by Lisa Kessler
“Thanks for clearing your schedule for us,” Lia said.
Callie nodded and moved back so they could enter the house. “Not a problem. I hope the hypnosis will help us. No promises, though. I’ve only used hypnosis to help patients recover from traumatic events. There are plenty of articles out there from doctors who have used hypnosis for past life regressions, but I don’t think it’s ever been used to try to communicate with a Greek god before.”
Callie headed down the hallway to her office and waved to them to follow. Cooper laced his fingers with Lia’s, his thumb brushing over her knuckles as they walked. She looked up and found him staring at her.
“Whatever happens today,” he said, “I’m still kicking your ass at pinball tonight.”
Lia grinned and nudged him. “In your dreams.”
Her heart fluttered. Cooper had lightened the mood and coaxed a smile from her all on his own. There was definitely a sense of humor hiding below that serious exterior of his.
When they got into Callie’s office, Callie sat in a chair in front of her desk. She gestured to the small sofa along the wall. “You can have a seat.”
“I don’t need to lie down?” Cooper asked.
“Only if you would be comfortable that way. In my experience, most people are a little less vulnerable and more open to the guided hypnosis if they sit.”
“Works for me.” Cooper sat, and Lia took the spot beside him.
Callie had a spiral notebook on her lap. “Any questions before we start?”
Lia glanced at Cooper, and he surprised her with a wink. He focused on Callie. “Let’s do this.”
“All right.” Callie looked over at Lia. “You better go wait in the living room. I’ll call for you when we’re done.”
Lia nodded and did as Callie had said, trying not to obsess over everything. Should she have warned Callie about the way Cooper sometimes glowed? What if Cooper connected with Apollo again and had a seizure?
Ugh. She pulled out her cell and fired off a text to her roommate.
Hey, Trin. Cooper is out of the hospital. We’re over at Callie’s right now. What are you up to today?
Her phone buzzed in reply.
Just had a talk with Ted Belkin.
Lia’s eyes widened, her fingers fumbling on the phone keyboard.
You did what? Are you okay?
Trinity responded immediately.
No. I’m pissed.
Lia ran a hand through her hair struggling to piece together a reply that didn’t include Are you nuts? or You remember he’s part of the Order that’s trying to kill us, right? Finally, she picked up her phone again.
Come over to Callie’s.
Seconds ticked by like hours before her cell buzzed again.
On my way.
Lia pocketed her phone and went into the kitchen for a glass of water. Trin could’ve gotten herself killed. Why would she take a huge risk like that? He could have left her dead in a ditch someplace and none of them would have known.
Suddenly she understood why her mother used to rant whenever Lia would come home late.
Callie’s voice faded into the background like a whisper in the back of Cooper’s mind, leading him down a dimly lit tunnel toward a room full of light. When he reached it, a man stood in a library with his back toward Cooper.
The man lifted his head as Cooper entered but didn’t turn around. He spoke in a language Cooper couldn’t understand.
“I don’t know what he’s saying,” Cooper murmured aloud, on some level remembering Callie was his guide.
Her voice whispered through his head. “Ask him to speak English. The library is in your mind. He can use the language found there.”
Cooper followed her instructions, and slowly, the man turned. Cooper dropped to his knees, shielding his eyes from the bright light. “Too much. Back it down.”
A deep voice replied, “You are human.”
“Yes.” Cooper spoke without lowering his arm from his eyes. “You’ve almost killed me twice with your power.”
“Rise, Guardian.”
Cooper stood, straightening to his full height and tentatively lowering his arm. Light glowed around the other man, but it was bearable now. Except the man wasn’t a man at all. Apollo walked around Cooper as if he was a new car being inspected by a prospective buyer.
When he stopped in front of Cooper again, he frowned. “Zeus chose a mortal to protect Thalia?”
“She’s human, too.” Cooper had no idea if he was speaking out loud anymore. He could’ve been worlds away from Callie’s office now. The library inside his head was all that existed.
He tipped his chin up slightly. “Do you know who I am?”
