Beauty's War (Gods Reborn Book 1)

by Anna Edwards

“Gods,” she repeats with sarcasm lacing her tone.

  “Yes. What do you know about Roman Mythology?”

  “Mars.” A moment of clarification flashes over her face, and she pales even further. “You’re the God of War?”

  “Yes. The one and only.”

  “But aren’t you evil? I mean in that Wonder Woman film I watched, a few months back, you wanted to kill everyone.”

  The urge I get to kill, every so often, resurfaces at that comment. I’m never portrayed well in modern history. That’s one thing that went wrong when the humans first discovered us. They made up so many stories about us. Just because I’m the God of War doesn’t mean I advocate it. I spend more of my time trying to prevent the idiot humans from trying to kill each other than declaring invasions on different countries. And don’t even get me started on the number of children I’m supposed to have had. I wrap myself, well normally, but I think we’ll discuss that at a different time.

  “My role is to try and prevent war, not create it.”

  “You’ve had a few slip ups over the years, then.”

  “One or two...thousand. I’m amazed humans ever get on with each other, considering their penchant for destruction.”

  “Who do you think I am?” She sits forward on the sofa. Her arms rest on her lissome legs.

  “I can’t tell you. It’s something you need to discover yourself.”

  “Right,”–she rolls her eyes– “you know, if you hadn't made that spear thing disappear and me move through space, I wouldn’t believe a word coming out of your mouth, right now.”

  “It’s a lot to take in.”

  “So, your father, he’s like the God of Gods, isn't he? What’s his name? Zeus?”

  “Zeus is Greek Mythology. My father is Jupiter, and yes, he’s the King of Gods. He’s also the owner of our law firm.”

  “So, the Roman gods are lawyers in Rome. I think I need a drink.”

  I get to my feet and go over to a cupboard that contains a decanter of rich red wine. I pour her a glass, hand it to her, and then take a seat on the sofa, this time. She downs the glassful in one.

  “It’s good.”

  “Should be. It’s a recipe given to me by Julius Caesar himself. I have vineyards up in Tuscany, making it to his exact specifications.”

  “Julius Caesar.”

  “Yes.”

  I await a witty response from her, but this time, she bursts into tears.

  “I’m scared.”

  I scoot forward on the seat and bring her into my arms.

  “You’ll remember soon. It’s a lot to take in.”

  “I need to put it aside, for now.” She breathes in deeply. “I need to focus on Susan.”

  A knock at the door interrupts us.

  “Enter!” I shout. My brother Apollo comes in. He looks defeated, and I know instantly the news I’m about to deliver to this woman who is slowly entwining herself around my heart. I wave him away.

  “Who was that?”

  “Apollo.”

  “The God of Music?”

  “Amongst other things.”

  “He didn’t say anything?”

  “He didn’t need to. It was written all over his face.”

  “What was?”

  I take a deep breath.

  “I’m sorry. They didn’t reach Susan in time. She’s dead.”

  Chapter Eight

  VICKY

  Susan is dead. Mars’ words ring through my head. The wail of denial is ripped from my chest and escapes through my lips. Shaking my head, I curl my hands into fists. This was supposed to be fun. Me and my best friend forever. A trip of a lifetime. Not a fucking nightmare. I feel like I’ve fallen down a fucked-up rabbit hole.

  “No...no, you’re lying!” My clumsy attempt to strike him is quickly disarmed.

  Hand manacling my wrists, he draws them against his hard-muscled pecs, at the same time, snuggling me closer into his comforting embrace.

  I don’t want his comfort. It's his fault I'm here. Whatever weird shit I’m mixed up in, none of this happened before we met him.

  “I’m so sorry, Vicky.” His softly spoken words are sorrowful.

  My tears fall faster, and my shoulders are shaking. I can’t stop the torrent that’s been unleashed. “Sh..she can’t be..be dead.”

  Mars rocks me gently but doesn’t say another word.

