Curious about just how much he remembered, she probed, “Why do you think you hurt me?” She wrapped one hand around the wrist he’d squeezed to make her release his keys and tried not to think about his kiss. He hadn’t asked and she wasn’t about to volunteer what they’d shared. That would be opening a door she wasn’t sure she’d be able to slam shut again.
“Honestly, I don’t know. It’s just a feeling I have.” He fisted his hand on his thigh.
“Do you get these black outs often?”
He paused so long she wasn’t sure he’d answer. His shoulders slumped against the chair. “Once or twice a year from the time I was twenty-four. Then last year, the episodes increased. It’s like my vision goes dim or the world turns to mist.”
Aerie tipped her head to the side. “What’s it like? When the spells hit you.”
“I call them fugues,” he volunteered. “It feels like a boulder is sitting on my chest, I can’t draw a breath to save my life. Everything sort of goes foggy and dark. I lose time—sometimes minutes, sometimes hours. Like, it will be two in the afternoon when the fugue hits, but three-thirty before the world makes sense again. I don’t know where I’ve gone, or what I’ve done.” His voice took on a gravelly quality, like even spitting out the words took a toll.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.” Aerie crossed one leg over the other, and relaxed against the chair. “About last night…”
He jerked up his head and shoulders, his expression a curious mix of fear and expectation.
The urge to explain her existence as a Muse to him itched on the end of her tongue. Where would she start? By telling him she’d lived over one hundred lifetimes? That she was responsible for Paris and Helen driving the world to the brink of war? That Romeo would never have looked twice at Juliet if she hadn’t inspired Shakespeare to write it into his story? He’d think her insane if she blurted out the outlandish story about a crazy immortal with designs on her family’s business. Finn would never believe the roles of Pierus’s magpie offspring helping him. She fought the need to vocalize what his role would be in saving the world.
She couldn’t do it. Bringing him into the fold, so to speak, wouldn’t be fair to him. Not when he was already dealing with his unexplained blackouts. And, despite her physical attraction to him, his demeanor was too gruff for her tastes. She’d just have to influence him without revealing her true nature.
She broke the contact between their gazes and scrambled madly for what to say. “Consider yourself off the hook. You didn’t hurt me. I dropped you at your house then left.”
Tension melted from his shoulders, and for the first time, a true smile tipped the corners of his mouth up. The transformation stunned her. Everything lightened, brightened. Aerie’s attraction to him magnified about a billion times. Her heart stuttered then kicked in hard at the sight of crinkly lines near his eyes. She leaned forward in her seat, digging her fingernails into the arms of her chair to keep herself in place. She nearly drowned under the need to climb on his lap and revisit last night’s kiss.
Before she managed to say anything else, or make a move from her chair, the air around her tightened. Well, hell. It looked like some other immortal was removing the choice.
Whichever dumb shit deity was incoming had shifted in from the Hollow without scoping out the territory to see if it was free of mortals. A huge faux pas. Which made her certain it was an immortal she didn’t want to see. A theatrical burst of light illuminated the crack in the door between Aerie’s office and the lobby. Hopefully, Phillip had a handle on things out there.
“Aw shit!” Finn burst out of his chair, agitated and clearly panicked. He backed away from the desk. “It’s happening now.”
Aerie knew what the change in pressure meant. But as a mortal, Finn would likely not recognize the atmospheric adjustment. Hell, he shouldn’t even be able to feel it. Was this what his fugues were all about? The sudden appearance of an immortal? It could explain so much. But the idea only added to her confusion.
In the outer office, Phillip’s surprised shout was cut short.
Aerie jolted from her seat, holding her hand out. “No, Finn. You aren’t having an episode.” Pissed as Hades, she scurried around the desk. Gripping his forearm, she explained, “But you’re going to wish you were.”
She took a step toward the door, but the strong band of Finn’s arm around her middle held her back. He drew his gun from underneath his jacket and aimed it toward the door. He whispered curtly, “Stay put,” as he shoved her behind him.
“Finn, a gun won’t stop this.” Goddess, she wished she’d been born with the gift of thrall in this lifetime. She’d put him in supernatural timeout faster than he could blink an eye.
