Apollo (Contemporary Mythos Book 2)

It unnerved me how different rehearsal felt when Ace wasn’t there. He’d told me my dancing came from me, with only the smallest inspirations from him when he was around, but that wasn’t it. I enjoyed the time with him, especially when I thought of the possibility of our time dwindling. I needed every possible minute.

Roy stood in the center with Jamie, aiding her on occasion with her spins, but avoiding any lifts. He was likely to pull his back at his age even if Jamie weighed a buck o five. With the performance only days away, we needed to run it from beginning to end until it was flawless.

When Jamie landed her final move, she bent forward, holding her stomach. Her face paled, and judging from her pursed lips, she was about to vomit.

“Jamie?” Roy pressed a hand on her back.

She stood, nudging him away. “I’m fine. It could be the pad thai I ate last night not agreeing with me.”

“Why don’t you go sit down for a bit?” Roy motioned for the exit.

She slapped one hand over her mouth and pressed the other over her stomach, sprinting for the door.

“Have you ever seen Jamie sick? I mean, aside from the sniffles?” Kate asked.

“No, but even the illustrious Jamie Harland is susceptible to being ill, wouldn’t you say?”

“Horrible timing, huh?”

I squinted. “Yeah…it is.”

Jamie didn’t return for the rest of rehearsal. We found her sprawled out on the floor in the foyer when it was over, gripping her stomach like gremlins tried to claw out of it.

“Jamie, are you okay?” It was strange feeling empathy for her. Vomiting wasn’t something I usually wished on my worse enemy, and there she was on the floor.

She groaned. “I’m not. I’m really not. I have no idea where this came from. I woke up this morning feeling off but—” She shot to her feet, running for the bathroom.

My belly formed a knot.

The sound of Jamie’s hurling traveled through the hall. I had half a mind to send Kate in after her but knew her weak stomach would have her and Jamie singing a sickening duet in no time.

I sighed and pushed open the door, taking shallow breaths through my mouth. “Jamie? Do you need anything?”

“Laurel, leave me alone. I’ll be sitting here hugging porcelain for lord knows how long. Don’t act like we’re friends all of a sudden.” She puked again.

Wow. Even under duress, Jamie managed to still be a bitch.

“Suit yourself. Don’t say I never tried,” I snapped before slipping back through the door in a huff.

Kate jumped back, holding her pointe shoe out like a knife. “Woah. What’s gotten into you?”

“Ask the goddess of puking back there. She refuses help.” I glanced at the exit door, wishing I was on the other side of it.

“You offered it?”

I clucked my tongue against the inside of my cheek. “A momentary bout of weakness.”

“I’ll stick around just to make sure she doesn’t pass out with her head in the toilet water or something.”

“But, you have a horrible tolerance.”

“I wouldn’t want to keep you from the blondie hottie rock star.” She winked. “I can deal. Besides, I’ll stand here for a while, then rope Brooke into taking over when she comes out.”

“How did you know I was on my way to surprise him?”

“You’re all antsy. I could tell.” She glanced at her phone. “You better hurry up. The concert only has twenty minutes left.”

My lips quirked. “Thanks, Katie.”

“Any time, Lauri.”

I whisked out the door, throwing my bag into the backseat and peeling out of the parking lot like I was in the Batmobile. Yanking the glove compartment open, I grabbed my VIP pass from an earlier concert, hoping it’d still hold up. I tried to get out of the car so quickly I almost hung myself on the lanyard catching in the door.

Guards stood at the side entrance, and I pulled my hair out of its bun as I walked up the concrete steps.

“Miss Berg,” one guard said, nodding at me as they stepped to the side.

I gave a suspicious cock of the brow as I passed. No telling if the guards would whip out a taser when they realized their mistake. They didn’t budge until I was past the doorway, shutting and locking it behind me. That was both cool and awkward all at the same time.

Moving to the wings, I clutched my lanyard in anticipation. They were playing the last song of the set: Rays—one of my favorites. Ace was at the edge of the stage, dipping the mic stand like a mistress. When he smiled brightly to himself, I knew he sensed my presence. It made my toes curl inside my flats.

Turning my gaze to the audience, I studied their expressions for the first time. Most women stared in lustful bliss, but others swayed in appreciation of the perfect notes Ace hit with every lilt of his voice. The men seemed most appreciative of the instruments, bobbing their heads in time with Teeg’s crazy drum solos and Kurt’s electric guitar riffs.

As the song came to a close, my hands trembled. I clasped them under my chin. A man’s shoulder brushed into me from behind. He was tall. Really tall. Dark hair pulled back into a large bun at the back of his head. He had a dark grey military-style jacket, dark jeans, and clunky combat boots. Three men with cameras scurried behind him.

