"About that…" He relayed everything Chrys had told him about Theron and his buddies. "Melancton and I will try to find them before it's too late, but what he took…"
"Could cause a huge fucking problem." Pan cursed under his breath. A satyr named Silenus had tried to kill Pan with the same axe now in Theron's possession. And who knew what the false ambrosia was meant to be used for. "I'll stop in to help you after I get Katerina and the baby settled back at home. They were remiss to leave Greece, but suddenly all these news outlets are inviting her on their shows because of that stupid documentary."
Jacen snorted. One of the Boeotians had probably waited until Dionysus went missing to leak it, hoping to cause trouble for Pan. Chrys hadn't known anything about it when they'd asked him. "If not for that stupid documentary, you wouldn't have ever met her. And, I might add, no one told you to go full Jersey Devil on camera. You made that decision."
Pan exhaled dramatically. "That's the kind of decision-making that happens when you think with your dick. Remember that. Our own dicks fuck us more than anyone else."
As they continued to laugh about Pan's poor decisions, Jacen crossed through a city square and headed down an alleyway. Alleys in Savannah were more like side streets, but they were less frequented than the main roads. He was straight up meandering at this point. He didn't even know where he was headed other than following the need to roam while he spoke. "Nestor has been a godsend with these pills he made using Vander and Bremusa's cells. I almost feel normal again. For a while, anyway."
Pan made a sound of agreement. "Let's hope the curse doesn't develop a tolerance for it."
He stopped dead in the middle of the road. "Don't you dare even jinx it that way."
"Would I do a thing like that?"
Jacen couldn't find it in him to laugh. "Recall what you did to Adonis." Would the Boeotian ever find a nymph to determine if Pan's curse amounted to anything serious?
Snorting, Pan asked, "Would I do anything like that…on purpose?"
"You might. You do have a reputation of being a trickster. Not all of the myths were complete bullshit."
"You wound me. And here I am stalking the Fates for you. They see me coming every time and started leaving riddles for me to find. They're amused. I'm not."
If not for the fact the Fates had information on London's bloodline Jacen needed to know, to find out if there were nymphs in her family tree, he'd think their toying with Pan was humorous. For what it was worth, he found it disheartening. "Speaking of Adonis," he said to change the subject. "Did anyone think to give him some of Nestor's magic anti-arousal pills? I know he was denied a set of panpipes. Hermes said a while back he was much improved once he got away from Dionysus and his wine, and the frequent headaches stopped."
Pan growled. If Jacen stood in front of the god, he probably had glowing red eyes at the moment. "You know what he almost did to Lily, all to hurt his brother who had never done a thing to harm him."
Jacen knew all right. "So, we're going to punish him forever when he's apologized to everyone involved and Hermes says he wants to make amends? Besides…if we don't try to help him, Theron may find him first. The last thing we need is another enemy who believes we've done them a personal wrong."
There was a long pause, and then Pan said, "I don't like it when other people are right and not me."
"That's not surprising considering your very own mother is the goddess of hubris."
Pan gasped and joked, "I know where you sleep."
"Yeah, well, we all know you're a pervert, so that's not surprising either."
Pan laughed and Jacen took a look around. Where was he? Another side street judging by the lack of businesses opening to the street and the gates leading to trash bins, but he wasn't sure where exactly.
"I should probably get back so Melancton and I can start our search."
"Of course. I'll tell Nestor about Chrysander's promotion and offer to give him a bigger space to work. He'll be ecstatic." Then he added, "I'll be in town probably tomorrow. If you haven't found the Boeotians by then, I'll flush them out. Before they have time to do anything with that false ambrosia."
Jacen nodded even though Pan couldn't see him. What did they plan to do with it? It couldn't hurt Calix, at least it shouldn't, and Theron wanted to torment and kill Calix more than anything. After saying his goodbyes, he slipped his phone in his pocket and turned back in the direction he'd come from. Once he made it back to an intersection, he could figure out where he was and get back to the inn.