“I think so.”
The man crossed his arms over his broad chest, the light snapping with energy. “I am the god Apollo. I have come to help you protect her.”
“Your power is too much for my body. You’ll kill me.”
Apollo moved to the shelves of the library and withdrew a book. “Thalia lives again. Zeus vowed she would have a Guardian, but you are not a god.”
Cooper frowned. “None of the Guardians are gods.”
“There are immortals among you. We did not imprison all the Titans.” He opened the book and showed Cooper a photo of a…nymph?
Cooper glanced up from the book. “I haven’t seen her.”
Apollo set the book aside with a groan. “She has a human form now. She has been the driving force behind the Order of the Titans since their inception, directing the mortals, pretending to be one of them. She wishes to free her lover, Kronos, and punish Zeus for the death of her son with the Titan.”
Cooper rubbed his forehead. “How am I supposed to stop an immortal?”
The light intensified around Apollo. “The Guardians must protect the muses. Their destiny will be fulfilled. I saved you, and Erato’s Guardian, for this purpose.”
Reed. Erica must’ve been the vessel for Erato.
Apollo held out his hands. “You carry my healing power inside of you, but your mortality limits it.”
“I can’t help that.”
“I know.” He nodded, his hands balling into fists as he paced the room. “You must find the other Guardians and soon.”
“Why? What aren’t you telling me?”
Apollo placed a hand on Cooper’s shoulder. Visions flashed through his head so fast he couldn’t recognize them all. Fires, chess games, nursing homes, a temple in Greece, and guys in Kronos masks, but Apollo’s words were clear. “The door opened for a moment.”
Cooper jerked back. “What door? What are you talking about?”
“Protect the daughters of Zeus.” Fire flickered in Apollo’s eyes. “Kronos is among you.”
Trinity pulled up to Callie and Hunter’s house, and Lia went out to meet her at her car.
“Are you insane?” Lia asked, not bothering with a greeting. “You went to Belkin Oil without telling anyone? What if he hurt you or—”
“Enough,” Trin interrupted. “I know it was stupid, but I had to try.” She closed the car door. “After Mel called to tell me what happened in your parking lot last night, I freaked out. I can’t lose another friend to these bastards.” She rested a hand on her hip. “I guess I thought if I could look him in the eye, maybe I could get him to see he was hurting real people, not muses but flesh-and-blood women. And one in particular who used to believe he loved her.”
Lia wrapped her arms around Trin. “I’m sorry.”
She returned the embrace, her voice muffled. “Waste of my damned time.” She pulled back, shaking her head. “The guy I knew, who ate up the spotlight singing at center stage, is gone.”
“Come inside, I’ll get you a glass of water.” Lia led the way into the house. “Cooper’s still with Callie in her office.”
Trin lowered her voice. “Finding out he’s a Guardian really messed him up?”
Lia chuckled, taking a glass from the cupboard. “God, I wish that’s all it was.”
Trin raised a brow. “What did I miss?”
“We’re not really sure of anything, but it seems like Apollo is trying to make contact with Cooper.”
“You’re serious?”
“As a heart attack.” Lia put the ice water in front of Trin.
She let out a half-hearted whistle. “Wow. Just when I thought our lives couldn’t get any weirder.”
“Right?” Lia sobered. “Hopefully Callie’s hypnosis will make possible for Cooper and Apollo to communicate before he short circuits Cooper’s brain.”
“That’s why he had a seizure at the fire, wasn’t it?” Trin asked.
“Probably.” Lia shrugged. “We’re not positive. Cooper has healed me a couple of times now, but Reed got yanked back from the other side. Cooper is pretty sure that wasn’t him. He was the vessel, but Apollo closed the artery and got Reed’s heart beating again.”
Trin took a sip of the water. “Apollo had kids with the original Thalia, right?”
Lia nodded. “Yeah.”
“Apollo realizes you’re…not exactly her?”
