Apollo's Gift (The Greek Gods Series)

by Sandy Rowland

  Cassie yawned. “It doesn’t count if you’re the guy.”

  “His name is John.”

  “Really?” She must have perked up too much based on Apollo’s warm blue gaze changing to glacial ice. Cassie lost the excited tone and tried to look disinterested. “What does he say?”

  Apollo pressed his lips together. “It doesn’t matter. You tell him no.”

  “That’s the proof? Your big revelation to convince me to stick my neck out and leave my dad thinking I have a screw loose is a guy with a flower?”

  “It’s enough. The point is that it occurs as I’ve told you.”

  “I guess.” She leaned against the padded cream fabric headboard. “Nine. Rose. John. Got it.”

  Apollo took her small hand in his large one and pressed his soft lips to her knuckles. The contact made her lightheaded. “One more thing, Cassandra,” he whispered, leveling his gaze on her. “You’re mine. Best for all if you heed that fact.”

  * * *

  Time had always meant schedules, but rarely controlled her thoughts. Cassie checked the time on her phone—again. Five minutes to nine. And then what? Was she supposed to accept an alternate reality as fact?

  She wasn’t the type to pray, but she hoped John wouldn’t walk into the coffee shop, pink rose or not. Ridding herself of this version of a god complex would be a relief. Another minute passed. “I can’t take it,” she grumbled, got up from her chair, strode to the bakery case, and stared at oversized muffins. At ten after nine, she was out of there. Enough of this silliness.

  Cassie chewed her thumb. A nervous habit her mom despised. Like lives depended on well cared-for cuticles and smooth edges. Her reflection taunted her in the glass. Nothing about her was smooth.

  Today’s costume of tan jacket and slacks stifled her as much as yesterday’s navy. She looked the part of masters student unless you paid close attention. She’d lost the battle with her hair and let it cascade over her shoulders to her waist. Not professional. Her mom, unfortunately paid close attention to her daughter’s appearance.

  Cassie tried to do the right thing but inevitably failed. Her mom wanted her to attend medical school. Her dad shoved politics at her. And Cassie longed to immerse herself in the safety of predictable calculations. No surprises for her. She wanted logic and order. So why had she invented this strange fixation with Apollo? It was so unlike her. Lingering in fragrant gardens with a god and sharing kisses in the moonlight was wonderful, but experiencing the disturbing attack on the embassy chilled her blood. She shivered. It couldn’t be real. Could it?

  “Hello.”

  Damn.

  She sighed and turned around, ready to deal with fate. John Medina ordered his double- shot latte and then flashed his grin on Cassie. Those butterflies in her stomach took flight, propelled by the power of his deep brown eyes. They crashed in flames when she realized John Medina proved Apollo’s existence and the prophecy. Her stomach knotted.

  Wait one minute, John showed up there for coffee most every day. It didn’t mean anything. There was still the detail of a pink rose and she didn’t see one. If everything happened as Apollo had said, then she’d have to believe in the gods and prophecy, but it would mess with all she knew.

  John strode toward her, pulling out something from inside his jacket. A small pink rose. “For you.”

  Just as Apollo said. Damn. Had she seen Apollo and touched him? Cassie trusted her own senses, but her head swam from the bizarre thought. The Olympian gods were real? She had to get hold of herself. If Apollo was real, then the embassy might fall and she’d have to do something.

  He smiled and handed her the flower. “I’d hoped you‘d be here.”

  Her skin chilled and she breathed deep to fight sudden nausea. I’m fine. Get it together and say something. “You were looking for me?” She put her thumb to her lips and nibbled.

  “I wanted to ask you to lunch.” His adorable lopsided grin distracted her enough from her realization to settle her stomach.

  She curbed her nail biting and dropped her hand to her side. Cassie liked John. Her dad thought she needed to meet more people, and no regular guy was beating down her door asking for a date. Apollo didn’t count. Regular didn’t begin to describe him. And John was just so cute. “Lunch would be great.”

  A flash of light.

  Oh no. Cassie blinked. Apollo floated behind John, his muscular arms crossed over his bare chest. He glared blue daggers at John’s back. “What are you doing?” he growled. “Tell him no.”

