She’d also pulled the mass of her honey blonde hair back in a band. He liked it all tumbled around her shoulders. She had hair meant for burying your hands in. He wondered how she would blush if he told her that.
“I’m sorry about keeping you, but I really appreciate your help.”
“No problem. You can pay me back with dinner sometime.” Well, that was smooth.
She looked totally shocked. “Th-that’s the least I can do.”
“I’m just teasing.” He fought for a way to soften his words and it backfired. “I saw some things we can use to block up the door until you can get it fixed.” He decided to shift to a safer subject before he really put his foot in his mouth.
“I didn’t ask how you ended being out so late. Did you just get off work?” She walked with him to the back.
Alex winced. Luckily, she was turned away and couldn’t see it. “I was taking Apollo out for a walk.” Sorry boy. He sent a mental apology to the dog for making him the fall guy. But how did you say you woke up after dreaming that she was waiting for you in a meadow of flowers? And it was part way the truth, but it was him that needed the walk when he’d awakened. Apollo just got dragged along, not that he ever complained about going for a walk.
“Well, I’m glad you were here.”
There was that blush again and the nervous movement with her foot. Was she going to run again?
He placed another crate in front of the door. “I think that should do for the rest of the night. I’ll come help you move them in the morning.”
“That won’t be necessary. I can manage them.”
“No problem, besides I’ll have to come by anyway to get Apollo.”
“Get Apollo?” She looked at the dog laying a few feet away.
“Yeah, I’ll feel a lot better leaving him here the rest of the night. You’ll probably sleep better knowing he’s around. You’ll be perfectly safe with him. No monsters will get you,” he added with a smile.
He caught the nervous glance she shot over her shoulder and wanted to kick himself for bringing up something like monsters after she’d had someone hiding in, for all purposes, her home. But she would be safe with Apollo.
“You’re sure it’s all right?” Relief was strong in her voice.
“It is. He has a thing for you.” That was so true. He’d never seen Apollo take to anyone the way he took to Andra, except him. They were partners from first sight. “He’ll be as good as gold. Hear me, partner?”
Apollo looked from one human to the other as if in agreement.
“Thanks.”
Silence fell between them.
“Well, you’ll have to let me out the back door.” He motioned to the stack of crates. He’d better get out of there fast before he did something foolish, like kiss her. He really wanted to kiss her. Alex shoved his hands in his pockets and followed her to the back door.
“Reset the lock,” he instructed and had to keep from wincing and tried again. “See you in the morning.”
“Goodnight.”
“Stay with her,” he said when Apollo went to follow.
The dog looked up at her and leaned against her leg.
“As I said, he has a thing for you. Good night.”
Alex waited and listened until he heard the door lock before turning to head for home. It was different not having Apollo at his side. For the last eight months, they had been together continually, but he felt better having Apollo where he was tonight.
His thoughts remained on Andra as he lay back in his bed. Andra in her jeans and sweatshirt with touches of paint stains. Andra in her sexy little sleepwear that showed so much of her incredible legs. Andra in the silky tunic from his dream.
***
Apollo walked with her, pausing in front of the painting a second before following her up the stairs. She reached down and stroked him. It felt good having him there. Maybe she should think about getting a dog since there was no way Alex could keep letting her borrow Apollo.
“You’re such a good boy, aren’t you?” She knelt down, cupping his face. She had no doubt Apollo could be dangerous, but she felt no unease around him. Not like Alex, and truthfully, it wasn’t really unease she felt around him. It was, she could swear, like she was pulled to him. It reminded her of when she opened the crate with The Olympus Game that morning, like opening destiny. She looked back down the hall toward the gallery and another shiver ran through her.
“Goodnight.” She pressed a kiss on the dog’s head, turned out the lights and slid into bed. Apollo sat there a minute then padded down the hall through the family room. Andra was about to call him back when he stopped, turned in a circle, then settled on the balcony right outside her door as if he was stationing himself so he could keep an eye on her and the gallery. She really did need to think about getting a dog was her last thought before sleep swept over her.
The deep amber eyes staring at her over a long snout were the first things Andra saw when she opened her eyes the next morning. One eyebrow kicked up at her inquisitively.
She laughed. “Good morning to you, too. I take it, since you’re here, it wasn’t all a dream. I also presume I need to take you out.” She swung her legs over the edge of the bed. “At least, turn your back while I change,” she said to Apollo when he watched her every movement.
His head lowered, and he turned to go out to the balcony to wait for her. They were just on their way downstairs when there was a pounding on the back door. Apollo’s ears kicked-up, but he didn’t bark.
“I think that will be for you.”
Apollo was out the door as soon as Andra opened it.
“Hi, partner. Miss me?” Alex rubbed the dog’s neck roughly in greeting, then looked up to her. “Did you get any sleep?”
