Adventures of the Soul

Praise for the writing of Jeigh Lynn

Latin Moon

I absolutely loved Latin Moon. Ms. Lynn has written a novel that flows so well that I found myself at the last page before I knew what happened…Latin Moon is so smoothly written and well formulated that I enjoyed every passage and am craving more. -- Francesca Hayne, Just Erotic Romance Reviews Jeigh Lynn’s Latin Moon is a book that you should not miss! Alex and Jessica are unforgettable characters that you will instantly fall in love with. The physical and emotional connection between the two will amaze you. -- Tewanda, Fallen Angel Reviews What’s not to love about the werewolves in Latin Moon? They are sexy, primal, and very alpha. Ms. Lynn won’t disappoint fans of the genre with this story. -- Patricia Green, Romance Reviews Today There are many characters in this book, but each has a place in it and it’s a pleasure to get to know them. Alex's loving family is a large one with brothers, sisters, cousins – and not a homely guy in the bunch! In fact, there are more hunks than you can shake a stick at and every one of them is werewolf – mate for life – sexy. More to come from this talented author, all she needs to do is hurry–please! -- Johnna, Euro-Reviews

Latin Moon is now available from Loose Id.

ADVENTURES OF THE SOUL

Jeigh Lynn

www.loose-id.com

Warning This e-book contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language and may be considered offensive to some readers. Loose Id e-books are for sale to adults ONLY, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

***** This book is rated:

For substantial explicit sexual content, graphic language and situations some readers may find objectionable (homoerotic sex).

Adventures of the Soul Jeigh Lynn This e-book is a work of fiction. While reference might be made to actual historical events or existing locations, the names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Published by Loose Id LLC 1802 N Carson Street, Suite 212-29 Carson City NV 89701-1215 www.loose-id.com

Copyright © June 2005 by Jeigh Lynn Excerpt of Dream Warriors 1: Gareth copyright 2004 by Cyndi Friberg All rights reserved. This copy is intended for the purchaser of this e-book ONLY. No part of this e-book may be reproduced or shared in any form, including, but not limited to printing, photocopying, faxing, or emailing without prior written permission from Loose Id LLC.

ISBN 1-59632-103-2 Available in Adobe PDF, HTML, MobiPocket, and MS Reader

Printed in the United States of America

Editor: Olivia Wong Cover Artist: Jet Mykles

Dedication To Mom and Daddy. Happy 36th Anniversary! Thank you, Mom and Dad, for always being my biggest fans in whatever I do, whether it be dance, art, or writing. I love ya’ll.

Acknowledgments Special Thanks to: My very own Cue: Andre, for absolutely everything. Olivia Wong, my editor and new friend. What a team! JBuL, what can I say? You guys are the greatest! Raven McKnight and Jean, thanks, guys! CDAY, I do love you. Remember when you used to call me “Sissy” and how I hated it? And last, but not least, to my boys. I’d have gladly suffered a dozen miscarriages had I known the two of you would be the end result. Thank you

for

being

such

wonderful

children!

Mama

loves

you

both!

Prologue

When I was a little girl, there was a game we used to play. We would all sit in a circle, and one child, usually my oldest sister because she was always so bossy, would go first. She would start by making up a story and whispering it into the ear of the child next to her. Then that child would whisper it to the next child and so on and so on. Until the last child, usually me because I was the youngest, got to listen. Then I’d tell everyone out loud what had been whispered to me. By the time the story reached me it was always completely different than the one my sister had told. Well, that’s how myths are. Someone doesn’t hear something right, or they decide it would sound better a different way. Don’t get me wrong, there is always some truth to myths, but somewhere along the way they get complicated. Like the myth of Eros and Psyche. Had there been a happily ever after part? Nine kids and a millennium later, yeah, that part is true, but I’d like to set a few other things straight, tell you what really happened ...

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Chapter One Thunder echoed through the cement parking garage, the sound reverberating in my chest. The dark sky cast an ominous glare, while still as death, I lay under a parked car, sniper rifle poised and ready. I had one shot, and there was no way I was going to let a little rain stop me. No drops had fallen yet. Time was on my side. Looking through the six-inch gap at the bottom of the partial garage wall, I saw him. He was just visible behind the glass doors of the building across the street. His bodyguards stood, umbrellas ready, as they pushed through the doors and stepped out, temporarily concealing him from my view. Looking through my scope, I saw the two goons step to each side. Now the Snake would finally meet his match. He was in my sights. Gently taking up the slack in my trigger, I squeezed and -“Psy? What do you think?” Fiona’s voice rang like a shot in my ear, bringing me out of my daydream with a start, back to the land of the tedious. Instead of being a secret agent on a special mission to save the world, I’m a freakin’ wedding coordinator. My only mission, at that moment, was to help our current clients choose a wedding cake. Blinking, I looked at the couple seated next to Fiona; they were staring expectantly at me. I wasn’t sure exactly what they wanted to know, but I nodded. “Oh, yes, it’s beautiful.” Peering across the counter at the baker and back at the three people seated in front of me, I confirmed that I’d muttered the right phrase. All of them looked as though they’d won the lottery and began talking at once. I’d rather have been doing just about anything than planning how many tiers to put on a stupid white cake. A white cake! Any idiot knows cake isn’t cake unless it’s chocolate. If I had to sit there any longer looking at all those cakes, listening to the bridegroom say how

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hungry he was, I was going to go stark, raving mad. I’d rather have plucked my eyebrows than waste my time on figuring out how many tiers their cake needed. How do I get myself into these things? I’ll tell you how. There’s a pair of big blue eyes that I’ve never learned to say no to. Don’t get me wrong, I love my husband. He’s my soul mate, my lover, my best friend, but he has this insatiable need to meddle in other people’s love lives. Matchmaking and anything to do with it is just not my cup of tea. Especially when every match I make ends up in divorce -- except my own. And I really didn’t make our match; he did. I had ended up in my current predicament -- bored to death! -- because he loves to dabble in romantic relationships. There was really no other option. While I sat staring out the bakery window at the rain, I decided I’d dye my hair again. Maybe I should get a new wardrobe, too. I had to do something before I fell into a deep coma from the monotony. Coloring my hair and getting new clothes seemed like a good place to start. Besides, that’s always what I do when I need a change. I was liable to pull my hair out at any moment if I didn’t make a hasty exit. I stood and leaned toward Fiona, our assistant wedding coordinator for Heart and Soul Wedding Consultation, and whispered in her ear, “You’re on your own, kid. I’m outta here.” She winked and whispered back, “Kiss Cue for me, too, darlin’.” For some reason, Fiona always thinks my going anywhere translates into “I’m going to go have wild, crazy, monkey sex.” I think she purposely comes up with scenarios to picture Cue naked. Fiona’s in lust with my husband -- not that I can really hold that against her. Heck, I’m still not immune to him, and I’ve been married to him for over a millennium. At twenty-two, Fiona’s actually a cute kid, a lot of fun and very outgoing. On occasion, she brings out my maternal instincts, but most of the time she’s just my friend. More importantly, she is always up for trying new things and following my wacky schemes. Nevertheless, since someone had to stay with the clients, she was going to have to forfeit this boredom-relief makeover outing. Shaking my head at Fiona’s wicked grin and her obviously salacious thoughts, I bade the happy couple goodbye and escaped to the mall.

***** After arguing for half an hour with the beautician about how pretty my natural darkbrown hair would look with red highlights, I returned to my car ... with violet streaks. I’d decided against coloring all my hair; I figured the streaks would keep me looking a little more professional. However reluctantly, I am, after all, a wedding consultant. I’d also opted to have my hair cut. Gone were the long, wavy locks; in their place was a shiny, sassy hairstyle that came to my shoulders. One midriff tank top, plus short, plaid, pleated skirt, and a pair of knee socks and black patent leather shoes later, I was on my way back to the office.

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When I pulled into our parking lot, Fiona’s car was already there. I wondered briefly whether the couple had finally picked a cake, then decided I didn’t care. Getting my umbrella ready, I got out of the car, pushed the door shut with my foot, and ran to the office. I opened the door, and Fiona let out a long wolf-whistle. “Damn, woman! I didn’t recognize you at first. I was wondering where you were. Now I know. You should have taken me with you.” She looked me over again, let out another whistle, and shook her head. “If I had your body, I’d go naked. But are you sure about the hair?” I couldn’t hold back the snort that escaped. Fiona did have the body. Unlike yours truly, she had long, gorgeous legs that went on for miles. I smiled. “Yeah, I’m sure.” After that reception, I was feeling pretty full of myself. It seemed like I was off to a good start on “Operation: Alleviate Boredom.” Still uncertain about what other distractions to undertake in said operation, I went in search of Cue. He was probably in his office looking through the personals on the Internet. Most people play solitaire or something, but not my husband. Video games aren’t challenging enough, so Cue matches up personal ads. Personally, I’d rather play video games, but what do I know? I’m the one with the terrible marriage-match record, after all. The tapping of a keyboard made me head toward his office. Stepping through the open door then shutting it, I caught a glimpse of his bare feet propped on the desk. His black slacks were hiked up almost to his knees. His suit jacket was slung haphazardly across the back of his chair, and the location of his tie was anyone’s guess. His white dress shirt was rolled up at the sleeves and unbuttoned halfway down, revealing a nicely sculpted, tanned chest and a glimmer of the small gold ring in his left nipple. His collar-length black hair had come out of the nice, neat, slicked-back style he’d had it in this morning, and his face was already beginning to show a five o’clock shadow. His looks guarantee one hell of a ride, and he is, in fact, even better than his looks promise. In short, the man is sex incarnate, and he made a really nice picture in his disarray; my nether regions were doing a happy dance just from me looking at him. The moment he became aware of my presence, the side of his mouth turned up in a lopsided grin. With his eyes still trained on the computer, he announced, “Ah ... my soul returns.” A shiver of delight raced up my spine, and a grin tugged at my lips. That deep, gravelly voice makes my mouth water with desire every time I hear it. After a moment, his bright blue eyes met mine. He dropped his feet to the floor and turned in his chair to look at me. His face lit up as his grin became a full-fledged smile. I felt cherished, loved ... possessed. He always looks at me like that, like he sees something no one else does and loves me all the more for it. He scanned my appearance and shook his head. “Ah, it seems my soul is bored again. Psy, darling, the clothes are nice, but purple? And where did all your lovely hair go?” He lifted his hands.

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Knowing what he intended, I stepped forward. “Stop!” It was a little louder than I meant it to be. He chuckled and turned his palms up, offering them to me, his face professing his innocence. Yeah, right, as if he hadn’t been about to zap my hair back to the way it was. I took his big hands in mine and allowed him to pull me into his lap, searching the handsome face inches from my own. The familiar features were, as always, mesmerizing. “Bedroom eyes” don’t even begin describe his beautiful eyes. They are big and bright, full of intelligence, sometimes chockfull of mischief, but always filled with love and erotic knowledge. I ran my finger down that straight, perfect nose, then past the full, sensual lips to the shallow little cleft in his chin. Placing a hand on each side of his face, I held him still. Lately, it seems that he always has stubble on his cheeks, no matter the time of day. I don’t mind; it only adds to his allure. Raking my fingers lightly over the whisker-roughened cheeks, I pulled him to me and brushed a light kiss across his lips. When I tried to lean back, he surprised me with a playful nip to my lower lip. My forehead dropped to his and a few giggles escaped me. Leaning back and placing a gentle kiss on one cheek, then the other, I stared into those beloved eyes. As usual, he knew what I needed. He knew I was growing restless, as I often did after a few years of working whatever job per century that he’d deemed necessary for us. We didn’t really need to work at all, but we always did; it kept us occupied and away from Olympus. He turned me away from him, placing each of my legs outside of his, and hugged me close to his chest. I felt his warm breath just before he nuzzled my neck. The scratch of his unshaven face had my nipples hardening and my stomach tying in knots. He chuckled knowingly and whispered in my ear, “Angel, you may do whatever it is you think you need to do to assuage your monotony. However, I do wish you would not join the circus again.” I smiled and felt him reciprocate against my cheek. That had been one of my more memorable follies. I opened my mouth to assure him I wouldn’t try that particular stunt again, when his right hand found its way under my shirt to my breast. He kneaded and squeezed, and I arched, forgetting all about reassuring him. The heat of his breath played at my neck, making me anticipate what he’d do next. I wanted more. He toyed with me, nuzzling my neck, scratching me with his stubbly chin, inflaming me with his sweet, hot breath. The sweep of his tongue seared a path behind my ear, and I sucked in a deep breath, dropping my head back on his shoulder. The air whispered across my skin as my bra and shirt were pushed up, scraping across my nipples, making them impossibly hard. His fingers plucked at them while his lips sought my neck. The moist heat

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of his mouth made my breath hitch. When his hair fell over our shoulders, brushing across my bare breast, the tickling caress was too much. I moaned aloud. A sharp bite pierced me between my shoulder and neck. A tingly sensation began at my shoulder and descended my back, making me arch and dig my fingernails into his legs. When he caressed my inner thigh, I writhed against him, moaning softly. My legs parted more, begging for his touch. He didn’t disappoint. His hand plunged under my skirt and into my lacy red thong. He toyed with the outer lips of my sex, teasing me. He loves to tease. He revels in making me beg, and he always has. Well, two could play at that game. Reaching behind me, I grabbed him through the straining material of his pants and squeezed. He rewarded me with a groan. I needed to feel him inside of me, now! “Please, Cue, please.” One long finger slid into my damp passage; it was both relief and torture. His finger glided in and out as his thumb brushed against my clit. My body tightened in response, tensing, trying to keep his thumb exactly where it was. His raspy voice further inflamed my senses. “Ahhh, my soul, you are so wet.” My inner muscles clenched in reply. I love it when he talks dirty to me. I fumbled with his zipper as a second finger joined his first. Of their own accord, my hips lifted to meet the thrust of his hand as I freed him from his pants. His cock slid through my clasped hand. My fingers didn’t completely encircle the hot, velvety length of him. He moaned my name and began pumping his hips upward. We teased each other until we could no longer stand it. Abruptly, he stood, turned me, then bent me over his desk, scattering papers and files to the floor. He pulled my panties down to my knees, then stuck his foot in them and pushed them to my ankles. I waited, eager for his touch for what seemed like an eternity. When I looked over my shoulder to see what he was doing, the sight of his magnificent erection greeted me as his pants fell around his feet. Cue returned to me. He flexed his hips, and the head of his cock probed, then slid easily into me. I grunted with pleasure as he rocked fully into me, then out and in again. The feeling of being stretched was overwhelming; I couldn’t get enough. I pushed myself back, meeting his thrusts. “Oh, yes, so wet, so perfect, and all mine,” he rasped against my shoulder. The sound of his voice was like honey dripping over my skin. He bit down on my shoulder, and the pain was an aphrodisiac, adding fuel to the fire. I was vaguely aware of thunder rumbling in the distance and of rain hitting the roof. The fury outside seemed to reflect the intensity of our lovemaking within. Over and over, he pounded into me, the friction making my inner walls clutch at him. Thunder crackled across the sky, and I quivered along with it. The pressure built and built until, after a few moments, my vaginal muscles began to contract. The tingling started in my

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lower back and spread outward as lightning flashed in the distance. I tried to make it last but couldn’t. My entire focus was concentrated between my legs. I groaned out his name as the rush of orgasm assailed me. The pounding rain slowed to a pitter-patter. Seconds later, after I stopped trembling and my mind cleared, I felt him tense and give over to his release, too. Lying sprawled across the desk with my panties around my ankles, my bare breasts mashed into the hard desk, and Cue draped over me, I realized we’d left the office door unlocked. Fiona was standing in the doorway, mouth ajar, openly staring at us. I couldn’t help but laugh. It was so ironic. I’d managed to put some excitement into someone else’s life while trying to liven up my own.

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Chapter Two Cue’s fingers scraped through my hair, jarring me from my repose. I watched Fiona watch me. She looked so shocked, I was amazed she was still standing. I felt Cue’s fingers combing through my hair again, then a brief charge. Fiona’s eyes widened before she screamed. I heard a barely audible “Oops” against the back of my neck and realized what he’d done. Damn him! He had changed my hair back to normal. He does it every time. I shrugged, trying to get him off me. “Shut the door.” His hand left my head and, with another small burst of power, made a quick, jerky movement to the side. The loud slam of the door was soon followed by an even louder screech from the other side. “I was talking to Fiona,” I snapped. He slowly raised himself off me. When I turned to confront him, he gave me a lazy shrug. “Double oops.” I righted my clothes as a bemused, sated, and still exposed Cue watched. Even through my irritation, his hot gaze was making me excited again, so I turned away. A soft, knowing laugh rumbled from behind me. I didn’t have time for another round. Damn it! I had to stop Fiona before she bolted. I turned toward the door, but Cue’s rough voice stalled me. “Do you want me to make her forget?” “No. I want to tell her.” I turned to face him. Very few people over the centuries had known our true identity. I’d grown very attached to her in the short time we’d known her, and I wanted Fiona to be among those who knew about us. Not letting her know felt like a lie to me. I cared about Fiona too much to lie to her. “She should know. I really want to tell her.”

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He shrugged, and as usual, he made it look elegant, regal, like a conquering monarch’s. I don’t know how he does that. When I shrug, I just look mulish at best, or at worst, ignorant. He looked up as he fastened the button on his pants. “If that is what you wish, and if it makes you happy, I’ll do whatever you like to prove our identity.” I really wanted to be irritated at him, but it was a little hard with him being so accommodating. Opening the office door, I discovered a shaken Fiona. Fortunately, we were between appointments, so the waiting area was empty. She sat in her chair at the front counter, hugging herself. Her red hair was hanging in her face, her eyes were wide, and her bottom lip was quivering. I decided then and there that my loving husband should be shot; and if he laughed at the poor dear, I vowed to do just that. “Fiona?” Her bewildered gray eyes stared into mine; she blinked twice. “Psy, I think I’m seeing things. Do you know any good psychiatrists? Does our health plan cover shrinks?” I grinned like an idiot. She’s quite a trooper. I realized suddenly that she would handle the truth well; perhaps I’d always suspected as much. Fiona smiled and nodded several times, daring me to shatter her theory. “Psy, I’m sorry. I, uh, didn’t mean to disturb you, but there is a man here to see you and Cue.” I looked around but didn’t see anyone. The front office was quiet. She stood up and leaned over the counter, motioning me closer. “He’s in the bathroom. He’s gorgeous, Psy! The most gorgeous man I’ve seen since I laid eyes on Cue.” Her face lit up in a bright red blush that practically matched her hair, and she cast her eyes downward. I guess her having “laid eyes on Cue” a few moments ago was more than she could handle. “Is he a customer? Did he ask for Cue and me by name, or did he just want to see someone about planning a wedding?” Fiona shook her head and beamed at me. “Oh, no, he asked if Cue or you were in. I think he’s a friend.” She wrinkled her freckled little nose. “Actually ... he looked a lot like you. Do you have a brother, Psy?” “Nope, not me; I have two sisters.” Who were long since deceased, and, contrary to popular belief, I had had nothing to do with their demise. However, if Fiona thought he looked like me, he could only be one of two people: Sebastian or Deacon. The prospect of seeing either had me feeling giddy and my stomach quivering with excitement. Before I could ponder that any further, chaos erupted. Deacon walked out of the bathroom, yelled “Mom!” then ran toward me. I glanced at Fiona, trying to gauge her reaction, when my feet left the ground and my world went flying. Deacon spun around and around, swinging me in circles like I was a rag doll. Fiona straightened up. “‘Mom’? What is he talking about? Psy, who the heck is he?”

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On the next trip around, I caught Fiona’s gaze. “This is my youngest son, Deacon.” Deacon began plastering kisses on my cheeks, nose, and forehead. “Where’s Dad?” I pushed myself back, bracing my hands on his shoulders, and looked him in the eye. I was about to tell him I was his mother not a baton, when it became unnecessary. A large cloud of smoke appeared in front of the counter to Fiona’s left. The cloud dispersed almost immediately as a tall, light-haired man clad in a pair of shorts and a Hawaiian shirt emerged. A loud thud sounded as Fiona hit the floor. Cue’s gravelly voice echoed through the reception area when he stepped out of his office. “What in Hades is going on out here?” Well, this would teach me to yearn for excitement. If things livened up any more, I was going to start fearing for Fiona’s health, mental and physical. I caught a glimpse of Cue’s thunderous expression and realized it was directed at the man in the Hawaiian shirt, who happened to be Mercury, otherwise known as Merc. Oh, boy, this was not good! Whenever Merc shows up, there is something going down. I started to ask Deacon to set me on my feet, but Cue took care of it. “Put your mother down!” I’d have asked nicer, but it worked just as well. Deacon placed me between himself and his father; then we both turned to the object of Cue’s glare. Merc stood, arms crossed over his chest, blond head cocked to the side, smiling at all of us. No doubt he was amused. Not that I blamed him; I’m sure we were quite a sight. Fiona was on the floor, Cue was barefoot with his shirt completely unbuttoned and his hair rather mussed, and Deacon looked like someone had just punched him. I’m sure I didn’t look much better between Cue’s ravishing and Deacon’s spinning. I turned my attention back to Merc and smiled. I figure it is always polite to greet one’s guests, uninvited or not, so I did a little finger wave. Cue stepped up beside me and slapped my hand down. So much for nice. Taking a protective stance, he reached across me and pushed Deacon and me back. “What do you want?” Merc smile brightened. “Well, is that any way to welcome your favorite uncle?” Cue sneered. “Half-uncle, and my stepfather is my favorite half-uncle, but that’s beside the point. What do you want?” Merc chuckled softly. The sound skittered across my backbone, making me suppress a shudder. He brushed invisible lint off his brightly patterned shirt and peered over the counter at Fiona’s prone body. I stepped forward to go to her, and Merc offered me his hand. He was playing cat and mouse with us. Not that it surprised me; all the gods play games, which I really hate. Not

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wanting to offend him, I took the offered hand. Offended gods are a force to be reckoned with. Clasping my hand in his, he brought it to his lips and feathered a light kiss across my knuckles. “Princess Psyche, wife of Eros, I’ve brought you a message. I hope I’ve not taxed your friend’s sanity too much.” The glint in his brown eyes belied his words. A message for me? That did not sound promising. I bowed my head slightly, giving him his due, and responded with the same formality he’d shown me. “God Hermes, I thank you, and I’m sure she’ll be fine once she recovers from her faint. What is the message you bring me?” Cue stepped forward and placed his left hand on my left shoulder, then clasped my left hand in his right, the formal sign of ownership. I bowed my head again, brought his hand to my lips. “My god,” I acknowledged, officially showing my obedience and acceptance. Technically, as his slave, I have no rights. Thus, whatever the message was, it had to be delivered directly to Cue. Not that I really enjoy playing the role of slave in front of others, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. The gods have been known to send curses in their messages, and Cue can undo them on himself a lot quicker than he can undo them on others. My head still bowed, I heard Merc sigh. “It’s a simple message, no hocus pocus involved.” Lifting his hand from my shoulder, Cue reached under my chin and tilted my head up, allowing me to see and hear the message. Merc glanced at me and grinned, then slipped back into formality. Inclining his head to Cue, he continued. “God Eros, I’ve a summons for your slave. Her presence is requested at the palace.” Cue pulled me into his side. “By whom?” The messenger shrugged, all traces of ritual gone. “To be honest, Cue, I’m not entirely sure. Maybe Zeus, maybe Diana. I’m not at liberty to say what it’s about, but, rest assured, I can tell you that it is a malice-free invitation.” Well, that was a relief -- if he was telling the truth. Cue must have been following my thoughts, because he tried to allay my fears telepathically. He is telling the truth, my soul. He would not have otherwise volunteered the

information. I felt Deacon step forward and his hand settle on the small of my back. He leaned into me and whispered, “Do you think he’s lying?” Since we had dispelled with the formality of the situation, I turned slightly and looked up to peer into the green eyes that are the mirror image of my own and whispered back, “Your father seems to think not.” He looked reassured as his shoulders relaxed and his even breaths resumed. Aww! My baby was worried about his mommy.

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From the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of movement from behind the counter. Fiona sat up and rubbed her eyes, then her head. She probably thought she was seeing things. I hoped she wouldn’t do anything crazy like start screaming again. I didn’t want her to draw attention to herself, lest Merc decided she was a bother and had to be dealt with. He came forward and offered his hand to Deacon, looking him up and down like he was a tasty morsel. Given Merc’s sexual appetites, the interest was a little unsettling. The gaze didn’t make only me uncomfortable; Deacon shifted and stepped back. “It’s been a while, has it not? Will you be accompanying your parents to Olympus?” Cue grabbed Deacon’s shoulder, again signaling his ownership, then pierced Merc with a freezing glare. “Whatever interest you’ve got in my son had better cease. In case you’ve forgotten, he is, as are all of my children, under my protection.” Grabbing the right sleeve of Deacon’s shirt, Cue pulled down hard. It ripped cleanly, exposing the mark of Eros that was placed on Deacon’s arm at birth: a tattoo in the shape of a heart with wings and pierced by an arrow. It offers protection and matches the one above my and our three daughters’ tailbones and the marks on all five of our other sons’ arms. Each god has several love slaves, except Cue. However, not every love slave wears their god’s mark. Having a god or goddess’s mark is a rare honor bestowed on a very few. No other god can mess with another’s marked slave without permission. All the gods have at least one protected slave, except Apollo and Hades. Cue actually has the most protected slaves -technically, the kids and I are all Cue’s slaves because we all wear his mark, but in the truest sense of the title, I am his only love slave, marked or otherwise. Considering how harsh punishment can be for tampering with another’s marked love slave, I wasn’t surprised to see Merc blanch. For another god to meddle with a marked slave is considered a grave insult. Messing with one results in having a god’s own marked slave taken away. The duration and custody are determined by the god whose slave is involved. Since marked slaves are a god’s most cherished possessions, they all consider it a pretty stiff penalty. Merc’s gaze swept past me to rest on Cue. He cleared his throat in a surprisingly nervous gesture. “I was merely being polite.” He paused. “When shall I inform the servants to have your suite ready?” Cue looked at me. I shrugged and checked to see what Fiona was doing. She was trying to get to her feet, but she seemed to be having a hard time. She began pulling at her legs and opened her mouth but nothing came out. All at once, it dawned on me that Cue was controlling her body to make sure Merc could take no offense from her. Fiona, however, didn’t know this; her eyes were wild, streaming with tears, and her breath came in shallow puffs. She was beginning to panic and was going to hyperventilate. I nudged Deacon with my elbow and dipped my head toward her, knowing he’d understand. Had it been another of my kids, I wouldn’t have bothered, but Deacon usually knows what I want without words.

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He stepped forward and ducked down next to Fiona, whispering to her and stroking the hair from her forehead. I had no idea what he was saying, but it seemed to be working, so I turned my attention back to Cue and Merc, who said his goodbyes without further ado. He bowed to Cue; then smoke covered him from head to foot and he was gone. Just great! I was being summoned by one of the vindictive gods, for -- pardon the pun - gods only knew what reason. I turned to Cue and swallowed the lump in my throat as his arms wrapped around me. I buried my face in his chest; he buried his in my hair. After over three hundred and fifty years, we were going back home to Olympus. If we didn’t go, they’d come get us. I guess it’s better to go willingly than to be dragged.

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Chapter Three The gold ring in Cue’s left nipple was starting to make an imprint on my cheek, or at least it felt that way. I pulled myself back and looked up into those baby blues. “What are we going to do?” “I guess we’re going to Olympus.” He glanced at our son, who was still sitting with Fiona. “Where’d Deacon come from?” I shrugged. Cue smiled. “I’m shocked: we aren’t having sex. His radar must be off.” I couldn’t help it; I laughed. Deacon has always had an uncanny ability to come in on us at the worst possible moment. If he’d been our firstborn, he’d have been an only child. “Uh, actually his radar is just fine; I think Fiona stopped him from barging in.” Cue rolled his eyes, trying to look annoyed but spoiling it with his lopsided grin. I knew he was as happy as I was to see our son. “Guess I should let go of Fiona. Are you ready to deal with her?” I nodded and stretched up to give him a quick kiss. Walking behind the counter, I ruffled Deacon’s hair, then stood in front of Fiona. I knew the instant Cue let her go -- she looked up at me, shaken, her eyes wide. “Who are you?” I sighed. There was no easy way to answer that question. Americans are not as apt to believe in myths as Europeans and other older cultures are. I took a deep breath and knelt down in front of her. “Did you ever take Greek or Roman mythology in school?” Fiona gave me a weak smile. “Yes.” “Do you remember the tale of Eros and Psyche?” She bobbed her head. “Well, I’m Psyche.”

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Fiona arched an eyebrow. I looked behind me at Cue. He smiled and shrugged. Some help he was. I glanced at Deacon, who was now leaning against Fiona’s desk. He held his hand up. “Don’t look at me.” The cowards. Guess I was on my own. I reached out and clasped Fiona’s hand, and when she didn’t flinch or go into hysterics, I took it as a good sign. “Fiona, I’m Psyche and Cue is ...” She squeezed my hand and interrupted me. “Psy, this is a little overwhelming. I’m not saying I don’t believe you, but I think I’m going to need proof.” She took a deep breath and looked at each of us in turn: Cue, Deacon, then back to me. “The man and the smoke I can explain away by thinking him a magician. I admit I was so shocked over him --” She tipped her head toward Deacon. “-- calling you ‘Mom’ that I might have missed something. And I know you’re playing a joke on me about him being your son, because he’s too old to be your son. I can even assume that you were wearing a wig and that’s how Cue made your hair change back. But I don’t think anything short of seeing Cue flying around the room with a bow and arrow is going to make me believe that you two are Eros and Psyche.” She gave me a droopy smile and mouthed, Sorry. I wondered briefly if I should be insulted over the easy dismissal, then shrugged it off. I pulled her to her feet, then went to Cue. Reaching up, I slowly slid his open shirt off his shoulders and arms until he stood bare-chested in front of me. Unable to help myself, I leaned forward and flicked his nipple ring with my tongue. I heard his swift intake of breath before he grabbed my chin and forced my head up. “What does that prove?” “Nothing. I just wanted to do it. Go ahead, show her your wings.” He ran his hands through his hair, took a deep breath, then blew it out. Turning around slowly, he exposed his wide shoulders to our view. I stepped back toward Fiona and glanced at Deacon, who was still leaning on the desk. “Stand behind her.” Fiona’s eyebrows shot up. Before she could ask why, I held up my hand. “Just in case you faint again.” I know she didn’t believe me by her wide grin and shaking head, but she wasn’t going to be rude and call me a loon, either. So she turned her attention back to Cue. Cue looked over his shoulder. “Ready?” Once Deacon was in place, I nodded my head. I wasn’t sure what to expect, because I didn’t know how he’d show Fiona. His wings are part of him; they never actually go away. Whether he chooses to let others see or feel them is a different story, but they are always there. Cue’s muscled shoulders flexed; then, from between his shoulder blades, two small tips of white emerged. They kept coming until finally a whole feather was visible on each side of his spine. I cringed; it looked painful. I knew it was only an illusion, but it still looked

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horrible. Inch by slow inch, his wings appeared, oozing out of his skin like toothpaste from a tube. He was making me so nauseated, I couldn’t watch anymore. I glanced at Fiona and noticed she was pale as death but intently focused on Cue. When her eyes got bigger and she let out a little whimper, I turned to look again. Cue stood facing us. His head cocked to the side, and he had that mischievous grin on his face while his wings extended up and out to their full fifteen-foot wing span. He looked magnificent. I felt my heart stutter in response. His chiseled chest was gleaming with perspiration. The nipple ring glimmered in the light, and his hard abdomen moved in and out with each breath. The pearly white feathers of his wings fluttered slightly and gleamed under the bright fluorescent office lighting. I love his wings; they are so soft and sexy. It had been over a week since I’d last seen them or run my hands over them, which is way too long as far as I’m concerned. His gaze locked with mine, and his grin turned purely sexual. If the increasing bulge in his pants was any indication, he had read my mind again. One long, feathery wing reached past his shoulder, slowly reaching toward my face. If he touched me with it, I was a goner. Just seeing him like this was enough to make my body go all hot and liquid. I stepped back out of reach. Shrugging, he pulled both wings against his body, making them lie flat against his back. I shook off my arousal at seeing those sexy wings and shifted my hands to my hips, feigning indignation. “That was gross. Did you have to show her like that?” He quirked an eyebrow at me, then looked at Deacon. “Was that gross?” “Not at all. That was pretty damned awesome. Never seen you do it like that before.” Wonderful. They were about to get into a grosser-than-gross contest. I turned my attention to Fiona, trying my best to ignore the two of them. “Are you okay?” Her gaze never left Cue, but at her slight nod, I continued. “Do you believe me now?” I’m not sure what I expected, but it sure wasn’t for Fiona to laugh. She started giggling. Her eyes alight with merriment, she walked up to Cue and cautiously reached out and touched his right wing. Caught up in his conversation with Deacon, he jumped. Fiona started and made a little “Eep!” sound. Cue turned and smiled at her. It took her a few seconds, but she smiled back. When he offered her his hand, she cautiously accepted it. He placed her hand back on his wing, gave her a reassuring grin, then went back to his conversation. Running her hand up and down the feathers, she looked over at me, completely amazed. “They’re real. He really has wings. He’s really Cupid.” I tipped my head slightly. “Yes, he is.”

