| |
There was a loud pounding on Jazz’s apartment door, waking her from a deep sleep. As she drifted closer to consciousness, she wondered why her threesome with Eric Dane and Liam Martins was being interrupted by a banging that rivalled the insistent pulse in her skull. She rolled over to cuddle her man, sighing when his body wasn’t next to her. He’d said he would be playing touch rugby with a bunch of friends this morning.
Another round of knocking had her swearing.
“For heaven’s sake,” she muttered, getting out of bed and pulling her robe on. She rubbed her forehead and slowly made her way to the front door. “I’m coming! Hold your horses, jeez.” Jazz threw the door open without looking through the peephole, ready to mouth off whoever it was, when her jaw went slack. The most gorgeous man she’d ever seen stood in front of her. She sent a mental apology to Eric Dane and Liam Martins.
The man had an energy about him, like a vortex that was drawing her in while simultaneously warning her to steer clear. His blood-red hair—must be dyed, she decided—hung past his shoulders, and his eyes reminded her of glowing coals. He was so much taller that she feared her neck would develop a spasm. Wearing a loose-fitting, white sleeveless shirt, leather pants and biker boots, he exuded a bad boy aura, one that no heterosexual woman could ever resist.
“Is Leila here?”
As if his mere presence wasn’t enough to have a swarm of women swooning at the sight of him, his voice was a gentle, calming baritone that did nothing to hide an edge of danger. She imagined that he would burst into flames if he ever got angry.
Hot!
“Hello?”
Jazz realised she was staring and cleared her throat. “Who’s asking?”
“The guy who wants to have sex with her,” he answered coolly.
“Right, let me go get her for you,” she said, holding up a finger while closing the door. Jazz marched over to the spare bedroom and entered without knocking.
Leila was fast asleep on her stomach, her body sprawled diagonally across the bed. There was a business card with Gorgeous Blond’s telephone number on the pillow next to Leila’s face, which Jazz quickly disposed of. She peered at her best friend for a moment, fully aware that she was about to ruin the woman’s peace, and jumped on the bed.
“Wake up, skank! Rise and shine!”
Leila grumbled, squinting. “What? Why?”
“You have a visitor!” Jazz kept jumping, although she was careful to avoid Leila’s limbs, which wasn’t easy to do considering how tall the ex-model was. “One you never told me about!”
“You’re insane.” Leila rolled onto her side, giving Jazz her back. Her head was in agony, and she regretted drinking so much the night before. She couldn’t remember what had happened with Gorgeous Blond, although the tenderness in her thighs and groin area spoke volumes. And that’s what she’d wanted, right? “Jazz! Leave me alone.”
“Don’t you dare go back to sleep!” Jazz changed tactics, pushing her best friend out of bed. “Time to get up! Can’t keep a man like that waiting!”
Leila didn’t take Jazz’s threat seriously, which is why she ended up, face-first, on the floor. Her head felt like it exploded, and she groaned in pain. “Was that really necessary?” she gasped, clutching her head while she tried to get up without moving too much.
“Yes, your gigolo is waiting outside.”
“You’re getting me up at—” Leila checked her Guess wristwatch. “—ten past ten on a Saturday because a non-existent man is waiting outside your front door? I thought you said you and Liam weren’t smoking weed anymore.”
Jazz pushed Leila’s skimpy dress into her friend’s face. “Put this on. Trust me.”
Leila complained all the way. From being forced to wear the dress she’d donned the night before, to having her teeth brushed by her best friend, to being ushered into her heels and to the front door. When she opened it to see who this visitor was, her brain stopped functioning.
“Good of you to grace me with your presence,” the most handsome man in the Universe said sarcastically. “What took you so long?”
“Do I know you?” she asked dumbly, wondering if she was really awake. This had to be a dream.
“Not yet, but you will. I’ve come to mate with you.”
Her mouth popped open, different to how Jazz’s had mere minutes before. She couldn’t believe her ears. Wasn’t it the twenty-first century? Why in the world would he say something like that? Being the most handsome man in the Universe didn’t excuse him from being a complete asshole.
It's too early for this shit, and I’m too hung over.
Gritting teeth, she snapped: “Dude, whatever you’re selling, I ain’t buying. Cheers.” She slammed the door shut, much to her best friend’s dismay.
* * * * *
Tartarus gazed at the closed door in satisfaction. It had gone exactly like he’d planned. When Uranus had made this stupid wager, Heaven hadn’t realised how desperately Hell wanted to avoid the entire thing. Tartarus was not in the mood for another round of the Birth of a New Age game: the quicker it was over, the better.
