by Staci Hart
“Tell me.”
“I’m the Goddess of Love, but my love life is so fucked up that even I don’t know how to fix it.”
Perry smiled.
Dita’s eyes didn’t leave the ceiling. “Don’t laugh, Perry.”
“Forest for the trees and all that. It’s always harder to figure out your own shit than it is to sort everyone else’s out for them.” Perry took another bite of her brownie.
“Nothing’s what I thought it was,” she said, her voice flat.
“Ares?”
“Adonis. But probably Ares, too.”
Perry chewed her bite longer than she needed. “Have you figured out whether or not you want to know?”
Dita thought for a long moment. “I don’t want to know. But I don’t think I can avoid it any longer.”
“Okay, well, let’s figure this out.” Perry dusted crumbs off the front of her muscle shirt with a giant sugar skull wearing hipster glasses on it. “What do you have to go on?”
“It’s all the same stuff we’ve always known.”
“Let’s just go over it again. Fresh perspective.”
“Well, Adonis was killed by a boar. That screams Ares. I thought it was him that day, until Apollo showed up and said he had done it.”
“Right, which made sense because you blinded Apollo’s son earlier.”
“That little perv.” Dita huffed. “I don’t care what anyone says. He deserved that.”
“Mmhmm.” Perry had taken another bite and looked like she was in Elysium herself.
“So, another thing is that Apollo hates violence. I just can’t see him tearing someone to shreds in the form of a giant pig. He enjoys being clean too much for that.” Dita rolled over, and Cerberus walked up. She took turns scratching the ears of each of the hellhound’s three heads as his tongues lolled. “Honestly, I could see Ares doing it in a heartbeat, but he swore to me that he wouldn’t. He knows I would leave if he did.”
“Well, technically you left him anyway.”
“Not totally. Not like I will if I find out he’s been lying to me for three thousand years.” Cerberus lay down and plopped one of his heads in her lap. She looked down at him while she rubbed his ears. “I love that bastard. I can’t help it. But I would walk away and never look back if he lied to me about this.”
Dita leaned back on her palms. “The only way he would do it is if he could be protected. I asked him if he did it, after it happened. I even paid him a token, and I asked him again. He swore that he didn’t do it.”
Perry set the brownie in her lap, forgetting Bisoux was there, and jerked it back up when he hopped on the couch panting. “So, an oath?”
Dita nodded. “That’s all that makes sense.”
“Have you asked Apollo?” Perry took another bite and eyed Bisoux, whose tail wagged at the eye contact.
“We haven’t exactly been on speaking terms over the last, I don’t know, three thousand years or so.”
“Seems like you’re close enough these days, don’t you think?” Perry wiped a crumb off the corner of her mouth.
Dita’s lips fell into a small frown. “Yes, it’s just … ”
“You don’t really want to hear the answer.”
“No, I don’t. Plus, if it is an oath, I’m not sure he can even talk about it.”
“You won’t know until you try, will you?”
“No, I suppose not,” Dita answered.
“You should go do that.”
“What, now?” Dita heard the wariness in her own words. She didn’t know if she was ready for that, though she wondered if she ever would be.
“Yes. You should go. Now.” Perry had her mom-voice on, and Dita sighed.
She moved Cerberus’ head and stood to dust the hair off her pants, then scooped up Bisoux, who barked in protest at being taken away from the brownie. “I guess now’s as good a time as any.”
“‘Atta girl. Good luck, Dita.”
Dita took a deep breath and steeled herself as she walked to the elevator.
Apollo heard the elevator ding and turned to see Dita walk in, her little dog in the crook of her arm. She smiled warmly at him.
“Hello, Apollo.”
“Hello, Dita. Come on in.”
She sat next to him on the couch, folded her legs, and turned to face him. She looked nervous, which was unusual, and very disconcerting.
“What’s up?” Apollo asked.
Dita bit her lip. “I need to ask you something.”
Apollo sat back, not sure he was ready to be asked. “Okay, shoot.”