Only, that possibility didn't look good.
A door had opened behind him when he finished his call, and he hadn't noticed it then. Three Boeotian satyrs stood in a dark doorway, malicious smirks crossing their features. He'd found Theron, Maron and Elek.
Fuck.
Unfortunately, he was outnumbered. He could run away or face them, and either scenario did not give him a very good chance. He tossed the bag with London's gift against the building and raised his fists. "You know I'm not going down without a fight."
Theron stepped out to the street, horns proudly on display. His jeans covered most of his hooves, but they were loud as they clopped against the asphalt. He'd pulled his shoulder-length brown hair back into a ponytail, and he rubbed the indent on the bridge of his nose where the feature had been broken one too many times before he'd become frozen in immortality. Jacen wished he hadn't hung up the phone before turning around.
The other two came out and flanked his sides. Maron with his short black hair gelled into spikes, and Elek looking like he'd just rolled out of bed, his dark eyes full of aggression. Jacen sized them up, and he didn't like his chances with three against one. Maron grinned as if he knew the precise thought crossing Jacen's mind.
"Get him," Theron shouted, and his two lackies surged forward. Jacen's fists connected with flesh over and over, but he was quickly brought down to the ground. He couldn't even tell which one struck the blow to his temple that knocked him out.
8
Sage paced the living room, a frown weighing down her face. Every part of her wanted to storm out of the house and go home. Would Adonis chase her again? Would he make her stay? She glanced down at her phone, which had thankfully not been ruined by her bag's untimely demise in the mud. It had been—mostly—waterproof. Yet another missed call from Darcy.
If she didn't respond soon, her roommate would call the police and report her missing and Sage would have to tell the cops what she had been up to. She wasn't embarrassed that she had thought she was a witch—because it had made sense, damn it!—but that was not a news story she thought her family would particularly care for. Especially once the truth came out that she hadn't been abducted or anything horrible.
No, Mom, I didn't get kidnapped. I willingly stayed because a satyr didn't want to go around sexually assaulting people since he couldn't have sex with me during the lunar eclipse. Just call me Mother Freaking Theresa over here.
It sounded like bullshit. It really did. And if Sage hadn't experienced her own powers firsthand to know the supernatural was real, she'd never believe any of it. Okay, so his hooves might have convinced her…
Her phone vibrated again with a voicemail.
"You can talk on the phone, you know. You're not a prisoner." Adonis sat on the couch with one hand cradling his face as he leaned against the armrest. He had been watching her excessive pacing without comment for what seemed like most of the day.
"It's my roommate. Can't figure out how to explain this to her."
Adonis waved his other hand dismissively. "Met a man. You'll be home in a day or two."
She couldn't figure out what was more annoying: his suggestion or the fact that Darcy would actually believe it based on Sage's history. And now here she was slut-shaming herself. A healthy sexual appetite wasn't wrong. She didn't sleep with married men, and she used protection. She had standards and apparently her sex drive was supernaturally enhanced, so it was more than normal for her. It would do her no good to sta
rt feeling bad about her lifestyle because of a man who didn't want her in his bed.
Not a man. A satyr.
The very personification of male sexuality.
And he didn't desire her.
She scowled. The whole situation was insulting, unfair, and it pissed her off. She was his curse Band-aid, nothing more, nothing less, yet she still wanted to have sex with him despite it. Stupid nymph hormones.
Sage glared at him. "I'm not lying to Darcy."
"I'm a man, you met me, and you'll be home in a day or two. Those aren't lies; you're only omitting the stuff she doesn't need to know."
"Omitting truth is still a form a lying," she snapped and nearly stomped a foot. "She'll assume we're sleeping together."
"Well…" He drawled and waved a hand around. "We slept in the same room. So technically…"
"Oh, shut up."
He was way too smug about this, and apparently wasn't done. "Plus, if it's still flooded near the road, you could damage your car."