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All the blood drained out of her face as she nodded at me, acknowledging that she had heard and understood. Before I could tell Cue to catch her, she fainted again.

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Chapter Four Deacon carried the unconscious Fiona to my car and laid her in the back seat before he and his father got into Cue’s car. We were on our way to our home, “Heaven,” for dinner. Under the circumstances, I thought it best that Fiona stay with us. Our revelations had really rattled her. Halfway to my destination, a rustling sound from the backseat carried over the radio. Peering in my rearview mirror, I saw Fiona sit up and take in her surroundings. “Hey, you. Are you okay?” Fiona climbed over and settled into the passenger seat, buckling herself in and turning down the radio. “Yeah. How’d I get in your car? And where are we going?” “Deacon. And to Heaven. I didn’t think you should stay alone tonight. You were pretty freaked out.” I could feel her stare, so I glanced to my right and met her gaze. She wore a goofy, dreamy grin. I quirked an eyebrow at her, and her grin widened. “Wow. So you and Cue really have a kid?” She faced the front. “He’s hot, Psy. How come you never told me?” “Would you have believed we have grown children?” “Children? As in more than one?” “Actually we have nine. Deacon is our youngest.” “Holy shit! Nine?” “Yup, six boys and three girls. They are Basilia, Adras, Amara, Sebastian, Symon, Theron, twins Alec and Greer, and our baby, Deacon. You’ve seen their pictures at Heaven. You know, the pictures of Cue’s ‘brothers and sisters.’”

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“Awesome! So did you have all of them, or did Cue have some? Like did any of them pop out of his head or his thigh or something?” I blinked. I hadn’t expected that, but I guess it was a good question, considering the stories about the gods. It wasn’t true, of course; including Zeus, none of the gods had had their children themselves. No one knew who Athena’s mother was, but Athena hadn’t really popped out of Zeus’s head -- or so Cue told me. Actually, the thought of Cue having a baby was very amusing. Heck, we might have had a few more if he could have had them rather than me. Nah, probably not. “Hon, I think we need a biology lesson ... Babies do not pop out of people’s heads or thighs.” Fiona snorted. “Ok, seriously ... I had them. Carried them nine months and the whole deal. Contrary to what you’ve read or heard, Fiona, men can’t have babies, not even the gods.” I glanced at her to see how she was taking all this. She grinned and turned to me. “Bummer.” “Yeah, bummer. Look, Fiona, I want you to keep something in mind: myths aren’t real. Don’t believe everything you read. Really! Can you imagine a woman being created from sea foam? Or Pan -- oh, my gods! -- a half-man, half-goat person ... as the offspring of two humans? Well, a god and a human. Okay, Pan has horns, but that’s it. Other than that, he’s as perfectly normal as a drunk and lech can be. It doesn’t make him half goat. After all, Cue has wings, and no one accuses him of being half bird. “I’m betting that myth about Pan had a whole other origin entirely. Like maybe Merc got caught banging a goat. Yeah, he got caught, then later someone saw Pan and his horns and attributed it to a goat, thinking that the goat Merc boinked got pregnant. By the time everyone found out Pan’s mother was human, the goat thing had already stuck.” I shrugged. “It could happen. I mean, Merc is a sick puppy, and I don’t doubt that he’s done a few farm animals.” “Eew. Gross, Psy!” “Sorry, I got a little carried away. But you catch my drift about myths, right?” “Yeah, I got it. If I ever see Merc again, I’m going to picture that lovely little visual you put in my head.” We both shared a laugh as we pulled up to the gate. Through the lane of oak trees, we could see the house was lit up. The six white Doric columns stood out against the dark of night, welcoming me home. The house, an old plantation home we’d built back in the early 1800s, reminded me of the very first one I’d ever owned, Mansion in the Valley, where I’d lived when I had wed Cue. This place has survived the Civil War, the Great Depression, and four of our nine children; we still call it Heaven.

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As we pulled into the circular drive in front of the main entrance, Cue and Deacon came out to greet us. Cue opened my door and helped me out. I stepped out into the balmy Louisiana night and looked up at him. He kissed my cheek and whispered, “How’s Fiona?” “Fine,” I whispered back. We both turned to watch Fiona as she got out of the car and looked up at the house. “No matter how many times I see it, it’s always going to be beautiful, isn’t it?” she asked. I smiled and leaned my head on Cue’s arm, staring up at my beloved home. “Yeah, it’s always breathtaking.” “Why did you name it Heaven? It seems like an odd name for the home of a Greek god.” I shrugged. “Well, this is America, and you know what they say. When in Rome ...” Cue’s hand snaked around my shoulder and tipped my chin up. Brushing his lips across my forehead, he looked over the car at Fiona. “Where else would I keep an angel?” Man, I love him.

***** The lasagna was melt-in-your-mouth delicious. The company was wonderful, and the atmosphere was great, but there was tension in the air. And it wasn’t from Deacon threatening to go to a burger joint if I did the cooking. I love to cook, but no one except Cue will eat the results. Granted, my culinary skills aren’t the greatest, but they aren’t as bad as my children make them out to be. So, as usual, whenever any of the kids were home, Cue was the chef. So, there we sat, Cue at the head of the table, I to his left, and Deacon to his right. Fiona was next to Deacon. He had been doing his best to ignore her and Fiona was usually a regular chatterbox. Both had been unusually quiet throughout dinner. They kept sneaking looks at each other, too. Either they were interested in each other, or something was up. I eyed Deacon, and he suddenly became very interested in his empty plate. I looked at Fiona; she averted her gaze and blurted out, “Deacon, will you pass the bread?”

What are they up to? Cue asked. I turned to face him and shrugged. I started to ask what was going on, when Deacon burst out with, “It was Fiona’s idea!” “No, it was Deacon’s!” Fiona countered. I must have missed something, because I didn’t remember hearing an idea. “What idea?” Fiona put down her piece of bread and folded her hands in her lap, all prim and proper. Uh-oh! Fiona is never prim and proper. “We are going with the two of you to Greece.”

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That floored me. I raised my eyebrows at her; then the scrape of Deacon’s chair caught my attention. He shot out of it and braced his hands on the table. “We’re going, and you can’t stop us!” I wasn’t touching that one. It sounded like a dare to me; therefore, it had to have been directed at his father. He’d never be so insolent with me, the woman who gave birth to him, his beloved mother. I looked at Cue to see how he was taking the challenge to his authority. He was smiling. “I mean it, Mom! You can’t stop us from going. We’re adults.” My gaze snapped back to Deacon, and I gasped. He was talking to me! My hand flew to my throat, and before I could respond further, Cue started clapping. He threw his head back, laughing and clapping like an idiot. What in Hades? “Bravo, son. Nice plan. Go on the defensive before being attacked. I like it! Your mother is speechless.” I glared at Cue and pushed my chair back with one long screech. Standing, I put my hands on the table and faced down Deacon. “You are not going!” I turned my head slightly and froze Fiona with a glare. “Neither are you.” To my surprise, she got up so swiftly her chair clattered to the wooden floor. Mirroring me and Deacon, she, too, put her hands on the table and shouted, “Yes, we are! The two of you need someone to watch your backs.” I opened my mouth to argue, but the looks on their faces told me it was a wasted effort. Cue was right; I was practically speechless. Instead, I said, “I need a shower. Excuse me.” They were more than I could handle at the moment. The huge walk-in shower is one of my favorite places in the house. It’s easily eight-byeleven feet, doorless, and has a high ceiling, recessed lighting, and several showerheads. The gray, stonelike appearance of the tile is soothing to the senses most of the time. Five minutes later, though, I felt wobbly anyway, my hands flat against the cool tiled wall for support. The water raining down on my head was not washing the day’s events away. I didn’t want to go back to Greece, and I didn’t want to consort with the gods. Oh, I had wanted excitement, sure, but this was way too much excitement, even for me. Running my hands through my hair, I tried to relax and think of the positive things. There weren’t many. Deacon was home; that was nice. Fiona believed our story after seeing Cue’s wings and thought it was “really cool.” Merc had said the invitation was innocent; in other words, they wanted something from me, so they were going to be nice ... maybe. Oh, Hades, this was getting me nowhere. My nerves were on edge, and I couldn’t do anything about it. I had to relax and trust Cue to take care of me, of all of us. I knew he would. He always did.

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Snatching the shampoo bottle off the ledge, I soaped my hair, then grabbed the only showerhead that’s detachable. I was replacing the nozzle when my skin tingled with the electrical pull of power. I gasped, trying to catch my breath. The shower nozzle flew from my hand, and I turned. Cue sat in the shower, nozzle in hand and propped against the wall to my right with his knees up and head back. As our eyes met, he switched the spray to pulsing, bowed his head, and held the nozzle over the back of his neck. The corded muscles there and in his biceps flexed with the slightest movements of his raised arm. I watched, mesmerized, as the water slid down his naked body. It ran down his chest -- past the squared pecs, the pebbled nipples, and over his rippled stomach. His hair concealed most of his face, but I could see that sexy grin, the same one he wore after sex. His thick manhood lay against his right thigh, semi-erect. I wondered how quickly I could arouse him completely. The water caressed his cock, taunting me, making my mouth water. I stood frozen in place, my eyes drinking in their fill. He was the most beautiful being I’d ever beheld. When he finally spoke in that low, gravelly voice, it startled me. “Stop fretting, my soul. We’ll handle it. Whatever they want, we’ll face it together, just like we always do.” He raised his head. “I wasn’t fretting,” I offered lamely. He smiled, obviously knowing where my thoughts had gone. “Mmm, maybe not.” Each syllable was a caress, making my body temperature rise. He extended his left hand, inviting me closer, as his eyes smoldered with passion, making promises I knew he could keep. I grasped his hand and stepped in between his raised knees. Dropping my hand, he lowered his gaze to my legs. Softly his hand caressed upward on the outside of my thigh. Long, elegant fingers snaked around to squeeze my bottom before they glided forward above my sex to brush across the curls that I had shaved into the shape of a heart. He licked that full sensual bottom lip of his, and I felt an answering tug in my stomach. I was more than aroused. Even the water hitting my back was erotic as it moved smoothly over my lower back and buttocks to drip down my seam and join the slow trickle of my body’s thicker lubrication. Both seeped down my inner labia, while the outer lips were tingling in anticipation, begging for his touch. My hands slithered up my body, caressing my breasts, which were heavy and swollen with need. I heard the swift intake of his breath and looked down at him. His gaze was following my hands intently, his top lip snarled with lust. One long finger sank into my warmth as he continued to watch my kneading hands. I bent my knees in effort to impale myself further on his now sopping digit. His middle finger thrust upward until my engorged folds met his palm.

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As I plucked at my hard nipples, he got to his knees, his finger still deep inside of me. The tip of his tongue started at my wet portal and slipped slowly upward. Then he gently sucked in my clit. The sight of his perfect nose partially concealed by my dark curls was like a lightning jolt. I dropped my hands and sank my fingers into his thick black hair, cradling his head, forcing him to me. Throwing back my head, I moaned. It was a mistake; he obviously wanted to tease, to savor the moment. He pulled away and chuckled softly. “Patience, Psy, we’ve all night.” I dropped my head forward to look at him as he pulled his finger from my body, little by little, even as my inner walls contracted to keep it there. We stared at the glistening digit; then he looked up into my eyes, running his tongue up his finger, then back down, never breaking eye contact. Slipping that same finger through his parted lips, he sucked it and closed his eyes. “Umm, you taste like peaches.” Sensation shot up my back, and my shoulders tensed at his words. I was about to beg when he parted me with his thumb and forefinger. He pushed upward, exposing my clit, then lifted the forgotten shower nozzle to spray pulses against the most sensitive part of me. Tingles in my nether regions spread slowly upward from my back to my already taut nipples, then through my neck, until finally the darkness became light behind my closed eyes. The pleasure was a shock to my overloaded system; it was so intense that I could barely concentrate to stay upright. I moaned and felt my knees buckle as my body slammed headlong into orgasm. Before I even had a chance to brace for my fall, I felt the trickle of his power against my skin, robbing me of breath and prolonging the intense sensations. Cradled in Cue’s magic and love, I drifted gently to the floor. I was staring up at the still steaming sprays of water when his face came into view. The heavy-lidded blue eyes smiled at me as he positioned himself over me. Dipping his head, he flicked his tongue across my lips, nipping my bottom lip while the hard, blunt end of his cock probed my entrance. As he slid gloriously slowly into me, he whispered against my slightly parted mouth. “I love you, Psy. Stop worrying; we’ll find out what they want shortly.”

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Chapter Five After a day of planning, which consisted of calling in our temporary help to take over the company, and arguing with Deacon and Fiona about accompanying us, we were en route to Athens. Yes, all four of us. Fiona was a little disappointed that Cue didn’t fly or zap us there, but sitting next to Deacon on the plane seemed to appease her. She had been flirting with Deacon from the moment she’d regained consciousness, and Deacon was still doing his best to ignore her. I don’t think his attempts have been all that successful. Fiona is a little hard to ignore. Personally, I’m all in favor of a match between the two. It’s about time Cue has some grandkids; he’s getting old, and old people have grandkids, right? Eventually, we stood at the bottom of Mount Olympus. Halfway up the enormous mountainside, only portions of the palace were visible through the clouds. Deacon came beside me and slid his hand in mine. I took a deep breath and felt Cue squeeze my other hand. He gave me a weak smile, trying to reassure me. As the wind ruffled our hair, we stood staring at each other for several minutes, trying to gather our composure. Fiona’s voice broke the silence. “Where is it? All I see is a field.” I had forgotten. “Only immortals can see Olympus.” She wrinkled up her nose and stuck out her tongue, making me laugh. “Bummer.” “Trust me, you aren’t missing anything.” “Except maybe an orgy or tw--” Deacon chimed in. My hand automatically shot out and whacked him in the head as I snapped “Deacon!” It was a reflex. His father, on the other hand, just groaned and shook his head. Fiona was all ears. “What? Really? Have you ever been to one?” She was actually giddy with excitement. I expected her to start jumping up and down at any moment. I didn’t want

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Fiona anywhere near the other gods or their entourages -- they are not nice people. To hang out with the gods, you have to be utterly ruthless, and you have to know how their devious minds work. Oh, sure, there are pleasures to be had, but there really is -- pardon the cliché -danger lurking around every corner. Since Fiona couldn’t go to Olympus, we sent Deacon to sightsee with her. He was a little reluctant at first, but after a little bit of grumbling on his part and one good glare from yours truly, he agreed. Once we were alone, Cue turned to me, a wicked grin spreading across his face. It was contagious. I smiled back. “What?” “We can’t go there looking like this.” His T-shirt and jeans looked fine to me, as did my own clothes, but I knew what he meant. One does not arrive on Mount Olympus in anything less than flashy -- the glitzier, the better. It’s a competition of sorts. No, Cue and I don’t approve of everything the others do, but we know how to play their game. Holding out my arms I spun around and challenged him. “Let me have it, baby!” He studied me for a few minutes, his gaze raking up and down my body, then pausing a long moment at my breasts. The intensity of his stare made me shiver. My nipples hardened, and I stepped forward to do something about it. He laughed and held his hand up, signaling me to stop, then swept his arm down gracefully. His magic always leaves me breathless. I knew without looking what he’d done to my hair. He’s very predictable about some things. Within the cascade of curls piled atop my head would be the diamond tiara I was married in. For some reason or another, he has a sentimental attachment to that particular crown and hairstyle. Technically, I am still a princess, so I guess it was fitting ... despite the red leather. I was in a halter top, tight hip-hugger pants, and thigh-high boots with three-inch stiletto heels. All red leather. Did I mention that Cue has a thing for leather? My outfit was pretty neat, but when I looked up and saw what he was wearing, I stood transfixed. I was probably drooling, but I didn’t care. He had on a black fishnet shirt, which showed off that magnificent chest of his to perfection. The gold nipple ring gleamed under the shirt and was clearly visible. Tight black leather pants and a pair of knee-length motorcycle boots completed the outfit. On some men, the outfit would probably look effeminate. Not on Cue it didn’t. I almost came right then and there. He stepped closer, and the spicy, musky scent of him reached my nose, inflaming my senses. He always smells so good. I was growing even more wet, no doubt about it! My nipples tightened even more, and my body was beginning to ache with need. I shifted restlessly, trying to relieve the itch of arousal. I watched in fascinated anticipation as his hand reached for my face and gently pushed my mouth closed. My eyes focused on his lush, kissable lips. I grinned and licked mine. Cue

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smiled and shook his head slowly. Ignoring his headshake, I stepped forward. Damn it! I’d forgotten I was wearing heels. My ankle twisted, and I went down like a ton of bricks, landing flat on my butt. “Darling, are you okay?” Cue squatted down in front of me with a concerned look. I was fine, so I took advantage of the situation, grabbing him by the back of the neck and pressing my lips to his. That was all the incentive he needed. One hand found the knot in the front of my halter top, and he tugged it free. Then his hands cupped my bared breasts as he rolled me atop of him. The next thing I knew, we were tumbling around in the grass at the foot of Mount Olympus, both of us tugging at the other’s clothes. I almost had the last button undone on his pants when a soft, feminine voice intruded. “Dad? Mom? Is that you?”

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Chapter Six I looked up into a pair of eyes identical to Cue’s and was suddenly very aware of my state of dress -- or undress, as it were. Our daughter Amara was standing over us, a blush on her cheeks and a smirk on her lips. I hastily retied my top as Cue rebuttoned his pants. He stood up and offered me his hand, then turned in circles trying to locate his shirt. Amara bent down, swooped it up, and handed it to him. Then she burst into a fit of giggles. “Daddy, I do believe you’re blushing.” Amara was right; his face was red indeed. I joined in her laughter and stepped forward to hug her. “We should write this down. This is one of the few times I’ve ever seen your father blush.” Cue mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like “busybody children,” then donned his shirt as I moved back to get a better look at Amara. She looks so much like him. She not only has his coloring, she also has his high cheekbones, full lips, and the shallow dimple in her chin. Her hair was in a ponytail. I ran my fingers through the length of it and smiled. “You’ve let your hair grow out.” “I did. I think it looks much better long, don’t you?” “I think you look wonderful any way you wear your hair.” I was about to ask her what she was doing in Greece, but Cue pushed between us. He hugged Amara and kissed her forehead as I wobbled backwards, then fell on my butt again. He looked down at me, eyes wide. “Sorry. I think I need to shorten your heels. Are you okay?” I stood up and dusted myself off. “Yeah, I’m fine. And my heels are fine, too. It’s this soft ground; they keep sinking in it.” Cue turned back to Amara and they embraced again. “What brings you to Greece, sweetheart?”

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She stuttered for a moment. “I ... I live here.” Cue and I were both taken aback. We usually keep very good track of our kids. The last we’d heard from her, she was living in Brazil, and that was only a few months ago. Symon, whom Cue long ago nicknamed “The Informer,” is normally great at keeping us abreast of family news and gossip. I wondered why he hadn’t mentioned that his sister was now in Greece when he’d called last week. What if she had needed me for something, and I didn’t know where she was? It was a very unsettling thought. After the shock of not having known the whereabouts of one of my children wore off, I asked, “Since when?” “Since two months ago. I live on Olympus.” “What?” Cue and I yelled in unison. I knew there was probably a reasonable explanation, but I just couldn’t think of any. We do keep a set of rooms in the palace, but why would she choose to live at the palace when she could live with us at Heaven or with Adras at Mansion in the Valley? Oh, Hades. For that matter, she could’ve asked us to buy her a house of her choosing. That was it. It must have been financial problems. Apparently Cue came to the same conclusion, because he zapped half a dozen credit cards, a wad of bills, and a checkbook and handed them to her. “How much do you need? A million, two million, what?” Amara’s face tinged pink before she cast her eyes downward and shook her head. “No, Daddy, I don’t need money. I want to live here.” Time to intervene before the shit hit the fan, figuratively speaking. I could actually hear Cue’s teeth grinding together. Grabbing Amara by the arm, I pulled her with me up the mountainside, hoping her father would take the hint. “We’ll discuss this later, you can rest assured. For now, let’s get to the palace and settled in. Do you know what’s going on?” Amara glanced back at Cue, then at me. She stopped abruptly and waited for her father, who was once again mumbling under his breath, to catch up, then positioned herself where she could see both of us. “According to slave and servant gossip, Apollo is missing. Give me a few hours and I’ll let you know if I find out anything else.” “Missing? How long has he been gone?” “I’m not sure, Mom. I just heard about it, but rumor has it he’s been gone over a month.” I looked over at Cue. “What does Apollo missing have to do with me?” He shrugged, but looked as puzzled as I felt. How could a god go missing? I shielded my eyes with my hand and peered up at the palace. The sun gleamed off the marble, making my eyes water. It’s a good thing that the whole myth about Apollo and his chariot isn’t real, or else we’d have had no sunlight.

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“Are you sure about Apollo?” Cue asked. “Yup, that’s what is going through the gossip grapevine.” Amara looked at her feet and turned back toward the palace. “Listen, I’m staying in Vee’s suite, and when I ge--” “What?!” Cue and I shouted together. Again. Amara swung around, planted her hands on her hips, and cocked her head to the side. I knew the look. It said, “I’m a grown-up, and I don’t need your permission.” Sheesh, what the Hades is it lately with our children asserting their independence? I glanced to my right and could see Cue silently counting to ten. He passed ten and kept going. I interrupted before he got to twenty. “Vee is her grandmother. If she wants to visit her grandmother, who are we to say no?” His face was beginning to flush red, with anger this time, and his teeth audibly scraped together again, making me wince. If he kept that up, he was going to grind them away to nothing. “I think we all know what kind of an influence my mother is,” he gritted out. Yes, well, he had me there. She and the other Olympians certainly are influences we’ve always tried to keep our kids away from. Usually, I’m the one with the temper, but Cue was absolutely having a fit over this, so I tried to do as much damage control as possible. Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t happy about it, but I had enough to worry about with the summons; I didn’t need Cue wigging out on me. “Let’s get up to the palace and find out what is going on first, and then we can discuss this.” We continued the rest of the way in silence except for the occasional teeth-grinding and counting from Cue. When we reached the front gate, Amara kissed us both and took off for one of the side entrances. “Wait!” I yelled, bringing her to a swift halt. She bounded back to us and raised her right eyebrow in a splendid imitation of her father. “Come to dinner?” She shifted her weight from side to side, looking decidedly uncomfortable. I thought she was going to refuse, until she asked quietly, “Are you cooking?” “No!” I snapped. She grinned and kissed me on the cheek again. “Sure, I’ll be there.” I turned around and looked up at Cue as she walked away. “Your children are brats.” He scowled. After we passed through the wrought-iron gates, Cue and I stood hand in hand for several seconds, staring up at the palace in all its gleaming marble magnificence. Cue squeezed my hand. “Well, my soul, there is no time like the present. Let’s go.” And in we went.

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Chapter Seven There was a new doorman at the palace. Apparently, he’d never taken the time to see a likeness of us. He gave us a once-over, then sneered. “Names?” Cue stared at him like the man had lost his mind; then he closed his eyes and began counting under his breath again. Ohhhh, boy! Not knowing a god by sight at the palace is a punishable offense. The man had just insulted Cue. Cue is normally easygoing and hard to insult, but Amara’s announcement apparently still had him on edge. Fortunately, his mumbling and counting always gives warning before he explodes. Depending on how loud he counts, I usually have a good idea what’s coming. Luckily, it wasn’t all that loud, but if I wasn’t mistaken, his voice was getting higher with each number. I had to do some finessing before someone noticed us and the poor man paid for a god’s vanity, something my dear husband usually doesn’t have. I grabbed the man’s hand and laughed aloud. “You silly man! Our daughter Amara told you to do that, didn’t she?” The man blanched whiter than the chiton he was wearing. So he did know who we were. I thought the poor guy was going to pass out. Trying my best to reassure him, I winked and gave him a small grin, then whispered, “It’s okay. Go ahead and announce us now, all right?” He visibly relaxed at my words and mouthed, Thank you, my lady. In a booming voice, he broadcast our arrival. “God Eros and Princess Psyche.” Cue and I walked across the white marble floor. Merc suddenly appeared and motioned to us. I nudged Cue in the side and asked just before we reached the messenger, “Since when did you become such an ass?” He growled at me. Harrumph! The old grump.

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While Merc greeted us, giving Cue a rundown of who wanted an audience with him, and when, I took in my surroundings. The foyer was still the same. The place remains floor-to-ceiling white marble. There are still three sets of staircases. The middle staircase leads to a single door that goes directly into the throne room. As my gaze traveled across the door, it swung open. My mother-in-law, Vee, walked in, her three love slaves, affectionately known by all as “the triplets,” in tow. Only gods and their marked love slaves are allowed in the throne room. Thankfully, there are throne room servants and concubines to care for the Olympians’ needs so that we love slaves don’t have to, well, slave over them. As great an honor as it is to be a love slave, it is an even bigger one to be marked and allowed into the throne room. The stairs on the right lead to the gods’ suites. Demi, Dino, and Hayden all have rooms on the top floor. Our rooms, along with June’s, Hep’s, and Tia’s, are below theirs. The other set of stairs leads to suites for Zeus (never call him Jupe -- “It sounds too damned wimpy!”), Vee, and Diana. On the bottom floor are rooms for Athena (like her father, she refuses to answer to any nicknames), Apollo, and Aaron. I wondered who was currently in residence. “Are you ready?” Cue asked, interrupting my thoughts. “Ready for what?” He frowned at me. “Didn’t you hear anything Merc said?” “Nope, not a word. I was in my own little world, thank you very much.” Hey, honesty is the best policy, right? Well, sometimes. Cue growled again and grumbled about smartass wives before he tugged on my arm. Since my hand was still clasped in his, it was either follow him or be dragged behind him like a recalcitrant child. Man, somebody was in a mood. Up the central stairs we went. It looked like we were headed for the throne room, after all. Sometimes it’s a lot of fun to go in there, but other times I have to be in the right frame of mind. There are so many rules, of which number one, and the hardest for me, is that a slave may never speak unless spoken to. Oh, boy, did that one bite me in the ass a few times. Unfortunately, every infraction is punishable by one’s master. Even more unfortunate, that applies even to me, since Cue would lose face if he let me get away with insubordination in front of the others. For an independent American woman -- and I am an American even though I wasn’t born on its soil -- it is really hard to keep my mouth shut, especially when the gods are chauvinist pigs. Need I explain where the term “god complex” comes from? Suffice it to say, I’ve had my share of spankings. Some gods can be downright cruel, but Cue would never really hurt anything more than my pride, and he apologizes for it afterward ... sometimes.

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Outside the throne room door, we stopped and Cue faced me. Lifting his left hand, he swept it down, sending a thrill through me. I was now dressed in the style worn by love slaves. Gone was the tiara, and I knew in its place was a simple gold band. My feet were bare, and I wore a sheer, thigh-length chiton that clasped on the right shoulder and covered only my right breast. Not that that mattered; the thing was see-through, so I was basically naked anyway. I’ve never seen the point of the stupid outfit. The trickle of power subsided, and Cue was shirtless and wore a pair of white leather pants and boots. His wings were visible. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, mentally preparing myself. Warm lips brushed across my forehead. Behave yourself. The grin stretched across my face as my eyes opened. I rose on tiptoe and kissed him on the chin, then whispered, “I love you.” He smiled, dropped my hand, and stepped between the door and me. I reached up and grabbed hold of his left wing. A soft brush of air washed over my face -- the door stood open.

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Chapter Eight The warm, fresh breeze ruffled the loose curls at my temples and the back of my neck as we entered the room. As we walked further into the chamber, the door snapped closed behind us. When I looked back, a column stood in its place. The neatest thing about the throne room is that the entire space is open. The room is rectangular, and there are no walls. Instead, there are white marble Corinthian columns and, between the columns, sky. I have no idea how they manage it, but it’s cool. In the daytime, as it was at the moment, there is blue sky and puffy white clouds as far as the eye can see. At night, it’s pitch black, with bright, twinkling stars. In the very center of the ceiling is a dome; it looks like the dome on the White House. There’s recessed lighting around the bottom of the dome, and at night it lights up the entire room with a soft, romantic glow. Two rows of large, ornate chairs face each other against the far wall. Zeus’s chair is in the center of the back wall, with three chairs on each side of his. Cue’s throne is directly across from Zeus’s; after all, you know what they say about the power of love. Each throne is individual: Zeus’s is all silver; June’s is all gold, of course, as befits the wife of the leader of gods; and Dino’s is a leather recliner, complete with cup-holder for his alcoholic refreshments. Cue’s is red velvet and carved mahogany, with a slit cut out of the back for his wings. As we walked, I took in the surroundings. Zeus sat on his throne with three voluptuous throne-room concubines; one sat elegantly at his feet, and the other two perched on the arms of his chair. Contrary to popular belief, Zeus doesn’t have white hair and a beard; he actually looks a little like an Italian George Clooney. Oh, yes, he’s a very handsome man. At present, he was a very naked and aroused handsome man. I quickly averted my gaze, so he wouldn’t mistake my attention as interest, and caught the stare of two beautiful pale-green eyes.

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Mede, Zeus’s one and only marked love slave and the cupbearer to the gods, stood to his left, casually leaning against the chair back. As usual, not a hair was out of place on his perfect head. He raised one chestnut eyebrow at me, and his grin widened to a genuine smile as he gave me a friendly wink. He is one of the few on Olympus whom I consider a true friend. Come to think of it, he’s the only one. I have always liked Mede; he has a very dry sense of humor and a quick wit. Although he’s actually two years older than me and became immortal about five years before I did, he looks a few years younger. And, boy, is he beautiful. Not counting Cue, of course, he is the most gorgeous resident of the palace. June sat stiffly in the chair next to Zeus, reading a book. She’s very striking and petite, not the masculine woman they portray her to be in art and on TV. She wears her dark brown hair in a pixie cut, and her large, vivid blue eyes are friendly. June can certainly be a bitch when warranted, but she’s reserved otherwise. I think that’s why she and Zeus are so often at odds: he is very outgoing and boisterous, and she isn’t. Come to think of it, that may be why she and Vee hate each other, as well. Then again, it could just be that June has good taste. Two seats to Zeus’s left sat a very busy Merc. At least, I assumed it was Merc; he was in Merc’s chair, and the ugly blue-and-red polka-dot shorts around his ankles were identical to the ones Merc had been wearing when he’d greeted us. He obviously hadn’t wasted any time getting back up here after he’d left Cue and me in the front hall. A very large dark-haired man with a great set of buns stood directly in front of Merc. The man’s right cheek was branded with Merc’s mark: a foot with wings. Merc was giving him a blowjob, and the man’s head was thrown back, his hands wrapped around Merc’s head. Leaning over each side of his chair were two very busty blond women taking turns laving Merc’s less-than-impressive penis. Cue sat in his chair and pulled me onto his lap. He nodded a greeting to Zeus, who smiled and murmured a polite, “Eros. Psyche.” I did my finger wave at Zeus and leaned back against Cue’s chest. There were several empty chairs, so this obviously wasn’t an official assembly. Important issues are always discussed with all the Olympians present. Dang it! I just wanted to find out why I was here, so I could go back home. But we’d been invited to the throne room apparently to catch up on old times. I sighed and laid my head against Cue’s shoulder, resigning myself to being patient, when the gleam of gold caught my eye. Cue snapped his fingers twice, and a little man in a white toga came rushing over. Cue asked for a cushion for me to sit on as I reached out and flicked his nipple ring. I was already bored. Zeus’s voice broke into my nipple tweaking, and I tried to concentrate on what he was saying, but a movement to Cue’s right soon caught my attention.

