Skin of a Goddess (Goddess Ascension Book 1) (12 page)

“I’d like to go, and I’ve already been to a meeting with all of you,” I say, confused.

“That was informal, at best, and the meeting was called because of you. Outsiders at serious meetings aren’t allowed to talk unless directly spoken to. You can’t talk about information you’ve learned at the meeting to someone who wasn’t there. You also can’t use said information against us. That should get you through everything, okay?” Peitho says.

I try to ignore the speak when spoken to rule, and just say, “Sure, I can handle that.”

“Then come on,” she says, and I follow her.

When we get to the suite she shares with the other goddesses, I can’t hear anything going on in there from outside. Every other time I’ve come up here, I’ve been able to hear them talking, shouting, or listening to music from well outside the hallway. The lack of sound gives the entire situation an ominous air. Which I could, quite frankly, do without.

“About time,” Enyo says angrily to Peitho when we enter. Her hands twitch as if wishing for weapons.

“We were just told,” Peitho says, slightly defensive.

“Aergia’s over there with Ana and Lyssa,” Enyo says, nodding her head in the direction of the living room.

Peitho and I go to the couch where the three women are lounging. Aergia looks calm, if a little startled, in a white cotton dress and tangled hair. In fact, her eyes look a little smudged, as if she hasn’t gotten enough rest. Which I know isn’t true since she’s practically been asleep since they got here.

“You okay?” Peitho asks her simply.

Aergia looks up at her, and her face darkens. “I’m pissed, if that’s what you’re asking. The fucker woke me up from my nap! Can you believe that shit? Me! It took a little time, but I finally woke up.”

“What happened?” Peitho asks.

Aergia sighs. “I was asleep in the stairway, and I guess someone tried to smother me. With a shirt, no less. I didn’t wake up for a while, but finally did when they dropped me. Can you believe the indignity of that? They thought I was out from the suffocation and accidentally dropped me down the stairs when they were trying to take me away. That’s when I woke up and whoever they were left. I didn’t get a look or anything. You know how I am when I first wake up.”

Peitho whispers to me, “Aergia pretty much sleeps like the dead. She’s most vulnerable when she sleeps because it’s almost impossible to wake her up. When she does wake up, she’s very disoriented for a few minutes before she’s fully aware.”

“According to Harold, the smells in the hallway were werewolf, human, tiger, and griffin. I’m not sure which of those we’re looking for.” Aergia says this calmly.

“I’m sorry,” Peitho says with a frown.

“So am I. It can’t be helped that I’m not real with it when I just wake up. I just wish I got a look at them. It really sucks. I was woken up for absolutely nothing!” Aergia growls.

“Um, why was she asleep in the stairway?” I whisper to Peitho.

“She just kind of stops and drops where she pleases. She’s been known to sleep in odder places, no worries. Now she’ll obviously have to be more careful about that.”

I can’t help but think she should have been more careful well before now.

“Back!” Apate bursts into the room. “Brought Dysnomia too. Everyone here, then?”

“Yes, I call this group meeting to session,” Nemesis says, standing in the middle of everyone. “We’re here today to discuss the violence done to one of our own. About twenty minutes ago, Aergia was attacked in the stairway.”

“This is kind of dumb since the idiots already took three people the other day. Like, how greedy can you be?” Ana says with a disappointed shake of her head.

“Are we assuming it’s the same people who have been kidnapping at this convention, or one of our old enemies?” Dysnomia asks.

I put the topic of “other enemies” in my mind for later discussion.

“That’s a very good question,” Nemesis tells her. “I think right now, it’s safe to assume that the people targeting supernaturals here are the ones responsible. None of our enemies would be stupid enough to target us this way. They would not fail to carry out a plan against us, for fear of retaliation. We can also narrow down the suspects to werewolves, tiger shifters, humans, and griffins. These were the only scents to be found around the crime scene, and all of those types of creatures can be found here.”

“The question is, are we going to tell the ones investigating?” Apate asks.