Peering over Finn’s shoulder, she noted the door swinging open.
Pierus, in a full toga, laurel wreath on his head, and gladiator sandals laced up his scrawny calves, was framed in the doorway. Hate, his repulsive daughter, perched like a queen on his shoulder.
“I’ve come for your decision, Erato.” Pierus’s voice grated on her eardrums.
Hate flapped her wings and danced to his other shoulder, the one bared by his toga. Her talons dug into his flesh as she settled. Thin trails of blood ran down his chest. He’d better not bleed all over her office carpet.
Behind them, Aerie noted Phillip’s inert form on the floor. Son of a bitch took the partisan by surprise.
Gun raised, Finn aimed it at the god before him. “Who the fuck are you?”
Pierus lifted his hand, a blue flame flickering in the center of his palm. But he curled his fingers inward, extinguishing the energy. “We met last night. Don’t you remember?”
Finn blinked hard, like he couldn’t believe he’d seen flame glowing in the center of the man’s palm. The hand holding the gun trembled slightly. “I, uh, don’t remember exactly.”
Swinging his gaze between them, Pierus stroked a knuckle over Hate’s breast feathers. His gaze finally settled on Aerie. “Ah, I see. You employed your auntie to erase his memory. I wonder why?” He tipped his chin up, an evil smile curling his lips. “We’re about to have more company.”
Finn’s tension ratcheted up a million degrees, his fingers tightening around the grip of his firearm. Aerie laid her hand on his forearm and focused on an image of him relaxing. She passed the calming command through her fingertips into his muscles. “You’re okay, Finn. But it’s about to get weird.”
“About to get? It’s pretty freaking weird already.”
A cloud of purple and cobalt-hued mist filled a corner of her office. Zeus and Mars, dressed in combat gear, shifted out of the hollow, floating six inches above the floor. Hate screeched and lifted off Pierus’s shoulder, careening toward Aerie and Finn. They ducked out of her way as she flew around the room.
Zeus swatted the magpie away, a thin bolt of white-blue energy crackling from his fingertip. She lit on the back of Aerie’s desk chair and promptly tucked her head under her wing. Mouth opened wide and eyebrows drawn together in a fierce frown, Finn wildly swung his gun between all the immortals present. Aerie redoubled the sensation of calm, touched trembling fingers to his temple, and shoved peace directly into his head. It was gratifying when he lowered the weapon, letting it hang at his side.
“What the fuck is going on, Aerie?” Finn voice was low and urgent. “Who are all these people and where the fuck did they come from?”
“I’ll explain in a minute.” She knew he had to be freaking a little—okay, a lot—inside, despite her nudge for him to remain calm.
“You will release your hex on my daughter immediately, Zeus. Or I will end Erato’s existence in this lifetime.” Pierus aimed his palm toward Aerie.
Invisible force squeezed her throat, cutting off her air supply, and cold numbness claimed her. She sagged, and would have fallen if Finn hadn’t gripped her upper arm. Drawing deeply within for calm didn’t stop her from trying to gasp for breath.
Although it only lasted about thirty seconds, the ten
se standoff between the two immortals seemed to drag on a lifetime. Zeus waved his arm toward Hate, who flapped her wings. As his control of the bird diminished, the constriction around Aerie’s neck eased as well. She sucked a lungful of air in as feeling invaded her body again.
“I see you are willing to be reasonable.” Pierus crossed his arms over his chest. He inclined his head toward Zeus. “Has your daughter spoken of my offer to end this dispute between us?”
Zeus nodded. “We are aware. Has she told you what you can do with your offer?”
Pierus pinned Aerie with a baleful stare. “I’d hoped she was about to agree to my terms before we were rudely interrupted by your arrival. But your presence here leads me to believe she will not take the easy way out.”
Aerie growled a little before spitting out her answer. “You will never sit in the chairman’s seat for Olympus Enterprises. The Muses have defeated you, your daughters, and your silent partners so far. We’re on a winning streak you aren’t likely to conquer.” Aerie jerked her arm from Finn’s grip. She stalked across the room until she was in Pierus’s personal space. “Take your daughter and leave my office. You should spend as much time with her as possible. Because shortly, you will find yourself deprived of her company for all eternity.”