Like he gave a shit about her car. She was only here so he didn't hurt someone. If he were telling the truth, anyway, and she couldn't see why he'd lie about that. She was torn with her feelings about him, intrigued and fascinated by him, and her libido was still acting all crazy. Proximity to him didn't help.
"I'm calling her back. I don't want to hear one word if you don't like what I have to say."
Adonis raised a shoulder and dropped it back again. One day she would learn that the more handsome the man, the more frustrating they would be in a conversation.
Darcy answered on the first ring, and out of habit, Sage put the call on speaker. She didn't like holding the phone to her ear unless she had to. Besides, she had no secrets from Adonis. "Oh my God, are you okay? Are you hurt? You didn't come home today and then weren't returning my calls or texts."
Guilt speared her gut. She should have at least sent a text last night or this morning so her friend wouldn't be so worried. She hadn't given Darcy a spare thought at all. "I know. I'm shitty."
"Where are you?"
Here we go… "Staying with a friend. It flooded out here last night and I couldn't drive back into town. Got distracted and my phone was on silent." Adonis caught her gaze on the word distracted, and her voice almost cracked.
Darcy herself stayed silent for a long moment. "You're not telling me something."
Far too insightful for her own good. Sage wiped away a bead of sweat. "I overshare. If there was more to tell, you'd hear it."
"Uh huh…" She didn't sound convinced.
Sage sighed. "Oh, come on. I tell you everything. Sometimes more than you want to know." Could she tell her about nymphs and satyrs? Would Adonis let her leave if she did?
There was a brief pause, as though her words had required careful consideration. "Well, at least you aren't downtown. Weird stuff is happening, and I feel better knowing you are safe, even if you aren't telling me something," Darcy accused. "You're not a good liar, Sage."
"Whatever." She blinked down at her phone. "Wait, what's happening downtown?"
"Some people saw a fight in broad daylight between some guys dressed in demon costumes with horns and everything."
Her jaw hung open and she glanced at Adonis' horns. Was it possibly related? "Well, that's horrible. Could have been Halloween costumes though."
He leaned forward and gestured for her attention. Sage hit mute. "What?"
"Ask for more information about the demon costumes. There's a B&B downtown run by satyrs."
"What!" There were more of them in the city? Her city?
Adonis rolled his eyes. "We'll talk about it later. Just ask. Were their horns straight like mine, or curled like a ram's?"
"Uh…okay." She unmuted the call and stared at her phone. "Weird question, Darce…but was there more description about the fight? What did the demon costumes look like?"
"They said it was three guys with tall horns and weird boots that looked like hooves. Like that guy in the rock band, only his horns weren't curly. Ya know. They were ganging up on another guy. When the cops got there, they found some belongings, but the victim and the attackers were long gone."
Adonis stood up, alarm on his face. He pulled his own phone out of his pocket and began texting vigorously.
Concerned with his reaction, Sage gripped her own phone a little tighter. "Listen, I gotta go. I'll let you know when I'll be home in a day or two."
"Okay, but stay safe."
Sage smiled. Darcy was a good friend and a great roommate. Not everyone got so lucky in either department, let alone the combination. "I always do." When she hung up, she glanced at Adonis and raised her eyebrows. "Well?"
Any irritation she had for him faded at the alarm on his face. "Something is wrong. The three men with horns like mine, they're not here for anything good. I am guessing whoever they were after was one of the Arcadians at The Aegean Inn. Maybe they got mad at a human and attacked him, but I doubt they would risk exposure if it wasn't one of us."
"What's an Arcadian?" She really couldn't follow half of what he said without some sort of explanation. "And how do satyrs live in the city without people noticing?"
"We can hide our unnatural attributes with glamour in the daytime if we have the means to do it," he said quickly. "Those of us with straight horns, like me, were standing behind Dionysus when the curse made us satyrs and we stayed in Boeotia with him, so we're called Boeotians. Those who were behind Pan had curled horns and lived in Arcadia with him. Arcadians. So, naturally, we distinguished each other by that."
