Apple of Fate

by Elle Beaumont

  “I’ll find better help.”

  * * *

  The next day, when Delia FaceTimed him, he brought up the open positions.

  “What? You don’t want me to leave Turkey?” Delia teased. “I don’t know. How often would I have to be in the office? Would I have to move here?” She lowered her voice, leaning closer to the phone. “I don’t know how I feel about moving.”

  Acontius wasn’t certain, but he’d have time to ask Artemis. “Send me your resume, and I’ll forward it to Arty.” The idea of Delia staying here, living within miles of him, was euphoric, but what did she want?

  Acontius hoped that a life with him was exactly what she wanted, because then she’d get to live.

  “I’ll see what I can do, but it wouldn’t hurt to send the application to Arty. Besides, I don’t want you to leave. Think of the fun we could have in more than two weeks! But I know you have a life in Florida.”

  She sighed on the other end. “I know.” Despite the sigh, she was smiling at him from her hotel bed, surrounded by pillows and her dark hair. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow. I’ve got to get to bed. Another round of sightseeing and eating tomorrow. Sleep tight.”

  When the call ended, Acontius stared at his Home screen and groaned. What was he doing? Did he actually want Delia working with him, with Jonas and Artemis? Gripping his head, he let out a frustrated growl.

  Delia

  * * *

  With only four days left in Turkey, apprehension filled Delia. She frowned, zipping her makeup bag. In a few more days, she would be off to Greece, and then back home too soon after. What she needed to do was make the most of what she had left, knowing Conner didn’t hold a place in her future.

  She checked her reflection to make sure no mascara was smeared beneath her eye. Gold eyeshadow accented her warm tones, adding more depth to her dark brown eyes. From the days in the sun, her skin was a deeper tan, which complimented the soft yellow blouse she wore.

  “I’ll call you when I get to Selçuk, Dad. I promise. It’s just an interview. I highly doubt I’ll land the job considering I live in the states…” If she landed the job, Delia would need to reassess her living situation—or work something out with the museum. That was the entire point of the interview, to see if this would work, and if so, how.

  Her father walked across the room and hugged her tightly. “Delia, I have something to say. It’s something you brought up a few months ago, about our last trip. I’ve been thinking about it.” He brushed her braid over her back, but as her phone rang, she turned away.

  “I’m sorry, Dad! When I get back, we can talk about it.” She quickly leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his cheek. Her purse hung on a coat rack, and under it sat a day bag full of clothes and a toothbrush for an overnight stay. She promptly plucked both up and hurried out the door.

  In a few hours, she would be with Conner. Butterflies danced away in her belly as she thought of him. It was silly to think it’d only been a week since meeting him, but she felt connected to Conner far more than she ever had with anyone. Being away from him felt strange—like a part of her was being pulled taut.

  She bit her bottom lip, smiling broadly as memories from their recent day trip played in her mind.

  Conner turned toward her, glancing down at her from on top of the hill. His thumbs hooked into the straps of his backpack as he watched her climb. A broad smile tugged at the corner of his lips as she made it to the peak.

  Delia planted her hands on her upper thighs, sucking in deep breaths. It was her brilliant idea to race up the hill. “Gah. Bad idea,” she rasped.

  “You said you wanted to run it.” He shrugged his shoulders and motioned to the view.

  “Oh my gods... Look at that.” Delia closed the distance between them and leaned against his side. “This… is absolutely beautiful.” A breathtaking view of sapphire water stretched out before them. The mountain range dove into the water, looking more like a god’s hand pressing down into the surface than anything. “Thank you for bringing me here.”

  “Thank you for sharing the moment with me.” He dipped his head and kissed her slowly.

  * * *

  Just a fun vacation, she reminded herself. Nothing more. She wasn’t ready for more, right? Her fear ramped up. What if this was a start of something serious? What if he, like the others, left her?

  Once in the SUV, Delia called Conner and started the long drive down to him. She slid into easy conversation, laughter, and the previous fluttering she’d felt returned tenfold.

