Apollo's Gift (The Greek Gods Series) (8 page)

His reverie was short-lived. The rodent sat beside her, his head dipped close to her ear as if whispering seductive words. Every muscle in Apollo’s body tightened. He’d never felt such irritation. There had to be flames shooting from his eyes. Cassandra’s violet orbs widened and she slid back from the offender. Wise girl. Those who angered a god could be struck by lightning.

He’d been shackled against smiting the man, but Cassandra didn’t know it, and he’d use her fear of his retaliation to end her dalliance with the creature. He’d order the man away and then he’d make Cassandra listen to him, as Artemis had suggested.

Apollo strode toward the table, determined to act above the frustration gnawing at his insides. He planted himself before them, legs spread and his hands on his hips. “There you are.”

The man turned and raised his brows in question. “And who are you?”

How dare this creature address him with such casual disrespect
. Impudent excuse for mortal flesh
. Heat surged through Apollo’s limbs. With a bit of focus, he could singe the weasel’s hair, or what remained of it. Apollo directed his remarks to Cassandra. “It’s time to leave.”

The rodent stood and glared at Apollo. “Look, the lady is with me. Got it?”

Cassandra tugged at the man’s arm and peaked around his side. Her eyes flashed from violet to dark purple. “What are you doing here?”

The lump of flesh glanced at her. “You know this guy?”

“Not by choice.” She glared at Apollo.

“Oh.” The insect hardened his stare on Apollo. “You’re the loser that can’t take no for an answer. Get lost, Goldilocks. She’s not interested.”

As a boy, Apollo had watched in disgust as Hades had pulled the legs from marsh flies for sport. As a rule, he didn’t agree with torturing lesser creatures, but in this instance the practice carried some appeal. Unfortunately, Zeus wouldn’t agree. Apollo refused to acknowledge the gnat. “Cassandra, we discussed this.”

“There was no discussion. You decreed, like you always do.” She shot arrows at him with her eyes. “Don’t tell me what to do.”

The man puffed up his chest. “Are you leaving or do we need to take this outside?”

With a glare, Apollo could burn the man’s skin: with focus he might scar him, blind him, or castrate the dog. The creature deserved it. By all the gods, he couldn’t put up with much more of this. “Mortal, you try my patience.”

“Cassie wasn’t kidding.” The rodent smirked. “You really
do
have a god complex.”  

“Enough,” he growled. “No puny mortal dares to speak to me thus and live.” Apollo ground his teeth to curb the curse forming on his lips. He’d sworn to Zeus, but…

* * *

John swayed and fell back, wedging Cassie into the booth. His brown eyes were glassy as marbles. She pressed her fingers against his neck and checked for a pulse: strong and regular. Good. He might be okay, or at least she hoped so. Her relief for John’s welfare argued with her anger. “What’s wrong with you?”

Apollo cocked his head. “Me? It’s impossible for anything to be wrong with me. I’m a god.”

“Oh please.” Cassie rolled her eyes at him. “Trust me, there’s room for improvement.” She strained to push John into an upright position. “You could help,” she grumbled.

The god waved his hand and John sat up, faced forward and then stared sightless at the opposing seat. Apollo perused the man and made a derisive grunting noise.

Cassie narrowed her gaze at Apollo as he took the seat opposite her. “Make John as he was.”

“Calm yourself. There’s no harm to him. I’ll waken him after you listen to me.”

“The only thing I want to hear is the sound of your shoes scuffing the floor on your way out. Make it fast.”

His lips pinched together. “You belong to me. It’s time you accepted your position as my consort and stopped debasing yourself with this man.”

“How dare you,” she breathed. “I belong to no one and I’m not your plaything.”

He smiled.

Was he even listening or was he mocking her? “You’ll change your mind,” he said

Mocking.
“The hell I will. I’ll never change my mind. You’re a spoiled child that abuses power. Look at what you’ve done to John.” She pointed at his rigid body and the drool escaping the corner of his mouth. “Why on earth would I choose to be with you?”

He chuckled, infuriating her more. Apollo had used his exceptional good looks and the kisses shared in her dreams to manipulate her. That was over. “Don’t laugh at me.”

“You were serious?”

“Ugh. Don’t I look serious?”

He focused his blue gaze on her face and nodded. “I thought you wanted to make a game of winning you.”

