Flame of the Phoenix: Hades' Carnival, Book 6

There’s enough heat between them to send them both up in flames.

Hades’ Carnival, Book 6

Tilly Ledet has long been a friend of the immortal, shape-shifting warriors who follow the Lady of the Beasts, a willing helper in their battle against Hades. But now that Hades is free and unable to touch the warriors, Tilly is fair game.

When Phoenix shows up insisting she drop everything to go into hiding, Tilly balks. Phoenix is strong and courageous, but when she imagines being in his arms, the protective barriers guarding her heart slam down.

For the first time in his immortal life, Phoenix feels fear. Not for himself, but for the woman whose beauty and forthright nature heat both his mind and body. While one kiss easily ignites her passion, claiming her as his own will take more than heat.

It may require a sacrifice that could send them both up in flames.

Warning: This steamy love story may cause overheating and the possibility of bursting into flames. Read at your own risk.

Flame of the Phoenix

N.J. Walters

Dedication

For all of you who wanted to know what happened to Phoenix.

Chapter One

Mathilda Ledet—Tilly to her friends—moved her hips to the jazzy music pumping out of the stereo speakers while she poured two large coffees with cream to go. It might be hot outside, but people still wanted their coffee. Good thing for her since she owned Café Ledet. Well, she and the bank. Every piece of mismatched furniture, the layout, the colors, the logo and more had all been chosen by her. And she loved every square inch of the place.

It was only a small hole-in-the-wall on Chartres Street, but it was a great location within easy walking distance of Jackson Square. She got a lot of locals and tourists who wanted their shot of java and one of the delectable pastries and treats the café offered for sale. They also had tarot readings several nights a week, which brought in quite a few customers.

Only a handful of the tables in the place were currently filled, but that was okay. A lot of their traffic was takeout. Tilly eyed the glass display case, which was half empty. Time to refill. She let her counter staff continue serving customers while she went back and forth from the small kitchen, ferrying more treats to fill the space.

When she was done, she took a deep breath and slowly released it. Then she rolled her neck from side-to-side to work out the kinks. She’d been up and at work since the crack of dawn and it was time for a break. Too bad Sabrina, one of her best friends in the world, had stopped in earlier to pick up two lemonades to go, otherwise Tilly might be tempted to fix their favorite drinks and stroll down to the square to visit. Sabrina and her other best friend, Jessica, both sold their wares in Jackson Square. Sabrina was an artist and Jessica made incredible jewelry.

She’d have to settle for an iced coffee alone in her office. “I’ll be out back if you need me,” she told Marcia, her senior staff member. The short, perky redhead gave her a wave and kept filling orders. The woman was like the Energizer Bunny and Tilly was lucky to have her as an employee.

Tilly started to head to her office to deal with paperwork but suddenly changed her mind. The sunshine blazing through the big picture window beckoned to her. “Marcia, I changed my mind. I’m going to sit out front instead. It’s too nice a day to stay inside.”

“Go on, boss.” Marcia grinned and shooed her away. “I’ve got it covered.”

Tilly laughed. The café ran like a well-oiled machine, but it had taken a lot of hard work and sweat to get it to this point. Running a small business wasn’t for the faint of heart, but Tilly loved the challenge. Each day brought a different set of problems and dramas to deal with.

She stepped outside and breathed in the thick air. The sun was beating down on the city, and it would only get hotter as the day went on. But Tilly had been born just outside New Orleans and was well used to the weather. She sat at one of the small tables outside the café and shaded her eyes against the brilliance of the sun.

The street was filled with people talking in many languages. English, French, Cajun and a smattering of what she thought was German. Some of them were on their way to work, others were obviously on holiday. Some hurried despite the heat, others ambled, taking their time. There was a vibrancy and energy about the city that she loved, and she was grateful to call it home.

Tipping her face back, she soaked in the sun’s rays. It recharged and invigorated her. This was exactly what she needed.

Phoenix hurried down the cracked sidewalk, moving as fast as he could without actually running. Most people would think it was a hot day, but if there was one thing he didn’t mind, it was the heat. Even wearing jeans and a T-shirt, he felt quite comfortable. It would have to get a lot hotter than this for him to even notice.

He could raise his arms and shoot fire from his fingertips, all without breaking a sweat. He was the mythical phoenix, after all.

