looping her right arm into his.

And with her other hand, she reached into her purse to activate Hephaestus’s app.

Hopefully, this works.

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