Earth Bound: A Hidden Novella

by Colleen Vanderlinden

  "No. Rematerializing with something this big takes more effort than it's worth. I drove it."

  She looked back at the truck. "You... I didn't hear it. This thing sounds like a tank when the engine's running," she said.

  "It did," he agreed. "I fixed it a little. It'll run a lot better for you now. It needs a new paint job too, but I knew you wanted it back. You should have that done or the whole thing's going to rust out around you."

  She nodded dumbly. "You don't have my keys," she said, not knowing anything better to say. "I had them in my pocket when I got home yesterday."

  He grinned. "Hot wiring it and then fixing it after I had it going wasn't exactly difficult."

  "Of course," Meghan said. "Thank you. You didn't have to do all of that." She looked down, mostly to keep from staring at him. She knew she was probably beet red. Her face felt flushed, as did just about every other part of her body, from being near him.

  "I wanted to," he said, his voice low. "I would have done more."

  She nodded. "So I'm guessing you haven't talked to the Angel yet then."

  He was silent for a few moments. "I have. She knew of what you mentioned yesterday, but she wasn't directly involved in fixing it. The demon was, though."

  He paused, and she found that she was holding her breath. Fought back images of the things she'd seen and done in those places.

  "Nain's team was ultimately responsible for ending the mess that began at those three cemeteries," Hephaestus said.

  Meghan kept her eyes down. Couldn't look at him. Not when he knew. "It was a pretty big mess" she said.

  "Well. Re-animating the dead is a disgusting business," Hephaestus said. "Your magic doesn't do that, though."

  She didn't answer.

  "So my guess," he continued. She could feel his gaze on her, and it was nearly impossible to breathe. "My guess is that someone was too lazy to dig up all those bodies himself, so he used a certain witch with powerful earth magic to do it for him. Am I close?"

  She nodded, still not looking at him.

  "Who was it?"

  "Bryant and his partner, Julian. I was sort of seeing Julian at the time. After everything went wrong, Julian broke up with me, and I stupidly let myself be comforted by Prince Charming," she said, and she could hear the self-disgusted tone in her own voice. "Supposedly, it was all Julian's idea. That's what Bryant said at the time, anyway. As time went on, I realized that Bryant was the mastermind all along."

  "What were they trying to do?" Hephaestus asked.

  "Mostly, they had it in their minds that the corpses would be their own personal little army of thieves and errand boys. They figured they could order the corpses to rob and pillage, and they'd never have to work another day in their lives, and the corpses would protect them from anyone who came looking for them. They may have been a tiny bit overconfident in their abilities to control the dead," she finished, still not looking at him.

  "So they tried that three times, over the course of a month or so. It didn't hit them that they couldn't control them after the first time?"

  She shrugged. "Bryant kept wanting to try new spells. Julian took off after the third one, and then Bryant had no one to do the rituals with."

  She was still looking down at the driveway when she saw Hephaestus' feet approaching her. Then his big warm hands were on her upper arms. He gently trailed them down the length of her arms, then back up to her shoulders.

  "What were you, like fourteen at the time? Fifteen?" He asked, and the warmth in his tone, the undercurrent of anger there, made her look up at him. His eyes were blazing, but she had the feeling it had nothing to do with being angry at her. His hands were still rubbing up and down her arms.

  "I was thirteen," she said softly.

  "How old were they?" he asked, a growl in his voice.

  "Julian was sixteen," she said. "Bryant was almost twenty."

  Heph trailed his hands down to hers, wrapped her hands in his. "So they took a thirteen year old girl with a good bit of power and forced her to do their dirty work."

  "They didn't force me. They asked me to do it, and I did," she said, looking away again. "I knew it was wrong."

  Hephaestus let out a breath. "Love, you were thirteen."

  "I knew better. And then when I saw the things the undead did once they were free..." she shook her head. Hephaestus squeezed her hands gently. The memories of the corpses running rampant, going after people. They'd killed three people before they'd all been put down. She never knew who had cleaned up her mess. Now she knew that, lucky her, it was one of Hephaestus' friends. They knew, better than anyone else, what had happened during that month in 1997.