  Pressing my face into the warm flesh of his chest, I let my misery run its course. I don’t know how long we sit there. By the time I’m done, my exhaustion is heavy. As awareness returns, I find myself snuggled on his lap. His larger body is my haven.

  “Bring her back.” Voice hoarse, my tired gaze flicks up to his face. “If you're a god...if we’re gods, we can bring her back.”

  Sad brown eyes meet mine. “That’s not how it works.”

  “Bullshit.”

  A long sigh escapes him. “Only certain gods have power over death, and neither you nor I are one of them.”

  “Then find one who does.”

  “Vicky, trust me, you wouldn’t want to meet the one who does.”

  “Why?” I ask, pulling myself free of his embrace. Slipping off his lap, I stand on unsteady legs. I’m abruptly aware of the smell of sex in the room. His cum still oozing down my thighs and sticky in my panties from where we fucked on his table.

  “Because he’s the one who was hunting you.” Mars informs me. Although he remains relaxed, I sense he’s poised to catch me if I fall.

  “No one was after me until I met you,” I accuse, eyes narrowing with my rising anger. “My life was normal. Susan...Susan was alive.”

  A shadow of emotion I can’t identify passes over Mars’ face, sending a nerve ticking in his tightening jaw. “You were on their radar before we even met.”

  “If I can’t bring my friend back, then I don’t want to be like you.”

  “Bella, you don’t have a choice. Now we’ve met, things have been set in motion. You’ll remember, and your powers will return.”

  That knowledge terrifies me. Will I still be me or someone else? Is what he’s telling me true? Am I an ancient goddess? The idea is absurd, but I can’t discount what I’ve seen with my own eyes. A dull ache pulses through my forehead, signaling an oncoming migraine.

  “I need to use your bathroom and clean myself up.”

  A frown crinkles his brow at my change of direction and my clipped tone. “Of course. I’ll show you where it is. Take your time.”

  Closing my eyes for a second, I wince as pain lances behind my right eye.

  “Are you alright?” Mars asks in concern.

  Absently, I massage at the spot, trying to rub away the discomfort. “Headache.”

  “There are painkillers in the bathroom cabinet.”

  I sense him, moving closer. A tingle of air sends goosebumps over my skin. Eyes popping open, I take an instinctive step back.

  His expression darkens, and he regards me with a brooding look. “You don’t have to be frightened of me, Vicky. I’m not going to hurt you.”

  Crossing my arms under my breasts, I refuse to meet his eyes. “I’m not.”

  Mars doesn’t move. The heat of his gaze on my face makes me blush, but I don’t look up to meet it.

  “I’ll show you the bathroom and get you those painkillers,” he says, finally, after it feels like an eternity has passed.

  Following him from the room, I glance around the bedroom we enter. It’s huge. Decorated in dark blues and black, every inch of it screams masculinity. It lacks a woman’s touch.

  Mars directs me toward a door. Pushing it open, he shows me into a luxurious en-suite.

  “Tablets are here. You just need to take two.” Moving to a cabinet, he efficiently retrieves a packet. “I keep them for guests as I don’t use them myself.” He hesitates but doesn’t continue.

  I’m thankful he doesn't. I’ve taken as much as I can, right now, and maybe he realizes anymore, and I might break.

  Arms still wrapped around my middle, I
watch as he places the foiled packet next to the sink.

  “Towels are on the shelf. Use whatever you like.”

  I don’t answer. Instead, I wait patiently for him to leave.

  The second the door clicks closed behind him, I let my shoulders sag. Thinking is almost impossible with the growing headache. Plodding to the sink, I free two pills and swallow them down. Relief can’t come soon enough. With the pounding in my skull increasing, it feels like my head might explode. I don’t bother to check for a lock on the door. With Mars being able to magically appear and reappear, there’s no point.

  Finding a large towel, I leave it out on a nearby chair. The process of undressing is slow and shaky. I’m so drained everything becomes an effort.

  The hot water does little to revive my senses. I’m lost in a fog. A haze that’s enveloped my grief-stricken mind.

