Mystic Ink (5 page)

Chapter 5

“Nix, you didn’t mention how gorgeous Calder is.” Tabby pouted. The late afternoon breeze whisked dark strands of hair off Tabby’s face.

“So everyone keeps saying.” Nix was close to her sisters, but she didn’t want to discuss Cal. Yes, he was easy on the eyes. But once his assignment was over, he would be gone.

Chloe rejoined them on the blanket, a cooler in hand. “He’s still in the water? He is going to shrivel up if he stays in there any longer.” She always wore long-sleeved shirts, edges pulled over her wrists, no matter the time of year.

Nix had never learned all the details, but Chloe had been scarred on a mission, badly enough that Nereus permanently benched her from active duty. Whatever had happened, no amount of memory wiping had been able to totally erase the trauma.

“Isn’t he so handsome, Chloe?” Tabby gathered her hair back and wrangled a band around it, forming a short ponytail. “Nix is acting like he’s a troll.”

“He is pleasing to behold.” Chloe pulled open the cooler. “Drink anyone?”

Nix chose a diet soda, then popped it open. Bubbles fizzed, tickling her nose. She enjoyed how the chilled liquid slid down her throat. Her eyes automatically tracked Cal as he swam laps.

“So, Nix, isn’t it exciting? Daddy’s going to buy me a Porsche.” Tabby owned a hair salon—A Cut Above the Rest—over on Greenmanville Avenue. Nereus regularly bought his daughters property like cars, yachts, basically whatever they wanted.

“That’s nice, Tabby.” Nix couldn’t muster up much enthusiasm. It had always felt wrong to be given so much. Nix had started refusing the gifts at a very young age. So far, Nereus had respected her choice. Her mother, on the other hand, never gave her a moment’s peace about it. At least once, every visit, she would have to listen to a lecture from Doris about how ungrateful she was and how it hurt her father that she declined his largesse.

“Why can’t you enjoy all the comforts Daddy gives us?” Chloe tugged on her braid, twirling the end into a curl. With each twist, the late day sun danced warm coppery tones across her red hair. Chloe had never handled confrontations well, preferring to make peace when she could.

Nix released an exasperated breath. “That’s just it. I want to earn things for myself. Not just have them given to me. I’m tired of living in a gilded cage. Except instead of canaries, we’re Dad’s war birds.”

“Don’t be so dramatic,” Tabby huffed. “You always have to be different.”

“Doesn’t it bother either of you that none of us remembers what we do when we wear the Mantle?” Neither sister would meet her gaze. “It bugs me. A lot. Who knows what we’re doing out there. We only have Nereus’ word that we’re serving justice. For all we know, we could be murdering people for money—no better than assassins.”

“Zeus entrusted us to keep the mortal world safe, Nix. Who are we to question him, or our father?” Chloe spoke quietly, the braid pulled over her top lip.

“Zeus, and most of the Gods,
abandoned
us and the mortal race. As soon as Christianity got a foothold, he hid himself away from the mortal plane.” And it wasn’t just the Greek Gods that left. Many of the other Pantheons’ power players left, too. Cowards. The subject always got her blood boiling.

“Oh, look who’s out of the water.” Tabby grabbed a towel, jumped up, and ran over to Cal. Cal accepted it with a curt nod and walked toward Nix. Tabby hung back, her eyes at the level of his ass. She gave Nix a wink and thumbs up.

Good grief
. Nix loved her sisters but sometimes they were so—Nymph-like. Of course Cal wasn’t making it easy for them not to stare. Nix had seen his naked torso once already, but she couldn’t resist. She enjoyed the view. He swiped the towel across his pecs then down his abs, the water erased by the cloth’s path. Maybe he needed a hand . . .

She was doing it again! The ogling just had to stop.

Tabby tittered, “So, Cal, is our sister treating you well?”

Nix froze as Cal turned to face Tabby. She didn’t hear his response. She couldn’t take her eyes off the network of scars that laced across his back. The orange glow of the setting sun highlighted the grooves, deepening them into cruel gashes. They looked like—whip marks. Demigods had nearly superhuman recuperative powers, so in order for the marks to be permanent, they must have been administered by a weapon of the Gods.

A finger snapped in her face. “Yo, Nix! Are you listening?” Tabby asked. “Cal’s offered to grill on the barbeque pit tonight. And after, he’ll start us a bonfire. Isn’t that great?”

“Yeah. Super.” Nix forced her gaze away, fixing it on the water.

Chloe stood up. “Come on, Cal. You can help me. I’m in charge of dinner tonight.”

“What is your problem?” Tabby dropped onto the beach blanket next to Nix, her eyes tracking Cal as he walked back to the house with Chloe. “That man is hot. Totally doable.”

“Don’t you think about anything besides sex?” Nix wasn’t in the mood to debate Cal’s finer points. The scars bothered her. They brought back unpleasant memories of war camp. Some things were not so easily forgotten. Their teacher, Shyama, had been a harsh taskmaster. When it suited her, she had many arms and eyes.
The more to beat you with and catch you being lazy
, she had said.