  Two hours into the drive, the call ended, and a few hours after that, she arrived at Conner’s place.

  He wrapped his arms around her, spinning her around. “Psychi mou,” Conner murmured and leaned in for a kiss.

  “Your soul?” Delia’s heart leaped at his words, and she met him halfway for a kiss. “You cinnamon roll.” She raked her fingers through his hair and smiled. “When am I supposed to be meeting Arty?”

  Conner’s shoulders slumped “She’s already waiting.” He lifted a hand to cup the side of her face, his gaze searching hers. “Delia, I have something to talk to you about.”

  Delia grimaced. “Waiting? That’s not nerve-wracking or anything.” She paused, blinking. “Can we talk later? All I’m going to focus on is the interview.”

  He nodded. “Of course… it can wait. Besides, you’ll do fine,” he reassured her, and kissed the tip of her nose. Pulling her into his side, Acontius led her to his car. “My shift begins soon. I’ll bring you.”

  And he did. But during the drive, Conner seemed off to Delia, like he was withholding something from her, which seemed odd. What did he have to hide from her? They’d both agreed to let happen whatever may happen.

  On arrival at the museum, Conner escorted Delia in, and they parted ways. Arty was supposed to meet her at the front desk and go from there, but she was nowhere to be seen.

  Milling around the museum, Delia stopped at an interesting piece: a statue with a broken off nose wearing a robe of animals carved into it. Goat heads peered lifelessly from their place in the headdress, and lions perched on the statue's forearms, while bull testicles hung from where the female figure's breasts would've been. And on the legs of the gown, lions sat stacked on top of goats, which were stacked on top of leopards, and deer. Artemis.

  “It’s peculiar, isn’t it?” a male voice asked from behind her. “How they used to symbolize things back then. This represents so much of our mother goddess. Her nurturing ways, her ability to protect and provide for her people, all wrapped in a statue.”

  Delia turned her head just enough to inspect the speaker. A museum name tag declared his name was Jonas. She forced a tense smile and nodded. “I know. Most think those are rows of breasts, but are, in fact, bull testicles. It’s believed to symbolize the castrated priests who served her.”

  The museum employee, allegedly named Jonas, raised his eyebrows and grinned at her. “Well, someone has done her homework.”

  “I’ve been here a time or two.” She returned her gaze to the statue, hoping the man would go away and leave her until Arty came out. With a hopeful glance, she scanned the area for a woman, but there was no one else, not even Conner.

  An uncomfortable feeling crawled up Delia’s spine, forcing her to turn and look at the lingering man. “Can I help you?”

  He took a step back, clearing his throat. “Sorry. I’m waiting for an interviewee.”

  Delia’s eyes widened. “I’m waiting to meet Arty for an interview…”

  “Oh, you must be Delia. You’ll be joining me instead. Arty is in a meeting with a few archaeologists. I’m afraid she cannot attend. I’m Jonas, an educator here.” A smug expression drew his lips upward into a mockery of a smile.

  In her mind, a warning alarm blared. She didn’t want to be stuck in a room alone with this man. “I didn’t realize educators could interview people,” Delia deadpanned.

  “When you’ve worked with the director long enough, you can.” Jonas motioned t
o the hallway.

  Reluctantly, Delia followed him down the hall and into a room set apart from prying eyes. Instinctively, she kept her hand on her keys hanging from her purse as she sat down.

  Jonas glanced at the stapled papers in his hand. “I received your resume. Impressive, and we definitely need to refresh our marketing ideas.” Jonas sat on the edge of the desk, leaning in toward Delia. “I like these pamphlets you had made for your prior place of employment.”

  Delia’s pulse throbbed in her skull, deafening her.

  “So, tell me about yourself.”

  Delia wetted her lips, trying to focus on the question. “I’m a self-starter, and I enjoy the challenging aspects that the work can often present…” She glanced up at Jonas, and red rushed into her cheeks. The look in his eye told her he didn’t care about what she was saying, nor was he listening.

