Apollo's Gift (The Greek Gods Series) (6 page)

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 school 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.

Streaking through space, Apollo arrived at the Leavy Center and hovered above the pair, feeling the scowl transform his features. He might not be able to remove this human, but he could enjoy himself at his expense. The rodent reached for his paper cup and, with help, knocked it over, spilling sticky, brown liquid over himself. That should end the conversation.

The man dabbed at his clothing with wads of paper napkins and stood to swath his darkening slacks. Apollo grinned at the display until Cassie rose to help. She wiped the man’s jacket and lower across his belt. Was the woman so naive? This John creature grinned at her attentions and she continued administrating the napkin down the front of his slacks. 

Enough.
This activity had to stop. Apollo planted himself behind the human in line with Cassie’s vision, but invisible to all others. Her eyes grew round. She ended her stroking of the man’s slacks and stood. “I think we got most of it.” She smiled at the rodent.

“Not a problem. I’ve some clothes in my car, but I better get changed and head to class.” John snapped up the tray soiled with brown, soaked napkins. “I’ll pick you up at your house at seven.”

“Can’t wait.” She beamed at the man.

Apollo felt heat flare in his eyes. Annoyance filled his chest and flowed through his limbs. That adoring look belonged to him, not that measly human. The man left and Cassie glared at Apollo. Not the look he’d wanted.

“Proud of yourself?” She whispered the words through her teeth.

“Is it my fault that mortal is clumsy?”

Her violet eyes narrowed. “I’m guessing ‘yes’.” She tipped her chin up and stomped away.

He’d had women turn from him. One ran, preferring the form of a laurel tree to avoid his ardor, but that had been millennia ago. And Cassie was human. She should have laughed at his antics, not derided him. Had women changed so much since he’d visited Earth?

He waited to see if she’d stop and glance at him. Cassie sped her stride. His heart sank. Apparently mortal females no longer found his playfulness charming. Or was it only Cassie? Apollo’s gaze continued to follow her form. She stopped. His heart swelled. If she would turn and smile at him, then he’d know she only played at being angry. But she didn’t turn. Cassie paused, rubbed the back of her neck and walked on.

Perhaps she wanted to be pursued. She had stopped her escape and that moment of hesitation on her part was all the proof he needed. Her pride stood between them. That’s what it was. She played with him. He did enjoy all manner of sport.
And my Cassandra knows this.
He’d join in her game. Females shied from being too easily won, and he would win. If she wanted the chase to go on a little longer, before her pride allowed her to succumb, so be it. He had time to indulge her—for now.

* * *

Cassie fumed all the way to her next class. How dare he? That arrogant, self-serving excuse for a god. This idiotic behavior at John’s expense had to stop. Wasn’t it enough that she was stuck with this gift of prophecy and she’d have to decide on a course of action? The damn vision of blood and destruction scared the hell out of her. She had to act. She turned her gaze heavenward. “Thank you for the gift,” she muttered through her teeth. “Leave me alone.”

She’d find a way to warn her dad and then cut Apollo loose before he could ruin her chance at a normal relationship. But how? Her dad had already left for Greece. The attack might occur any moment. It might be too late. Tension tightened her jaw and a shudder ran through her body. No. Not happening. There had to be time to stop the attack. Otherwise, why tell her about it? She needed to persuade her dad and then convince him to do something. Not easy. The man was stubborn as rocks. Sending an email was ridiculous. She had to call him. Beg and plead if she had to. And if that didn’t work? Bitterness filled her mouth and she swallowed hard. Why didn’t Apollo appear to her dad? That would’ve made sense. Why torment her with this prophecy and the task of stopping it? Nothing about Apollo made sense. She’d like to string him up by that diaper he paraded around in. “Big, selfish baby.”

Staring at her laptop, Cassie couldn’t focus on the professor, but typed out her argument for her dad. She had to build a case. She dug through the news, all the information on the volatile Middle East, anything that might lend weight to her plea. He had to believe her.

* * *

Cassie took a break from class at three in the afternoon, skedaddled to the privacy of her car and called her dad on her cell phone. She had to reach him before her date or it would be the middle of the night in Athens. That last dream had shaken her. The memory of automatic weapon fire still pounded in her head.

The phone rang.

And rang.

“I’m sorry, but I’m unavailable to take your call. Please leave a message…”

Cassie cut off and tried her dad’s phone again, but received the same irritating message.

“Damn it,” she muttered as she went for another go at reaching him. “Pick up. Pick up. Pick up.”

It rang, went into message and she ended the call.

Cassie scanned her notes. She couldn’t give up. All those people would die if she didn’t get through to her dad. He must be in a meeting. What was it, ten at night in Greece?  Meetings weren’t held that late. Maybe a social gathering. “Ugh. Where are you?”

