by Sam Cheever
It was all I could do to breathe the same air he did without flinging him to the ground and leaping on top of him. My body clenched at the thought alone…and I sucked in a breath.
I decided a shower was definitely in order. I just hoped the man knew the value of a showerhead that lifted down. With a setting for pulsating jets of water.
I was truly a desperate woman.
*
I entered the kitchen an hour later feeling much better. I’d had a close encounter with a Jacuzzi tub jet and some of the tension had been successfully driven from my aching body as a result.
Unfortunately, a pretty good dose of that sexual tension returned as soon as I entered the kitchen. And found Damian Leandar standing with his back to me, stirring something that smelled wonderful on top of the stove.
His shoulders were broad and his hips narrow. He had mouthwateringly round, taut butt cheeks. His curly dark gold hair was pulled back and secured at the center of his muscular neck with a piece of brown leather.
The dark t-shirt he wore flexed and molded with his movement, highlighting rather than obscuring the muscular shoulders and, when he turned with the frying pan in his hands, a truly awe-inspiring set of pecs.
He smiled at me and the double row of dimples on his cheeks nearly caused the ligaments in my knees to melt. “Feel better?”
Blip, blip, blip.
I nodded, returning his smile. “Yes, thank you.”
He scooped scrambled eggs with fragrant herbs and fat chunks of half-melted feta cheese onto my plate. Toast popped out of the toaster on the nearby counter and he grabbed the golden slices and dropped them onto my plate. “Eat up.”
“I’ll wait for you.”
He shook his head. “I already ate. I have something I need to do before we leave.”
I took a bite, watching him fill another plate with fruit and thick slices of cheese. He turned to me. “Stay here.” I stopped mid-chew and watched him disappear through a door across the room, which I presumed led to the basement. He pulled it shut. I listened carefully and heard the lock snick behind him.
Standing up, I walked over to the door and tried the knob. Yup. It was locked. That must be some bird he had down there. I placed my ear on the door and listened carefully. I thought I heard the rumbling sound of a male voice and then a squawk, followed by a sound that resembled a woman’s scream.
The scream was cut off quickly behind a loud thump.
Had Damian struck the bird? Surely not.
I frowned and tried the knob. Then pounded on the door hard. “Open the door, Damian!”
A moment passed and then footsteps sounded on the stairs. I stepped back as the lock on the door turned and the door swung into the kitchen.
I tried to shove past him.
He grabbed my arm. “You can’t go down there!”
“Let go of me! What do you have down there, Damian, and why did you strike it?”
Cackling rolled up the stairwell and Damian shut the door on the sound, turning the key in the lock before dropping it into the pocket of his jeans. “You have no business down there. It’s dangerous. I don’t want you to go down there, Athena.” He pulled me up hard against his body, causing me to squeal with alarm. “Promise me!”
I shook my head.
His hand tightened slightly on my arm, not to the point of pain but the promise was definitely there. I got the impression he was really holding himself back. “Promise me, Athena!”
I just stared at him until he let go of my arm with a sigh. “Let’s go. You’ll be late for work.”
The drive to Cupid’s Arrow was quiet and filled with tension. I couldn’t help remembering the Fates’ warning about Damian and, now I had all sorts of new concerns about what he kept in his basement.
I decided I really needed to get down to that basement.
Without warning, his hand slid across the car and covered mine, resting on my thigh. He turned and smiled at me. “I’m sorry I yelled at you, Athena. I promise I’ll explain about the creature in my basement. I just need to make sure it’s safe first.”
Warmth spread outward from where his hand rested. I tried to ignore the tingling awareness between my legs as his thumb stroked the back of my hand in slow, sensuous circles.
My body reacted to him in an immediate and overwhelming way. Despite the fact that my brain didn’t trust him, my body didn’t care. I returned the smile he’d given me but didn’t speak.
I was truly out of my element. I didn’t really believe he would come clean on the basement thing. But I couldn’t deny his effect on me. It was a situation I’d never found myself in before.
I didn’t like it at all.
And I had no idea how to deal with it.
Chapter Five
Ugly Battles, New Possibilities
Damian left me at Cupid’s Arrow as promised and I moved gratefully into my office, closing my door behind me. It was refreshing to have the space to myself to think.
I settled down behind my desk and started going through my emails. There were several from Megan Megara. The gist of all of them was a demand for me to set up the meeting between her and Damian. I hit delete on all of the emails and then, after giving it some serious thought, pulled up her application.
I made a notation in the file and attached it to a new email, which I sent to one of the male Cupids to deal with. The notation I’d placed on the file would ensure she wouldn’t get a chance at Damian. But she’d get a shot at another match if one could be made for her.
It was the best I was willing to offer the terrible woman.
I hit send and smiled with relief.
Then I turned to the other work in my queue. I had two applications to approve, an arrow ceremony to complete and I still needed to get Lila James stuck and struck. That was Cupid’s Arrow lingo for shooting her with the love arrow and striking the final contract that would set her on a course for long-lasting love.
Sighing, I picked up the phone to call her. I made an appointment with Lila for later that day and took care of a few other things.
Then I grabbed my purse and prepared to leave the office for the arrow ceremony.