He could feel many eyes on him as he headed down the street, but he was becoming used to attracting attention. His great height and distinctive red-and-gold hair always garnered unwanted notice from both men and women alike. It made him uncomfortable, but he was learning to ignore it.

As one of seven immortal warriors who followed the Lady of the Beasts, goddess of all the animals, he was capable of great feats of strength and courage. But right now, he was afraid. Not for himself. All his fear was for one particular human woman—Tilly Ledet.

Tilly was the most beautiful woman he’d ever set his eyes on, and he’d seen many in his long immortal life. She was tall and slender, her smooth skin the color of light toffee. He wanted to lick her entire body to see if she tasted as sweet as she looked.

He groaned as his cock stirred to life. He ignored the unruly appendage and quickened his pace. He was a shapeshifting warrior, one honed by the fires of war. He would not allow his sexual attraction for Tilly to distract from his mission.

A bloody battle with the Greek gods centuries ago had resulted in the Lady of the Beasts being trapped in Hell and her warriors cursed to remain in their animal forms for thousands of years. Now they were all free and the curse was broken. Hades had been defeated and stripped of most of his power. They thought he’d been imprisoned.

But now the god was back.

He’d targeted Jessica Miller, the woman that Mordecai had feelings for. A shiver raced down Phoenix’s spine as he pictured the round burn on Jessica’s arm—a death mark. Unless they found a way to get rid of it, Jessica would die.

Both Jessica and Tilly had gotten dragged into their war with Hades. The god could no longer harm the warriors or the women who’d freed them from the curse. To do so would bring about his own demise. Even the gods had rules, and Hades had agreed to the terms, never once believing he’d lose the war and have to abide by them.

That left two human women for Hades to vent his anger on. Phoenix could do nothing for Jessica, but he could protect Tilly.

The café was in sight and the constriction in his chest area eased when he saw her sitting outside her shop at one of the tables sipping a cold drink. She was wearing a long, flowing skirt in a flaming-red color. The fabric had slid up her crossed legs, giving him a wonderful view of smooth, supple calves. She’d topped the skirt with a bright yellow sleeveless tunic. No, it wasn’t called a tunic. A tank top. That’s what it was. The garment clung to her full rounded breasts and exposed her strong arms.

He growled low in his throat when he noted he wasn’t the only man in the area noticing how good Tilly looked. Unfamiliar feelings of possessiveness welled up within him. The great bird inside him fanned the flames of jealousy, but he ruthlessly quenched them. He couldn’t afford to be distracted. Not now. Not with Hades causing trouble.

As if she could sense him staring, Tilly glanced in his direction. The moment their eyes met, she smiled. Her lush pink lips parted to expose straight white teeth. Tilly had the kind of smile that invited others to join her. She held out her hand to him as he approached. “Phoenix, I wasn’t expecting to see you today.”

He took her hand but didn’t sit, forcing her to tilt her head back in order to see him. Her long black hair was pulled away from her face and wound into a thick braid. Her dark brown eyes went from welcome to worry in a heartbeat. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

The woman was extremely perceptive. Uncannily so. Phoenix wondered if she was a bit psychic or just incredibly attuned to the world around her. “We need to talk.”

“Inside.” She stood, grabbed her drink and led the way. He tried not to notice the gentle sway of her hips as she walked into the café, but he’d have to be dead not to. Tilly was all woman—sensual and confident. Was there anything sexier than that? Phoenix didn’t think so. Some men might be put off by her height and forthright nature, but not him. She’d fascinated him from the first moment they’d met a few weeks ago.

He stayed close behind her as she led him down the short hallway and into her office. Like the café, the walls were colorful, these ones painted a vivid combination of green and blue. A laptop sat on a small desk and several file cabinets and shelves lined the wall behind it. It was a tiny space but ruthlessly organized.

Tilly perched on the corner of her desk and set her drink to one side. Phoenix closed the door behind him and took a moment to gather his thoughts. He didn’t want to scare Tilly, but she needed to know what was going on.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” She reached into her skirt pocket and pulled out her phone. “It’s Sabrina and Jessica, isn’t it? Something happened to them?”

He reached out and stopped her from dialing. “They’re home.”

Tilly shook her head. “No, they’re not. They’re in the Square this time of day.”

