Warriors of Poseidon 01 - Atlantis Rising

Alaric's language. If Riley were broadcasting this furnace of sexual desire to every warrior in the house—and to the priest, who'd taken a vow of celibacy—well, damn.
     
    Damn.
     
    "Point taken," he said, still breathing hard. "Riley also needs to rest." He waited for his brother to take the hint and leave, but Ven wasn't much for subtlety.
     
    "Aren't you going to introduce me, brother?" Ven stood there, no sign of movement, grinning at him like a fool.
     
    Conlan opened his mouth to smack him down, but Riley surprised him by stepping out from behind his back. "Look, Tarzan, I may be embarrassed, but it's not like you need to protect me from your own brother, right?"
     
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    She walked toward Ven, who'd snorted out a laugh at "Tarzan." She walked to him, shoulders squared, as if trying to act nonchalant. "I'm Riley."
     
    When she held out her hand toward his brother, Conlan took an involuntary step forward, a growl starting low in his throat, before he caught himself.
     
    He snapped his head up and stared at Ven, shocked by his own reaction. From the look on Ven's face, Conlan had surprised his brother, too.
     
    Conlan dug his fingers into his thighs, fighting for control. What was happening to him?
     
    Expression wary, Ven glanced away from Conlan and took Riley's hand and gently shook it. "You can call me Ven."
     
    Then Ven did something that surprised the hell out of Conlan. He bowed deeply, unsheathing his daggers in a flowing motion and crossing them over his chest. "My service and my honor are yours, Lady Sunlight, for your defense of my brother and prince."
     
    Riley snapped her head around to stare at Conlan, horror in her eyes. "Prince? Did he say prince!"
     
    Ven straightened. "Oops. I thought you told her, Conlan, since we're taking her home to study."
     
    The sparkle of Riley's emotions sharpened and then snapped shut inside of Conlan's head.
     
    She fisted her hands on her hips. "Prince?" she repeated, voice going dangerously low.
    "Taking who home to Atlantis? And study what, exactly?"
     
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    Ven's lips quivered, as he evidently tried to keep from laughing. Conlan grimly vowed to make him pay, in a large and serious way. The King's Vengeance wasn't above getting his ass kicked by his brother, even now.
     
    "Oops again," Ven repeated. "Later, dude. I can see you two have things to talk about."
     
    As Ven backed out of the room and closed the door behind him, Conlan sighed with real regret. "Any chance we can go back to the kissing part?" he asked, trying for his best innocent expression.
     
    She narrowed her eyes. "Start. Talking."
     
    He sighed again. "Yeah. I didn't think so."

Chapter 14
    Riley backed around the bed again, needing to put space between herself and Conlan.
    Or, should she say, Prince Conlan.
     
    Prince Conlan. Holy Atlantean royalty. What had she gotten herself into this time? And why did he have to smell so good? Like spices and ocean and pure, unadulterated man?
     
    Between his delicious scent, that unbelievable body, and his sensual voice, she should have known he was too good to be human. Heck, her last date had been a lawyer who had way more brains than muscles.
     
    Not that she didn't think Conlan had brains. She'd been inside his mind and caught a glimpse of fierce intelligence. Most of what he said demonstrated logic and an analytical aptitude. But when he touched her, well, logic went right out the window. Right out both of their windows, to stretch a metaphor clear out of shape.
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    "After a decade of living with shapeshifters and vampires who pretty much walked right out of the myths and legends and into me streets—heck, into Congress—the idea of Atlantis isn't as hard to believe as it might have been," she admitted. "Plus, there's that nifty trick you did with the water. Makes sense that an Atlantean would have power over water, right?"
     
    He smiled that slow, dangerous smile, and she rushed on before she could get distracted. "So, do you talk to fish? And what about the gills? Got 'em? If yes, where? I mean, are you… um, do you have… normal parts?"
     
    He blinked, then started laughing again as the burn climbed up her chest to her face.
    "You never say the expected, do you?" he asked.
     
    Then he smiled and raised his hands, palms up. A glowy blue-green light