Red Mortal (39 page)

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Authors: Deidre Knight

Tags: #Man-woman relationships, #Goddesses, #Gods, #Paranormal, #Delphian oracle, #Fiction, #Romance, #Paranormal romance stories, #Immortalism, #Daphne (Greek deity), #General, #Leonidas, #Contemporary

BOOK: Red Mortal
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The god cupped her cheek, much harder this time, forcing her to turn and face him. Apollo squatted beside her, one beefy forearm along his table. “You left to follow your love, before I had a chance to explain.”
She swiped at her ugly tears, avoiding his stare. “Explain . . . what?”
Apollo glanced past her, nodding, and she felt a gentler set of hands begin stroking her hair. “Aunt Daphne, you can bring my father to heel. Why do you think you received the prophesies? Karanos and his brethren? Why do you think,” he asked boldly, “that the Highest has made you my father’s greatest weakness?”
She buried her face against the table again, not wanting either of these good-hearted, kind gods to know how truly weak she was. “I have nothing left.”
Incongruous as it was, Apollo released a booming, belly-deep laugh right then. He petted her atop the head. “Oh, Daughter, you have everything,” he said. “But first, let me serve you dinner. And I’ll tell you the secrets of the universe as we dine. You’ll know, then, the truth . . . that you have the world in your hands, and your love’s life, too. You only think it’s the end . . . when it is the beginning.”
Within moments, it seemed, Daphne found herself staring at a plateful of dates, figs, and chicken with rice, all of it making her stomach turn. Apollo, shockingly enough, did not eat at all; he merely sat watching her, concerned with every bite she took.
“You need your strength,” he warned, staring at her untouched plate. “For what’s to come.”
She drank a small sip of water, feigned interest in a fig. “And what’s that?”
Eros, lounging languidly beside her in his own chair, chimed in, “You had a prophetic word. Before you came to see me the other day. Tell us of it.”
Daphne’s head pounded. What did they want from her, these Olympian gods who clearly cared so deeply?
“I . . . don’t recall.”
Apollo shifted in his chair, his big body barely contained by the frame. “I do. I know everything that concerns my Daughters, especially prophesy.” He waved his arms. “Eat! You are going to require all of your strength.”
Daphne nibbled on a small piece of bread, her stomach roiling. “The word came through Emma,” she said quietly. “It was
sacrifice.
”
Apollo beamed, and rose, ladling a bowl of steaming chicken soup out for her. “This will ease your stomach,” he soothed, and she wondered if she was entirely transparent to the powerful god.
“The sacrifice you will make,” Apollo explained, settling his big body beside her once again. “Relates to your original question. You wondered if you can somehow feed your power to Leonidas? The answer is yes. Because he has
my
blood in his veins”—Apollo put a fist to his heart—“you can make this exchange. You’ll add years to his life . . . but it cannot be accomplished without a cost from you. That is the sacrifice.”
Chapter 30
 
