Dark Goddess (7 page)

A distant, pained look flashed across his face as if he were experiencing an unwelcomed memory.  He stood and rubbed the dark stubble on his chin.  “I was chained to a rock off the coast of Capri and forced to listen to sirens sing nonstop.”

My brow arched and I cocked my head with a mischievous little thought.  “Did you know my father was half siren?”

“No,” Reese said warily. 

I opened my mouth to belt a tune, pure terror suddenly flashing through his dark eyes.  Reese quickly held my lips together with his thumb and forefinger, stopping my possible siren song. 

“Please don’t do it Hartley.”  His voice held an edge of panic laced with trepidation.

Damn.  He was practically begging.

My lips curled into a smile between his fingers, enjoying having the god of war at my mercy. 

He sucked his teeth and released me.  “Naughty girl.  Don’t threaten me with that.”

I leaned back in my seat, feeling powerful regardless if I had any special siren singing abilities.  Reese didn’t know that.  I nudged his leg with mine.  “Tell me what’s wrong with Hayden and I’ll keep my vocal chords on lockdown.”

He smirked.  “Where do I start?”

I arched one brow, threatening. 

He sighed, his expression losing some of the humor.  “I don’t know.”

“But you know
something
is wrong?”

“I think that’s pretty obvious.  Gods don’t faint nor do they bleed from wimpy human punches.”

I grimaced and looked passed him, my mind growing pensive as I thought about the other odd occurrences happening with Hayden—like his flames fizzling out by accident.   

The front door opened and my father walked in, an annoyed expression crossing his face when he caught sight of Reese standing so close his legs were touching my knees. 

“Who are you?” he asked, hanging his keys on a hook. 

Reese puffed out his chest as my dad approached, both sizing each other up.

I rolled my eyes.  “Dad, this is Reese.  Reese, this is my dad.”

My dad’s dark blonde brows arched questioningly.  “Reese huh?”  His amber eyes surveyed the god of war, suspicion glimmering in his gaze before a dark scowl crossed his face.  “
Ares
.”

“The one and only.”  He smirked.

My dad pointed toward the door.  “Get out of my house.”

“No.  I’m here to look after Hartley.”

I scoffed.  “He is not.”

“Then out.  I can only tolerate one arrogant god hanging around—unless Hartley has traded you for Hayden.”  He looked at me.  “Where is your dark shadow anyways?”

“Underworld,” I sighed.

“That’s why I’m here.”  Reese patted his chest proudly.  “To look after my cousin’s girl.”

“I’m going to change and then I’m meeting some people at Giovanni’s.”  I slipped off the stool and started for the stairs.  I threw a glance over my shoulder to see my dad glaring daggers at Reese.  “On second thought.”  I backtracked and grabbed Reese’s bicep, dragging him up the stairs. 

“This is so boring.”  Darby slurped her soda, an annoyed expression screwing up her makeup caked face.  Charcoal thickly lined her blue eyes, slick cotton candy lip gloss shined her lips, and her complexion was overly darkened by bronzer.

I shot her my own irritated look.  “You’re not handcuffed to the table.  You can leave any time you want.”

Her eyes narrowed, but she remained silent.

Laurie flicked her long glossy hair over her shoulder.  “You’re just sour because Hayden’s cousin is totally ignoring you.”

“Oh please.”  Darby crossed her arms against her chest defensively.  “He’s not even that hot.”

“He totally is,” Kathryn and Leslie said in unison, forcing giggles out their mouths.

Callie, Laurie, and I were on one side of the table while Darby, Kathryn, and Leslie shared the other.  A half-eaten pizza was in the middle with sodas all around.

Leslie leaned forward and sipped her coke, her blonde waves falling around her face.  “I would so have his babies.” 

Laurie laughed and nudged her from under the table.  “You little slut.”

She grinned.  “I’d be
his
slut.”

“I guess I’ll have to find my own hottie since you’re leaving me in the dust,” Kathryn said.

Leslie tossed her arm over Kathryn’s slender shoulders, squeezing her in a half hug.  “Don’t worry.  I’m sure Hayden has another gorgeous cousin you can marry.”

Understatement. 

“He has plenty of hot cousins.  Trust me.”  Every single one of his family members were drool worthy. 

Darby sighed dramatically and rolled her blue eyes.  “You guys are so stupid,” she mumbled, pushing her empty plate of pizza away as if she was dying for me.

Callie’s brow furrowed.  “Don’t call them stupid.”

Leslie shrugged.  “It’s okay Cal.  I know she doesn’t mean it.”

The look on Darby’s face said otherwise.

The god of war sauntered toward our table, a line of girls drooling in his wake.  Both Leslie and Kathryn batted their lashes at him.  He flashed them a stellar smile and I thought they were about to melt onto the floor. 

