Goddess of Spring (22 page)

Apollo watched her body stiffen and her jaw clench. He was well-versed in seduction and he knew how to get past a goddess who was dabbling in coy flirtation. In a fluid motion he changed his intent. Instead of taking her luscious young body in his arms he captured her outstretched hand and bowed gallantly over it. Like the consummate gentleman he was not, he kissed her hand lightly. Still holding her hand, Apollo looked deep within her eyes.

“I have watched you frolic in the meadows as I have driven my chariot through the sky. Your body moves with more grace than the flowers that bend delicately in the morning breeze. We would make a good match, you and I—the God of Light and the Goddess of Spring.”

Lina almost laughed aloud with relief. Now here was something she was used to dealing with—a slick guy with a ready line. She batted her long lashes at the handsome god and sighed with an excess of maidenly delight. For good measure she even added a little Oklahoma twang to her breathless response.

“Oh, Apollo, I'm so glad you finally asked.”

The god's lips began to turn up in victory, but her next words caused his expression to freeze.

“Imagine—marriage to the God of Light! I simply couldn't be more thrilled! Just wait until I tell Mother.” She gushed, squeezing his hand and bouncing up and down like a giddy school girl.

“Marriage?” His deep voice had gone suddenly hoarse.

Lina beamed an innocent smile into his sapphire-colored eyes.

He dropped the goddess's hand like it was a flaming torch and took a step back, retreating from her bubble of personal space.

“It is not wise to rush hastily into marriage.” He cleared his throat as if the word
marriage
was stuck there.

She told her face to frown prettily.

A flash of gold over Apollo's right shoulder caught her attention and interrupted the pithy reply she'd planned. She glanced behind him and felt her mouth round in pleasure.

“Oh! They're amazing.” Forgetting about the suave god she turned her full attention to the four horses that had just trotted into view. They were harnessed to a golden chariot that blazed with such a brilliant light that it made her eyes tear. And the horses! They were the same blinding golden color with manes and tails of silver-white. The four slid to a halt, snorting and stamping their delicate hooves.

Apollo glanced over his shoulder. His consternation at the goddess's mention of marriage vanished as he saw his escape.

“Yes, Hadar, yes. I come!” He returned his gaze to Persephone. He had meant to rush away, and considered himself lucky that he had such a ready excuse. Marriage? What had Persephone been thinking! But the rapturous expression that filled her beautiful face gave him pause. She was truly spectacular. Apollo felt a familiar heavy tightening in his loins. “I did not realize you were interested in horses, Persephone.”

“I love them,” she said without looking at him.

“Come, I will introduce you.” He held out his hand to her. Absentmindedly, she took it and hurried eagerly toward the horses, pulling him with her. Apollo's brow wrinkled. It was as if she had forgotten about him. An odd feeling passed through the god. Never before had a goddess forgotten about him—especially not a young goddess who had just tried to snare him in marriage.

The four mares pawed the ground and blew through their noses restlessly. With a flourish, Apollo presented them to Persephone.

“Persephone, Goddess of Spring, I am honored to present to you the mares that draw the light of the sun across the sky. They are Hadar, Aquila, Carina and Deneb,” he said, pointing in turn to each horse.

Persephone dropped into a prima ballerina's graceful curtsy. “I am so pleased to meet each of you. Your coats are the most amazing color! You take my breath away.”

The effect of her voice on the horses was immediate. Four pairs of ears pricked forward. Hooves ceased their restless pawing. The mare who stood nearest to the goddess stretched her muzzle tentatively in her direction, whickering like a colt.

“Oh, you beauty,” Persephone laughed and caressed her.

Apollo felt stunned. He watched the goddess move from horse to horse, clucking and murmuring and whispering strange endearments to each of them. His mares, who were usually aloof and proud, reacted to her with true warmth. They lipped her face and pressed close for her caresses. They all but wriggled and wagged their tails for her attention.