When Ace spotted him, his mouth fell open, and he did a double-take. He threw his arms out to his sides, a broad grin pulling at his lips.

“Well, to what do I owe this pleasure?” Ace asked.

The dark-haired man ripped off his aviator sunglasses, revealing eyes as dark as his hair.

“None,” he snarled, motioning to the cameramen with his finger. “Publicist said I needed a shot with you.”

“Well, glad to see they didn’t have to twist your arm over it,” Ace said with his trademark snark.

He swung his guitar to his back, facing the cameras with a pearly grin. The dark-haired man stood with his legs wide, and both hands clasped together at his front. He didn’t smile. Instead, his scowl deepened. Ace pulled him into a side hug right as the first flash went off. The dark-haired man’s lip twitched.

“Mars, who do you think you’ll fight next to defend your heavyweight title?” One cameraman asked between flashes.

Mars? Why was the guy named after a planet?

Mars didn’t make a peep. He stood rigid, waiting for several more flashes before rolling Ace’s arm from his shoulder.

“Still not the touchy-feely type, huh?” Ace glared at him, but kept the camera-ready smile.

Mars slipped on his aviators with a grunt and stormed past me without a second glance.

Ace posed for a few additional photos before sauntering over.

“Who was Mr. Tall, dark, and moody?” I watched him storm down the steps and throw his palm into the exit door.

Ace pulled me against him. “That would be my brother.” He lowered his voice. “Ares.”

“Ares?” I met the god of love and now the god of war. Well, more like bumped into the god of war. “Why did he seem so grumpy?”

“He’s got a lot of pent up energy. The guy’s a ticking bomb.” He pressed his hand against my lower back, leading me away from the stage. “Wasn’t expecting to see you here.”

“Rehearsal finished early. Jamie started puking her guts out.”

“Poor Jamie.” His tone was monotone at best.

“Hey.” I gripped his bicep. “I want to show up at your place the old-fashioned way.”

“You mean the door?”

“Yeah. Like two normal people. It gives me a chance to get those nervous flutters in my stomach as I approach your door.”

“Flutters, huh?” He gave me a quick peck at the corner of my mouth.

“You know what you do to me. Don’t push it.” I bit down on my lower lip.

“Can’t promise anything.” He brushed his nose against my cheek.

Reluctantly, I pushed him away. “I’ll see you in a bit.”

“I’ll be waiting, Sparky.”

The drive to Ace’s apartment complex felt like driving through a blizzard. I wanted nothing more than to arrive at my destination because of who would be there. What would transpire soon after our reunion made me stop at every red light and drive two miles under the speed limit. I parked my car and sat, staring at the outline of a missing logo on my steering wheel. Blowing out a breath, I turned the engine off—time to face the music—literally.

The bing of the elevator doors opening on the top floor made me jump. My feet scraped across the hallway carpet, and I stood in front of his door, raising my fist to knock.

“It’s open,” his voice said from inside.

With my heart pitter-pattering against my ribcage, I walked in. Ace sat on his leather couch, Raven draped over his lap, scribbling something on a piece of paper. He rested the guitar on the floor.

“Was the lead up to my door everything you imagined it would be?” His eyes brightened.

I played with my fingers. “It was more nerve-wracking than I anticipated.”

He hopped up and slid a bottle of wine across the counter. “Something to take the edge off?”

“Probably a good idea.” I interlaced my fingers behind my back to keep my hands from shaking.

As he poured our glasses, I snuck over to the table with the mysterious writing. There were music notes, words written underneath them—four lines.

I was the growth of your roots as you were the root of my unruly vine.

Hidden from the world, but I found you.

Let the branches intertwine.

I am the sun, but you light the way.

“What is this about?” I asked, pointing at the paper.

He walked over, glasses in hand, and shrugged. “Some chick I met named Willow.”

“Oh? Should I be jealous?” I raised a brow, taking one of the goblets.

“Very,” he purred against the nape of my neck. He sipped his wine and rested the glass on the table, moving behind me. “I was thinking. What if I taught you how to play the cello?”

“Play the cello? I’ve always preferred admiring from afar when it comes to that particular instrument. Especially when handsome blonde, blue-eyed gods play it.” I smiled at him over my shoulder. “Besides. I tried the violin, and it didn’t end well.”

He wrapped his arms around me, dipping my head to one side. Using my neck like the neck of a cello, he traced his fingers over my skin, pretending to press strings. His other hand hovered right below my bustline, plucking against my shirt.

I chuckled and cooed in unison. “What are you doing?”

“First lesson. What better way to feel the strings than be them?” He kissed my neck.

