Zeus (Taken by Olympus Book 1) by Celia Aaron Page B

each bolt. The thunder was almost deafening. The very first drops of rain spattered down, wetting my gray t-shirt and jeans. My long hair whipped around me, pulled every which way by the rising storm. I took a few halting steps, testing to see if he would charge. He watched me with golden eyes. I had never seen a more beautiful creature.
    “Are you lost, fella?” I edged closer as the rain began to pour.
    He inhaled as I put my hand up to scratch his ear. When I made contact, the lightning picked up, electricity roving the surface of the earth and creating a blanket of white light all around us. And then it all went black.
     

 
     
    Chapter Two
     
     
     
    I was in a cloud. Soft fluffiness surrounded me, embraced me like a long lost friend. I tried to squeeze the velvety cloud to me, but I couldn’t move. My eyes fluttered open.
    I was in a huge room, the ceiling open to the brilliant blue heavens above. Everything glittered with crystal and gold. The walls were covered with hand-painted murals of the bull I’d seen, a rain of gold, a huge swan, and a golden eagle.
    Where am I?
    The last thing I remembered was the road at the Sullivan farm. This sumptuous room was definitely not on the farm, and I was certain there was no dwelling like this anywhere in the black belt of rural Georgia. The bull wasn’t here, either.
    I tried to move my hands again but they were stuck fast. I turned to look at what held me. I was roped to the largest bed I had ever seen. I was awash in white satin, the soft cloud I’d felt as I’d slept. I was naked beneath the material, my wrists bound to the bed. My legs were free, so I drew them up.
    “Don’t do that.” A deep voice rumbled over me.
    “Who’s there?” I peered around.
    A bright flash, as if the lightning was back, and a man stood at the foot of the bed. He was tall, seven feet perhaps, shirtless, and perfectly sculpted. His eyes were gold, the irises like the molten precious metal. His hair was far lighter than mine. It was almost white and fell to his shoulder in tousled waves. Beautiful.
    He stared at me as if he could see what I looked like beneath the layers of satin. He looked hungry and rubbed a hand over his smooth jaw. He ate me up with his eyes. My body responded, my core growing hotter, tighter. I had never been looked at like that before, like I was a meal.
    I blinked hard. Snap out of it. “What’s going on? Why am I tied?” I yanked on the ropes.
    He smiled. My heart did a back flip. He was beyond perfect. I was certain there was no such thing as a more gorgeous man – and maybe even woman.
    “You’re tied for my pleasure.” He pulled on the rope that held the toga-like material covering his hips. The fabric fell away and revealed his large length. Oh my god. “And yours.”
    My mouth watered even as I tried to retreat farther up the bed. Just clenching my legs together and drawing away from him rubbed my clit, making it desire the opposite of escape.
    “You can’t just kidnap me and-and-and—”
    “And what?” He stalked up the bed to me, and yanked both my ankles down. His hard body settled on top of mine, crushing my resistance easily. He pushed his knees between mine, spreading my legs and opening my pussy. The only thing separating us was the satin. Was that a good thing?
    “And just…” My breathy voice trailed off as I looked into his golden eyes. So much desire was there. Knowing it was for me made me melt.
    His gaze flicked down to my lips and back to my eyes. “I’ve watched you for a long time, Tara.”
    “Wh-what? Like a stalker?” My heart pounded. It should have been pounding with fear. Instead, it was the fiercest desire I’d ever felt that spurred its beat.
    He laughed, the sound rich and delicious. I wanted to bathe in it. “Quite so. Every animal you’ve saved, every time you’ve helped someone and expected nothing in return, every time you’ve wisely spurned mortal men’s advances.”
    Wait, what? “Mortal men? What