Marker of Hope (3 page)

Galilea and I exchanged a worried glance. I
didn’t know how to explain to Claire who Eros was or how I knew
him, much less what he was doing on our doorstep.

“Mom, he’s…a….uh…”

“A friend of mine,” Galilea said. “Old, old
friend.”

“I’m Eros Lamoureux.” He took Claire’s hand
and shook it. “It’s a pleasure, madam.”

“Claire Martin.” Two lines formed between
Claire’s brows. “You look familiar. Where have I seen you
before?”

“Eros isn’t from around here,” I said. “You
don’t know him.”
You don’t want to know him.

“I said I’ve seen him before, not that I know
him. I think…” She held a finger up. “Wait a minute. What did you
say your name was, again?”

“Eros Lam—”

“Yes, I know where I’ve seen you. Isis,
invite your friends in.” Claire pivoted and walked into the house.
Galilea followed her in, but I remained on the porch.

“What are you doing here, Eros?” I took a
step closer to him, my hands folded into fists at my sides.

“Chasing my runaway bride. I see you’re still
human. And I know for a fact David is his old self, as well. Or at
least it’s what I’ve been told. So…” He winked at me. “I’ve come to
collect.”

I’d made a deal with Eros in Greece, agreeing
to marry him if he helped me stop my transformation and find my
father. He did help me find Samuel, and neither David nor I had
transformed into any type of monster—physically. However, inside, I
didn’t feel like myself anymore. Somehow, I doubted it would matter
to Eros.

“If you think I’m marrying you,” I shook my
head, “think again.”

“You and I—
we
—made a pact. A deal is a
deal.”

“Yeah, well, I changed my mind.”

“You should’ve given it more thought before
you agreed to my terms.” He ran a finger along my arm, and I
stepped away from him.

“I
have
thought it over. The deal’s
off,” I told him. “I might still be human, but you had nothing to
do with it.”

Eros sniggered. “I wish it were so
simple.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning it doesn’t matter if either one of
us want to break the deal. You have to follow through unless… You
wouldn’t want to lose what you most love, would you?”

“What
?
You jerk. You planned this so
well. I can’t believe you would use your power to—”

“I didn’t. The accord you made with me binds
you. It’s not something I can revoke. It must be followed through
until the end, otherwise…”

“I lose what I most love,” I said. Eros
nodded once. “Which is what?”

“Not what, but who.” He jerked his chin in
the direction of the front door. “Her memories will be taken. She
won’t remember you.” He paused. “She’ll lose her mind.”

“But… Shouldn’t I be the one punished for
breach of contract?”

“You don’t think it punishment enough?”

“I do. I just… I don’t understand what my
mother has to do with it. It’s not fair.”

“These agreements never are.” He reached for
my face. “I’m sorry.”

“You’re sorry.” I pushed him away. “You’re
sorry
? Well, that sure makes it all better.” I frowned. “Why
didn’t you tell me about the clauses in this stupid agreement to
begin with?”

“I wasn’t thinking. I…” Eros rubbed the back
of his neck. “I forgot the clause existed.”

How convenient.

I glared at him. I didn’t know if I wanted to
bash his head in or smack it for being such a dimwit. “How does one
forget, Eros?” I growled. “How could you not remember what was at
stake?” I waited for a response. “
Answer me
.”

He pushed me against the wall, my arms pinned
against his chest, his hands on either side of my face. I could
feel the beating of our hearts synced to the same rhythm—hard and
manic.

“Because it’s what you do to me. Especially
when your temper takes over.” One of his thumbs stroked my jaw. “I
can’t reason when I’m around you.” He leaned in, his gray eyes
looking straight into me. “Why did you run from me?” He glanced at
my lips. “I’ve missed you, my sweet.”

And all of sudden, there it was. The
electricity between us that made my blood boil and pump through my
cells like molten lava, claiming my better judgment. My eyes
closed. I felt his lips press against mine. I gripped his shirt
with one hand and moved the other up over his chest and to his
shoulder. Then, stopping for a moment at the pulse on his neck, I
reached for his head and sifted my fingers through his blond, silky
hair. I pulled him harder against me. I was shaking, invigorated by
the taste of his lips. I heard a groan escape his throat. He tried
to pry my hands off his head, but I fought to keep his lips pressed
against mine. They were sweeter and more sating than I remembered.
I was swimming in a sea of succulence I didn’t know existed. I
wanted more, so much more, of this.