D
aphne had her plan now. She strolled into the main dining room of the compound, and as she’d hoped, found most everyone gathered around breakfast. Shay was serving it up, heaping platters of scrambled eggs and bacon and grits.
For a moment, Daphne held in the doorway, just listening to the chatter.
“Well, it’s not like him to take off, not like this,” Kalias was saying.
Straton nodded his agreement. “He’s not thinking straight right now. The last thing he needs to do is run off to Cornwall, his tail between his legs.”
Jax sat down beside his elder brother. “That’s not it. He has a plan, he told me of it yesterday and again on the phone a little while ago. He wants all of us to join him in Cornwall, then he’ll tell us the strategy.”
So Cornwall, was it? Not a surprise—she’d already sensed him there, alone in his towering castle, pacing the halls.
She stepped into the room. “Well, our king isn’t the only one with a plan,” she announced firmly.
Ajax rose to greet her, and they exchanged a quick kiss, first on one cheek, then the other. “I’m so glad you’ve come,” he said low enough that only she could hear. “He can’t do this without you, Daphne. Not what he has planned.”
She smiled up at her long-term, dear friend. “I know.”
She took a seat at the table, and although Shay began to serve her, Daphne held up a hand. “Oh, gods, no! I just ate.” And ate, and ate. Apollo hadn’t been satisfied until he’d stuffed her silly.
Jax sat across from her and gave her a significant look. “He wants Sable. Says he’s a key part of this plan.”
Sophie yelped, a strange little sound, her face alight with excitement. “He’s asked for Sable? Really?” She grew more serious, her hands paused midclap. “I don’t know where he is. I haven’t seen him this morning . . . and you know how he can be, here one minute, gone for hours.”
“I can find him, Sophie,” Daphne reassured her. “Not a problem there for me.”
Ajax let out a long weary sigh. “I just hope Leonidas is right in trusting him.” He cast Sophie an apologetic glance. “No offense to you, Sophie. Leo trusts him, so that’s going to be good enough for me.”
She stuck her tongue out at him. “Oh, and my opinion’s not good enough?”
Mason leaned back in his chair, pushing his finished breakfast plate back. “Cuz, you’d let a wounded grizzly take up residence in your carriage house if you thought it needed you. You’re too compassionate for your own good.”
“It’s not compassion that she feels in this instance, Mason. You of all people should know that,” Daphne said gently.
Mace gave her a curious look. “What’s that supposed to mean exactly?”
Daphne didn’t reply, but let her gaze travel pointedly to the far end of the table and rest on Nikos. Sophie instantly flushed, understanding the implication—that like Mason had done with Nik, she’d fallen in love with Sable.
Ajax patted her hand. “You’ll be riding with me, kid,” he told her. “Hawk style.”
Daphne agreed. “Leo will need you and your healing gift, Sophie. So the sooner we get you there, the better. I will teleport Sable and Shay.”
Sophie stared out the window toward the pasture. “I’m gonna go look for him in the pasture and at the stable,” she said. “Might as well let him get his tantrum done with—because you know there’s gonna be one. Some rage about why he shouldn’t bother helping Leonidas, all that normal routine.”
Daphne smiled at her. “You might be surprised, actually. But yes, please see if you can gain his participation.”
 
