A Scent of Greek: Out of Olympus (21 page)

“I’m sorry, honey, I’m so sorry.” But her friend’s soothing words did nothing to alleviate the pain in her chest.

“Get me out of this dress.” Ari didn’t want to be reminded for another second that today should have been the happiest day of her life.

As Natalie helped her step out of the dress that would now go unused and helped her put on jeans and a t-shirt, Ari allowed the tears to flow freely. She would not be a bride and walk down the aisle, not today, not ever. She would never make her parents proud. All she would be to them was a continuing disappointment.

“Oh, God, no!”

Natalie jumped. “What’s wrong?”

Ari grabbed her friend’s arm. “My parents! Natalie, my parents are at the ceremony!”

They would feel the sting of humiliation once more. But Ari couldn’t allow that. Not this time.

Chapter Thirty-Two

The hot afternoon sun beat down on the waiting guests. Dio sent a silent request up to Helius, asking for a little less enthusiasm by the sun god so the assembled wedding party wouldn’t melt into their chairs.

Dio had compiled a guest list that included all of Ariadne’s friends and some of her clients. Even the two thugs who’d beaten him up sat among the party. Ari’s parents sat in the first row. He’d arranged for a first class flight and the best room at Triton and Sophia’s B&B to make certain they’d be at their daughter’s wedding.

Ari hadn’t even seen them yet because their flight had been delayed the night before and they’d been dead tired by the time he’d picked them up from the airport and brought them to the B&B. And this morning, Ari had rushed to the hairdresser and a last minute fitting for the dress, which had prevented her from greeting her parents.

Dio glanced at his wristwatch once more. It was past two p.m. The polite quarter hour of tardiness had passed and was now slowly sliding into a half hour of lateness. Had his bride gotten delayed at the hairdresser, or had her dress met with a wardrobe malfunction? Why was she not here?

Natalie was nowhere in sight either.

He nudged Triton who he’d chosen as his Best Man. “I need to find out where she is.”

“Women are always late.”

“Sophia wasn’t late for your wedding.” Dio grunted impatiently. “Damn it, Triton, something is wrong.”

“You’re just nervous.”

Dio gave a dismissive wave. “This has nothing to do with being nervous. Something isn’t right. I can feel it here.” He pressed his hand to his stomach. His gut had never failed him before. “I have to look for her.”

Triton put his hand on his arm to hold him back when a prickling on his neck made Dio cast his eyes toward the French doors that led into the B&B. There, in the shadow of the building stood his Ari, her hands clenched by her sides.

His heart sank into his knees: she wasn’t wearing her wedding dress, and even from a distance of twenty yards he noticed that she’d been crying.

“Distract the guests,” he whispered to Triton and stepped off the platform.

“Dio, what the …?”

But Dio ignored his friend’s words, just as he ignored the whispers that went through the assembled guests, and went after Ari.

The moment she noticed him coming toward her, her eyes went wide in shock. Or was it fear? The observation jolted him and made him accelerate his already hasty steps. She turned inside before he reached her, but she didn’t get far. Before she even reached the downstairs hallway, Dio snatched her arm and stopped her.

“Ari! What’s wrong? Where’s your dress?”

“Let me go!” She tried to shake off his hold, but he didn’t allow it.

This was not the same woman he’d kissed good-bye this morning, nor the one who’d made love to him with such abandon the night before.

“Ari, please, tell me what’s wrong! I can see that you cried.” And the thought hurt like hell, as did the suspicion that she didn’t want to marry him, otherwise she wouldn’t be wearing an old pair of jeans on her wedding day.

When she finally looked straight at him, her eyes gleamed with fury. “You lied to me!”

Shit! What had he done now? “I didn’t—”

“You’re a god!”

Her words made him jump and release his hold on her. How in Hades had she found out? “I was gonna tell you. After the wedding.”

“Liar! There won’t be a wedding! You never planned to marry me!” she spat.

Disbelief careened through him. He swept his hands along his white tux and motioned her to look at him. “This doesn’t scream wedding to you?”

“It’s all a lie. All you want is to humiliate me in front of everybody, because you hate me and want to get back at me for what I did!” Tears burst from her eyes.