Bisoux trotted to Apollo and licked his hand, and Apollo rubbed his furry head as he watched Dita twist the hem of her sweater, peering at him through thick lashes with worried eyes.
“Apollo, I never fully believed that you killed Adonis. It really doesn’t make sense. Mostly because, well … it’s just not your style.”
Apollo sat very, very still and waited for her to continue.
“You told me you did it. Ares told me he didn’t do it. I used a token on him, and he still said he didn’t. I hung on to blaming you because I was so, so angry. I needed someone to blame. Adonis needed someone to blame. But I never bought it.” She took a deep breath. “So, I guess my question is, did you?”
He swallowed hard. “You’ll have to be specific, Dita.”
“Did you kill Adonis?”
He opened his mouth to say no, but no sound came out.
Apollo wanted to tell her. She had given him Daphne, and he would do anything to repay her. But he couldn’t speak of it. The oath forbade it. The magic was the most powerful bond two gods could make, and they couldn’t do or say anything to betray it. Literally. He couldn’t physically say the words.
Her eyes narrowed. “Apollo, is there something that you aren’t allowed to tell me?”
He sighed, and slumped back into his couch.
“I fucking knew it.” Her voice dropped, the worry gone, her tone dry.
“Dita, I—”
She stood to go and scooped up her dog. “It’s all right.” She touched his arm, the corners of her mouth pinched. “I got what I came for. I’ll find out what happened another way.”
As he watched her leave, he wondered what would happen if she found out. There was nothing he could do but watch, and the thought made him uneasy. Because if he knew Ares and Dita, it was going to get ugly.
Day 9
OWEN RAN HIS FINGERS THROUGH Kiki’s long, silky hair as she lay sprawled over him. Her hair fell across his chest and arms, and he gathered it out of the way so that he could trail his fingertips across the soft skin of her back. She sighed, and the sound of contentment rang in their ears.
Her room was bright in the late evening light, and the sunshine bounced off of the pale gray walls, through the sheer curtains of her window. Fluffy, white pillows were piled behind them, her cushy duvet all around, and Owen wondered if heaven would feel like he did right then.
Kiki must have been thinking the same thing because she sighed again, and asked, “Can I stay here forever?”
His fingers ran up her spine. “Yes, please.”
She lifted her head and rested her chin on his chest. “God, I wish I didn’t have to work tonight.”
“Me too, but I’ll come with you, if you want.”
“I want.”
“Then you’ll get.” He brushed a lock of hair from her face. “How’s Kat?’
“I think she’s coming around. How’s Dillon?”
Owen sighed and slipped one hand under his head. “He’s been a major pain in the ass. As many girls as he’s been with, I’ve never seen him like this. And he’s had his fair share. I mean, you’ve seen him, right?”
“He’s not my type. Not anymore,” she said, and kissed his chest.
“Thank God for small miracles.”
She laid her cheek on his chest and looked up at him. She was so lovely, and his heart beat a little harder. “I can see the appeal. He’s pretty manly.”
“Hey,” Owen j
oked, a mock look of hurt on his face, and she giggled. He smiled, and his eyes found their way back up at the ceiling. “They watch him fight, and they’re goners.”
“Even Kat couldn’t resist. Shocking. I wondered if she’d ever had a reaction to any man like that.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean that instant attraction. I’ve never seen her give a shit about a guy. And up to this point, it hasn’t mattered. She’s got serious opinions about men that I disagree with, mostly because of all the asshats that race her. If all the men I encountered physically threatened me and gave me shit, I’d probably feel the same way.”
“True.”
“But Dillon is different,” Kiki continued. “Something has changed in her. I can see it, and I feel like I’m supposed to help her figure this out.”
“That’s so weird. I feel the same way,” he said.
“It is strange isn’t it? Like I have to help. Like the world is going to fly off its axis and careen into the sun if I don’t get them together.”
Owen laughed and so did Kiki. “It really does feel that serious.”