He wanted to ease the growing fear making her eyes darken, but he would not withhold the truth from her. “Hades has cursed Jessica.”

Her eyes widened. She crossed her arms over her stomach and leaned forward as if in pain. “No.” The word was little more than a gasp. “Hades was defeated. The Lady drained his power from him.” He could see her growing anger was quickly driving out her fear. Tilly dropped her arms by her side and stood to face him. “Zeus imprisoned him.”

“That is all true, but for some reason, Hades is free. Or at least free enough to send a minion with a death curse.”

Tilly rubbed her hands up and down her arms. In spite of the heat, he could see the chill bumps on her arms. “What’s a death curse?”

Phoenix raked his fingers through his hair. He hated not being able to do anything to help Tilly’s friend. He was strong and a brutal fighter, none of which helped in this situation. “All I know is that if we can’t find a way to counteract it, Jessica will die, and soon.”

Tears welled in Tilly’s eyes, but she blinked them back. “I have to go to her.” She started to go around him, but he moved in front of her, blocking her path to the door. She looked up at him. “Get out of my way.”

Phoenix shook his head. “I can’t. She doesn’t want you there.”

“I don’t believe you.” Tilly placed both hands on his chest and shoved. He didn’t budge. “Move it,” she demanded.

“It’s not safe for you to be with her.” He carefully gripped her shoulders and eased her back a step. “Putting the two of you in the same place makes it easier for Hades to get to you too.”

She froze, her body becoming totally still. She swallowed heavily. “Hades is coming for me?”

Phoenix cursed under his breath. He hated having to be the bearer of such news, but she needed to be aware of the danger stalking her. “Hades cannot touch us or the women who freed us from the curse.”

Tilly slowly nodded, quickly following his line of reasoning. “But Jessica and I aren’t included in that no-touch ban. We’re just two humans who got caught up in this whole mess.”

That was the unvarnished truth. Phoenix nodded.

Tilly took a deep breath. “I have to call Sabrina.” She took a step back and he dropped his hands down by his sides. His fingers tingled from where he’d touched her. His cock was swollen and full, which was totally inappropriate given the circumstances, but he couldn’t control his body. Not around Tilly.

He inhaled and almost swore again. Her exotic perfume, a combination of sandalwood and jasmine with just a hint of sunshine and warm skin, was driving him crazy. While he tried to bring his unruly body under control, she dialed her friend’s number. Fortunately, his enhanced sense of hearing allowed him to listen in on her call.

“What’s going on?” Tilly demanded. “Phoenix is here and he said Jessica is cursed.”

“Yes,” Sabrina replied. “Mordecai is with her now.”

“What happened?”

“Some blonde chick came to her table in the Square and pretended to look at jewelry. She asked to see one of the pieces, and when Jessica handed it to her, the woman touched her wrist. It burned her somehow. But it’s more than that. It’s like it’s draining the energy from her body.”

“Son of a bitch.” Tilly glanced his way but he didn’t move. No way was he leaving her alone. “What does the Lady say?”

“They’re cut off from her. They think it’s something Hades is doing.”

“How is that even possible?” Tilly demanded.

“We don’t know, but we’re going to find out. Stavros has gone in search of her. I’ve contacted the other warriors. Everyone is either searching for a cure to this death curse or scouring the world looking for the Lady of the Beasts.”

“What can I do?” Tilly nibbled on her bottom lip. “I could ask Granny Ledet if she knows anything.”

“No,” Sabrina practically yelled. Tilly yanked the phone away from her ear before carefully moving it back. “No, don’t do that. You don’t want to draw Hades’ attention to your granny.” There was a long pause. “I think you need to get out of town.”

“But Hades can find me wherever I go, can’t he?” The last thing Tilly wanted to do was leave her friends.

“At this point, we don’t know how much power he has. What he can and can’t do. We’re all safe from Hades, but you’re not. You need to go away somewhere and take Phoenix with you for protection.”

“I can take care of myself.”

The great bird inside him squawked with displeasure, and Phoenix scowled at Tilly. No way was she going anywhere without him. Because he was lost in his own thoughts, he missed the last exchange between the two women. Tilly was tucking her phone back in her pocket.

“Well?” he asked her, prepared to fight if she tried to send him away.

She straightened her shoulders and met his gaze straight on. “Looks like we’re getting the hell out of Dodge.”