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Right past Dino, who was snoring loudly in his recliner next to us, were Hayden and Rina. Rina was completely naked and straddling Hayden, obviously in the throes of an orgasm, if her screams were any indication. That was odd; it was spring. And pardon me, but what in Hades was Hayden doing out of Hades? The thought must have shown on my face, because Zeus chuckled briefly before he said, “The ever inquisitive Psyche ... some things never change. What has you so puzzled, Psy?” “Why is Rina with Hayden? I thought she was supposed to be with her mother.” “She is, but the two have become quite inseparable in the past centuries. She comes here to be with her mother, and Hayden comes with her. He goes back to the underworld every few days to take care of business, then rejoins Rina until she can return with him.” I know I had a silly grin on my face, but I couldn’t help it. Real love is so rare around Olympus. Cue and I are the only ones who have found true love -- without being shot in the ass with an arrow, that is. When the shoulder I was leaning on suddenly began to quake, I glanced up into Cue’s laughing face. He caught my chin in his hand and kissed me firmly on the mouth. “An arrow can’t create love. You know that. Lust and/or distaste, but not true love.” I felt the soft touch in my mind before he whispered lovingly in my head. For your

safety, you know I always stay in your head when you’re in here. I stretched my neck up to kiss him, but before my lips made contact, the little servant came back with a plush, red velvet cushion. Cue tossed the cushion between his feet and slid me off his lap onto the floor. It’s the customary position for love slaves, but I frowned up at him anyway. Sitting with my legs tucked under me, I rested my cheek on the padded seat between Cue’s open legs and listened to Zeus drone on about life at Olympus. I’ve heard him bitch about the same things hundreds of times over hundreds of years. I closed my eyes and relaxed. As Cue shifted his weight, a leather-encased thigh rubbed my cheek, making my face turn slightly. He had slid his butt forward, probably to get more comfortable. Jostled out of my rest, I opened my eyes. Cue’s crotch was inches away from my face. Even in its relaxed state, the outline of his large cock was clearly delineated through the thick material. My eyes shifted up slightly, taking in the leather laces that held his pants closed. I wondered how long had it been since I’d had him naked and at my mercy. That morning suddenly seemed like a very long time ago. Slowly, my hands started at his ankles and slid up the inside of his long legs. He made no move to encourage or dissuade me, continuing to converse, but I knew I now held his attention. The leather was thick, but he paused in his speech, and his left hand brushed affectionately across my hair. When I reached his testicles, I turned my hands out and teasingly ran my thumbs lightly over him, caressing. Before my eyes, his partially erect

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member sprang to life, now reaching its full length. I had to get my hands on his bare skin. Just thinking about that hard shaft caressing my lips made my mouth water. Fumbling with the laces of his pants, I finally managed to free him from the confines of the white leather. Tugging on the fly enough to get my hands inside his pants took some effort. I worked one hand in and wrapped my fingers around the hot, hard flesh my mouth hungered for. I couldn’t help the gasp that escaped my lips. I looked up to get the full effect of him. Man, he’s beautiful. Yes, I’ve seen him uncovered millions of times, but there is a very good reason gorgeous men are compared to Greek gods ... and I was kneeling between that reason’s outspread knees. I ran my hand up his velvety length. I slid a finger into my mouth, then pulled it out, running it around the crown and down the prominent vein under the maroon head before the tip of my tongue followed. Cue’s legs tensed, and his hips lifted slightly off the chair. His reaction was an even greater aphrodisiac; my nipples tautened, begging for attention, and a river ran between my partly opened thighs. Wrapping my lips around the tip of his penis, I slid slowly down partway, reveling in the feel of him stroking past my lips, caressing them. I love the feel of it slipping slowly into my mouth and rubbing against my tongue. I luxuriated in the petal-soft skin, wanting to rub it all over my face. I played for several more seconds, outlining my lips with his cockhead. I knew it was time to get serious when he groaned and pumped his hips. His jerky movements brought my erect nipples in contact with the cushion of his chair. It was heavenly; I slid my knees forward, making sure I’d have that same sensual caress on my next descent. I took a deep breath, unwrapped my fingers, and slid my mouth all the way to the base of his cock and the nest of black curls above his sex. He gasped. “Psy.” The sweet, musky smell of him teased my nose, and I just barely suppressed the need to reach down and bury my fingers into my hungry flesh. That was a big no-no in here; I couldn’t touch myself without permission, nor could I ask for that permission, so I concentrated on his pleasure. I constricted my throat, making a swallowing motion with him deep in my mouth, and nearly choked for my effort, but Cue’s total loss of control was worth it. His hands buried themselves in my hair, totally destroying the nice ’do he’d constructed with a well-placed thought, and pulled my head up, then down. He surged into my mouth repeatedly. I managed to keep my throat relaxed and my teeth out of the way but couldn’t quite manage to keep the saliva from running down my chin. With my nipples brushing past the red velvet seat and the cool breeze teasing my heated sex, I was in agony. I desperately needed relief. Cue must have realized it, because when I brought my hand up to squeeze and tease his testicles, he shook his head and rasped, “No, touch yourself.”

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I needed no further encouragement and sank two fingers deep inside my wet passage. Pumping them in and out, I tried to time them to his thrusts. Moisture dripped down my fingers and my chin. I don’t know which was louder, my mouth sucking on Cue or my fingers sliding in and out, but both filled my brain with overwhelming lust. My whole body stiffened with my orgasm. My knees shook, and I almost collapsed into a heap at his feet. The only thing keeping me upright and eagerly milking him with my lips was his fingers tangled in my hair. Seconds later, before I’d totally regained my composure, he surged his hips upward, nearly choking me. Bracing one hand on his knee and wrapping the other around the base of him, I took back control. I moved just enough to ease the tightness in my throat and taste his seed on my tongue. Merc’s voice brought me back to reality and reminded me that we did indeed have an audience. “Very impressive. I can’t believe she can take the whole thing. Guess now we know why he insisted on keeping her against Vee’s wishes. That’s one hell of a cocksucker you’ve got there, Cue.” Red flashed behind my eyes. My temper ignited at the insinuation that I was no better than a whore. I glared, the same glare that had my grown children running behind their father for protection. It had no effect on the little weasel. He smirked at me, quite pleased with himself. “Yes, indeed, quite the cocksucker, but probably nowhere near as good as you, you goat-loving freak!” A collective gasp echoed through the silence of the room. Oh, shit! Instinctively, I clapped my hand over my mouth. One glance at Cue showed me he was as surprised as I was. His lips twitched, trying to hold in a smile. Furrowing his eyebrows, he tried to look stern, but his eyes were twinkling. He reached down and put himself back to rights, laced his pants up, and looked across the aisle to Zeus, who was chuckling softly. I glanced over my shoulder to face Zeus, surprised that Cue had not already made a move to punish me. “Psy, you are a slave in here. You know the rules. One more outburst or other blatant disregard for the rules, and your god will have to punish you ...” Zeus’s smile widened, and he peered over my head before he continued. “Whether he’s laughing or not.” Merc was not pleased. He yammered on about rules and slaves. Yada, yada, yada. Apparently, his whole purpose in baiting me was to see me punished. Ha! I inclined my head to Zeus, showing my gratitude, then turned quickly away so he wouldn’t see my smile, but not before I glimpsed Mede’s shoulders shaking in silent laughter. Merc finally simmered down, but I knew he was not going to let me have the last word. I laid my head down on Cue’s thigh and closed my eyes. His hand found its way to my

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hair, stroking softly, petting, when Merc opened his big mouth again. “Ah, Zeus? Would you say she’s actually a slave?” Cue’s hand stilled as Zeus answered. “Of course, she’s a slave in this room, Merc. What are you getting at?” “Well, with nine brats, I’d consider her more of a broodmare.” I stiffened, my head snapping up to look at the little maggot, when Cue’s voice gasped in my head. Not a word. He’s just trying to provoke you more. I knew he was, damn it, but I couldn’t let it go. What independent woman could? Besides, he’d insulted my children. I stood and pulled my chiton up over my hips, baring my bottom, then laid myself across Cue’s lap. I scooted around a bit, trying to get comfy. Looking back at Merc, I said loud and clear, “Fuck you!”

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Chapter Nine My butt was on fire. The ceiling fan above our bed was whirling so fast, I feared the roof was going to lift off. The worst part of the whole incident was that after he quit laughing, the ass enjoyed every minute of beating my bottom. The jerk was prancing around the bedroom with a boner the size of the Washington Monument. I was so ready to go home. Unfortunately, until I knew why I was here -- and I assumed it had something to do with Apollo -- that wasn’t going to happen. On my stomach, I lay across the big four-poster bed and stared at the phone. I needed to check on Deacon and Fiona, but I was too lazy and too exhausted from my spanking to get up and make the call. Sometimes I really miss the old days when Cue could just zap people to us. People tend to freak out nowadays if someone just disappears. I sighed and stretched my arm way out and touched the phone with my fingertips. I couldn’t quite reach the darn thing. I scooted closer and finally snagged the cordless phone off its charger, thinking that maybe Deacon had picked up some gossip on his sightseeing tour. I’m not a patient person when I want something, and I wanted to go home. Gods on Olympus only knew how long it would take to find out why I was summoned. I hate Olympian politics. The wait is more torture than actually being there. A knock on the door stopped me just as I dialed the first number to Deacon’s cell phone. I quirked my eyebrow at Cue. He shrugged. Men are so worthless! He was only two feet away from the bedroom door! I dropped the phone onto the bed, then got up, my long T-shirt falling past my flaming butt. I slipped into my pink bunny slippers, squeezed past Cue and the Washington Monument, then stomped through the den and went to the outer door. Mede was leaning against the jamb, a rakish smile on his beautiful lips as he looked me up and down. “What? No servants?”

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I groaned and tipped my head toward the sitting area. I know, not very hospitable, but what can I say? I was irritated. I turned around; just inside the sitting room, Mede was staring over his shoulder and behind the sitting-room door with a huge grin on his face. “Arrgh! Cue, put some clothes on!” Mede laughed and sauntered on into the room. “Don’t make him get dressed on my account.” I pinched the bridge of my nose between my thumb and forefinger. Cue was getting on my nerves, big time. “And go get some damned servants! A cook and a butler, at the very least, since you can’t even help answer the damned door.” Mede took a seat as Cue’s head popped around the door. “My, my, aren’t we bitchy. PMS?” I closed my eyes. “I will not kill my husband in his sleep. I will not kill my husband in his sleep.” I opened them in time to see Cue blow me a kiss then pop back out of sight. I closed my eyes again and took a deep breath before turning my attention to my guest. Mede had changed out of his slave clothes into a pair of tight, faded blue jeans and a pastel green polo shirt that matched his eyes. His head was down and his shoulders were shaking. I groaned aloud, and Mede’s laughing eyes snapped up to mine. “Sorry, Psy, but I love to watch you two. You’re exactly what a married couple should be, thus quite the novelty on Olympus.” I rolled my eyes. He chuckled again. “No, seriously. Besides, I don’t know why you’re so sore with him. It’s not like he made you tell Merc to fuck off.” Oh, I just hate it when people figure me out. Okay, so I’m pretty easy to read, but dang it, I wanted to be mad for a while. I hate being maneuvered, and Merc had played me like a violin. I didn’t want to be there. Have I mentioned that I hate Olympian stratagems? I hadn’t been there four hours, and already they were messing with me. “Mede, are you here for a reason other than to champion Cue?” He wasn’t the least bit put off by my gruff comment. He smiled that 100-watt smile at me. “Yes, as a matter of fact, I am.” My eyebrows shot up in question when he hesitated. “I have some info for you. Not much, but it’s a start. I’m sure you’ve learned that Apollo’s missing. He was also seeing a woman named Aria. She frequents Gianni’s, a club in Athens.” “What does all this have to do with me?” He shrugged. “Don’t know, but they want you to find him.”

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I groaned and looked at my watch. It was eight p.m. “Does this Aria have a last name? What else can you tell me?” He shook his head. “Unfortunately, I don’t know her last name. And there’s nothing more I can tell you, I’m afraid. You know I took a big risk in telling you what I have.” I did know. The gods are so strange; they impart info in their own time and on their own terms. Mede could very well have gotten into trouble because he went above his station in giving me info he wasn’t supposed to know. Of course, as Zeus’s favorite playmate, he probably knew quite a lot of secrets, but what he overheard from Zeus was supposed to stay between him and Zeus. “I know, and thank you. You are a true friend, Mede.” I kissed him on the cheek and saw him to the door. Club-hopping was right up Deacon’s alley. I shook my head. Deacon has a tendency to get himself in trouble when alcohol is involved, so I needed someone else around to handle him. I peeked into the bedroom. Cue was still naked, still aroused, and engrossed in the latest erotic romance by Brenda Bryce on his PDA. He wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Lonely housewives have nothing on my husband when it comes to reading romance novels. I’d have to think of someone else. Unfortunately, there aren’t many people ballsy enough to challenge Deacon. On my way to the closet, I picked up the portable phone and dialed Deacon’s cell phone. I had no idea what kind of club Gianni’s was, but I doubted the closet had anything that I could wear. “Hello?” Deacon’s smooth, deep voice interrupted my thoughts. “Hello, darling. Want to go club-hopping with Mommy?” Sometimes I’m so maternal it surprises even me. “Sure. Where are we going? And do we have to take Fiona?” “Yes. You and Fiona get ready. I’ll call you back and tell you where to meet me.” I hung up and stopped my clothing search. I was just about to ask Cue to zap me some clothes when there was another knock on the door. I stood at the end of the bed for a few seconds, wondering how long it would take Cue to acknowledge the sound. He touched the PDA with his stylus. Without looking up, he yelled, “Honey! There’s someone at the door!” The knock came again. I groaned and he glanced up. “Oh, there you are. There’s someone at the door.” I groaned again. The knock came harder this time.

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“Oh, all right!” I looked over my shoulder as I left the bedroom. “If you aren’t going to get dressed, at least cover up.” Cue lifted his butt and slid under the covers, eyes still focused on his book. I opened the door to our suite. “Hi!” Amara swept past me, through the sitting room, and into the bedroom. Good thing I’d had Cue cover up. “Well, what’s for supper?” she asked. I slapped my forehead and blew out a breath. How could I have forgotten about dinner with Amara? Cue tapped the screen again and continued reading. “Hi, sweetheart.” Amara looked at me, then at Cue. “You two forgot about supper, didn’t you?” “I’m sorry, sweetie. I’m going to a club. Want to go with me and we’ll grab a bite to eat on the way?” She shot a look toward Cue then back to me. I could have sworn that she looked relieved. It made me wonder what exactly she was trying to hide, but before I could question her, she spoke hurriedly. “No, that’s okay, Mom. I’ll grab a bite to eat in the dining room. I’ve got tons of things to do tonight, so it’s probably for the best. Since you’re going clubbing, you must have talked with Mede. I’ll try to find out more about Apollo and let you know, ’kay? We’ll all get together before you guys go back home. ’Bye, Daddy.” In lieu of a goodbye, he grunted, then tapped to another page. She kissed me on the cheek and almost seemed to flee. I was completely puzzled and hurt; Amara seemed almost glad to be rid of us. She probably just wanted to avoid our talk about where she was living. I walked over to the bed and perched myself on the side. I sat there for a few moments, wondering what else she might be trying to avoid a discussion on. I was about to ask Cue if he’d thought that she had acted peculiarly when a strong hand wrapped around one of my wrists, then the other. The next thing I knew, I was face-down on the bed, my wrists held together behind my back, and two hundred and twenty pounds of naked male flesh hovered over me. Cue leaned down; his warm, hard flesh pressed against me as he whispered in my ear, “Want to play with me, Psy?” His voice was so raspy, so sexy, that I was very tempted. When I didn’t respond fast enough, he shifted his weight back and slapped me across my already tender bottom. I yelped and bucked, trying without success to dislodge him from my legs. Again, he leaned down, purposely shifting forward so that the head of his erection was nudging my ass. He growled in my ear. “Well, do you?”

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Despite my sore rear end, the feel of him hot and hard against the crack of my butt was almost enough to make me postpone my plans. Almost. “No. I’ve got a lead. According to Mede, Apollo’s latest fling frequents a club. We’ll play when I get back.” He let go of my wrists with a sigh and rolled off me. “Want me to go with you?” His actions negated his offer: he sat up, grabbed his PDA, turned it back on, and began reading again, as if he hadn’t just propositioned me. I smiled. I guess sex is an acceptable reason to stop reading, but little else is. I got to my knees and kissed him on the forehead. “Stay and read your book. Deacon and Fiona are going with me. I’m going to go ask Adras to come along, too.” “Ah, good thinking. Deacon is even more obnoxious when he drinks.”

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Chapter Ten Cue zapped me to Mansion in the Valley after he dressed me in a black leather miniskirt and a blood-red poet’s blouse. He also added a pair of three-and-a-half inch stiletto thigh-high boots, which immediately sank in the ground and left me flat on my tender rear. After pulling my heels out of the lawn, I picked myself up and trudged up the walkway. Flats ... I reminded myself to request flat shoes from then on. I looked up at the enormous estate, and my heart skipped a little. It looks like Heaven, but it’s different. I can’t explain it exactly. The landscape is entirely different, but it’s more than that, I think. It’s always made me feel many different things ... not all of them good. At one time, I was afraid that I had lost Cue there, and it is where I’d had to say goodbye to my family. I looked past the formal rose garden, past the river, and up the cliff. That’s the last place I ever saw my parents. It’s the last place I saw my sisters, too. I took a little breath and tried to still my pounding heart. Gods on Olympus, I’d have loved for my family to have met my kids. Don’t get me wrong -- not all my memories of it are bad. I spent the first weeks of my marriage in that house. Heck, I even had two of my children there. It just never ... well, it’s never felt like home. Not like Heaven does, not like the good ole U S of A. That’s why I gave it to Adras. I tell myself every time I go back there that I won’t cry. As usual, I didn’t listen. I dabbed at my eyes and pulled myself together. There was no time to get all emotional. I had a god to find so I could go back to Louisiana. Just as I got my act together, the front door opened and out came a whirlwind in blue cotton. Mama Rosalie. “Piccola! Is that you? Eyieeeee! It is you! Oh, my little girl, you have come home!”

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As my housekeeper ran down the steps and grabbed me in a bear hug, I knew I was a goner. The tears streamed down my face as Mama Rosalie squeezed me and kissed my cheeks. She is immortal and looks only about thirty, but she’s the most motherly woman I’ve ever known. Cue rescued her from an abusive husband in Rome over a millennium ago. According to what Mama Rosalie has told me, she had been beaten and left for dead. Abusive husbands weren’t really a rarity in that time or this, but something about her had really touched Cue. I can certainly see why, because I’d never have lasted those first few weeks in this house without her. She had calmed my fears on my wedding night. She had held me when Cue left me. She had cried with me when I’d learned of my parents’ deaths. She’d also delivered Basilia, my firstborn. Essentially, she’s been my mother from the time I was fifteen, and I’d missed her terribly. She leaned back from me and looked me up then down with those big, soft, brown eyes. After looking behind me, she gave me another big hug. “Where is the master? Did you have a fight? Is that why you cry, piccola?” “No, Mama, not at all. He’s back at the palace.” She cocked her head and gave me a truly puzzled look. “Then why did he not accompany you?” “He downloaded some new erotic romance e-books.” “Aha.” No other explanation was needed. Clasping my hand, she pulled me into the foyer. She immediately told me how thin I looked, that I should eat; then she asked if I was getting enough sleep. On and on went the questions about my well-being, until I found an opening and interrupted. “Mama Rosalie, is Adras here? I need his help with something.” I’d have loved to catch up with her, but I needed to go to that club. I knew there’d be time to catch up later. She stopped and turned to me, her eyes wide. “Oh, piccola, the bambino, he is here, all right. He is with her. Oh, I don’t like this one at all. He’s been seeing her for a week now. She has two heads, this one does.” Two heads? My son was dating a woman with two heads? “Mama Rosalie, do you mean she has two whole heads?” “No, she say one thing to you, then say the opposite to others.” Oh, two-faced. Well, that wasn’t surprising. Adras has no taste in women. Or maybe he does, depending on one’s point of view. He likes big-busted bimbos with no brains. I think he chooses this type so he won’t fall in love. Kind of hard for a man as smart as my son to fall in love with an airhead. He thinks he’s too young to settle down. I disagree; he’s over a thousand. But what do I know? I’m just his mother.

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I was about to ask her why she thought Adras’s latest fling was two-faced when I heard the distinct click of high heels coming down the marble stairs. I looked up, and there she was. A blonde with a huge set of ta-tas and a blank look. She was wearing a neon-pink business suit. I smiled at her as she reached the bottom of the stairs. She just stared at me. Adras came midway down the steps, stopping as soon as he saw me. A huge grin tugged at his lips. He shouted “Mom!” and ran down the rest of the way and picked me up. What is it lately with my boys and their penchant for swinging me around like a rag doll? “Mom, what brings you here?” He set me on my feet and gave me a once-over. “I need your help.” “Anything.” I cleared my throat and gave a pointed look toward the blonde by the staircase. He looked over his shoulder. “Bambi, come here and meet my mother.” Bambi? Her name was Bambi? Adras looks like his father, only he’s taller and his hair is shorter. He can get any woman he wants and he was dating a woman named Bambi? Go figure. She came over and walked around me, inspecting me for who knows what. She looked a little unsettled, like someone had punched her in the stomach. Finally, she smiled and turned to Adras. “She’s the woman in the paintings!” It appeared that Adras had kept one or both paintings of his father and me. At least I assumed those were the paintings she was referring to. One is of us naked by the river, with Cue on his stomach and me lounging on his back, his wings wrapped around me. I love that painting. The other is a little worse, or better, depending on your perspective. I am kneeling naked beside the bed, my hands tied behind my back, my mark of Eros visible. Cue is lying in a tangle of satin on the bed, looking down at me with a hand on my head. There’s a whip on the bed beside him. It had been a gift from Vee after I became immortal. It was her way of putting me in my place, but the painting is lovely, nonetheless. Bambi walked to Adras’s side. Still looking at me, she asked, “Is she really your mother?” She sounded pleased, not shocked. I blinked. I was really expecting surprise, not delight. Most people have a hard time believing I am old enough to be Adras’s mother. As an immortal, I don’t look any older than my children. Maybe it was just me, but I was having a difficult time keeping up with the woman’s train of thought. I reluctantly held out my hand. “I’m his mother. You can call me Psy.” She shook my hand carefully, almost like she was sizing me up again. Then she dropped my hand and clutched Adras’s arm to her chest. “Very nice to meet you.” I tried to ignore my apprehension and turned toward Adras. “I got a summons. They want my help in locating someone, and Mede gave me a lead. Have you heard of Gianni’s?”

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“Ooh, Gianni’s!” Bambi cooed and tried to look ... sexy, I guess. Adras blinked at her, then focused those baby blues on me. “Yes, I have.” He removed himself from her grip and held out his hand to me. “Shall we?” As we reached the door, he turned back to Bambi, who had followed us out. “I’m afraid I’ll have to cancel our plans. My mother needs me. I’ll see you tomorrow?” If looks could kill, Adras would have been crossing the River Acheron for a lengthy visit with Hayden. She hurried her pace as we headed toward the garage. Before I could get myself all the way into Adras’s car, the back door opened and she slid in, slamming the door shut. She smiled, sugary sweet. “I’ll just tag along, then. I’m sure your mother won’t mind.” I was not at all sure what to make of Bambi. Sure, she looked the part of an airhead, but she seemed -- I don’t know -- odd ... calculating. I would have expected her to cry and run off, leaving Adras a guilt-trip message on his answering machine in the morning. Instead, she seemed really intent on tagging along, whether we wanted her to or not. Adras cleared his throat and gave me an apologetic smile as he slid into the driver’s seat. He buckled his seat belt and reached a hand to Bambi as he backed out of the garage. As Bambi took his hand, I wondered again what he was doing with her. It isn’t like Adras to accept insolence from a girlfriend. In fact, he usually treats them with a bored sort of detachment, but when they make demands on him, he cuts his losses. I made a mental note to talk to Mama Rosalie after this nonsense was over. “Can you tell me who we’re looking for?” “A woman named Aria.” “Last name?” “Nope.” “Hmm, don’t know any Arias, but we’ll see what we can find out. Have you seen Amara yet?” My head snapped to meet his hesitant gaze. “Yes. I take it you knew where she’s living?” He nodded. I had a feeling he wanted to say more, but he didn’t. He flipped on the radio instead, leaving me to wonder what he wasn’t saying. Before I could question him, Bambi leaned forward between our seats. “So, what did this Aria person do? Did she steal something?” I stared at her, dumbstruck. Gods, she was strange. Why did she ask that? Why not, “Who is she?” or “Why do you want to find her?” I finally shrugged and told her Aria was a friend of an old friend. She sighed and sat back. I don’t think she was happy with my non-answer, but she did let it drop.

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***** I squeezed my way into the club behind Adras and Bambi. Did Apollo come here, too? What name and guise did he use? This was going to be like looking for a needle in a haystack. The place was packed, and the music was so loud it nearly knocked me off my feet. I wondered briefly if I’d ever liked this sort of thing. If so, I couldn’t remember when. I’ve never been crazy about wall-to-wall people. Although they could be just as crowded, Regency balls had been more my speed. The music in the 1800s wasn’t as deafening. There were strobe lights and a disco ball, and the smell of sweat and booze was almost overwhelming. People were dancing, making out, talking -- actually it was more like yelling -- over the music at each other. You name it, it was happening in the club. I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to find Deacon and Fiona in the mass of bodies. I walked past a group of young men dressed in leather and silk and made my way through the club. I had work to do. I tapped Adras on the shoulder and nodded toward the bar. He shoved through the throng of people. Halfway to our destination, I felt a hand on my ass and turned quickly to see one of the men who had been by the door following close behind. I glared at him, and he turned tail and fled. As I sidled up to the bar, another of the men we’d passed slid in next to me. In Greek, he said, “Hi, my name is Antonio. And you are?” Instead of getting irritated, I decided to use the introduction to my advantage. Maybe Antonio knew Aria. I was about ask when Deacon stepped up behind me and put his hands on my shoulders. “She’s taken, pal. Buzz off.” Antonio left in a big hurry. So much for taking advantage of the situation. I groaned and let it go. There were plenty of other prospective informants in the club. “I didn’t think I’d be able to find you and Fiona in this crowd.” Fiona was at his side, looking lovely in a strapless black dress and her red hair swept up into a French twist. I wondered if Deacon had noticed her appearance. Before I could greet her, Deacon glanced over my head and saw Adras. He frowned down at me for a second. “Dad didn’t want to come, so he sent Adras to keep me in line, eh?” “No, Dad didn’t come, but Adras was my idea. Behave yourself.” He groaned. “Oh, stop it. When is the last time you saw your eldest brother, anyway?” “The night he beat the shit out of me for taking his car.” “Well, you know better than to take things without asking.” “Mom! He left me stranded there with Basilia!” I winced at the affront in his voice. Okay, so Basilia is a bit overbearing at times. Actually, she’s extremely competitive toward her siblings and doesn’t let them forget for a moment that she is the firstborn, but she’s still my daughter. “Deacon,” I warned.

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“Okay, okay, I was wrong ... are you happy?” He reached over me, grabbed his brother by the shoulder, and spun him around. Before I could get out of the way, I heard, “Steal any cars lately?” Then they hugged, pinning me between them and squashing the air out of my lungs. What am I, invisible? Finally, after some back-pounding and grunts, they stepped back and I could breathe again. I looked up at Deacon to give him instructions and noticed his eyes practically bulging out of his head. He’d obviously just caught site of Bambi. I looked in the direction of his stare -- Bambi was looking right at me. When she saw me looking, she quickly averted her gaze. Deacon brushed past me and grabbed her hand, proceeding to kiss it as Fiona scowled at his back. Adras wrapped an arm around Deacon’s shoulder and introduced them. Fiona and I were long forgotten. Adras ordered beer for the three of them, then began catching up on old times with Deacon and regaling Bambi with stories of their youth. Bambi, the poor idiot, seemed entranced. I decided the only help I was likely to get was from Fiona, and she needed to be distracted from Deacon’s desertion. I grabbed her arm and leaned in close. “We are looking for a woman named Aria. She’s a regular here. Unfortunately, that is all I know about her, so we’re going to have to mingle and ask around.” She nodded her head, glared at Deacon’s back one last time, then turned around and started to flirt with the man sitting on the barstool next to us. I motioned toward the bartender as I looked around. What did Aria look like? The bartender interrupted my thoughts after checking out my figure. “What can I get for you, beauty?” I leaned forward, making sure to squeeze my boobs together and show off my cleavage at the same time. “I’m looking for Aria. Do you know her?” “I might.” His gaze never left my chest. “What is she to you?” “An old friend. Is she still coloring her hair that wild shade of red?” I held my breath. “No, gorgeous, it’s about the color of yours now.” Go, me! I leaned closer and ran a fingertip down his cheek. “Well, is she here tonight? What is she wearing?” He leaned forward and slid a finger between my breasts. I gulped and grabbed his hand to still his progress. I shook my head and tsked at him. I must have managed to hide my unease, because he glanced up and grinned. He clearly thought I was flirting. I opened my mouth to ask again, when a big tan arm shot across me and grabbed him by the front of his shirt. Adras growled a warning before he shoved the bartender ... hard. The man stumbled back, the shock on his face giving way to a glare as he caught his balance. He turned and

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walked to the other end of the bar without a backward glance. Hands on my hips, I frowned at Adras. I had been getting some good information, and the bonehead had ruined it. “What?” he asked in all innocence. “He was touching you!” “He was giving me info. I can handle myself, Adras!” I was going to storm off, when I noticed Deacon removing the arm of the man next to me from Fiona’s shoulder. She looked up at Deacon, then at me. I shrugged. She rolled her eyes, and we stuck out our tongues, directing them toward the boys, of course. I started to give Adras and Deacon heck, but while Fiona and I had silently communicated, they’d gone back to Bambi. Fiona leaned over to me and whispered, “She isn’t here yet, but apparently she’s pretty popular. You learn anything?” “Yeah, she has my hair color.” Fiona nodded, then glowered over my shoulder. I turned and found Deacon making kissy faces at her. As soon as he saw me looking, his face went blank and he turned back to Adras and Bambi. I felt my eyebrows practically meet my hairline. “What’s with that?” She sighed and rolled her eyes. “He is the most annoying man I’ve ever met. I can’t believe you didn’t murder him before he reached adolescence. He is so dictatorial, and he’s a stick in the mud. He won’t let me do anything fun. His good looks are his only saving grace ... no offense.” I laughed. “None taken.” I’d never known Deacon to be a stick in the mud or domineering. This trip was promising to have a least one good outcome. Didn’t men try to protect and dictate to women they were interested in? Fiona and I continued to try to mingle and see what we could learn. Once again, as soon as it started looking like I was going to get some breaks, Adras showed up and threw his weight around. I kept waiting for someone to throw some weight back, but no one did. Adras is a big man, and it appeared no one wanted to be on the receiving end of his disapproval. After more such incidents of my boys manhandling potential informants, I’d gotten nowhere and now no one was willing to talk to me. I hadn’t learned a darn thing beyond her hair color and popularity. The boys had been no help at all, and they were really getting on my nerves. Maybe Fiona had had more luck than me. I turned in the direction I’d last spotted her and found her glaring at Deacon, who had his hands around some man’s throat. As I drew closer, I heard Fiona’s angry voice. “Why don’t you leave me alone and go slobber all over Bambi some more?”

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Chapter Eleven I edged my way to the side door of the club and stepped out, leaving Fiona to deal with my errant sons. It was dark, damp, and utterly deserted. After looking around and finding no one about, I closed my eyes, bowed my head, and spoke the formal words that would bring my husband to me. “Eros, god of love, I, Psyche, your humble and obedient servant, summon you.” That done, I raised my head and tilted it side to side, trying to work the kinks out. The kids and the general lack of information had my shoulders tied up in knots. Who’d have thought three hours in the presence of my children would have me ready for the nut house? When they’d lived at home, they hadn’t had this effect on me. I guess Cue isn’t the only one getting old. A warm arm wrapped around me, shocking me out of my musings. I stiffened, then relaxed once I realized who held me. His soft, sexy voice whispered in my ear as his other arm came around me. “I wondered how long it would take.” “What’s that supposed to mean?” I leaned into him. “I knew they’d drive you crazy and it’d only be a matter of time before you called me to deal with them.” “Yeah, well, go deal with them.” He chuckled in my ear. His nose nuzzled my cheek for a few seconds then drifted down. I felt the hot slide of his tongue against my neck and shivered. His teeth grazed me briefly and he mumbled something against my throat. “Huh?” I sensed his grin as he spoke again, more clearly. “Why the formal summons? Where’s your cell phone?”