She skimmed her fingers along his collarbone and continued. “The problem with Kat is that she takes responsibility for everything. Like, everything. And she acts like I’m helpless, and that if she doesn’t take care of me, I’ll end up in a gutter somewhere. It’s because of our dad. He’s different with her. With me, he was always affectionate and sweet. With her … I don’t know. He taught her things, like how to race and how to use a gun. I’m not sure if it’s because she’s the oldest, or just because they’re so much alike. He bets on her when she races, so she feels like she has to win.”
“No pressure, right?”
“He doesn’t mean to, but he puts so much responsibility on her. She’s always been this way. She was the serious one, even when we were kids. She’s a control freak, she always thinks she’s right, and she can’t stand to lose. She feels responsible for me, for our mom, for winning races. She doesn’t ever just cut loose and enjoy herself.”
“You make her sound like such a treasure. Ow!” Owen jumped when Kiki pinched him. “You know, I have to admit, I’m terrified of your father.”
“Well, you should be. But only if I tell him you’ve been bad.”
“You mean bad like Eric?” Owen ran his fingers through her hair, pausing before he asked, “Why don’t you tell your dad, Kiki?”
She pushed herself up on his chest, and her dark hair fell over her shoulders. “That’s the thing. I’m going to.”
Owen dropped his hand, his voice solemn. “I don’t even want to think about what he’s going to do.” He pictured all of the gangster movies he’d ever seen, combining them into a gruesome highlight reel in his mind. “Why the change of heart?”
She bit her lip. “Kat and I got into it yesterday. I pushed her about Dillon, and she made a point that I couldn’t argue with. She asked me what I thought Eric would do to you, if he found us.”
He cupped her face. “Kiki—”
Her eyes brimmed with tears. “Owen, if it’s between Eric being hurt, and him hurting you, I choose you. I can’t risk you. I just can’t.”
Owen pulled her to him, and their lips brushed with tenderness. She rubbed the tears from her cheeks and lay back down on his chest, then gave a sniffle and took a deep breath, exhaling her emotions out.
She found her voice. “There’s another reason I’m calling him, too, this one far less morbid.” She propped her chin on her hand and smiled. “Kat promised she would call Dillon if I called my dad.”
Owen couldn’t believe that, and the idea of both things happening gave him an enormous sense of relief. “Seriously? Do you think she’ll really call him?”
“I’ve been working on her, and I can be pretty relentless.”
“Yeah, you’re a regular hellcat,” he said. She pinched him again.
“She kept telling me that she didn’t want Dillon, and that she was too worried about Eric to get distracted. She admitted she cares about him, though. Hopefully she can let her baggage go for once in her life, or she’s going to end up some crazy roughneck old lady that hangs around biker bars.”
“We couldn’t have that. If she’ll make a move, I know Dillon would go for it. He’s afraid of himself, but I’m sure he wants to try. He’s lonely. I can’t be his only companion forever.” He tucked her hair behind her ear. “I just want him to be happy. He’s suffered his whole life because of me.”
“This is right. We have to do this. I think they’re supposed to be together.”
“Me too.” Owen paused, thinking it through cautiously before asking, “When are you going to call your dad?”
She sighed, the simple breath heavy with sadness. “I don’t know. Soon. I … I just need a minute to wrap my head around it. I mean, we’re talking about murder. A few days can’t hurt.”
Owen nodded. “And in the meantime? Is Kat waiting on you before she calls Dillon?”
“Yes, but I don’t want her to. I just want her to do something for herself, for once.” Kiki lifted her head to kiss him. “I’ve got to get ready for work.”
He squeezed her. “Five more minutes?”
Her lips bent into a smile, and she stretched to meet them with a kiss. “Anything you want.”
Owen wrapped his arm around Kiki’s waist as the headed into the pub, and she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before walking behind the bar. Owen sat on a stool in front of Kat.
“The usual?” Kat smiled at him warmly.
“Wow, am I a regular?”
“You’ve been in here every night that I’ve been here for the last week, so I’d say yes.” She tossed a scoop of ice into the low-ball glass and poured a finger of Glenlivet.
Kiki walked up while she tied on her black apron. “Did you call him?”
She rolled her eyes at her sister. “You know good and well I didn’t.”
