As Polly hoped he would, Zeus laughed at the old joke. “Things might be very different if it hadn’t. But we play the hand we are dealt. I rather like running Olympus as a corporation. Always something new and exciting.”
“You think of Pierus’s challenge as exciting?” Polly tipped her chin up and pinned her dad with look of disbelief. “Your idea of exciting and mine are worlds apart.”
His laughter boomed over her as he squeezed her shoulder and pulled her tight. “You girls do keep me young.”
“I’m worried, Dad. About you, about the challenge, about all the mortals who might be injured or worse.” Anxiety pulsed in her chest, a dull ache against her heart. “Clio and Nia are stronger than I am. What if Ian is the man I’m supposed to make believe in magic, but I fail to convince him?” She liked Ian a lot, but he was a scientist. He dealt in facts and theories. How could she convince him to help combat a stupid bird?
“We are all here to help.”
“I know. If only Pierus weren’t so sneaky. Hades, I wish he hadn’t oozed out from under the rock where he’s been hiding. Damned magpies.”
“We will win, Polly. You’re smart, maybe more so than your sisters. With your connections in the media, it will be easier to investigate the workings of Eos to see if their officers are being controlled by Pierus’s brand of magic.”
“Hey, maybe we should hire a forensic accountant to see if there is anything funky with Eos’s reporting. They’re publicly traded.”
“Not a bad idea.” Zeus pulled to a stop and turned Polly to face him. “Until Pierus tells us otherwise, we will treat the challenge as if it does not exist. Am I clear?”
“Zeus, I’m not sure—” His nudge hit her right between the eyes and forced an end to her words. Son of a bitch, he’d frozen her with a simple tap on her forehead. The only part of her anatomy that could move was her brain.
“No. You will do your best to forget the threat. The day is lovely, children are laughing, and if I’m not mistaken, your young man is planning to claim your attention.” He sighed. “And your mother is glaring at me.”
When he patted his fingertips on her face the supernatural hold eased. Her shoulders rose as she drew a deep breath.
“Now, go enjoy.” Zeus’s face was grim as he moved away toward Gaia.
Ian materialized at her side. “Hey, you ready to get something to eat? I’ve seen the grill. It might be an adventure.”
At least eating next to this handsome man would be something she’d enjoy.
She could do without the other bit of excitement, but if it meant getting to spend time with Ian, she’d keep her complaining to a minimum. She slipped her hand into his. “If Gaia cooked, it will be an adventure. Just not sure it will be a good one.”
Chapter 4
Polly pushed through the heavy oak door of the Rowan Tree, immediately enveloped by the noise of the crowd, the scent of the pub’s exceptional food and the warmth she’d always found in her favorite bar in Delphi. It had been the Muses’ haunt since they were of age to actually drink. As a rite of passage, Gaia had brought each of them on their twenty-first birthday and bought them their first legal drink. Her date with Gaia was one of her fonder memories from this lifetime. As teens, none of them had ever gotten along with their mother.
“Polly!”
Turning at the sound of her name, she located Bill Marlowe. Her cameraman from the station sat in a corner booth with his wife, Jan. Casting a glance to where Nia and Clio were seated, she lifted a finger to let them know she’d be right there. She could have nudged them, but opted to communicate the mortal way.
“Hey, Bill.” She greeted him with a fist bump then turned to hug Jan. “Hello, lady. When did you get here?”
“A little bit ago. Jan wanted to get out tonight, so we hired a sitter, caught an early movie and then came here for dinner.”
“Wow, a real live adult date.” Bill had three kids who typically went everywhere with their parents. It was unusual for them to be able to get out by themselves.
A smile stretched over Jan’s face. “Hard to believe, isn’t it? The kids thought they were coming with us until the sitter knocked on the door.”
“I’m glad for you. You deserve a night out.”
Ian joined them, holding two beers. He offered her one as he greeted her co-worker. “Hey, Bill. When are you going to join us on the basketball court again?”
Bill had played point guard on his college team. Now he laughed. “When the youngest Marlowe moves away from home.”
