Sounders Hockey Book 1: Forward Defense

MEDA

“Today, the hockey world is in shock as the first female player is signed to the NHL, making history. One can’t help but wonder what kind of woman would dare to compete against men three times her size,” the reporter said.

As Meda made her way through the crowd of fans, she halted and directed her vibrant blue eyes toward the man with the microphone. Her father and twin looked ready to pounce on the guy, but she held them back with a gentle smile and a nod. She approached the reporter, making sure he was focused on her.

“Why not ask the woman herself?” she suggested, her voice smooth. She extended her hand and flashed him a dazzling smile. “I’m Andromeda Dakiedes.”

The crowd buzzed with excitement. The reporter was momentarily stunned, blinking a few times before accepting her handshake.

“Looks like we might be getting an exclusive tonight, folks!” Before he could continue, Meda placed a finger over his lips.

“You asked what kind of woman would dare to play professional hockey.” Her smile turned playful, causing the reporter to swallow hard.

“I am the kind of woman who knows her worth. I come from a family of champion hockey players. I was practically born with a hockey stick in my hand and skates on my feet..

“I am the kind of woman who led her high school team to two consecutive state championships, the kind of woman who still holds the highest scoring record in the NCHL.

“I’m the kind of woman who has worked tirelessly to get where she is today, not because of her looks or her ‘feminine assets’ but because of sheer determination and talent. I am the kind of woman who hopes to inspire young girls everywhere that they can achieve anything they set their minds to, regardless of what the boys say.”

“All I can say is wow,” was the reporter’s response. “I guess we’ll see if you live up to all this hype.”

With another smile, Meda waved at the camera.

“We certainly will.”

Cameras flashed. Someone in the crowd whistled. Meda turned back to her father and brother, who were beaming with pride. Damon draped an arm over her shoulder and kissed her forehead.

“That’s my girl,” he said.

Together, they fought past the rest of the eager fans and stepped into the waiting limo—courtesy of Uncle Dom.

***

Damon’s younger brother Dominic Dakiedes, affectionately known as “Uncle Dom,” owned several trendy restaurants and upscale clubs in the Detroit area. Tonight’s party was at one of his clubs, Persephone’s.

Uncle Dom’s twin daughters, Stella and Alexa, had eagerly gotten Meda ready for the party. Meda knew how to pair her favorite jeans with a cute top, but she’d never paid attention to fashion the way her cousins did. They were tall, gorgeous Greek goddesses. Meda always felt a bit plain next to them.

The twins had outdone themselves. Stella knew exactly how to style her hair. Alexa had found her the perfect dress.

Her usually unruly dark blond curls had been tamed into gentle waves that framed her face. Her makeup was minimal, with smoky eyes and crimson lips. Her crimson dress hugged her in all the right places. It was long-sleeved, dipping from her shoulders in a V shape that stopped just above her cleavage.

Meda had to admit she was feeling her goddess vibe. As she walked into Persephone’s with her dad and her brother, she was all smiles.

When she opened the door, she was greeted by the smiling face of her best friend, Tessandra Pritchard. She immediately enveloped Meda in a hug.

“MEDA, I’M SO DAMN PROUD OF YOU!” she practically screamed. “I can’t believe it!”

“Calm down, Tess!” Meda laughed. “I can’t believe it either.”

Tess was a hockey player too, but she played for the girls’ teams at their high school and later at UMich. Their fathers had once been teammates.

Tess pulled back from the hug and saw her crimson dress. “You’re stunning, Meda!”

“Hey, gorgeous,” Apollo said, stepping nearer. He was dressed in a sharp black suit and crisp white shirt with no tie.

“Hey, Pollo,” Tess responded, her voice breathy.

Meda rolled her eyes. Apollo and Tess had been flirting for years, but neither of them had made a move.

At six foot five, Apollo drew attention everywhere he went. He was tall, dark, and sinfully handsome, just like his father and brothers. Judging by his smirk when he set eyes on Tess, he hadn’t noticed the other women in Persephone’s staring at him.

Uncle Dom joined them and led them to the upper room, which wasn’t as dark. Coach Lubeck and the senior players of the Sounders relaxed by the bar as they waited for dinner.

Meda and Apollo hadn’t met their teammates yet, but they recognized Maxim Sidorov at once. He noticed them approaching the bar. Turning to the twins, he extended a hand and a warm smile.

“Max Sidorov, Captain. I’m eager to see what you can do on the ice. It’ll be interesting to see if you live up to all the hype. Congratulations, by the way, on being the first woman to play in the NHL.”

Meda felt a blush creeping up her cheeks. She was captivated by the stormy gray eyes and smooth Russian accent of her captain. Blinking, she slowly smiled.

“If I didn’t live up to the hype, I wouldn’t be here.”

Max smiled warmly at her, letting his gaze wander over her body before settling on her lips.

“I must say, Andromeda, you’re too beautiful to be playing such a rough sport.”

And there it was. Max, you handsome fool, you just had to put your foot in your mouth.

Without missing a beat, she withdrew her hand and took a sip of her champagne. Looking him straight in the eye, she smiled sweetly.