“Nix, you’re doing it again. Staring off into space. Maybe you need to think about sex.” Tabby gathered up her belongings. “Or better yet, go
have
some hot monkey sex with your handler.”

Nix clenched her jaw, biting back the harsh response on the tip of her tongue. Sex was the last thing she needed. Unlike her sisters, Nix couldn’t give her body without handing the male her heart too. No empty one-night-stands for her.

Exasperated, Tabby shook her head, then called over her shoulder. “Bring the blanket when you’re done brooding.”

Cal had forgotten how clear and beautiful the night sky was by the ocean. The backbone of the Milky Way glittered with a thousand stars, unfettered by clouds or light pollution. He admired the vista while stacking dry logs in the stone-lined fire pit.

Chloe and Tabby had stuffed him to the gills with a splendid meal of baby back ribs, corn on the cob, and savory mussels. Despite his protests, they insisted he save room for S’mores. After all, they pointed out, they couldn’t let the bonfire he was building for them go to waste. Nix hadn’t said more than two words to him the whole time. In fact, she had barely eaten, which was unusual because he knew, from past experience, she could tuck away food. Something was bothering her, and he was going to find out what it was.

“Do you like to dance, Cal?” Tabby approached with some beach chairs and a portable stereo—the kind where an MP3 player plugged into the center.

“Sometimes. Depends on how much I’ve had to drink.” Truth be told, he wasn’t a very good dancer, at least not at modern dances. If they were dancing a reel or a waltz, he could hold his own.

Tabby laughed. “We could get you drunk if you’d like.”

Cal shook his head. “Sorry. Not tonight. Technically, I’m on duty.”

“Speaking of duty, here come Miss Grumpy.” Tabby arranged the chairs and set up the stereo on a blanket.

Nix shot her sister a dark look, then placed a basket laden with graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate bars on the seat of an empty beach chair. Her other hand held a cooler, which she dropped on the sand with a soft thunk next to the chair.

“I can hear you, Tabby. I’m not deaf. Or grumpy.” Nix sat in a chair, flipped open the lid of the cooler, and pulled out a Dionysian Nectar.

Cal’s mouth watered, imagining its cool, sweet taste. Nectar was a rare treat, only made by the children of Dionysus.

“I would offer you one, Cal, but you
are
on duty after all.” She gave him a half smile as she popped the cap then took a long gulp.

Cal busied himself with the logs, tearing his eyes away from Nix. Even in the dim light, he could see the frown lines around her mouth. He wished he could kiss them away. Since he knew that wouldn’t be welcome, he went back to stacking wood.

Nix crossed her lean legs, her ankle twitching as if following a beat only she could hear. Pity she had to cover up the little bikini. She had traded it for a pair of ass hugging cut-offs and a tight tank top. Not a bad trade off. His eyes followed the ale bottle as she drew it up to her lips. Several times, at dinner, he had caught himself staring at her mouth, the few times she chose to eat. A sharp pain bit his finger. The logs had shifted, reminding him that needed to focus on the task at hand.

With the wood arranged to his satisfaction, he stepped back and held his hand above the pit, concentrating a small flame into the pile. Heat raced through the core of his body and jumped from his fingertips, exhilarating, yet dangerous, at the same time. Children of Ares who failed to master the flame, or who gave into the rush and allowed it free reign, could easily be consumed by it. Seconds later the wood was engulfed.

Tabby clapped her hands. “That’s great, Cal. It takes us forever to get a fire this nice.”

“Most of the time it just smokes or sputters out.” Chloe had joined them with long skewers in hand. “Here, everyone take one.”

Amidst jokes and laughter, Cal managed to eat enough S’mores to satisfy Tabby and Chloe. Belly full, he collapsed against the back of his sand chair. He lazily watched as the sisters danced on the beach together. A few songs in, Nix finally broke out of her funk and joined them. Maybe it was all the Nectar she had consumed, but whatever caused it, Cal enjoyed watching her loosen up. Even better, Nix’s lithe body moved to the rhythm, her cares seemingly set aside. This was the female he remembered—the real Nix—uninhibited and ready to take on the world.

The song switched and the women shouted in unison, “Bad Romance.” Tabby cranked up the volume.

“Lady Gaga!” Nix called to Cal as if he lived in a cave. The song only played on the tattoo shop’s radio at least sixteen times a day. Jason called the singer ‘Lady Gag Me’ behind Nix’s back. Another reason he liked the guy.

Of course, when Nix was working, she didn’t dance, not like she was doing at the moment. The sisters clearly had a routine worked out. They sang to the lyrics perfectly, dancing in step and moving like the beautiful Nymphs that they were. Cal was mesmerized by the orange firelight glinting off Nix’s bare shoulders. He concentrated on the fire, willing the color to blue, and was met with a chorus of delight. The change in hue, along with their gyrations, highlighted their flesh, giving it an eerie, silver tone—the silver tone of a Destroyer when she wore the Mantle. The color of certain death for anyone she targeted or who was foolish enough to get in her way.

