The Wager- BBW Erotic Curvy Paranormal Romance (TOUCH OF THE GODS) (24 page)

              “Is everything okay?”

             
“Of course. Just a bit tired. You wear me out, but in the best of ways.”

             
Frowning at me, I knew she didn't believe a word I said, but I swiftly changed the subject. I wasn't ready to divulge the information, and I don't think she was willing to hear it yet. I patted my thigh, and she came to settle on my lap, the position allowing me to play with her silky hair.

“So, that was mama, again. Her and Daddy want us to come for dinner I tried to decline, but there's no such word as 'no' for Ginny.”

              “That should be fine. I've never had a family dinner before. This way, you can have more time to think on my proposal to join me in Olympus.”

             
“True, it is a very big decision, and you really haven't explained how to go about getting me there. I thought only gods and goddesses could live in your world.”

             
So much for talking about it later. Disengaging her from my lap, I bent over the bed to grab my jeans, and tentatively, pulled the vial from the side pocket, before joining her once more. It swirled iridescent and small, yet it contained the most powerful substance in the universe. In my palm, it grew hot and whispered to us both, pressuring me to give it to her.

Vanessa swallowed while her eyes grew wide and she reached for it.

Before she could take it, I closed my hand. “To become immortal, you give up everything. And I do mean everything, Vanessa. I really need you to think on this before you make your choice.”

             
“Wow, spooky.”

             
“Vanessa! I'm serious about this. The vial contains ambrosia, a small shot worth, but that's all you'll need. And once you drink it, there's no turning back.”

“Okay, I'm sorry. I do understand, and promise to really weigh my options.”
              Sighing, I stared at her a moment more before finally relinquishing the bottle into her care.

Vanessa studied the small glass vial with more curiosity, rather than the fear that I felt she should have, and looked up at me, the twitching of a smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

It took all I had not to snatch the thing away and go home without looking back, but that would mean living without her - omething that I couldn't stand to contemplate.“Please put that away for now and we will come back to it later.”

             
For once she listened to me, placing the ambrosia into her nightstand dresser.

Her easy compliance made me nervous, but I decided to keep my paranoid thoughts to myself. Needing to get away from the situation, as I felt ill just knowing what I had just sentenced her to. “I'm going to go shower. I'd ask you to join me, but then we'd never get to your parents.”

              “That is very true. You go ahead, and I'll go after you're done.”

             
Nodding, I leaned over, placing a small kiss on her forehead and headed into the bathroom. With the water on, I waited for it to warm and stared into the mirror, I was shocked at how worn out I looked. My aura that usually pulsated around me was dim and weak. My skin was also losing the tan that came from being in the presence of Apollo, leaving me sallow and sickly looking. Steam floated from behind the shower curtain and stepping in, my head hung low, letting the warmth seep into my tired shoulders.

Just outside the door, Vanessa was probably itching to touch the vial again, wondering if she should stay or go, take the liquid or leave it and me. Cursing to myself, I pounded my fist on the shower tiles, knowing I omitted so much about what would happen if she decided to drink the ambrosia. I just couldn't bring myself to tell her, when I said she'd give up everything, I also meant her life.

Chapter XX

Vanessa

             
The minute the door clicked closed I dove for the nightstand and grabbed the bottle, staring at it with both interest and fear. In my hands, I could feel the liquid swishing, hot to the touch. For the life of me, I didn't understand how something so inconspicuous could be so dangerous. Maybe Hephaestus exaggerated, perhaps to keep me from saying yes to him.

In our few weeks together, I had worked hard to put him back together again, but something would pull him back into the dark place where the pain caused by his family, shattered him again. I knew he held back from telling me all that was involved with becoming immortal, his cryptic words doing little to scare me. Honestly, when he first asked me, I was ready to jump into his arms and say yes, but now as I held the answer to both our prayers in my palm, I wondered if it would be worth it. Eternity was a long time and what of my family, if I suddenly disappeared without a goodbye?

              Drink me. Join us
.

             
Like a siren's call, the vial whispered to me and my throat constricted with the desire to drink down the heated fluid. My fingers poised over the small cap, I inched closer until I was nearly able to remove it, so near to becoming Hephaestus's immortal lover....

             
“You silly twit. Leave it to my idiot ex to give
a
mortal
ambrosia!”

             
Whirling around, I almost dropped the glass bottle. I froze and stared at the most stunning, sexually charged, woman I’d ever seen. Wrapped no, not wrapped—embraced in gauze-like material, the twenty-something supermodel stood, her hands propped on her full hips. One sun kissed leg, bent at the knee peeked from the slit in her gown, so that her pelvis poked out, accentuating the gentle slope of her waist. Unable to tear my eyes away, I raked her form with my gaze resting on the firm, perky breasts that swelled in that way that made men salivate, and women growl, before moving to her face. My jaw dropping,

I had no words to define her beauty, or the raw sexuality that oozed from her. Golden hair flowed like a waterfall around her, while her eyes, shifted colors, before finally settling on a sterling gray. It sent shivers through my very soul. She was paradise and under that serenity, was cold, selfish hate. This glorious epitome of perfection just had to be Aphrodite, Goddess of Love, Beauty, and the bitch ex-wife of the naked man in my shower.

Gathering my scattered wits, I covered my body with my robe, slipped the vial back into my drawer and stood to face snobbish cow. “I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t call him that and I would love for you to get the hell out of my room.”

             
She ignored me, instead taking her time to walk around, picking up items here and there. Annoying to say the least, and when I heard the growl, accompanied with a colorful curse, or so I think it was, as it wasn't said in English. Both she and I turned to look at a very pissed off Hephaestus.  I probably should have been moving out of the way, to let them sort it out, but instead my feet moved on their own to stand directly in front of him.

