What a Goddess Wants

by Stephanie Julian

  “Jesus Christ, you sound like a fucking weak-ass sycophant. This is what you get for working with a goddess.”

  But he knew that just working for her wasn’t the problem. He’d started to care for her.

  “Idiot. You’re a fucking idiot.” He stomped on a branch in his path, needing to feel something break beneath his feet.

  When Sal had zapped him back to his trailer, he’d immediately felt like he’d been kicked in the gut. He hadn’t wanted to leave her. He couldn’t shake the feeling that, as soon as he was gone, Tessa would be in danger.

  “This is why you don’t screw around with the people you’re supposed to protect. Gods damn, Dad was right about something.”

  His father had been harder on Cal than any other father had been on their son. Diritas had known Cal’s Fata blood would be a liability. Hell, he’d thrown it in Cal’s face every other day.

  And Cal, like most sons, had wanted to please his father.

  “Yeah, well, you know where that got you.”

  Banished wasn’t the right word because he’d left on his own. Still, after what had happened…

  He felt rage bubble low in his gut and squashed it back into the deep hole where he usually kept it. Anger wouldn’t do him any good where he was going. In fact, he may have to grovel or, at the very least, be civil to whoever met him on the other side.

  Depending on who that was…

  “You know, if you’d been born a pure-blooded Cimmerian, you wouldn’t give a shit about Tessa.”

  He could tell her to go to hell, literally, and that would be the end of it. But for the second time in his life, he’d let someone get close.

  “And you know how well that worked out the first time.”

  Shit. He really hated when he was right.

  With a sigh, Cal stopped to get his bearings, squinting through heavily tinted sunglasses to make sure he was headed in the right direction. And spotted his target only a few feet in front of him.

  Hell, someone could’ve jumped him and he probably wouldn’t have heard them coming. What the fuck kind of protector did that make him?

  “A pretty fucking bad one, that’s what.”

  No, just one who’d fallen for the wrong woman. Just like his dad.

  Yeah, and look at your parents now.

  Shit and double shit.

  Shaking his head, hoping to clear it at least for the time being, he closed the distance to the huge old oak tree that was his target.

  The tree was at least a hundred years old and rose a good thirty or forty feet in the air. He couldn’t span its trunk with his arms, and when he pressed his ear to the bark, he heard the sweet music of nature pulsing through the tree’s core.

  The Fata blood in his veins, so despised by purebred Cimmerians, had given Cal an unexpected talent none of the other Cimmerians had, one many wished they did. And had killed to have.

  Yeah, he really didn’t need to be thinking about that right now.

  Typically, a traveler had to pass through specified gates throughout the world to get to Cimmeria. Those gates were few and far between, making them easier to defend and harder to find.

  But not Cal. He could build a shortcut to Cimmeria, which floated in the mist between the planes of existence, or between this earth and the other realms such as the Greek deities’ Mount Olympus, the Mayans’ Xibalba… and the Etruscans’ Invol and Aitás.

  Cimmeria’s unique position gave the Cimmerians leverage over those who lived on the other planes and wished to use the gates to travel back and forth. About a millennia earlier, the Involuti, the founding gods of the Etruscans and those from whom all other Etruscan deities were descended, had made a pact with the Cimmerians: Shut down all access to the gate to Invol, and you would never want for anything. Guard the gate with your lives, but never reveal its whereabouts under penalty of death.

  Cal had never questioned why the Involuti had brokered that deal and had never cared enough to ask. He only knew that the pact had never been broken.

  At least not until now.

  Taking a piece of chalk from his pocket, Cal stepped in front of the tree and kneeled at the base. With the chalk, he drew the shape of a rounded door on the oak’s trunk. He made sure to start his chalk on the ground before drawing it up and over the bark and then bringing it back down to the ground.

  He’d already taken off his boots and socks, making sure the tops of his feet were shaded. Then he curled his toes into the soil at the foot of the tree, the entire soles of his feet in contact with the dirt. Placing his hand in the center of the outline on the bark, he closed his eyes, gathered his will, and pushed open the door.

