Warriors of Poseidon 02 - Atlantis Awakening

simply toss her over his shoulder and pull a caveman. "Sounds good to me, Marie. Why don't we all sit down and enjoy this wonderful food."
     
    She headed for the seat at the table farthest from Alaric and right between Alexios and Denal, figuring it would really tick Ven off. Something bitchy inside her chuckled at the idea. Served him right.
     
    But before she could take a seat, he caught her from behind with one powerful arm around her waist and lifted her into another seat at the end of the table. He took the seat that blocked her from Alexios, lifted a platter of fruit and held it out to her. "Mango?"
     
    "Don't think that what happened between us gives you any rights over me," she said, careful to keep her voice low. "I will sit wherever I choose and do whatever I want."
     
    Deadly calm washed over his expression, belying the suddenly feral look in his eyes. "If you wish to force me to call battle challenge on my friends and brother warriors, feel free to push me in this matter. Be advised that battle challenge is almost always to the death, so choose carefully which of them you wish to see die."
     
    Atlantis Awakening – Warriors of Poseidon 02
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    Pure shock slammed into her. He wasn't kidding. She could feel the heat of the banked rage burning out from him. If she continued to taunt him, he would hurt or maybe kill one of his friends over it. "What kind of monster are you?" she whispered, suddenly terrified.
     
    "I am worse than any monster you have ever known, Erin," he said bleakly. "The things I have done throughout the centuries would rot away at your mind if you knew of them.
    And apparently the soul-meld causes certain… possessive instincts… that I have never experienced before. I can't understand it or control it right now. Please don't challenge me until I can figure this out."
     
    She leaned away from him, not understanding how she could simultaneously feel terrified and yet safe and protected in his presence, when he'd just admitted to being a monster. It was a conundrum she had no time to explore, though, because Alaric and Marie were standing up at the head of the table and raising their hands for silence.
     
    Marie spoke first. "Let us give thanks to the Goddess for this bounty before us and for returning our gem singer to her home. Thanks be to the Goddess!"
     
    "Thanks be to the Goddess," everyone replied, as Erin studied them. Conlan sat next to Riley, who was looking a little less rosy and well than she had the day before. Brennan and a warrior she did not recognize sat on the other side of Conlan. Alexios and Denal sat on her side of the table. Several women who must be maidens of the Temple fluttered around, serving drinks and carrying dishes, but none joined them at the table other than Marie.
     
    Alaric spoke. "Thanks be to the Goddess, and Praise Poseidon, who protects us all."
     
    "Praise Poseidon," came the refrain, and then Alaric and Marie took their seats and everyone continued to eat. Erin discovered that she was ravenously hungry, in spite of feeling the emotional equivalent of shell shock, and filled her plate, studiously ignoring Ven except to murmur thanks when he passed a platter.
    Atlantis Awakening – Warriors of Poseidon 02
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    For several minutes there was little conversation as everyone ate, and then Conlan pushed his plate aside. One of the maidens hurried to remove his dishes, and he smiled and thanked her, which surprised Erin a little. Not a lot of royal snobbery going on here, she thought, remembering Ven with the woman who'd brought the clothes. Thinking of that reminded her to thank Riley.
     
    "Riley," she said, pitching her voice loudly enough to capture the woman's attention.
    "Thank you for sending the clothes. My stuff was getting a little ripe."
     
    Riley grinned. "It's the least I could do. That blue looks wonderful on you, by the way."
     
    Erin grinned, since she'd thought exactly the same thing herself. The sky-blue silk top mirrored her eyes and she hadn't exactly hated the appreciative heat in Ven's eyes when he'd seen her in the top and jeans after she'd showered. Other than the lip gloss she'd had in her jacket pocket, her face was bare of makeup, but she never wore a lot, anyway.
     
    Ven put a hand on her back, and the heat from his touch seared through the light fabric of her shirt. "Yeah, it does. Look wonderful, I mean," he said into her ear. The touch of his breath made her shiver as if he's stroked