I frown at that. Why wouldn’t they give the authorities the information?

“Doesn’t Harold already know, since he scented the hallway for you?” Peitho asks.

“No, I told him it was over a possible theft,” Aergia explains. “It was partially true.”

“We’ll have to vote on it. Right now, if we tell the others, they’ll investigate the supernatural species I mentioned. Hopefully they’ll find the individuals responsible and take them into custody,” Nemesis says. “If we don’t tell them, we’ll have to investigate the individuals instead and find the ones who attacked Aergia. Then we can either hand the criminals over to the police or punish them as we see fit.”

“Kill them! I want to taste their blood!” Enyo says, angrily banging her fist on the wall. “You do not attack us like common mortal immortals and get away with it!”

“Those in favor of telling the shifter authorities?” Nemesis asks. The only hand that rises is mine. Her face hardens. “Dragon, you have no voice here. Those in favor of looking for the people responsible for the incident ourselves?” Everyone’s hand goes up. “Handing them over to the police?” Ana, Peitho, Aergia, and Nemesis raise their hands. “As the tie breaker, I don’t need to ask who wants to punish the people ourselves. We will hand them over to the authorities once found.”

“How could you vote that way?” Lyssa asks Aergia with disbelief.

“Disposing of them ourselves sounds like way too much work. I hate having to clean up blood. Plus, it stains everything. I don’t know, just easier to give them over to the shifters.”

Lyssa sniffs in disgust.

“Are there any questions?” Nemesis asks the room.

“Who will be in charge of the investigation?” Dysnomia asks.

Nemesis says, “I will assign jobs to everyone in the morning. I will be in charge of the investigation, and all information or actions will go through me first. We don’t need to make this more complicated than it is. Anything else?”

“Nope.” Apate shrugs.

“Then meeting adjourned,” Nemesis says.

I’m left sitting there in blatant shock. How is that all that needs to be said? Aergia was so reckless as to sleep out in the open when that’s also her most vulnerable state. Nothing is going to be said about keeping safe and careful? The buddy system? Hell, even keeping more weapons on them? No, instead, she’s just going to tell them which of the group gets to look at which people to see if they’re psychotic murderers. How is that keeping safe?

“That went well.” Apate smiles at us. “Though I wish more people voted to take the sick fuck out ourselves than give them to the authorities. How sucky is it that criminals get to go to jail where they get three meals a day, a place to sleep, and programs after committing horrible crimes? Oh, the justice system.”

“Whatever, I’m going to go catch up on my sleepy time.” Aergia gets up and leaves the room. Hopefully she’ll stay in the suite, preferably in an actual bedroom.

“Lunch is starting!” Ana announces before leaving the room with Dysnomia, who’s talking about the chocolate cake dessert shortly to come. How can they all be so blasé about what just happened? About what will be happening?

“Yum, you coming, Peitho?” Apate asks, smacking her lips.

Peitho sends me a little glance before saying, “Sure, just give me a minute and I’ll be right down.”

“Righteous.” She nods, leaving with the others to go get food.

“You okay with the meeting and everything? Remember, you’re not allowed to tell anyone anything that went on here, even if you want to. No going to the authorities and telling them we have a possible lead,” Peitho says.

I sigh. “As much as I disagree with the ruling, I understand.”

“Super-duper, let’s go eat, then.” Peitho grins.

“I wanted to talk to you a bit first, if that’s all right,” I say.

Her eyes zero in on me, but her voice remains light as she says, “Sure thing, star shine, what’s up? Something about what just happened?”

“Kind of,” I agree. “I noticed you’re not too worried about protection, even though one of you was just attacked. In fact, none of you seem too scared of the possibility of it happening again, or taking precautions against it if it does.”

“That’s because we can take care of ourselves,” she says.