Andra wondered if she looked that bad. “Surprisingly, yes. I slept very well. Thank you for letting Apollo sleep over. It was comforting knowing he was there.”
“You’re welcome. I was wondering if you’d like to join me for breakfast.”
Andra was so surprised the words caught in her throat. “I think I owe you.”
“No, you owe me dinner. Breakfast is on me.”
The touch of a smile on his lips made her heart catch. “Okay.” She managed to get out.
His lips twitched again.
Her heart was pounding when they stepped into Betty’s Basket, the small bakery that was one of the morning meeting places on the block.
“Mornin’ Andra, Alex,” the owner greeted as they walked in. “What can I get for ya?”
Alex directed her in front of him so she could pick from the array first. “A small cinnamon muffin and a berry wiz smoothie.”
“Okay,” the woman said and turned to Alex.
“A large cinnamon roll and I’ll try the berry thing. It’s all together.”
The woman’s eyebrow arched, but she didn’t say anything as she turned away to get their order.
“You know, we’re going to have everyone on the block speculating that we’re dating,” Alex said as he slid in the chair across from Andra.
“There goes your reputation.” Inside, she groaned knowing he was right.
“It’s okay. My reputation can use the boost of a lovely woman.”
Andra was so startled by the compliment she wasn’t sure what to say but was saved by Betty bringing their food.
“I heard about what happened at your gallery. You okay?” the woman asked.
“Fine. Nothing was stolen.”
“Still, that must have been so terrifying. My heavens.”
“It’s all right. Alex let me keep Apollo last night.”
“Well, thank goodness for that. Otherwise, I doubt you’d gotten any sleep.”
It looked like the woman was settling into talk when another patron flagged her away.
“I have to go to work soon. Will you be okay today?” Alex asked.
“I’ll be fine. Everyone’s opening up now, and like Betty, they’ll have heard what happened. They’ll keep an eye on m
e. As soon as I get back, I’ll call my insurance agent and get someone to come replace the glass.”
A clattering of dishes startled Andra, and she looked up just over Alex’s shoulder and froze. The man looking back at her was totally unfamiliar to her, but there was something about his chiseled features, dark hair and eyes that struck a chord and left her cold.
“Andra,” Alex said her name, leaning forward to touch her hand. “Is there something wrong?”
“What?” She glanced at him. When her gaze returned to the doorway, the man was gone.
“What is it? Who did you see?”
When she looked back to Alex, he was studying the back of the shop where she’d been staring.
“I’m sorry, I just saw−” Then it hit her, The Olympus Game. He was from the demon side, with the claws for nails. “Someone from a painting I received.”
“I don’t think I understood that.”
“It doesn’t matter. I think it was just my imagination. It’s been a weird twenty-four hours. Talking about which, I really should get back to the gallery.”
It was amazingly comfortable walking with him. Andra didn’t know what shifted, but she felt at ease with Alexander Haydon. He left after he helped her move the crates they had used to block the door, and Andra got to work on getting the door set to right.
She was talking with the claim inspector when the feeling of being watched washed over her. She scanned up and down the street, not seeing anyone but was unable to shake the feeling.
Andra saw the man from the painting when she was watching Mr. Kelly install the new glass, or at least, she thought she saw him. It was like her mind was playing tricks on her. One second he was there, the next he wasn’t. She couldn’t even seem to bring up a clear picture of him in her mind.
As soon as Mr. Kelly left, she went to the painting. Studying each detail of the demon-man until his image was clear.
Seeing Alex and Apollo in the painting calmed her, and she wondered if maybe someone in the neighborhood did the painting, but she knew all the artists. It didn’t seem to fit any of them. The detail was so incredible, not that some of the artists weren’t extremely talented, but The Olympus Game seemed to supersede normal talent. Now, that was fanciful.
No, whoever painted it must live in the area to paint Alex and Apollo so perfectly. The dog was certainly Apollo. The color markings were too distinctive not to be him.
What was weird was she had never noticed the man who posed for the demon side before today, and now she was certain she’d seen him at least twice. It must be that he’d been there all along, and she just didn’t notice him. Though, after living there for fourteen months, she knew most of the regulars.
Andra started to work on a complete inventory at the request of the insurance man. As she moved around the gallery, she was aware of being watched, but it wasn’t the same feeling as before. She glanced at the painting. Sure enough, the eyes seemed to be on her. She shrugged it off, but after ten more minutes of not being able to shake the feeling, couldn’t take it any longer.
“Enough,” she said aloud, then was grateful no one else was in the shop at the moment. She went to get the silk drape that had covered the painting in the packing crate. When she tried to place it over the painting, she found she just couldn’t. It was like her arms wouldn’t make the movement, and her heart hurt at the idea. After the fourth failed attempt, she gave up.