  "You knew better," Hephaestus said. "Sometimes knowing better doesn't mean a whole lot when two bigger, stronger men are standing there telling you what to do. And maybe, especially, when you think one of them cares for you."

  Meghan stepped back with an irritated growl, pulled her hands out of his. "Why are you so determined to make this okay? To give me excuses? I did something terribly wrong. People died because of it. None of it would have happened if I'd had backbone enough to say no. There wasn't a chance in hell Julian or Bryant were going to put forward the effort to dig even one grave, let alone the seventy or so I managed. People's lives ended, and that is directly my fault. It doesn't matter how old I was. It doesn't matter what my excuses were. So stop trying to make it okay. All right?"

  Heph watched Meghan. His heart ached for her. For the self-hatred he heard in her voice. And for her bravery, too. How many beings did he know who did wrong and never owned up to it? Here was this woman, this gorgeous, strong woman, taking responsibility for something she'd done as a child.

  "Nain said you tried to turn yourself in to Chief Jones," he said quietly.

  "I did. I told him everything and do you know what he told me to do?" she asked, exasperation in her voice.

  He knew. He'd heard from Nain, but he wanted to hear her say it. "What did he tell you?" he asked her.

  "He told me to do good things, to use my gifts to help people from then on. Can you believe that? I was a criminal. I caused deaths! And he's telling me to go do community service, for crying out loud."

  Heph put his hands back on her shoulders again. He was finding it impossible not to touch her, even though that voice in the back of his mind kept reminding him that she'd said she wasn't interested in him. "It seems like you did that. When Ada heard who we were talking about, she said she knew of you through your grandma. Word is you are decent in the traditional medicines and healing. You feed the people who come to you, and I'm guessing it's not mere compost making your community farm grow enough to feed all those people."

  "Not anymore," she said, pointing toward the barren land, planted now with row upon row of tiny evergreens.

  "This is the ex-husband's Christmas tree farm he was going off about the other day?" Heph asked. He pulled his hands away from Meghan. He could feel his body tensing. He wanted to hit her ex-husband so bad he could taste it. He wanted to turn him over to Molly and have her destroy his mind. He wanted to give him to Artemis and watch her cats toy with him.

  "So the bastard puts you in a situation you feel you have to make amends for, and then he takes your salvation from you out of spite," he growled. "How the hell did you end up with an asshole like that?"

  He hated himself when he saw her flinch back a a little. "I was stupid," she said. "And then I was scared. And then, for a long time, I just didn't care anymore." He watched her, and his heart broke when she bit her lip in an effort to keep her emotions in check. "I hoped he'd eventually end me. But he never took it that far. How can you use something after you destroy it?"

  Heph promised himself he'd hunt the piece of human waste down. He had Eros talking to his brothers, and Heph hoped that was enough to keep them away from him for a while. This mattered more than dealing with Ares's asshole sons.

  He stepped close to Meghan again and pulled her into his arms, gently. "You deserve so much
better, love," he said. He lowered his face to her hair, breathed in her clean, warm scent. And when she melted into his embrace, when she put her arms around his waist and leaned against him, he could barely breathe. His heart pounded so hard he was sure this must be the beginning of what a mortal heart attack felt like.

  He picked her up and carried her over to a bench under an arbor planted with white roses. He sat down and settled her on his lap, hoping like hell she didn't pull away. She didn't, instead resting her head on his shoulder. Her warm breath tickled his neck, and, with her curves pressed perfectly against him, he felt other parts of his body start reacting to her. He shifted uncomfortably.

  "Am I too heavy?" she asked, starting to get up. He put his arms around her, holding her where she was.

  "Not even close," he said. "You're fuckin' perfect, Meghan."

  She raised her head and met his eyes. "You must be blind. Or you didn't hear any of what Nain or I told you."

  He remembered very well what Nain, Ada, and Molly had said about her. That they owed it to her as much as anyone else to make sure that Bryant suffered. When they'd done the math and figured that Meghan had to have been a teenager at the time, Molly had stormed out to start hunting him down. So far, it looked like he was hiding. It wouldn't be long before Molly found him, and he only wished he could see the scene when she did.

