For The Love Of A God (19 page)

"So, we're all alone on this,” she whispered.

"Not exactly. Luckily Dionysus here gets bored easily, so he's agreed to help me protect you. And he's hungry for a bit of revenge."

Dionysus crossed his legs, shielding his balls in response. “That sick witch."

"And,” Eryx continued, “I have Apollo and Artemis standing by. They've always been partial to me. We'll keep you safe. We just have to somehow keep you away from her."

"But what about my dad? You expect me to let my father die.” Her voice was distant, cold. “And when he dies, what then? Will she go after my other family? My friends? My associates? When does it stop, Eryx?"

He couldn't answer. It would likely never stop.

"You have to take me back."

"I won't. At least here you're safe."

"But you said I couldn't stay here,” she shouted, losing her last shreds of control.

"I know!” He dug his hands in his hair, hating that his every answer seemed to be the wrong one. “It's true. You can't stay on Olympus forever without being ... like me. But even just another day will give me time to think."

"Think about what? Whether she'll go after my elderly aunt next, or maybe my baby cousin?"

Eryx had never felt so hopeless. Her despair was killing him as effectively as one of Zeus's lightning bolts could. As much as he would have gladly perished to save her, it was no guarantee against the ire of Nemesis. “I can't let her near you. If it's a contest between you and your family, I'll choose you every time and won't apologize for it."

"You have a lot to learn about being human, Eryx.” She pulled out of his arms with an angry jerk. Wrapping the sheet even more tightly around her body, she stared at him in defiance. “And if you won't take me to my dad, I'll find a way off this damned mountain myself!” She turned and fled into the bedroom.

"Maia!” He started after her.

Dionysus stopped him. “Don't. Let me go talk to her."

"Yeah, right. I've seen the way you look at her."

The god of wine pouted. “Now is that any way to talk to the loving cousin who's been putting his divine balls on the line for you?"

Eryx pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling at the end of his rope. “I'm sorry. Your track record is just not very inspiring."

"I realize that. However, I have to admit I find your little girlfriend charming, and it's good to see you're finally getting laid regularly. She's good for you. Let me talk to her, Eryx. It can't hurt."

"I just want her safe, Dionysus. That's all."

"I know."

Dionysus came upon her sitting at the edge of the pool, still wrapped in the silk sheet. He looked at her as if she were much more fetching than she felt. She looked at him, her hair tumbling over her slumped shoulders, and dangled her feet in the water. Ignoring his very annoying and very badly timed hard-on, she watched him saunter over and sit next to her. Maia acknowledged him with a defiant glare, but then looked back at the ripples of water radiating out from her feet.

Dionysus waved his hand and a lime daiquiri appeared. With a smile, he handed it to Maia. “I hear you like these."

She didn't even question it. She just took a long, cold sip and swallowed gratefully. “I suppose you've come to talk some sense into me. Eryx told me how persuasive you can be."

"It's one of my gifts."

"It doesn't sound like it's a very useful one. Seems to me it would be handier to have the ability to turn evil goddesses into toads."

"Oh, but I disagree, Maia. The power of persuasion has always come in handy to me.” He nudged her with his elbow, teasing. “You may think I'm the laughingstock of the gods, but I assure you, I'm not a blithering drunk. We can all be quite deadly when we want to be."

"But no one wants to be. Not in my case."

"Not true. Eryx would kill for you. He'd die for you."

She knew it was true. She'd seen it in his eyes and had felt it in his touch. He loved her more than anything. “I would die for him."

Dionysus offered her a sad, sweet smile. “He won't allow it."

"He's being stubborn."

"Because he knows, better than anyone, what Nemesis can do.” He considered her for a moment. “Did he ever tell you about how Chloe died?"

"He didn't have to.” She cringed, remembering the sight of the terrible knife in her dream, the one Nemesis used to carve up the priestess. “I saw her in a dream."

"Ah,” he said. “Then, you'll understand why Eryx is afraid for you."

Her heart wrenched as she thought of the beautiful maiden in his temple. She felt such an affinity to Chloe, at the same time as she felt jealous of her. It was ridiculous. The girl had died centuries ago, yet here they were, discussing her as if she were more than just a memory. “He really loved her, didn't he?"