Suddenly, I felt a savage yank on the hair on
my nape. The pain made me whimper. I withdrew my grip on Eros.
Clutching my face with one hand, he pushed my head against the
wall, his face centimeters from mine.

“I don’t mind you being rough with me.” He
panted. “As a matter of fact, I rather enjoy it. But using me to
snack on is off limits. I’m not a steakhouse. Do you
understand?”

“Huh?” I was confused.

“You bit me.” He stepped back and wiped his
bottom lip with the back of a fisted hand. “Several times.” He
showed me the blood smeared on his knuckles.

I studied the bright red teeth marks and open
slits on his swollen lip. I’d let myself slip. I’d bitten him,
tasted his blood. And I liked it. I heaved in a tattered breath.
How could I have allowed myself?

“It’ll heal in a few minutes,” he said. “I
assume it’s what you’re worried about.” He produced a handkerchief
from his pants pocket and wiped his mouth and hand.

“I didn’t mean to…to…do that,” I
apologized.

I suppose I should’ve been worried about him,
concerned I could’ve just killed him. But instead, I was nervous
for me. The Creatura inside me was more conniving than Eros. It was
sly and aggressive, and, worst of all, it was overpowering me.

“Why are you two still out there?” Claire’s
voice came from inside the house.

Eros sucked his lower lip into his mouth just
as Galilea stepped onto the porch. Claire followed behind her.

“I know where I’ve seen you.” Claire held up
a fashion magazine. “Right here.” She looked at me. “He’s in
here.”

Eros took the magazine from Claire. He turned
away, giving us his back, and flipped through the magazine.

“Oh yes. I remember this.” He faced us, his
lip already healed. “I don’t do many of those.” He handed the
magazine back to Claire. “It’s a hobby, really.”

“What’s a hobby?” I asked.

“He’s an underwear model.” Galilea rolled her
eyes. “Mister Vanity and tighty-whities.”

“See for yourself,” Claire said, opening the
magazine. She held it up for me to see. The page she showed me
featured a black-and-white full-page advertisement of Eros standing
on a rock surrounded by half-naked women pawing at his
underwear—the one article of clothing on his body.

A green, snarling monster crept deep into my
chest and screamed a hundred expletives at the women in the
magazine. I shouldn’t have felt the way I did. I shouldn’t have
been jealous. But I was, and it infuriated me.

“What do you think?” Eros asked.

I didn’t look at him when I said, “Nice
hobby.”

“Let’s go inside.” Claire fanned herself with
the magazine. “It’s scorching out here, and these mosquitos are
going to eat us alive.”

“Oh, no. He can’t—we can’t stay,” Galilea
said. “We have a thing. We’re going to—”

“Nothing that can’t be done later.” Eros
stepped next to Claire. “I wouldn’t mind spending a few more
minutes with these two beautiful ladies.”

Claire let out a girlish, high-pitched laugh
and led Eros through the front door.

***

After a few glasses of cheap wine, a lot of
giggling, and a conversation about Eros’s underwear-modeling
career, Claire excused herself, saying she was feeling lightheaded
and needed to lie down. But first, she took a selfie with Eros to
show off at the office. I can’t say I wasn’t embarrassed by my
mother’s fangirl elation, but then I remembered the effect Cupid
had on women; they turned into putty in his presence—flirty,
acquiescent idiots. I wondered if it was the type of girl I turned
into around him.
Nah
.

“Your mother’s a charming woman, not to
mention beautiful.” Eros set his glass of water on the coffee
table. “I can see why Samuel couldn’t help himself.”

“Don’t you talk about my mother in that way,”
I hissed.

“Oh, right. I forget she’s my future
mother-in-law.” He set his arm over the back of the sofa. “Shall we
get down to business?”

“Since when do we have business with you?”
Galilea asked.

“No one’s talking to you, Galilea.” Eros
turned his attention back to me. “When are you going to tell your
mother?”

“What the hell? He’s been here two seconds,
and you already told him you’re pregnant?” Galilea asked in a
surprised loud whisper. “You kept it from me for weeks.”

