Part 79 (1/2)
”I could call down the lightning for you,” Zeus offered, continuing to support his weight on the sink. ”And with any luck it'll strike more than once. Wink, wink, nudge...” The second nudge remained unvoiced as a violent banging on the door to Claire's suite cut him off.
”Open this door right now, you tramp! I know you've got my husband in there!”
Zeus paled. ”It's Hera.”
”What was your first clue?” Claire snapped, furious that the Lord of Olympus had involved her in such a humiliating situation. ”I'll stall her, you get back to your own room.”
”How? She's right outside the door.”
”How did you get into my tub?”
His face brightened. ”The tub. Right.” Staggering back to it, he stepped inside and pulled the shower curtain closed. ”I'll hide in here. You get rid of her.”
Claire yanked the shower curtain open. ”I meant that you should disappear the same way you appeared.”
”I can't.”
”You can't?”
”I'm old. Do you have any idea how much effort that took?” His lower lip went out in a cla.s.sic pout. ”Not that you appreciated it.”
”Keeper, I'm warning you!” Mere wood and plaster did little to hinder Hera's volume. ”Open this door, or I'll blow it off its hinges!”
”Can she?” Claire demanded.
Zeus shrugged. ”Probably not.”
”All right. I've had enough. Get out of there.”
”But...”
”Now.”
Muttering under his breath, the G.o.d obeyed.
Once he stood squarely on the bath mat, Claire grabbed his wrist and dragged him, mat and all, toward her sitting room.
”Where are we going?”
”We're going to explain this whole mess to your wife.” Working one-handed, she released the wards around the sitting-room door. ”This is your problem, not mine.”
Zeus winced. ”Actually, Keeper, if you've studied the cla.s.sics, you'll know that's not how it usually...”
The door crashed open.
Framed in the doorway, her eyes blazing, Hera shook her hands free of the feathers tr.i.m.m.i.n.g the sleeves of her peignoir and pointed a trembling finger at Claire. ”I knew it, another one who can't keep her hands off him!”
”That's not...”
”Well, I know how to deal with you, you hussy, don't for a moment think that I don't!”