“I don’t know.” Lia glanced down the hallway. “The thing is, I’m more concerned with why Apollo is making contact. We have the prophecy and we’re finding our Guardians, but if he’s trying to help us, there must be more at stake than what we’re seeing.” She paused for a beat. “Think about it. After thousands of years, why else would a Greek god be getting involved now?”
CHAPTER 11
The library vanished as Cooper shot up from Callie’s sofa, suddenly back in her office and on his feet. He gasped for air, struggling to get a grip on reality.
Callie came to him, taking his hand. “Cooper? You’re safe. Can you hear me?”
He looked down at her and nodded. “Yeah.” His chest heaved. “Yeah. I’m good. I’m back.” He went to the door. “I need to get to Lia. Kronos is here. Not here, I mean, but in this world. Someplace.” Before Callie could say anything, he was hurrying down the hallway. “Lia?”
She walked out of the kitchen with her roommate at her side. “Cooper, are you okay?”
“Yes. I think so, but…” He shook his head. “Sorry. My brain is scrambled.”
Callie stopped behind him. “I’m calling everyone to come over. Maybe together we can make sense of everything.”
Cooper glanced at Trinity. “Can I talk to Lia alone for a second?”
“Sure. I’ll help Callie with the calls.” Trin and Callie headed for the office, and Cooper took Lia back into the kitchen.
She stared up at him, reaching to cup his cheek. Her touch was like a lightning rod in an electrical storm, focusing all his attention on her. He bent to taste her lips, needing to be sure this was real. Her fingers slid through his hair as she tilted her head, her tongue sliding slowly against his.
He held her tighter, crushing her body to his, wanting her as close as possible.
She broke the kiss with a breathless whisper. “Cooper, wait.”
He opened his eyes and rested his forehead on hers. “Sorry. Apollo warned me that Kronos is among us, and I came out of the hypnosis desperate to be sure you were safe. I was so relieved to touch you…I got carried away.”
Her eyes widened. “Kronos is free?”
“Apollo thinks so.” He brushed his lips to her forehead. “That’s why he helped me save Reed. We’re going to need all the help we can get.”
“When everyone gets here, we can make a plan.” She rose up on her toes and kissed him. Pulling back, her gaze locked on his. “But before you’re busy trying to remember names while you’re being peppered with questions, I need to tell you something first.”
He lost himself in her dark eyes. “What’s that?”
“Thank you.”
He raised a brow. “For what?”
“Saving my life, communicating with a god to help save my sisters…and for agreeing to a pinball challenge you have no hope of winning.” She grinned, and his heart pounded like a jackhammer.
He chuckled and lifted her off the ground, spinning her around as she wrapped her legs around his waist. “I know we haven’t known each other for very long, but no one has ever made me feel the way you do.”
She searched his eyes. “Confused, frustrated, scared, and in pain?”
“No… Happy.” He swallowed an unexpected lump in his throat. “Even though there’s danger on the horizon, I never knew I could feel this way. It’s like a piece of me was missing and you gave it back to me.”
She kissed him, slow and sexy enough to make his knees weak. He moved to the counter, setting her on the edge to steady himself. Her nails ran up the back of his neck, coaxing a groan from him.
The front door opened, and Lia chuckled against his lips before pulling back. “Company.”
He didn’t move. “Promise me that later tonight we’ll pick up where we left off.”
She smiled up at him from under her lashes. “Right after the pinball ass-kicking.”
He laughed, lifting her up and putting her back on the floor. “I hope your mouth isn’t writing checks your gaming skills can’t cash.”
She rolled her eyes. “You wish.”
He followed Lia into the other room as the woman who had interrupted their first kiss came over to hug her.
“Good to see you.” Lia pulled back and turned to Cooper. “You remember, Clio, right?”
He nodded and offered his hand. “How could I forget?”
Color flushed Clio’s cheeks, and she shook his hand. “Sorry about my timing.” She went over to the large table in the dining room. “You look great for a guy who just got hit by a car.”
Cooper took a chair beside Lia at the table. “Thanks. I can’t take the credit, though. Apparently, Apollo wanted to make sure I pulled through.”