“Game,” she said overly loud, and noticed inquisitive looks leveled in their direction. She lowered her voice. “This is my life. God or not, I’m the one deciding how I live it, and it’s not as your consort or girlfriend.”

His usual glow dimmed along with his arrogant attitude. “And my suit?”

“What about it?”

“I wore it for you.” His brows raised and he wore a hopeful puppy dog look.

She breathed in the smell of smoky barbecue combined with honeyed Apollo and exhaled slowly. He was making an effort to win her. She might find it sweet if he hadn’t turned her life upside down and changed John into a zombie. Why did Apollo have to look at her that way, all sincere and contrite, with piercing azure eyes that melted her resolve and cooled her anger?
Damn
. “The suit is very nice.”

He reached across the table and took her hand. His gentle touch warmed her skin. “I care for you, Cassandra.”

Her mouth went dry. Apollo was wrong for her on so many levels. How could she entertain the desire coursing through her veins? Had she cared for him before in that other life? A tremor ran up her spine. Was that fear or affirmation? No. She refused to think it. Apollo was beyond difficult and she had an embassy to save and then get back to the real world and her life. “Return John as he was.”

“Why? I prefer him like this.”

“I don’t.” She glanced at Apollo’s large hand covering hers, his thumb lightly feathered over her palm, sending tingles up her arm
. Stop it and focus.
“John is a normal guy. We’re having a normal dinner. It’s what people do. Don’t interfere.”

“I have no intention of interfering where the prophecy is concerned, but this mortal… look at him.” Apollo ran his gaze over John and shook his head. “He’s beneath you. Only a weak mind is so easily controlled.”

“Stop it.” She spit the words. “I’ve had enough of your controlling ways. I’ve had enough of people’s control, period. I called my dad and warned him. What more can I do? I can’t make him believe me or force him to act.” She scowled. “Dad’s calling me tomorrow and then I’m done with it.”

The muscles in his jaw worked. “Not so. This is only the beginning. My gift lasts your lifetime.”

She gasped. “I didn’t agree to that. You trapped me.”

“I saved you.”

“Ha. You’d say anything to get your way.”

“I know the future. Assisting mortals against destruction is what the gods of Olympus strive for. It’s the decree of Zeus, as long as we don’t act ourselves in the affairs of men.”

“And what do you call this?” She nodded toward John. “And what about my life? You’ve acted plenty. I have yet to see you use self control.”

Apollo ran his tongue over his upper lip in a slow swipe that curled her toes. “Cassandra, without restraint, I’d reduce this mortal to a grease stain beneath my shoe and teach you the delights of my bed.”

Heat radiated from Cassie’s face and she swallowed. If she were open to unbridled sex without the promise of anything more, then Apollo might be her man, but she wasn’t. Fantasy was one thing, but in real life she insisted on having a committed relationship. Gods didn’t commit to mortals and Apollo was a god. He’d leave her sooner or later and she’d had enough of that. “Fine. You have a smidgen of restraint. Now, what can you do to protect the embassy?”

“I’ve done it. You have inspiration to guide you.”

“That’s it?” Cassie pulled her hand from Apollo’s grasp. “What good is a god if he can’t help?”

He tugged at his shirt collar and narrowed his gaze. “I can guide you to the truth and show you the future. Men have paid a high price for this knowledge. ”

“Can you change what will happen?” 

“That power belongs to men.”

“Ugh. So you can’t do anything.” Her body trembled with anger. She’d like to slap him for putting her in this position. “You rotten SOB. Find someone else to save the embassy, because I’m done.”

Apollo’s pale gaze darkened. “You test me. Part of my agreement for your release from the underworld was your being my prophetess. There can be no other. Zeus himself agreed to the terms.”

“Did I ask to be released?”

“You wept in misery.” He lowered his eyes as if he dare not look at her.

“I’m sure
Cassandra
cried her eyes out in the underworld after Troy fell, and she was raped and murdered, but I’m betting she got over it after three thousand years.”

“You never ‘got over it’ as you call it. Your suffering played before me until I had to act.”

“Stop,” Cassie grumbled, and rested her head in her hands. Her ebony tresses fell over her face like a black curtain. “I don’t want to hear anymore.”

