Page 48 of Guided by the Stars
Daemyn’s breath brushes against my ear as he whispers, “Baby Girl, you’re missing the point. That’s Zeus’ Hall with the roses out front, where an innocent man died because of who he loved. Inside that Hall, dozens of gods are trying to find you. That is what Alexius is attempting to hide you from, to protect you from.”
Just then a figure appears on the balcony, and I flinch. “You’re safe. He can’t see you or sense you, but you should take a good look at him. That’s the god you’re hiding from.”
My eyes widen, looking at the man. Scratch that, the god. We’re too far away, but he looks like a slightly older version of Alexius. Except his hair is long and dark, hanging tightly behind his head in a low ponytail, with a full beard. He’s nothing like the pictures that hang in museums of Zeus. This one is strong, full of tattoos, and peering down over his land below in a black fitted t-shirt that’s clinging to his powerful frame.
In an attempt to question Daemyn, I spin around, startled as his lips crash straight onto mine. His kiss isn’t demanding. Instead, it’s soft, inviting me in and I let my palms slide up his chest, accepting him. My fingers glide around his hairline, tracing across his rough, almost jagged skin.
Daemyn grumbles and releases me just as quickly as it started. “Shit, it didn’t work. Stay here,” he murmurs and as the fog of confusion lifts, I realize somehow I ended up behind him, staring at the back of his shoulders.
“You two are adorable.”
Startled, I glance past Daemyn’s shoulder in time to see a young, beautiful, familiar-looking woman swaying her hips while walking towards us. Her face is a gorgeous pale color, lighting up her bright eyes. They are a clear, crystal blue outlined by a shining golden rim, shimmering with two different colors. She’s stunning, with golden-blond hair cascading down her breasts, over her waist, and straight past her bare ass.
What the fuck?! Why is she naked?!
Sure enough, even faced with danger, insecurity still finds a way into my head as I note the differences between us. This bombshell is stark naked and I’m in a half-braid, no makeup, wearing men’s underwear. All paired with my yellow checkered vans. I’m an utter mess standing before a goddess who may or may not destroy my future.
Uncomfortable and scared, I shift, angling my face closer to Daemyn, looking for answers, guilt already gripping me. I shouldn’t have asked him to take me out, Alexius’ warning was clear. If we make it out of here, the Beast is going to handcuff my ass to the kitchen table, all while lecturing me.
I lean into Daemyn, fisting my hands into his shirt, clasping onto him in desperation. “Oh Daemyn, my handsome, why not introduce me to your little girl hiding behind you?” Her soft voice gets closer as she leans in, brushing her chest against his, and I grow completely still, panic seizing me.
“Aphrodite, nice to see you. Didn’t realize you were around,” Daemyn chuckles, and with a stab to my ego, he gives his flirty smirk to the fucking Goddess of Love andFertility. The very one known for beauty and pleasure, and here she is standing before us, scaring the life out of me.
“Don’t be ridiculous. You boys know exactly where I am. Plus, everyone is at Zeus’ Hall lately.” She trails her finger down his chest, towards his waistband, before flashing her eyes between the two of us. “In fact, even Alexius has been around more often the last few weeks. This morning we had a wonderful time catching up. He’s always been one of my favorites to lean on. Maybe you know him?”
Her words sting. I’m an emotional person already, but jealousy is new. If I were stronger and less terrified, I would act on the fantasy playing in my head and rip her head off as she keeps laughing, skimming her hands across Daemyn’s chest. But I’m not stronger. The words I said to Alexius are more true than ever. I can’t protect anyone, let alone myself. I find Daemyn’s hand, squeezing a death grip around it, letting his calm wash over me, and I relax a fraction.
“This one’s mine. I’m not sharing.” Daemyn’s oddly protective words help me straighten my spine to meet her stare before he continues, “We’ll catch up another time. You know as well as I do, I’m told to avoid these parts. I have no time to waste as it is almost lunch and the Feast Hall will open its doors.”
She flat out ignores him, directing her eyes towards our entwined hands before studying my body. I’m trembling, ready to run, as her hand reaches forward, pulling my braid between her fingers. With a soft smile she asks, “Tell me sweet girl, are you two close?”
Before I can react, Daemyn tugs me by my hand, and pushes past her, pulling me along. “I need to leave before I’m caught trespassing in an area I don’t belong.”
She doesn’t say a word and miraculously, I keep pace as he runs us through the woods, back the way we came.
Once we create enough distance between us and Aphrodite, I come to a stop and shriek, “What the hell was that?”
“That shouldn’t have happened.” His eyes soften as he takes his hands and rubs them down both my arms. “At least she’s not a threat. She’s been around us for a long time and keeps her distance from Zeus’ agenda, hiding herself in the background. She’s not about power, the only thing she cared about back there was that your hands were on my body.”
Envy is a bitch creeping in on you, making your mind an irrational mess. I should be more concerned about my safety, yet here I am letting jealousy cloud my vision. “Yes, I mean…Damn it. That’s not what I was asking about.” A little embarrassed, I manage to let curiosity get the best of me, “Is she always around you guys like that? Around him like that?”
He looks at me with utter confusion, squinting his eyes, trying to read what I mean. The moment he understands, a laugh escapes him, turning into a full rumble and he wraps his arms around me in a full hug. “Baby Girl, everyone knows Aphrodite. She’s a magnet for disaster. Smart gods don’t get involved. We would never, trust me.”
With a simple kiss to my temple, his reassurance tames the bitterness lining my stomach and he gladly switches the topic. “Let’s keep going. There is a spot you’ll love, and it’s close to our house.”
Daemyn’s grip never loosens as he guides me back the way we came with minimal conversation. When we almost reach the area of woods before their cottage, he turns right, maneuvering us around tall bushes and more trees. A few feet further down, and I am stunned by the beauty in front of me as Daemyn’s smokey voice hits my ear, “Welcome to Crystal Waters. We’ll be safe here. The only other soul to come here is Alexius.”
We plant ourselves on the rocks lining the shore, getting a perfect view of the water in front of me. It’s a deep cobalt color with specks of silver from the sun’s rays glistening. The rock pathway we are on leads up to a cliff that I would love to jump off of into the water as it moves in a quiet, meditative flow. It’s stunning, no wonder they come here.
With a deep sigh, my heart grows heavy as I realize how peaceful everything in this messed up world is. I’m held captive, but beauty surrounds me because I’m protected by these two. Adriane is stuck in the Underworld facing what must be hell. Picking up on my tension, Daemyn leans his head against my shoulder and asks, “What are you thinking, Baby Girl?”
I’m not sure how he knows whenever something bothers me, but I’m glad I have him to talk to. “Truthfully, everything. Naked gods, gods that don’t look like the gods I grew up imagining. Alexius. You. And I can’t stop thinking about Adriane. We’re facing a lot and she doesn’t have someone like I do. Without you two, I’m not sure I would have survived. How can she?”
“My brother is in the Underworld and he will protect her,” he says, way too nonchalant, and I pull out of his hold, turning to face him. Surprised is an understatement.
“Why the hell am I just learning this?” I hiss with annoyance oozing out from me. “You’re going to have to explain more than that!”
“I’m sorry Nora. I didn’t mean to lie. It’s just something we don’t talk about.” He returns his focus to the water, narrowing his eyes, chewing his lip, and avoiding looking up at me. “Nora, my father was Odysseus, and when we were young, he was killed in battle. By that time, my mother was already banished to an island. Without proper lineage left, mybrothers and I became possessions,” he explains, his shoulders hunching over as his chin lowers to his chest.
