Leon started to argue, but Demitri stepped between them. He looked into Leon’s green cat’s eyes, then caught him by the nape of the neck and gave him a deep kiss.
Leon started, then met Demitri’s tongue with a flicker of his own. Leon’s mouth was hot, with a salty taste that Demitri liked. The kiss turned rapid and bruising.
Val’s laughter rang through the temple. “Don’t hurt yourselves.”
Demitri pulled Leon closer. He felt Leon’s hand grip his ass, his answering kiss as hard as Demitri’s. Andreas used to kiss like this—but then, Andreas was a were-leopard. Maybe all shifters were fierce kissers.
Leon pulled away, breathing hard. “Damn. I don’t know why I liked that.”
“I do.” Val smiled at him, then slid her hand in his. “Demitri is hard to resist.”
Leon slanted Demitri a wary glance. “Yeah, well. Like I said, don’t you dare ever tell anyone I did that.”
As they left the temple, the attendant closed and locked the door. He watched them go with a secret smile they didn’t notice. “Not a soul,” the small god Bes said.
VAL noticed that Leon had stopped arguing with Demitri. As they prepared for their midnight visit to Luxor Temple, Leon didn’t say anything at all.
Val dressed in a gauzy white robe with a deep hood, and Demitri carried a similar robe, planning to wear it when they got there. Leon looked at them askance and stuck to his shirt and jeans.
Luxor Temple was not far from their hotel, and they walked together to it, Val pulling her hood over her head. The temple had officially closed at nine, though it was still floodlit, the columns and statues beautiful in the lights’ yellow glow. Demitri confidently strolled past the row of sphinxes that led to the entrance. He moved like smoke, the security guards noticing nothing.
Leon followed, looking alert but asking no questions. He’d been very, very quiet since they began, and now he proved he could move like smoke, too.
They walked unimpeded through the courts, feet making almost no noise on the pavement. Like Karnak, this temple had been so different during Hatshepsut’s time. It had been much smaller, with walls and columns painted with scenes to honor Amun and Mut. Later pharaohs had enlarged and embellished it with reliefs and paintings. The paintings showed the temple alive with royalty and acrobats, a bounty of food and wine, celebration and glory.
Now all was silent, the paintings faded. A cool wind blew through the open roof, the wide columns holding up nothing. In the inner hypostyle hall, a forest of rearing columns, Demitri stopped and opened an electric lantern.
“Here.”
“Why didn’t the guards see us?” Leon spoke in a low, murmuring voice, no hissing whispers.
“I have magic that will dampen sound and distract attention.”
Val knelt next to Demitri and the light. “It was handy for muffling the sounds of sex. We used to be quite noisy.”
“I’ll bet.” Leon looked skeptical but didn’t argue. “What are you fixing to do?”
“Summon the goddess,” Demitri said.
Leon looked up at the moonlight shimmering on the columns. “This is the sacred space you were talking about?”
Val answered. “The ancient pharaohs built this temple to the gods, to honor them, but this place was sacred even before that—to fertility gods and goddesses who made the sun rise and the crops grow. Aphrodite is a fertility goddess when all is said and done.”
“Kind of all connected, in a roundabout way.”
“Connected through sacred space, yes.” Val could feel that connection here, the ancient power and bonds of the gods and their ties to the cycle of life. “Eons ago, there were only a few gods, one pantheon, if you can call it that, and the world was in harmony. When they each became enamored of their own peoples they split off, going elsewhere in the world, forming pantheons of their own.”
“If that was true, it would knock a few world religions on their heads,” Leon said. “Not to mention the theory of evolution.”
“Only if you believe in them.”
Demitri’s mouth turned down. “It’s time, Val.”
Val nodded. The moon was directly overhead, round and full, and she heard the whispers of the gods as they moved through the columns. Some were stronger than others, some mere ghosts, but they still lived, watched, waited.
Demitri cupped Val’s face in his warm hands. His dark gaze roved it, and he leaned down and brushed her lips with his. “I’m sorry, love.”
Val brushed a lock of hair from his face. “I’ve always loved you, Demitri.”