"Riiiiight." Seemed weird if they weren't all from those countries originally. "So now ya'll have, what, a turf war?"
He snorted. "Not…exactly. More like there's this one Boeotian named Theron who has become the worst possible version of a satyr. If he's here, then he's looking for Calix, to kill him probably. They have a history." Adonis frowned at his phone. She didn't hear any notifications, so either it was on silent or whoever he had texted hadn't replied. "Theron fell in love with a crazy murderess and Calix killed her. Last I heard, Dionysus had Calix locked up somewhere. I guess he escaped."
A bolt of recognition struck her as he repeated that name. "Wait a moment. Calix…I know that name. Why do I know that name?" She sat down on the couch Adonis had vacated. He stared at her now like she'd grown a second head. That wasn't the sort of name one forgot. It wasn't common.
It was Greek… Had Adonis said The Aegean Inn? Pieces of memory started to become clearer as though they'd been trapped in a haze somewhere in her mind.
"Oh shit!" Her eyes widened as she looked up again. "I met him. I—"
The way Adonis' eyes narrowed made her gulp. If he clenched that perfectly chiseled jaw any tighter, teeth would crack. "Did you now?"
Heat rose to her face. If this Calix and the man she met were the same…that meant… "I met him at a restaurant downtown. We had sex in the bathroom."
Adonis appeared rooted to the spot. Was he even breathing?
"I—didn't know he was a satyr. Does that mean…the curse?"
Adonis' face eased as horror overtook his features. He went completely pale. "Oh, fuck. He can't break the curse now. Not ever."
Sage stared at him. If there was any lingering doubt about the curse before, it was hard to be skeptical now. Nobody got that shaken up over something that didn't exist, for someone other than themselves, even if they were a good actor. "I didn't know," she repeated dumbly. She had liked Calix. He'd been handsome as sin, charming, and funny. And she had doomed him forever. "I…didn't know."
Adonis couldn't decide if he was jealous that Sage had been with Calix or horrified that someone would have to let the other satyr know what had happened. And it looked like that someone was him. Gods, the Arcadians already hated him. Hermes wouldn't answer the damn phone, and he'd know what to do. Even worse, Theron was probably in town too. Adonis had always despised him. The feeling was definitely mutual.
Who had he attacked downtown?
There
were only two things left he could do: call his brother, who wouldn't answer and was an entire ocean and continent away in Greece, or he could suck up his pride and call Melancton. Hermes had given him the Boeotian's new number since moving into The Aegean Inn. Adonis had never mustered up the guts to actually call it and ask him or any of the other satyrs for help. A foolish thing to do, considering how precariously close he was to losing control.
"Fuck." He thumbed open the contacts on his phone. A quick glance at Sage, and his heart constricted. She looked near tears. How well had she known Calix to be that broken up about the situation? Did she desire him still, or was she merely kindhearted? She had wanted to help Adonis despite having just met him, even though nymphs had hidden away for centuries to deny satyrs the chance at being human again.
Can't dwell on it right now.
Adonis dialed the number, anxiety eating up his spine with each second and each ring. Finally, Melancton picked up. "Hello?"
"It's Adonis," he said, quickly following it up with, "Theron's in town."
"We are aware," he said, giving no hint of his feelings on the subject matter.
Silence stretched through the line. Adonis's nerves made his gut clench. "He and two other Boeotians were spotted fighting with another man. Is anyone missing?"
Skepticism rang in Melancton's next words. "Why do you wish to know?"
"Because I have a situation I need to inform Calix about, and I can't get ahold of Hermes." And damn it all, he wanted to be useful. He wanted out of this piece of shit house. He needed something to do so he didn't go crazy wanting to feel something physical for a woman he couldn't be intimate with.
Who'd already been with Calix.
Stop thinking about it!
"Calix has not returned since he escaped Theron before. Jacen, however, is missing. I am searching for him now."
All Hallows' Satyr (The Cursed Satyroi Book 5) Page 7