Polly sipped her beer and looked over the rim at Ian as the men carried on a conversation about adult responsibilities. Ian’s face was animated and relaxed at the same time. He’d tucked his long hair behind an ear, and Polly’s fingers itched to tease it out and run her fingers through the golden locks. Reddish stubble adorned his jaw and she craved a chance to test if it was soft or bristly. Thank the goddess she had a beer to hold in her hand or she might have reached out to touch him.
She wasn’t sure where this lust had come from, but she wouldn’t deny it.
“Polly, come on!” Nia shouted from across the room, waving wildly.
“Better go.” She looked at Ian and cocked her head, then turned back to Bill. “They ran our footage from the press conference on the six o’clock show. I have a follow-up interview scheduled for tomorrow. We’ll get an early start.”
“See you then.” He tapped his knuckles to hers again, and then opened his fist to shake Ian’s hand.
As they moved toward the table with her sisters and their fiancés, Ian laid his hand on the small of her back. The light pressure warmed her through, igniting the spark of attraction to a glowing ember of the promise of getting to know him better. This man who’d been a friend for over a year had become so much more over the past few hours. All because of a declared intent to talk dirty. A shiver of delight and anticipation zipped through her.
When she slid onto a chair at the table, he dropped onto the seat next to her, and scooted closer. The graze of his thigh against hers sped up her heart, and when he laid his hand on her knee, her breath stilled.
Around them, the two other couples continued their conversation, oblivious to the attraction building between Polly and Ian. Laying a hand over Ian’s on her knee, Polly sipped her beer and listened to the debate about the mayor of Delphi.
“I’m telling you, history is going to repeat itself. I haven’t liked his politics since I moved to town. This guy has been in office too long. The power is going to his head.” Jax fisted his hand around his glass. By the color, it looked like scotch inside.
Polly resisted the urge to curl her lip over his drink choice. She’d never acquired the taste in the thousands of years she’d existed. “The office comes with term limits, Jax. He’ll be out in a year.”
“And we’ll probably end up with someone worse.” Clio rubbed her fingers over the muscles popping under the skin on Jax’s forearm.
“Hey, Thomas, you could create an episode for your show. In search of the last honest politician.” Ian finished his suggestion on a laugh.
“My producers wouldn’t love that. Doubting Thomas meets a myth he can’t bust.”
While the guys continued to rib Thomas about his popular television program, Polly turned to Nia. “I bet Gaia thinks she’s won the grandmamma sweepstakes, getting Hailey to spend the night.”
“Hailey begged to stay with them. Zeus promised to take her fishing at the pond tomorrow morning.” Nia shot a wicked look at Thomas, who appeared to momentarily lose his train of thought. “Thomas and I needed a break, so it worked out all around.”
The door to the club swept open on a gust of warm air, admitting a lone man. The breeze reached their table at the back of the pub. A prickle of anxiety swept up Polly’s spine as heat blasted in her face. Recognition coated her consciousness, leaving a nasty shudder in its wake.
Pierus.
She stared at the man as he sauntered up to the bar. He wore skinny jeans and
boat shoes. The collar on his pastel polo shirt had been popped and the fabric edged the bottom of his salt-and-pepper hair. His neck bore fading scars from the burns he’d received during Nia’s challenge. She’d harnessed the strength of the sun and hurled it at Pierus and his daughter, Mayhem, to break the thrall he’d placed on the mortals at the Helios Institute’s Founders Day celebration a few weeks ago.
Polly clenched a fist around her beer and straightened on her chair.
Eyes glowing an unnatural blue, Pierus boldly returned her stare while ordering from the barkeep. A diamond winked from his pinky finger when he circled his hand in front of his chest.
The air around her body tightened as if someone had lassoed her and pulled the rope taut. She tried to unclench her hand from her glass. Panic rose as she found she could not move. Goddamned bastard had put her in a thrall in front of mortals. He’d always been one to grandstand and brag of his abilities.
“Polly?” Clio’s voice sounded as if it came from miles away.