  Just as Delia went to stand up, the office door opened. She twisted in the chair to investigate and saw Conner’s face. Relief flooded her at once. But why wasn’t he with a tour group?

  “Arty wants you, Jonas. She’s in her office.” Conner walked inside, thumbing toward the hallway. Immediately, Jonas’ demeanor changed, and the nice guy persona faded.

  “How convenient,” Jonas spat as he shoved Conner with his shoulder.

  Delia’s face fell into confusion, but Jonas’ sudden attitude change also set her on edge. How dare he snap at Conner! How dare he shove him!

  Once Jonas disappeared into the hallway, Delia visibly relaxed. “Thank the gods, I was getting ready to stab him if he got any closer.”

  “Should’ve,” Conner quipped. He sighed and shook his head. “It’s your decision, but I think…”

  “If working here means spending alone time with him, I’m out. I don’t need this job that badly, and I will not subject myself to that.” Confusion rumpled Delia’s brow. “Why are you here?”

  “When I learned Arty was in a meeting and he was going to interview you…” His lips twisted. “You’re right to not trust him.” Conner paused, leaning down to brush a kiss on the top of her head. “Take my car back to my place, pick me up at five thirty, and we can spend the night together.”

  Although wasting a few hours in his apartment didn’t sound ideal, it would be worth it to grab dinner with him.

  Delia stood from the chair. “Do you think he would’ve hired me?” She tilted her head, and one dark brow lifted in question.

  “I imagine so. We need employees. But do you want to work with him?” Conner’s lip lifted in disgust.

  “No, not really.”

  “I don’t want to work with him either.” Conner chuckled and pulled his keys from his pocket. “Make yourself at home. I’ve got plenty to eat there as well.”

  Sighing, Delia moved toward him and brushed a kiss to his cheek. “I’ll see you later.”

  A part of her wondered what hidden secrets his apartment held, if any at all. So, with one more parting glance, she left the museum and headed toward his apartment.

  The inside, as she’d seen on their FaceTimes, was fairly simplistic. White walls, no pictures, but tidy. No television, but Delia knew he owned a laptop for work purposes.

  A bookshelf as tall as her sat against the wall, crammed with books, mostly on archaeology or history. But there were some gems amongst them, ones that had Delia laughing out loud.

  Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

  American Gods

  Good Omens

  A person's book collection said a lot about them, and this one was rather eclectic. Conner’s taste in books were quirky, darker reads.

  After milling around his apartment and finding nothing incriminating, Delia plopped down on the couch and took out her phone. She figured she’d better call her father to ease his wild imagination. Otherwise, he’d be calling in reinforcements in no time.

  Somehow, her father had come up with over an hour’s worth of conversation. Mostly he spent the time discussing opportunities back at home. Her father wanted her to work with him so desperately, and she realized the idea didn’t seem so off-putting now.

  She was no stranger to work.

  Groaning, she reminded herself this was a vacation. Why in Hades’ name was she thinking about work, or even trying to apply for a job? “You’re an idiot, Delia,” she whispered, and curled up on the couch.

  Mindless scrolling through the internet it was then.

  * * *

  When five o’clock rolled around, Delia pulled up to the curbside at the museum and hopped over into the passenger seat.

  Conner slid into the car and pulled his sports jacket off. His bright hazel eyes bore into Delia, making her insides turn to jelly. He had no right being so beautiful.

  “Are you ready for a fun night?”

  The way he said it was innocent enough, but Delia wanted more than chaste kisses. She wanted to explore the lean muscles of his body, and although she did want food, she wanted him more.

  “We don’t have to go out.” She leaned forward and placed a soft, lingering kiss to his lips.

  He chuckled against her lips, drawing the kiss out in a slow, sensuous dance. “But we do have all night.”

  “Good point.”

  “Besides, I have an idea.” Conner winked as he drove away from the museum. “One of my favorite places to go when I need to clear my head.”

  Delia bit her bottom lip, wondering what was on his mind.