On instinct, Sophie entered the barn, searching for Sable. She pulled a giant bull’s-eye on her hunch, too, because in the far corner of the barn, near the saddles and grooming gear, she found him. He didn’t say a word when she entered, and that surprised her. He’d been so mortified when she discovered him here in the barn the other day.
Walking closer, she realized the reason for his silence: He was sound asleep, standing tall, but with one shoulder leaning into the wooden wall. She’d never even seen him sleep before! He didn’t seem to need rest, always living on his boundless Djinn energy.
She moved right up beside him, tiptoeing, and was amazed by how innocent he seemed, asleep like that. All the anger washed out of his face, all the annoyance and rage. He seemed downright serene, lightly snoring, one hand folded against his belly.
She hated to wake him, but they had work to do. Very gingerly, she reached out and touched his hand. He jolted, barking a curse, going wide-eyed. “What in Hades? Sophie?” he glanced around, confused as he woke.
“We’re all going to Cornwall,” she explained quietly. “Leonidas has asked for you to come.”
He blinked back the sleep in his eyes, rubbing his face. “To Cornwall?”
“Yes, to his castle and training grounds there. He says you’re critical to his plans.”
He nodded. “He seems convinced of that for some odd reason. He told me the same thing.”
“So you’re gonna come, then? With all of us?”
“You’re going?” He didn’t like that, not one little bit. She saw the spark in his eyes.
“Just in case . . . I’m needed,” she explained, knowing he’d figure out why. And with the promise she’d made, he wouldn’t be happy about the reason for her participation.
He blew out a weary sigh. “Here we go once again,” he snarled. “You placing yourself directly in harm’s fucking way.”
“Crabby. Remind me to avoid you first thing in the morning from here on out.”
“Remind me to give up protecting you,” he snapped back at her.
She planted hands on both her hips. “Are you coming or not?” she blurted, irritable herself for once.
“How am I supposed to accomplish that?” He glared at her. “I can’t teleport that far . . . don’t possibly have that much power.”
“Homeland Security’s a bitch, isn’t it?” Sophie laughed, popping him on the shoulder. “Daphne said she’d get you there.”
“And how will you go?” Sable studied her through narrowed eyes. She had a strong feeling that the answer wouldn’t make him happy.
“Jax is going to take me.”
“Jax.” The centaur’s jaw ticked, the word barely more than a grunt.
“Ajax. He’s going to fly me there.”
“You. Fly you there.” The ticking became much more pronounced.
She sighed, rolling her eyes. “I’ve got to get there somehow, and Leonidas needs me there because I can help alternate the healing when Ari’s spent. We’ll tag-team it, so you shouldn’t worry because it’s not like I’ll be healing him on my own now, not like before. Which is why I got so worn out, really,” she rambled, hoping that if she talked long enough, that livid expression would vanish from Sable’s eyes.
No doing on that count. He slammed a rear hoof into one of the stalls, the impact so hard that the wood splintered into pieces. Sophie flung out a hand, pressing it into his chest. “Whoa there, stallion! You’re getting a little out of control, don’t you think?” She peered up at him.
He snorted, steam blowing out his nostrils. “Ajax. Ajax Petrakos. You. With him.” He stomped one front hoof, then a hind one. “I don’t like it.”
She gave him an incredulous look. “I’m not
with
him. He’s my cousin’s husband. Geez, you plodder, what’s really wrong?”
“Plodder?” he thundered back at her, switching his tail irately.
“You deserved an insult for being so vile. Here I am, leaving, and you’re going full-deal demon on me. Thanks a whole heap of daisies for that. I mean, it’s not like I know what to expect during this journey. No peanuts, no Diet Coke, just wings and air, I’m told.” She looked up into his eyes. Still such a pretty blue. “And I’ll see you there, of course,” she reminded him softly.
“Your fine Spartan is not someone to trust.”
She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, like I’m taking pointers from you on that front.”
He bent even lower, blowing hot breath against her face. “You should heed my warnings. I’ve told you to stay away from me. You don’t listen. And now you ignore my caution as to that warrior’s nature and his capacity to do harm.”
She cocked her head, studying him. “Did he harm you?”
He reared back. “Go. Now. Take your leave.”
“That’s it, isn’t it? He harmed you in some way.”
Sable fixed his eyes on the far side of the barn, avoiding her gaze. “Go with him and be gone from here.”
“Okay, so maybe I’m wrong. But what’s your beef with him? Other than his being a Spartan? Because a little catch-up moment here—you’re the one who told me you wanted to join them. Just a current events update. Maybe I should tweet it? Put it on my Facebook wall?” She raked a hand through her curls. “And for Leonidas to request you? That’s a pretty fine compliment. And seeing how Jax is his captain and all that, maybe you should start being a little more respectful toward the guy.”
He turned from her. “I was not always this way.” His admission came out as a hiss. “Hideous. Ruined.”
She said nothing, and at first, Sable thought she never would, but then the soft, cool flesh of her hand splayed against his chest. He would not look at her. Would not turn and allow her to see the emotions he was certain were evident on his face. He ground his teeth together. “Ajax robbed me of my wings. Ask him. He will enjoy the tale, I am certain.”
Sophie shook her head adamantly. “I don’t believe that. He’s not a guy who enjoys making anyone suffer.”
“No one . . .” Sable gave her a hard look. “Except his enemies.”
“Then why blame him for what he did?” she asked, and his horns, dormant recently, sprang free. This past, his past, still could bring out the darkness in him.
Sophie glanced at the top of his head, noting his transformation, but to her credit, her tone never changed. “I mean, you weren’t on the same team, right?” she continued.
He pressed his eyes shut, remembering the glory that had once crowned his back—imagining Sophie seeing him as something beautiful. Rare. Handsome.
“Sophie, go,” he begged, not looking at her. He felt his horns lengthen, wrapping viciously into a tangled mass atop his head. “Now.”

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