“That’s not necessarily true, as Aergia only woke up when she was dropped down a flight of stairs. That doesn’t make me feel any better. They obviously want a goddess too, not just mortal immortals. Each of you must have a time when you’re vulnerable, like Aergia. I think you should be especially careful since you, Aergia, and Apate will probably be the first ones targeted,” I say.

Her eyes narrow at me. “Why would you say that?”

“To be blunt, you’re the physically weakest of the other goddesses. None of you have defensive powers to help you against an attack, except hardening your skin. I don’t really think that will help if they’re trying to abduct you, not actually harm you at this point,” I say.

“The weakest,” I hear her mutter.

“I don’t mean it in a bad way; it’s just me being practical. I’d like it if you made sure you are with me or one of your friends, at all times. There’s power in numbers, and I’m sure no one will attack you if you’re with me or maybe Enyo? Lyssa? You could stick around Nemesis?” I suggest.

“Yes, because you, Enyo, Lyssa, and Nemesis are the only ones who could possibly take care of little ole weak me.” Her eyes flash angrily. “I don’t need to stay attached with someone like a child. I know how to take care of myself and handle a weapon. That’s all I feel like hearing on the matter,” she says stonily.

“Fine, we can be done talking about that for the time being, but there’s another thing. I don’t want you to help investigate the griffins, werewolves, weretigers, or humans here. You don’t need to put yourself in such obvious danger like that,” I say.

Peitho frowns at me. “But it’s all right if I let my friends put themselves in danger? Oh, wait, I forgot, all of my friends are stronger than me. How silly I am!”

It’s my turn to frown at her. “Can you please take this seriously? I don’t want you so close to possible murderers, and I don’t think I should be teased because of it. I also want you to consider leaving the hotel. Not the entire convention, just not staying at the hotel, since it seems that’s where people are being taken from. In fact, I have a cave that’s not too far from here, and I would be quite happy to let you stay there with me for the time being. We could make trips back and forth from here to there.”

She looks at me with her mouth gaping open a bit. “Let me get this straight. You want me to stick around Enyo, Lyssa, Nemesis, and yourself so I’ll be protected in a fight. You don’t want me to investigate the people who attacked my dear friend, and now you want me to retreat to your little hole in the ground and only come back during the day, where I’ll be surrounded by others?”

I really think she’s focusing on the wrong issues here.

“You know I don’t mean it like you’re saying it. It all sounds wrong when you say it in that tone of voice! I just want you to stay safe,” I say.

Peitho points a finger at my chest, getting up in my face. “How long have you known me, exactly? Four, five days? You can forget about bossing me around like some controlling boyfriend. I’m not going to deal with that shit. I’ll do what I please like I always have, and you’ll shut the fuck up about it. What does it matter to you if I get hurt or not? You don’t even know me!”

Really, comments like that just don’t help anything.

“I don’t need to know someone for years to know that I don’t want to see them brutally murdered and tortured by freaks!” I say.

She glowers at me. “I’m not the weakest goddess just because I don’t have additional fighting abilities. I can still take a human, mortal immortal, even
you
down without breaking a sweat! I don’t need to stand around and be judged by someone who knows nothing about me or the others. You can march your tailed and plated ass right out of here!”

“I really think we should talk more about this!” I protest.

“There’s nothing more to talk about. You’ve said quite enough, and more than I cared to hear. I think it’s time you leave, so neither of us says anything more that we’ll regret,” she says firmly. “Assuming, of course, that you’ll come to regret your painfully ridiculous words.”

As I watch, Peitho’s skin brightens to brilliant gold for the second time in my presence. She seems to glow from the inside out, making everything in the world dimmer and making me almost want to shield my eyes. I doubt anyone who’s ever looked at her has done so. It’s hard enough to remember your own name, let along tear your eyes away from her, when she’s like this.

Peitho steps up to me. “I could make you so mesmerized, so full of want, so completely mine that you would do anything for me. You forget I’m also persuasion. The record number of people I was able to completely control at once was one hundred and three. That was centuries ago. I wonder how much of a punch I pack now, especially targeted on one person.”