  In a few minutes, they arrived at Pamucak Beach. People still combed the sand or swam in the sea's warmth. It was still full of life.

  Once the car was off, both of them removed their shoes and headed for the sand. With the sun beginning its descent, Conner wrapped his arm around her waist and focused on it. “This is what I’d like to do every night,” he murmured against her temple.

  His words, innocent but full of so much emotion, tugged at Delia’s heart. She didn’t want to leave him behind as just a memory of her trip to Turkey. Twisting away from the view of the sunset, she lifted herself on her toes and kissed him softly.

  Conner pulled away, cupping her face. “Delia, I have something to tell you. My name, it’s really…”

  A crack sounded in the air like a bolt of lightning, but no flash came.

  Delia stood stunned, her eyes boring into Conner’s, but they weren’t on her. They focused on something behind her. As she turned, she realized it wasn’t something, but someone.

  A beautiful woman strode forward, flanked by two canines. She was glaring at Conner and Delia. “Acontius.”

  Confusion swept through Delia. “Acontius?”

  A slow smile spread across the woman’s face. “That is his name. The name I gave him, and the name he’s had since before the Ottomans stole away pieces of Greece.” She bared her teeth as she drew closer. “And he has lied for long enough. You lied to Jonas today, you’ve been lying to Delia, and you’ve been lying to me.” The air around the woman shuddered. The business suit she wore tore away, like fingers were clawing at it, shredding it until bare skin appeared. However, in place of the vanishing fabric, ivory cloth appeared until the woman stood in a shortened chiton. She looked like a Greek goddess come to life.

  Was this some kind of trick? Delia frowned.

  None of the beachgoers seemed to notice the magic act. No one even glanced in their direction.

  “Artemis, no. I still have time left.”

  “Oh, you do. But you’ve lied to me, and I am not keen on liars.” She flexed her hand, fingers pointing toward the hounds at her feet.

  Delia pulled away from Conner, eyeing the woman incredulously. “What is going on?”

  A bow materialized in the woman’s hands. Artemis, her name was Artemis. As in the goddess?

  “Acontius, why don’t you finally spout some truth?” The hounds at Artemis’ feet sprung to life, lips curled and teeth bared as they stalked forward.

  Stepping backward, Delia looked to Conner in panic. “What... what?” He’d lied to her? It wasn’t as if this “truth” w
ere believable, and despite what her eyes showed her, Delia wasn’t sure what she was seeing was even real.

  “Delia, I… my name is Acontius.”

  Acontius

  * * *

  As the hounds crept closer, Acontius extended his arm and pushed Delia behind him. This wasn’t how he’d planned on revealing the truth to her.

  Artemis pulled the strands of the glamor tighter, shielding them from the people at the beach, hiding them in plain sight. After centuries with the goddess, and receiving her blessing when he was an infant, Acontius could feel the construction of the glamor.

  She could end Acontius’ life, and none would be the wiser.

  “I have… much to tell you. I am not mortal. I am one of Artemis’ hunters, sworn to remain pure and serve her. She once saved my life, and I was granted immortality.”

  Delia gaped at him, lifting a shaking hand to her lips. “W-what? Are you kidding me?” Her voice climbed in pitch, breaking at the end. “This isn’t real. This can’t actually be happening.”

  “Oh, it is. I assure you,” said Artemis. “I don’t know what game he is playing, but he belongs to me and can never be yours.” She held her bow upright, tilting her head as she nocked it. “Acontius, say goodbye to this form.”

  “No. We made a deal, Artemis. Are you saying you lied to me?” Acontius stepped forward, ignoring the posturing dogs at his sides. One of them was Jonas, and the other some wretched human who’d lost himself along the way. “You are not a villain. Don’t do this. You are a goddess, and you are just. I…” He tore his eyes away from her swirling silver pair. “I wanted a chance at an actual life! I never… I never had a choice. You cannot in honesty say that I had one, can you?”

  Artemis faltered for a moment.