Unlike his brothers, he’d researched this era before they were due to appear on Earth. The mere thought of wooing a woman to have his child in a world where women didn’t have to have children was enough for him to bow out early. Besides, Earth didn’t deserve two thousand years of Hell. It has barely survived Darkness.
Even if the woman had housed Nyx, Hemera or Gaia’s souls, he still would’ve felt this way. The other Gods and Goddesses didn’t appreciate what a huge task it was to debrief newly departed souls returning to the Realm, which was why they didn’t take his gripes seriously. After this, he doubted they will make that mistake again.
With one final look at the apartment door, he turned around and walked down the hallway, fiddling around on his iPhone. He absentmindedly waved his hand in front of him as he was about to walk headfirst into the elevator door, and the air around him changed into an energy vortex directly linked to the ground floor, five stories down from where he had told Leila Martins he’d come to mate with her.
He smiled despite himself.
The look on her face had been priceless. Initially, she’d found him attractive—there wasn’t a mortal in the Universe who wouldn’t find the Divine glorious—but even that hadn’t exempted him from her disgust moments later.
Curiously, Ananke’s vessel was more similar to her true Goddess form than ever; only her hair was a different shade. It made him wonder if Ananke was right. Perhaps, at some point, there would be no need for a physical incarnation to assist the Births at all.
He pushed the main door open and headed to the three Gods waiting outside. They looked up in surprise when they saw it was him.
“Your skills must be at an all-time low if you’ve already returned,” Erebus remarked smugly.
Tartarus chuckled. “It went according to plan, actually. I’ll start searching for the ideal lover, which I’m sure you’ll explain to Chronos.” He gave Uranus a knowing look.
The God of Heaven narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “As agreed, brother.”
“How could she resist you?” Aether asked, shocked.
“Simple.” Tartarus shrugged. “I told her I’ve come to mate with her, and she slammed the door in my face. End of story. I dealt with the issues of the heart, and now I will deal with the issues of art.” He gestured to himself with a smile. “While the clock’s ticking on Earth’s fate, I’ll use this rock star persona to snare the ideal lover.”
“You deliberately misled us!” Erebus hissed.
“But brother,” Tartarus intoned innocently, “you never set explicit limits to our wager.”
Erebus shut his mouth, and Uranus chuckled. “Ah, Hell, we should’ve known better than to gamble with a master.”
“You said it.” Tartarus found the number of his band’s drummer and dialled, holding the phone next to his ear. “If you will excuse me, I have fame and fortune to manifest.”
Uranus ran his hands through his short hair. “I was hoping he’d win. I’d like to return to Gaia as quickly as possible.”
“Why would a bachelor ever want to win a wife?” Aether queried. “No wonder it’s so easy for him to maintain composure during the Births.”
“There was one exception,” Uranus reminded them.
“The mystery of Atlantis has niggled at me for aeons,” Aether muttered.
“Perhaps one day, we’ll know the truth of it.” Erebus lifted a shoulder. “For now, it’s up to the three of us. How shall we proceed?”
Aether perked up. “Leila will go to her apartment. There is a park she likes to explore whenever she’s in the area. I’ll intercept her with this.” He gestured to the ground and a fully-grown American White Shepherd appeared, complete with a leather leash. “Her favourite uncle, who passed away a few years ago, used to have one of these, which she adored. Excellent grounds on which to start a conversation.”
“And it will keep the notoriously hyperactive God of Light busy, as a happy coincidence,” Erebus added.
Aether tensed. “I’m not hyperactive. It’s simply hard for me to focus my attention for very long.”
“Sadly, all of life cannot reside on Hemera’s chest, yes,” Uranus joked.
Aether took deep breaths to calm himself, which reflected in the cool breeze that appeared from nowhere. The other two chuckled knowingly and it took a while before Aether could calm his temper.
“I’ll wait in the park, maybe throw a couple of balls for—” He glanced at the dog. “—Pepper to catch.”
“Pepper?”
“It’s called contrast, Erebus. Wizen up.” Aether grinned when Erebus’ gaze turned violent. “In any case, she will walk by and see the dog, we will have a charming chat, and I’ll ask her to dinner. How hard can it be, right?”
“Right,” Uranus chuckled. “In the meantime, Erebus and I will think of ways to catch her attention, should your plan fail. May the best God win.”
* * * * *
Leila turned from the front door and glared at Jazz, who was gaping at her. “Is that your idea of a joke?”