"Chloe was an innocent, too much so. She was a pleasant distraction for him, but I don't think she was a meaningful one. I doubt Eryx ever cared for her the way he feels for you."

As much as it made her feel better to hear that, it also made her feel guilty.

"Guilt is a very powerful, lingering thing, Maia,” Dionysus said, as if reading her mind. “Even for a god. Maybe more so. Knowing Chloe died because of him almost destroyed Eryx. And there were others, too."

"There were?"

"Of course. We may be gods, but in many ways, we're also just men. And each time Nemesis got wind of them, each time she suspected Eryx of loving another, she killed them. No preambles, no warnings. Just death. I know of three other women who Nemesis destroyed. And he never even came close to loving them the way he loves you. Is it any wonder he's worried now? For years, decades, I couldn't even tempt him to look at a woman! You're the only one he's ever given his whole heart to. He can't watch you get hurt."

It broke her heart. Eryx had had love snatched from him so many times. He'd denied himself any love for years afterward. He'd chosen to live in hell, all because he couldn't return the affections of a twisted goddess.

"But what am I supposed to do? She'll kill everyone I know."

"Let us sort it out."

"But I've already been here so long. They'll think I deserted my dad."

Dionysus laughed. “Don't be silly. Eryx just brought you to Olympus two days ago."

Two days ago? Her mind spun as she considered the insane possibility. “That's not right... We've been here at least a month."

He plucked her lime daiquiri from her hand and took a manly gulp, finishing it. “There's the beauty of this place. Time goes by real slowly here.” With a last, lingering look at her bosom, Dionysus sighed. “Say, I don't suppose you'd be up for a quick roll in the proverbial hay?"

"Um, no offense, but no thanks."

"Just checking. What would I be if I didn't ask?” He grinned at her. “Don't give up on Eryx, Maia. He's the best person I know, man or god."

Dionysus vanished, leaving her staring into the bottom of her daiquiri glass. As if it were an empty cup stained with tea leaves, she gazed into it, looking for answers she knew she'd never find there. The future seemed so bleak, and she wished desperately she could escape back into the arms of the man she loved. Still reeling from Dionysus's information about the skewed timing on Olympus, she thought of all the ways and all the times Eryx had made love to her. Hard and forceful, claiming her as no one else could. Gentle and soothing, coaxing the sweetest shudders from her body. And always with adoration, with infinite love.

He was her infinite love. And she needed to let him know again before hell's mouth devoured them.

She found him where she'd left him. Sitting on the couch in the other room, staring at the wall. For a moment, she just watched him. His beauty still stole her every last breath away. Somehow, in his pain, his beauty only intensified, making her lungs ache.

But Eryx didn't look broken anymore. He seemed resigned. And as she silently watched, the tiniest of smiles crept across his features, ornamenting his luscious mouth.

Perhaps he had a plan, after all.

He turned and saw her, and his smile became a wider, crooked thing of beauty which made her want to fly into his arms. She dropped the sheet she was still clutching—at the same time he dropped his towel—and ran to him. Their nude bodies wrapped around each other, and his mouth found hers with the ease of one who'd kissed it a thousand times. Somehow, over the course of two unending nights of passion, he
had
kissed it a thousand times. They tumbled to the couch, and he trapped her beneath him.

"Let me love you, Maia,” he whispered, gazing into her eyes with equal parts devotion and dread. “Let me love you again, and then I'll take you home. It's time to end this."

And as his tongue slid against hers in perfect harmony, Maia felt relief. Eryx would bring her home and bring her to her father. Somehow, they'd defeat Nemesis, and they'd be safe. All would be well.

It had to be.

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Jim Douglas was flat on his back on his hospice bed. His face was ashen and his limbs were unnaturally stiff, like those of a corpse. Although Jim's eyes were mostly closed, Eryx could see a slit of white under his lashes. The rolled-back eyes made him look like a zombie from a horror movie.

Nemesis had clearly spun a powerful spell, one which had Jim bound to whatever limbo he was in.

Maia looked just as paralyzed. She was frozen to her spot just inside the room, afraid to go any closer. The look of numb fear on her face ravaged his already-broken heart.

