My Date From Hell (The Blooming Goddess Trilogy Book Two)

by Tellulah Darling

  Having just lived a life’s worth of emotions in a few seconds? It short circuited me.

  I burst into tears.

  Kai wrapped his arms around me, murmured that it was okay, we’d find another way to get them back.

  I raised my tearstained eyes to his and shook my head. “You don’t understand,” I said. “I remember.”

  Twenty-one

  We returned to the living room to find Theo and Festos still crammed onto the loveseat. Hannah and Pierce leaned together over by the dance machine. Pierce looked dazed. Actually, Hannah did too. And her lips were tinted red.

  Normally, I would have had to comment but I was still taking calming breaths to steady myself.

  “Eros,” Festos said to Pierce, “look at your hidden talents. Who knew?”

  “Back off,” Hannah and Theo said in unison.

  Festos grinned at them. “Kidding.” He batted his eyes at Theo for good measure.

  Theo studied my face as I took a seat on the long, red leather sofa. “What happened?”

  Kai sat beside me. “She remembers.”

  Hannah rejoined us, choosing a wide, modern chair. Pierce perched on the arm.

  My friends’ expression hovered between concern and relief.

  “We were talking,” I began.

  “Is that another euphemism?” Festos asked.

  Hannah turned on him. “Do you need an intervention, smut brain?”

  Theo seemed delighted that someone else had snapped at Festos, who made a snarky face at Hannah and looked away.

  “Seriously, Fee?” I exhaled hard. Getting the memories back really was a happy occasion. Just somewhat enormous.

  Kai tucked me into the crook of his arm, glowering at anyone he thought might upset me. At the moment, that meant Festos.

  “It was a heavy talk.” I scrunched up my face. “Now that I think about it, any time a memory has ever come back to me, it was when I felt emotional or stressed.”

  Hannah pursed her lips, thinking it over. “It correlates. High emotion is stressful. And it could have been a trigger for overriding the memory spell, at least temporarily.”

  “Not to mention, the memory spell wasn’t working at 100% efficiency anymore, thanks to Kyrillos’ original kiss. That facilitated its dissolution now,” Pierce pointed out.

  Hannah nodded. “Exactly.” She shot him the tiniest grin of delight that he had followed her deductions.

  I predicted their long and happy future together.

  “If you had put yourself into a vulnerable state during this talk,” she glanced at me for confirmation and continued at my nod, “it seems your heightened stress levels were enough to cast off the spell once and for all.” She stretched her legs out, looking pleased.

  “What exactly did you remember?” Festos asked, sounding as if maybe I’d broken my brain after all.

  “All of it.” I drummed my fingers on my thighs, eager to get on with everything, now that I had Persephone’s knowledge at my disposal. “It’s coming to me in pieces, but somehow I know it’s all there.”

  “Kind of like a pre-consciousness,” Hannah said.

  I nodded, restless now. “Sure. Whatever that means.”

  “When your thoughts seem like they’re unconscious or buried, but they’re not,” she explained. “They can be recalled. Become conscious to you again.”

  “Yes. That. I’ll have to sort through it all but I have Persephone’s memories.”

  “You did well.” Kai nuzzled the side of my neck. Not the happy spot side, which was probably good, given the circumstances.

  I still squirmed and blushed.

  “Oh, she’s going to be intolerable now,” Hannah said.

  Pierce leaned over and whispered something in her ear.

  Hannah turned beet red.

  Theo rolled his eyes. “Moving on. Where are you and Kai supposed to do the ritual?”

  “Wait!” Festos headed over to his laptop, his limp more pronounced since he hadn’t bothered to bring his cane, and hit a key. Greek music played. He motioned for me to continue.

  “Eleusis,” I said automatically. I grinned. “The location! We have it.”

  Theo and Festos immediately started conspiring about how they were going to ward it up and the amount of blood they’d need to draw from Kai and me.

  I glanced at Kai but he gave me a reassuring smile.

  “So where’s Eleusis?” I asked.

  Festos limped into the kitchen. He began rummaging through the drawers.

  Five pairs of incredulous eyes shot my way.