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“Ah. Adras can’t find his, so he’s on mine. You know, Cue, something weird is going on with Adras. His girlfriend pretends to be a twit, but I don’t think she is. She’s ... peculiar. I think she might even know something about Apollo.” “Leave the boy be, Psy. He knows what he’s doing -- he’s a thousand and five years old, after all. She doesn’t know anything about Apollo. You never like any of his girlfriends.” He went back to nibbling. He’s right about me usually, but I thought he was wrong this time. I really felt like she was somehow involved; her questions were just a little too deliberate. I decided to drop the topic for now. “Everyone seems to know this Aria chick. I suppose it could be a different Aria, because we don’t know her last name, but they seem to be talking about the same person. And the funny thing is, no one can give me any definite answers ... it’s bizarre. Of course, your sons were no help. They kept scaring off anyone who was willing to talk to me. I haven’t found out a damned thing, Cue.” I turned my head. His demeanor was mellow, thoughtful. He stood there and held me for a few minutes, his chin burrowing into my shoulder, loosening the knots. Relaxing some more, I leaned further back into his embrace. The hard ridge of his sex pressed against my lower back. I smiled. He gave me a low, seductive chuckle before his hands slid up to cup both my breasts. He squeezed and kneaded; it felt so good. “Mmmm, I want to bury my cock deep inside you.” My body tingled in response to that sexy voice. “Do it,” I whispered. “I’m going to fuck you so hard that you won’t be able to walk. I’m going to have to carry you home.” I shivered again. My inner muscles clenched, and pleasure radiated through my body. I was desperate to have him inside me, but when I reached back toward him, he snagged my wrist. “Oh, no, you don’t. You just stand here, be a good girl, and do what you’re told.” One hand slid down and cupped me. It slithered up my skirt then went inside my thong, pulling the sides tight. I heard the fabric tear, then felt a small breeze as his knuckles brushed across my labia. I expected more, but nothing happened. The anticipation was killing me. My heart pounded and my sex flooded with warmth. I wanted him to touch me. My body burned for it. I started to ask what he was doing, but then the fine hair on my arms rose. A wooden park bench appeared next to the wall of the alley. “Get on your knees on the bench, face the wall, and put your hands on the back.” I did exactly as instructed. I expected the wooden rungs to hurt my knees, but they didn’t. I kneeled there for several seconds, wondering what he was going to do.

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Finally, his chest pressed against my back and his arms reached around me. I turned my head toward his face as he looked over my shoulder. I kissed his cheek and he smiled. The slick feel of satin rubbed my wrists, jerking my attention to my hands as he tied them to the bench with my panties. He pulled my miniskirt up around my hips, baring me to his gaze. His hands grasped my hips and pulled my knees back to the edge of the bench. The night air blowing against my hot, wet center was spine-tingling. Tied there and positioned that way, I must have looked exactly what I am: a love slave. It was exciting. Sometimes I love to give up control and be at his mercy. The breeze across my inflamed sex turned warm and moist. His hair tickled my ass. The anticipation was too much. I leaned back. He chuckled, a purely sexual sound. Then his tongue slid into my opening. It was heaven, yet it wasn’t enough.

SWAP! The sting of his hand resonated on my still-tender backside. I yelped and tried to pull away. His hands gripped my hips as he held me in place. “Be still. I’ll do what I want when I’m ready. You’re not to move unless I tell you to. Understand?” I nodded. His tongue returned to drawing lazy little circles around my clit and down my slick folds. He took his time. When he started groaning, a sign of his enjoyment, I whimpered. Every time my vaginal walls clenched with the start of an orgasm, he slowed down. It was torture. I vowed to get even with the big tease. As his mouth latched onto my clit, he slipped one long finger inside of me, pumping it in and out several times. The wet noise was loud in the deserted ally. He suckled the hard little bud, mashing it against the roof of his mouth with his tongue. I stiffened when his drenched finger moved up to trace my anus. My body thrummed with nervous excitement. I pushed back toward him again.

SWAP! “I said don’t move.” He growled against my eager sex. I took a deep breath and tried to remain motionless as his tongue wandered. He licked through the lips of my sex to my ass, then back down again. His tongue circled several times, and then his fingers pushed into my hungry vagina. He hooked his fingers toward my stomach and found my G-spot. I let out a raucous moan as the intensity of the orgasm hit me. My body ground back on his fingers of its own accord. I was past caring about being spanked for my disobedience. Heat spiraled through my body, and my fluids flooded his mouth. When his hand landed in succession on my behind, I came again. It went on and on. I whimpered as my body vibrated with orgasm after orgasm. Or maybe it was just a really long one. I didn’t know and I didn’t care, but I wanted it to last forever.

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As the sensations tapered off, Cue withdrew his fingers and ceased slapping my bottom. My inner muscles continued to spasm and tighten, trying to grasp at his absent fingers. My breath came in pants. I heard a hoarse grunt, and then he grabbed a handful of my hair and slammed into me, hard. I catapulted right into another orgasm. I bit my lip to keep from screaming. His mouth clamped onto my neck as he pulled my head backward and rammed into me over and over. Every time my vaginal walls began to relax and my orgasm started to subside, he pinched and plucked at my clit, making me come again. I was a quivering mass of goo when Cue finally tensed behind me. He let out a ragged moan and poured himself into me. I clenched around him and let out a cry of my own. He pulled out of me and flopped down lengthwise on the bench. Hot semen ran down the insides of my thighs, and sweat trickled from my temples. My legs quaked without him there to support me, and finally, I half collapsed next to him, with my hands still tied to the bench.

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Chapter Twelve As soon as I’d recovered from my post-orgasmic daze, Cue found the kids and bid them goodnight, zapped us back to the palace, and had me tucked in, snuggled against his chest, and fast asleep within ten minutes. True to his promise, he’d had to carry me. When I woke in the early morning hours, he wasn’t in bed. I sat up and looked around the dark room, not sure what had awakened me. Suddenly, someone flopped down on the bed next to me; I jumped, and my heart thudded in my chest. It wasn’t Cue; it just didn’t feel like his presence. I wasn’t exactly afraid, but I was apprehensive until he spoke. “It’s time, princess. They are all in the throne room waiting for you. Don’t you love their timing? I know I love being dragged out of bed for their political bullshit.” I flipped on the lamp by the bed, squinted against the light, and looked down into Mede’s pale-green eyes. He was dressed in traditional slave garb, his sculpted chest bare, a white cloth draped across his hips. He lay on his back with his hands behind his head and his long, bare legs crossed at the ankles. Despite his words about being dragged out of bed, he appeared wide-awake. And, as usual, he looked rather stunning. I rubbed my eyes and let out a yawn, stretching my hands over my head. I peered back down at him with the one eye that I managed to get all the way open and found him staring at my breasts with his mouth ajar. I’d forgotten I was naked. When he realized I was watching him, he smiled, but didn’t take his eyes off my boobs. Shaking his head, he said, “I can’t believe you’ve never been with anyone but Cue, and he hasn’t had another lover since he laid eyes on you. One-hundred-percent completely monogamous ... What a shame. If either of you ever change your mind ...” I blinked and finally got both eyes opened. I’d always known he had a bit of a crush on Cue, but ... “Mede, I didn’t know you liked women.”

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“I love women! Almost as much as I love men.” I glanced down his body and ascertained that he did indeed love women. My eyes snapped back up to his face. He gave me that heart-stopping grin of his, then looked away from my tits and into my eyes. “I’d love to have you and Cue both. The two of you are so beautiful ... inside and out. And your love for each other ...” He let the sentence fall away, then sat up and started to move from the bed. I didn’t like the wistful look on his face. He’s my friend, and I don’t want him to hurt. I grabbed his arm, halting his progress. “Mede, Zeus loves you.” He smiled down at me and patted my hand. “Yes, he does, Psy, and I love him. But we’re not even in the same category as you and Cue ... no one is.” I’m not a morning person at the best of times, and this did not qualify as the best of times. “Mede, if you are going to pity yourself and make me feel sorry for you, you can just leave.” I didn’t like to see him this way, and I was still trying to get my mind around the fact that he was attracted to me. Most people have coffee to wake them up; I have sex, but my penis was apparently in the throne room, so getting awake and out of bed was going to take some effort. He looked at me, clearly startled. “Darling, I’m not feeling sorry for myself. I’m just a little envious. I’d love nothing more than to be in the middle of a Cue and Psyche sandwich.” He grinned devilishly at me and winked. Then he stood up, grabbed my hands, and pulled me off the bed while I digested that statement. I have to admit, there is something very arousing thinking about Mede and Cue together. I shivered and Mede laughed. “Let’s get you dressed. We are expected in the throne room in twenty minutes.” He pushed me toward my closet. Mede talked while I dressed. Zeus had called a meeting two hours ago to discuss Apollo with the other gods and goddesses. Well, I hadn’t gotten my morning wake-up sex, but Cue ought to have some good info, at the very least. After giving me a rundown on how Zeus had awakened him and told him to bring me to the meeting, Mede went to make some coffee. I guess he needed the caffeine. I tried to put mascara on and missed my eyelashes two times out of three. I finally gave up and washed the mess off. The cold rag seemed to help with the puffiness around my eyes, so I lay down on the floor and put the rag over them. A short time later, Mede came in, woke me up, and pushed a cup in my hands. I took a few sips of coffee and then fussed with my hair until I got irritated and put it into a ponytail. One of these days, I am going to really snap when Cue changes my hair back as soon as I cut it. “Is that equivalent to a man’s ball cap?” Mede asked on our way out of the bathroom. “I never thought of it that way, but I suppose it is.”

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Mede tripped and went flailing across the marble floor. He did that little stumble/run thing for several seconds until he recovered his balance. When he finally stopped, his hair was in his eyes and his face was flushed. I laughed so hard I cried. That woke me up like nothing else had managed to. He frowned down at my offending pink bunny slippers as I joined him at the door. He smiled devilishly. “I dare you to wear them into the meeting!” All the way to the throne room, Mede and I sang “We’re off to see the Wizard.” I even thought about skipping, but couldn’t muster up the energy. It just was way too early. Outside the throne room, I took a deep breath and looked at Mede, who grinned. He held out his hand, his eyes twinkling with merriment as I grabbed it. “Do you remember the protocol for a summoned assembly?” he asked. “You’ll go sit by Zeus, and I stand at the door until called forward?” “Yes, then you’ll be called over to Zeus. You don’t have to kneel because you aren’t his slave. Lower your head until he speaks to you. Zeus will tell you what he wants you to know; then you’ll be allowed to speak freely, and you can ask questions.” “Got it! Anything else?” “Don’t forget to bow and show your respect to Cue as you pass him. Oh, crap! You don’t have an offering for your god.” “Don’t sweat it, Mede.” I squeezed his hand and opened the door. We went in. As usual, I looked back and marveled to see the column in place of the entrance. It always amazes me how that door just disappears. I stepped to the side as Mede walked through the aisle of chairs to Zeus. He bowed, then sat down at his feet. All the Olympians were present. Most were staring at me. Rina, the only nonOlympian, sat on Hayden’s lap, playing with his hair. Dino had a beer in hand. Athena was feeding her owl. And Vee, as usual, had her beloved triplets, Rocco, Franco, and Marco, at her feet. I looked around. Other than Mede and the triplets, there was only one other slave in the room ... me. “Psyche, come forward.” Zeus ran his fingers through Mede’s chestnut hair. I stepped past the first row of chairs and turned to my right. Cue sat in his chair in a pair of jeans and an open, button-down white shirt. Yummy! My hormones stood up and did a little jig. My body obviously realized we hadn’t had our wake-up sex. Ignoring my wayward hormones, I curtsied to him. He bobbed his head and looked at me expectantly. I’d only ever done this once before, and that time I’d brought him a rose as my offering. I grinned at him, then reached down and slipped my bunny slippers off my feet. Cue threw his head back and laughed as I handed them to him. “Thank you for your gift, my slave. I’m afraid they are too small for me, but I’m sure my wife will like them.” The amusement was heavy in his voice. “You’re welcome, my god, and I’m sure your wife will love them.”

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Soon the entire room was laughing. Well, all except for Vee. She hadn’t ended up accepting me because I was immortal, but because she knew she didn’t have a choice if she wanted her son to keep ties with her. In fact, she still doesn’t like me, and the feeling is quite mutual, I assure you. She probably thought my gift was an insult. She couldn’t be further from the truth: my gift was the laughter, not the slippers. It didn’t matter what she thought; it didn’t matter what any of them thought. Only Cue mattered. I knew a simple kiss would have been acceptable to him. “All right, Psy, if you are done entertaining all of us, put your footwear back on and come here,” Zeus said. Cue handed me back my slippers, and I made my way to Zeus. I dipped my head, and he acknowledged it with a nod. I looked up and waited. His gaze raked over me in an appreciative glance before he spoke. “Apollo is missing, and we want you to find him. I will loan you any of my love slaves or palace servants to assist you. When you find him, you will report to me. Is that understood?” I wanted to ask why me, but I knew he’d never answer, so I simply nodded. “Yes, sir.” “Very good. He was seeing a woman, Aria Rosetti; she goes to a club in Athens called Gianni’s. That is all I have at this time. I’ll get you a list of his love slaves, and you may interview them at your convenience.” Well, that was short. He hadn’t given me anything I hadn’t learned already except a last name. Was there another reason for the meeting? I looked around. Everything looked pretty normal to me. It had been a while since I’d seen everyone, but they looked and acted like they always had. Dino was well on his way to being drunk. Athena looked bored. Typical of her, she was more interested in her owl. Diana was listening intently. She’s always been a bit of a gossip, so she usually pays close attention to what others are saying. Aaron was just sitting there looking tough and intimidating; he is a big man. Cue certainly inherited his father’s stature. Rina was present, but she seemed more interested in Hayden’s hair than in the meeting. Hayden didn’t quite look as sinister as normal, but then again, Rina was in his lap. Cue ... well, Cue was staring at my ass. He looked up into my eyes and grinned. Couldn’t help myself, my soul;, it is such a

nice ass. And it’s barely covered. I fought back a grin and ignored him, continuing with my survey. Vee was petting one of the triplets on the head. Not surprising -- Vee was always groping at least one of them. Hep smiled and winked at me. He is such a sweet man; too bad he ended up married to Vee. Zeus was smiling at me, too. He gave me a little nod. I’m not sure what that meant. Maybe he was encouraging me. Who knew?

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June was glaring in Vee’s direction. They’ve never liked each other. I smiled and finished looking around. The only thing that looked atypical was that Apollo’s chair was empty. I wondered what this had to do with me. For some reason, Zeus had chosen me to find Apollo. Was that significant? Zeus’s smile widened. “You will figure it all out, Psy. Keep working on it. Find the mistress, and the pieces will come together.” Well, heck, that was cryptic. Did he know where Apollo was? If so, why not go get him? Again, he smiled at me. I think he was reading my mind. It’s against the rules to read the mind of another’s protected slave. In fact, there’s a spell to keep the other gods and goddesses from doing so, but it doesn’t work against Zeus, I guess, because he’s the king of all gods, or maybe he’s just that powerful. Not that it really mattered; it wasn’t like I had proof that he’d read my mind. “Now, who would you like to assist you? Choose wisely, Psy. Take your time; you can have whomever you need.” Wisely? Who ever said I was wise? I assumed he meant only those I could trust. I think he was hinting something, but what was it? I knew who I could and couldn’t trust; that was easy. “Mede. Mede is the only palace occupant I need. Also, I’ve a favor to ask. Will you grant our secretary Fiona temporary immortality, so that she can help? Since we’ve no way of knowing what kind of danger is involved, if any, I’d feel better if she were harder to kill. Not only that, she could also come here to help, if need be.” He chuckled, and nodded his head. “Yes, I will grant your secretary immortality. You seem very fond of her. She is all alone in the world, is she not?” I nodded, and he continued. “If Cue will offer her his protection, I’ll grant her permanent immortality.” I blinked and looked back at Cue. That was a very surprising offer and not one that Zeus made very often. Zeus has always had a soft spot for me. I think it comes from Mede and me being such good friends. For a long time, Cue and I were the only ones who had treated Mede with any respect without having to be threatened by Zeus. Most of the others consider Mede beneath them. Not only was he made immortal and is Zeus’s only marked slave, he also is very obviously Zeus’s favorite person, and it creates resentment. I had been in a similar situation with regard to Cue. Partly because of that, Mede and I had bonded, which has the added benefit of endearing me to Zeus and souring Merc and Vee. All that aside, it made me wonder if Zeus knew something about Fiona’s future. I didn’t want to agree until I asked Fiona; she should have the choice. However, I did not want to insult him, especially after such a generous offer. Cue came to stand beside me. His right wing wrapped around my back as he spoke. “I will offer her my protection; however, I believe Psyche would like her to choose for herself whether she wants such a gift.”

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I nodded my agreement. “Very well; temporary it is, until she decides for herself.” Zeus stood up and addressed the room as a whole. “You may all leave. Our meeting is adjourned.” Then he addressed Mede. “You will take the woman some ambrosia. As of now, you are under Psy’s supervision until otherwise notified.” I gasped. Cue choked. Zeus’s eyes shot back to mine. “I trust you will want time to contact your team. You know where Mede is when you need him.” He turned and walked away. “Come, Mede.” Cue and I stared at each other. “Did he just give Mede to us?” I asked. “I believe he did.” “What exactly does that mean?” “Means we are responsible for him. He is, for the time being, ours.” I wasn’t sure I liked being trusted with Zeus’s most valuable possession. What the heck was I gonna do with a love slave? I had Cue. Cue slung his arm over my shoulder, and we left the throne room. Right outside the door, Di stood waiting. She is a tall, slender woman. Dressed in a pastel blue sundress and sandals, she looked about seventeen. The glorious mane of strawberry-blond curls, her best feature, was pulled back into a low ponytail. She bent and gave an air kiss to both my cheeks. “Find my brother, Psy. If you need anything, just ask.” She turned and walked away. I looked at Cue, and he shrugged. Last I’d heard, Diana and Apollo were at odds over something. Heck, for all I knew, she could be a suspect. The fact that she sought me out seemed rather suspicious. I shrugged off that line of thought for now. I’d figure it out eventually. Just then, Vee pushed past me, with the triplets following as usual, and almost knocked me down. Two sets of hands reached out to steady me. Vee shot me a grin over her shoulder. “Sorry, Psy, I didn’t see you there.” Yeah, right! “Looks like the slut still has it in for you.” My head snapped around toward June’s voice. She was shaking her head as she watched Vee and her three playthings. “Whatever do they see in her?” She looked at me, released my arm, and smiled. “Thank you.” “You’re welcome.” She glanced at Cue, then back to me. “Do you have any leads yet?” “One or two.” I wasn’t about to tell June I was clueless.

Good idea, my soul. Cue was still holding my other arm. I rolled my eyes. Sheesh! You’d think I’ve never dealt with his vindictive relatives before. He grinned, and his eyes twinkled. “Have you seen Amara yet?” My gaze shot back to June’s.

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“Yes. Why?” She shrugged. “No reason. I was just curious if you knew what, er, where she is staying. Maybe she can help you with your investigation.” Good advice, but I wondered why she was trying to help us. Probably because we share a mutual adversary ... Vee. Nothing bonds people more than a shared enemy. “Thanks, June.” “Any time.” She lifted her chin and swept past us without another word. Why do gods and goddesses have to make such a production out of everything? Cue slid his hand down my arm and grabbed my hand. “Let’s go find Amara. I don’t like her living here, but June’s right -- at least it can be useful.” “You think she knows any of Apollo’s slaves?” “That’s what I’m hoping. I think they’d talk more openly in front of her than Mede. Unfortunately, Mede is in much the same position as you are. Not many servants are going to talk in front of a god’s plaything.” “And you think they’ll talk better in front of a god’s daughter?” He shrugged. “One can always hope ... plaything.” I couldn’t help but grin after I elbowed him in the ribs. “What did you learn in the meeting before I got there?” “Dino favors the Cowboys to win the Super Bowl next year. June walked in on Zeus and Mede this morning. Hep was glad to see me, and he wants us to come for dinner one night while we’re here. Mother broke a nail this morning and it hurt like a son of a bitch. And ...” “Stop! Are you telling me that you didn’t learn anything about Apollo?” “I learned that he was missing.” I groaned. I should have expected as much. They hadn’t imparted a single piece of useful information. In fact, there was no reason for a formal assembly. Zeus could have told me the same shit the day we’d arrived. It’s just like him to throw his power around and yank our chains. He just loves to have everyone cater to his whims. “Why in Hades does he want me to find him? Any bright ideas?” “Nope, not a one. As for why you ... I wish I knew.” Cue shook his head and sighed. I suppose he was as annoyed as I was. “I guess we have to go to Gianni’s and snoop around again. We can have Mede and Amara question Apollo’s love slaves and other servants here at the palace.” “Let’s call Deacon and have him start looking for Aria Rosetti on the computer. If anyone can find an electronic trail, it’s him.” Cue chuckled and looked down at me with a grin. “You really shouldn’t encourage his hacking skills.” “Hey, he owes me for running off potential informants the other night. And besides, this is for a good cause.”

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“We could just have Deacon and Fiona help us at the club.” I rolled my eyes at that. “Deacon is more of a hindrance than a help. He’s better off on a computer and out of our hair.” Cue gasped and clutched his chest. “What? Mama’s boy a hindrance? Surely not!” The abundance of sarcasm was quite clear. “Oh, shut up! Deacon is not a mama’s boy.” Cue snorted. “Oh, all right! But he’s supposed to be -- he’s the baby.” “The boy is a pain in the ass. Has been since the day he was born.” Cue’s smile widened, and he shook his head. “If I didn’t love him so much, I’d have gotten rid of him decades ago.” He chuckled. “I refuse to dignify that with a response. He is the only one of the nine who likes me better. You’re jealous.” Cue snorted again. “Jealous? Hardly. And he doesn’t like you better. I know him better than I know the others. How could I not? He moves back home every five to seven years. I can’t seem to get rid of him.” The smile that crossed his face completely belied his willingness to get rid of Deacon. As we turned the last corner toward Vee’s rooms, I caught a brief glimpse of a blonde disappearing through the door that led to the servants’ quarters. There was something oddly familiar about the woman. Was that Bambi? I stopped walking, trying to decide whether or not to follow. “Psy? You coming, honey?” I glanced up at Cue, who’d stopped a few feet in front of me. “Yeah, I thought I just saw Adras’s girlfriend.” Cue walked back, grabbed my hand, and pulled me along. “You really have it in for her, don’t you?” “No, seriously, Cue, that looked like Bambi.” “My soul, there are a lot of big-busted blondes who resemble Bambi in the palace.” He was right, of course; a lot of the love slaves are big-busted and blond. Adras had made no mention of her being immortal. “Psyche ...” There was a warning note in his voice. “You do this every time he has a girlfriend. Can’t you just be happy for him?” “But --” “Psy.” “Oh, all right!” I rolled my eyes and continued on to Vee’s. We knocked at Vee’s door and waited. Several seconds later, one of the triplets opened the door in nothing but a pair of leather cuffs and a collar. The brand of two entwined hearts

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was clearly visible low on his left hip bone. If memory serves, that would make him Marco. Franco’s brand is on his bicep, and Rocco’s is over his heart ... or is it the other way around? Oh, well, it doesn’t matter. Marco immediately bowed his head to Cue. “How may I serve you, God Eros, my lady?” “Is Amara here?” Cue asked. Marco stepped aside and opened the door. “Right this way.” He led us through Vee’s rooms. I hadn’t been in them in a while and had forgotten how outrageous they were. It looks like the inside of a whorehouse. I love the color red, but let’s face it, decorating with it can be a real challenge. Vee doesn’t seem to have had any qualms. The couch is red velvet, as are the curtains. The floor is wall-to-wall red shag carpet. There’s even red wallpaper above the mahogany wainscoting. Through the parlor, we walked into the main hallway, then all the way to the end of the hall toward a closed door. I was pretty sure what lay behind that door. There was a very peculiar smell emanating from that room, and I could see smoke coming out from under the door. I began to get a queasy feeling in the pit of my stomach. Evidently, Cue realized what it was, too. He stiffened perceptibly; I could practically feel the anxiety rolling off him in waves. As the slave reached for the doorknob, I swallowed and held my breath. The door to Vee’s playroom swung open. It looked like an opium den. The smoke and smell were overwhelming. There were slaves snorting white powder, smoking; there were even a few shooting up with needles. My first thought was, Oh, my gods, my daughter is a drug addict! My second was, Please don’t let Amara be in here. Several slaves were in various stages of undress, some in scenes of bondage, and, from the looks of it, most of them were stoned. Were these people idiots or what? No way would I allow some whacked-out junkie within ten feet of me with a crop, whip, or whatever else. Safe sex suddenly took on new meaning. Finally, my glance rested on Vee; she and her triplets had wasted no time getting back up here from the throne room. She’d dressed in a black leather bustier, thong panties, and spiked, thigh-high boots. She brandished a red suede flogger and was about to use it on a gorgeous blond slave, and Franco or Rocco, who lay bound at her feet. I heard Cue’s roar of outrage as he pushed past me and into the room. Vee stopped midswing and turned to face him, shocked. Her pupils were huge. My eyes fell on the object of his attention and anger. Suspended naked from the ceiling in chains was Amara with her head thrown back. What surprised me more was that my daughter, whom I thought so sensible, was about to be whipped by a man who was obviously stoned out of his gourd.

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Chapter Thirteen Several hours after the incident, I paced the kitchen of our suite, trying to get my mind back on Apollo, while Cue pounded away his anger on the piano in the den. I had tried to talk to him, but he wasn’t ready to have a rational discussion. He had freaked; in fact, he’d practically declared war on Vee. We’re talking major wigout here. After he’d wrecked Vee’s playroom, he’d walked up to Amara, glared at her, then shook his head in disgust and stormed off. I was left to deal with the situation. I didn’t have a clue what to say to Vee; instead, I’d looked at my daughter and told her I was ashamed of her. I assumed that that was the end of it, but with Cue you never know, especially when he totally flips out. Since Amara is one of his protected slaves, he had the right to take the triplets from Vee, but I doubted he’d do that. I mean, what the heck would we want with Vee’s slaves? I think I was still in shock. What does one say to one’s daughter when said daughter is caught in an act of such reckless stupidity? I sure don’t know. I was still trying to grasp the whole situation, praying to every non-Olympian deity I could think of that she wasn’t doing drugs, too. Quite frankly, I was afraid my prayers were going to go unanswered. I gave up for the time being. Finding Apollo seemed like a more manageable problem, so that’s what I concentrated on. My only clues were the mistress and the club. At least I now had a last name for the mistress. That should narrow the search down some. Maybe she was in the phone book. As I picked up the kitchen wall phone and started to dial the operator, Deacon came in and plopped himself onto the center island. Fiona came in right behind him, followed by Mede. He must have given her the ambrosia as instructed. “What’s wrong with Dad?”

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I ran my hands down my face, trying to decide how to answer him; then I saw Fiona’s expression. Her mouth hung open, and her eyes were wide and staring right at me. I looked down and saw I was still in my slave clothes. “Did you just get back from an orgy?” she asked hopefully. “No, I just got back from a meeting.” “What is your fascination with orgies?” Deacon demanded. “I’ve never seen one.” “If you like, I’ll take you to one while you are here,” Mede offered. “No, you will not!” Deacon and I yelled together. Interesting. Fiona frowned, Deacon glared at Mede, and Mede held his hands up in a gesture of surrender. I told Deacon to make us something to eat, then went to change into some decent clothes, which consisted of jeans and a T-shirt. When I came back, they were at the table in the kitchen nook with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Maybe I should have put Fiona in charge of the food. She makes a mean cup of coffee, which means she can cook, right? I sat down and took a bite of my sandwich, then had a swallow of soda. “I’ve filled them in, not that there was anything they didn’t already know,” Mede said. “You never did answer my question. What’s with Dad?” I groaned and decided I’d better tell him or he’d ask his father, and who knew what Cue’s reaction would be. “It’s a long story. Amara has been staying here. We think she might be on drugs.” “Holy cow! Drugs? Really?” I nodded and took another swallow of soda. I glanced to my right to see Mede’s reaction. He dropped his eyes and wouldn’t look at me. “Why didn’t you tell me?” “I’m sorry, Psy. I didn’t know how. Please don’t be mad at me.” I patted his leg and took another bite of my sandwich. “It’s okay, Mede. I wouldn’t know how to tell me, either.” He breathed a sigh of relief and swigged down his drink. Deacon shook his head sadly. “That is whacked.” He took a deep, pained breath. “Why?” “I don’t know, and right now, I don’t care. I need to focus on Apollo. Can you try to find an electronic trail on Aria Rosetti?” “Yeah, I can do it. I even have my laptop with me. Do you have any other info? There might be a lot of Aria Rosettis.”

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I shook my head. “No, that’s the funny thing. Last night, a lot of people seemed to know her, but no one could tell me much about her. So, find what you can, and we’ll sort them out later. Look for credit cards used at Gianni’s, I guess.” He nodded, then got up, walked behind me, and wrapped his arms around me. He whispered in my ear, “I’m sorry, Mom,” then kissed my cheek and began to pace the kitchen, his mind obviously on his sister. “Mede, I want you to question palace servants and Apollo’s love slaves.” He finished chewing his sandwich and swallowed. “Done.” Next, I looked at Fiona. “Go to the club and ask around some more.” “Oh, my gosh! I almost forgot.” She stood up, pulled a card out of the back pocket of her jeans, and handed it to me. “Someone gave this to me after you and Cue left the other night. I figured it was a flyer to another club or something, so I stuck it in my purse and forgot about it until this morning.” I looked down at the stiff card. It looked like an invitation of some sort. On the front was my name; I flipped the card over. Ovest Palace, June 28, 100 B.C.E. I sat there dumbfounded. “Isn’t that your home?” Mede asked. “Yes, it’s where I was born, my father’s home. But the date doesn’t ring a bell.” Mede took the card from me. “This is Zeus’s handwriting.” We looked at each other, then at Fiona. “Did you see who gave you this card?” I asked. “It was a woman, but I didn’t get a good look at her.” “That doesn’t mean anything. He could have had anyone give it to her,” Mede added. “Why didn’t he just give it to you or me?” I asked. “Don’t know. He didn’t even disguise his writing.” “I’ll ask Cue’s opinion once he stops brooding. In the meantime, Fiona, go snoop around the club. And be careful -- you’re immortal, but you can still be hurt. Deacon and Mede, you already know what to do. Get on it.” Deacon furrowed his brow at me. “She isn’t going to that club alone.” Yes! I held back a grin. He was definitely interested in Fiona. “Fine, go with her, but don’t interfere with her questioning people. In fact, why don’t you help with the questioning? We’ve got to find this woman!” As they left, I looked at the card one last time before I went outside to the garden to think. The last notes of the theme song to Terms of Endearment drifted through the open French doors of our livingroom suite, and on its heels came the theme to Somewhere in

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Time. It’s probably my favorite piece in the entire world, and it always makes me cry. I didn’t want to cry. I’d rather have hit something, but the tears came anyway. I tossed a few pieces of food in the fish pond and stared out over my garden. After a few moments, I left the edge of the cement pond and walked to the gazebo, trying to escape the mournful music. I would have preferred Beethoven’s entire Fifth Symphony again, but instead he had moved on to the softer, depressing pieces that I love and hate. Love because they’re so beautiful, hate because they’re so sad. I sat in the gazebo and looked back toward the open French doors. There he sat, wings drooping, shirtless and in a pair of blue flannel drawstring pants, playing his heart out on the white grand piano. I plucked a red rose from the gazebo wall and brought it to my nose as I contemplated the invitation. Zeus had obviously meant me to know it was from him, or he wouldn’t have used his own handwriting. He knew Mede would recognize it. Why not just give it to Mede to deliver? Was he just using us for amusement? What did the date mean? I had already been married to Cue for two years by then. In fact, I think I was pregnant with Adras at the time. Had something happened to my parents on that date? My sisters? I was coming up with way more questions than answers. I sighed, closed my eyes, and laid my head back against the lattice wall. What I needed was Cue’s input. “Mom?” I jumped and turned my head to see Amara standing on the steps. “He’s upset, huh?” “What do you think?” I drawled sarcastically. She smiled sadly and dropped down onto the bench next to me. She took the rose from my hand and brought it to her nose, inhaling deeply. “You know, when I was a kid, I used to do things I knew would piss him off just so I could hear him play. I’ve never met anyone who could play as beautifully; too bad he only does it when he’s upset.” “Well, he certainly has reason to be upset this time, doesn’t he?” “Mom, its not what you --” “Don’t, Amara. Don’t you dare tell me it’s not what I think! What I think is that you are in over your head! At the very least, you’ve lost your damned mind! Why would you trust one of Vee’s stoned slaves to top you?” I stood up and walked out of the gazebo to the far end of the garden. Amara followed. “I’m on not on drugs, Mom. Besides, it was June’s slave I was with, not Vee’s, so why is Daddy pissed at Vee?” I spun around with my jaw practically to the ground. “I cannot believe you just asked that. For crying out loud, Amara, she’s supposed to be protecting you! She should at least have the sense to keep you out of danger, even if you

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don’t. And who cares whose slave it was? You were in her rooms, and she knows how we feel about drugs!” “Mother, I’m an adult. I don’t need to be coddled. And I am not on drugs!” “Then what in Hades is going on?” “I’m sorry, Mom.” She wiped at the tears falling silently down her face and took a deep breath. “It’s not the drugs, I swear. I wasn’t thinking. I need it ... I need to be dominated. You wouldn’t understand.” I sighed, losing some of my steam. I hoped she was telling the truth. Amara dropped her head; she looked defeated. I didn’t have the heart to go on. It was giving me the willies. I didn’t even want to contemplate what other dangerous situations she’d put herself in trying to gain my mother-in-law’s approval. “I understand, Amara, but couldn’t you have found it elsewhere and in a safer environment? Gods on Olympus, Amara, someone hyped up on drugs can’t take care of themselves, much less you.” “I didn’t know until I came here.” She hiccupped and ran the back of her hand across her eyes. “I’ve never had anyone dominate me before.” How was I supposed to respond to that? “Go home, Amara. Go to Heaven and wait for us there. I know some nice Doms; I’ll introduce you to a few when we get home.” She kissed me and hugged me. “Thanks, Mom.” She pulled back and looked at me. “What about Daddy? He won’t want me at Heaven. He hates --” “He doesn’t hate you, Amara. He’ll get over it eventually. You should know him better than that. He’s just disappointed in you. Go home, and stay out of trouble until we get there.” “Thank you, Mommy. I really am sorry.” She squeezed me again in a tight embrace, then walked out the garden gate. I turned toward the palace and headed back to our suite. Cue was standing with his shoulder against the doorjamb, waiting for me. I’d been so distracted with Amara, I hadn’t realized the music had stopped. “What did she want?” “To ask forgiveness,” I said as I made my way in the door. Cue turned and looked at me. He was silent for several seconds; then he shook his head. “Well, she’s not getting it. Not from me, anyway. Not for a long --” “Cue --” “No, Psy!” He walked toward me, a menacing look on his face. “I have never asked much of any of my children! I have very few rules.” He held up his hand and started ticking off fingers with the other. “One: Treat others with respect. Two: Don’t commit adultery. Three: Don’t kill unless it’s self-defense and there is no other option. Four: No bestiality. Five: Don’t have sex with minors. Six: No incest. And seven: No drugs!”