He held her from behind, gently kneading her abdomen. She was rigid under his touch. Cold. Empty. And as much as he tried to console her, he just couldn't warm her up. He brushed her hair away from the back of her neck and kissed her goose-pimpled skin, whispering to her, “I swear I'll fix this, Maia."

"He looks dead.” Her voice was hollow. Just another indication of how fractured her spirit was.

"He's under a spell. I don't think he's in pain, sweetheart. Think of it as a seizure. He's just ... caught."

"And based on what we do, she'll either let him live or die?"

"That's the idea."

She turned to Eryx. “Tell me the truth. Even if she gets her way, she'll probably still kill him. Won't she?"

"It's a possibility."

She sucked her bottom lip into her mouth and gnawed hard on it, agonized. Eryx buried his hands in her hair and made her look at him. Gently, he pressed his thumb against her lip so she wouldn't chew it to pieces. “I'll stop her, Maia. I swear it."

"How?"

"You just leave it to me."

"No. You have to tell me what I can do. I need to help."

"The only way you can help me is by staying out of harm's way. I'm worried enough just having you here with me.” He pulled her close, and she buried her face in his chest. He ran his hands up and down her back, feeling her tremble through her cotton shirt. Oh, to have her back on Olympus, where they could be naked and free and he could feel her silky skin all the time!

And yet he knew he couldn't keep her there indefinitely either. She'd have to be a goddess for that. And he wasn't sure he wanted to subject her to such a rare, terrifying ritual. A ritual so frightening it was barely ever used by the other gods. He'd once toyed with the idea of making Chloe a goddess, but knew now he couldn't have been serious about it. He loved Maia, and the idea of subjecting her to such torture scared the shit out of him.

He was grateful when the doctor walked into the room, interrupting his morbid train of thought. He immediately felt sorry for the guy. The man had dark circles under his eyes which weren't there the last time he'd spoken with Maia, and he seemed afraid to approach her.

"Miss Douglas,” the doctor began. “I don't know how to express how sorry I am. We're at a loss. We've run every test in the book. I don't know what's wrong with your father."

Maia clasped the man's hand and then pulled him into a big hug. “It's okay. I know you did everything you could."

Eryx was floored. She was consoling
him
. Her life was being destroyed, and she still found the strength to empathize with the flummoxed doctor.

Gods, he loved her so much!

The doctor shook his head, rambling more to himself than to anyone else. “I just don't understand it. He was fine the other day. Just as peppy and full of life as the day you saw him. I really was starting to believe a miracle had occurred. One of the new nurses suggested he go out for a walk in the gardens with her yesterday, and Dr. Douglas was excited. He was really excited! And the next thing we knew, he was on the ground. It defies explanation.” The poor man ran a hand through his thinning hair.

"Wait,” said Eryx, feeling a distinct chill down his spine. “Did you say Dr. Douglas went to the garden with a
new
nurse?"

Maia turned to stare at him.

"Yes,” said the doctor. “And it was the strangest thing. Once we got Dr. Douglas inside, she just ... disappeared. We haven't heard from her. She probably couldn't handle the stress when push came to shove. So many people think they can work in a place like this, but then they get proven wrong on their first day."

"Right,” said Eryx drily. “I'm sure that's exactly what it was."

"I'll let you have some time with your father, Miss Douglas.” The doctor patted Maia on the shoulder and left them alone.

She turned tired eyes toward Eryx. “Well, I guess now we know how Nemesis did it.” Slowly, Maia approached the bed and sat on the side, right next to her father's rigid arm. His hand was tightly fisted, and she tried to gently pry his fingers apart so she could hold it. She succeeded in moving his index finger a little and spied what seemed to be a rolled-up wad of paper in his hand. “Eryx, look."

Frowning, he approached. “Step away, Maia.” She moved and he loosened the rest of Jim's fingers. He retrieved the paper and flattened it.

The note simply read, “Come to the museum tonight and bring the girl. If you don't, I'll curse her with an eternity of agony. A pain so intense she'll scream for death."

The flowery script was one he knew well. He'd known it for eons. He folded it up and put it in his pants pocket before Maia could peek over his shoulder and read it.