Memories slammed into Cal’s mind with the force of an angry Minotaur.

Talus’ heart, still beating, clenched in a silver hand.

The gaping hole left behind as his friend’s body crumpled lifeless to the ground.

Talus’ hollow, sightless eyes—

Cal cut off the unwanted visions and let the flames slip back to orange.

Tabby and Chloe let out disappointed moans as he walked away from the fire.

Nix stopped dancing. The change in Cal’s face, from enjoyment to darkness, grabbed her. She knew the expression. It was the same face he had worn when he told her about his partner’s death. Without a second thought, she left her sisters to their fun and followed his path.

He wasn’t far. She found him leaning against the rock seawall, partially hidden in darkness. Flames danced in his eyes, casting harsh shadows across the planes of his cheekbones.

“Hey, you okay?” Nix joined him against the wall. After a moment, she hoisted herself onto the edge making her more equal to his height. “Talus?”

“Yeah,” his voice rasped.

“I’m sorry.” She didn’t know what had set him off, but somehow she felt like it was her fault.

“It’s not your fault,” he said, as if he heard her thoughts.

“Can you read my mind?”

“No.” He swallowed hard. “There’s a reason your father allowed me to be a handler. I have firsthand knowledge of post-traumatic stress.”

Nix nodded, “That’s Nereus. The grand puppet master.” Would he ever stop using them all?

Cal shook his head and turned to face her. The shadows disappeared from his face, erased by soft glowing lamplight from the houses that lined the shore. “Don’t judge your father too harshly. You have no idea what a truly manipulative parent is.”

“Ares.” Nix’s pulse sped up as Cal focused his eyes on her, the flames still dancing inside his pupils.

“Yes.” Cal moved in front of her. “Would it surprise you to learn that I asked to be assigned to your case?”

“Why?” she blurted out. Realizing that sounded harsher than she meant, she softened her voice. “I mean, why me?”

He didn’t respond immediately, his face shut down tight. After a moment, his shoulders relaxed and he gave her a smile. “I’ve been admiring you from afar for a long time.”

What?
She bit the word back. “I . . . I don’t know what to say to that. Why?”

Cal lightly pressed his chest against her knees causing her breath to catch. His body was so warm, like beach sand on a hot sunny day. “You’re different.”

What the hell does that mean?
Instead she asked, “Different, like weird?”

“No. Like brave. Compassionate.” He leaned in closer, the contours of his muscles hard against her shins as he lightly traced a line up the back of her calf with his finger. Shivers danced under skin. Heat traveled up her spine. He added, “I like that you’re outspoken and not afraid to be true to yourself.”

She was speechless for a moment. The angry flames in his eyes had dimmed to a comforting amber glow. “I don’t have a great track record with relationships.” The words spilled out. She was sure he already knew the story. Everyone did. “I should have known better than to get involved with a Son of Apollo, but Nate Adonis charmed me. He actually had me convinced that he would be waiting for me when my tour of duty ended. I was such an idiot to believe his line of bullshit.”

“Don’t think about him right now.” Cal squeezed her knees. “Nix, look at me.” She complied. His face was serious, his gaze capturing hers. “I’ve been hurt before too. This isn’t easy. For either of us. But I have to know if you would at least . . .” he breathed in hard, then words rushed out on the exhale, “. . . give me a chance. To prove to you that not all males are alike.”

Blood pounded in her ears. She must be drunk. Cal was one of the most desirable males in The Delian League. She had no idea that he had even noticed her before being assigned as a handler. They had been in the same room, maybe half a dozen times. “This isn’t some line. Is it?”

“No.” He grabbed her hands. His palms were as warm as his chest, the heat pleasant against her skin. “It’s not. I swear it.”

For a beautiful moment, she let herself imagine a life with Cal. To be with someone who cared about her, someone honest. To know love. She could love this man. He was sought after not only for his stunning good looks, but because he treated others with respect. Hell, he had been putting up with her shitty attitude for several weeks with a smile and infinite patience. She smiled.

But then, reality crashed in. There was no way. Her life wasn’t her own. The Delian League owned her. It was her duty to be a Destroyer—that was how she was raised—to put the needs of humanity before her own. Very few of her sisters had married: Amphirite to Poseidon, Thetis to the mortal King Peleus, and Galatea to Polyphemus. Well, Galatea’s relationship with the Cyclops was plain tragic.

Her heart ached. A large lump welled in her throat and threatened to choke her. “Cal,” she whispered, “I can’t.”

Cal raked his fingers through his hair, letting out a heavy sigh. “Nix . . . all I ask is . . . don’t shut me out.”

The sadness in his eyes killed her. She wished things could be different. “Cal.”

“Please.” He gently tilted her face up, his eyes pleading with hers. “Don’t say no. Not yet.”

Nix never got to reply. The surf behind Cal foamed and churned. Bright light glowed under the water.

Cal whipped around, following her line of sight. “A Nereid?”