Pierus lifted his hand to her cheek, but she jerked back before he could touch her. “You will lose. This time for certain. And then four more of your sisters will still have to face my children. Each challenge to them more brutal due to the futility of their efforts.” His voice was deadly soft, for her ears only. Something frightening glittered deep in his eyes, causing her heart to hammer. He shifted his gaze to Finn and leaned closer, until his mouth was an inch from Aerie’s ear. He pointed to Finn. “Have you wondered, Erato, why this man is so familiar? He bears the mark of Mars on his shoulder. But even that will not help you.”
Aerie took a hasty step back to escape the man’s fetid breath, and spun around. Mars had moved forward and flanked Finn on one side, Zeus on the other. While Finn looked confused, she didn’t sense any fear from him. Nor the darkness he’d told her about. Although she suspected he’d chalk the whole experience up to one of his blackouts. Which might be for the best.
Pierus whistled behind her, and Hate lifted off Aerie’s chair and flew across the room to light on his shoulder. Oily black mist swirled up from his feet, enveloping the evil duo. The atmosphere tightened around Aerie’s shoulders and Finn pressed his palm against his chest with a grimace. In a showy flash of light, Pierus and his offspring disappeared.
Finn stumbled forward, but righted himself before Mars could steady him. Backing toward Aerie, Finn lifted his gun again, swinging it between Mars and Zeus. Phillip’s deep groan reached Aerie’s ears, but she ignored it in favor of stabbing calm into Finn.
“What the fuck kind of messed up dream is this?” he growled, the words rumbling deep and harsh from him. He slung a wild look toward her. “Somebody tell me what the fuck is happening.”
Laying her fingers on his arm, she lifted on her toes and pressed a kiss to his lips. The peace of her kiss felt different as it left her lips. More electric. It had shifted from a simple inspiration to something that held a deeper meaning. A meaning she tried to convince herself she had no interest in exploring further. She prayed her gift would work to ease him away from the sheer cliff of crazy he must feel he stood upon. “Finn, put the gun away. Please. You’re among friends here. No one will hurt you.” She held his gaze and spoke softly. “I’m so sorry. I’ll explain this all. I promise.”
“Damn straight you will.” At least his voice didn’t hold the same freaked out tension it had moments ago. He wrapped his large hands around her bicep, his fingers curling into her muscles. Oddly, warmth penetrated the cold dread left by Pierus, destroying her decision to not tell Finn she needed his help.
A miniscule blue light flickered in the depths of his eyes. Startled, she backed away a step, then another. The blue flame reminded her of some vampire movie she’d watched, where the main character’s lovely brown eyes morphed magically to a glacial blue. She’d have to remember to ask Clio, Polly, and Lia if they’d ever noticed the blue flame in their mates’ eyes. Jax, Ian and Ben all had dark irises, although theirs were not nearly as velvety as Finn’s.
Zeus plopped down in one of the chairs flanking her desk, propped his elbow on the armrest, and rested his forehead in his hand. His breathing was rapid and shallow.
“Father!” Aerie pulled her arm from Finn’s grip and raced to her dad. She slid to her knees in front of him. “Are you injured?”
“No, just a little winded,” came the reply.
Mars drew Finn to the side, leaving Aerie with Zeus.
“Should I call Asclepius? Or Gaia?” Worry for Zeus’s physical condition filled her. She couldn’t remember ever seeing him weak.
Zeus waved a negligent hand before her face. “I have already reached out to Asclepius. I’ll see him when I return to Olympus. I am sure your mother will be there as well. She wanted to come now, but I vetoed it. Didn’t want to scare your mortal too much.”
Something shifted within her when Zeus referred to Finn as ‘her mortal.’ She spared a glance over her shoulder toward the man and her uncle. Standing side-by-side, there was no resemblance. But what Pierus had said…
She turned her attention back to Zeus, who’d straightened in his chair. Determined, Aerie rose and crossed the room toward the pair.