Demitri kissed the line of her hair, his breath warm. His arms slid around her. “I won’t leave you. Whatever happens, I’ll be with you.”
“And me,” Leon said grimly.
Val reached over and pressed her hand to Leon’s cheek. His skin was warm to her ice-cold fingers. “Thank you.”
“I won’t let her hurt you,” Demitri promised.
“It’s all right.” Val kissed Demitri one more time, then Leon, then she withdrew from them both. “I have to face this.”
Demitri nodded, anger and pain in his eyes. He donned his robe and knelt next to her. Leon said nothing as he joined them.
Val leaned forward over her knees until her forehead touched the dirt floor. She stretched her hands behind her on the stones, palms upward. “Mistress,” she murmured in a language so ancient it predated the writing on the walls around them. “Hear my supplication.”
Wind whispered above them, sliding around the thick columns and their splayed tops. A night bird called over the river, and cars rumbled on the street behind the temple.
For a long time nothing happened. Leon moved restlessly, though Demitri sat utterly still. Val’s hood partly obscured her vision, but she became aware of a growing brightness that wasn’t the lantern.
Leon got to his feet. Demitri remained kneeling beside Val, his white robes making him look like a priest of old.
“What is that?” Leon demanded.
Val didn’t dare lift her head. She took comfort in the sight of Demitri’s thigh near her, of the thick-soled combat boots Leon wore.
The brightness grew, and with it, heat. The entire hall lit up as though warm sunshine poured onto it. The paint on the columns reverted to its original clarity, and the crumbling stones under Val became solid.
“What the fuck?” Leon rasped.
Val raised her head and slowly sat up. The temple was whole and unblemished, the roof soaring overhead. The only sound outside was the rush of the river and wind in the reeds—no traffic, no people.
“It isn’t real,” Val told him. “This is the temple at the height of its greatness, but it’s an illusion.”
“She likes to make an entrance,” Demitri rumbled.
Again they waited. The temple was enclosed now, no open view of the Nile and modern Luxor. One moment the three of them were alone in the cool, shadowy place, the next Aphrodite stood with them, clad in the same kind of gauzy white robes Val and Demitri wore.
The difference was, Val and Demitri had donned the thin robes over their clothes, while Aphrodite was blatantly naked beneath. The robes enhanced more than hid her firm breasts, slender waist, and curving hips. The thatch of hair between her legs was ebony black, like the hair on her head.
Leon flinched, but he didn’t look away. Mortals could be overwhelmed by her beauty, even die from gazing upon her if she wished it, but Leon held his ground. Aphrodite smiled at Leon with sensual red lips. She liked being admired.
“Well?” Aphrodite said to Val. “I’m here. What do you want?”
8
VAL bent again in her posture of supplication. “Mistress, I confess to you that I broke my vows. I had carnal pleasures with the demigod Demitri and the human shape shifter Leon, in violation of my oath of celibacy. I allowed the demon Valenarian to escape her prison in my mind and take over my body. She seduced the shape shifter, whom I was assigned to join to another woman. I bring these two men as witnesses to my crimes.�
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Val closed her eyes, her speech finished.
“It wasn’t her fault.” Leon’s harsh voice rang through the hall. “She didn’t understand what she was doing.”
Val looked up to see Aphrodite pin Leon with a deadly glare. “You would defend her?”
“Yeah, I would. Whatever weird thing you have in mind, I don’t want you hurting her.”
“You dare defy a goddess, mortal man?”
“I protect Val.”
Leon still didn’t believe, Val could see. Aphrodite looked him up and down, her lip curled.
“Demitri? Why don’t you control this mortal?”
“Because I agree with him. It wasn’t Val’s fault. She did everything she could to suppress the demon, and if Valenarian emerged, it was because she broke your magic.”
Aphrodite’s eyes burned red. She was still breathtakingly beautiful, but now she was terrifying. “Are you saying it was my fault?”
“You knew this would happen,” Demitri said. “You knew she was unstable, yet you sent her here and put temptation in her way.”