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By the time he’d gotten to the last, he was yelling, and the veins at his temples were red with anger and throbbing. He took a few deep breaths and flung his hands to his sides. “I even practice what I preach and try to lead by example. Well, except for the minor thing, and you weren’t considered a minor back then.” He sat down on the piano bench and dropped his head into his hands. “Why? What did I do wrong, my soul? Am I really a bad parent?” I looked into his sad eyes and started crying again. My chest hurt. “It’s not your fault. You’re a great father. Besides, she swears she’s not into drugs.” I walked over to him and hugged his head to my chest with one hand while running the other hand up and down his wings. I dropped my face and buried it in his hair. “If anyone is a bad parent, it’s me.” He looked up at me and wiped a tear off my cheek. “No, you’re not. And neither am I. She’s old enough to know better.” He was silent for several minutes; then he gave me a halfhearted little grin that made my spirits lift ever so slightly. “I don’t want to talk about it right now. Your children are a pain in the ass, Psy.” Tell me about it. “Our children, dear. You can’t deny them all because one of them screwed up. What are you going to do about Vee? This is a pretty blatant disregard of our wishes for our kids.” “I don’t know. I haven’t decided yet. But she will pay for her aiding and abetting. She’s her grandmother, for crying out loud.” I snorted. “Only in the most literal sense. She’s never really been much of a grandmother to our children.” “You’re right, my soul; she’s never been much of a mother, either.”

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Chapter Fourteen “How do you feel about a little time-traveling?” “What?” Cue asked. I told him about the card Fiona had received and that Mede thought it was Zeus’s writing. Forehead creased in thought, he got up and paced in front of the piano. I sat there watching him, thinking I still hadn’t gotten my hands on those scrumptious wings. Good gosh almighty, he’s sexy. Suddenly he stopped and his wings perked up; then he shook his head, wings drooping while he continued pacing. He did that a few more times before he turned to me. “Zeus wants you to know the card is from him; that’s why he wrote it himself. But he doesn’t want the others to know that he knows anything. There must be something on that date that he wants you to see. We’ll have to go to the History Hall and have a look. I guess that, after all these years, I’m finally going to meet your parents.” My stomach sank and got that queasy anxious feeling again. I didn’t know whether to be ecstatic or nervous. I guess I was a little of both. I had not seen my parents since the day they left me on the cliff. Zephyr had never carried me down to the valley. Instead, a voice in my head had told me to climb down. It wasn’t as steep as you would think, but I like the Zephyr story ... too bad it isn’t true. By the time I got down that cliff and made it to Mansion in the Valley, it was dark, I was tired, and my feet were killing me. Those princess slippers aren’t all they’re made out to be. But I’m getting ahead of myself. The events surrounding me being the “most beautiful” thing were true. Not that I think I’m all that great ... I’m not. But, well, let’s just say that at least I’ve never had hair on my upper lip. That ought to put things into perspective. Anyway, Vee was jealous. Now, I’m not

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saying Vee is a bitch or anything, but, well, you figure it out. She sent Cue after me, and she’s probably regretted it every day since ... Gods bless her! Cue likes to say it was love at first sight, but I think he exaggerates. He followed me around for about a month. After that, he coaxed Apollo -- and, yes, I mean Apollo himself -to go in the flesh to my parents. He told them to leave me on the cliff overlooking the valley. After I got down that darned cliff, I stumbled into the mansion and was set upon by Mama Rosalie. She fed, coddled, and hustled me off to bed. Cue had woken me up a little later. Yes, it was dark and I couldn’t see him. And yeah, as silly as it sounds, he told me not to try and see him ... What a goof! But, hey, he had his reasons. All of which you know, because that part of the myth is true, too, as is what followed. I got lonely and wanted my sisters to come for a visit. They came and told me of their impending marriages and how things were back home. We had a lovely time until they found out I had no idea what my husband looked like. They both became hysterical, and, in return, I got all hysterical, too. They were convinced I was married to a monster. Stupid? Yeah, it was, but I was fifteen, and it was a totally different culture back then. Anyway, they left, the lamp incident followed, and Cue got mad. Knowing him like I do, it was probably the fact that I’d woken him (and the teeny fact that I’d burned him by accident rather than in love play), not that I’d disobeyed him, that made him all pissy. So he left, counting under his breath the whole way out. The trials with Vee followed; that part is also true. Well, except for the Hades thing ... I’ve never been to the underworld. Which is fine and dandy with me, because it’s not on my top-ten list of vacation spots, know what I mean? Some say it was Cue who helped me with Vee’s tasks, others say it was Zeus ... I’m telling you, it was Cue. I asked him once why he made me go through all that. He said he thought it would be fun to see if we could complete all the tasks. Men! He has a heck of a temper, so I think he was trying to teach me a lesson. Thank Gods on Olympus it usually takes a lot to get him mad. I’ve learned over the years that when he counts under his breath, he’s trying to control his temper, so I’m pretty sure he was peeved. My sisters were never jealous of me -- well, no more than any other siblings -- and they weren’t killed ... at least not to my knowledge, but they had caused so many problems for me when they visited that I had never made the effort to get in touch with my family again after I’d righted things with Cue. They’d never met him, didn’t even know who he is. They had no idea I had children nor that I had lived. I’m sure they’d thought I had died a horrible death after my sisters left Mansion in the Valley the last time. The fact that I was dumb enough to believe in monsters and that I’d caused my own problems with my naïveté was humiliating, so I’d never gone back. I’d let my self-importance stand between my family and me. Not only had I robbed my parents of me, I’d denied them their grandkids, at the least Basilia and Adras, and maybe even Amara. I had hurt my parents and children with my selfishness.

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It was all so overwhelming; I dropped my head into my hands and cried. Big, heartwrenching sobs, the kind where snot runs down your face as well as tears. I was having a hard time catching my breath. Cue came and sat on the bench and pulled me into his lap. He brushed my hair back from my face and kissed my nose, forehead, then cheeks and eyes. “Shh. It’s all right, my soul, it’s all right. Please, don’t cry, angel; it breaks my heart. What is it? Do you not want to see your family?” “It’s not that, it’s ...” I tried to get more air into my lungs so I could continue, but I looked up and saw he had tears in the corners of his eyes, too. I cried even harder. I hate it when he does that. He is supposed to console me, not get upset because I’m upset. Although I have to admit I love that he cares about me so much. I snuggled myself closer to him and held on tight, trying to get myself under control. There is nothing in the world as comforting as being held by Cue. His arms always make me feel safe. Being so close to him made me realize I could handle this problem and any other because I never had to do it alone. I kissed him and rested my forehead on his chin for a minute. Then I gave him a tentative smile and tried to explain. “I was so selfish. I never let them know I was okay. That must have been terrible for them; they loved me. I can’t imagine not knowing what happened to one of our kids.” “I should have made you go visit them, but I was so mad at having been caught. I wanted you so badly that I never stopped to think about the future. I thought we could live happily ever after as we were. If I’d been rational, I’d have realized that I would have to make you immortal or I’d lose you anyway.” He brushed his lips across mine, then pulled back and ran his hand down my face. He gave me that look. The one that says I’m the most important thing in the world. I love that look. “I was also positive I could keep Mother from finding out that I’d married you. I was afraid she’d retaliate against you.” My vision got a little more blurry. I blinked, and the tears started flowing again, but they were happy tears. I felt much better. I had Cue, and that’s what mattered most. The rest I could fix. One of the nice things about being married to a god is that you usually have a second chance. “I’m sorry, Psy. This is my fault, not yours. I should have done so many things differently where you were concerned. Forgive me?” “It isn’t your fault. You never denied me anything. All I had to do was ask.” “Yes, but I know you and your pride. I should have insisted you contact them.” “Well, it’s enough for me to know that you are so irrational where I’m concerned. And regardless of what you say, I’m taking the blame on this one.” I smiled. “I’ll share the blame with you.” “Deal.”

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He grinned as he pulled my ponytail down and ran his fingers through my hair. His tongue flicked out against my bottom lip, making it tingle. I pressed my lips against his and opened my mouth for him. As he took over, his tongue slowly pushed into my mouth with sensual little caresses against my teeth. A hand cupped my breast and a thumb raked across my nipple ever so gently. Taking his time, he drove me wild. I reached up and lightly flicked his nipple ring; he made the little grunting sound that I love. I ran my hand down his abs and under the flannel pants. He was hard, just as I’d known he would be. I squeezed him tight in my fist and he moaned. Pulling away from me, he jerked my shirt up and off, then my bra. He picked me up and arranged me to where I was straddling the bench, and then he did the same. He snatched me to him and put my legs over his. Growling, he bit my neck and bent me backwards. I grabbed his cock again. This time I ran my hand up softly, barely touching it. He caught my right nipple between his teeth, then froze. I squeezed him again, urging him to continue his assault on my breast.

Did you hear that? Hear what? Who could hear anything over my thudding heart and my panting? I shook my head, arched my back, and tightened my grasp. He pulled back and ran the tip of his tongue around my areola. He bent toward the other one as I moved my hand up and down on him slowly. Again he stopped. Grrr! I felt his head turn, and then I heard him sigh. I opened my eyes, and Mede was standing inside the doorway with a huge grin on his face. He was rubbing himself through his jeans. “Don’t stop on my account.” Grrr! Not only had I missed my morning sex, it looked like I wasn’t getting any in the afternoon, either. I lifted my eyebrow at him as Cue pulled me to a sitting position and unwrapped my hand from his cock. I felt the rush of power and looked down to see I was again in shirt and bra. “Yesss?” Cue hissed. Mede dropped his hand and sat down in the chair closest to the door. “I came to see when the two of you are going back. I have another lead ... sort of.” “Yeah? What lead?” I asked. “I know someone who knows Aria Rosetti.” “And?” “And I haven’t talked to her yet. She’s another love slave, but she’s isn’t on Olympus right now. I’ve left messages for her to call me back. If I don’t hear back by midnight, I’m going to find her myself. I figure she can at least give us a better description of Rosetti.”

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“Do you mean to tell me that of everyone you’ve talked to, no one has actually seen this Rosetti woman?” Cue looked very contemplative. “Only what Psy found out the other night: she has dark-brown hair.” Cue ran a hand through his hair and stared off into space. “How long had he been dating this woman?” “From what I’ve been able to surmise, about eight months.” Strange that so few had seen her in all that time. If she were immortal, it didn’t make sense that he’d keep her away from the palace. But, then again, if she were a mortal, one would think that someone from his entourage had seen her, especially after almost a year of dating. “Is she an immortal?” I asked. Mede shook his head and frowned. “No idea, but I should know more by tomorrow. I’ll have Zeus zap you a message through time.” I was perplexed. “Cue? How can no one have seen her? It doesn’t make sense. And why is it that everyone I asked at the club seemed to know her, but no one could give me any information other than a very general description?” He sat there for several seconds without saying anything. Mede and I looked at each other and then back to him. Finally, after an eerie silence, he spoke. “It’s a spell. Someone has placed a memory spell over the palace and Gianni’s. Or maybe over Aria herself.” He shook his head, then looked me in the eye. “I’m not sure which, but those are the only explanations.” “And you can’t remove it,” Mede stated. “No, not until I figure out who cast it. Every god or goddess has a different way of doing things, and if you don’t know how they did it, you can’t undo it.” Damn! I knew that, of course, but it still sucked!

***** Mede walked with us to the History Hall. On the way he must have yawned half a dozen times. Finally, I arched an eyebrow at him. “What, you didn’t get to sleep until noon because of that all-important, informative meeting?” I teased. He laughed. “Well, that, and June barging into the bedroom and waking me up this morning.” “Waking you up?” Cue smirked. “That’s not what I heard.” Mede waggled his eyebrows at Cue. “Yeah, well, I was going to go to sleep afterward.” I chuckled. Mede has always been a flirt. “Why did she walk in on you?” “I have no idea. I was rather occupied at the time” “Sleeping.” Cue put in.

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“Exactly!” Meade chuckled. “All I heard was ‘that slut this’ and ‘that slut that.’ She was bitching about Vee again.” He rolled his eyes. “Like she expects Zeus to do anything about it.” “Geez, are she and Vee ever not at odds?” Mede shrugged. “Not that I can remember. But this was different. She was pissed about some of her slaves partying at Vee’s.” Cue groaned. “She’s not the only one.” I decided to change the subject. I did not want to spend the entire trip with him in a bad mood. Luckily, we’d just reached the History Hall. “Wow, this is pretty! Not what I expected.” I’d never been in this part of the palace since I’d never time-traveled before. It’s a very, very long hallway; I couldn’t see where it ended. And, oddly enough, there sn’t a gleaming white column in sight. The doors, crown molding, wainscoting, and floor are dark oak. The wall above the wainscoting and the ceiling are navy blue. There are dimly lit lamps attached to the walls between the doors. Cue just grunted at my observation, but Mede apparently guessed my plan to get Cue’s mind away from Vee and what had been going on at her place. He winked at me and helped by talking about looking for more info on Aria Rosetti. We walked down the hall a little way and turned to the right in front of a door with “100 B.C.E.” engraved on it. As I stared at the door, I heard Cue and Mede discussing how to get a message to us once we left. I ignored them and decided to peek inside. I grabbed the handle and turned, but it was locked. There was no keyhole, either. “Psy, you can’t open the door. You aren’t a god or goddess,” Mede explained. I turned around and looked at him and Cue. “What do you mean?” “Only gods or goddesses can open the doors. You didn’t think they’d let peons like us go in and screw around with history, did you?” Mede laughed. Actually, I’d never really thought about it, but I suppose it made sense. A person could go in and mess up life as we know it. Heck, a person could wipe out their own existence if they weren’t careful. That is a scary thought. “What if we run into ourselves? Will we explode or something?” Cue grinned and shook his head. “No. We won’t run into ourselves. Immortals can only exist in one lifetime.” “Huh?” “We are here right now. We have already lived our life in 100 B.C.E. We will not be there, because we are here.” Okay, that was confusing. “So if I go back in time, there won’t be another me there. I’ll be the only me?”

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“Yes. Unless, you go back to before you were immortal. Then you would be able to see your mortal self,” Mede interjected. “If we see any immortals we know, they will know us even if we hadn’t met them in this --” I pointed to the door. “-- time period?” Cue nodded. “Yes, because they would be there --” He pointed to the door. “-- not here.” He pointed to the floor. Oh, I think I got it! “What you’re saying is that this is the past, but it’s not real?” Mede and Cue shook their heads. “No. It’s very real. However, it is the past. Make no mistake, I could still go in and change history,” Cue said. Mede took over. “Immortals can only be in one place at a time. Since we’ve already been there, we cannot be there again.” I started to interrupt, but he held up a hand, forestalling me. “Unless we go back there. Like Cue said, it is the past. We can still change the lives of mankind, but not our own.” “Okay, so if we go back and change something, when we come back here we will know that we changed it?” “Yes!” they chorused. “And so will every other immortal,” Cue finished. Boy, it was confusing. But I think I grasped the concept. “But we aren’t going to change anything,” Cue said. Then he flicked his wrist and dressed me in a lavender chiton with braided shoulder straps and a royal purple himation, or wrap, over my shoulders. I felt my hair and realized it was pinned in a mass of curls on my head. There was also a wide metal band that I assumed was gold. On my feet were sandals, of course. Cue had dressed himself in a simple, sleeveless, short blue chiton, with his wings still visible, and a pair of sandals. It appeared we were to be God Eros and his wife, Princess Psyche, rather than incognito. “Looking good, guys.” Mede kissed my cheek, hugged Cue, and left with a smile and a wave. Cue and I looked each other over. I went up on tiptoe and kissed him on the lips. He pulled me to his chest. “Are you ready?” he asked. I was. I was anxious to see my family, knowing that I could right the wrong I’d done them. They would die with the knowledge that their daughter was alive, happy, and married to a god. Cue opened the door and we stepped through onto green grass. I heard the door shut and turned around. Yes, it had disappeared. No, I wasn’t surprised. What is it with the palace and vanishing doors? Behind us stood the palace gate and the palace. We were still on Olympus.

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Cue chuckled and caught my attention. “What?” “Your face. It’s scrunched up. What did you expect, my soul?” “I’m not sure. But I didn’t expect to walk through that door and end up outside the palace.” “Every door in the History Hall will lead outside of the palace right to this very spot, but in different time periods.” “What if we went into the palace?” “We would be in the palace exactly as it was in this time period. Only there would be no one there, unless, of course, they came back in time for some reason.” Yeah, I got it now. Because immortals could only go through time once, unless they went time-traveling. Sheesh! Wait a minute -- “How will we get back?” “We will come back to the palace.” “But you said that the palace is as it was in this time period. That means that 2005 hasn’t happened yet.” Cue grinned and chucked my chin. “You fret too much.” He started down the mountain. “Cue?” I was really worried we were going to have to stay here until our time rolled around again. That would suck! No electricity, no showers, no computers, no fast food, no tampons. Holy Cow! I could not stay there! It was hard enough the first time around, but I was spoiled now and way too used to modern conveniences. I jogged to catch up. If we had to stay here, he was in trouble. He arched his right brow at me when I got beside him. “When we enter the History Hall in this time period, it will automatically take us to our present.” Whew! For a minute there I had been seriously concerned. He grabbed my hand, and we continued down the mountain. When we reached the bottom of Olympus, he faced me and opened his arms. “Come here, Psy.” I stepped into his arms, wrapping mine around his neck. He hugged me back with a wide grin and shook his head. “Turn around. We’re flying.” “Can’t you just zap us to Overt Palace’s gate?” He spun me the other way, then wrapped his arms tightly around my waist; I stepped up on his feet. “Sure, I can. But we haven’t flown in, well, it’s been a while. I thought you might enjoy it.” “Oh! I thought maybe you weren’t allowed to use your powers here.” He chuckled in my ear and kissed my neck. “Like I said, you worry too much, darling.”

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His wings flapped; the breeze they made stirred my hair and the blades of grass at our feet. Then we lifted off the ground easily. I’d forgotten how much fun it is to fly. You can see so far, and it gives you a real sense of freedom without all the metal trappings of an airplane or helicopter. Being so close to Cue is a big bonus, as well. Before cars and planes, we’d traveled like this or he’d zapped us places. Quite frankly, I prefer flying to zapping. The zapping leaves me a little disoriented. When we reached the outskirts of my father’s land, Cue set us down and we walked the rest of the way. Just outside the village, I took a deep breath. I was going to see my family again, but I was also supposed to be looking for clues. I had no idea what clues were to be found, so I reminded myself to stay alert, and then I reminded Cue. “I am alert. I’ve already been looking for whatever it is we are supposed to find here.” I flushed, and he kissed my cheek. I’d forgotten all about the reason for our visit. “Sorry,” I mumbled as we walked through town. “You’ve no reason to be. We are in this together. You will enjoy your family, and I will look for our hint from Zeus.” We walked up the path toward the palace. People outside stopped what they were doing and whispered. They dropped to their knees when they saw Cue. Among the whispering, I heard our names and praises for my safe return. That made me feel terrible. Not only did my family worry, so apparently did my people. I looked around, trying to spot someone I knew as, hands clasped, Cue and I walked up to the palace gates. As we approached the gate, the guards dropped to their knees, bowing before Cue. Oh, brother. I’d forgotten how in awe of gods people were in this time. This could be a problem. Maybe I should have requested he hide his wings.

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Chapter Fifteen News of our arrival reached the palace before we did. As Cue and I stepped into the courtyard, my mother and father came running down the steps. My heart pounded, and sweat broke out on my forehead. Cue squeezed my hand. “Psyche!” My mother had tears streaming down her face as she yelled in Koine, the language of my birth. I ran into her outstretched arms and hugged her tightly to me. I pulled back, looked into her wet eyes, and saw over her shoulder that my father had stopped dead in his tracks and was staring past us. “Papa?” He turned his head and asked softly, “Psyche, is that you?” “Yes, Papa,” I said as my mother let me go. I went to him. He embraced me, whispering, “Psyche, who is that?” I looked back. Cue had hidden his wings from view and stood watching us. “Papa, Mama, this is my husband, Cue.” I held my hand out to him and he joined us, clasping my hand firmly in his again. “But the guard said you were accompanied by the god of love,” my mother said in hushed tones. “Let us go inside, and I’ll explain everything.” After we had settled ourselves, my parents began speaking at once. “We thought you were dead.” “Where have you been?” I took a deep breath, and Cue reached up to wipe a tear from my cheek. I’d been so overjoyed at seeing my parents that I hadn’t realized I was crying. There was no easy way to tell them all that had happened in my life.

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Cue must have sensed my hesitancy, because he answered for me. “As you can see, Psyche is very much alive. She has been with me these past years, and I assure you I’ve taken great care of her. She is very special to me.” “You are not a monster,” my father exclaimed. Cue grinned. “That would depend on whom you ask, Your Majesty. I’m sure my children would disagree with you at times.” My mother gasped, smiled, and began to cry again. “Psyche, you have children?” I wasn’t sure what to say. I knew my parents wouldn’t try to burn us at the stake or anything, but was I even allowed to tell them of things that happened in the future? For all I knew, there was some sort of time-traveling rule book, so I looked at Cue. He nodded. “Yes, Mama, I have nine.” Both my parents looked skeptical, and Cue mumbled under his breath. “For the moment.” I glared at him and spoke in English. “Behave yourself. She has left Olympus.” Looking back at my parents’ puzzled faces, I explained. “We are having a bit of a problem with our second daughter.” “Psyche, you have not been gone long enough to have nine children,” my mother said softly. Again, I looked at Cue, and he took over the explanation. “We have come back from the future.” “How is this possible?” my father grumbled angrily. “Your Majesty, your guard was correct.” Cue’s wings suddenly became visible again, and he placed a hand to his chest. “I am Eros, god of love.” My father dropped to his knees and bowed. My mother passed out. Cue groaned and rolled his eyes as I made my way to my mother’s side. Cue snapped his fingers, then threw me something. I reached out and plucked it from the air. Smelling salts. I snapped open the capsule inside the little gauze-wrapped cylinder and put it under my mother’s nose while Cue helped my father to his feet. When my mother came to, the salts vanished. Once my parents were comfortable again, Cue asked them to keep quiet about our having come from the future, and, bemused, they agreed. Then we told them our story as it had really happened. When the explanations were over, my parents were overjoyed at gaining a god for a son-in-law. They were also genuinely relieved and happy to see me.

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After sending word to my sisters and requesting their presence for a feast, we regaled my mother and father with stories of our children. Cue got a little choked up when he talked about Amara’s birth and childhood, but as far as I could tell, I was the only one who noticed. He was really taking Amara’s indiscretion hard. It was obvious from the love in his voice when he spoke her name that he was blaming himself still. Why, I wasn’t sure. It wasn’t like he hadn’t taught her better. It was clear that after I found Apollo, I was going to have my hands full getting father and daughter on speaking terms again. We drank wine and visited with my parents for several hours before my sister Cordelia arrived with her elderly husband and an entourage befitting a queen. She was dressed in bright pink and looked beautiful. Not only is she four inches taller than me and two more than our older sister, Melody, making her about five foot eight, but Cordy also has long, dark-brown hair with brown eyes like my father’s. Melly and I inherited our mother’s green eyes. After Cordelia and her husband got over the shock of meeting Cue, they seemed to relax and enjoy themselves. When she had first learned of her impending marriage to him, she’d been horrified at the age difference, but now my sister seemed truly in love with her husband. She must have grown fond of him. Her complexion was rosy and vibrant. She looked ... Cue interrupted my thoughts. Pregnant, she looks pregnant. She has the same look

about her that you do when you are expecting. Well, after nine kids, I guess he’d know. I looked back at him, asking in English, “You think?” He concentrated on my sister’s midsection for a second and nodded. Then he grabbed me and pulled me onto his lap. The whole room gasped, including me. “What are you doing?” His wings wrapped around the both of us, concealing our upper bodies from view. He nipped my chin, then licked it. “Damn, angel, just the thought of you pregnant is making my cock hard.” Yup, it certainly did. In fact, it felt like concrete against my thigh. I suppressed the urge to groan -- there is something really icky about knowing your husband has a boner in front of your parents. We heard a chuckle and turned as Cue moved his wings. It was almost as if we’d been understood, but that was impossible because the quiet laugh had come from the doorway through which my eldest sister, Melody, rushed in. She looked quite disheveled in her gray silk chiton. Her brown hair was windblown. How odd. To the best of my knowledge, Melody had always been turned out to perfection. Yours truly was the one who ripped and stained clothes and ran around with bedraggled hair, but, of course, the myths always fail to mention that fact.

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She also had only a male servant, which was acceptable, but I would have expected her husband and an entourage of servants to accompany her. In that time, women did not travel alone. Still, as her husband was quite old, I doubt traveling was high on his list of priorities. Cue and I stood as she entered. She came running forward and wrapped me in her arms. “My dear little sister, I’m so glad to see you. Tell me, are you happy?” Hugging her back, I nodded, then pulled away to look at her. “Very.” She let out a little sigh and smiled. She seemed different. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but she didn’t look like she had the last time I’d seen her. It was probably the tousled look, but who knew what it really was after all this time. I introduced her to Cue. She did as everyone else had and immediately dropped to her knees in front of him. Geez, that was annoying. It was going to go to his head if they didn’t stop all this awe. We chatted with my family throughout the day, then shared an evening meal and retired to a guest suite. It was common practice in ancient Greece for the women to sleep in their own quarters on the top floor of the palace, but Cue put a stop to that instantly when my father bade me go upstairs. He’d made it clear to all of them that we shared a room and bed, always. They were shocked, but they weren’t about to argue with a god. My sisters seemed to think it rather romantic. How sad is that? I can’t figure out how I ever survived in this culture. My views had always been different for those of my time, but once I’d married Cue, they’d changed even more drastically. He’s always made his own rules. Since the day we married, we have shared a room and bed. He’d even delivered all but our first two children, which was almost completely unheard of until recent times. He’d been with me when Basilia and Adras were born, but Mama Rosalie had done the actual work. Cue had sat behind me, holding me and taking on some of my pain. As we entered our room for the night, the first words out of Cue’s mouth were, “Take your clothes off.” He was naked and sitting on the edge of the bed before I could get the door completely closed. The Washington Monument was again in plain sight. I had untied the braided belt from my waist and was reaching for my right shoulder strap when a cloud of smoke appeared three feet away from me. “Eek!” I jumped and ran to Cue. He pulled me into his lap as Merc stepped out of the smoke. He handed Cue a scroll and heaved a huge sigh. “From his royal-pain-in-the-ass Prince Ganymede. I believe you’ve been waiting for this.”

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I snickered as he turned to leave. I couldn’t help it. He was bent all out of shape from having to deliver a message for anyone other than a god or goddess. Although he had correctly pointed out that Mede is of royal birth, Mede is nonetheless a love slave. Merc ignored me. A puff of smoke and he was gone. Cue was smiling. “Methinks he is a little annoyed at having to be Mede’s errand boy.” I giggled. “I think you’re right. Open it up; let’s see what Mede has found out.” Cue pulled the scroll open and read aloud. “‘Cue and Psy, my contact has informed me that Aria has been out of the country, destination unknown, the past few weeks. She is approximately five foot six and weighs about 120 pounds. She has short, dark-brown hair, which we already knew, and a deep tan. Her eyes are light-colored, and she speaks with an accent. Deacon is still looking for an electronic trail. So far, we have been unable to find an airline or ship reservation, but we are working on it. Hopefully, this helps. I look forward to your speedy return and pray you are having better luck than we are. Mede.’” “Hmmm, not much, but certainly more than we’ve found. I guess everyone I talked to at the club was talking about the right Aria. Do you think we’ll find anyone not affected by that darned spell?” Cue shrugged. “I haven’t seen anything out of the ordinary here. What is it Zeus wants us to find?” “I don’t know. Everything seems on the level.” Cue rolled the scroll back up and tossed it onto a nearby couch. I stood and paced the room, trying to come up with something ... anything. The description could be anyone. It could be me. In that part of the world, most women have dark-brown or black hair and a dark tan. “Strip and get on the bed on your knees. You aren’t going to solve this tonight.” Startled, I looked at him. He was leaning back on his elbows, watching me. I lifted an eyebrow at him and he reciprocated. “I said get out of those clothes and come here. You have exactly fifteen seconds to comply before you find yourself with a sore ass.” I grinned; it seemed we were going to play. I did as I was told and slid my chiton off. I’d been waiting to get my hands on those wings for days. And I had promised to play with him, hadn’t I? I reached for his right wing, and quick as lightning he grabbed my hand and had me face-down on the bed. He grabbed my other hand and pulled them both over my head. The next thing I knew, they were both tied together with my belt and the Washington Monument was up against my rear end. I wiggled experimentally and was rewarded with a smack on the right cheek. It stung a little, but it was also arousing. Being at his mercy is always a turn on for me, but something about actually being tied really gets to me. Maybe it’s the kinkiness level; maybe it’s just having to lie back and feel.