  He felt the rough bark of the tree trunk swing back, away from him, and without opening his eyes, he stepped through into the void.

  Even though he’d braced himself, the displacement from one plane to another was a shock to his system. It felt like he’d pulled his body through a sieve, each molecule having to break apart from the others and reform on the other side.

  He fell to his knees, gasping for air, his stomach rocking. If he’d chosen to travel more than a hundred miles to get to the nearest gate, he wouldn’t have had such a severe reaction. Of course, he hadn’t been to Cimmeria for several years so maybe the reaction was worse because of that.

  When he was finally sure he wasn’t going to toss the contents of his stomach, he took a deep breath, feeling the clean air of his homeland filling his lungs. Damn, after so many years of living on earth, where the air was constantly polluted with noxious fumes, this was… well, this was like breathing in a little bit of pure ecstasy.

  He knelt there for a few minutes, letting the dew on the grass seep into his jeans. When his stomach settled, he shook his head and stripped off the hooded sweatshirt, leaving it in a ball by the tree he’d connected to from earth. He’d have to use the same tree to get back.

  Looking around, he noticed that not much had changed since he’d been there years before. Too damn long ago.

  He wanted to stop by his parents’ home and at least say hi. But the circumstances under which he’d left made that difficult, and he’d only managed to get home twice in the past eight decades. If anyone saw him—

  “I see not much has changed for you, Caligo.” The mocking voice came from above. “Let me know if you need a hand up, boy.”

  Fuck. Just… fuck.

  Even without turning around, Cal knew exactly who stood behind him.

  Drawing in a deep breath, Cal pushed to his feet, even though he could have used another few minutes on the ground. Minutes he didn’t have because he needed to get back to Tessa as soon as possible.

  With a concerted effort at a neutral expression, he turned to face the guardsman behind him. Cal bowed his head just enough to pass for respect. “Greetings, Elido.”

  Broad as a bus, with a right hook that could send a man flying at least twenty feet—and yeah, Cal knew that from personal experience—Elido had the dark hair and sharp features that were so markedly Cimmerian. He could have been a poster boy for the entire race.

  Eli smirked and leaned on his staff, as if Cal didn’t warrant being on guard against. Not that Eli thought of Cal as a friend. Not anymore.

  “Long time no see, Caligo. Maybe not long enough. What’re you doing here, half blood?”

  Ah, yes. Some things never changed, for good or worse. “I need to get to Invol.”

  Eli’s eyebrows rose, shock evident on his features. “And why the hell would you want to do that?”

  “You don’t need to know. Just get the fuck out of my way.”

  Eli snorted, shaking his head. “Yeah, well, I don’t think you want to take that tone with me, boy. You know the rules. No one goes to Invol and no one comes out. Even a half blood like you should be able to understand that. What makes you think you’re special?”

  Cal didn’t think he was special. Never had. Too many people had been oh, so happy to tell him how very not-special he was growing up.

  This was w
hy Cal stayed away, though he knew his absence hurt his mother.

  Well, that was going to change. Why should he let the assholes dictate his life any longer? He was older now. Stronger. Possibly stronger than most because of his mixed blood.

  But now wasn’t the time to do a self-psychoanalysis. When he’d made sure Tessa was safe, then maybe he’d set a few new rules at home.

  For right now, though, he’d start small.

  Shaking off the remaining nausea, he stepped right into Eli’s face. The other man barely came up to his nose. Huh. Cal had never realized that before. Something else to thank his mom for.

  “Get outta my face, Sentinel. I’ve got somewhere to be.”

  Cal’s use of Eli’s title was deliberate, and Eli stiffened at the insult. Before Cal had left Cimmeria, he’d risen above Eli in the ranks of the Cimmerian guard. Yeah, he’d been that good.

  That’s right, buddy. I was farther up the food chain than you, and you know it.

  Cal’s rank rubbed most of the guard the wrong way, but his dad remained a high-ranking officer and few would willingly cross him. When that mess with Juliana had happened, not even his dad had been able to control the shit storm and he’d never questioned Cal’s decision to leave Cimmeria for earth.