“I was about to ask you the same thing!” Jazz lamented. “Did you not see how gorgeous that man is?”
“Then you mate with him!” Leila grumbled. “You’ve topped yourself, Jazz. Where did you find him? Craig’s List? His hair and eyes are clearly fake. He probably spends more money on dye and contacts than drugs, and that’s saying something.”
“I did not know that guy,” Jazz argued. “I wish I did. He was so... magnetic! Didn’t you feel anything at all?”
Leila nibbled on her lower lip. “He had this strange energy about him, like he was trying to reel me in.”
“Right?!”
“But that doesn’t change the fact that he’s clearly deranged!” She walked back to the spare bedroom. “I’m up, so I might as well head to my apartment.”
“Maybe you’ll walk into him again.”
“Who, Jake?”
“Wrong!” Jazz rolled her eyes. “Jake is so yesterday. I’m talking about that devil-may-care dude you just denied entry to your sacred garden.”
“Sacred garden? Sheesh. I go for regular Brazilians.”
“So, it’s more like a mirage,” Jazz said, falling on the bed while she watched Leila look for more comfortable clothes to wear. “Hit it off with Gorgeous Blond last night, did you?”
“I can’t remember. I was too drunk. And the jerk didn’t even leave his number.”
“He did,” Jazz admitted. “I threw it away.”
“Jazz!”
“You need to get over Jake before you latch onto another guy.” Jazz was being completely rational and, unfortunately for the heartbroken Leila, wise. “Don’t fall into your previous pattern of having one guy after the other.”
“Ugh, you’re right.” Leila sighed deeply. “I should probably get going.”
“Do you want to grab dinner tonight?”
Leila smiled. “Sweet, but no. I’ve wasted enough of your time for one weekend.”
“You’re going to be fine, Lala. You are, after all, the same woman who was FHM’s Sexiest Woman Alive and the third smartest nerd in your graduate group within the same year.”
“Stop calling me Lala,” Leila said for the millionth time.
“If I ever do, you’ll know you pissed me off.”
“True.” Leila got up, found her sleepover bag and dressed in baggy jeans and a loose-fitting top. She opened the blinds and glanced outside. “It’s going to be a good day.”
“I was starting to wonder if that man’s gorgeousness had any effect on you whatsoever.”
“He must be the devil,” Leila muttered. “There is no way he is the type of guy you take home to meet your momma.”
“Right?”
Leila leaned forward to kiss Jazz on the cheek. “Thanks for taking me out last night, it was exactly what I needed. And burn Gorgeous Blond’s business card before I start going through your trash like a desperate lunatic.”
“Will do. Look after yourself!”
“Bye!” Leila called over her shoulder, lugging her bags along. She closed the door behind her and stood still for a moment, remembering why she was here in the first place.
Jake cheated on me with a girl who doesn’t know what tweezers are, she thought, tears filling her eyes. Looks aren’t everything.
It was a sunny day outside, which was beautiful for those who didn’t have hangovers. She should’ve taken a fistful of painkillers before she left Jazz’s apartment. Instead, she put her Prada—one of many relics from her previous life—sunglasses on to shield her eyes from the sun’s rays in style.
Walking always did her good, revitalising her body and resetting her mind. She decided against public transport, opting to cut through her favourite park on the way home.
Her thoughts drifted to the man who’d shown up at Jazz’s apartment. Had it been a dare? Why did he ask for her, specifically, and how had he known she would be there? Perhaps he’d seen her the night before and followed her home? But surely it couldn’t have been premeditated!
Perverts will be perverts, she decided.
Her favourite park loomed in front of her. It was the length of seven blocks and the width of two, giving her a scenic route to her apartment building. She inhaled the intoxicating scent of wet ground, freshly cut grass and damp tree barks.
She adored this place. It was like her own private forest, right in the middle of the city. Glancing at the manmade feature to her left, she smiled broadly once she felt the familiar spray from the waterfall. She didn’t realise how fast she’d been moving and appreciated the cooling effect on her skin. Many people brought their dogs for a walk here. Leila would love to have a puppy, especially now that she and Jake were over. He’d been allergic.
“Stop thinking about him,” she cursed herself. Being wound this tight never did anyone any good. Maybe Jazz was right: getting used to being single should be her main focus.
She was so lost in her own thoughts that, when a dog barked right next to her, she jumped with a soft squeal, placing a hand over her heat. Her gaze dropped to the creature next to her and she gasped.
The American White Shepherd stood with a wagging tail while he looked up at her, yelping happily.