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Cue continued to sit silently across my thighs. I twisted my body a little to see over my shoulder. I could feel his rough-haired legs slide ever so slightly against my smooth ones when I did. In fact, I seemed to be aware of every little texture and breeze. Whether he did something to heighten my senses or whether it was the utter silence and stillness in the room, I can’t say, but even his breathing was perceptible to me. I caught sight of his face, and my breath lodged in my chest. If rapture could be described with a look, that was what was on his face at that moment. He was staring down at my butt or in that general region. He liked what he was looking at ... a lot. Those blue eyes sparkled with desire. His full bottom lip was between his teeth but turned up at the ends in a slight smile. With his face relaxed in pleasure, he looked almost innocent. The emotion on his face was pure, undisguised; he was truly content. His eyes snapped up to mine as he pushed my shoulders back onto the bed, forcing me to lie back down. “I love your hips.” His hands rubbed up and down my sides over my waist and hips. “Your shape is perfect, so utterly feminine. It’s amazing how someone so petite and small can be so curvy. Do you know how sexy you are?” He was certainly making me feel that way. I never know what he’s going to say to me. Over the years, I’ve discovered that there isn’t a thing about me he doesn’t like. It’s quite an ego boost to have a man as masculine and sensuous as Cue think you are the embodiment of female beauty. As a teenager, despite the whole mess with Vee and her jealousy of what others had said about my beauty, I hadn’t thought I was anything special, but over time, I’ve learned that I am ... to him. “Answer me, princess. Do you know how sexy you are?” “Yes,” I answered in a hoarse whisper. “Good girl.” He slid down my body and placed his lips at the base of my spine. “If you’d said no, I was going to spank you.” His lips and tongue caressed my lower back. Goosebumps rippled up my arms and legs. I relaxed fully into the bed, relishing the feel of his warm breath against me. When he got to the cleft of my bottom, I arched my back, trying to force his mouth downward.

SMACK! His hand came down on my left cheek this time. “Patience. I’m in charge here. Not you.” I groaned, partly with frustration, partly with arousal.

SMACK! “Lose the attitude.” Even though the love tap sent pleasure racing through me, I mentally groaned again and gritted my teeth. Abruptly, Cue slid off me, flipped me over, and straddled my waist. His erection bobbed against my belly twice. I stared at it. He is so beautifully made. His hard length is a deep red color, the thick head prominent and plum-shaped. He’s so thick that my fingers

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can’t completely encircle him when he’s at his most potent. He isn’t too long, but long enough that if he gets overzealous, sometimes it hurts, but it’s a good hurt. Just looking at him was making my head spin. I wanted to touch him. I reached toward him with my bound hands. He shook his head and I let them fall back. “If I want you to touch me, I’ll tell you. Now, close your eyes and don’t move.” I closed my eyes and relaxed when all I really wanted to do was beg him to take me. It seemed like forever, but was probably only a few seconds later that something flicked over my right nipple, making it tighten. It felt wonderful. I thought it might be the tip of his tongue, but there was no moisture when he pulled away. He treated my other side to the same soft stroking treatment before he grabbed both my nipples between his fingers and pinched. He twisted them almost to the point of pain then let go. I gasped at the tingling sensation they left in their wake. My nipples were so hard they ached. They stabbed toward him, begging to be touched, and he didn’t disappoint. Again, the soft caressing brushed across not one but both nipples. Everything done to my breasts was felt in my vagina, as well. It confirmed that all my erogenous zones are connected. His hands gripped my waist, and my eyes flew open. He sat over me, his hands spanning my waist as the tips of his wings flicked softly over each of my nipples. The sight only heightened my arousal. I felt the tickle of his feathers all the way through me. My inner muscles tightened and released. I was so close to orgasm, I was panting. I was about to beg when Cue decided he’d had enough foreplay. He pulled my legs over his shoulders and entered me in one smooth stroke. I was so wet, he slid in to the hilt. I squeezed my eyes shut on a moan and rocked my hips into him, impaling myself as deeply as the restraining hands on my hips would allow. “Oh, my gods, ohmygods! Cue!” I came apart. Cue groaned at the sensation but stayed perfectly still as my muscles spasmed around him. Several minutes later, when I came down from my high, I opened my eyes. He was looking down at me, and his blue eyes were twinkling in delight. I knew I was in trouble by the mischievous grin that tugged at his lips. “Let’s see if you can do that again,” he said. He pushed his index finger into me alongside his cock and found my G-spot. I let out a throaty little yell. My whole body clenched as I came again. Before I even recovered from that climax, he pulled his finger out and circled my clit with it. I was so wired, it didn’t take long for me to reach yet another peak. I was panting and wet all over from sweat and cum. I didn’t know if I could take any more, or even if I wanted any more, but someone forgot to inform my hips. They kept thrusting and grinding, trying to get him to move.

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Again, he stayed perfectly still inside of me even as he used his fingers alone to push me into two more orgasms. Finally, when I stopped shivering from my latest orgasm, he tightened his grip on my hips and began to slam into me. “Is this what you want?” he asked in a rough growl. “Yes!” Over and over he thrust into me. So hard I could barely catch my breath. His frenzied movements had me on the border of pain, but it felt so good. I reached with my tied hands, trying to grip his shoulders. He pushed them away and continued to pound into me. His hips pressed against me, hard, and stayed there as he threw his head back with a guttural moan. I followed him over the edge again as he collapsed on top of me. For several seconds we both lay there, out of breath. Finally, I broke the silence. “I can’t breathe; get off me.” He chuckled as he kissed me on the forehead and rolled to my side. As he untied my wrist, he shook his head. Then his smile faded; his whole body language changed. He was no longer the masterful lover he had been moments before. At once, I knew his thoughts were of finding Amara tied similarly. His expression was pitiful now, and he almost looked guilty. I could have strangled our daughter at that moment. Reaching up to pull him into my arms, I caught a glimpse of something from the corner of my eye. “Cue, someone is watching us from the balcony.” He stilled. So? We’ve had people watch us before. True, but it felt strange. More like a peeping Tom than shared pleasure. This was someone who didn’t want us to know they were watching. Someone who did not want us to know they were there. As fast as I could, I got up and ran to the balcony. I pushed the door open and caught sight of shiny gray cloth disappearing into the garden. I raced outside, trying to follow, and stubbed my big toe on the railing on the way over it. “Son of a bitch!” I limped around for a few seconds until I got to the fountain and stopped. To my right was a path wandering further into the garden; to my left was another path that wound around to the front of the palace. I had no idea which way to go. I started to turn left when an arm wrapped around my belly. “Ack!” “My soul, you are naked as the day you were born. What would people think should they see you?” Cue zapped me a cloak, but the few seconds he’d detained me had allowed the voyeur too much of a lead. I’d never be able to catch them. I walked back to the palace with Cue beside me.

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“Did you see anything?” “Only you running out of the room in your birthday suit.” My birthday suit? Suit? The person had been wearing shiny gray. Melody had been wearing gray silk today. She was also about five-six and a hundred and twenty pounds, with dark-brown hair and light eyes. She had a tan and she’d cut her hair ... That’s what was different about her! Her hair was down around her shoulders instead of waist length. “Cue? Isn’t ‘aria’ the Italian word for ‘melody’?”

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Chapter Sixteen Lying in bed that night with Cue spooned around me, I couldn’t sleep. Was Melody Aria? She fit the description Mede had sent us, but aria meaning melody in Italian might be a coincidence. And just because Melody was fond of roses and Aria’s last name was Rosetti didn’t necessarily mean anything. Even spying on Cue and me could be explained. It only made sense that she’d be curious about Cue. After all, how many people meet gods? But the haircut and clothes were way too coincidental. Something still wasn’t right. I knew I was getting there, but I wasn’t sure what all the bits and pieces meant. My gut instinct was that Melly was involved with Apollo’s disappearance. Cue hadn’t seemed to think so, but he was still brooding over Amara. He wasn’t yet in his right frame of mind. Maybe if I ran it all by him again, he could help me figure it out. “Cue, are you awake?” “Uhh?” I elbowed him softly in the stomach. “Oof.” “Cue, you awake?” “I am now,” he grumbled. “Mortals can’t time-travel without a god, right?” “Wrong. Mortals can’t time-travel. Only gods and immortals can, and immortals can’t go without a god. They can’t open the doors. Now, can I go back to sleep?” Hmmm. So if Melody was Aria, she had to be in cahoots with a god, and she had to have been made immortal.

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“I still think Melly is Aria Rosetti, Cue.” “Why? Because she watched us make love?” “Well, that does seem a little odd, doesn’t it? I mean, she’s my sister!” “No, lots of people are voyeurs. You even like to watch; heck, so do I. All it means is, your sister is a perv like the rest of us.” “Zeus hinted that this had something to do with me. If Melly is involved, then it would be indirectly related to me because she is my sister. And you have to admit the fact that aria means melody is suspicious. Plus the haircut and general description.” “I personally think it’s too easy. You know how Zeus loves to play games, but suppose you’re right and Melody is Aria. We’ll still have to find out which god is involved. Hades, Psy, maybe it’s Zeus himself. How do we know he isn’t messing with us?” “We don’t, but we have to at least look into it.” “Well, we sure as Hades aren’t going to figure it out tonight. Tomorrow, we’ll follow your sister around and watch her.” He slapped me on the hip. “Now, let me go back to sleep.” I sighed. What if she left tonight for some clandestine meeting? “Can’t you just bend the rules a little and read her mind?” “No!” “Come on, Cue. Rules are made to be broken.” “Not by me they’re not. If I start disregarding rules, I’ll be just like the rest of them! Is that what you want?” I sighed. He was right, of course. If we didn’t stick to the morals we’d set for ourselves, we’d be no better than his screwed-up family. “No, I don’t want you to be like them. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t even have asked. But we should at least have someone watch her room. What if she does something before morning?” “Grrr. Damn it!” He flung the covers off, got up, and stormed naked to the door. I heard him counting under his breath as he opened it and left. Geez, he was in a mood. I raised myself up on my elbow and waited. I had no idea where he’d gone, but I figured he’d be back. After all, he was naked. And honestly, his attitude didn’t surprise me; he’s always been a real grumpy butt when you wake him up. He stomped back in, then slammed the door shut. Flopping on the bed, he jerked the covers over himself and turned his back to me. “Well?” “I paid a couple of servants to watch and let me know if she left. Go to sleep.” I hoped he knew what he was doing. I turned over and spooned the big grouch. “You told them to be sneaky and not let anyone know they were spying on her, right? Oh, and you made sure none of them is her servant, didn’t you?”

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He turned his head to me and glared. “Do you think I’m a complete idiot?” “Okay, I’m shutting up.” I kissed his sullen mouth and snuggled closer to his back. He settled back and yawned. “Goodnight, my soul. I love you.” I smiled at his gruff tone. “I love you, too, you grouchy old fart.” “Grrr.” A light knock at the door woke me. I felt the bed move and heard bare feet on the marble floor. The creak of a door, and low whispers followed. I rolled over and pulled the covers over my head when the outer door shut. The bed dipped and the covers were yanked off my face. “Come on. Your sister is sneaking out.” I sat up. “What time is it?” “The sun is just starting to come up. Hurry.” Great! Once again, I wasn’t getting my morning sex. He kissed my lips, then got off the bed. The electric trickle of power moved up my spine. I looked down; Cue had dressed me in a long chiton of dark green. I got out of bed and yawned. As I stretched, I noticed that he had on a short chiton that was in a shade identical to mine. He put his finger to his lips and pulled me out the balcony door. Like I was going to yell or something. Sheesh. When he let go of my arm, I ducked and crept into the garden and around the front of the palace, leaving him to follow. I was being very quiet and was extremely proud of myself because, though I was still half asleep, I was managing a stealth that went beyond my normal capacity. I’m not sure why, but whenever I try to be sneaky, something usually goes wrong. Normally, I can’t be silent to save my life. I was about to reach the clearing with the fountain when Melody came into view. I stopped behind a flowery bush and watched. She was dressed in dark blue, with a brown himation wrapped around her upper body and covering her head. In her arms was a covered basket hugged close to her chest. She stopped and looked all around, then continued toward the open lawn. If her furtiveness wasn’t telling, I didn’t know what was. I was pretty sure I’d guessed right: Melly was the clue I had been sent here to find. She glanced in my direction and I held my breath. Good thing Cue had dressed us in green; we mixed in perfectly with the garden. The question was, how was I going to blend in out in the open?

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Drat! There was no way I could make it across the fountain clearing without drawing my sister’s attention. But if I could make it across the clearing, I could probably stay in the brush and follow her. Well, there was no hope for it. I scooted to the side of the bush I was hiding behind and lay on my stomach. Using my elbows, I army-crawled into the open. I made my way past the fountain. I hoped like heck Melody didn’t turn around. As I reached the other side of the clearing, I heard a deep rumbling sound. Holy crap! What was that? I looked behind me then up. I’m not sure what I had expected to see, but it wasn’t Cue strolling through the clearing with a huge grin on his face. I turned back to Melody. She was oblivious to our presence. He chuckled again in my head and stretched his hand down toward me.

I made us invisible to everyone but each other. Damn him! He could have mentioned that before I’d crawled around on my stomach. I felt like an idiot. I glared at him, ignored his helping hand, and got up on my own. Melody weaved in and out of the plants. At the palace wall, she set her basket on top and climbed onto the wall. It was a short wall, but it still took her a few minutes to get over it. I made my way to it and started to climb, but Cue grabbed me and we flew over it instead. About half a mile outside the walls, Melody stopped. She looked around. As her eyes scanned in my direction, I dropped to the ground. Then I remembered I was invisible. Unfortunately, this wasn’t until after I’d given Cue another good laugh. He bent down beside me and tried to get his mirth under control as we watched Melly reach into her basket and pull out a bird. It was a pigeon. After she secured something to its leg, she let it go. Holy smokes! A carrier pigeon! “Cue! Do something! We have to read that message.” His power sizzled, and when I looked, he had a bow and arrow in hand, preparing to shoot the pigeon. I growled. “Oh, yeah! That’s gonna help. Make the bird fall in love with the message.” He let go of the bowstring. It made a plunking sound, and the arrow skimmed across its mark, nicking the bird’s wing. Dropping the bow, he stood, smiled at me, and whispered, “Kiss my ass.” Then he rushed forward and caught the bird before it hit the ground. He sauntered back to me and pulled the message off the bird’s leg. “I only stunned it. It should be fine.” “Should be?” “Yeah. It should wake up, fly off, and deliver its message.” “Have you ever done this before?” “You mean shoot a bird? No.” He unrolled the tiny paper and began to read.

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“Ah, okay. Well, I hope you know what you’re doing. Not that it matters; we have the message. What does it say?” “It’s addressed to her husband. ‘Now that the goddess has made me immortal, I will not be back.’” Cue lifted his face. His expression was blank. I pumped my fist in the air. “Unhh! I knew it! I told you Aria was Melody! HA! And it says goddess, not god! Di is the goddess. She has to be -- she was acting suspiciously.” “All right!” Cue chuckled, then swept his arm out to his waist as he bent over. “I bow to your superior analytical skills. Even though it looks like you might be right, I still say it’s too easy. But we don’t know that it’s Diana, darling. And she wasn’t acting all that suspiciously, in my opinion.” Cue rolled the scroll up and fastened it back on the bird. I wasn’t about to believe Di was innocent. Why else would she try to throw me off her trail by pretending to care for her brother? I mean, I guess she cares, in her own strange little way, but most of the time she’s arguing with him about something. “What now?” “Now, since you are so convinced it’s Diana, we pay her a visit. Are you ready to go home?” “Yes. I hate chamber pots. I want to say goodbye to my family first, though.” Cue chuckled and bent to kiss me, holding the pigeon at his side. “You have a nice family, sweetheart. I’d like to say goodbye, as well. Maybe sometime we can come back and bring the kids.” “Really? Oh, Cue, that would be fantastic!” I wrapped my arms around him and kissed his face all over. He caught my lips in his teeth and growled. His free hand slid down my back, grabbed my butt, and pulled me up against him. My vaginal muscles clenched in response. I started to slide my hand under his chiton, but he stepped back. “Don’t start that,” he said with a grin. “We need to get back and talk to Di. And see what Deacon, Mede, and Fiona have found.” He gave me one last quick kiss. “Good work, sweetheart.” He put the bird down on the ground and waved his hand above it. The tiny wound healed immediately, and the bird popped to its feet and looked up at Cue. The whole thing was amazing; it was as if the bird had never been hurt. It cocked its head sideways, then flew up onto Cue’s shoulder and started making cooing sounds. It rubbed its head against his chin when he looked at it, and I doubled over with laughter. “Shut up, Psy. It isn’t funny.” He brushed the bird off his shoulder. “Shoo.” The pigeon flew right back. He shooed it off again. It circled above us twice, then landed on his head. This was too much for me. I fell to the ground laughing, tears streaming down my face. He looked so ridiculous.

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He stomped his feet a few times and jumped around, trying to make the bird fly off, but it wouldn’t go. It continued to make cooing sounds and rub its face into his scalp. The poor thing was in love with him. I pulled myself together long enough to get a jab in. “I guess this means that your arrows work on birds, too. Just think, you can start a new trend: interspecies romances.” “Bite me, Psyche!” I couldn’t control myself. “Sh-show it your wings!” I gasped out. “Maybe it’ll get envious and fly off in a snit!” He flipped me off. I cackled so hard I couldn’t breathe. Fifteen minutes later, Cue finally got the bird to fly off, and, fingers linked, we walked back to the palace. Melody had already left, of course. Her servant had raised the alarm, and the household was in an uproar looking for her when we returned. I told them I saw her slip out and head home. I hated lying to them, but I didn’t want them upset, either. I figured I’d get word to them once we found out what was going on. That way they could be assured of Melly’s safety, or, at the very least, her whereabouts if things went badly. My mother, Cordy, and I shared hugs and some tears. They insisted that we take a basket of food even though I told them we didn’t have far to go. Cue promised my family we’d return, and then we left. We were halfway back to Olympus when suddenly there came a cooing noise. Cue groaned. I looked over. That darn pigeon was flying right beside us. “Psy, if you laugh, I swear I’ll drop you.”

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Chapter Seventeen Just as Cue had said, when we stepped into the History Hall we returned to the present. We walked back to our suite and took a quick shower. The whole time we were in there, the pigeon perched on the showerhead and watched Cue. The poor little thing had been determined to tag along, so finally, after yours truly got in another good laugh, I had convinced Cue to let it come back with us to the present. Apparently mortality wasn’t an issue with other species when it came to time traveling. After we dressed in jeans and T-shirts, we went in search of Diana, the bird sitting contentedly on Cue’s shoulder. We found Di in her rooms. She seemed surprised to see us, but I was betting it was an act. She invited us in, asking almost immediately, “Have you found him?” Cue rubbed his jaw in a nervous gesture and looked at me. So did the bird. I knew that look meant “Keep your mouth shut and let me do the talking.” He turned back to Diana while the bird continued to stare at me. “No, we haven’t. Not yet.” “Oh.” She sat down hard on a nearby loveseat, looking for all the world like a depressed, concerned sibling. I wasn’t buying it. “Do you know anything that might help us find him, Di?” Cue asked. She sighed with way too much drama, I thought, and shook her head. She looked down at her hands clasped in her lap. “The only thing I know is that he was becoming very attached to one of his new love slaves. I tried to warn him against an exclusive relationship with her. She was ...” Diana looked up and waved her hands, seemingly searching for the right word. “She was different. She was almost familiar to me somehow, too.”

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“Maybe ’cause she looked like me?” I mumbled under my breath. Cue frowned at me and pinned me with a glare. His bird glared, too. Oops! Diana didn’t seem to notice. She looked up at me with tears shining in her eyes. “She had brown hair, but I can’t remember much else. To be honest, I don’t even remember her name, but I’m sure some of Apollo’s other servants would know.” I snorted. No, they wouldn’t, because you put a spell on them. Cue cleared his throat and shot me a glare before he bent down and kissed her on the cheek. “We’re looking into it. Thanks, Di. If you think of anything else, let us know.” He extended his hand to me, but when I reached back, the pigeon hissed at me. Diana stood, giving us a puzzled look. “If I think of anything at all, I’ll call.” She walked us to the door. As we stepped out, she asked, “Cue? What’s with the bird?” We returned to our rooms, Cue counting under his breath and me laughing hysterically. I think he was embarrassed. After a few minutes, long enough to get my mirth under control, we discussed what we’d learned. Which wasn’t much, as usual. Cue seemed to think Diana was innocent; I wasn’t so sure. She was still our best bet as far as I was concerned. She was behaving just like my children did when they were little and bashed one of their siblings’ heads with something. Most people don’t know it, but while Apollo is musically talented, Di is the thespian. She has great drama abilities. Her reputation as the virgin goddess is testimony to her wellhoned acting abilities. If she’s a virgin, then so am I! Virgin goddess, my foot! I paced the floor and tried to decide what to do next. “Cue, we need to search Apollo’s rooms.” “You do not go searching another god’s rooms without permission.” “Even if it’s to find that god?” He shook his head. “Why would she be there? She has thousands of years to hide in.” Cue flopped down in a chair, held his finger up to his shoulder, and the bird stepped onto it. He lowered the bird to the arm of the chair and petted it. “Obviously, if Melody is immortal and she has Apollo, then she also has access to anywhere in history. This could take a while.” He groaned. That was not a pleasant thought. I sat on the opposite arm of his chair from the pigeon. It glared at me. “Should we go back to 100 B.C.E. and see if she’s still there? Somewhere?” “Nah, she’s on to us by now. I say we see what Deacon, Mede, and Fiona have uncovered, then go from there.” He snapped his fingers, and a small cup of water appeared in his hand. He held it out to the bird, and it began to drink.

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We both sat there for several seconds, watching his new pet and contemplating the dismal possibilities of finding Apollo. It didn’t look good. If Melly was able to travel through time, she could be anywhere. She could hide indefinitely, and it wouldn’t take much for her to stake out Olympus and see us coming, especially since whenever you go, you end up in the same spot outside the palace. Of course, it could work to our advantage, too. “Cue, what if we step through all the doors and have someone wait here, in the present, in the History Hall? I mean, if she sees us -- and surely she’ll have someone watching for us -- maybe she’ll come back so she can go to a different time.” “Why would she have someone watching? Finding her throughout history would be like finding a needle in a haystack. She could have gone through 1875, for all we know, and sailed to France.” Arrgh! I hadn’t considered that. Or the fact that Di or, if Cue was right, the god or goddess who’d made Melly immortal could be actively working against us. Because whether or not it was Di, there was definitely a higher power involved. This was looking more and more like a lost cause. Cue let go of the now ignored cup of water and it disappeared. The bird started rubbing its face against his arm. “I need to talk to the kids,” he said. And I needed to do some snooping around, but I wasn’t about to tell him that. So I headed toward the door before he could stop me and blurted out, “I’ll go find some birdseed.” Sure, he could zap some birdseed, but it was as good an excuse as any. As I closed the door behind me, he shouted, “Stay away from Diana!” Damn! Oh, well. He might have warned me away from dear ol’ Di, but he hadn’t said anything about staying away from Apollo’s suite. I walked through the halls of Olympus like I had a purpose, which I did, of course. It just so happened that Apollo’s door was across the hall from Athena’s, and Athena kept a pet owl. Sure, I know owls are birds of prey and eat mice and small rodents and stuff, but I wasn’t above playing the airhead if I got caught. I slipped past Athena’s door, looking around and making sure the hall was empty. I grabbed Apollo’s door and turned the knob, just barely cracking the door open, then slid in and closed it quietly behind me. I leaned against the door and let out the breath I’d been holding. It was dark and the place was quiet. I groped for a light switch next to the door and didn’t find one. “Damn!” Finding a lamp might be a little difficult. I squinted but couldn’t see a thing. Either Apollo didn’t have windows, which I thought highly unlikely since he’s the god of light, or he had some heavy-assed curtains. I was going with the curtain theory.

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I slid my feet in front of me slowly, feeling my way. I made it about six whole steps before the inside of my foot bumped into something. I reached out tentatively. Whatever it was it came to my waist and was made of cloth. It felt like a chair. Surely there was a lamp next to it. Most people put lamps on tables next to chairs. Apparently not Apollo. I tiptoed my way around the piece of furniture, using my hands to navigate it. After I cleared it, I shuffled forward with my feet again. Slowly, back and forth, until I hit something else. This time when I reached out, I felt something warm and firm. “What the --?” I started to move my hand around to figure out what I was dealing with. A hand clapped over my mouth. I screamed, but the hand muffled it, as intended. I was suddenly spun around pulled into what I now realized was a male chest. “Shh. Mom, it’s me. Don’t scream.” Adras? I tried to turn my head to look up at him. Why, I don’t know; it wasn’t like I could see anything. He let go of my mouth and light flooded his face. “See, it’s me; don’t scream.” I stood there speechless for about a minute, while Adras shined the damn flashlight into my eyes. I batted at it and covered my eyes. “Get that out of my eyes. What in Hades are you doing here? And how did you know it was me?”“ “Shh ... I heard you. You can’t be quiet to save your life.” He put his finger to his lips. “I can, too, and stop shushing me. What are you doing here?” “It’s a long story ... but I’m looking for an art thief.” “What?!” “Shh ...” If he told me to “Shh” once more, I was going to smack him. “Since he’s been gone, someone has been stealing art out of Apollo’s suite. Zeus asked me to look into it.” He pointed the light toward the wall. There was a rectangular outline and the wall was discolored where his light hit. “Why you?” “I, uh, well, I ...” “Spit it out, Adras.” He pointed the flashlight back in my eyes and cocked his head. “Because I’ve been doing PI work in my spare time.” What next? It sure would’ve been nice if Cue’s bratty children would have kept us in the loop. Talking to my children lately is like listening to a foreign language: I don’t understand. I’m going to have to have a chat with my tattletale child, Symon; he’s falling down on his job.

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“Why?” “Because it gets boring just sitting around, twiddling my thumbs. Geez, a guy can only take so much partying. I need a purpose in life.” “Yeah, so get married. That would give you a purpose.” “No way! If I get married, Dad will start hounding me to have kids. Kids are a pain in the ass.” No joke! “Adras, why didn’t you tell me about this PI business the other night?” “Because Bambi is a suspect.” “What?!” “Shh ...” I swatted him on the arm. “It is wrong to keep shushing your mother! Why are you dating a suspect? Have you lost your mind, too? If she gets caught, you are going down with her. Haven’t I always told you to pick your friends --” He snorted and pointed the flashlight back at himself. He had the same look on his face that Cue always wears right before he sarcastically drawls, “What do you think I am? Stupid?” I threw my hands up and let them fall down to my sides. “Mother, I can’t believe you think I’d date a criminal. Did you even wonder why I was dating a woman like Bambi?” I rolled my eyes. Yeah, I had, but that was beside the point. “I’m trying to keep an eye on her. She doesn’t know that I’ve got my sights trained on her. As far as she knows, I’m just what I appear to be: a wealthy playboy. I think she realized all along who my parents are; I think she thought I’d be a good alibi considering who I am. Unfortunately for her, she has no clue that I’m the one investigating her.” It was my turn to snort. “Adras, I think I saw her in the palace. She was going down to the servants’ apartments. Your father tried to convince me that I was just trying to discredit her. But I’m sure it was her.” “No doubt. She works part-time as a designer here in the palace; she’s responsible for the flower arrangements or something.” My eyebrows shot up. The pieces were starting to fall into place. She’d been feeling me out the other night to see if anyone was on to her. But why would she steal art from Apollo? Was she, as I had first suspected, involved in his disappearance somehow? “She’s never seen me here. You know that I never come to the palace.”

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I held up my hand. “Okay, okay, you know what you’re doing. Have you found anything suspicious here? Do you think she might be involved with Apollo going missing?” “Nah. I think she’s just an opportunist, but I’m not done looking around yet. You wanna help? I have another flashlight.” “No, I have to go find your father some birdseed. If you find anything that might lead me to Apollo, let me know. And if you need help with your investigation, you know where to find me. It could very well be related to my investigation.” “Ok, Mom, I’ll let you know.” There was a brief pause. “Birdseed?” “Yeah. Don’t ask.” I sneaked back out Apollo’s door, leaving Adras behind to search for more clues. At least I no longer had to worry about him being in a relationship with Bambi. Now I could concentrate my fears on him getting shot in the line of duty. Oh, well, at least he’s immortal.

***** I found the head groundskeeper and got some birdseed, then headed back to our suite. In the hall, I met up with Mede, who was going in the same direction. “You learn anything else?” I asked. “Not much. Aria was actually Apollo’s love slave for just a short time. He dismissed his other love slaves before he brought her here. No one seems to know much about her. I think Cue is right about the memory spell.” “I know he is. She’s my sister.” “What?!” I reached for the door to my rooms and pushed it open. Mede stepped in first, then turned to look at me. “Aria is my sister Melody.” “How is that possible?” He followed me into the kitchen. “Someone made her immortal. She put herself into Apollo’s path and bam! She tricked him somehow, and then she kidnapped him. We intercepted a note telling her husband that since the goddess made her immortal, he was on his own. She flew the coop. So, now we have to figure out which goddess is working with her. Did you ask Zeus about the note?” “Yup. I even tried to seduce an answer out of him. He isn’t talking. He just smiled at me and asked if it was a helpful hint.” I groaned and flung the bag of birdseed onto the counter. “Tell me about it,” came Mede’s response.

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Cue came into the kitchen and sat down on the center island. His new pet was perched on his shoulder again. “Deacon and Fiona are on their way. Did you get birdseed?” I pointed to the bag. He looked at it. “Thanks. Hi, Mede.” “Hi, Cue.” He paused. “That is a pigeon, isn’t it?” There was a hint of barely contained laughter. I smiled and heard Cue sigh as I opened the fridge. “This is Vivian ...” Vivian? He’d named the bird Vivian? “... and she’s in love with me.” I turned around with a package of ham and a bottle of mustard in my hands. “How do you know it’s a girl bird?” I shooed him over as I set my sandwich fixings on the island. “How many homosexual birds have you met?” “None, but then again, I’m not all that in tune to the bird population. I’m sure there are probably gay birds out there.” I opened a drawer, pulled out a butterknife, and pointed it to the breadbox. “Mede, will you get me some bread?” Cue made a face at me while Mede obliged. He walked around Cue, looking at Vivian, then opened his mouth to say something. He snapped it shut, shook his head, and grinned. “What?” Cue growled with a haughty look on his face. “Shouldn’t you be telling us what you learned about Aria Rosetti?” I took a bite of my sandwich and tossed my knife into the sink, trying not to smile. I wondered how long it would take Cue to really flip out, I mean totally freak, over questions about his new pet. I put the mustard away and grabbed a soda as Mede leaned against the bar and shared his new theory. “I think he fell in love with her and doesn’t want to be released.” I rolled my eyes at his fancy. And people accuse Cue of being a hopeless romantic. I had my mouth full, but that didn’t stop me from saying, “Mede, get real! That only happens in the movies.” I took a swig of my drink to wash down my sandwich. Mede brushed crumbs off his chest, then crossed his ankles and his arms, looking like a petulant child. “Well, think about it; how else could Apollo have disappeared, and how else could he be held? This is Olympus -- everything here is a soap opera, so why couldn’t he have fallen for her? Trust me, it could happen. You yourself said there is a goddess working with her.”

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Cue stopped petting Vivian and gave Mede a no-nonsense look. His “I am the father and I know best” look. “Psy is right, Mede; it’s a little far-fetched. Even for Olympus. Why would he want someone to forget her if he was in love with her? Not to mention, no god is going to enjoy being held capti--” “Hold your applause, please!” Deacon barreled into the kitchen with Fiona on his heels. His forehead furrowed as his gaze settled on his father. “What’s that?” he asked, pointing to Vivian. Mede and I laughed; Cue sighed and closed his eyes. I decided to spare him. “That’s Vivian, and she’s your father’s new pet. Now, why should we hold our applause?” Deacon gave me a puzzled look, then a huge smile. “I found out where Aria Rosetti lives.”

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Chapter Eighteen Later that afternoon, Adras called to take me up on my offer to help spy. So, not only was I going to snoop around Melly’s place, but I was going to get a good look at Bambi’s, as well. Which suited me just fine, because I wasn’t a hundred-percent sure that Bambi was only an art thief. At about ten o’clock, after making plans with my team for the rendezvous at Melly’s, I stood behind Adras while he picked the lock on Bambi’s door. My job was to watch for cars. Even though we were both wearing black, every so often headlights would shine across the door. Bambi lived on a busy street. Fortunately, the way the street was curved, I always had about four seconds to warn him before the lights illuminated us on the porch. He was still trying to learn how to use his new lock-picking set, so it was taking a little longer than he anticipated. I offered to try and get it with a bobby pin, but he stared at me like I was an escapee from the loony bin, so I shut up. I could probably have had it opened in a matter of seconds, but, hey, let him fuss and fight with the stupid lock. It was no skin off my teeth. “Car.” Adras stopped jiggling his little tools in the lock and jumped into the bushes beside the door. I was right on his heels. This was the third car that had come by, so we had it down to a science. Well, I thought we did, until my left foot caught on a low branch. I went flying into him, knocking him sideways. “Oof!” I fell on top of him and slid off onto the ground with a thud, knocking the air out of myself. I was trying to catch my breath when a branch from the bush in front of us scraped across my back. “Yowch!”