She might end the conversation, but ancient history mingled with her dreams and played in her mind. Horror after horror until Cassandra’s murder—no—
my murder.
A tear escaped her eye and ran beside her nose. She lifted her head and focused her bleary gaze on Apollo. “Tell me one thing. Will the embassy fall?”

* * *

A strange sensation squeezed his heart. Watching her pain added to his growing discomfort. He’d felt for humanity’s suffering on occasion, but none had affected him more than Cassie’s single tear.

She’d received his gift. And like his ancient Cassandra, Cassie couldn’t avoid its violent intrusion into her life. But he could prepare her for it.

“You’ve seen the attack?”

Cassie nodded and swiped at her nose with a paper napkin. “Not everything. It fades before the outcome.”

Even with her red eyes and nose, she captivated him. Apollo reached out and laid his hand on her wrist. “There’s a reason you didn’t experience the end. It means the prophecy might be altered.”

“Altered? But how?” she sniffed.

“When the vision takes you, what happens?”

She pursed her lips. “I’m part of the action and experience every terrifying moment.”

John teetered and fell forward, his head thudding on the table. She gave Apollo a frigid stare. “Well?”

He breathed out in frustration. “He’s fine as he is.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m not
fine
with it.”

Apollo glanced at John and he again sat up. His forehead showed a large red mark. Apollo crinkled his brow. “He’s going to have a headache.” He fished ice from the water glass, wrapped it in a napkin and handed it to Cassie. “For the bruise.” 

“Thanks.” Cassie took the cold wad of napkins and pressed them to the red spot.

Apollo continued. “Stand back from the vision. Living it is optional.”

Her violet eyes widened. “It’s possible to watch and not be overcome by it all?”

“Yes. Remember the skills I taught you in the past.”

“You mean Cassandra.”

“You
are
Cassandra.” He leveled his gaze on her. “Whether in Cassandra’s body or your current temple, you have always been, and will always be the same courageous woman.”

“Me courageous?” She shook her head in denial. “I’m a math nerd living at home to please my dad and wearing clothes my mother insists on so I make the right statement. And I don’t know if I like any of it. I’m a coward.”

“I’ve seen glimpses of the exceptional woman hidden beneath this beautiful surface.”

Her eyes lowered from his face and focused on the table. “I’m great at languages, numbers and logic. If you need someone to balance your accounts, I‘m your girl, but this situation is beyond me.” 

“You doubt my word. Lies hide in darkness. I’m the god of prophecy, music, light and truth. No shadow exists in me.”

She focused on him, her brows lowered in what appeared effort to comprehend his words.  “I don’t recall your
ever
being called the deity of truth. Are you lying to me now?”

“I
don’t
lie. There’s a difference.”

“And what would happen if you did?”

“I would cease to be who I am.”

Cassie’s mouth curved down. “Maybe I’m not the same person you believe me to be. Is it possible that any courage I had was snuffed out along with Cassandra’s life? You said that I never got over it.”

“Your heart hasn’t changed, my love.” His blue eyes turned azure as his face softened. “Compassion drove you in the past, as it does now. You’ve subjected yourself to your father and mother out of love. Your desire to save people you don’t know is motivated from the same force. To sacrifice for another requires the greatest courage.”

“Sacrifice, huh. Is it too much to ask that I don’t replay all of Cassandra’s life?” She urged her mouth into a tremulous smile. “From what I remember, I didn’t enjoy that at all.” 

CHAPTER NINE

John blinked into consciousness. “I have such a headache. If you don’t mind, I can get our order to go.”

Cassie backtracked to the end of their conversation before Apollo had made him a zombie. “Oh yes, we were headed to your apartment.” Apparently Apollo had wiped John’s memory before he left. A good thing too, she didn’t want to have to explain the last hour or her odd relationship to a god. “Food to go would be fine, but do you feel all right? Maybe you should rest. I can take a cab home.”

John squinted at her. “I’ll be okay after a few aspirin and some quiet.”

“If you’re sure?” She stared at the bruise forming on his head.

“I’m feeling better every minute.”

* * *

Cassie sat in John’s apartment: white walls, beige carpet and red couch. The red fit his bold personality. The leftover pizza and dirty glasses on the coffee table, combined with his boxers flung over a recliner, led her to suspect that Mr. Hunky Buzzcut didn’t live the average, well-ordered life of a computer geek and wanna be FBI agent.