His bulging muscles, rippled under the sheen of water. His blond hair looked darker, plastered against his forehead and his eyes blazed hot, fiery and sexy as fuck! If it weren't for our unwanted company, I'd be licking him dry. Stupid goddess!

              “What the hell are you doing here, Aphrodite?”

             
“Aww, honey. Aren't you happy to see me?”

             
He growled again, pulling me behind him, before his body began to hum and vibrate the floor beneath my feet. It made me realize just how powerful he truly was, and how dangerous he could be if his anger was unleashed. 

“Don't fuck with me, woman. You may be older than I am, but I can still make your life miserable.”

              “Oh please. You wouldn't hurt me, you're a sucker and if your woman was smart, she'd leave your ass. But she's a simple human, thus filled with many flaws.”

             
“That is not your place to decide. Now get out, or so help me, I will make sure your next order is your last.”

             
“Whatever, I just wanted to see if there would truly be a death in the name of love. Ta-ta for now!” The glorious pain in the ass goddess left, her lingering perfume of lilac remaining behind in my room as an unpleasant reminder of the daunting bitch.

Yet, the unspoken tension of her parting words clung even more heavily than her perfume.

Hephaestus was still beside me, almost trying to fade into the shadows of the room.

It was at that moment, as I looked upon him, I saw how ghastly he appeared. For a god, he looked like a dying man on his very last breath. When I reached out, placing my hand on his arm, his skin felt cold and clammy. Had Aphrodite meant him dying for loving me? The very thought left me frightened, a pit of sadness filling my stomach and left me with doubt in taking the vial, when I had previously almost jumped at the chance.

Looking at his profile, I had to move until I stood directly in front of him, before finally with reluctance, he focused down at me.

“I don't want you to die, Heph. Why didn't you tell me that becoming mortal would kill you?”

              “I should have told you at first, but as usual, I was being a coward.  I wished to wait until after dinner with your family, but I see now that this cannot wait.”

             
Accompanying the pit in my gut, my innards began to knot with worry when he gestured for me to sit on the bed. My stress grew even worse when sitting beside me, he placed a small gap between our thighs. As though whatever he was going to say would make me fly over the edge, and he may have to make a quick getaway.

Hephaestus kept his head bowed.

I waited and didn't force him to look at me, deciding to let him speak the way he felt most comfortable.

             
“Tonight, I must leave you for good. I can’t stay any longer.”

             
“Why? Did I do something wrong? I didn't mean to talk with her, Heph.” I didn't mean to sound so pathetic, but I was still wounded from Ares, and his abandonment. One that left me sick for several days and practically killed me. If the same thing was about to happen, the complex I had, thinking no man really desired me would become a very much confirmed truth!

             
“You've done nothing and never take the blame for a bitch like Aphrodite. No, my sweet, I must leave because I am losing myself in your world. The longer I stay the weaker I become, until soon, I will not exist at all. Everything that I control will either vanish or lose control. You know? Volcanoes, architecture and even Prince Alberts, since I was the one who convinced him to get it. As I've said, you can be with me in Olympus, but what I didn't tell you was to become immortal, you must drink the ambrosia---”

             
“Yes, you've mentioned this. I'll drink it right now and after dinner, I'll be ready. Just let me say my goodbyes.”

             
“Vanessa, you didn't let me finish. You drink the ambrosia, but then you die. To become a god, first you must give up mortality. There is a trial, but I am not certain what will happen there.”

             
Blinking, I let his words sink in while the coil of anxiety had tightened, springing until my whole body was tense with uncertainty. The anger was there, don't doubt that, but there was so much more than I could express, so all I did was stare at him.

Hephaestus finally looked at me his red, glowing eyes which seemed dim, shining with unshed tears.

Seeing the look on his face and how sick he was, kept my rage in check, because unlike Ares or Aphrodite, or even his mother, Hera, this god would have left for my sake. He would live a life of loneliness and sorrow, rather than see me die. Now I understood why he wanted me to think on his proposal. Logic immediately told me to toss the bottle once he was gone, but my heart and soul felt differently. Maybe after dinner, being in the familiarity of home I could have long talk with my family and I might be able to better decide. Leaning over, I took his chin between my fingers, stroking the softness of his freshly shaved skin and gave him a soft kiss. One that spoke the words I couldn't say.

When he reciprocated the kiss, I knew he accepted my choice to wait on giving him an answer. The sound of a chime interrupted our moment and I knew it was my sister texting to see when we'd be arriving. Typing out a quick response, I stood, smiling down at him. “I'm going to shower then get dressed. It’s a good thing we replenished my wardrobe with normal clothes, because my parents would flip out if I wore more leather. For now, we'll put this conversation on the ‘look at later’ pile.” Grabbing a bra and panties, I headed for the bathroom, hoping my mind would allow me peace from the disturbing concept of dying to be with the man I loved.

              “Vanessa?”

             
Pausing, I looked back at him over my shoulder.

He still sat on my bed, his gaze focused downward to the floor.

              “Yes, Heph?”

             
“No matter what you choose… thank you.”

             
Smiling, I went inside the bathroom, closing the door behind me and leaned my back against it, trying to slow my pounding heart. The walls felt like they were closing in on me, as the panic of the unknown built to a crescendo in my chest. With shaky steps, I made my way to the shower, turning the water straight to cold and jumped in, the spray shocking me with a chill against my skin.
Get a grip, Vanessa! You have time to think on this. He's not really rushing you.