  “Fine. Guessing it’s in Greece.”

  “Geez, Soph,” Hannah groused, “sometimes I think the only reason you wanted those memories back was so that you wouldn’t have to do any research.”

  “Hi-larious.”

  She certainly thought so. As did those other unsupportive jerks.

  Festos returned with a large, overflowing first aid kit. He set it on the coffee table and dropped heavily into the free space beside me, rubbing his leg.

  I glanced at him with concern, but he waved me off.

  “You and I are going to have a very long talk, and lay out exactly what we know and what we still need to learn,” Theo told me.

  “Ward it first, please,” I said, holding out my arm for Festos to swab. I hoped he didn’t need to take too much blood from me to create the wards. “Let’s get a jump on the dads, otherwise …” I shuddered.

  “You might as well set humans out on the curb and call them trash,” Festos said, cheerfully. He waved a hand at me. “On it, honeybunch.” Like the most professional of nurses, he pulled out a plastic package with a needle inside it.

  Theo put a hand to Festos’ arm to stop him. “It’s nice you want to help, but I still haven’t agreed to the date.”

  Festos looked shocked. He pulled into himself, eyes dipping down. His hand faltered. “I thought … I mean …”

  Hannah and I shot each other “WTF” looks because Theo was never an ass like this.

  Festos furrowed his brow. He straightened up, his jaw tense. “Do what you want, Prometheus. I’m helping Sophie regardless.”

  “Ask me again. On the date.”

  Festos blinked at the insistence in Theo’s voice.

  I bit the insides of my cheeks to keep from grinning like a maniac because I could see where this was going.

  Festos regarded Theo steadily for a moment. Theo waited, but said nothing.

  Festos set down the plastic package. “Thesi, will you go out on a second date with me in exchange for my help?”

  “No,” Theo said.

  I choked back the whoop of delight I had been about to give.

  Kai smothered a laugh.

  Hannah kicked Theo. Hard.

  Pierce conjured an arrow. I could tell by the scowl on his face, that if he had to use it, he’d make sure it hurt.

  Theo ignored everyone. He leaned in toward Festos and gripped his wrists. “I’m not going to go on a date with you to get your help. I’m going to go on a date with you because I want to. Really, really want to.”

  With that, Theo gently tugged Festos toward him and gave him a very sweet kiss.

  Hannah and I jumped up, cheering and dancing.

  Pierce nodded in approval. “Good men.” The arrow disappeared.

  Festos broke the kiss. He fanned himself with his fedora a few times. “Where was that on our first date?”

  Theo got an absurdly prim look on his face. “I don’t just give it up for anyone,” he said. “You have to earn it.” His expression softened. “And you did.”

  “You all make us work for it,” Kai muttered. “You’re a very high maintenance bunch.”

  I took my seat beside him, “accidentally” half-crushing him as I did.

  Kai pulled me fully onto his lap. “Sit still. Festos has to stab you now.”

  Festos ripped open the package and removed a needle attached to a thin, rubber hose. The hose, in turn, was attached to a small rubber stopp
er.

  Theo rooted around in the first aid kit, eventually freeing a glass vial, which he stopped up with the cork. “Did you remember who murdered Persephone?” he asked way too casually. “Was it Kai?”

  “No, it was not,” Kai growled.

  “Thesi, doll,” Festos said, motioning to the kit with his head, “get me the tourniquet.”

  I watched Theo. “I don’t know who killed me. I never saw their face. But it wasn’t Kai.”

  I knew now how he’d made Persephone feel. Felt his love for her firsthand. Kai would never have broken up with her, and certainly never hurt her.

  And I was perfectly fine admitting it because I could feel how much he loved me. Right here. Right now.

  “We can’t rule him out,” Theo said. He held the rubber band up to Festos. “Forearm?”

  Festos nodded and Theo tied it tight around me. He peered at my arm, then briskly slapped a spot above the tourniquet.

  “Yes,” I said, firmly, “we can.”

  I felt Kai heave a sigh of relief. Wow. Didn’t realize that had mattered so much to him.

  “Try the little vein on the left there,” Hannah said, who had joined in the examination.

