Part 10 (2/2)
”All right. I'll admit you have some pretty amazing magic.” I smiled while keeping my distance. He hadn't eaten, just watched me pig out with an interest that was beginning to unnerve me.
”You have barely seen any of my magic.” He touched my hand. ”I've enjoyed watching you eat with such enthusiasm. In Olympus such banquets are commonplace. Boring.”
”Not to me.” I eased my hand away to gesture at the table. ”This was a miracle, Mars. Thank you. I have just enjoyed the first truly delicious and satisfying meal I've had in hundreds of years.” It was no more than the truth. I'd gotten to eat fairly recently thanks to a drug I'd tested. Too bad it had had nasty side effects. I'd also wasted the opportunity on a pretty sad excuse for a meal cooked by someone who should have been banned from a kitchen.
My stomach gurgled and I was suddenly afraid Mars had lied. Luckily the only thing I suffered was embarra.s.sment when I tried to swallow a burp. Mars just laughed when I quickly covered my mouth with my napkin.
”I love to see a woman who appreciates her food. It was my pleasure.” He held up his gla.s.s, which had never seemed to grow empty. But then neither had mine though I'd drunk steadily. In fact, the room was swaying a little. ”A toast. To firsts.”
”Firsts?” I let him clink gla.s.ses with mine but waited for an explanation.
”Your first meal with me. The first time I've sat like this with a woman and not lifted her skirt before dessert.” His grin was wicked. ”You do want dessert, don't you?” He nodded and a servant entered with a chocolate cake that I could smell from across the room.
”Now you're just torturing me. I was sure I couldn't eat another bite.” I rubbed my stomach. For chocolate, I'd make room. He cut a big slice of cake, chocolate through and through, and handed me a plate. Before I could pick up a fork, he broke off a piece and brought it to my lips.
”Open for me, Gloriana.” His voice had dropped to a husky demand.
”Mars.” I didn't like the look in his eyes but couldn't help myself. My lips closed over the delicate cake and frosting. Before I could stop myself I'd licked his fingers clean. Bad, Glory.
”One kiss. Just to see how a vampire tastes. Humor me.” He leaned in and I saw a touch of chocolate on his lower lip. It was enough for me.
”One. Then I must go.” I met his lips with mine, more intent on getting to that chocolate than on the kissing part. But he was a wily creature. He slipped his hand to the back of my head and moved his mouth over mine. He wasn't just a G.o.d who was an expert on violence. Obviously he had a pa.s.sionate nature as well. He toyed with me, explored my fangs and seemed to like the novelty as his tongue roamed through my mouth.
I was too far gone with the whiskey to do more than hold his shoulders, trying to keep some s.p.a.ce between us. Before I knew it I'd jammed my fingers into his soft curls. His beard was soft too and tickled my face but in a pleasantly sensual way that encouraged me to keep this going.
”No!” I shoved him away, suddenly finding my sense when he slid his hand down to cup my breast. ”I am not going to Olympus. No matter what you offer.”
”Really?” He stood and his s.h.i.+eld, which had never been far from his hand, suddenly leaped into it. Magic. His spear moved too and he gripped it with his other hand. ”This coy act isn't as cute as you think it is. I find it irritating.” He gestured with his s.h.i.+eld and suddenly everything on the table crashed to the floor. I jumped up and backed away. Obviously Mars had a temper.
”It's not an act. I'm happy here on Earth. I have a vampire lover who I will not betray.” Again. ”My mother must have misrepresented the situation.” I thought about dematerializing but one gesture from Mars and every power I had deserted me. d.a.m.ned Olympus magic.
”I can take care of that vampire lover. It will be my pleasure.” He gestured with his spear. ”Your mother claims he was once a warrior. Though I'm sure he will be no match for me, I could enjoy a moment or two of sport with him before I take his head.” His grin reminded me of someone who thought drowning kittens would be a good afternoon's entertainment.
”You won't touch him.” I picked up an apple which had rolled across the floor and threw it at him. In a display of finesse, he caught it on the end of his spear. Show off.
”I will if I want to.” Now he sounded like a petulant little boy.
”Really? Is that all you have to occupy your time? Take women who don't want you and kill vampires, who my mother a.s.sures me are well beneath your notice?” I lobbed a golden squash that had been used as part of the centerpiece at his head. This he slashed in two, dead center. I swallowed at his perfect coordination and the sharpness of his blade.
”It's true I usually consider them little more than earthly roadkill.” He laughed, cracking himself up. ”Get it? Dead, undead?”
”You think mocking what I am is scoring you points?” I really wanted to s.n.a.t.c.h his helmet off the table and break his plume.
”Watch it, woman.” He set the helmet firmly back on his head with a scowl. Then he slashed his spear through the chair that stood between us. Sparks flew, the chair fell apart, and I realized he had more than a sharp blade in that spear.