The ability to speak abandoned her as his voice boomed in her head, drowning out all other conversation. “I’m sure you’ve already figured out you are next. My favorite daughter, Greed, appeared to you and your puny mortal this afternoon. Prepare yourself well for the eternity you face, Muse. I will thrust Zeus from his throne, take over Olympus, and sell it in bits and pieces to the highest bidder. Then I will sit on my pile of riches and laugh as the world goes to Hades. And it will all be due to your failure.”
He lifted the shot the bartender had placed in front of him, and saluted her. After downing the liquid, he smacked his lips and slammed the glass to the marble countertop. The noise of it cracked against her skull, the sudden pressure stabbing like a dull knife. Without blinking, the bartender refilled the glass. Next to her, Ian continued to talk politics with Thomas and Jax.
Even in the thrall he’d placed around her, he couldn’t control her thoughts. She nudged Clio and Nia with a sharp jab. “Pierus is here.”
Clio gasped. “What?”
Nia turned in her seat to locate the man. She narrowed her eyes for an instant, then widened them when Pierus directed a stare her direction. She clutched a fist against her chest and rubbed a circle over her breastbone.
His voice boomed around Polly’s skull again. “Know this, Muse. Your sisters will try to help you with this challenge. But you will still fail. A fate you must also accept. My daughters and I grow stronger while Zeus grows weaker.”
Pressure pulsed harshly in her temples as she forced one single thought through his thrall. She imagined her words as a sharp stake and speared it at him. “Two of your daughters are in an aviary at Olympus. Neither of them is growing stronger. It will continue so until all of your magpie children are together in the cage.”
Pierus rubbed the base of his neck and the blue glow receded from his eyes. He’d released his thrall.
Drawing a deep breath, Polly scrubbed her hand down her arm, as if scouring away the lingering effects of the enchantment. The exchange hadn’t taken more than thirty seconds, but felt like it had lasted an eternity. She hated being in the state of suspended animation induced by the supernatural timeout. The last time it had happened had been in the tenth century when she’d helped the Chinese publish the first books of the Four Great Songs. The enormous books were like encyclopedias. But not every ruler in China wanted them in print. She’d gotten into trouble with Zeus over that transaction. He’d frozen her, then levitated her up to his eye level and shouted for a full hour. It was the maddest she’d ever seen him.
Pierus straightened away from the bar and sauntered toward the door. The glow from the antique street lanterns framed his form in the open doorway. The light intensified around him, surged brighter and then blinked back to normal as Pierus disappeared into the Hollow without cloaking himself, or transforming into mist to avoid the light burst.
Polly scanned the room, pleased to see that no one seemed to notice the demi-god’s sudden disappearance. Most people would probably only think headlights had flashed through the open doorway. The noise and activity level in the bar had remained constant during the exchange.
Warmth seeped into her skin when Clio laid her palm on Polly’s arm. “Are you okay?”
“He’s getting cockier.” Polly rubbed her forehead. “A month ago he’d never appear or disappear in public that way.”
“What did he say?” Nia asked. The urgency of her tone drew Thomas’s attention.
Which in turn, drew Jax and Ian’s interest. Jax and Thomas were fully in the know, but not Ian. Polly nudged him with the thought that everything was fine—there was nothing to worry about. He stroked his fingers over her knee, and gave her a bright smile.
Choosing her words carefully, Polly answered Nia. “A lot of these political machinations come down to Greed.” She preened a little over the clever way she’d told them which challenge she faced while appearing as if she was only participating in general conversation. “I have an early call at the station tomorrow, so I think I’m going to call it a night.”
She pushed her chair back from the table.
“No! It’s too early,” Ian protested.
“I’ve been going since before the sun rose this morning. And tomorrow will be the same. The news doesn’t wait until I’m ready for it.” She shook her head as she stood.
Nia embraced her, taking the opportunity to whisper, “Greed’s a bitch and you are going to kick her ass.”
Her sister’s words caused a surge of confidence as she returned the hug, then accepted another hug from Clio. Happy, positive feelings invaded her body as Clio held her close and nudged good vibes toward Polly’s soul. She knew her sisters would be there for her when she needed. And together, they’d kick Pierus and his daughters back into the cave they’d crawled from.