Aphrodite raised her hand and let fly a bolt of light. Val screamed. Leon lunged across the empty space and knocked Demitri out of the way. The bolt burst stones in the wall behind Demitri with a sharp explosion.
Aphrodite lowered her hand. “Your mortal defends you. Interesting. Very well, then, he shall share your fate.”
Val stepped in front of both men, but they closed in behind her, hulking warmth at her back. “They don’t deserve to be punished for what I did. Demitri tried to stop me, and Leon was innocent, unaware of what I was.”
Aphrodite scowled. “But Demitri didn’t succeed, the shifter did discover what you were, and they both still let you seduce them in the hotel yesterday evening. How wonderful to enjoy two beautiful men at once.”
“I will go readily to my fate if you let them go back to their lives,” Val said.
She wasn’t afraid. As she’d told Leon, she’d simply cease to be. She feared more that Valenarian would hurt or kill Demitri and Leon if she remained out of control. Valenarian had great strength, and she’d been holding back.
“It isn’t that simple, Val dear.” The red left Aphrodite’s eyes, and her voice returned to normal tones. “I don’t want to kill you, I want to save you, but that path will be very, very difficult.”
“Save me?” Val glanced at Demitri.
“Yes, dear. I’ve grown fond of you, and Demitri’s heartbreak is more than I can bear. I am the Goddess of Love, you know.”
“What does that have to do with how dangerous the demon is?” Val demanded. “I can’t control her anymore. I never could.”
“But that is exactly what you must do. You must learn to control Valenarian, integrate her into the being that is Valerie, my priestess.”
“Integrate her? How?”
“That is up to you.”
Val stared at her. “Why would you want me to do this?”
“I don’t, necessarily. I like you when you’re obedient and sweet Valerie.” Aphrodite sighed, a sound like a soft summer breeze. “The male gods, you see, especially Apollo and Zeus, have issued me a challenge. They want you dead.”
“But I’ve never hurt them, or anyone under their protection.”
Aphrodite sighed again. “They aren’t fond of female vengeance demons who like to murder promiscuous men. They fear you, dear. They have issued a challenge. Either you change Valenarian’s destruction into goodness, integrate her personality and Valerie’s, or you die. And not a nice clean death, either. They propose something horrible and godlike.”
Val’s heart beat in fear. The Greek gods were good at terrible punishments, like Prometheus having his liver pecked out every day.
Sweat beaded her lip. “How am I supposed to achieve this? I can barely keep Valenarian under control as it is—she can take over without me even knowing it.”
Aphrodite gestured to Demitri and Leon. “You have your two men to help you.”
“Leon is supposed to fall in love with Felicia.”
“No, he isn’t. That was a little invention of mine, an excuse to send you to Egypt. Felicia Mason and Remy Dupree are the match. Do try to push them together while you’re here, will you?”
“If Leon and Demitri help me, and I don’t succeed, what happens to them?”
“They share your fate.”
Val balled her fists. “Then I don’t want their help.”
“I’m afraid you can’t succeed without it. It’s another part of the test, forcing Valenarian to need the help of male creatures. A delicious irony, they think.”
“But Demitri and Leon are innocent. They’re only here because of your interference—you’re the one who made Demitri capture me in the first place, all those centuries ago.”
“Demitri is Apollo’s son,” Aphrodite said. “Apollo is willing to risk him to stop Valenarian.”
“How very fair-minded of him,” Val said in a hard voice. “What about Leon?”
“His own fault for welcoming you into his bed instead of throwing you out.”
“He wouldn’t have been able to fight Valenarian.”
“He didn’t know that.”
Leon put his hand on Valerie’s shoulder. “Hey, Val, I don’t mind, no matter what she says. If I can help you, I will.”
Val swung to him. “You have no idea what you’re promising.”
“She’s right about that,” Demitri said to Leon. “No idea at all. This is god business, and mortals have no place here.”
“I keep telling you, I’m not a normal human being.”
Demitri ignored him. “Let Leon go and help his brother,” he said to Aphrodite. “He doesn’t need this.”