  But Cal still held the rank of Watchman, one step above Sentinel.

  So suck on that, Eli.

  Apparently Eli didn’t like the taste because his mouth pursed and his expression turned sour. Suddenly, Cal didn’t want to play this game anymore. He just didn’t have the time for it.

  “Eli—”

  “Yeah, fine, whatever.” Eli moved to the side, staring out into the forest, his expression blank. “It’s your funeral, Cal.”

  “Yeah, well, it’s not my death I’m worried about.”

  Fuck, he had a goddamned big mouth. Eli’s gaze sharpened on Cal again.

  “What have you gotten yourself involved in? And why do you need to go to Invol because of it?”

  Cal very nearly told Eli to go fuck himself, but before the words could escape, he bit them back. Many years earlier, he and Eli had been friends. Good friends. Eli was a few years younger, but they’d grown up together, trained together. Eli had been one of the only people, in addition to his parents and a very few others, who’d stuck up for Cal before he’d left. That was probably the reason Eli was still stuck as a Sentinel.

  Cal needed to remember that not everyone had turned their backs on him. And that they’d suffered consequences as well.

  He shook his head. “I can’t talk about it, Eli. I just need to get there unnoticed and then I have to go back. A life depends on this.”

  Eli snorted. “You always did have a soft heart, Cal. It’s gonna get you killed one of these days.”

  No, he didn’t have a soft heart. His heart was titanium.

  Except for one small spot where a gorgeous blonde Etruscan goddess had slipped into it.

  “Fine, just… be careful, Cal,” Eli said. “Invol’s not for the faint of heart. You can be lost there. Or so I’ve heard.”

  Cal paused, hearing no trace of sarcasm or bitterness in Eli’s voice. “Thanks for the warning.” He meant that sincerely because he was about to break a pact that had held for two millennia, and he probably would get himself killed doing it. “But I can’t not go. It’s too important.”

  “Then I hope you accomplish whatever it is you came to do.”

  Before he realized what he was about to do, Eli dug the end of his staff into the ground.

  A loud crack rent the air, and a lightning bolt appeared out of nowhere to strike the ground at the spot Eli’s staff had marked. The jagged edges of the lightning didn’t fade. Instead, they widened until the brilliant flash became a constant blinding glow.

  When the gate was finally big enough for a man to step through, Cal caught a whiff of the stench pouring through. The light and the smell combined to make his eyes tear up. What the hell was that smell?

  “Damn it, Eli. You’re gonna take a lot of shit for this if anyone finds out you opened this gate for me.”

  Eli just shrugged. “Then I guess you better not tell anyone. Here, take this.” Eli whipped something out of the pack on his back and held out a cloak, complete with hood. “You’re gonna need it.”

  Shit. That’s what he smelled. Ozone. Fucking ozone. His gaze narrowed as he watched the sunlight pour out of Invol, gilding everything it touched.

  You’ll be toast if you walk through there, you idiot. You’re crazy. You’ve finally lost it.

  But if he didn’t, Charun would eventually catch up to Tessa and he’d take her. And she’d be gone from Cal forever.

  He knew he wouldn’t want to live if that happened. He was screwed either way. At least if he walked through that gate, Tessa might live.

  Hell, what was life without one really bad sunburn?

  “Try not to get extra crispy, Cal.” Eli’s mocking words held an undertone of caution. “And stay close to the gate. I’ll hold it open for as long as you need me to, but I won’t be able to come in after you. I don’t have another cloak.”

  “If I’m not back in fifteen minutes, assume I’m not coming. And Eli… thanks.”

  Eli just nodded. “No skin off my nose. Don’t do anything stupid and maybe you can save your ass.”

  ***

  “Are you positive this is something you absolutely have to do?”

  Tessa huffed as X asked the same question for the tenth or eleventh time. Sal stood in the center of the living room, arms crossed over his chest, waiting for Tessa to give him the word. She didn’t want to force X to go with her, but neither did she want to go alone.