“I don’t hate you! I love you! Ari, I don’t understand what happened. Everything was fine this morning. It’s just jitters, believe me.” It had to be.

Dio reached for her arms and pulled her closer. “Please don’t cry. I was gonna tell you about me being a god, but it wasn’t the right time.”

She struggled against him. “I don’t care what you are! Don’t you get that? I don’t care whether you’re a god or not. But I do care about what you said.”

“Damn it, Ari, what did I say to upset you?”

She stilled and looked at him, her face a mask of stone now. “You said there’ll be a wedding, but there won’t be a groom.”

“I never—” Fuck! Those were his words, words he’d spoken in anger and regretted many times since. But there was no way in Hades she could know about them. Neither Triton nor Hermes would ever have divulged them and betrayed his trust like that. “Who told you that?”

“See, you can’t even deny that you said it.” She lowered her lids, but not before he saw the hurt sitting deep in her eyes. No wonder she didn’t want to marry him anymore: she believed he was playing her.

“Who?” he repeated, this time louder, his jaw clenching and his body taut like a bow string. He would take that traitor’s head off.

“That goddess, Hera, she warned me about you. And she showed me. Don’t deny it: I saw it with my own eyes.”

Dio let go of her arms. “That fucking bitch!” He should have known that Hera couldn’t leave it be and would interfere at the last minute. And hadn’t Zeus promised to keep her occupied? So much for his father’s promises. “Hera has been on my ass and out to destroy me from the day I was born! She’s evil! You can’t believe a word she’s telling you!”

Ari thrust her chin up, challenge written on her face now. “Then you deny that you ever said that you’d leave me standing at the altar?”

Dio ran a hand through his hair. It was time to come clean. “I can’t. I said it, but I didn’t mean it. I was angry when I found out what you’d done. But it’s different now. I love you. I really do. And I want us to get married. Today. Now. Please, Ari, you have to believe me.”

***

Slowly Ari shook her head. He expected her to trust him after this? “I can’t.”

And at the same time something inside her nagged. She’d seen him stand out there in the garden under the sweltering sun, waiting for her. When she’d realized that he was there, that
he
was actually the one standing at the altar, she’d frozen, unable to run to her parents to extricate them from the situation they were in. For the first time since Hera had told her the truth about Dio, she’d felt a tiny thread of doubt wrap around her heart. But she’d quashed it as quickly as it had come. This time she wouldn’t buy into any more lies.

“I thought you loved me.” There was disbelief in Dio’s voice.

She raised her gaze to meet his and then she saw it, the raw pain in his eyes. Ari closed her eyes. No, she was mistaken. He was only mocking her.

“You’re a god. What do you want from me? Hasn’t this game gone on for long enough?” Resigned, she hung her head. Even if he hadn’t said what he had, there would still be no future for them. The god Dionysus could have anyone. He wouldn’t pick her.

“It’s not a game. We belong together, and I will prove to you that Hera was lying and that I love you.”

Before she had a chance to figure out what he was planning, Dio puller her into a tight embrace.

Then everything went black.

If death was like this, it was pleasant. In fact, Ari’s entire body floated weightlessly in the dark. She felt nothing except … Dio’s arms were around her, and his body was pressed closely against hers. Before she could analyze the strange sensation of floating in Dio’s arms, bright light blinded her, and her feet found purchase as Dio set her down.

“We’re here,” he announced.

“Am I dead?” Ari whispered as her eyes adjusted to the brightness around her.

Dio brushed his lips against hers, kissing her softly. She was too dazed to resist. “Does this feel as if you were dead?”

She shook her head, feeling heat suffuse her cheeks. “Then what happened?”

“We’re on Olympus, the home of the gods.”

Chapter Thirty-Three

Ari took in her surroundings. Olympus! She was actually on Mount Olympus, the mythical place where the Greek gods were supposed to live. She’d never thought the place actually existed, let alone believed she would ever see it.

Her eyes swept over the Olive trees that grew on the slopes of the mountain on which various villas were dotted within walking distance of each other. The villas were beautiful, with large balconies and terraces overlooking the mortal world below. Any one of those villas could have rivaled the White House in beauty, size, and opulence.