  Cassie casted her gaze past the fuming god to the girl making John’s order. She hadn’t heard anything.

  Neither had John. “About one?” he asked.

  “Sure.” Cassie struggled to ignore the deity and grinned at hunky buzzcut. Apollo’s gaze darkened. That made her nervous. Cassie shoved her hands into the pockets of her slacks. Ticking off a god might be a bad idea, but she’d been told what to do her entire life and she’d had enough. “I have to take a short lunch. Can we meet at the grill in the Leavy Center?”

  “Okay, but that’s not much of a date.”

  “I’m sorry.” Here it came, the dump. Every one of her romantic relationships had ended before they moved on to something serious. Why should Mr. Adorable be any different? Maybe she was cursed. “Do you want to forget it?”

  “No. If we have to settle for a quick lunch, then I want to take you to dinner, too.”

  “Um.” Cassie thought she saw flames flickering in Apollo’s eyes. That had to be her imagination. “We can discuss it at lunch.”

  John crinkled his brow. “Is everything okay? You don’t seem very excited. Are you seeing someone?”

  “Not really.” She ran her hand through her hair. “It ended ages ago.”

  “Ah, I see. He won’t let it go.” John shook his head. “The past is past.”

  “Not for some people.”

  “I can’t blame the guy. Any man would be a fool to let you go.” John winked. “See you at one.”

  * * *

  Apollo shot from Earth to the heavenly realms in such a white-hot beam of light, his sandals smoked. Zeus glanced at him sideways and continued his game of chess using mortal pawns.

  “The impudence,” Apollo grumbled. Cassandra had accepted an invitation from a man with him standing there. I’m a god. What could she want with a weak mortal when she had Apollo pledging love?

  He strode to the table where Zeus played chess against his brother, Hades. “Not going well?” Hades smirked. His chalky skin paled against his black tunic.

  Apollo leveled a seething glare. “There’s time.”

  “Yes, I can wait to collect the wager.” Hades’ gray lips stretched into a disturbing grin. “A year of you servitude in the underworld is better than when Hermes gained your sacred cattle.”

  Apollo’s anger flared and Hades covered his face with the hood of his garment against the heat. Light burst from Apollo’s body. A usual occurrence when strong emotion took over.

  “Apollo, Hades. Stop this.” Zeus slammed his meaty fist on the marble table, making the chess pieces quake. “You two made a wager. I’ve bound you both to stand by it. No more tormenting your nephew, Hades. Apollo will succeed.”

  Apollo cooled to a soft glow. Hades lowered the dusky cloth from his face, brushed the smoldering ash from his garment and considered the chessboard, refusing to meet Apollo’s eyes.

  Zeus moved his knight, a mortal, the secretary of state for the United States. Hades scowled. Zeus, ever confident, leaned back in his Roman chair and stretched. “You can’t beat me, brother. You’re a god, but I rule here.” Zeus turned his attention to Apollo. “What brings you?”

  “Give me permission to remove one mortal.”

  “You know the law. Is this human destined to die?”

  Apollo clenched his jaw. His father would have to ask. “The Fates say not yet, but he’s a problem.”

  “He?” Zeus tilted his silver-haired head.

  “John Medina. A loathsome
rodent.”

  Zeus scratched his head. His moss-green eyes sparkled with amusement. Apollo had seen this restrained humor often, usually at his expense. “Don’t tell me that a mere mortal man has you worried?”

  “Certainly not. He’s an annoyance, a fly teetering on the edge of a glass of fine wine. Allow me to squash the insect before he ruins the brew.”

  Hades chuckled. The sound was reminiscent of screeching bats. “Ah, Cassandra favors your fly. How dismal for you.”

  Apollo ignored his uncle and focused on Zeus. “All mortals die and he has no great bearing on the future. It’s only one rodent.”

  “The law is the law, my son. Do you wish to tempt the Fates?”

  Apollo grumbled under his breath. “Might I at least move this man to another location?”

  “You can’t force him.” Hades shook his head of stringy dull hair. “It’s his choice.”