She drew to a halt next to Finn. “I know this must seem like a major out of body experience to you, but I can assure you, this isn’t one of your black outs, or fugues. This is, most regrettably, real.”
Pausing in the act of holstering his gun, he snort-laughed. “Real? You know my next stop is to go see the department shrink, right? I mean, I have to be crazy to believe some Greek god bastard just popped out of thin air, in a toga, with a freaking huge bird perched on his shoulder. And we won’t mention these other two guys.” He shoved his gun into place, darting his gaze between Mars and Zeus.
Aerie scratched a fingernail over her right eyebrow. “I need to ask you for two things, Finn. First, please be patient and know I’ll explain everything to you. You might have a hard time grasping this concept, but we’re immortals.”
His laughter died when the rest of the room’s occupants didn’t join in. “Oh, seriously? You believe you’re all immortal?”
She nodded. Phillip picked that moment to burst into the room, an energy ball glowing in his fist. Shoving her behind him, Finn reached for his gun once again.
Aerie gripped his elbow. “It’s okay, he’s on our side.”
“Lady, right now, I’m staying on my own side. No offense. What the hell is going on?”
“You’d better sit down. This might take a while.” She gestured to the chair next to Zeus, gratified when, after a short hesitation, he moved toward it.
He pulled the chair further away from her dad’s, spinning it so his back would be to the wall when he sat, like he wanted to keep everyone in sight. Except her. It appeared maybe he might actually trust her.
Would he, once she finished telling her story?
Ten
Finn felt like he was in an episode of The Twilight Zone. Except he had a sinking feeling he couldn’t brush the room’s occupants off as figments of his imagination. Air pressure around his body felt normal, absent of the telltale signs that typically accompanied a blackout. He’d never in his life wished to be in that place of darkness, but hell, today he wondered if it would be easier.
Bracing himself for whatever came next, he dug the fingernails on one hand into the arm of the chair and slipped his other hand into his jacket and stroked his thumb along the butt of his gun, finding it solid and grounding. God, he wanted to sprint from the room, get in his Bronco and drive to either a bar, or the shrink.
“Finn.” Aerie’s soft voice drew his attention. Her violet blue eyes mesmerized him as she pursed her lips. “Are you feeling calm enough to listen to my story?”
<
br /> The sight of her, looking so kissable, caused serenity to settle on him like a blanket. He dragged in a gusty breath then let it sigh back out. Cast a wary eye toward the other three occupants of the room. “Yeah, hit me with it.”
A sexy half-smile flirted with the corner of her mouth. She leaned forward in her chair. “I am Erato, the Muse of Romantic Love. The man you know as Martin Pappandreou” —she pointed to the behemoth in the corner— “is Mars, God of War. Phillip is my supernatural body guard, but I just found out about him yesterday.” She gestured toward the older, tired-looking man sitting across from him. “And I’d like you to meet my dad, Zeus.”
Finn’s mouth opened and closed like a fish’s, but he couldn’t stop as he processed her words. He searched his brain for the limited knowledge he had of mythology. They looked so fucking normal. The weird-ass rabbit hole he’d fallen into shifted and darkened.
He rubbed his eyes, digging his finger and thumb in deep, like the action could scrub away his turbulent thoughts. “I thought the stories about gods and goddesses were myth. You’re telling me this is the truth?” He pinned his stare on Aerie’s face.
She nodded. “I swear to you, we are very real. As you might have figured out by now, we don’t normally tell anyone.” Her expression remained open and honest.
Finn was an expert interrogator, so he knew she wasn’t lying. Slumping back in his chair, he finally removed his hand from his jacket. “And the other guy? The dude with the bird. And what’s up with the bird?”
Mars slid around Aerie’s desk to lean against the window frame. “His name is Pierus. Centuries ago, he challenged Zeus, claiming his daughters were superior to nine of Zeus’s children, the Muses. That assertion didn’t make our king very happy.”
Zeus scoffed. “What an understatement. It angered me enough to make it snow for five straight days on Mt. Olympus. I could not allow him to proclaim this, so I changed the nine daughters of Pierus into magpies. Mythology speaks of them as the Pierides.”
Hate Page 9