She paused, considered a plan of action then grabbed her cell phone. She pressed and held the number nine on the dial pad.
The direct line to Zeus rang three times before he answered. “Good evening, daughter. Are you feeling better?”
In the background she heard the crack of heavy wooden balls. Zeus and Mars must be playing their regular Friday night game of bocce. She fought to hide the excitement in her voice. “Ben is here. At The Chorus.”
“Why?” Suspicion edged his question.
“Don’t know. I haven’t talked to him yet. Father, is it possible he remembers? Despite Mnemosyne deleting his memories of immortals and his role in helping to save the world from Hunger?”
The pause on the other end of the phone felt like it lasted the full gestation of her favorite hound from when she’d lived in Russia in the fifteenth century. Fifty or more days of holding back giddy joy to have puppies in the house.
Zeus cleared his throat. “There is a chance.”
“Zeus, I know you can command Mnemosyne to reverse her spell.”
“I cannot.”
“Oh, my goddess, Dad. We broke that code a gazillion years ago. You’re the king of gods. You can do anything.”
“Let us speculate this is something I am capable off. What would you have me do, child?”
“Maybe nothing,” she replied. “But if there’s the slightest chance he remembers—” She bit her lip, chewed a second then continued, “I want my chance at happiness. I just saved the whole flipping world. I don’t think it’s too much to ask.”
The sigh Zeus released gusted heavily across the phone line. “I will contact your auntie and Mars and I will meet you at your club.”
She clutched the phone to her chest, silently uttering a plea to Nike, goddess of victory, for a little assist in winning back Ben.
After pinching some color into her cheeks, she headed to the kitchen.
With a plate of breaded fried peppers in her hand, she stood in front of the swinging door, summoning the courage to walk through. Praying Ben was here because he did remember. At least something about her. She lied to herself that even the tiniest little morsel would be enough to satisfy her.
She pushed through the door, and made her way to the bar. She noted Stewart sitting in the audience, at his regular table, a glass of beer untouched in front of him. He stared pointedly at Ben, who was sitting at the bar. She nodded to Stewart, but continued on her way.
The plate clattered out of her shaky grip, ringing sharply against the marble bar top.
Ben looked away from the stage, lifting his gaze to hers. His gasp echoed strangely in her chest. “You!” He flattened his hands on the solid surface, as if to anchor himself. “Are you Thalia?”
Aching emptiness bloomed in her chest. He didn’t remember her. She batted her eyelids to clear the moisture gathering there. “Yeah. But most people call me Lia.” She inclined her head toward Celeste and Simon. “Except my employees. They just call me bitch.”
A curious expression and a moody chuckle were her reward. “Seems like I’ve heard that before.” His gaze swept her body, returned to her face. “I’m Ben Jordan. But you might already know that.”
Her heart raced, but she commanded it to caution. “Why would you think that?” Goddess, the impatient wretch in her wanted to nudge him to remember. All of her. To recall all they’d been to each other. That he loved her.
Ben shoved a popper in his mouth, squeezed his eyes shut as he savored the small bite. His eyes popped open, icy blue heated to something indescribable. “This is so not my customary food, but it’s delicious.” He gobbled another.
“You didn’t answer the question. What makes you think we know each other?”
Picking up a napkin, he carefully wiped his fingers, delaying his reply. He cleared his throat. “I dream about you every night. I don’t know you, but we’re on a beach. There are a bunch of other women there as well, and they all look like you. I wake up aching for you.” Dull red washed up his neck with the admission.
Before Lia could catch her breath, a large man with dreads in his blond hair sauntered over. He nodded to Lia and clapped Ben on the shoulder. “I’m out, buddy. Looks like I’m leaving you in good company.”
Oh, he had no idea. Ben rose from the stool and shook his friend’s hand. The door to the club opened, and in the dim lighting of the entry, she recognized Gaia and Mnemosyne gliding in. Zeus and Mars trailed behind, her father barely limping now. It appeared that now she’d won the challenge, he was on the mend. At least until the next time.
Glancing to the side, she caught a look of confusion on Ben’s face as he stared at the newcomers. He tugged his ear, his head tipped. Lia gave in to temptation, and sent him a mental note. “That’s my dad.”
Ben redirected his gaze to her. “Is that your dad?”
He’d heard. He must remember. She reached out and laid her palm on his arm. Immediate heat fizzled between their skin and as one, they gasped as they sank into a vision together. The rest of the world slipped away until they were the only two.
They sat on the edge of an orchard, the leaves of the trees waving in a gentle breeze. Air wafted over their flesh, scented with earth and the sweet tang of apple blossoms. Bees buzzed lazily nearby.
Lia pressed Ben’s hand to her belly with a laugh. “We’re starting a crop of our own. I believe we are the definition of being fruitful and multiplying.”
Wonder and love filled Ben’s expression as he cupped his hand possessively over where his baby was cradled by her body. His kiss was tender, moving, and filled with emotion.
The vision faded as the sound of laughter reclaimed their consciousness.
Ben took a step back. “What was that?”
“We share a gift of foresight. That was our future.” A future demonstrating that they ended up together. Happy. Theirs was a future free of challenges from evil deities and their efforts to take over the world.