She faced Ian, surprised, and secretly pleased to see disappointment in his eyes. Rising on her toes, she pressed a kiss to his cheek. “I’m sorry to have to go. Maybe we can get together again soon.”
He grabbed her hand, lacing their fingers together. “I’ll walk you out.”
“You don’t need to. I’ll be fine.” She’d planned to contact Zeus on her way out. “Good night, Ian.” She lifted to her toes and pecked his cheek again, running her fingers over the scruff on his jaw. Soft, not bristly at all.
She moved toward the door, already sending a mental message to her father. His responding nudge came as she exited the bar.
Daughter, it is late.
Late for a mortal, maybe. But not for the highest of all deities. “Are you okay, Zeus?” she queried.
Her flip-flops slapped the pavement as she crossed the street to where her car was angled into a space. She aimed her key fob at the vehicle and pressed the button. Zeus’s answer came as the lock chirped.
“A little tired. I am reading panic in your nudge. What is wrong?”
Only freaking everything. She was out of her depth not just with the challenge, but also with her attraction to Ian. Throwing in a heavy concern for Zeus’s health didn’t lessen her anxiety.
“Pierus just appeared at the Rowan. He is getting cocky. He said I’m to face Greed and your powers are growing weaker.”
The metal of the car was still warm from the heat of the day as she grasped the handle.
Zeus replied right away. “Pierus is wrong. I’m fine. We will speak tomorrow, Polly. You’re about to get company.” He broke the connection with a resounding pop in her head, as if he’d hung up on her. Which he kind of did.
“Polly?” Ian’s voice came from over her shoulder.
She spun, shutting the door she’d just opened. “Hey.”
“Are you alright?” His eyes, gleaming amber in the reflected glow of the street lantern, held concern.
Leaning a hip against the car, she rubbed a hand over her forehead to ease the ache of Zeus’s abrupt disconnect. “Yeah, I think I might have gotten too much sun today.”
“Oh. Well, as long as you aren’t mad at me.” A ha
nk of her hair had worked free of her ponytail and he tucked it behind her ear.
“Why on earth would I be mad at you?”
He twitched the escaped hair between his fingers, the sound rasping the same way his stubble had under her fingers. “I don’t know. But that kiss back there was a little too sisterly for my tastes.” He dropped his gaze to her lips. When he lifted his eyes again, they’d darkened to the color of a great bourbon.
This close she saw golden flecks dancing in them. She briefly battled the urge to not intrude on his private thoughts. It would be wrong to do so. Mortal thought reading was a talent only she and Corie had received in this lifetime. It was a gift all of the Muses attained periodically, and used sparingly. But given her possibly limited time remaining in human form, and the warmth of his gaze and his hands on her shoulders, she opted to take a peek.
She stroked her fingers down the column of his neck until they rested on the point where his pulse thrummed, and opened a connection into his brain. Heat flared up her arm until it lodged at the base of her skull. Prodding gently to minimize the intrusion into his thoughts, she determined his interest far surpassed that of simply friends. He saw the two of them in a real relationship. And while intimacy seemed important to him, what she experienced in his thoughts was a connection that went deeper than just purely physical. She also sensed hesitation at the base of his attraction.
She closed out the connection between them, making him blink. Trailing her hand up to his jaw, she smiled at him. “I think you should kiss me and see how un-sisterly I’m feeling toward you.” She lifted her chin.
He dipped his head toward her, pausing an inch away from her lips. He whispered, “It’s like you read my mind.”
She didn’t have time to feel guilty about actually intruding on his thoughts. He sealed his mouth over hers, and dragged her close to his chest. As his tongue prodded for entry, she wrapped her arms around his neck and opened to him. He angled his head to deepen the kiss, fitting their mouths together like pieces of a puzzle.
When he pulled her tighter to his chest, her breasts flattened against his hard muscles and her nipples drew taut. Passion flared within her, undeniable, insatiable. Hotter than the sun.
Greed: Goddess of Delphi (Goddesses of Delphi Book 3) Page 4