  It’s enough, though, to scrub myself clean, wiping away Mars’ scent and the evidence of our coupling. I still can’t believe we had unprotected sex. I’ve never been so stupid in my life. Always been so careful.

  Slipping from the shower, the towel is soft and comforting as I dry every inch of my skin. Exhaustion hits me again, harder this time. I don’t try to fight it. Maybe it’s still the effects of the drugs or the emotional turmoil. All I know is I need to sleep.

  Spying a robe on the back of the door, I unhook it. It swamps me as I drag it on. The material feels expensive, and Mars’ smell lingers on the fabric.

  Padding out into the bedroom, I find it empty. Guess he’s decided to give me space after all.

  Voices murmur, muffled from the other side of the door, which has been left ajar. Straying closer, I listen.

  “How is she?”

  “Scared, confused, which isn’t surprising, really.” Mars replies to the stranger’s voice.

  “I don’t think fucking her so soon helped things.”

  A strained pause follows. “She draws me like no other female ever has. It hasn’t been easy to control myself around her, and I…”

  “Slipped up.” The other male finishes on a sigh. “You’re supposed to gain her trust not complicate things further.”

  “I think things are beyond complicated right now, no matter what I’ve done.”

  “You’ve got that right. Keep her here at all costs–we can’t afford to lose this one.”

  The distinct sound of glass clinking reverberates. Are they having a drink? Adding ice maybe?

  Quietly as I can, I close the door, deciding at the last second to lock it. It might not stop Mars, but it will keep any human intruders out, which brings me a small measure of comfort.

  Dragging my feet toward the bed, the soft mattress catches me when I drop. Lethargy has a hold over me not even I can shake. Curling onto the bed, I let it cradle me. Before I’m settled, my eyes droop closed.

  “Vicky.”

  “Susan? You’re alive!” Blinking in confusion, I glance around the strange room. What happened to the bedroom? How the hell did I get here?

  Rough rock makes up the walls. Uneven, crude, it’s like someone has chiseled them into life. Stark white bones gleam from their positions around the room. It looks ritualistic.

  “Vicky, please, you have to help me.” My friend’s voice is pleading. Pain resonates in her words along with her terror.

  Barefoot, I creep over the smooth, fine sand, which makes up the floor. “Where are you? Why can’t I see you?”

  She’s nowhere in sight. Light dances across the strange walls from the flaming torches hanging on metal brackets. It’s odd. Medieval. As if I’ve taken a step back in time. Without windows, I have no way to tell where I am. Yet, it feels as if I’m underground. Somewhere deep and hidden.

  “I don’t have time to explain. This is a dream, but I’m communicating to you through it. There’s a church, Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini, I’m there. Please hurry. I don’t know how long I have until they come back.”

  I know the place she means. A church famous for its crypt of human skeletal remains believed to be those of Capuchin friars who’d been buried there. One of the places we were supposed to visit.

  “Stay where you are.” I tell her, urgently, turning in a circle yet still not locating her. “Mars can help us.”

  A sob follows my words. “No… don’t...he’s one of the men who took me. They want to hurt me. They have already. He...he told me I was special. A goddess...then he raped me and tortured me...”

  My heart twists. I trusted him. How stupid he must think I am. I’d been dumb enough to believe his story that Susan was dead, and he was saving me from some great evil. This has to be a sick game to him. What he did to my friend, he probably has the same planned for me. After all, what do I really know about him apart from, supposedly, he’s the God of War? He could be just feeding me lies.

  “He’ll hurt you too, Vicky,” she continues, desperately. “Oh god, the things he did to me. Don’t be blinded by the pull he has. A feeling of connection. It’s a trick to reel you in.”

  I can’t abandon her. Won’t. Not now I know she’s still alive, and I can save her.

  “I’m going to get you out.” I tell her–my voice strong with resolve. “Hide if you can and wait for me. I’ll get to you as soon as I can.”

  Susan doesn’t answer.

  The subterranean room melts away in a growing fog of swirling white.