Aphrodite shook her head. “It’s not up to me—Apollo and my father have already decided. My role is to keep watch and report the results. You have until the new moon, fourteen days.”
Fourteen days. Two weeks. Half an eyeblink to Valenarian, who’d lived thousands of years. Half an eyeblink that would determine the fate of the two men beside her.
“I haven’t the faintest idea where to start,” Val protested. “Or how.”
Aphrodite adjusted the filmy drape across her bosom. “You have been given a clue already.”
“The broken pendant,” Demitri said.
“Very good, dear boy. If, when you find the missing bit, the two halves fuse together, then you have been successful. If they remain broken, then you will know you failed.”
“What if we can’t find the other piece?” Leon asked. “It could be anywhere.”
The goddess shrugged. “That, too, will indicate your failure. I’d start looking right away, were I you. Now, I really must be going.”
“If you could wait one more minute,” Leon said, his voice angry. “How is this a challenge to you? Seems like we’ll be doing all the work and suffering all the consequences.”
“Because I’ll worry about Val,” Aphrodite said. “I’ll likely not sleep, and I’ll get bags under my eyes.” She delicately touched her face. “That would be a disaster.”
“Yeah, I can see that.”
“I’m glad you understand how important it is that you succeed.” Aphrodite’s body started to brighten, the light growing in intensity. “By the way, Val, I release you from your oath of celibacy. Temptation will be much more difficult to resist if you don’t have the oath to hide behind.”
Val gasped as she felt something ripped from her. “Wait . . .”
“Now, I really must go. Don’t fail me, Val. There’s a good girl.”
The light grew until it burned like a bright star. Val screwed up her eyes against it; then, suddenly, the light went out. They were standing in the ruined temple, its walls and roof gone again. Late-night traffic flowed past on the streets outside, in twenty-first-century Luxor.
LEON woke in his bed alone the next morning. He barely remembered the walk back to the hotel from the temple, moving quietly through the dark. He’d felt half-asleep and
numb, trying to piece together what had happened.
He remembered the goddess, though, the terrible beauty of her and the weight of her power. Years ago he might have dismissed the encounter as theatrical lighting and picture projection. But he’d spent enough time in this part of the world that he knew the mysterious didn’t always have ordinary explanations. In the ancient ruins of Egypt, it was easy to remember that the old gods were powerful, that people had worshipped them for thousands of years.
He also knew that it didn’t matter what he believed. Val was in trouble, and Leon would help her. However weird the task was, he was not a man who walked out on his friends.
Leon showered and descended the staircase to the main floor. He found Val and Demitri eating breakfast in the high-ceilinged dining room. He felt out of place in all this opulence, but he slid into the empty chair the waiter held out for him. Last year he’d been eating rations heated in his helmet; he couldn’t quite get used to tables laid with exquisite china and seven different kinds of forks.
Val said nothing. She ate her small meal in silence, and when Leon finally got her to look up, he saw terror in her light blue eyes. He reached over and covered her hand with his. Leon was used to taking care of people: his brothers, his mom, the guys he patched up in his platoon. He’d take care of Val, too.
Demitri suggested they take rooms in a hotel on the west bank for a while. His friend would let them keep the bulk of their things in their rooms here, but they might need to be closer to the dig to look for the missing piece of the necklace. Leon agreed, wanting to get started helping his brother as well, though he wondered how the hell Demitri afforded to rent two sets of hotel rooms. Leon had some money stashed away for himself, but it wouldn’t last forever, and he’d never be able to pay Demitri back. Another thing to bug him.
The three of them didn’t say much as they split to pack. Leon quickly threw things into his duffel bag and met the other two in the lobby. They took a taxi to the ferry landing, Demitri deciding to dismiss the driver he’d hired. They wouldn’t need him in the west valley.
Once across the Nile, Demitri found another taxi that took them to a small hotel near the ticket office for the west bank’s monuments. Inside the suite Demitri had booked for them Leon stared out the window at the towering statues that stood like sentinels, marking the way into the valley of the dead.
Mortal Seductions Page 10