I didn’t get far.
My office door opened and a gorgeous woman with red-blonde hair walked in.
It took me a moment to recognize Megan Megara. She was dressed in a smart pink suit and had her impressive locks pulled back in a smooth chignon. “Ms. Googlios?”
I gave an internal sigh and plastered a smile on my face, walking toward her with my hand outstretched. “Ms. Megara? I recognize you from your photo. How are you?”
She shook my hand and then dropped it like it had caused her pain to touch me.
I resisted the urge to drag my hand across my short skirt. Instead I lifted it toward my desk. “Have a seat. Would you like something to drink, or eat?”
The woman shook her head and stood looking around my office, a slight but discernable smile on her beautiful, cold face.
Since she didn’t move into my office I didn’t sit down behind my desk. I folded my hands together in front of me and kept my smile in place as best I could. “What can I do for you?”
As if I didn’t know.
She leveled startling blue eyes on me. “Is he here?”
I frowned. I hadn’t been expecting that. “He?”
She all but stamped her foot in frustration. “Damian. Is he here?”
To give myself time to consider my response to this incredible question, I turned and walked across the room, sitting down behind my desk.
I felt better as soon as I had the desk in front of me. Safe behind professionalism. “Please, sit down, Ms. Megara. Are you sure you wouldn’t like some coffee, or tea?”
The woman squared her shoulders and leveled a hard gaze on me. Her beautiful face transformed into an icy mask as if by magic. “I know he came in here.”
I realized good manners weren’t going to be enough with Megan Megara. So I decided to shoot straight with her. “Ms. M
egara, if you saw Mr. Leandar come into this building then I’m sure you saw him leave shortly after that.”
She shook her head and approached my desk. Stopping only when the desk stood between me and her, she placed both hands on its surface and leaned toward me.
I fought the shiver that ran down my spine.
“I watched him deliver you here, Ms. Googlios. And I didn’t see him leave. I want to see him immediately.”
Keeping my face carefully blank, I pressed the emergency button on the underside of my desk. “First of all, Ms. Megara, I find it a bit creepy that you were apparently watching the building. If we’re going to work with you to find you your perfect match, we need to develop a relationship that includes trust. I have to tell you I’m not feeling that with you right now. But that aside, I couldn’t tell you where Mr. Leandar went. He dropped me off and left.”
Suddenly, the atmosphere in the room changed. It was like most of the light was pulled from the office and what was left gathered around her. She pulled herself up and seemed to grow a couple of inches, looming over me. I blinked, certain I was imagining things. The hair on her head appeared to move as if from a stream of wind passing through the office.
The door to my office slammed open and two male Cupids, accompanied by a security guard, strode into the room.
She turned with a hiss and I stood up, ready to help my peers deal with the woman if necessary.
It wasn’t necessary.
My peers, Milan and Hermes, both longtime Earthbound Cupids who were used to dealing with all manner of human behavior, stopped in their tracks and smiled at Megan Megara.
The security guard with them looked at his feet.
I frowned as the terrible woman walked toward them, hands outstretched to capture theirs in greeting. “Hello, I’m Megan Megara. How are you?”
Milan, of the short, spiky black hair and flashing black eyes, grinned at the bitch and lifted her offered hand, turning it over and kissing the palm gallantly. “Honored, Ms. Megara. What can we do for you?”
Hermes, our most love-resistant Cupid, all but shoved Milan aside and grabbed the terrible woman’s other hand. “I am Hermes. It’s always a pleasure to meet a beautiful woman.”
I rolled my eyes and glared at them. “Ms. Megara needs an escort out of the building.”
Their grins widened. Milan turned and offered her his arm. “Shall we go, Ms. Megara?”
Not to be outdone, Hermes grabbed her other arm and turned toward the door.
Megan Megara turned to me before taking Milan’s arm and smiled. I shuddered at the depth of hatred in that smile. “I’ll be seeing you soon, Ms. Googlios.”
As they left I heard Hermes say, “Why would a beautiful woman such as yourself come to Cupid’s Arrow, Ms. Megara? Surely you have no trouble getting men to fall at your dainty feet.”
The security guard stumbled after them, still staring at his shoes, and Megan’s musical laughter was cut off by the closing of my office door.
I dropped into my chair with my mouth open. What the hell had just happened? I shivered and realized my teeth were clacking together. The woman had really unnerved me. I’d felt decidedly threatened in her presence.
One thing I knew for sure. I was NOT fixing Megan Megara up with any of our clients. I’d much prefer introducing her to the Council of the Gods. They could give her a job washing sheets in the orgy room.
I grinned. That made me feel better.
I sighed, realizing I couldn’t do it. She was human.
My cell rang and I answered without looking at caller ID.
“What was that woman doing there?”
I frowned. “Damian?”
“Yes. Please answer me. What was she doing in your office?”
“Ms. Megara? She’s the woman I told you about…your future match.”
Damian swore. “You have to stay away from her!”
“No kidding! The woman’s a total fruitcake. And she really wants to date you.”
He snorted. “She wants to do more than that. I’m coming back for you now. Stay in your office and tell your people not to let her in again. But be careful. She’s very dangerous.”