The mares' reactions amazed him, but he was equally surprised at Persephone. He had never seen this side of her. She had been a goddess with whom he had flirted and had even enjoyed an occasional tryst—always begun and ended at his discretion. He had thought she had no interests beyond growing flowers, frolicking with nymphs and hosting sumptuous feasts. Today she was different. She had not fallen willingly into his arms. His eyes narrowed as he thought about her actions.
She
had actually toyed with
him
. She hadn't truly been interested in marriage. And now she appeared completely enamored with his mares.

She was magnificent.

Apollo was still watching Persephone and trying to decide what could have caused the change in the young goddess when a shrill scream of rage split the air. His mares reacted instantly. They bowed their necks and shook their heads, answering the scream with squeals of anger. The God of Light spun around, ready for battle.

A huge black stallion reared and pawed the air above him. Apollo recognized the wrath-filled creature as one of the dread steeds of Hades. His teeth were bared and his eyes blazed fire. Apollo's horses answered with their own show of rage.

“Stop it this second!” Lina's command dashed cold water on the horses' displays of anger.

Apollo stepped silently to the side, intrigued by this new Persephone. Hands planted firmly on her shapely hips she marched from his golden mares straight to the black beast. He watched, eager to see what she would do next.

“Orion, what in the world is wrong with you?”

She positioned her body so that she could berate all of the horses together. Her back was turned to Apollo affording him an excellent view of her very shapely rear end. He mused that it looked even rounder and more pleasantly inviting than when last he'd seen it. Or perhaps he had never before looked closely enough.

“And you four! What were you going to do, pick on Orion when he is clearly outnumbered?” She shook her head in disgust.

Five horses dropped their heads and looked like repentant school children. Orion took a halting half step toward the object of his affection, stretching his muzzle out to her. She gave him one more hard look before capitulating.

“What are you doing here?” She asked, trying not to smile as he nuzzled the side of her face. Then she noticed that he had been outfitted with a bridle and an attractive saddle made of leather dyed as black as his coat. Tucked into the crownpiece of the bridle was one perfect narcissus blossom. Lina felt a little thrill of pleasure. “Did he send you to get me?”

Apollo was irritated at the obvious delight in her voice. He? Surely she didn't mean Hades.

One of the golden mares nickered. Persephone tilted her head at Apollo's horses.

“Looks like I have to get going. It was wonderful to meet all of you. I hope we see each other again soon.”

The goddess moved to the black steed's side and grabbed a fistful of mane, obviously preparing to mount and leave. Apollo couldn't believe it. She'd said good-bye to his horses, but she hadn't spoken another word to him.

“Allow me to aid you, Persephone,” Apollo said, moving quickly.

“How rude of me, Apollo. With all this”—she waved her delicate hands at the horses—“excitement I totally forgot about you. It was really nice to meet you, too.”

“Meet me.” Apollo smiled suggestively at the lovely goddess. “It is not as if we were strangers before today.”

Persephone blushed an attractive pink. “Oh, of course not. I didn't mean . . . I'm just . . . discombobulated.”

Apollo threw back his head and laughed. “Discombobulated? From hereafter I am going to think of you as Goddess of Surprises rather than Goddess of Spring.” He touched the side of her face gently. “And I
will
think of you. Often.”

Lina felt the warmth of his hand on her face. His body was so close to her that she thought she could hear his heartbeat—or maybe that was her own. His eyes were such a vibrant shade of blue, the perfect match for his sun-colored hair and his golden skin. Without realizing it, she leaned into him.

Orion snorted.

Lina jerked back.

Apollo smiled knowingly. Before she could refuse him, he took her waist in his hands and slowly lifted her onto the impatiently waiting stallion's back, being careful to brush her body firmly against his own as he did so.

“When will I see you again?” Apollo asked when she had arranged her seat and placed her feet in the stirrups.

“I don't have any idea. There's a lot I have to do.” She nodded her head behind her in the direction of the entrance to the Underworld.

“You sojourn with Hades?”

Apollo's incredulous tone irritated Lina. “I am vacationing in the Underworld.”