But on top of the mountain where she and Dio stood was the most impressive of them all: a palace in fact. Built from white marble and looking as if chiseled from one massive block, it represented pure elegance and beauty. From the terrace, a large archway led into the palace, framed by Corinthian columns. Fountains were dotted around the building.

Ari instinctively took a few steps closer, drawn in by the sheer beauty of the place when Dio tugged at her hand. She turned to look at him.

“This is my father’s place, Zeus.”

“You live here?” Ari’s mouth dropped open. She remembered Hera saying that Dio was Zeus’ son. No wonder he’d been angry with her. He probably had hundreds of servants, and Ari had made him work as a waiter of all things!

“My father and I don’t get along. I live down there.” He pointed to one of the large villas on the hillside. “I also have homes in the mortal world.”

She gaped at him. “Like the apartment in Charleston? But that’s so … so modest.”

Dio smiled. “I like it that way. Up here, there’s too much back-stabbing going on. I prefer the mortal world.” Then his eyes turned darker. “I prefer being with you.”

Ari felt color rush to her cheeks. He was making her feel all warm and fuzzy again.

***

Dio noticed with delight that Ariadne still responded to him. She hadn’t given up on him yet, and she still loved him. Now he only had to convince her that she could trust him. And Zeus would help him achieve it.

“Zeus!” he called out toward the palace. He knew his father would already have sensed his arrival, therefore it was strange that the god of gods didn’t instantly appear on the terrace of his palace where he preferred to greet his visitors. It would be presumptuous to enter Zeus’ residence without express invitation.

“Zeus! I need to talk to you!” But his father didn’t show. Dio hadn’t pegged him for a coward who would avoid him because he’d broken his promise of keeping Hera off his back. Something was wrong.

“Come.” He led Ari toward the palace.

“I’m not dressed properly to meet your father.”

He gave her a sideways glance and grinned. “Are you telling me you’re actually nervous about meeting Zeus?”

Ari fidgeted. “It’s not every day that you meet a god. Hell, I didn’t even know gods existed—” She slammed her hand over her mouth for a moment. “Oh, I probably can’t say hell here.”

“You can say anything you want to,” Dio responded as they entered the palace through the archway. The air was pleasant inside. “Zeus is an equal-opportunity jerk.”

Ari jolted at his insult. “If you don’t like him, why are you dragging me here?”

“Zeus is going to tell you what Hera is really like.” And then Ari would recognize that he could be trusted—and loved.

“But, I already—”

“Don’t, Ari. Please give me a chance. If you don’t believe me, maybe you’ll believe Zeus. Not because he’s my father, but because he knows Hera better than anybody.”

They walked along the bright hallway which was lit by an atrium that stretched its entire length. Murals graced the walls and ceilings and could have outshined the ones in the Sistine Chapel any day. He allowed his senses to lead him to Zeus. The closer her got to his father’s bedroom, the angrier he got. It figured that Zeus was enjoying himself when he should have distracted Hera instead.

Dio tamped down his anger. He didn’t want to upset Ari with an outburst and promised himself to treat Zeus with civility in front of her. After all, he needed him to confirm to Ari that Hera had hung him out to dry and fabricated the truth to her own liking just to screw him over once more.

Without knocking, Dio threw the heavy door to Zeus’ private chamber open and stepped inside, shoving Ari behind him so he could give Zeus a chance to get decent. As it turned out, the precaution wasn’t necessary: Zeus was covered sufficiently by a bed sheet hiding his assets. He was also either asleep or unconscious—and handcuffed to his bed.

“Ah, shit!” Dio rushed to the oversized bed which stood on a raised platform and bent over his father. “Zeus! Wake up!” He shook his shoulder, but Zeus didn’t stir. “Father!” He’d never used the moniker, but his time he felt compelled.

“What’s wrong?” Ari stepped next to him.

“He’s unconscious.” If he’d been sleeping, he would have awoken by now. And with a foul mood at that.

“Oh!” He caught Ari glancing at the gold handcuffs. Her cheeks colored a dark red. “Maybe he’s just … exhausted.”