I opened my mouth to argue but the phone went silent as he hung up.
“Shit!” I disconnected and stomped over to the window that overlooked the street. I watched the people passing by on both sides of the road for several moments but couldn’t see either Megan Megara or Damian.
Finally, I turned away with a sigh. When had my life gotten so damn complex?
It was about to get worse.
The Fates stood just inside my door, which I hadn’t heard open or close. But apparently it had done both.
I inclined my head by way of greeting. “Ladies.”
Clothos stepped toward me. She had dark circles under her eyes and her hair and clothing were disheveled. “Athena, we need to close down Cupid’s Arrow for a while.”
Shock kept me silent for a beat. I saw stars as most of the blood drained out of my face. “You what?”
Atropos walked over to my desk and started rifling through the files. She opened one of them and started reading.
I reached over and grabbed the open file, closing it and holding it against my chest, my arms crossed over it. “What are you doing? These files are confidential.”
Atropos cocked her head. “It’s all lies anyway. You need to come with us, Athena. We think you’ll be safer on Olympus for a while. Once we get things under control here you can come back.”
Thinking of my clients, particularly Lila James, whom I still hadn’t had time to visit, and Chad Roberts, who was counting on me to finish what we’d all started so he could begin his life with the woman he loved, I shook my head.
“Not a chance. I don’t know what’s going on but I’m not leaving. I have clients who are counting on me to help them.”
“They’ll wait for you, Athena. This isn’t only to protect you. They’ll need protecting too if you go near them.” Lachesis crossed her arms over her chest and scowled at me. I knew she was the most stubborn of the three Fates. I’d have my work seriously cut out for me if I was going to out-stubborn her.
So I softened my glare and tried to look reasonable. “Okay, close the Arrow if you must. But I don’t need to go to Olympus, I have protection.”
Atropos snickered. “Unless you’re talking about a giant condom your protection is part of the problem, girl. Don’t you get it?”
“No!” I shouted at them, finally losing my patience, “I don’t get it because nobody’s giving me any information. It’s all secrets and clandestine activities around here. I demand that you tell me what’s going on!”
The air in my office thickened rapidly, sparking with magic. The Fates’ hair and clothing snapped around them as if they stood in a sharp wind. Their beautiful faces hardened and their feet left the ground.
I gulped. I’d unleashed the Furies.
What the hell was I gonna do?
That decision was taken out of my hands. The window I’d been standing in front of blasted inward and a sound like a roaring train entered the room, along with a foul smell I recognized.
I was thrown across the room and rolled to my feet. A swirling black mass of dark power spun like a small tornado where I’d been standing, pulling papers and small objects from all over the office and flinging them around the room. I backed toward the door as the Furies, forgetting me and turning to the new enemy, lined up and lifted their hands to coat the room in dark and powerful magic.
My chest heaved and my eyes stung from the level of power swirling through my office.
The deadly black swirl began widening out until it became two funnels. Slowly the black haze took form and I recognized the gorgons.
I turned my head quickly to avoid meeting their gazes and reached for the doorknob out of my office.
I had to warn the other Cupids and evacuate the building.
I plunged through the door and ran up against the hard, broad ches
t of Damian Leandar. He grabbed my hand and turned toward the elevator at the end of the hall. “Come on!”
I resisted. “The others!”
“Already out of the building.”
I let him pull me toward the elevator, only glancing over my shoulder once, when it sounded as if my desk smashed against the door and slid to the floor.
I winced. With three Furies and two gorgons in the room, my beautiful office was toast.
My office door blasted off its hinges as we reached the elevator and Damian took a sharp right, pulling me through the door and into the stairwell. We flew down the stairs at breakneck speed and reached the street just as the door at the top blasted into the stairwell.
We pushed the door open and plunged into unnatural blackness outside. The sky roiled with purple-black clouds and the air was hot and muggy as if rain hung thick and ready on the air.
People scurried toward whatever shelter they could find, looking toward the sky with worried faces as thunder roared overhead.
Lightning slashed toward the ground, exploding the concrete beneath our feet as we ran. Damian wrenched the door of his sporty, two-seater open and shoved me inside. “Get in!”
He ran around and jumped over the driver’s side door, turning the key in the ignition almost before his butt was fully in the seat.
We shot away from Cupid’s Arrow at a speed that shouldn’t have been possible in a regular, human vehicle. I clutched the dash and the door and turned in my seat, just in time to see a lightning bolt slam into the roof of Cupid’s Arrow, blowing a large part of the roof into the street.
In the distance, sirens split the unnatural silence that followed.
I hoped the silence meant the Furies had finally gotten the snake-head sisters under control and taken them back to Olympus.
With a little help from that lightning bolt.
I’d recognize Zeus’ signature bolt anywhere.
Turning to Damian, I realized he’d never even asked me what was blowing my office apart from the inside. This apparent lack of curiosity flashed like a huge question mark in my mind under the circumstances. Was it possible he’d known what was going on in my office when he’d dragged me out of there? Frowning, I did a mental headshake. That just wasn’t possible. I sighed and mentally added it to the long list of things that I needed to learn about Damian Leandar.