He grabbed a chair from a nearby table and pulled it up to the booth, twirling it around so he straddled the back.  “Ladies.”  He winked an onyx eye.

“Don’t you have something better to do Reese?” I asked, absentmindedly running a finger through the condensation on my cup.

Reese tilted his head.  “What’s better than looking after my cousin’s girl?”

Darby scoffed.  “Why does Hartley need looking after?  She’s a big girl.  She can take care of herself.”

Reese practically recoiled from her snarky, frigid attitude, shooting her a questioning expression.  “You’re a nasty little one, aren’t you?”  He pursed his lips in thought.  “Maybe I should feed you to Polyphemus.  He likes ‘em bitter.”

I nearly choked on my soda and kicked Reese in the shin. 

“Hey!”  He winced and rubbed his leg as if it actually hurt. 

Darby’s lips curled in disdain, but Callie was the only one to pick up on the Polyphemus reference.  She actually paid attention in class.

“Isn’t that the cyclops from the Odyssey?” she asked, her blonde brows furrowed in confusion.

A forced laugh tumbled out my mouth.  “That’s the name of Reese’s dog,” I lied.

Reese quickly nodded in agreement, realizing his mistake.  “Oh yeah.  Polyphemus.  Man’s best friend.”

Callie nodded, but her jittery blue eyes continued to scrutinize the god of war. 

I stanched the urge to kick him hard.  I needed to get rid of my shadow before he slipped up again and I had to cover his ass by shamelessly lying to my friends.  I hated lying to Callie and I didn’t want to do it any more than necessary.

My gaze searched the restaurant, thinking of a plan to detach Reese from my side.  I noted a group of guys crowding around a pool table as Blake and his older brother Pete played.  They looked so much alike they could have been twins only Pete’s longer hair and five o’clock shadow gave him an older, rougher appearance. 

Pete was also unbeatable at pool, but every guy including his brother tried when he was in town from collage.

I bit back a smile.  “Pete’s here.”  I motioned my chin toward them, all the girls turning to look.”

“Who’s Pete?” Reese asked, his voice deepening. 

“Blake’s brother.” 

“Now
he’s
hot,” Darby said, licking her pink glossed lips at the gorgeous blonde specimen. 

Reese’s brows knit.  “What do
you
think about him Hartley?”

I sipped my straw.  “He’s cute.  And he’s a really good pool player.”  My eyes slanted toward Reese.  “No one can beat him.  I mean
no one
.”

He scoffed.  “Please.  I’m sure I can.”

I shook my head.  “I don’t know Reese.  He’s really good.  I doubt even you could do it.”

Reese stood, his gaze piercing Pete.  “I love a good challenge.  And I know I can beat him.  You’ll see.”  Without a second look he marched toward them.

Score.  Of course the god of war couldn’t resist the challenge.

I was about to join in on the conversation with the girls when I spotted a dark blonde halo of hair, tanned skin, and stormy blue eyes that were glued to me.

Zeke.

Normally I would have ignored him besides a quick wave hello, but I needed answers about Hayden and he might be the only person willing to give them to me.  “I’ll be back,” I told the girls and slipped out the booth without another word.

Zeke’s eyes widened when he realized I was headed straight for him.  He rubbed the back of his neck nervously once I closed the distance between us to a mere foot.  “Hey Hartley.”

“We need to talk.”  I grabbed his hand and dragged him toward an empty part of the restaurant.  I pulled him down on a bench so close our thighs were touching. 

He blinked confusedly at my unusual behavior.  “What’s going on?”  His gaze roamed the restaurant, falling on the commotion the god of war was creating.  The tendons in his jaw flexed hard while lightning flashed in his blue irises.  “Why is Ares here?”

I waved a dismissive hand in the air.  “Don’t worry about him.  He’s trying to help with Ixion or something.  I dunno.”

He glanced around again.  “Where’s Hayden?”

“Underworld.  I need to talk to you about him.”  I bit my lip to staunch the sudden tears burning in my eyes.  “Something’s wrong with him.”

Worry creased his forehead and he leaned closer, laying his hand on mine.  I didn’t shake it off.  “What do you mean?”

I told him about the fainting incident and the nose bleed along with the few times I thought maybe his powers were
off
.

When I was done Zeke stared ahead, contemplating the information with a pensive look on his face.  Finally his hand reached up and rubbed the light stubble on his chin.  “I’ve never heard of something like that happening Hartley.”

The lump grew in my throat and panic fisted in my chest.  “I have to fix him,” I choked out, my voice thick with emotion.

Zeke held his palm in the air, halting my impending panic attack.  “There might be a plausible explanation.”

I looked up at him pleadingly.  “Like what?”

“Hayden’s different than us—Poseidon and me.”  His brows knit as he searched for the right words.  “He’s more connected to his domain than us.  It’s almost like a part of him.”

That was diffidently true.  It was now a part of me too. 