  "I heard you fine. And there's not a thing wrong with my eyes," he said. And then he remembered what she'd said the day before. "Of course, you may not want me holding you this way. And if that's the case, tell me so. I'm man enough to not have to try to force a woman if she doesn't want me around."

  She put her arms around his neck. "I didn't mean those things I said yesterday," she said softly, and he felt something inside him lighten. "I was saying them to distract your crazy stepson. Didn't you catch the whole clueless act I was trying to do?"

  "I did," he said. "So rough around the edges turns you on then, yeah?"

  When she grinned, and her eyes sparkled with just a little hint of mischief, he knew then that he was gone. She owned him, in every possible way. He'd never, ever felt this stupid giddiness, this need to touch and hold and stare and even just smell her.

  "I find gruff men who live in messy houses pretty attractive, actually," she said. "Especially when they fix my truck and give me a hell of show when they're bending over to do so."

  He laughed then, and drew her closer, and before he could even make a move, her soft warm lips were on his, tentative at first, He was in shock, amazed that she'd wanted this enough to kiss him first. He didn't move for a second, and she started to pull back. He made a sound deep in his throat, then leaned into her, kissed her back. And all he could think was that this woman sitting on his lap was a true goddess.

  Heph's lips on hers were warm, hungry. His kiss so intense she lost even the remotest ability to think. The scruff of his beard tickled the skin on her chin, her cheek, abraded her lips just a little as he feasted on her mouth. He devoured her like a man who'd been starving, and she knew she was meeting his fervor with at least equal desperation. His strong arms were tight around her body, his muscled chest pressed to hers, his hard thighs (and, she was surprised to note, something else just as hard) beneath her legs. She smiled a little as she kissed him, wiggled her bottom just a tiny bit, and he groaned. His hands played up and down her spine as he kissed her, and she buried her fingers in his hair, pulled him even closer, needing him in a way she never thought she'd need anyone. His power swirled around him, heightened by the intensity of his feelings, and that, along with everything else, made her feel like she was anywhere but there on Earth, in her little garden.

  If warning bells went off in Meghan's mind, trying to tell her that she was really shitty at picking a good man, that she was most definitely NOT worthy of this particular amazing, gorgeous one, she tried to ignore it. Even if this kiss was all she ever had from him, she wanted it.

  When he pulled back, reluctantly, what could have been a lifetime later, Meghan felt dazed. Her lips were swollen from his kisses, her body on fire with need. Her breathing was erratic, her heart pounding.

  Hephaestus held her, looked at her, studying her face as if he was looking for something.

  She smiled. "I sure hope we do that again, Hephaestus," she said softly.

  The concern in his face melted away; the line between his brows smoothed. "I'm ready whenever you are, love," he rumbled. And this time, when she pressed her lips to his, he responded immediately, kissing her as if he'd never have enough of her.

  All too soon, there that (rather annoying, really) distinctive crack that signaled the arrival of an immortal. She and Hephaestus broke apart and looked around. Toward the driveway, she saw the Angel and the demon, walking toward them. The Angel was smiling, and there was a smirk on Nain's face.

  "Are we interrupting something?" the demon asked.

  "Yes. Go home," Hephaestus grumbled. Molly laughed, and Meghan moved to get off of Hephaestus's lap. He held her to him, and when she looked at him questioningly, he met her eyes, cleared his throat, and glanced down at his lap. She looked away, well aware that her face was beet red.

  "Is there a reason you're here?" Hephaestus asked.

  "Other than ruining your day, you mean?" Molly asked, and Hephaestus laughed. Meghan moved to get up again, and this time, Hephaestus let her go. She sat beside him and patted his thigh. She didn't miss the contented sigh that escaped him at her touch. Molly was looking around. "This is beautiful, Meghan," she said.

  "Thanks. It was prettier before Evil Santa decided to plant sticks all the way around it," Meghan said.

  Molly nodded. "He seems to be in hiding. I have the feeling he'll be dealt with the second he pops out of whatever hole he's hiding in."

  "You'll all have to get in line," Hephaestus said.

  "Behind me," Meghan finished, and he rested his hand on her thigh, gave her a squeeze.