  “He’ll be persuaded.” Apollo lowered his brows at his uncle.

  “You think much of your skills,” said Hades.

  “I convinced you to release Cassandra from the underworld.”

  “Or were you the one convinced, nephew?” Hades moved his rook, represented by a creature called Hydra.

  Zeus raised one thick brow. “Interesting decision.”

  Apollo chafed against his uncle’s rebuff. “I’ll win Cassandra’s heart and the wager. When I do, Hades, you’ll bow and scrape under my command.”

  Hades set his black gaze on Apollo. “We shall see, boy. We shall see.”

  CHAPTER SIX

  Cassie perused the restaurant’s offerings stretched out before her in sleek steel trays as she waited for Mr. Tasty Buzzcut. Being raised by type A parents, she’d learned to be early for everything. Great for school and work, but when it came to parties and dates, not so much. Today it gave her a chance to wrap her head around having her first date in far too long.

  Medina was a student. That wouldn’t impress her dad. She hoped he had a job. Her parents might relax if he passed inspection and proved reliable. Few men had the inclination or the balls to stand up to scrutiny. And she didn’t know anything about him other than he had a grin that needed kissing. Could this budding relationship bloom?

  Fat chance.

  She’d be lucky if John showed up for lunch, much less dinner. Dinner. She hadn’t agreed to that, thank goodness. If they hit it off, and if he wasn’t using her to further his career, and if she didn’t get that warning prickle at the back of her neck, and if he stuck around long enough to know her, then maybe they could move to the next level. “A lot of ifs,” she mumbled.

  The next level would be sex, and a first. Her face glowed with warmth at the thought of moving from reluctant virgin to initiate of a romantic coupling. Oh, who was she kidding? Even in her dreams of Apollo they’d never gotten down to enjoying each other fully. There had to be something wrong with her. She didn’t know anyone her age that hadn’t experienced sex. It wasn’t for lack of wanting to fall in love, but the men had decided that she wasn’t worth their time.

  Apollo was more than a man and deserved his own category. The god toyed, kissed, caressed, nuzzled and spoke sweet words to her, but held back before intimacy. Did she have perpetual bad breath and they couldn’t stand exposure? Cassie held her hand to her face and blew air, smelling for offensive odor. Minty fresh. Bad breath wasn’t the problem. It had to be her.

  And what about Apollo? He’d looked beyond annoyed when John had asked her out. She’d never seen anyone’s eyes smolder like hot coals before. Creepy. Maybe dangerous. And real. And real. Shit. Cassie shook her head. The prophecy had to be just as solid, but she had no idea of what to do about the embassy. Tell her dad? Yeah, right. She couldn’t just blurt it out. Cassie needed to think it through and have a logical plan. And she’d focus on that right after her lunch.

  She scanned the cafeteria for John. Wood-grain Formica tables’ hosted men and women in an array of dress, others congregated at the drink dispenser, and a few stood in line placing their orders. The hum of conversation and smell of sizzling food brought memories of sitting at a similar table with her dad. Her mom would’ve disapproved, had she been there. Suggesting salad over the salty food and the milkshake Cassie loved. Her dad once told her that magic and memories weren’t built on things as flimsy as lettuce. They required substance, something solid like meat, potatoes and plenty of salt and sugar. Cassie licked her lips.

  “Hey beautiful.” John strode toward her, wearing that lopsided grin that made her heart flutter. “What will you have?”

  A mischievous smile spread over her mouth. “A burger, fries and a diet cola.”

  He chuckled and the bass note played over her like fingers stroking. “That’s what I like to see, a woman that eats real food. Not that I’m against veggies, just not as a meal.”

  John got in line to place their order and Cassie snagged a small table that gave her a fine view of John’s back. Broad shoulders, athletic build, no telling about his butt, but she’d bet it was tight and well formed under his jacket. She let herself imagine him in a Roman toga. Nice legs.

  Enough of that. Indulging in daydreams wouldn’t help. There was more to a person than looks. He might be a workaholic, a womanizer, an opportunist, or as boring as green salad with fat-free dressing on the side. She raked her gaze over him. He didn’t look like salad. John appeared to be a man that enjoyed a challenge. Would he be any different from the other men she’d gone out with?