While they were in the vision, Zeus had approached. He slapped Ben on the back with a chuckle. “I knew eventually you would turn up, son. In the end, true love will trump everything.”
Mnemosyne inclined her head and spoke directly into Lia’s mind. “I will restore his recollections of you. But this must be done privately.”
Lia’s heart leaped in her chest, the strong thud of love fulfilled beating against her ribs, filling her with a joy she’d been afraid she’d never feel again. “Maybe we should move this party to my office. Would you wait for Ben and I there?”
Her auntie beamed and tucked her arm through Gaia’s and nodded toward the stage. “I like this comedian better than the other man two weeks ago. This one is funny.”
As they departed along with the male gods, Lia pointed to the end of the bar, indicating Ben should meet her there. She ducked under the gate, and came up alongside him.
“Ben, there is a lot to explain, and I will. I promise I will. But for now, can you please trust me?”
He gave her the slow smile she adored. He hadn’t forgotten how to do that. He nodded. “You lead, and I believe I will willingly follow.”
He laced his fingers with hers and let her pull him to her office. The room was crowded with gods and goddesses and one mortal whose life would change because of his willingness to trust his instincts.
Zeus had commandeered her chair and somehow had managed to make the cheap office furniture look like a throne. He gestured to the sofa, inviting Ben to take a seat. Knowing this was her father’s meeting to conduct, Lia perched on the arm right next to Ben.
“Let’s get this show on the road.” Mars leaned against the exposed brick across the room.
“Ben,” Zeus began. “I am Zeus, CEO at Olympus Enterprises. I am also Thalia’s father, and as the name implies, I am the king of immortals.”
Ben stiffened next to her, his grip on her fingers tightened. He glanced up at her. “Is this the part where I’m supposed to trust you?” At her nod, his posture relaxed.
“Y
ou helped Lia save the world from Hunger four days ago.” Gaia had draped herself elegantly on the hard chair across the desk from Zeus. “Then due to the nature of the challenge, you were torn from my daughter’s arms. We were uncertain of the final outcome and so we removed your memories of the events, of all that you and Lia had become to each other.”
Ben’s brow creased. “Why would you do that?”
Lifting one shoulder, Mars provided an explanation. “Mortals no longer believe in gods. Our secret must remain so. We could not take the chance that you or your sister wouldn’t begin spreading the word of our existence.”
“How is your darling sister?” asked Gaia. “I enjoyed meeting her. She loves to shop for shoes.”
“She’s… This really isn’t about Emma.” He stood and faced Lia, his back to Zeus. “So we love each other?”
“I can’t speak for you, but I love you, Ben. You cared about me enough to add a note on your calendar to come here tonight, in case we were torn apart after the challenge was completed.”
“Then I must not have wanted to lose you.” He skimmed his knuckles along her jaw, the touch oddly tender and erotic, and dipped a fingertip into the dimple on her left cheek. He spun toward Zeus, a brow raised. “Can my memories be restored?”
Zeus pointed to Auntie M. “This is Mnemosyne. She is the Goddess of Memory. Your recollections will be revived. But I cannot sanction restoring Emma’s at the moment. She must remain ignorant of us.”
Gaia tucked her arms over her chest and huffed out a breath. “This is a point your father and I disagree on. Asclepius, Zeus’s doctor, can restore Emma’s hearing. For now, I will allow Zeus’s decree that she stay unaware. But once the time comes, the subject will be broached again.”
Zeus waved away her words, then gestured to Ben. “Is this what you want, son? Do you choose, of your own free will, to reclaim your memories?”
Lia held her breath, waiting for his answer. He had the power to make her happy beyond belief. Or to crush her by turning down her father’s offer.
Ben turned back to her. Grasping her shoulders, he studied her face. Light and love filled his expression. “I don’t need my memories back to know I love you.”
A single tear leaked from her eye, trailing down her cheek. She cupped his jaw, and whispered, “I love you as well. We can make more memories if this is your wish. But my dad’s offer comes with other gifts. Accepting your memories back gains you the kind of immortality I have. You will come back in the next life and find me. We can be together for eternity.” She laughed through her tears. “Which probably sounds like a long ass time to be stuck with a junk food addict.”
“Your taste in food is growing on me.” He skated his fingertips along her arms, lacing their hands together as he leaned in to possess her lips.
His mouth curved into a hard won smile. “I’ll happily take eternity with you. I will love you in this lifetime and all others we’re granted.”
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Author Bio
Gemma's favorite desk accessories for many years were a circular wooden token, better known as a 'round tuit,' and a slip of paper from a fortune cookie proclaiming her a lover of words; some day she'd write a book. All it took was a transfer to the United Kingdom, the lovely English springtime, and a huge dose of homesickness to write her first novel. Once it was completed and sent off with a kiss, even the rejections addressed to 'Dear Author' were gratifying.
After returning to America, she spent a number of years as a copywriter, dedicating her skills to making insurance and the agents who sell them sound sexy. Eventually, her full-time job as a writer interfered with her desire to be a writer full-time and she left the world of financial products behind to pursue an avocation as a romance author.
Hunger: Goddesses of Delphi Page 21