“Ari, sex doesn’t exhaust a god—as you should know.” Hadn’t he proven that to her during the last week? “Somebody overpowered him. And looking at the evidence—” He motioned to the cuffs. “—I’d say Hera had a hand in this.”

No wonder Zeus hadn’t been able to keep his promise to Dio. Hera had made sure of that.

“But he’s a god. Aren’t you guys supposed to be invincible?”

He grinned at her superhero analogy. “We sure like to think so, but we all have a weak point, an Archille’s Heel, if you will, and if targeted, it makes us vulnerable. Hera would know what Zeus’ weak spot is. It’s the only way she could have—”

“—handcuffed him?” Ari finished for him.

“No, the handcuffs came before, I’m pretty sure.”

“You mean …” Ari seemed to have no trouble following his thought process. Zeus and Hera had been engaged in a little sex game.

“That’s right, baby.”

“Well, is he gonna be all right?”

“He’s immortal, so don’t worry.” Seeing no visible injury, Dio tugged at the sheet before he stopped himself and turned to Ari. “Would you turn around please and look away?”

“What are you going to do?”

“Find where she incapacitated him. And since Zeus appears to be naked …” He didn’t have to explain anything further. Ari turned with a red face. “Thanks, baby, even though I doubt Zeus would mind being admired by a beautiful woman.” As a matter of fact, he’d probably get turned on if he knew. But Dio wouldn’t allow that: Ari was his, and if she turned anybody on, it would be him.

As he lifted the linen and examined Zeus’ body, Dio shook his head. How had Hera outmaneuvered her husband this time? This would be a story for the history books. Dio swept his eyes over his father’s body, keeping his gaze efficient yet thorough. When he reached Zeus’ groin and noticed a golden sheen among the dark patch of pubic hair, he let out a curse.

“Ah, fuck! Really?”

“What’s wrong?” Ari’s voice was alarmed.

“You don’t want to know. Just don’t look, okay?” Because being seen pulling out a gold hair pin that was driven deep into Zeus’ groin was the grossest thing he’d ever done. And he’d done a lot of disgusting things. As soon as the four inch long pin was out, the skin around the small hole closed and mended.

Zeus stirred instantly, a groan coming from his lips. “That fucking, evil, deceitful—”

“I couldn’t agree more.” Dio covered him with the sheet just as Zeus’ eyes flew open, pinning him.

A moment later, Zeus tore his hands free of the handcuffs as if they were made of papier-mâché. “Son!” The first exuberant greeting was quickly overshadowed by a frown. “You can never tell anybody what happened here.”

Dio hated being ordered around. “Don’t make me regret having helped you.”

Zeus sat up, but before he said anything else, his gaze strayed past Dio, and a lascivious grin spread over his face. “Oh, my! She looks even lovelier close up.”

***

Ari felt herself blush for the hundredth time today. She’d never imagined Zeus to look the way he did: young, vibrant, handsome—not old and with a white beard like Greek mythology books depicted him. And this man, no, god, thought she was lovely? Yet strangely enough, while the compliment was flattering, she didn’t feel the same kind of sensations that took over her body when Dio looked at her. Dio could turn her body into an inferno with one look. His father had nothing on him.

When she shifted her gaze away from Zeus, she found Dio looking at her intensely. Instantly, her insides melted, her knees turned to jelly, and her stomach flipped. Her heart beat into her throat when she noticed his eyes turn darker.

“Don’t mind me,” Zeus interrupted and broke the spell.

She and Dio turned toward him.

“I’m assuming congratulations are in order?”

Dio shook his head, and the gesture sliced into her heart. “Unfortunately, your meddling wife has convinced my bride that I don’t want her and was only planning to take my revenge on her. Hera made Ari believe that I was going to leave her at the altar.”

Zeus slammed his fist into the mattress. “That lying, conniving, scheming—” He stopped himself and looked at Ari, pasting a smile on his face. “I’ll deal with her later. So, my son isn’t good enough for you, huh?” Zeus’ booming voice filled the room, making nervousness creep up her spine. Was he planning to punish her?

“That’s not what—”

He cut her off. “He’s a good man.”