Clio pushed her glasses up and removed a book from her bag. “I’ve been researching the partners of the original muses to see if I can narrow down where we might find our Guardians.”
Cooper stared at her book. “Can I see that?”
“Sure.” She handed it to him.
Cooper turned the pages fast, searching for the picture Apollo had shown him. “When Callie had me under hypnosis, Apollo took a book out of the library and showed me a picture of some kind of nymph.” He flipped a few more pages. “He said she loved Kronos and wanted to punish Zeus for the death of her son.”
Clio’s eyes lit up, and she reached for the book. “It must have been Philyra.” She turned a chunk of pages and then a couple more before spinning it around for him to see. “Is that her?”
Cooper’s pulse raced. Until now, it all seemed like a dream, but seeing the photo made it very real. The conversation with Apollo had really happened. Insane. He swallowed and lifted his gaze. “Yes. Apollo said she’s been behind the Order since they began. She wants to take the daughters of Zeus from him just like he took her son.”
Before Clio could answer, more women came through the front door. Lia was right about him trying to remember their names. He was struggling to keep up. There was Mel, but she was simple because he’d already met Nate and so had a connection with her. They also brought a baby and a bouncy big sister with them.
The girl with a head full of strawberry blond curls stared up at him with a gap-toothed grin. “I’m Maggie Malone. I used to be Keen, but Nate and Mel adopted me.”
Cooper chuckled and shook her tiny hand. “Great to meet you, Maggie.” He lowered his voice. “They’re lucky you picked them.”
Her eyes widened along with her smile as she looked up at her parents with a giggle. “He thinks I adopted you!”
Nate mussed her hair. “You did. You made me a dad even before your brother did.”
Maggie hugged each of their legs and ran down the hall.
Cooper smiled at Mel. “Good to finally meet you.” He glanced at the hallway where Maggie disappeared. “She seems like a great kid.”
Mel nodded with a warm smile. “She keeps all of us sane when the Order makes us think the world is on fir
e.” She sobered. “How are you feeling? Nate told me about the hit and run.”
“I’m recovered,” he answered. “No injuries. But I guess we’ll tell you all about that once everyone gets here.”
Lia introduced him to Erica next, who skipped shaking his hand and gave him a tight hug. “I owe you,” she whispered. When she stepped back, she pulled her fiancé forward. “You remember Reed, right?”
Cooper smiled and shook his hand. “Good to see you upright again.”
“All thanks to you, man.” The firefighter went with Erica to find a spot at the table.
Another woman Cooper didn’t know was seated between Callie and Trinity. She must’ve slipped in while he was hugging Erica.
When he sat down next to Lia, she whispered close to his ear, “That’s Tera. She’s the Muse of Dance. Talking isn’t her strong suit. She’s a little shy.”
He gave Lia a nod and glanced at Callie. “Is this everyone?”
“Almost.” Right on cue, the front door opened, and a guy in board shorts and a white tank came in.
He took the chair on the other side of Callie and kissed her cheek before facing Cooper. “Sorry I’m late. Had to wait for Scott to come in and watch the surf shop for me.”
“Hunter’s always late.” Reed leaned forward to see him and chuckled. “Don’t try to pin it on Scott.”
“Screw you, McIntosh.” Hunter grinned.
Cooper finally recognized him. This was the guy Reed had pulled out of the burning theater. Hunter and Reed reminded him of his unit at the station, and their banter helped Cooper relax in a room full of people he barely knew.
Callie gave Hunter a playful nudge. “Enough. We’ve got something big to talk about.” She looked across the table at Cooper. “Are you ready?”
He nodded, and Lia’s hand moved to his thigh. He glanced at her, encouraged by her warm smile. “I guess I should start at the theater fire.” His gaze wandered around the table. “When I first met Lia, something happened. My hands tingled, and the cut on her head closed up without stitches. Apparently, I’m her Guardian, and I can touch her and heal her injuries.”
“Do you know how you fixed me up?” Reed asked. “I’m not a muse.”