“This is the first time, maybe ever, since he’s been god of the Underworld that’s he’s spent this much time out of his domain.”  He shrugged.  “Maybe it’s his world’s way of calling him back.”

My lips pursed and a dull pain hit my chest.  “So I’m the reason for it?”

Zeke scoffed and bravely tossed his arm over my shoulder, pulling me in for a side hug.  He smelled of electricity and summer rain.  “No.  Don’t feel bad.  Hayden wouldn’t want that.”

I peered up at him from beneath my lashes.  “But you’re not completely sure, are you?”

He shook his head.  “It’s only a guess.”

I pouted just little—that’s all I needed.  “Will you maybe ask a seer or something for me?  But without Hayden finding out,” I quickly added.

“Sure,” he said.

I sniffled and tried to fight the slight smile my mouth wanted to release. 

My thoughts turned back to Hayden.  I was more determined now than ever to move into the Underworld.  It was where he was supposed to be.

Hayden

The crimson fires surrounding my castle reflected off the polished onyx and black marble of my bedroom, casting a crimson glow.  The silk pewter curtains fluttered in the breeze off the balcony, flapping lightly in the undulating wind of the flames. 

I touched my nose again, wincing at the tenderness as I stared at my reflection in an elaborately silver framed mirror hanging on the wall.  It wasn’t swollen or bruised, but it sure hurt like hell.  How did that punk manage to hit me much less make it hurt?

I hated seeing the worry in Hartley’s eyes for me—and fear.  She was aware something was going on and she wasn’t going to keep letting me brush it aside.  If anything she was probably going to do something stupid to figure me out like getting my oldest brother involved.  He’d love that I was beaten by a human.  He’d probably take the opportunity to show Hartley how weak I was and that she needed a strong god like him.

Anger rolled through my body, igniting distant sparks in my eyes.  I cracked my neck and then glanced down at my shirt to see a few wet spots of blood.  Damn.  I yanked the shirt over my head and tossed it in the fireplace to burn.  No point in letting Hartley find it.  It would just remind her of what happened.

In my massive walk-in I riffled through the row of shirts, noticing the lack of space between them.  They weren’t crammed together, but they were certainly tighter than usual.  At the end of the rack was an entire section of colored shirts in delicate materials.

My brow rose.  Those certainly weren’t mine.  I turned around and found another section and then a previously empty space that was now filled with a mountain of shoes.  The scent of roses and pine lingered thickly.

I knew Hartley had clothes here, but she almost had more than me now.

Hmm…

I walked toward my dresser and realized piles of jewelry were draped everywhere and the drawers were filled with Hartley’s things.  I headed for the bathroom next.  Several drawers were overflowing with makeup and weird girly things.  I pulled out a flat iron that looked more likely to eat your hair than straighten it.  One device had three silver barrels and a clampy thing.

“Shit,” I mumbled, staring at the contraption.  “It looks more like a torture device.  What the hell does she do with this thing?”  I placed it back in the drawer before it bit my finger off and leaned on the black counter.

“So, she thought she’d trick me and slowly move in.”  I rubbed my chin in thought.  “Not very original, but it’s obviously working.”  A slow smile laced my lips.  I had a very naughty girlfriend, but I had to admit it would be amazing having her here every day.  To wake up next to her for the rest of my life would be a dream.

That smile faltered with my insecurities.  What if she moved here and slowly grew to dislike being away from the world above?  What if she regretted her choice?  She was still so young and has barely lived.  How could she be certain it was me and the Underworld she wanted, especially when she had the option of not only her human friends, but of Zeke and Olympus?

My fingers smoothed over the warm gold, shaping it into a flame.  I was making a charm to go on the bracelet I’d been working on for the past few hours for Hartley.  Thankfully my nose quit throbbing. 

I bristled and sat the cooling charm on the rock before me, a terrible thought entering my mind, one I would never share with her.  Was it Hartley that was causing me to weaken?  Was she changing me?  Making me soft?

It was obvious I’d been less evil villain since meeting her.  I still became angry, but not usually uncontrollable anymore.  Either Hartley stopped me herself or just the mere thought of her was enough to cool the raging infernos inside me.

Familiar footsteps echoed followed by the light swishing of a robe.  Charon appeared around the corner, his dark eyes radiating worry in his gaunt face.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“A few souls meant for Tartarus are giving Caius trouble in the courtyard.”  His gravelly voice echoed against the rocky cave walls.

My eyes narrowed and jaw clenched as anger gripped my stomach.  I was already in a foul mood from the day’s
lovely
events.  All I needed were unruly dark souls. 

I rubbed my hands on a towel and marched out, Charon quick on my heels.

When I arrived in the barren courtyard I saw three dark souls laughing while poking Caius.  The other souls waiting for placement cowered away, fear staining their eyes white.  My judges appeared wary.  It’s been a long time since a soul has been disobedient.