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“Mom, pull your feet in.” I looked down. My feet were still on the walkway. I pulled my knees in to my chest as quickly as I could. My knee collided with something, and I heard Adras’s swift intake of air before he groaned. The car headlights lit up the door, then disappeared around the corner. I had caught a glimpse of his face with the passing beams of light -- it looked scrunched up, and he was panting. “What happened?” “You know those grandkids dad wants?” “Uh, yeah?” “Well, thanks to you, he isn’t getting them from me.” I pulled my hand up to slap over my mouth and made contact with skin that wasn’t mine. I heard a click, then another groan. I was pretty sure I’d just hit him in the jaw. “Oh, my gods, honey, I’m sorry.” “It’s all right, Mom. Just give me a minute. And for gods’ sakes, don’t move!” he hissed. I stayed perfectly still, lest I do my poor son any more damage. After a few more seconds, I felt him slide down. I heard a few rustles, and then he was standing at the edge of the walkway. “All right, Mom, start watching for cars again. This time, if you see one, you go into the bushes first.” “Gotcha.” I put my other hand down to push myself up, and something squished between my fingers. It was cold and damp. “Eww.” A terrible stench stung my nostrils. Oh, please, don’t let that be dog poop. I shook my hand around, trying to get it off. “Gross!” I wiped my hand on the grass to get it off, then scooted forward and sat up. A branch snagged my ponytail and got tangled. Right then, I heard a click and then a quiet “Yes!” Adras had gotten the door open. “Mom?” “Adras, I’m caught.” “What?” “My hair is caught.” He squatted down and fumbled with my hair for several seconds, then reached around behind him. “Does Bambi have a dog?” I was really hoping he said no. I was fervently praying that I’d stuck my hand in mud. He started fumbling with my hair again.

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“No. I think she has a cat.” “Oh, no!” Cat crap. “What are you doing?” “I’m going to have to cut it.” I groaned. Oh, well, it wasn’t like Cue would leave it that way. Besides, if it got me freed from here so I could go wash my hands, I was all for it. “All right, hurry up.” There were a few more tugs on my hair, and then I was free. I looked back at the bush and noticed a big clump of hair. I jerked it off along with a small piece of bush and shoved it in my pocket. Well, I’d wanted it short. With the lopsided and uneven remains of my ponytail over my shoulders, I followed Adras into the house. As soon as I walked through the door, he slapped a flashlight into my hand. Luckily, it was the clean one. “There’s a red diffuser over the light, so it won’t be as bright, but still try to keep it out of the windows.” He took a deep breath. “Gods, what is that smell?” “Me. I think I stuck my hand in cat poop.” “Ugh!” He turned and headed toward the back of the house, I guess that left the front to me. My first stop was a room with a sink. I opened a door right off the entryway and voila! -- a bathroom. “Well, thank you for small favors.” I hurried inside, set my little red light on the counter, and turned on the faucets. I looked around for soap, but didn’t see any. Ewww! Bambi must be one of those yucky people who don’t wash their hands. I knew she couldn’t be very bright. I groaned and stuck my hands under the water, scrubbing them vigorously. I didn’t want to use a towel and alert Bambi to the fact that someone had been here. So I turned off the taps and side-stepped to the toilet. I pulled off some toilet paper. The water from my hands soaked into it, making a mushy, gooey glob. “Damn!” I tossed the wet lump into the commode. Half a roll later, my hands were dry. I think I got all the gunk off; at least it didn’t smell as badly as before. I flushed the toilet. With the red glow from my light, I could see the water rising, and rising, and rising -“Oh, shit!” I turned around desperately. All I could think was that if I bumbled this, Adras would never forgive me. I couldn’t let it overflow onto the floor. I threw open the linen closet, preparing for the inevitable. Jackpot! There was a plunger on the floor of the closet. I raced to the toilet and plunged like there was no tomorrow. Finally, the water started going down. Whew, disaster averted. I put the plunger back and, with my heart racing, went to look for clues and stolen artwork.

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The living room was clean and spare. There was only a couch, a television, and a coffee table. I shined the light on the walls and chuckled. It really tickled me that an art thief would have no art on her walls. Then again, maybe it was a smart move. She did know how easily they could be stolen. I didn’t see anything that looked suspicious in the living room, and I didn’t think I’d find anything. Like I said, it was a very empty room. I got down on all fours and looked under the couch, just in case. There was nothing but a few dust bunnies. I stood and lifted up the couch cushions for the heck of it. “Mom, we are loo--” “Eek!” I clutched my hand to my chest. “Geez, Adras! You scared the Hades out of me.” “Sorry. As I was saying, we are looking for art. I seriously doubt she’s going to hide it under the couch cushions.” Wonderful. Not only did he look like his father, he talked like him. “Well, duh! I know that. I was looking for evidence of Apollo’s disappearance.” He sighed and put his hand on his hip. “I told you she didn’t take Apollo. She’s too stupid to mastermind a plot to kidnap a god.” “Well, have you found any concrete evidence that she took the paintings?” “Not yet.” “Then she isn’t so stupid, is she? Maybe she had someone kidnap him so she could steal his art. Maybe that’s the reason for his kidnapping.” “Do you really believe that?” No, I really didn’t. Considering that we already knew Melody was Aria and knee-deep in Apollo’s disappearance, it was doubtful. Then again, we hadn’t figured out which goddess was involved and why, so Bambi could be stealing the art for one of the other Olympians. I shrugged. Adras was probably right in his assessment of her as an enterprising woman. By the looks of her living room, she could certainly use the extra dough. “No, you’re right; she doesn’t seem to be master-criminal material.” Adras nodded. I dropped the cushion and headed toward what I supposed was the kitchen. “Where are you going?” “To check out the kitchen.” He growled. “Mom, you don’t hide Greek masterpieces in the kitchen. Come in here. I need you to hold the flashlight for me. I found a locked door.” I followed him to the back of the house, grumbling under my breath.

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“Hope you can open it faster than you did the front door. By the time you get it picked, Bambi is liable to come home.” “I heard that.” He spun around and shined the flashlight in my face. I grinned. He shook his head and chuckled. “Come on.” “Speaking of Bambi, how did you know she wouldn’t be here?” Adras walked up to a door and dropped to his knees. “That was the easy part. I asked her out.” He laid his tools in front of him. “You did what?” My mouth dropped open, and I gawked at the back of his head. “I asked her to meet me at a restaurant for dinner.” He looked back at me and motioned toward the door. “Light, please.” “That is the stupidest -- Adras, don’t you think she’s going to come home when she discovers that you stood her up?” “Mom. Light.” “Don’t get snippy with me, Adras! I’m not the one who arranged for the suspect to meet me when I wasn’t even there.” “I’m there. Light.” I shined the light on the door, and he started tinkering with it. “What do you mean you’re there?” “Well, I’m not there, but she won’t know it’s not me. I asked Dad to meet her.” “What?” “I said ...” Snick. “Ah, got it. I said, I had Dad meet her and pretend to be me.” He packed up his little kit and stuffed it back into his pocket. “Well, your father didn’t say anything to me about it.” He groaned and flashed the light inside the open door. It looked like an office, a tiny office with the only furniture a desk and chair. A computer, monitor, and lamp sat on the small desk. There were no windows in the room and only one other door aside from the one we’d just entered. I stepped in and looked around the walls. Again, no art. “You had already left to meet me when I called Dad.” He started rifling through her desk drawers. I walked over to the other door and opened it. It was a closet. An empty one. “Adras, your father is four whole inches shorter than you, and his hair is longer. Don’t you think Bambi will notice?” “Damn! There’s nothing in here.” I turned around and watched him go through drawer after drawer, looking at papers and then tossing them back in.

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“That is the great thing about Dad. He’s a god. He can easily make himself look exactly like me. Damn! Did you find anything?” “Nope. So what you are saying is that while I’m here with you, your father is out on a date with Bambi the bimbo?” “Essentially. Ok, I’m going to look through her computer files. You go take a look around in the other rooms.” Men! I wasn’t worried about Cue doing anything he wasn’t supposed to do. I trust him completely; he’d never cheat on me. But the fact that he was out wining and dining the bimbo in a nice restaurant while I was here covered in scratches and dirt, not to mention cat crap, did not sit right with me. I sighed and went in search of her bedroom. It was very nice. She had a canopy bed with a white satin coverlet. Her curtains were also white and gauzy. Everything was very neat. There was nothing on her nightstands but a couple of lamps and lace doilies. On the dresser were a jewelry box and a vase of white roses. I rummaged though her jewelry box, but there was nothing too extravagant. At least, nothing she couldn’t have bought on a servant’s salary. Her dresser was full of the usual panties, bras, shorts and tops, and hose. Her closet also held the normal closet things, so I went to her nightstand. Several instant photos lay there. I flipped through them. They all seemed to show paintings. I’d never seen most of them before. At the bottom of the stack were two photos with X’s in black marker across them. I looked closer. They were my paintings, the ones of Cue and me at Mansion in the Valley. What the blazes? The pictures of my paintings were puzzling, but I knew without a doubt they were still on the walls at Adras’s home. Was she trying to shop them around for buyers before she stole them? Why were they crossed out? Did that mean she wasn’t going to steal them or that she already had those in the bag, so to speak? I needed to tell Adras. I took the two crossed-out pictures and tossed the others back down, then continued looking. There was a picture frame turned upside down next to the photos. I turned it over and grinned. It was Adras, and there were lip prints on the glass, like she’d kissed it. What a goober! I looked some more, but there was nothing else of interest, so I went to search some other rooms. Finally I ended up in the kitchen. Again, I started to bypass the cabinets because nothing would fit in there. Then it dawned on me that if she’d taken them out of the frames and off the stretchers, then she could roll them up. So I looked, but there were no paintings, rolled-up or otherwise. The pantry was a bust, too, so I ambled into the dining room, but that

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was another lost cause. The only place I hadn’t searched was the cellar. I didn’t really want to go down there, but Adras was looking on the computer, so I went. I climbed down the stairs, aiming my little red light back and forth while I looked left and right with every step I took. No spiders were going to catch me unawares. After several minutes of descending the stairs that should have only taken ten seconds, I was spider-free and face-to-face with Daphne. I jumped, and I might have squealed, but I wasn’t admitting to it. I realized almost instantly that it was not the real Daphne, but a lifesized painting of her. She had been one of Apollo’s lovers. I shined my light to the left and caught a glimpse of a chariot, complete with Apollo and white horses. To the right was some other likeness of another of Apollo’s lovers. I couldn’t remember her name, but I’d met her once or twice. It had been a long time since I’d seen Apollo’s collection, but I was pretty sure I had just found his missing art.

***** Twenty minutes after Adras had dropped me off at the bottom of Olympus, I was showered, dried off, and dressed all in black again. I’d tossed my clothes into the laundry, then lay down on the couch, waiting for my next snooping job. Stretched out in the depths of the sofa, I listened to a certain pigeon complain and waited for Cue to get back. I wanted to throw something at his bird, but finally decided I didn’t blame her for being upset. I didn’t particularly like Cue being out without me, either. I could have found a sheet to put over her cage, but it would have required too much effort on my part. So I lay there for a long time, staring up at the ceiling. I considered getting Cue’s PDA to pass the time, but again, it would have taken effort. I was too lazy to get up and look for it. I finally closed my eyes. Eventually, I even was able to tune out Vivian and relax. I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I knew, there was a hand stroking my head. “What happened to your hair?” I smiled, remembering how crooked my hair had looked in the mirror before I’d gotten into the shower. I opened my eyes to Cue’s frowning face. “Is this some sort of new style?” I reached up and touched his lips to smooth out his frown. “No, I got caught in a branch, and Adras had to cut it. Feel free to zap it back to normal.” He grinned, kissed my fingers, then ran a hand through my hair. I jerked at the little jolt of power. “How was your evening, my soul?”

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I sat up and wrapped my arms around his shoulders, still smiling. “Other than falling on top of Adras, getting my hair caught, scratching up my back, and smearing cat poop on my hand and clothes ... It was good.” Cue pushed me back and gawked at me. “Cat poop? What?” He grinned and shook his head. “Never mind. Did you and Adras find anything?” “Yup, we found the art. We also found pictures of art we think she was planning to steal. Our paintings were in the pictures, but they were crossed out. I’m not sure what that means, but there was also a picture of Adras on her nightstand. It was weird.” “Umm.” “What do you mean ‘umm’?” He bent forward to kiss my forehead. His hand stroked my hair out of my face and caressed my cheek. “I think she’s in love with him.” “Why do you say that?” “Other than the fact that I was fending her off all night?” My forehead furrowed and my eyes squinted. “What do you mean ‘fend her off’?” Cue chuckled and kissed me on my nose. “That’s not going to work, Cue. What happened?” He chuckled again. “You know me better than that, my soul. Nothing happened. But it certainly wasn’t for her lack of trying. I really do feel she is in love with Adras.” Hmm, interesting. If anyone could recognize love, it would be Cue. “You don’t think she was just using him to get our art?” “Maybe initially, but I believe that she developed feelings for him. Perhaps that is why our paintings were crossed out. She decided that she couldn’t steal from him or his family.” “I guess that makes sense. It doesn’t really matter now, anyway. Adras has all the evidence he needs. We found Apollo’s paintings, after all.” “I’m assuming that you didn’t find anything to connect her to Apollo’s disappearance or our mysterious goddess?” “Nope.” I sighed. “Well, don’t worry, my princess, we will find out what is going on soon enough.”

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Chapter Nineteen At around midnight, Cue, Mede, Fiona, Deacon, and I set off on our mission. Little did I know that longing for excitement would land me two breaking-and-entering jobs in one night. One of these days I am going to learn to be careful what I wish for. We drove to Aria’s house and parked down the street from it. We waited and watched a couple of hours until the street was quiet. Having seen no activity at her residence, we went in for a closer look. I was following Fiona through some bushes and being very careful. I didn’t want to encounter any more poop of any kind that evening. We were at the side of the small building when she glanced over her shoulder with a bright grin on her blacked-out face. “Psst! Deacon! Your mama wears combat boots.” Giggling, I looked down, then back at Fiona. She was right. They’d been the only black shoes I’d found in my closet. Fiona, like me, was decked out all in black, complete with face paint and knit cap, for our spying expedition. We even had our handy-dandy bag of spy equipment, which consisted of gloves, a hammer, a screwdriver, a chisel, a flashlight, a few bobby pins, and bubblegum. I’m not really sure why we needed bubblegum, but Fiona had insisted that all good spies carry it. I figured since Adras was still looking over the files he’d copied from Bambi’s computer and I didn’t have his lock-pick kit this time around, I’d need a few things, just in case. The guys seemed to think we were idiotic, but I noticed all of them had worn dark colors, too. Besides, neither Fiona nor I had a pigeon on our shoulder. She crept further into the bushes by the house, leading the way around back. When we got to the corner of the small bungalow, I heard her whisper something inaudible, then sneeze.

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She stopped and covered her face with her hands. “What’s wrong?” Her eyes were tearing, and she winced before she sneezed again. “I’m allergic to these flowers.” Mede touched my arm, startling me. “What’s going on? Why are we stopping?” Fiona sneezed again. “Fiona is allergic to bougainvillea.” “How can she be allergic to bougainvillea? They’re so pretty.” I shrugged. “Beats me.” Fiona sneezed a third time. “Gezundheit!” Mede and I whispered simultaneously. “What’s the hold-up?” Deacon asked from behind us. Mede sighed. “Quit pushing me, Deacon. Fiona is allergic to bougainvillea.” “Oh.” There was another muffled sneeze. Deacon rolled his eyes; he’d clearly lost his patience. “Well, get her out of the damned flower bed. Start moving.” I’d opened my mouth to get on him for his snippy attitude, when I saw Cue and Vivian strolling by, looking at us like we were a bunch of morons. “Damn.” He’d done it to me again. Here I was -- correction, here we were -- sneaking around like fools, and Cue had made us invisible. I stood up and walked behind him. Everyone else must have gotten the picture as well, because they followed me. I tapped Cue on the shoulder to ask why he’d let me make a fool of myself again. “Ow!” His stupid bird bit me. “Shh!” All four of them yelled at once. Geez! Let them get pecked by the bird and see how they responded. I stuck my smarting finger in my mouth, trying to soothe the ache, and mumbled, “Thanks for telling me we’re invisible.” “You didn’t ask.” I stuck my tongue out at him, and Vivian took exception. Until that moment, I wasn’t aware birds, much less pigeons, could sneer. I think I preferred spying with Adras. We made our way around the back of the cottage without further mishap. Cue stopped suddenly and stood staring at the house. “What?” I whispered

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“I’m thinking,” he answered. I smiled. I had this figured out. After watching Adras fumble with locks, I had come prepared. “Psst. Fiona, come on.” I walked up to the back door with Fiona right on my heels. She pulled the spy backpack off her shoulder and set it down on the back stoop. I got down on my knees, eyelevel with the doorknob, while Fiona rifled through our bag of tricks. “Well, what do you think? Hammer and chisel?” she asked. “Nah, give me the bobby pins.” Fiona handed over the hairpins and bent down next to me to watch. I unbent the pins and slid one into the lock. “Have you ever done this before?” “Sure, lots of times.” Then a little quieter, I admitted, “On my bathroom door.” “Oh, brother, you mean you’ve never picked a real lock?” I continued turning the pins, not exactly sure what I was feeling for. “My bathroom door has a real lock. And I’ve picked it lots of times. It has one of those stupid button locks, and it accidentally gets pressed on occasion,” I grumbled. “Besides, I watched Adras pick locks earlier.” I glanced at Fiona while I worked the bobby pins back and forth. “It’s not like you could do any better.” There were snickers from behind us, but I ignored them and kept working until Deacon sarcastically drawled, “Gee, Mom, if that doesn’t work, I have a credit card you can try.” I turned around to give him a piece of my mind and saw that he and Mede had moved up to stand about two feet away from us. I looked at one, then the other, then all around them. “Where’s your father?” I heard a click from behind me. My head snapped to the front, and the door opened. There stood Cue and Vivian, staring down at me. I had been so busy with the lock, I hadn’t felt his power. Deacon and Mede pushed past me into the house, chuckling all the while. Yup, I definitely liked snooping with Adras better. “Jerks!” Fiona shrugged. I picked up the bag and slung it over my shoulder, then shut the door and reached for the light switch. I hesitated for about thirty seconds, then decided I wasn’t falling for it. Cue was not going to make me look like an idiot again. With all the magic he’d been doing, he had concealed the house somehow; passersby would still see a dark house. I

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mean, who knew when Melly had been here last and what she had told her neighbors about her absence. I flipped the light switch on and started rummaging through the kitchen. I’m not sure what I expected to find in there, but everyone else had gone to other rooms. I started with the pantry. There was a bag of chips, some Twinkies, several candy bars, and a can of peanuts. Melly really needs to do something about her diet. Grabbing a Twinkie, I went to search through her cabinets. Half a Twinkie later, I spotted her phone and a pad of paper beside it. It was blank, so I looked for a pencil. I’d always wanted to scribble back and forth like I’ve seen people do on detective shows. There weren’t any pencils lying around. I held the pad up to the light, anyway, but could only make out some really faint indentions. So I put it in my spy bag to look at later and shoved the rest of the Twinkie into my mouth. “Honey, come and loo-- Psy! What are you doing? Turn that light off,” Cue hissed at me. I choked on my Twinkie and ran to flip the light switch off. He pounded on my back once it was dark. Mede joined us a few seconds later. “What’s going on? Did you tell Psy to come look?” “Look at what?” “Why did you turn on the light?” Cue countered. “Because I thought you put some sort of spell on the house.” “Why would you think that?” I groaned, shook my head, and then stormed past him toward Mede. “What do you want me to see?” In the bedroom, Deacon and Fiona were standing over the bed, shining a flashlight down on a bunch of cloth. I walked over and stood next to them. “What’s this?” “Fabric,” Deacon said. As if I couldn’t see that. I shook my head and picked up a blue material. It was a chiton like the ones we used to wear. And like the ones Cue and I had worn on our visit back in time. I looked back at the bed to the pile of cloth and pulled out another piece of material. It, too, was a chiton. Holding it up, I turned around to meet Cue’s gaze. He nodded. “Look at the seams. Look at the fabric.”

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I examined the tunic and motioned Deacon closer with the light. The seams were machine-made precise, and the fabric was a tighter, more modern weave than we’d used back in that period. “They’re new.” Cue nodded again. The clank of metal hitting metal sounded through the dark room. “Look at this.” Mede held up a pair of handcuffs from the other side of the bed. “Are those gold?” Fiona asked. Mede hefted them. “Deacon, shine the light over there,” Cue said. Mede turned them over in his hands, studying them. “They’re Hep’s.” Cue held out his hand, and Mede tossed them to him. “They are, indeed.” “How do you know?” Deacon asked. Cue handed them to me. “They have his signature on the bottom of each cuff. Only something Hep forges can hold a god. After getting caught a few times in things he’d cast, we all got tired of it. The decision was made that all his stuff has to be created from solid gold and bear his signature so we can tell the difference.” “But solid gold isn’t that strong, Dad” I flipped the cuffs over and saw the “H” on each of them. “It is once it goes through Hep’s forge,” I said as I lobbed the handcuffs back to Mede. He caught them and stuffed them in his back pocket. “They’re magical and will dampen the power of any god who wears them, Deacon. That’s why these are not that easy to come by. I had to beg Hep for three months to make me a pair. It doesn’t make sense that she’d leave the cuffs here.” “What did you need handcuffs for?” I asked before I thought better of it. Mede waggled his eyebrows at me. I held up my hand. “Never mind. Did anyone find anything else interesting?” They all shook their heads. We filed out of the bedroom with Deacon lighting the way. Halfway back to the car, Mede tried again. “Why would she leave the handcuffs?” “Because she has a spare pair?” Fiona ventured. “Or maybe she didn’t need them after all,” Mede said. “Oh, no, not your captive/captor theory again,” Cue grumbled. Mede ignored him. “What if he went willingly? Maybe she captured him but then he fell in love with her and now he’s not really her captive.” Cue snorted.

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Chapter Twenty We dropped Deacon and Fiona off at their hotel -- no way were we exposing them to the Olympians more than necessary -- then headed back to the palace. I sat in the back seat on the way home, pondering what we’d found, while Mede drove and chatted with Cue about our intelligence work in general. I wasn’t at all sure what the clothes meant, if anything. They were modern-made fabrics but in the style I’d worn as a teenager. This could mean everything or nothing. Either my sister was hanging out in a time in history that required those clothes, or she had been hiding out in a time in which that style was appropriate. But if she needed them, why would she leave them? Maybe she was just being nostalgic and wanted to wear clothes from her youth, or she’d left in a hurry. Or maybe -“Cue? You think she’s still using the house? Like, is she still coming back here periodically?” “Don’t know, sweetheart. Maybe, maybe not. It really wasn’t that much of a clue, because we already know she’s been back in time.” He turned his body and looked over at me. I sat forward and rested my head against his chair. He caressed my face and kissed my forehead. “Don’t worry, angel, we’ll figure this out. I’ll ask Hep about the --” “Squawk!” Okay, maybe it was more of an angry cooing sound, but I know a threat when I hear one. Vivian was becoming very possessive. She came around to the shoulder I was leaning against and went for my face. Cue made a grab for her and missed. I jumped back just in time to keep my nose from being bitten. Mede laughed. “I hate to break it to you birdbrain, but he’s mine, not yours,” I hissed. Mede laughed even louder and swerved onto the shoulder of the road. Vivian ruffled her feathers at me and leaned into Cue as if to say, “Wanna bet?”

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Cue grabbed the steering wheel and got us back where we belonged. “Vivian, behave! Get back on the other side and leave Psy alone. Mede, pay attention to the road.” Once Vivian returned to his other side, he cupped my face in his hand, tilting it for his inspection. “Did she get you, my soul?” I shook my head and rested it against the side of his chair again. Stupid bird! Mede’s snickers finally receded, and we got back to Olympus without further ado. He parked the silver Lexus in the garage at the base of Olympus. After we got out, Cue zapped us to the front door. The doorman greeted us with a yawn and halfheartedly announced, “God Eros, Princess Psyche, Prince Ganymede.” Mede clapped him on the back as we walked through the door. “Go to bed, man; you look exhausted. Have someone else take over.” He chuckled as he caught up to Cue and me. “You still have sandwich stuff?” “Yep.” I was still a little disoriented from the zapping. “Can I make myself a sandwich?” “Yep. What, does Zeus not keep sandwich stuff in his kitchen?” “He does, but our cook hates me. She assaults me with a broom every time she catches me there. And the old bag has dog ears; her room is right off the kitchen, and she hears everything.” I cocked an eyebrow and grinned. “And Zeus lets her get away with that?” “Sure. She’s a damned good cook. Besides, he thinks it’s funny.” He looked at his watch. “Guess I could wake him up and have him fix me something to eat. The old witch wouldn’t dare attack him.” I laughed and shook my head, then moaned. “No need. Just come to our suite and fix yourself something. There are no servants to attack you.” I gave Cue a meaningful glance. “Because someone never did hire any.” Cue grunted and Vivian glared at me as I pushed open our door. I flipped the light on while Mede walked past me toward the kitchen and Cue turned in circles. “What are you looking for?” “A place to put Vivian’s cage.” “What cage?” The hair on the back of my neck stood up and an ostentatious gold cage appeared in the corner of the living room. “That cage.” He walked to it, lifted his finger to his shoulder, then opened the door and put her in. She fussed at him for a few seconds. He gave her a stern look, and she hung her head like a scolded child and quieted.

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“This is unbelievable. The bird is a nuisance. I can’t believe she listens to you.” I walked over, looped my arms around his waist, and rested my head on his back. “I love that about you. You’re so loving and caring. We really should have left her in the past.” He shrugged, and his magic pulled at me again. I heard the cage door open as his back flexed against my cheek. I took a peek. He was placing water and food in the cage, and he patted Vivian’s head before he pulled his hand back out. “She’s not a nuisance. She’s actually very sweet.” I snorted. “Yeah, to you! She hates me; she tried to peck my nose off.” He turned with a grin and wrapped his arms around me. “I’ll have a long talk with her about that. It would be a shame to damage such a perfect nose.” I looked up at him. “She’s jealous.” He smirked. “She has every right to be.” Tenderness washed over his face. His head descended slowly, and his eyes closed. I parted my lips as his pressed to them. His tongue swept out and gently caressed my bottom lip; I returned the caress. We tenderly explored each other’s mouths in an expression of our feelings rather than a seduction. It was nice. He snapped his fingers and the lights went out. Scooping me up in his arms, he carried me to our bedroom. In front of the bed, he unbuttoned my top without breaking our kiss. His hands stroked soothingly over my shoulders and back as he slid my blouse off me. I pulled his shirt out of his waistband and over his head. Immediately, his lips returned to mine. I ran my hands across his chest. He was so smooth and firm. When my hand encountered his nipple ring, I twisted it slightly, just enough to stimulate and yet not hurt. He sighed into my mouth and brushed his thumbs in circles on my nipples. We reached for each other’s jeans at the same time. I chuckled into his open mouth and felt him smile against mine. Cue licked my lips, and suddenly our jeans disappeared; his power made me shiver. Without releasing my lips, he walked me back toward the bed. When the backs of my thighs hit the mattress, I sat down and scooted back. Cue followed until we lay in the middle of the bed with him between my outspread thighs. I bent my legs and put my feet on his butt, rubbing his back with my hands. His hips pressed against me, and he groaned into my mouth. I couldn’t get enough of him. Still kissing him, I ran my hands over him everywhere I could reach. He arched into my caresses like a cat begging to be stroked. “My soul, I need to be inside you.” In one smooth, lingering motion, he lifted up and glided into me. We both heaved sighs of fulfillment.

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I wrapped my arms around his back, hugging him tight, and whispered, “I love you.” “I love you, too.” Everything was so relaxed and gentle. If there is a perfect definition of making love, that is it. We took our time, reveling in just being together, being close, caressing, kissing, loving each other. When Cue’s hips finally began to move, it was amazing. The gentle friction was exquisite. He pulled out almost completely; I could feel most of his cockhead leave my body, then gradually push back in. The pleasure was maddening. I closed my eyes so I could concentrate on feeling everything. The bulk of his upper body moved, and my eyes opened; he’d shifted his weight onto his elbows so he could look down at me. The expression on his face was one I’ve seen many times. It radiates love and hunger, but there’s tenderness there, too. I saw something move near the doorway. Mede was leaning against the jamb, watching our every move. Cue looked, too. I gazed up at him as he faced me again. His eyes flared in a silent question. I didn’t mind if Mede watched. The thought of him doing so was exciting. I smiled in answer. Cue dipped his head and caught my bottom lip between his teeth, still gently rocking into me, then nodded his head at Mede, looking at Mede as he made love to me. I shifted to see him, too. Mede’s eyes met mine. His teeth tugged at his bottom lip, and he closed his eyes. My gaze trailed down to find him freeing himself from his pants. One lean hand fisted his cock while the other cupped below. His eyes snapped open, devouring us as he stroked himself. I turned back to Cue, meeting those vivid blue eyes. He squeezed them shut, and I could tell he was about to lose all that precious control. I felt him stiffen in one last attempt to go slow. Running my hand up the side of his face, I watched as he clenched his teeth. My eyes closed, and I clasped my inner muscles around him, ready for him to lose control. I needed it hard and fast now as much as I’d needed it unhurried and gentle moments before. Cue’s forehead dropped down to rest on mine, and he let go. He ground his hips into me, then thrust in and out in a quick tempo. I thought of Mede and wondered what he could see. Was where our bodies joined visible? Did he have a clear view of Cue’s muscled ass clenching with each plunge? Were the wet sounds our bodies made as loud to him as they were to me? I turned my head. The excitement on Mede’s face was a palpable thing. I knew he could see all that and more. I wished I could see us through his eyes. Cue strained above me. The completely primal look of him, with eyes squeezed closed and his face snarled in lust, was enough to push me right over the edge. I gritted my teeth

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together to keep from screaming, but I couldn’t hold in the moans. Cue didn’t even try. He pushed himself up on his hands and slammed into me one last time with a long, ragged grunt. The feel of him spilling himself inside of me made me quiver. I buried my face in his neck and hugged him tight as he collapsed on top of me. Several seconds later, I felt the brush of lips on my cheek and knew it was Mede. I opened my eyes as he pushed the hair off of Cue’s face and kissed him on the forehead. With his green eyes twinkling, he mouthed, Thank you. My lids drifted back down. I barely nodded my head, hoping he’d seen me. The door clicked shut. Cue rolled off me and spooned into me. He snuggled his face into my hair with a chuckle. “What?” I croaked. “That’s the kinkiest thing I’ve done in years.” I smiled. “Honey, that was not all that kinky. You’ve done way kinkier things than that.” I felt him shrug, then smile against my cheek. “I guess it depends on your point of view. I know we’ve had more people watch us, but somehow the fact that it was just Mede made it feel ... well ... kinky.” I chuckled. “If you say so.” He became very still and quiet. His beautiful baby blues stared vacantly at me. I rubbed his arm, moving closer into him. Something had changed his lighthearted mood. “What?” “I was just thinking. Maybe we shouldn’t do that sort of thing anymore. Maybe we’re giving the kids the wrong message.” “What?” “We’ve never really cared much who watched us, other than the kids. In fact, we’ve never paid much attention to where we were. Maybe we should. Maybe we should be more ... conservative.” I sighed and rolled over. Scooting up the bed, I pulled his head into my chest. “Amara made her own choices. We’ve never left any doubts about what we feel is suitable behavior. All nine know better.” He squeezed me tighter. “I guess you’re right, but ...” “Cue, do you think there is anything wrong with how we live our lives?” He looked up at me. His gaze was intense, thoughtful. “No.” I nodded and gave him an encouraging look. “And ...” “And the kids have always been able to pretty much do as they wanted. We’re way more open than most parents.” “And ...”