“All right, but I’m giving you something else to look at.” She turned the easel to face the window. She’d no sooner picked up her clipboard before the first person walked in wanting to know about the painting. It then became a steady stream, with people staying and staring at it, some for hours.
The cookies she kept for clients on the little serving tray given to her by her aunt all disappeared. Betty brought over two more boxes and stayed thirty minutes marveling at the painting and, like everyone else, she commented on how much the humans in the painting looked like her, Alex and Apollo. The impromptu showing continued on until almost an hour past closing.
When she finally got the door locked and the sign turned, she slumped back against it, exhausted. For a rough starting, the day ended up being amazing with sales surpassing any day before. Eight paintings in one day was a record for her. She pushed away from the door, going to the The Olympus Game, turning it back to face the center of the room.
“I don’t know what to do with you, but you have sure brought me luck. I’m in the clear for like the next six months. Thank you.”
The eyes in the clouds seemed to pick up and twinkle with brightness.
“I think it’s time I get something to eat.” As she walked upstairs Andra realized if it wasn’t for Daniel from the deli bringing her a sandwich when he came in to see the painting, she wouldn’t have had anything to eat all day but for the muffin and smoothie with Alex that morning.
Was it really just that morning? It seemed forever ago. She brought up Alex’s image in her mind but it kept shifting between him as a police officer, him in jeans and a T-shirt, and him as the hero in the painting. The funny thing was-they all seem to blend into one.
***
Alex slowed then decided to park in front of Andra’s gallery. It was foolish because the chances of whoever was in her shop the night before coming back were nil, but having a police vehicle in front was a good deterrent. All the lights were out. He got out and stretched. Even Apollo acted tired tonight.
It had been a long day. He’d worked his shift and the better part of another with the hunt for a missing child. But, it had all ended good. He reached down and patted Apollo’s head. They’d found the boy safe and sound, though a little scared, hugging a tree because that was what he was told to do if he got lost in the woods.
He sighed. He was hoping to see Andra tonight. Things were looking up between them. They’d had a date. Well, maybe the breakfast was stretching it for a date, but he’d asked her out and she’d accepted. Everything was going great until she’d seen someone who’d spooked her. He wondered who it was.
The excuse that he looked like someone from a painting didn’t quite wash. He wished she would have told him. He wondered if it was the person who’d been in her gallery. She said she hadn’t seen him and he didn’t think she’d lied, but what was it she wasn’t telling him? He didn’t like her keeping secrets, especially if she had a stalker.
That made him pause. The thought of someone watching her, terrorizing her, unsettled him. He studied the front of the building. She must’ve gone to bed early. After the night before, he couldn’t blame her. He was ready for some sleep himself.
“Come on, boy. Do your business and let’s go home.”
***
He was standing in the small meadow again. He could feel the fragrant air stir around him. The mountain peak rose impressively behind him, but that wasn’t what held his attention. Andra sat by the small stream. The tinkling sound of music reached him, and he realized she was humming to it. He started toward her, Apollo at his side. When Apollo growled, he looked over.
The monster standing at the edge of the woods watched her with unholy anticipation. The monster extended one boney, clawed finger to her and motioned her to come to him. Andra must have seen the movement because her humming stopped, and she pulled back. Alex stepped between them.
“You can’t have her,” he shouted.
“Oh, but I will.” The words came in a whispered, scratchy sound that grated over him. “I will have it all this time.”
“No.”
The man stretched his hand out toward him. Alex felt the claws dig into his flesh. He jerked up in pain and became aware of Apollo on the bed, growling.
“Hey boy, you know you’re not allowed on the bed.” He pushed him off and stood. Looking down, he saw faint red marks on his chest. The hurt faded as he rubbed his hand over them. “Next time you need to go out, just bark.” He reached for his pants and shirt.
“Next time you need to go out, just bark.” He reached for his pants
and shirt.
Chapter Three
Everything was so beautiful. Andra stretched out her legs and tilted her head back, letting her hair fall free down to the ground. The sun warmed her face. Light, soft music reached out to her, and she started to hum, feeling the gentle notes wrap around her. The sensation of being watched shattered the mood.
She saw him at the edge of the woods, focused on her just as he had been all day. When he reached out his hand toward her, she could see the fingers were tipped with the thick, sharp claws. One finger pointed to her then slowly curled back toward him in a motion to come. Revulsion filled her, she pulled back.
A sardonic smile twisted his mouth. “You can’t win this time.” The raspy words filled her head. “Give yourself to me, and I can save you.”
“No,” she cried.
Alex stepped between them. The beast snarled and struck out toward him. Pain flashed on Alex’s face.
If you are interested in The Olympus Game you can find it and any other of my books on Amazon.
Happy reading.
Alysia S. Knight
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