Apollo groaned inwardly. He knew what was coming. Tess tried to suppress a laugh but ended up snorting instead.

“What can I say? Hockey is in my blood. As for being too beautiful to be interested in such a rough sport, you can judge that when I kick your sexist ass on the ice.”

She tilted her head to the side and flipped her hair, batting her long lashes. “Is that feminine enough for you, big guy?”

Max threw his head back and laughed heartily.

“Welcome to the team, Andromeda. I have a feeling you’re going to make things very interesting.”

“Please, call me Meda. My father only calls me Andromeda when he’s mad at me…which is often.”

***

At dinner, Meda found herself seated next to none other than Blake Reinholdt, much to her disgust. However, he seemed content to ignore her. When Meda and Apollo introduced themselves to the rest of the team, he barely nodded.

His presence was dark and brooding. He said nothing, but it was obvious he hadn’t forgotten her. Meda kept accidentally glancing at him.

Her cousins and Tess were paired with the other players. Judging by the looks on their faces, they were quite pleased.

Dinner, of course, was filled with the family’s Greek favorites. Each table had a mezze platter with bread, olives, and a bottle of olive oil. The platters were followed by a traditional Greek salad, complete with kalamata olives and fresh feta cheese, as well as Meda’s all-time favorite Greek dish, spanakopita.

“Oh my God,” Brandon groaned. “What is this heavenly taste?” He had just taken a bite of the spanakopita.

Laughing, Apollo replied, “That’s spanakopita. It’s a phyllo pastry pie filled with spinach and feta cheese. It’s Meda’s favorite, especially if Yia Yia made it.”

Seeing the goalie’s confused expression, Meda explained, “Yia Yia is Greek for grandmother.”

“This is so good, I could eat it forever and die happy,” Brandon declared, his mouth full.

The main course was traditional lamb souvlaki with roasted potatoes, and the conversation was light and easy, filled with the twins explaining the different dishes and chuckling at Brandon’s enthusiastic eating.

Nikolai Volkov, who preferred to be called Niko, chimed in, “I’ve been to Greece many times. Which part of Greece does your family hail from?”

“Our mom’s side is from Imathia in Central Macedonia. We like to think we can trace our lineage back to Alexander the Great, but you know how family legends are,” Apollo replied.

He glanced over his shoulder. His gaze stopped on Tess at the next table.

“How interesting,” Niko said.

Apollo grunted, barely paying attention to the conversation anymore. He had never noticed before how Tess’s eyes sparkled when she laughed or how her lips seemed so inviting when she smiled. When she sipped her wine, he found himself wishing he was that wine glass.

Meda finished the story for her brother. “It’s a good explanation for why so many of us have blond hair and blue eyes. All the descriptions of the early Macedonians, including Alexander, gave them those features.

“Our dad’s family is from Crete. That’s why he named his only daughter after the princess who was to be sacrificed to the Kraken. If you ever visit Crete, you’ll likely meet the rest of the Dakiedes clan. The island is teeming with them.”

She glanced over at Apollo, who had grown silent.

“Pollo, ti tréchei? What’s wrong?” Meda asked.

“Nothing,” Apollo muttered.

She followed his gaze. When she saw Tess, she giggled. “Den peirázei. Don’t worry about it.” She didn’t need an explanation anymore.

“That is damn sexy when you speak Greek.” A sultry whisper came from her left. It was Blake. His green eyes fixed on her. “I don’t know how Coach expects us to concentrate on the game with you around. You grew up…and out…in all the right places.”

Meda felt a flare of rage. Blake hadn’t changed a bit.

“That won’t be a problem. You’ll be too exhausted trying to keep up with me to worry about anything else,” she retorted, facing him squarely. “Don’t underestimate me, Reinholdt. I am six foot, two inches of badass woman with a hockey stick in my hand. You of all people should know that.”

She stood up and headed to the ladies’ room, feeling the heat of his gaze on her back.

APOLLO

“Why does she have to look like a supermodel?” Brandon sighed. “I mean, I’m okay with having a woman on the team, but I never thought she’d be this stunning.”

The other guys just nodded, apparently sharing his sentiment.

“I thought she’d look more like a guy.”

“Well, boys,” Apollo interjected, “she’s a Dakiedes and our only sister. If anything happens to her because someone can’t handle playing with a ‘supermodel,’ I can’t promise my brothers and I won’t retaliate.”

The table fell silent.

“But honestly, it’s not us you should be worried about. My sister can handle herself. She’ll probably take you down before we even get a chance.”

“But she’s still just a woman.” Blake snorted. “There’s no way she’ll last competing against men. This isn’t high school.”

Apollo laughed heartily at that, finishing his wine. “You still haven’t learned, have you?”

Rolling his eyes, he leaned back in his chair. He eyed the other players at the table.

“Wait ‘til she slams you against the glass. She’s 185 pounds of solid muscle and as fast as a .22 caliber bullet. You can decide for yourself when you’re sprawled on the ice, gasping for breath, whether she’s a match or not.”