  A few more slaps and Theo poked the slightly raised vein. “Think we’re good.”

  “Count of three,” Festos told me. “One …”

  I winced as he stabbed me with the needle.

  “All good?” Kai asked, watching with concern.

  I flashed him a reassuring smile. “Yeah.”

  Once Festos had filled the vial with blood, he removed the needle. “Press that cotton ball to your arm,” he instructed, again motioning to the kit.

  He got up to dispose of the needle.

  Theo cleared his throat pointedly and held out the cane.

  They locked eyes, but Theo didn’t let Festos argue. “Don’t be an ass. You know it’s harder when you don’t use it.” Festos accepted the cane with a nod of thanks and went back to the kitchen.

  Hannah and I exchanged glances as Theo prepped the vial. “I don’t want to hear a word,” he muttered, not bothering to glance up at us.

  We just grinned.

  I shifted off Kai, since it was his turn to have blood drawn.

  Festos returned and began the process again with Kai. Just before he stabbed Kai he said, “No blasting the nice god here. You agreed to this.”

  Kai waved at him impatiently. “Get on with it.”

  “Hmm,” Hannah said, watching Kai’s blood fill the vial, “your blood oxygenates red.”

  Kai looked amused. “What color did you think it would be? Alien green?”

  “I wouldn’t have dared hypothesize,” she said sweetly. She cut her eyes at Pierce. “I don’t suppose,” she began.

  “No, love. You’re not experimenting on me.” He kissed the tip of her nose fondly.

  “We’ll work on that,” she muttered.

  Festos removed the cotton ball from Kai’s arm and pronounced him good to go.

  “You boys have everything you need to start the wards?” I asked.

  Festos nodded.

  I glanced over at Theo’s watch. “I gotta bolt. My meeting is in about ten minutes.” I stood up.

  Festos did, too. “I’ll see you soon,” he said gruffly.

  I pulled him into a huge hug.

  When we moved apart, Pierce gallantly kissed my hand. “Glad you came to your senses, love,” he said with a wink.

  I was going to miss them. But I had a feeling they’d show up at Hope Park soon. Like possibly tomorrow. “Let’s go, gang.”

  “Yeah, I’m gonna hang with Pierce,” Hannah said, far too casually, leaning back against Pierce’s arm. “I’ll catch up with you after the meeting.”

  I planted my hands on my hips. “Really? Well, you better return in the same condition I left you,” I said. I glanced at Theo, but he didn’t even bother to tell me he wasn’t coming. Just looked at Festos with fond tolerance as Festos grabbed his hand and swung it merrily.

  I cocked my head. “You’re gonna feel horrible if I get kicked out and you two don’t get to say goodbye.”

  “There’s email,” Hannah said. “And you won’t get kicked out because I don’t want another roommate. Now go. I’ll see you later.”

  “I just won’t feel bad, period,” Theo joked.

  “Heart you,” Festos said to me, still swinging Theo’s hand.

  I grinned. “Heart you too, Fee.”

  Festos whacked Theo. “Tell her.” Theo hesitated and Festos poked him. “Tell. Her.”

  “I’m proud of you, Soph.”

  “Really?” I lit up with a warm, happy smile.

  Festos poked him again. Theo elbowed back. “Prometheus,” Festos hissed.

  Theo rolled his eyes. “And I love you.”

  “Copycat,” Kai joked.

  I clutched my heart and staggered back in disbelief.

  “See?” Festos beamed. “Progress.”

  Theo nudged him with his knee. “I didn’t say it to you.”

  Festos waved him off. “You will.” Said with utter conviction.

  I had a feeling that confession would happen sooner rather than later. Look at us, all getting our happy swoony moments.

  I knew that in the history of teen lit and CW episodes everywhere, this just meant that monsters were about to crash the party, but I was determined to enjoy the moment while I could.

  Bethany stopped? Check. Memories back? Check. Location acquired? Check. Warding underway? Check.

  I could handle one little meeting.

  And on that thought, I still had something very important to tell Kai once we were alone. I turned to him. “You’re coming with me, right?”