She called again.

And again.

Cassie continued for fifteen minutes and…

“Cassie? Why didn’t you leave a message?”

“Hi Dad. Why didn’t you answer your phone?” Her relief at reaching him ended as she geared up to tell him her reason for the call.

“I answered. I’m speaking to you, aren’t I?”

“Um, yes.” Her throat tightened and she cleared it. “I know this might seem unlikely, but hear me out. I’ve come across information that our embassy in Athens is in danger of attack.”

Silence met her warning.

“Dad?”

“Yes.” He sighed. “Did your mother put you up to this to get me home?”

“Mom? No.” It did sound like something her mother would do.

“And when is this supposed to take place?”

She could almost hear him shaking his head at her. “I’m not sure, but soon.”

“Where did you come up with this?”

Her stomach twisted. She knew he’d have to ask that. “I can’t say.”

“Is this another
feeling
?”

Damn.

Cassie wanted to punch something, preferably a god in a diaper. “Dad, this is real. You have to believe me and close the embassy. Get out of Greece before people are killed.”

Silence.

“This sounds serious,” he said. “I’ll make you a deal. I’ll check into intel regarding our embassy if you promise to do something for me.”

Her dad cutting deals was never a good sign. But what choice did she have? “Okay. What do you want?”

“Make an appointment for yourself with Dr. Malvo.”

“Mom’s therapist?” Oh, hell.

“Yes. Those are my conditions. I’m concerned.”

“Fine,” she grumbled into her phone. “I’ll call her in the morning and you’ll check this out. Right?” Forget punching Apollo, she’d rather shoot him for getting her into this situation.

“Of course. Good night, princess. I’ll call you at five your time tomorrow night.”

“Good night, Dad.” The call ended.

That went worse than expected. She knew he’d be difficult to convince, but now Cassie had to see Dr. Sylvia Malvo and be evaluated.

“Damn Apollo.”

At least she had something to look forward to. A date with tasty John Medina.

* * *

Hours dragged on to five o’clock and leaving her last class for home. And her date, dinner with a man that might be honest, could be as full of it as her last failure. Not every guy was a flake. She had friends who’d met great guys. Some were serious and looking forward to marriage. Not her.

John had appeared interested before Apollo dumped the drink in his lap.
Jerk.
She hadn’t seen that neanderthal behavior since high school. She didn’t appreciate it then, and less so now. Were all men little boys? Eric had lasted longer than most and then no explanation or official break-up. He just didn’t call.
Like the others
. A steady ache spread through her chest.

Cassie hadn’t been willing to let it go. She’d invested her heart and her future in Eric. She’d called him, texted, sent him emails. No answers. In desperations she’d stalked him, hoping to confront the coward and find out what happened.

That was a low moment.

He’d threatened her with a restraining order. Imagine. All she’d wanted was closure. An explanation of why he’d walked away without the courtesy of a goodbye. Well, she’d gotten closure—and a hard slam to her ego. Eric looked uneasy when he’d seen her, but not sorry. There were words for men like him, but she didn’t use that kind of language in public. And he wasn’t worth demeaning herself further. Time to move on, but she had to be on her guard. John might dump her once he found the dull truth of her. Men didn’t want her, not for long.

Except Apollo.

Yes, he was gorgeous and he knew it. He said beautiful things, praised her looks and her eyes, but never once her intelligence. Still, taken as a whole, he’d be worth risking a chance. She shook her head. And why was she entertaining this messed-up relationship anyway? It couldn’t work. Apollo was a god. The idea went beyond dysfunctional to destructive
. I’m not going there.
He could only be interested in her as a curiosity, and once he grew bored, he’d be gone. Well, messing with her heart wasn’t an Olympic sport. Anger’s red haze filled her head. She was tired of being played with, and when she next saw that toga-clad child, she’d tell him so.

CHAPTER SEVEN

How did human males function? From his abode in the godly realms, Apollo scowled into the full-sized mirror to access the European fit of his navy suit. The fabric cut close across his flanks and left little to the imagination regarding his masculine assets. With each breath the fabric strained against his chest as if the buttons might fly off like discuses hurled by Heracles. Apollo preferred the cool freedom of ancient dress to this suffocating clothing. In the ancient games they’d worn nothing to restrict them. But this sport required modern trappings. John dressed in this style. Apollo worked his jaw muscles. And Cassandra had smiled at the rodent.

Apollo considered the coat, how it accentuated his broad shoulders, his trim waist, and how the navy hue played up his bright blue eyes. In all, the clothing had merits. Freedom and accessibility weren’t among them. But if that measly human could withstand the infringement to his neither regions, so could he.