  Chapter Nine

  MARS

  The wine sticks in my throat. I don’t want to be sitting here with my brothers and father drinking and making plans. I want to be in my bedroom with Vicky, holding her to ensure she’s ok. In the space of a few hours, she’s had so much to take in, and I know she’s falling apart. She may not have come into her powers, but the confusion and anguish surging through her body is felt deeply in the pores of mine.

  “Mars?” my father speaks, and I’m drawn out of my reflections. “What do you think about getting Vicky out of Rome, maybe take her to Tuscany?”

  “Until she’s seen her friend’s body, I doubt she’ll want to go anywhere.”

  Apollo shifts uncomfortably in his seat.

  “I’m not sure that’s a good idea. They messed her up pretty badly.”

  “Something tells me I won’t have the option to stop her.”

  My father chuckles.

  “She’s definitely Venus. I remember her being so stubborn.”

  “I’ll talk to her in the morning. Look, I don’t mean to be rude, but I think I should go and check on her.”

  Hercules and Apollo look at each other, and their mouths drop open. My father just sits back in his chair with a contented look.

  “It’s happening,” he states.

  “What?” I ask.

  “The joining of two gods. It’s such a special thing. I thought it was just you showing off your virility, as usual, and disobeying my rules about getting to know her as a friend, not a lover. But, no, I see now you didn’t have a choice. She really is calling to you.”

  “It’s strong.” My answer is blunt. “Nobody’s ever held this amount of power over me before. She silences the war with only a touch.”

  “That’s because she’s your equal, my son, go with it.”

  Hercules and Apollo both laugh.

  “The great lover’s going to be off the market. Might mean we get first choice of the women for once,” Hercules states, flexing his arm muscles.

  “Not if you go around doing that you won’t.” I roll my eyes and place the wine down on the table.

  My father stands and walks toward the door.

  “Apollo, Hercules, come. We have things we need to be working on. Hercules, see what you can do to make Vicky’s friend more suitable for inspection.”

  “What?” Hercules moans, “Really? I hate that job.”

  “It’s your turn so stop complaining.” My father leaves, and my brothers follow with Hercules still complaining. I pick up the glasses and walk them to the kitchen sink where I clean them under the tap before putting
them on the draining board to dry. I’ve always been a little bit of a neat freak. I guess when you hear chaos on a daily basis you need some normality and order in your world. The ever-present headache I’ve had for the last few days has returned, and I rub at my temples to try to dispel the pain. The voices are loud, tonight. I’ve been trying to focus on Vicky sleeping in my bed, but they keep interrupting the silence of her slumber. I’d heard her turn the lock. She knows it won’t keep me from entering the room, but still, she did it. Was it because of her lingering doubts as to my part in all of this, or her sheer terror resulting from the death of her friend and the knowledge she’s a god? Mind reading is one power that I’d really like to have, but unfortunately, it escapes me.

  I flick the light switches off and stride purposefully toward the bedroom. My path is blocked, though, when Bellona materializes.

  “I’ve just spoken to your father.” I look her up and down. She’s dressed in only a lightweight robe. “He told me what happened.”

  Without thinking about it, I allow her to lead me to the sofa. She takes a seat next to me and perches on her knees. I’m still topless, having not bothered to dress properly when it became obvious to my father what Vicky and I had done. Bellona uses her hand to massage my shoulders. I know I’m full of tension and relax back into the softness of her caress.

  “You shouldn’t be here,” I finally speak.

  “How can I not, when I know you are suffering?”

  “You aren’t my official consort, Bellona. Just the woman I go to when I need no strings attached sex.”

  She halts her ministrations to my shoulders and then resumes with the pressure of the massage increasing.

  “I’m the one you come to when you need release from the stresses of your day.”

  “I’ve had my release today, thank you.”

  She turns her head toward my bedroom. I know she finally feels Vicky’s presence in my bed.

  “Does your father know?”

  “Yes,” I reply curtly.

  “That’s not a method I’ve seen your men employ before. Fuck the goddess before she even knows she is one.”