  Her stomach rumbled. Cassie sucked in a breath of delicious French fry scented air to steady herself. Better to find out now before she invested herself.

  John set the food-laden tray on the table and slid into his seat, his burnt-umber eyes sparkling. “Ketchup?”

  “Please.” Cassie took a packet from his hand brushing his fingers. A tingle went up her arm from the slight contact. They had chemistry and just sitting close to him made her head float like a cloud.

  He took a swig from his drink and leveled his gaze on her. “Tell me about yourself. And you can bypass all the stuff about your father. I want to hear about you.”

  That was a first, for as long as she could remember conversations always centered on her very important dad. This man piqued her interest. “There isn’t much to tell.”

  “A woman so captivating has to have history.”

  Heat filled her face and she hoped he didn’t notice her blush. “I’m getting my Masters. I’m a bit of a math nerd.” Not at all impressive or fun. She had to come up with something better than that. “I spent the summer in Europe. Greece was my favorite.”

  He took a bite of his double cheeseburger, nodding as he chewed and swallowed. “That’s interesting. It doesn’t sound like you’re planning to follow in your father’s footsteps.”

  “Politics? No way. I want a PhD and to teach at a university.”

  “Beauty and brains. Don’t often find those pared.” His grin widened. “My goals are to finish my masters and work for the FBI. I interned for them last summer. I’m a computer geek. I chose Georgetown to gain the right connections.” He shrugged his shoulders. “I get the math nerd thing, so don’t feel weird about it. Computer geek isn’t very exciting, but the FBI is. Meeting the right people is all part of getting ahead.”

  Right connections? Red flag. He could be an opportunist. Cassie looked up from her burger and he continued. “I have big plans.”

  Cassie dabbed her mouth with the white paper napkin. “And what do you hope to do, run the FBI?”

  He leaned forward in his plastic seat, his eyes glossed. “Maybe, when I get older. But for now, I hope to work in cyber terrorism. Stop the bastards and maybe infiltrate them and take down their systems. Make a name for myself. It gets my heart and mind racing just thinking about it.”

  “That sounds exciting.”

  “Sure, there’s some of that, but what my goals really require is careful planning. I love the control it takes to figure out systems and access codes. I can’t wait to get out of schoo
l and really accomplish something.”

  “You sound motivated.”

  “Got to be, if you want to get anywhere in this world. I have plans.”

  She bet he did. The kind of plans that included using her as a rung on his ladder. Just as she’d feared, another relationship that was over before it started. User. Cassie stabbed at her ketchup with a French fry.

  Love appeared unlikely, but not impossible. John had noticed her before he knew her name. There wasn’t anything wrong with ambition. Her dad was ambitious. And her mother breathed her successful practice. She should at least give Medina a chance. That was more than most men had given her. Two dates and gone. That was the average. But she refused to be stupid about this. Why wait to be dumped and suffer the ensuing pain? Why not just get it all out there and if he ran, better now than later.

  She sat up straight and strived to sound confident. “So, is using me to get to my dad part of your plan?”

  John sputtered soda and coughed. “Whoa. Are you always this direct?” He cleared his throat. “Honestly, it wouldn’t hurt to know your dad, but I don’t need him. I have a job waiting for me when I finish school. When I saw you at Starbucks the only plan I had was to ask you out.”

  Cassie wasn’t sure that she believed him, but his brown eyes were soft and he had that adorable repentant puppy look down. “I just wanted to be clear. It’s nothing personal.”

  “You’ve been burned before.”

  “Fried.”

  John reached across the table and covered her hand with his. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

  The back of her neck prickled and then the tingle spread over her entire body. Was this a huge warning or the beginning of a long-term relationship? Maybe both?

  * * *

  Apollo watched unseen from the abode of the gods as Cassie sighed over that puffed up, excuse for a man. The fool nodded his head and salivated at the chance to make a name for himself. Cassie was part of this mortal’s plan. And if thwarting the relationship needed a shove from a god, then so be it. Apollo had a heart to win.