Her heart melted. The bags slid from her shoulders as she went on her knees to pet him. “You didn’t mean to frighten me, did you, boy?” She scratched him behind his ears and smiled when he reacted the same way Captain had done all those years ago. “You’re the cutest thing! Where’s your owner?” She glanced around. “Are you lost?”
A man with short, grey hair was jogging over. He had khaki shorts on and wore flipflops, but hadn’t bothered with his shirt, which was tucked into the side of his pants. A leather leash was dangling from his neck. He reminded her of Brad Pitt, having the same angular face and light blue eyes. Sweat glistened on his tanned body, which couldn’t contain more than an ounce of fat overall. When he came to a halt in front of her, she noted that his hair wasn’t grey but silver.
Amber eyes, silver hair, she thought, awestruck. Maybe I’m dreaming. I’ll wake up next to Gorgeous Blond and wish that I could die instead.
“You found Pepper,” the man remarked. Something about him gave her hyperactive Labrador vibes. His ice-blue gaze connected with hers, and her lungs sucked in air with an audible gasp. “He just ran off. I thought he was going to attack someone.”
Breathe, fool!
Her body reluctantly took her advice and she clambered to her feet. “I thought he was, too, to be honest.”
“I’m sorry if he frightened you,” the man said, frowning slightly while he stared at the dog.
She wondered why it appeared as if he’d heard the worst news in the world. She shook herself and tucked her hair behind her ears. “He’s very well groomed. I adore this breed.”
The man’s mood switched back to being delighted. He petted the dog’s head. “I try my best to keep him active and clean at the same time. It doesn’t always work out that well.”
“Yeah, I know what that’s like. My uncle used to have one just like him.” She remembered something. “Wait, did you call him Pepper? That’s such a cool name!”
“I liked the contrast.”
She stroked Pepper’s flanks, glancing at his owner. “I’ve never seen the two of you around here before.”
“Do you take a mental inventory of everyone you meet?” the man countered, his eyes sparkling with humour.
She blushed and cast her eyes downwards, which only served to give her an eyeful of his lean lower stomach and a faint trickle of hair disappearing into his pants. Blushing crimson by now, she figured it would be safer—and more appropriate—to look him in the eyes. “No,” she answered finally. There was a current between their bodies, one she hasn’t felt often. “I live close-by, so I know the regulars.”
He inclined his head. “We moved in yesterday. I’m still exploring my surroundings.”
“We?” Her heart sank. Of course a man like him was married!
He eyed her curiously. “Me and Pepper.”
She shouldn’t feel relieved, but she did. “Right. Well, welcome to the neighbourhood!”
His smile was brilliant, reminding her of a beautiful day at the beach. “Thanks. I’m Arthur.”
“Leila,” she said, holding her hand out. He shook it, sending shivers of a cool breeze down her spine. She wished he’d put his shirt back on so he wouldn’t keep distracting her. “Did you move here for work?”
Arthur nodded. “I’m a business analyst working on a project with a major conglomerate in the area.” He paused, glancing away. “Can I walk you home?”
Her heart was screaming yes! At the same time, they’ve only just met. “I was actually on my way to the shops and—”
He held his hands up. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”
“You didn’t,” Leila assured him quickly. “It’s just, in this day and age a woman has to look out for herself.”
“So, you don’t really need to go to the shops.” Aether loved the sight of her blush returning. He wanted to lift his cool hands to her flaming cheeks and couldn’t fathom why. This was only a ritual, and yet the Gods always got sucked in eventually. “I’m only joking, Leila. But I would like to take you out to dinner.”
She blinked. “I’d like that. My choice?”
He nodded in agreement.
“Well, there’s a bistro not too far from here,” she said, turning to her right and pointing through the trees that framed the edge of the park. Splashes of red were on the other side. “They make the greatest food, and their prices are reasonable.”
“Sounds great,” he smiled. “Shall we meet there at seven tonight?”
“Sure.” When he held out his hand like a gentleman, she allowed him to kiss her pale skin while fighting a delighted giggle. This wasn’t the first time a guy has turned up the charm, so why was she behaving like an innocent schoolgirl?
“I’ll see you then,” he said, letting her hand go a bit reluctantly. She smelled divine, which should come as no surprise. He was going to have to make it up to Hemera when he eventually returned to the Realm. Something told him that Leila would keep him here for a while yet. He helped Leila with her bags and put Pepper on the leash again.