“How come?” Owen asked.
“For fuck’s sake, guys.” She crossed her arms and gave him a pointed look. “You should ask Kiki why. She’s the determining factor.”
Kiki put her hands on her hips. “Owen knows. About Dad, about Eric. Everything.”
Her voice dropped. “Everything?”
Kiki nodded.
Kat’s eyes swung to Owen, her face tight. “If you breathe a word, I swear to god—”
His lips were a flat line, his tone somber. “You can trust me. I would never hurt Kiki, or you.”
She looked into his eyes and knew he was telling the truth. Her face was stern. “You can’t tell Dillon. No one else can know, or it could put us in danger. She shouldn’t have even told you.”
“I haven’t told anyone, and I won’t. Not even Dillon. I’m pretty sure that his reaction would be just as severe as your dad’s, anyway.”
She let out a breath and turned to Kiki. “Have you called Dad?”
Kiki’s green eyes were big and wet. “Not yet. But I’m going to, Kat. I mean it.”
She wanted to believe Kiki, but if she jumped the gun calling Dillon, she could lose her leverage, and Kiki had to call their dad. She had to. “I think it’s fair for me to wait for you.”
Owen spoke up. “Kat, she’s going to do it. You can’t blame her for needing a few days before she calls in a hit.” Kiki flinched, and Owen put his hand on hers. “Sorry.”
“Do you want me to make the call?” Kat asked Kiki plainly.
Kiki lifted her chin. “No, it needs to be me.”
Kat let out a breath when she realized that Kiki was telling the truth, too. She would tell Katsu. She even had Owen convinced.
Kat turned and picked up a towel to scrub the bar, nervous at the thought of calling Dillon, as much as it excited her. She had been so awful to him. How could she expect him to accept her after that? “I don’t know if he even wants to talk to me.”
Kiki reached for Kat’s fingers to thread them in her own. “If you don’t take a chance, you’ll never know. If anyone is strong
enough to take you on, I’m pretty sure it’s Dillon. Can you at least give it a shot?”
Her stomach flipped. “What if he shoots me down? He has every right.”
“I’m pretty sure he won’t,” Owen said.
Kiki added, “And even if he does, then you’ll know, right? Don’t tell me you’re afraid to find out.”
“I kind of am.”
Kiki squeezed her hand. “That just tells me that you need to try.”
Kat submitted, surprisingly at ease, smiling as she agreed. “All right, matchmakers. I’ll call him.”
———— Olympus ————
Perry sat on Dita’s couch with a Dum Dum in her mouth as she used her powers to twist the lollipop’s wrapper into shapes like origami. It floated in the air above her as it folded itself into the shape of a horse and galloped in circles through the air.
Dita paced her living room to the beat of the house music that bumped from her speakers.
“There has to be a way we can find out the truth, Perry. Apollo can’t talk about it. It must be an oath. You should have seen his face. It looked like he was trying to swallow a mouthful of garbage. If Apollo can’t speak of it, Ares can’t either. I’ve already tried to get it out of Ares with a token, but I’m sure the oath protects him.” She turned and paced back toward the couch. “I can’t confront him yet, not until I have evidence. I don’t even want to see him. Not that it’s easy to avoid him right now.”
Perry made a sucking sound as she pulled the lollipop out of her mouth. She pointed it at the wrapper horse and closed one eye as it unfolded itself and refolded itself into a bird. “Well, let’s think. How else can we find out what happened?”
Dita turned and started back across the room. “Adonis doesn’t remember much of what happened. I’m not sure he would know the difference between Ares and Apollo in animal form anyway. Apollo can’t speak of it. We’ve got to find someone else to help us.”
Perry shot up off the couch, and the wrapper bird flew into her shoulder. “Oh my gods, Dita.”
Dita stopped pacing, and her brows pinched together. “What?”
“Mnemosyne. Why didn’t I think of this before? She has every memory of every god and man. And, technically, she’s under my jurisdiction. The river Mnemosyne used to be in the underworld, before we moved it into her apartment.” Perry said, proud of herself.