I dashed to the other side of the room. ”Don't you have real work to do, Mars? Right now in several parts of the world there are real wars going on. b.l.o.o.d.y, h.e.l.lacious ones. I'm sure you can find some interesting action there.” I saw him stalking me, kicking scattered fruit and dishes out of his way. He could paralyze me no doubt, like my mother could, but he probably didn't consider that sporting.
”I told your mother I'd try to get you to Olympus. I find that an interesting challenge.” He leaped on top of the table. ”Admit it, Gloriana. You enjoyed that kiss. You were tempted by the feast.”
I had nowhere to run. He dropped down to within a foot of me, his eyes ablaze with the need to win. I recognized it; hadn't I seen it in Jerry's eyes when he'd fought in the past? I dared reach out to touch Mars's chest. He was hard and warm, breathing rapidly and excited by my resistance. My fingers were shaking because I knew just how helpless I was to fight him.
”Are you the kind of warrior who carries away women as the spoils of war? Is pillaging and rape part of your scene?”
”You dare!” The blast of power from him knocked me flat on my back. I lay there for a moment, stunned. ”I have never raped a woman in my life.”
”Well, that's the only way you're going to get me back to Olympus as your, um, consort.” I shook my head to clear it. Whoa. Whatever he'd unleashed in his temper fit had hit me like a body blow.
”To h.e.l.l with you then.” He turned on his heel, throwing out his arms and sending the contents of the room into a swirl of destruction that left everything in bits and pieces. I held my hands over my head to keep from getting hit.
”Mars, please. I'm sorry, but I told my mother I wasn't interested. It's not you, it's me.”
”Zeus's toenail, woman, I can't believe you just said that.” He whipped around, his spear close to my chest.
”It's the truth. You want to be mad at someone, be mad at my mother. I...I like you. You're charming when you're not throwing a temper tantrum.” I got slowly to my feet, being careful of that really sharp blade. ”And you gave me a wonderful gift.” I glanced at the total disaster of the room. ”A meal I'll never forget.”
”You are very like your mother, Gloriana. Most women after what I just did would be a sniveling heap on the floor.” He lowered his spear. ”d.a.m.ned if I don't think I like you. Your warrior is a lucky man.”
”Uh, thank you.”
He smiled. ”I only wore my old battle gear tonight to impress you. I can tell you like it.” He stepped closer, back to flirtation.
I held up my hand in a cla.s.sic stop gesture. ”Mars, I can't go to Olympus. But my mother told me she has to follow through on whatever she promised you no matter what I decide tonight. Is that true?” I smiled to take the sting out of that, relieved when he seemed to take what I said calmly.
”Yes, it is. And she won't tell anyone you turned me down.” He nodded. ”I have some secrets of hers that I can use as leverage too.”
”There you go.” Olympus politics sounded even worse than American. ”Seems like it'll be a win for you.” I held out my hand. ”Can we part as friends? I'd like to think that if I got in a spot of trouble, I could call on a powerful G.o.d like you for help. I figure we're probably related in some way, if my research about Olympus is true. Seems like just about everyone comes from Zeus up there.” And wasn't that an ick factor? I was afraid Mother had tried to fix me up with some really close relatives.
”Oh, yes, we're definitely related.” He leaned his spear against the wall and took my hand. ”I'd like that, Gloriana. To help you. Your mother will hate it.”
”There you go. Anything my mother hates, I love. We're on the same page.” I gasped when he brought my hand to his lips and kissed it. ”Or are we?”
”Just a courtesy, my dear.” He laughed. ”I got your message. But if you ever change your mind or need me, just call my name. I will hear you.”
”What about my mother? She won't tell me her name. Will you?” But he'd already disappeared. d.a.m.n. I turned on my heel and walked out of the room, only stopping long enough to pick up an unbroken bottle of that fine whiskey. I had a feeling Jerry would enjoy it and maybe it would help him remember something. It had certainly relaxed me and put me in the mood to jump all over him as soon as I got back. I was feeling optimistic for the first time since he'd been stabbed. No more blind dates and my mother was supposed to be cooperating. If Mars had the magic to make me eat, then surely she could find someone with the mojo to help Jerry get his memory back.
My stomach gurgled again and I waited to see if my meal was going to reappear. No, false alarm, though I did feel like I could burp ”The Star-Spangled Banner,” a trick my pal Rafe Valdez had taught me. I know, nothing to brag about.
I thought about that dense chocolate cake with the creamy frosting. Heaven on a fork. I had to admit Olympus did have its charms. Thunder boomed but I ignored it. Sorry, Mom, but I wasn't about to give up Jerry for fine dining. And wasn't that a revelation.
Two nights had pa.s.sed without a word from my mother or much progress with Jerry's memory. Bart had tried hypnosis with Jerry again but they'd had no luck. We were leaving for Edinburgh to catch the plane the next night. Mag and Angus were unhappy about it but saw the wisdom in taking Jerry back to his more recent haunts. Plus, he could finally meet his daughter.
”I've got a surprise for you, Gloriana.” Jerry had seemed to regain his strength as he drank from me each night. Now he dragged me through the living room and outside into the cold night air.
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