  He gave me that hot grin that made me shiver in delight. “Are you kidding? We’ve got nine minutes. You know what we can do in that time?”

  Three cheers for scorching looks and letting him ravish me. Or me ravishing him. Because ravishing of boyfriends they loved? Totally in the job description of strong, modern chicks.

  “Go, you fools,” Festos commanded. “We’ll get the ward started.”

  I blew him a kiss and took Kai’s hand. “Home, Jeeves.”

  And when we landed in my room, safe and sound?

  I’d never been so glad.

  “I want to tell you something,” I said, taking a seat on my bed. I wanted to let him know that I loved him.

  Kai pushed me back so that he fell on top of me. “Eight minutes.” The hunger and heat in his eyes sent all thoughts of talking out the window.

  Kai’s kisses were a great way to spend eight minutes.

  “Tell me again why you love me,” I said, between long, slow kisses. I was splayed on my back, Kai’s weight pressing into me.

  Growing up with Felicia, “I love you” wasn’t something I’d ever heard. And I’d definitely never had it said by someone who sent scorching, crackling electricity down to my toes when he put his lips to mine.

  What a scandalicious novelty. “You know,” I murmured, “what a delight I am.”

  “Oh, the delight,” he mugged.

  I punched him.

  Kai propped himself up on an elbow. I loved when he looked down at me like that, his hair flopping over one brow. “There was a lot of drama with Persephone.”

  “Whereas my Sophie self is drama free.” I brushed the lock out of the way and arched up for another kiss.

  “No, sweetheart, you have your own brand of drama,” he said as we broke apart, both of us breathing raggedly. His eyes glinted with smug satisfaction. I couldn’t begrudge him because I bet I looked pretty damn pleased myself.

  Kai grinned and kissed the tip of my nose. “But you’re smart, and beautiful, and you challenge me—”

  “Which clearly no other girl has ever done,” I added.

  “And you piss off my father. What’s not to love?”

  “So that’s all it takes?”

  He thought about it. “Pretty much.”

  “Hmm. You had a wei
rd way of showing it when you first found me.”

  “I was in shock. Not only were you alive; you’d been downgraded to human. Don’t freak out.”

  “I’m not freaking out. This is my calm, ‘I’m listening,’ face.”

  Kai rolled us over so I laid on top of him, his arm a steel band welding our bodies together. “Yeah? ‘Cause you’re trying to destroy my leg.”

  I pulled my vines back in. “Whoops.”

  He released my hands and met my gaze. “I had no idea what to do with a human. You definitely weren’t like all the others who just fell at my feet.”

  I mock frowned. “See, you were doing so well. Gotta learn when to quit.”

  “Terribly sorry.”

  “You should kiss me to make it better.”

  He leaned in, his lips against mine. “I really should.”

  I smiled against his mouth. “You figured out how to handle me just fine in the end.” I arched an eyebrow at him, radiating blatant come-on.

  Kai shook his head in bafflement, which was not at all the bring it, baby response my body desired.

  My smile fell flat and he grinned in self-mockery. “Nope. Still no clue.”

  The next few minutes of wow! proved what a liar he was.

  Luckily (sadly) I caught sight of the clock, pushed Kai off me, and scrambled to my feet. “Meeting. Ack! But don’t go anywhere, okay? Because we’re staying together until the equinox. And beyond.”

  He smiled at me. “If you insist.”

  I really liked the sight of Kai, flushed and tousled, all lazily splayed on my bed. I had to blink hard to tear my eyes away from the sight. I leaned over and kissed him hard. “Yeah. I insist.”

  I so badly wanted to stay with him, but it was time to face the music.

  I raced to the door and grasped the knob.

  “Sophie?”

  I paused and glanced back at Kai. He was propped on one elbow, an inscrutable expression on his face. “The date? Was it memorable? In a good way?”

  I thought about its many and varied low points—seeing Kai’s reaction to Persephone’s image, thinking I’d found Demeter, believing Hannah’s life was on the line. That had all been a massive pile of suck.

  But then again, that had been Jack’s doing. Been the mission.

  The date had been Kai laughing and talking with me. Chasing after me and showing me the stars.