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He groaned. “And ... why did she do that? I don’t care if she wants to hang out here and engage in orgies and stuff. She isn’t married, so she isn’t hurting anyone. But why drugs? And if she isn’t doing them, then why hang around them? Hades! Doesn’t she realize that ‘immortal’ doesn’t mean ‘indestructible’? Doesn’t she know what kind of chance she’s taking?” “She’s a submissive.” “What’s that have to do with anything? So are you.” “I’m not really what I’d consider --” “Yes, you are. We don’t practice that lifestyle on a daily basis, but you almost always take a submissive role.” Well, put that way, he had a point. He sat up and looked down at me, clearly not done with his rant. His brow creased, and he put his hands on his hips. “For crying out loud, I know several Doms I could’ve introduced her to, responsible ones.” I held back a smile at his indignation. “Yes, dear. I told her the same thing. And you’ll have plenty of time to introduce her to whomever you choose.” “What do you mean?” “I sent her to Heaven.” He groaned and flopped back on the bed. His hands flew up to cover his face, but I could see his grin peeking out from under them. “I see you’re forcing me to deal with this like an adult. Well, I’m not going to do it gracefully. I’m mad, and I want her to know it.” I leaned over him and smiled, then pulled his hands off his face. I bent down and kissed him. “Yes, dear.” His grin widened. He pulled me down to him and yanked the covers up. “Go to sleep, Psy; you’re giving me a headache.” I chuckled at his false outrage. After several minutes of silence, I heard his even breathing and knew he’d fallen asleep.

***** After my morning quickie -- Finally! No more interruptions or meetings or anything! - I got up and dressed, then called Mede. He was in the shower, but Zeus would have him call back.

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Leaving Cue asleep in bed, I put on some coffee and was making pancakes, waiting for Mede’s call, when Fiona came into the kitchen, tossed something on the counter under the phone, and poured herself a cup of coffee. “Hey, Psy. Any ideas about the clothes?” “Nope. Only that she needed them to go back in time. And Cue fell back to sleep, so he hasn’t asked Hep about the cuffs.” I flipped a pancake and looked at Fiona, who was contemplating her coffee with puckered lips. “Psy, this is awful! Good Lord, how can you mess up coffee? Deacon’s right: you are a train wreck in the kitchen.” I pointed my spatula at her and was about to give her an earful when the telephone rang. Saved by the bell. Fiona jumped up and grabbed it, trying to take my mind off her gross insult, no doubt. “Hello? Oh, hi, Mede. Yeah, she’s right here, ruining a perfectly good pancake.” I snatched the phone out of her hand and gave her a hard glare. She beamed at me and took the spatula and my place at the stove. “Hey, Mede.” I glanced down and saw the spy backpack on the counter. Absently, I rummaged through it and found the pad of paper from last night. I’d forgotten all about it. In fact, I’d sent the bag with Fiona. She must have brought it with her. I sifted through the junk drawer and found a pencil. I was barely aware of Mede talking as I scribbled on the paper. Mede was saying, “I still think the whole kidnapper/kidnappee thing is a good bet.” I heard paper rattle, then crunching. I chose to ignore his theory. “Uh-huh.” Letters were taking form from my scribbling. “Yep. A ere old ooh ay ow is I vate arters ill utter ise note I ed.” “What?” “Oh, sorry, I had a candy bar in my mouth. I said, ‘they were told to stay out of his private quarters until otherwise notified.’” “Who?” “Apollo’s servants.” “Ahh.” I finished with my scribbling and held the paper up. “Bottom floor, palace.” “What?” The palace servants had apartments in the basement. “Oh, sorry, Mede. I was reading something.” “What is it?” “A piece of paper I found last night. Have you checked to see if there is a servant’s apartment under the name Aria Rosetti? Shouldn’t there be some written record? She would have to sign something, wouldn’t she? Like a register to keep track of who is in which room? I mean, a memory spell won’t work on paper, right?”

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There was complete silence on the other end of the phone, then, “Son of a bitch!” “I’ll meet you there.” I hung up the phone and ran out of the suite with Fiona on my heels, asking where we were going. I rounded the corner and saw Mede running from the other direction. Like me, he was barefoot and in a pair of jeans. Water was dripping from his hair, and he still had a partially unwrapped candy bar in one hand and his cell phone in the other. I heard him ask which room was Aria’s. He met me in the middle, then turned around and ran back the way he came, saying, “Room thirty-eight. Thank you.” He disconnected. We got to the door at the same time. Fiona came to a halt behind us, breathing heavily. I looked at Mede. He looked at me. I reached out and turned the doorknob very slowly. With the door cracked open, the three of us held our breaths and leaned toward the entrance, listening. Nothing. We crept in. I motioned to Mede to go to the right and check the den area while I checked the bedrooms. He gave me a crisp nod, and we slunk off. I got to the bedroom door, took a deep breath, and quickly pushed it open. I jumped inside and stopped. “Aha!” There was nothing there. Damn! I was so sure that Melly was hiding out in the servants’ quarters. Not only was she not here, but it looked like no one had been in quite sometime. A hand touched my shoulder. I screamed. Fiona screamed back. I hadn’t expected Fiona to come sneaking up behind me. I clutched my chest and tried to calm down. I noticed she was doing the same. Mede burst into the room and immediately crouched into a fighting stance. He did a quick glance around, then relaxed, raising an eyebrow at me. “Fiona and I scared each other. Did you find anything?” “Not a damned thing.” He shook his head and frowned. “I really thought you were on to something. But there are no signs of anyone having been here in quite some time.” “Damn! I could have sworn ‘bottom floor’ was a clue.” Mede’s eyes widened. “This is the basement, not the bottom floor. Apollo’s rooms are on the bottom floor.” He looked like he was about to bolt out the door, so I reached out and grabbed his arm. “I already searched Apollo’s suite. There’s nothing there.” Fiona finally caught her breath. “What are we looking for?” “Apollo. Psy thought maybe they were hiding here.”

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She wrinkled her nose, closed one eye, pursed her lips, and looked at the ceiling. If my heart hadn’t been beating me to death due to my recent scare, I’d have laughed at the comical picture she made. Mede pointed to her with an incredulous look. I shrugged. She opened her eye and put her index finger against her puckered lips. “Hmmm.” “Hmmm, what?” Mede asked. Fiona dropped her hand and looked at me. “Why would she be here? She had all those old-fashioned clothes. I mean, it’s so obvious that this would have been a good hiding place, but she’d have to be careful not to be seen. The other gods would sense Apollo or something, wouldn’t they? She’d have to be somewhere the others gods aren’t.” Mede grinned. “Yeah, if they thought to try, the others would probably sense him, if Apollo wasn’t blocking his presence. Obviously, they’ve already tried or they wouldn’t have us looking for him.” He shrugged, clearly disappointed. “But, you know, you’re right. Sometimes the best place to hide is in plain sight. I think it’s right under our noses. I can feel it; all the clues are pointing to --” He gasped, his mouth hanging open. “Did Cue try and find him in the past? Did he sense him?” “Not that I know of. He would do that automatically, though, wouldn’t he?” Mede shrugged. “Probably, but would he think to scan the palace?” I stared at him for several seconds. We took off running for my rooms at the same time.

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Chapter Twenty-One “Wake up, Cue!” I yelled as I slammed into the bedroom. “Cue, get up!” Mede echoed, right behind me. Cue bolted upright in bed, blinking against the light. “What’s wrong? What in Hades are you two yelling about?” Fiona chose that moment to come dragging in, holding her side. As she leaned against the wall, she gasped for air like a fish out of water. I made a mental note to make her exercise more. Cue squinted toward Fiona. “Is someone going to tell me what is going on?” “Did you scan the palace for Apollo when we went back in time?” “No.” I blurted out, “We know where they are.” Mede ran to the closet and started rummaging through it. “Hurry up, Cue!” He threw a pair of jeans at him. Cue stood up, gloriously naked, and reached for the pants. He suddenly had Mede’s undivided attention. Fiona, I noticed, stopped panting long enough to stare at him, as well. Her eyes widened. Then she closed them and shook her head. “What did I miss? You guys thought you knew where they were before --” “We know for sure where they are now. C’mon, Cue,” I said, exasperated. “All right, all right, I’m coming. This had better be good,” he muttered as he buttoned his pants. I grabbed his arm and took off toward the History Hall at a run. Unfortunately, he didn’t share my enthusiasm, and he’s much stronger than I am. His arm extended to its full

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length; then he tugged it back into his body. I didn’t have the good sense to let go; I hit his chest so hard I bounced off. My hand slipped out of his, and I went sliding across the glossy floor on my butt. He walked over to where I finally skidded to a halt. He opened his mouth to say something, then snapped it shut, shook his head, and held his hand out to me. Mede leaned against the wall, laughing, and Fiona was doubled over in a fit of giggles. I took Cue’s hand and stood gingerly. Hitting the marble floor had really smarted. I winced and rubbed my butt for a few seconds. I rolled my eyes at Mede, who was really overdoing it, in my opinion. “Oh, shut up!” He laughed harder. Cue started to divest me of my jeans -- to have a look at my injured pride, I supposed. Vivian let loose with a series of squawks from her cage. I think she was laughing at me. I shook my head. “We have to go. I really think I know where she is.” “Are you all right?” Cue asked. I nodded, grabbed his hand, and turned toward the door, limping only slightly. “I’m going to go find Melly. If you two are coming, then shut up and come on. It wasn’t that funny.” “About as funny as me tripping over your stupid bunny slippers,” Mede shot back. We finally made it to the History Hall. Cue was still barefoot and without a shirt, but it didn’t matter; we weren’t going far. When we got to the door that led to 100 B.C.E., I faced Mede and Fiona. Deacon would have been a welcome help, but since he wasn’t here, Mede and Fiona would have to handle things. “Mede, you and Fiona stay here in the hall. If she sees us coming, she’s liable to run. You two are to stop her from leaving, at all costs.” “And if she has Apollo?” Fiona asked. “Eyieee.” I hadn’t thought of that. “Hopefully she’s not going to have time to get him out with her. Besides, he’s her prisoner; he isn’t going to help her willingly.” Mede drawled sarcastically, “Oh, yeah? What if my theory is ri--” “Shut up, Mede!” Cue and I said. Mede held up his hands and let them drop to his side. Fiona cocked her head at him. Cue reached for the door. “Everyone ready?” Fiona and Mede both said yes. I asked, “Will you make us invisible?”

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He nodded; we stepped through the door, and it closed behind us. I immediately turned and ran through the gate and toward the front door of the palace. Cue caught up. “Where are we going? You never did say.” I put my finger to my lips and tilted my head toward the palace. I doubted she could hear me, but I wasn’t taking any chances. We crept through the empty palace until we reached Apollo’s door. I glanced at Cue, my hand frozen above the doorknob. “Can you sense him? Is he here?” Cue closed his eyes for a few minutes, then opened them, surprise clear on his face. He gave me a crisp nod. I twisted the knob, cautiously pushing the door open and moving stealthily inside. Cue came in right behind me, silently closing and locking the door. There was no one in the front room, and it was quiet. I looked around for signs of habitation. At first glance, the suite showed no signs of life. However, I wasn’t about to give up. I knew they were here somewhere. I tiptoed toward the kitchen area, looking left and right, trying to find anything that would tell me if someone had been in here recently. Halfway to my destination, I thought I heard something. I stopped and strained my ears. Cue touched my shoulder, and I jumped. My heart went into overtime. Before I could make a sound, he clamped a hand over my mouth.

Do you hear that, my soul? I nodded. It was coming from the opposite direction. We turned around simultaneously.

It’s coming from the bedroom. It sounded like ... Oh, no! She was torturing him ... or ... or ... I rolled my eyes at Cue. He was smirking. Which meant that the moaning I heard was -Unbelievable! I was suddenly very, very irritated. I stomped toward the bedroom door and flung it open so hard, it hit the wall with a resounding bang. Apollo lay naked and moaning on the bed with Melly leaning over his midsection. It was only a quick glimpse, so I couldn’t see much of anything because of her hair, but it was pretty clear what was going on. He was not chained. My anger ignited. “Cue, make me visible,” I snapped, then put my hands on my hips and met Apollo’s startled gaze head-on. “Un-freakin’-believable! Everyone is worried about you! For all we knew, you were dead or being tortured to death. And here you are, getting a blowjob! I have been made to present myself to the damned Olympians -- minus you, of course -- found my daughter in Vee’s playroom surrounded by dopeheads, been dragged back through time, and almost pecked to death by a lovesick pigeon. What in Hades is wrong with you?!”

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“I, uh, I ... Hi, Psy. Hi, Cue.” Apollo stuttered, then gave us a flutter of his fingers and a grin. It was too much. I was about to snap, and I knew it. If I stayed, I’d be tempted to strangle them. There was no doubt in my mind I’d say things I would regret. I turned around and marched right past Cue. I wanted to go home. As far as I was concerned, this was over. Apollo was fine and obviously not in any distress. Far from it, in fact. No way, uh-uh, not happening! I got halfway to the front door and turned around. I wanted some answers. They owed me that much! I stormed back toward the room and ran right into Cue, who was headed toward me. He shut the door behind him, then hugged me close. “They’re going to meet us in the den in a few minutes. Calm down, my soul. We will get explanations. Being mad isn’t going to help matters.” He kissed my forehead, then directed me toward a chair. I took a few deep breaths and tried to calm down. I knew he was right. I sat there quietly while Cue kneaded my shoulders and we waited for Melly and Apollo. It wasn’t long before they came out, both dressed this time. My sister sat down on the sofa across from me, with Apollo by her side, holding her hand. When I saw that, I had a sudden urge to smack Mede, that know-it-all. I started to speak, but Cue squeezed my shoulder. He would do the talking. After what seemed like forever, he spoke. “Melody, why don’t you start? How did you get involved in this?” She cleared her throat and nervously looked around the room. Glancing at Apollo and getting a nod, she began. “I summoned June --” “Did you just say you summoned June?” I interrupted. “Yes.” She fidgeted nervously. I heard Cue whisper, “Shit,” from behind me. I couldn’t agree more. “I’m sorry, Melly. Go on, please.” “I went to June’s temple and summoned her because I believed that Apollo was at fault in having you married off to some horrid beast. I know it’s ridiculous, but he was the one who told Father that we were to leave you on the cliff. I feel like a real fool for believing in monsters, but what else was I to think then? No normal man insists his wife not be allowed to see him ... no offense, Cue.” Cue waved off her apology and went back to massaging my shoulders. I guess he thought if he didn’t more or less hold me in my seat, I’d throttle my sister. To tell the truth, I was really tempted, but the more she said, the more that feeling subsided. It was becoming apparent that she was in quite deep. “Instead of setting me straight, June encouraged my anger about having you taken from us. She vowed to help me get revenge. After giving me ambrosia and teaching me about this

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time period, she set me up in a little bungalow and we planned Apollo’s abduction together. She got chains and a couple of sets of special handcuffs, and then I became involved with him.” Apollo cleared his throat, and I could have sworn he blushed. “Melly caught my attention at a club I go to. I should have recognized her from her resemblance to you, Psy, but I hadn’t seen you for years and I wasn’t expecting to. The more I talked to her, the more I liked her. We dated a while, and then I asked her to be one of my slaves. She agreed. I had no clue what she was up to and fell head over heels for her. When she asked, I let all my other slaves go.” “When the time was right, I kidnapped him, using the cuffs June gave me. I took him to the bungalow she’d bought me. At first, I kept her informed of my plans. Then I learned of your whereabouts and your happiness. I realized she was playing with me ... using me. I knew I had to do something, so I decided to hide until I could figure out what was going on.” She paused for a moment, then continued. “It wasn’t hard convincing Apollo to bring me here. I think he thought he could eventually get loose. I had gone back to tell my husband I was leaving, and I didn’t want Mama and Papa to worry when I disappeared. But before I could tell him, a note arrived from Mama saying you were home. I came to see you. Afterward, I returned to Apollo.” Apollo nodded. “I was already in love with her and knew she was in trouble, even though she wouldn’t tell me what was going on. I sensed her urgency to leave, so I persuaded her to trust me. She freed me and we came here. She finally confided in me yesterday. I told her we’d stay here until we could figure out what June has planned for her and why she wants me out of the picture.” Melody blushed and patted Apollo’s hand. “How did you find us?” “There was a pad of paper in the bungalow. You had written ‘Bottom floor, palace’ on it.” Melly threw her head back and laughed. “Oh, Psyche! That is so funny! That didn’t mean here. I wrote that down after I met Apollo.” She smiled at him. “Do you remember the night after we met? You called and told me to meet you at the palace. I asked where your room was. I wrote it down.” Apollo grinned. “Well, my love, I guess it was a good thing that you did, since it helped them find us.” I rolled my eyes. I was a little disappointed that my grand clue wasn’t really a clue, but, hey, I’d found them ... that’s what counted. Unfortunately, finding them didn’t get Melody out of trouble. Cue walked around the chair and pulled me to my feet with a sigh. He assured them he’d see what we could find out and that their hiding place was safe for now. I hugged my sister and told her we’d be back as soon as we could.

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As we walked to the History Hall, I started laughing and didn’t stop until I had tears in my eyes. Before too long, I was crying for real. I couldn’t help it. The whole situation was all so ridiculously impossible. What a farce!

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Chapter Twenty-Two Even after the day’s events, I admit I was a little bummed. I’d been so sure that the goddess involved was Diana, even though, as Cue pointed out, I had no real evidence to suggest so. We stopped off by our suite so Cue could get a shirt and a certain pigeon, who was not at all happy about having missed all the action. With Vivian in her usual spot, we went in search of June. Apparently she’d been expecting us. She opened the door herself. “Cue, Psy, welcome. Come in.” She gave us both air kisses and stepped back. “Please have a seat. Can I get either of you something to drink?” We declined, then sat on a royal-blue velvet loveseat. June sat across from us on a matching chair with ottoman. “I think you know why we’re here,” Cue said. She smiled brightly. “I guess you found them. Have you told anyone about my involvement?” I shook my head. “Yes, we found them. They’ve told us their side of the story. We were hoping you’d tell us yours.” “It started with Vee. You know how I feel about her.” She snorted, then added, “As if that isn’t enough. But then my slaves started sneaking over to her place to get high. I’ve tried to put a stop to it, but since none of my protected slaves are involved, I don’t have a leg to stand on.” She folded her hands in her lap, and her eyes twinkled. “When I found out Amara was staying with Vee, I saw an opportunity and took it. I knew what Vee and her group were doing, and I knew when you both found Amara, you’d be angry with Vee. At first, I just

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couldn’t figure out how to get you both here. I knew the two of you would decline an invitation. Then Melody summoned me, and my problem was solved.” “I don’t understand. What do Melody and Apollo have to do with Vee?” I asked. “Nothing, really. Melody was just to get you back here so you could see what Amara was up to and blame Vee. I knew Zeus would learn who has Apollo and he’d call you to find him. She is your sister, after all.” My hands tightened into fists so tight that my nails bit into my palms. My jaw tightened and my shoulders tensed. She was really close to finding out that she wasn’t the only one who could be a bitch when riled. I glanced at Cue to see how he was taking the fact that she had used not only Melody, but Amara as well. He was taking it about as well as I was. He was scowling, and the muscle in his jaw was ticking. I wasn’t sure who I was angrier with at that moment, June, Amara, or Vee. By coming here, Amara had ultimately allowed herself to be used. It was one of the many reasons we didn’t want the children on Olympus. Vee knows better than to allow our children to be involved with her lifestyle. And June, well, June was just plain being a manipulative bitch. I still couldn’t see how it should have been any of my concern what my sister had done, but the gods are strange. If they say it’s my responsibility to fix what my family does, well, how can I argue? They do have the means to make Cue’s and my life miserable. In any case, I was still lost. I had no idea what she was getting at. I couldn’t grasp how Amara and Melody were helping her get back at Vee, so I started to open my mouth and let her have it when Cue spoke inside my head.

Not a word, my soul. I will do the talking. You are in too much of a temper to think clearly. I glanced his way, but I knew better than to argue. As much as I hated to admit it, he was right. I would probably only make the situation worse if I let loose, so I let him speak up. “Then you really did know where Apollo was all along?” Cue growled. “No. But it turned out all right. I helped and encouraged Melody to kidnap Apollo. I hadn’t planned on her figuring out that she was only a means to an end. Or that she’d fall for Apollo and he for her. I was simply going to trade her to you when the time was right. But it didn’t matter in the long run. Her kidnapping Apollo gave me all the leverage I need. And besides, I knew you’d find them.” June stood and paced back and forth in front of us. I had the sudden urge to stick my foot out and trip her. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, reining in my temper. I unclenched my fists and relaxed my jaw. I told myself to settle down. Opening my eyes, my gaze landed on Cue. I wasn’t sure if it was the ridiculousness of the situation or the stress of it, but seeing Vivian watch June’s every move, I had to hold back a giggle. Cue saw and glared at me.

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Oblivious to my ever-changing mood and Cue’s annoyance, June continued. “I’m untouchable. You know that. But I don’t think I have to tell you what Melody’s fate will be if her involvement is discovered. Even if Apollo defends her, do you honestly think the others will let her get away with taking a god?” She sat down in the chair and placed her hands on her knees. This was insane. Why couldn’t the gods ever do anything without a bunch of Machiavellian shit? If she’d just picked up a phone and said, “You guys need to come see what Amara is up to,” we wouldn’t have been in this mess. I gritted my teeth and glanced at Cue. I still couldn’t figure out why she even cared what Amara was doing in the first place. “Why did you put a memory spell on Melody?” Cue asked. June chuckled. “That was the tricky part. Timing was everything. I couldn’t have you finding Melody before you saw Amara, now could I?” My fists were trembling. I could almost feel her scrawny neck between my fingers. She’d thought of everything. If I wasn’t so mad at being used, I’d have been impressed. Cue, however, didn’t appear to be the least bit awed. He looked like a thundercloud. I was really surprised that he hadn’t lost it yet. He went to June, bent down in front of her, and glared. “What do you want?” he ground out. “I want to offer you a fair trade.” Aha! Now we were getting somewhere. I wondered what she would consider a fair trade. Cue and I looked at each other. I was surprised, but Cue just scowled harder. He motioned for her to continue. She just sat there smiling. Uh-oh! I repressed the urge to duck and cover my head. If she’d been anyone but a goddess, I’d have decked her myself. “Spit it out, June!” I noticed the veins in his temples were starting to throb. Not a good sign. She had the audacity to sigh, like we were putting her out. “I want the triplets. And thanks to Amara, you have the authority to give them to me. You transfer custody of the triplets and I’ll trade you Melody, as well as keep quiet about Apollo’s kidnapping.” Cue straightened up, so I stood. He grabbed my hand and we prepared to leave. “Very well. They are yours for five years, or until I say otherwise. Just make sure you remember that Apollo’s fine and he’s not being held against his will. As far as anyone is concerned, Apollo is on a vacation with his love slave.” June gave us a huge smile. “Absolutely. I don’t want anyone to know of my role in all this. You know what a bitch everyone already thinks I am. I’m so misunderstood.”

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Cue went for the door, dragging me in his wake, then came to an abrupt halt, causing me to run into his back. He turned around and gave her one of the most sinister smiles I’ve ever seen on anyone. “June, I admire your ingenuity. And I appreciate you bringing Amara to my attention ... but if you ever think to use my family as a pawn in your petty games with my mother again, you will sorely regret it.” I heard her gasp as we walked out the door. I guess she rightly took his threat seriously.

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Epilogue Two weeks later ... I was relaxing in a hot bubble bath with Cue at my back, thinking how lucky I am. Coming home to Heaven always makes me wistful. On the other hand, maybe it’s just being away from Olympus. After we had talked to June, things were pretty intense. Cue was pissed, to say the least, but other than some loud and long counting after we left June’s, he’d managed to keep his temper in check. I, on the other hand, broke a few dishes and some furniture and screamed myself hoarse. When my temper tantrum was done, Cue called an official meeting, and Zeus held a trial to see whether Vee had been negligent in her handling of Amara. Because of our wellknown views, Vee was found guilty. As punishment, Cue was granted custody of Franco, Rocco, and Marco. He immediately transferred custody to June, leaving her and Vee to battle it out while we went to get Apollo and Melly. Melly loved Apollo, and I think she was happy for the first time in her adult life. Amazingly, Apollo loved her, too. He’d released his other love slaves permanently and was talking marriage. They were living together in the house June had bought Melody. Once we saw them settled in the little cottage, we made a beeline for the airport, much to Fiona’s disappointment. Adras caught Bambi and turned her and the missing art over to Zeus. It turns out that Bambi was tired of being a servant. She had hoped to sell the art and gain her freedom. She’d initially become involved with Adras in the hopes of getting her hands on our art. The plan had been very well thought out until she’d fallen for him. I’m not sure how she thought she would get away with it. I’ve reassessed my opinion on her intelligence; she is an airhead, after all.

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Adras was a little bummed that the mystery of the stolen art turned out to be so simple, but he enjoyed being a detective. He’s decided he wants a little more challenge and that Greece isn’t exactly a hot spot for mystery, so he’s planning to move to the US and set up a PI business here in Louisiana. The best things about that are that he swears he’ll hire me if he does and that my son will be back home. Mede was impossible to be around. He crowed to anyone who’d listen that his theory had turned out to be true. In fact, he’d called Cue and me yesterday just to say, “I told you so.” June’s involvement remained quiet, although all of us involved realize that Zeus must have known all along. Vee is doing everything she can think of to get Cue to release the triplets. She has tried to make restitution for her careless disregard for Amara’s safety, but so far, Cue has refused everything she’s sent. Her latest bribe attempt was a new sports car, one of the expensive Italian ones. He bashed the heck out of it with a baseball bat and returned it with a nasty note. I figure she’ll be calling any day now. I’m dreading it, but not so much that I can’t enjoy her discomfort and my bath. Being back and knowing that things are as they should be is a load off my mind. All in all, it wasn’t a completely bad trip. Fiona gained immortality, which she elected to keep. Two of my kids are home, another is thinking seriously about moving back, and I have my sister again. Cue’s hands alternated between rubbing my arms, shoulders, and chest. His face nestled into my neck. It was very relaxing. “Cue?” “Huh?” He paused from his nuzzling. “I love you.” “I love you, too.” “Oorhh!” Vivian came waddling furiously around the side of the tub. Her mouth opened and angled for a good chunk of me. When she got within arm’s reach of me, I pulled back into the tub and leaned toward the opposite side. “If your bird bites me, I’m going to see if I can knock her all the way to the toilet from here.” The commode is a good eight feet away. I was betting I could come within a foot or so. “Vivian! Do not bite! Get yourself back to the other end of the tub and don’t move until we are ready to get out,” Cue scolded. Vivian did as she was told. With her head hanging down the way it was, her waddle was a little more pronounced. I almost felt sorry for her. Almost! Since we’ve returned to Heaven, she’s taken every opportunity to bite me. Damned pigeon! She seems to think that Cue is her exclusive property, and she goes everywhere with him: to work, to do chores outside, etc. Well, almost everywhere. After she pecked me on my bare butt while Cue and I

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were making love one night, I banished her from our bedroom. She now has to sleep in her cage in the den. She opened her beak and Cue pointed at her. “Behave.” She flapped her wings twice and resigned herself to watching us. I relaxed again in his arms, and my mind began to wander. “Cue, I want you to do me a favor.” “What?” “I want you to talk to Amara.” He bit my shoulder, then laved it with his tongue. I shivered, but I wasn’t going to be distracted. On top of everything else, the fact that she allowed herself to be used against us is not sitting well with him. For the first week back, he ignored her. He even went so far as to refuse to eat at the table with her. But the past couple of days, he’s talked to her indirectly. I am getting really tired of “Psy, will you tell Amara to pass the salt?” and “Psy, will you tell Amara to turn the TV down?” It gets old very quickly. “I mean it. She moved back here to regain your trust. I’m glad you will now eat at the same table and not leave a room when she walks in, but you’ve got to mend this rift.” He let out a deep, heavy sigh. “Okay, I’ll try. I’m still mad, though.” Well, that was at least something. More than I’d been getting from him. I smiled and reached up to pull his head forward and kiss his cheek. “Since you are going to do this for me, I’ll return the favor. I’m going to help you get Fiona and Deacon together.” I felt him smile against my neck; then he shook his head. “I don’t need your help. Since Deacon decided to move back and work for us, it shouldn’t take much effort getting them together. Anyone can see they’re meant for each other. Besides, you are terrible at matchmaking. Stay out of it. You’re liable to mess up everything I’ve accomplished with them. More than likely, you’ll have them throwing rocks at each other.” I snorted. I’m not as bad as all that. A serene, happy feeling washed over me. Everything was right in my world again. I’d had a little -- ok, a big -- adventure, and my boredom is gone. I have a wonderful home, the best husband in the world, and with any luck, I’ll be getting a daughter-in-law soon. I was so mellowed out that I was almost asleep when his hand dipped below the water and his fingers trailed down. Then he whispered in my ear. I stiffened. I knew I couldn’t have heard him right, but my voice came out louder than I meant it to anyway. “You want another what?”

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Jeigh Lynn Jeigh Lynn lives with, her real life hero, her husband and their two rowdy sons. She is an ex-dance instructor and dancer of over twenty-five years. She lays claim to several National and Regional Dance Competition trophies, including Showstoppers, Stars of Tomorrow and Star Power. She was also featured twice on a variety show for the BBC. Currently, Jeigh is a stay at home mom and a writer, not to mention an avid reader of Romance and Mystery. When she's not fetching Kool-Aid and swapping out video games, she can usually be found enjoying the decadence of chocolate, in between her workouts and writing. Her hobbies include, gardening, practicing her marksmanship, art, typing email to her critique partners and, of course, reading. Visit Jeigh on the Web at www.jeighlynn.com.

***** Read on for a tantalizing glimpse of

Dream Warriors 1: Gareth by Cyndi Friberg Available Now from Loose Id

Dream Warriors 1: Gareth Elysian Fields Gareth pulled the supple body of the young woman into the bend of his own. Mortals responded to death in different ways. Some wept. Some screamed, bemoaning the injustice of all they had failed to accomplish; and some -- like this woman -- wanted one last taste of what they were leaving behind. He pushed her hair aside, fastening his mouth onto her neck, sucking firmly, while he caressed her soft skin. They lay on their sides in the fragrant grass, sunlight warming their naked bodies. Spooning, he'd heard this called. Such a silly name for something so erotic. And eroticism was Gareth's life, his sustenance, his purpose for existence. She squirmed restlessly, her nicely rounded bottom teasing his aching erection. He cupped her breast, enjoying the contour and firm resilience. Her nipple peaked as he rolled it between his thumb and forefinger. She arched into his caress, increasing the pressure against his palm and grinding her buttocks against him. “Please, you're driving me crazy.” She panted out the words and Gareth smiled. Mission accomplished. Slipping his fingers beneath her knee, he raised her leg, pushing it up and toward her chest. His shaft had no trouble finding her entrance. Her hot, liquid response eased the way. He loved sinking into a woman slowly, allowing her to feel his thickness and length as he stretched the walls of her sheath. The woman in front of him trembled, moaning loudly once he impaled her completely. He hooked her ankle over his thigh, keeping her open as he stroked the silken plane of her belly. Her feminine curls were damp, praise to his skill and caring. He explored her tender folds, amazed at how tightly she stretched to take him. “I want to feel your pleasure. Don't move. Just let me touch you.” He whispered the words into her ear and searched until his fingers found her swollen nub. Oh, yes. How he loved this incredible little gift from Aphrodite. His job would be so much more difficult without it. He circled her gently, knowing she didn't need much stimulation to lose control. He rocked forward while increasing the pressure of his fingers. Her core rippled, squeezing him tightly and she shook in his arms. “Very nice. Can you do it again?” “I could do this forever.” She laughed. “You're amazing.” He was still hard and throbbing within her, so he didn't remind her that this was a one-time only offer. As soon as Rhadamanthys officially admitted her to the Elysian Fields, her libido would dissipate. She'd be at peace, content, happy, but never…horny. Poor thing. “Gareth.”

Cyndi Friberg

Someone spoke his name from behind him, but he ignored it. He started moving in the woman, reveling in the sweet friction of her clinging sheath. “Gareth. You have to come now.” “I'm working on it,” he snapped, thrusting faster. “We have an emergency. Morpheus sent me to find you.” “I'm a little busy right now!” “Just hurry up. The team is assembling.”

***** What people are saying about

Dream Warriors 1: Gareth This is a sexy fast read that will leave you hoping that Ms. Friberg will create more mischief in the realm of dreams for us to enjoy! -- Patrice, The Romance Studio Fast paced, with a well-matched hero and heroine and a variety of interesting secondary characters both human and inhuman, Gareth will appeal to fans of paranormal and fantasy romance alike. -- Sondrea Cash, Romance Reviews Today I found Dream Warriors: Gareth to be a thoroughly engaging read, and one that I would recommend to paranormal romance lovers everywhere ... Ms. Friberg has written a divinely erotic read that leaves this reviewer with dreams of a wonderful series to come. -- Lady Novelistic, Romance Junkies