  "Of course," he answered, and she smiled.

  "We hear you're looking for a job and that you might consider working with us," Molly said.

  "I can find a job working for someone else. You don't have to take me in like that. I'm not a charity case," Meghan said.

  Molly smiled and sat on the small bench nearby, and the demon joined her. "I know you're not. I really do need the help, and so does Nain. Back in the day, one of my friends handled all of my appointments and stuff, and then Ada, who I understand you know through your grandma?" Molly asked, and Meghan nodded. "Well, she kind of picked up the slack after Brennan got more involved with his work with the government, but she's getting married and we're trying to convince her and her soon-to-be husband to retire."

  "Not that they're going for it," Nain said, and Molly nodded.

  "We'll still try. They deserve a break," Molly said. "So I am very much assistant-less, and I need one because talking on the phone and being polite makes me want to break things." She paused and smiled. "And Heph told me about that little act you pulled with Deimos. I wish I'd seen that."

  "It was brilliant," Hephaestus said, and Meghan shook her head.

  "It bought us like three seconds before he rematerialized his way out," she said.

  "That was all we needed," he said, and she shrugged.

  "I hope you'll come to work for us. I think the benefits package might be attractive," Molly said.

  "Stop talking about me like that," Hephaestus said with mock-indignation, and Meghan buried her face in her hands while the three of them laughed.

  After a few minutes, during which Meghan promised Molly she'd at least give it a chance, Nain and Molly disappeared, and Meghan was left alone with Hephaestus again. She looked over at him, and his gaze was on her.

  "See anything interesting?" she asked, well aware of the way her heart sped up at the look in his eyes.

  "Oh, I'd say so, yes," he murmured.

  Meghan looked away. Then she smiled. "So... how are you at fixing leaky pipes?"

  "If this is a ploy to get me inside,
it's a brilliant one," Heph said, and Meghan laughed. She stood up and held her hand out. Without a second's hesitation, he put his big hand in hers and followed her back up the walk to her front door.

  "There really are leaky pipes," she said.

  "Mm-hmm," Heph murmured.

  "Really," she insisted.

  "Oh, I believe you." She glanced over at him, and he gave her a wink. "What do I get in return?"

  "I have some really amazing fresh-baked chocolate zucchini bread," she said.

  "That's a start," he said, following her into the house.

  Meghan wondered for about the thousandth time when he'd realize she wasn't worth his time. And she hated herself for accepting the pleasure of even being in his company. Selfish, she chided herself even as she led the fire god into her tiny house.

  He'd see it soon enough, and then she'd lose him. And she already knew that when it happened, nothing on Earth or in the heavens would make her feel the way she'd felt in his arms.

  Chapter Seven

  "So you'll make this for her, right? You can do that?"

  Hephaestus just rolled his eyes. "You forget who you're talkin' to, demon? I can and I will."

  "Don't tell her, though. It's a surprise."

  "My god, you've become a sap," Heph muttered as he sat down on the sturdy wooden stool at his work bench. Nain was leaning against the wall of Heph's dusty, cluttered workshop, arms crossed, looking, as always, as if he was on the verge of hauling off and hitting someone.

  "Should I ask Meghan about all the time you've been spending together lately?" Nain asked with a smirk, and Heph flipped him the bird. "Molly likes her, by the way," he added.

  "Of course she does. Queenie has excellent taste in people. Except for mates. Her choices have been shit in that department."

  Now it was Nain's turn to flip him off.

  "Is she okay?" Heph asked quietly. As busy as everyone was (Molly especially), and now that he wasn't living with the team anymore, Heph felt more than a little out of touch with his friends both new and old.

  Nain took a breath. "She's Molly," he finally said. "She blames herself for everything that's gone wrong, for every person we've lost. She's mourning Levitt and Jones. She's still fucked up over Brennan and his shit." He paused. "She's tired, man. And she feels like crap, and she's not eating the last couple of weeks and there's not a fucking thing I can do to make it better." Heph watched as the demon clenched his fists, his skin darkening slightly, his eyes glowing. Nain's demon had been closer to the surface since Strife had nearly killed Molly and freed Nether in the process.