She knew that already. From the moment she’d seen him standing in the garden waiting for her at the little podium, she’d realized that. But little pockets of doubt still remained, and it was hard to shake off the images Hera had shown her. Besides, Dio hadn’t denied that he’d said there wouldn’t be a groom. What was she supposed to make of that?

“Hera hates him, always has,” Zeus continued. “She would do anything to ruin Dionysus’ life. You want proof that Dionysus loves you and wants to make you his wife?”

She nodded and glanced at Dio who stood a few feet away from her.

“Frankly, even a blind man could see how besotted he is with you, but you want proof, so you shall have your proof.” Zeus swept his arms in a circle, and one half of the bed turned into a pond. It was the same kind of optical illusion Hera had used. Zeus was going to show her something.

Ari took a step closer and stared into the reflection on the pool’s surface.

Dio looked out over the rolling hills of a vineyard before he turned to the French doors behind him. The room he entered was a bedroom, which was dominated by a king-sized bed with a fireplace in front of it. He snapped his fingers and out of nowhere, three dwarf-sized creatures appeared. They were human in appearance, yet there was a fairy-like quality to their movements.

“Oh mighty god Dionysus, how may we be of service?” the three said in unison.

“I want you to prepare the vineyard for tonight. Flowers, champagne, fruit. I want everything perfect.”

One of the fairies nodded. “May we decorate for a specific theme?”

Dio smiled. “Yes, for my honeymoon. I’m bringing my wife here tonight. Prepare the bedroom for our wedding night. I want red roses, soft white sheets, everything you can think of for Ariadne to be comfortable: warm towels in the bathroom, a robe, everything she could possibly want. I want her to be happy.”

Ari tried to push back the tears but a sob escaped her nevertheless. He truly wanted her. She turned toward him.

Dio dropped to one knee in front of her. “I love you, Ariadne. Will you marry me?”

She threw her arms around him and knocked him over, landing on top of him.

Dio laughed. “I take that as a yes.”

“Now get out of here,” Zeus ordered, “I believe you have a minister waiting for you in the hot afternoon sun. And I have a wife to punish.”

“Thank you, Father,” Dio said before he kissed her and everything went black around them.

***

Dio had trouble concentrating on teleporting back to the B&B with Ari pressed against him, her hands twined behind his neck and her lips locked with his. He almost crash landed in one of the guestrooms and averted a disaster by letting himself fall onto the bed, Ari landing on top of him. The rough landing caused him to sever the passionate kiss.

“Baby, you keep kissing me like that and we’ll never make it to our own wedding.”

She smiled down at him. “I’m sorry I didn’t believe you at first, but Hera was very convincing.”

He stroked his knuckles over her cheek. “No more listening to Hera from now on. Zeus will deal with her.”

Ari braced herself on her forearms. “I still can’t believe that you’re a god and that Zeus is your father.”

“You’ll get used to it. It has its advantages. I’m sure you’ll come to appreciate them.”

“What advantages?”

“These.” He snapped his fingers, removing her clothes with his powers.

“Ohh!” she gasped in surprise.

Dio grinned. “Oh, yeah!” He ran his hands over her naked back and down to her backside, filling his palms with her warm flesh. He knew exactly what he wanted right now—same as he wanted for eternity: Ari.

“I call that an unfair advantage.” Ari smirked.

“Not the way I look at it.” He stole a quick kiss but knew he couldn’t indulge in more. Not yet. He was fully aware that their wedding guests were baking in the afternoon sun. “Now, baby, let’s get married.”

An instant frown built on her face. “We can’t. My wedding dress. I left it at my apartment.”

He snapped his fingers and directed her gaze to the wardrobe. “You mean that one?” On the outside of the wardrobe’s door hung the most beautiful white gown he’d ever seen. She would look like a goddess in it—his goddess.

“How did you—” Then she interrupted herself. “I guess the same way you got us from the B&B to Olympus and back.”

Dio lifted her off his chest and got up. “Teleportation. It can come in very handy. As can this.” Another snap with his fingers, and Ari stood in front of him dressed in her wedding gown.

He stepped back to admire her. “gods, you’re beautiful. I’m one lucky son of a god.”