I felt like the armchair I was seated in was
trying to swallow me whole. I wished it would.

“P-pregnant?” Eros stuttered, and I looked
down at the floor.

“Oops,” I heard Galilea mumble. “My bad.”

“You’re pregnant,” Eros repeated, and then
waited for me to say something. I didn’t. “Does David know?”

I shook my head.

“Well…” he breathed, “what do you plan to do
about this predicament?”

“What do you think? I’m having a baby and
raising it on my own.”

Eros’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t
understand.”

“David and I, we’re not…” It hurt to say it.
“We’re not together anymore. I’m not telling him about my
situation.”

“I see.” Eros turned to Galilea. “I need to
talk to her alone.”

“Nope,” Galilea objected. “You already had
your chance to talk to her in private earlier.”

“It’s ok,” I said to Galilea. “I want to hear
what he has to say.”

“Fine.” Galilea sounded hurt. “I’ll go smoke
a ciggy on the porch.” She rose from the floor next to the coffee
table where she’d been sitting and walked out.

“So?” I asked. “What is it this time? Another
deal? Another proposal to ruin me further?”

“Ruin you? Oh no. You did that on your own.
All I want is for you to tell David.”

“Tell him?” I fixed my stare on him.
“Why?”

“Because if it were me, if I was the one in
his shoes, I’d like to have the opportunity to raise my child.”

“I don’t want him to take me back because I’m
pregnant.”

“I haven’t suggested you should have an
amorous relationship with him. I said he should be aware he’s going
to be a father.”

I couldn’t be sure this wouldn’t turn into
another of Eros sick, twisted mind games. Or worse yet, another
trick. I wouldn’t fall for any of it. Not this time.

“First of all, you’re the last person I’d
take advice from.” I wished I could spit out fire instead of words.
“And secondly, it’s none of your business what I do with my
life.”

“Fair enough.” He tapped his fingers on the
arm of the sofa. “But Isis, tell me, how did it feel to be raised
only by your mother?” He rubbed his chin. “Don’t you miss having
your father around?”

His question squeezed hard on all four
chambers of my heart. I sat back in my seat to lessen the
discomfort in my chest. I understood all too well what he was
telling me, and he was right. Children needed both parents.
Sometimes, however, it wasn’t possible—beyond our control to have
both a mother and a father.

“What if David doesn’t want anything to do
with this baby?” What if he didn’t’ believe it was his? I’d be
flattened, obliterated by the pain.

Eros walked over to me and knelt beside the
chair I was sitting in.

“If he’s dumb enough to let you go, then I’ll
be the father your child needs.”

I gawked at him. “Unbelievable. Is this part
of another one of your sleazy deals?”

“Not at all. This little life—” he touched my
stomach “—is a part of you, and I will love it just as deeply as I
love you.” He took my hands. “Marry me, Isis Martin. You won’t
regret it.”

CHAPTER 4

“If I remember correctly, the deal was I’m
supposed
to marry you.” I pulled my hands away from his
grip. “Now that my mom’s future is involved, I don’t have much of a
choice, do I?”

“You can—” He paused. It took a moment for
him to say what was on his mind. “You’re carrying the fruit of
another deity in your womb.”

“I’m well aware.”

“Which means the contract is null.”

“Null? You mean I don’t have to marry you?
And my mom won’t go crazy?”

Eros nodded. My shoulders relaxed, and the
throbbing in my head eased. I breathed a deep sigh of relief. I’d
never been so thankful to be pregnant.

“Well?” Eros asked. “What’s your answer?”

“To what?”

“Will you marry me?”

“You’re serious?”

“I am. I’ve never been so serious in my
life.”

I stared at him, at his full lips, at his
gray, hopeful eyes. A few seconds passed.

“Yes,” I told him. “I’ll marry you…when hell
freezes over, pigs fly, and the fat lady sings.”

He glared at me. “You’re mocking me? Okay.”
He nodded. “Mock me.” He inched his face closer to mine. “But you
should know your rejection only incites me to win you over, to seek
you out all the more. You won’t get rid of me so easily, my
sweet.”

“Then it’ll be all the more effortless to
devour you,” I said. “You’ll make a tasty first meal.”

“You don’t scare me,” he said, but the way
his eyes widened in response to my threat told a different
story.