As she walked off, he watched her with curiosity. What was it about Ananke in this incarnation that made his heart gallop in his chest? He’d assisted her with a Birth only once before, but she’d never had this effect on him. He wondered if any of the other Gods noticed how closely the human Leila resembled Ananke’s Goddess form. Did this mean that he’d been secretly pining for Ananke all these aeons?
He shook his head to clear his thoughts and led Pepper in the opposite direction. He lived in one of the newly erected apartment buildings across the road from the park, which was ideal, seeing as he’d taken on the responsibility of a dog on impulse, much like everything else. The other Gods always teased him for being hyperactive, but it was more like his head was always in the clouds, and he didn’t like being interrupted. The fidgeting only started when he had to focus on something.
He noted that other women were staring at his physique and put on his T-shirt to cover his chest. He didn’t want to attract unwanted attention. It was already challenging enough staying focused on the matters at hand.
Entering the trendy apartment building, he took the stairs to the top floor to burn off excess energy. He was breathing a bit heavier by the time he entered his penthouse apartment, but the twenty flights of stairs weren’t enough to tire him. He had the physical stamina and prowess of a God.
“Are you still here?” he called.
“On the patio!” Uranus answered.
He walked through the modern living room to the sliding doors. Erebus was poking meat on the grill, and Uranus stood with a beer in hand. “I see you’re appreciating the advantages of this life,” Aether said lightly, taking his shirt off again and grabbing a bottle from the cooler.
“Humans haven’t done too badly,” Erebus agreed. “If you forget about the unimaginable level of control their governments have over them, that is.”
“I miss the open, unpolluted air of the time before this,” Uranus muttered.
“You can’t get everything you want from a place that isn’t Heaven,” Aether teased. “I assume you saw us?”
“Yes, and as much as it pains me to say this, I think Tartarus was right.”
“Well, if it pains you to say it, I simply must hear it,” the God in question announced, appearing in the doorway.
“Do you have to be so stealthy?” Erebus asked, trying to hide the fact that he nearly had the Divine equivalent of a human heart attack.
Tartarus shrugged, sitting down on one of the lounge chairs and looking at his brothers. “So, what was I right about? If anyone ever bothered to notice, I am hardly ever wrong.”
“Or humble,” Erebus muttered.
“I suspect that Aether will have this one,” Uranus said before that devolved into an argument.
Aether narrowed his eyes. “Shouldn’t you be heading back to the Realm?”
“Haven’t found my human yet.” Tartarus stretched his torso lazily. “Besides, this Age is much different to the ones before. You’ll need a best man at your wedding, for starters. I’ll have ten years to spend with my lover, which means I’ll help make your story more believable. The ‘no family’ excuse won’t work this time. It’s not so easy to fool women in an Age when they have the history of the world at their fingertips.”
“He has a point,” Uranus admitted reluctantly.
“How do you know they’re not easy to fool?” Erebus asked. “Have you been rejected yet again?”
Tartarus merely smiled, whipped out his iPhone and started tapping and swiping the screen.
“As humans say, you can be a real dick sometimes,” Aether growled.
“That’s why I’ll be your best man, although you should refrain from introducing me any time soon. Leila is bound to hate me after what I said.”
“I would,” Erebus mumbled, turning the steaks.
“Well, you’re this close to being female,” Tartarus joked, holding his thumb and forefinger slightly apart.
Uranus laughed while Erebus glared. “You must be mistaking me for Eros,” the God of Darkness said.
“Eros doesn’t get offended.”
Aether joined in on Uranus’ laughter while Tartarus and Erebus glared at each other. Darkness was the first to look away.
“I think Leila is already falling for me,” Aether announced. “She could barely keep her delight at bay.”
“Neither could you,” Uranus commented. “You were practically floating on air.”
“You’re all going soft!” Tartarus exclaimed, watching them in disbelief.
“She disarmed me, alright? I couldn’t help but feel uplifted by her presence,” Aether defended himself.
Tartarus nodded grimly. “I’ll pass that message along to Hemera when I see her next. At this rate, I’ll be back in the Realm well before you, Arthur Phillips.”
“I’m not even going to ask how you learned my human name.”
Tartarus got up with a smile. “The same way I know that Erebus will be going by Eric Sandler and that I should greet Uranus as Dr Uri Quinn. I know everything.”
The other three peered at Hell with thinly veiled curiosity, each wondering how the God gleaned his information.
“Well, this has been fun, but I better get going.” He pretended to touch the tip of a cowboy hat and nodded. “Gentlemen,” he said, disappearing into a vortex.