Apollo laughed again. Orion's ears flattened to his head and Lina worried that he would bite the god.

“Vacationing with the dead? I have never heard of such a thing.”

“I am finding that the Underworld, as well as its god, has been vastly underrated. Have a nice day, Apollo.” Lina nudged Orion. The steed spun on his back hooves and lunged forward into a gallop, eager to return home with his treasure.

“I will be here every dawn, Persephone!” Apollo shouted after her.

Lina leaned forward, grabbing two fistfuls of Orion's mane. She ignored the Sun God, concentrating instead on keeping her seat, even though Orion's gallop was smooth and a childhood in Oklahoma had taught her to be an excellent rider. Apollo was handsome, seductive, and interesting. But she—unlike Persephone—had a job to do and would not let distractions get in her way. Nor did she—again unlike Persephone—want to create a situation that might cause embarrassment for either of them when their bodies were re-exchanged.

The breeze whistling past Orion's head brought with it the enticing scent of the narcissus blossom. Without realizing it, Lina's lips turned up in a wistful smile.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

ORION'S fluid strides covered the distance from the entrance to the Underworld to Hades' palace in what seemed like minutes. Even the ferry ride was faster and easier with the big horse beside her. As the palace came into view Orion slowed his pace to a gentle canter. Without having to be guided, the stallion carried her around the side of the palace and directly to the stables. A uniformed stableman jumped to attention at their appearance, catching Orion's bridle and holding him steady while Lina dismounted.

“Thank you,” she whispered to the stallion, kissing his silky muzzle. Orion nuzzled her affectionately. “It was a wonderful ride.” Before she gave a final pat to his sleek neck, Lina reached up and pulled the narcissus from his bridle. She hesitated just a second, then tucked it behind her right ear before she turned to the stableman. “Do you know where Hades is?”

“Yes, Goddess. He is at the forge. You may follow that pathway. It will take you to Hades.”

Lina smiled her thanks to him and started down the path. She knew Eurydice would be waiting inside with her meal, and she was hungry, but first she wanted to thank Hades for sending Orion to her. She thought that she also might ask him if he would mind if she rode the horse occasionally. The stallion was definitely a horse-lovers dream come true.

The path curled around the stables. It was lined with a hedge of roses the color of cream. She took deep, even breaths, enjoying their fragrance as it mixed with the tangy sweetness of the narcissus behind her ear. The little path angled to her left, and Lina could see that it led toward a small building that sat a little way from the main stable. From it a rhythmic clanging drifted to her on the wind. It was metal pounding on metal, proclaiming that she was heading in the right direction.

The door to the building was slightly ajar, just enough so that Lina could slip silently into the dimly lighted interior. She blinked, trying to adjust her vision from the brightness of outside. She heard a strange
whooshing
noise, which was followed by more clanking. In the far corner of the building flames from an enormous, openmouthed furnace flared, licking the air and adding sudden bursts of light to the darkness.

A man stood before the furnace, magnificently silhouetted against the orange fire. His back was to Lina. He was almost naked, covered only by a loincloth-like wrap that fit snugly around his hard buttocks. With long, powerful strokes he hammered a flat metal object held firmly in place by an ancient looking pair of tongs. With each fluid movement his muscles tensed and released. His body was slick with a glossy sheen of sweat, highlighting the strong ridges of his well-shaped form. His hair was tied back in a thick, dark queue.

Lina felt a jolt of recognition. It was Hades. Of course she'd already thought of him as handsome, and she had definitely been attracted to him . . . but . . . but . . .
merda!
She'd had no idea just how scrumptious he was. Until then he had always been so . . . fully dressed. Her mouth felt dry. He was so . . . so . . . not dressed. And muscular. And absolutely the sexiest thing she had ever seen. Apollo had been almost as scantily clad, but seeing Hades nearly naked was different. The God of Light was handsome, but his beauty was a tame kitten compared to Hades' wild and feral masculinity. Seeing him so gloriously sweaty and under-clothed called awake fantasies within Lina that she thought she had permanently put to sleep.