  Besides, she was a little worried about what Cal would do when he got back and found out she’d left. She didn’t want to leave X to bear his brother’s wrath and she could admit, at least to herself, that neither did she want to face Cal alone when he caught up with her.

  If that made her a coward… well, okay, she could live with that.

  “X, it’s two in the afternoon. Charun doesn’t attack during the height of the day.” At least she hoped he wouldn’t. “I’ll be fine.”

  Which should be true. Especially where she was going.

  X just stared at her for several very long seconds before he sighed.

  “All right, Sal. You heard the lady.” X crossed his arms over his chest. “Beam me up, Scotty.”

  “Always the comedian,” Salvatorus grumbled. “Watch out, kid, or I’ll ship you to Antarctica. Without your clothes.”

  X didn’t even flinch. “Yeah, well, that’d be kinder than what Cal’s gonna do to me.”

  “Oh, suck it up, kid.”

  X opened his mouth to respond but Sal already had his spell in motion. In the blink of an eye, X was winked away from the space where he had been standing to Frentani’s. At least she assumed that was where Salvatorus had sent him. She wouldn’t put it past the salbinelli to give X a detour through a snowbank somewhere.

  When he turned to her, she gave him a smile. “Thank you, Salvatorus. I do appreciate everything you’ve done for me these past few days.”

  Smiling, he swept a low bow. “Lady Tessa, sweetheart, it’s always my pleasure.” When he rose, though, his expression was deadly serious. “That said, don’t go doing anything stupid. X is right. Cal will go ballistic if anything happens to you. The man has more than a passing fancy for you, and that’s something he doesn’t have often. Be safe.”

  A little glow from the thought that Cal cared about her as more than just a job suffused her body with heat. She bent down to press a kiss to Sal’s stubbled cheek. “Thank you. I’m sure everything will be fine.”

  Salvatorus nodded as he touched the center of her chest just above her breasts, and the world flickered around her and went black.

  When color returned to the world, she blinked and brought everything back into focus. And gasped when she realized X had his hands in the air as if he was being robbed and Dr. Eric Frentani held a gun aimed at X’s h
ead.

  “Nice of you to arrive in time to save my head from being blown off, Lady Tessa.”

  She rolled her eyes at X’s smart-ass remark but turned to face the doctor with a smile. “Please forgive my late arrival and my unannounced guest. And I apologize in advance for his mouth. Eric, this is Extasis. X, this is Dr. Eric Frentani.”

  Eric lowered the weapon immediately, gave X a short, sharp nod as a greeting, then turned to her with a much warmer expression.

  “I’m just glad you were able to get here, Tessa,” Eric said as he took her hand and led her through the dimly lit halls of the underground facility that served as the hospital for the Fata. “I’ve put Flavia closer to the surgery room in case there are complications. She’s had a rough time, as you know.”

  The cool yellow walls, the color of the first light of day, reflected the low light and created a calm, tranquil atmosphere that never failed to make Tessa smile.

  Several rooms branched off the main hall, none of them occupied at the moment except for the one at the end, where Tessa could hear Flavia’s heavy breathing.

  “How far along is she?” Tessa asked before they reached the door.

  “Eight centimeters. And it’s taken a damn long time for her to get there. I told her she might want to wait to call you but she’s scared. I asked her if she wanted to call a friend to wait with her but… Well, I still haven’t been able to get her to tell me where she’s from.”

  “No need to push her, Eric. She’ll come around to trusting us eventually.”

  At least Tessa hoped she would. The little gianes had shown up at Salvatorus’s door about two months earlier. Timid, underweight, and barely vocal, she refused to say where she was from, where her family was, or who the father of the baby was.

  At first Sal had thought maybe she’d sustained a head trauma that could explain her reluctance to speak. But when she’d refused to see a doctor, he’d called in Tessa.

  The wood elf had immediately known who Tessa was, bowing and calling her by her proper name. But the girl still wouldn’t tell Tessa any more than she’d told Salvatorus.