I sunk into the feeling of his callused fingertips brushing against my flesh. “As much as I love this, you’re stalling, aren’t you?”

He sighed. “I was able to disguise myself being a god but can’t sneak my feelings past you, hm?” He nipped at my neck, swooped his glass into his hand, and led me to the bathroom.

Darkness fell over the room. He waved his hand in front of him, lighting dozens of candles. There was a wide clawed-foot bathtub filled with water. Wicked Game played softly in the background.

“Apollo…”

He dipped his fingertips in the water. In a flash of orange, steam flowed from it. “Yes?”

“What is all this?”

He touched a hand to his chest. His clothes peeled away, turning into orange shimmers, and floating in the air. “The more relaxed we are, the better.”

I slipped out of my clothes, kicking them into a pile. He stepped into the tub first, aiding me as he held onto my hand. I sunk my toes into the most perfectly warmed water. It wasn’t like taking twenty minutes to get used to the temperature of a hot tub. And it wasn’t like lukewarm bathwater after soaking for ten minutes. It. Was. Perfect.

He sat down, resting his shoulders against the edge. I followed and slid back until my butt bumped into his crotch. He groaned. Vanilla scents permeated the air, calming me, and I nuzzled into him, resting my head against his chest.

He pressed his cheek against the side of my head. “Laurel…”

“Yes, Apollo?”

A masculine moan bordering on a growl floated from the back of his throat. “Your voice saying my name sounds like the muses singing a hymn.”

I grinned, keeping my eyes closed.

He traced a finger down my arm, trickling water. “There’s the matter of my—immortality.”

My eyes flew open. “I had a feeling that’s what this conversation would be about.”

“Honestly, I never saw myself having this conversation. Never thought I’d…” His voice trailed off, and his forehead pressed against my temple.

His one knee propped out of the water. I dragged my hand over it, relishing in the masculine scatter of hair.

“I’d eventually be a cougar, wouldn’t I?” I tried to laugh, but it came out more of a whimper.

“It’s not so much you growing older as it has to do with watching you die.”

Tears welled in my eyes, and I turned around, laying on top of him. I rested my chin on his chest and peered up. “Are you saying we should let this go?”

“I don’t know what I’m saying.” His brow furrowed, and he cupped water in his hand, letting it fall over my arm like raindrops.

I studied the harsh crease forming between his eyes. “You’re not telling me everything.”

“Are you sure you’re not a sorceress?”

I managed a half-smile, pressing my breasts against his ribcage. “And give away all my secrets?”

“There is a way. But it’d be selfish of me to ask you.” He traced his hand over the bit of my butt cheek sticking out of the water.

The song started over in the background, and his hand swirled in the water, keeping it steaming hot. The vapors drifted between us like a smokescreen.

“Why don’t you let me be the judge?” I pressed my lips to his, tender and brief.

He shifted until both knees were out of the water, caging me with his legs. “Three gods have the power to turn a mortal into an immortal.”

The concept didn’t register at first. It seemed so easy. With one flick of the wrist, I’d never die, and I could be with Apollo forever.

“What’s the catch?”

He cocked his head to one side. “That’s already a pretty big catch, don’t you think? Living forever? Having to watch all the mortals you care about grow old and die. Not to mention explaining why you aren’t aging?”

My eyes panned down, concentrating on the smooth tanned skin of his pecs.

He placed a finger under my chin, lifting my gaze back to his. “To clarify, I didn’t ask you to do it. You seemed like you wanted to know of any options. And that’s it.”

My heartbeat sped into a gallop. He trailed a hand down my back, slowing it down.

“There has to be more to it. You’re a god. Even vampires have repercussions for being immortal.”

“They do.”

My head shot up. “You said that like they’re real.”

His eyes narrowed, and he coaxed my head back down to his chest. “One step at a time here, Sparky. And yes, you’re right. You’d be a goddess.”

A goddess—to go from humble corps ballet dancer to an immortal goddess? I’d be crazy to pass up such an opportunity, but Apollo was born a god. The average human me was all I knew.

“A goddess of…something?”

“Yes. Though that’s all details we shouldn’t be concentrating on right now, Laurel. You don’t have to decide anything. I can handle whatever you wish to do.”

The corners of my jaw tightened as I suppressed tears. “You want me to let you go?”

“No.” He sat up, curling my legs around his waist. The water splashed, and he wrapped his arms around me. “No. That’s not what I’m saying at all. It’d kill me to lose you, but I don’t want your decision based on how I’ll feel. It needs to come from you.”

“Can I have some time to think about it?”

He let out a haggard breath—as if he were half-afraid I’d tell him to go to hell.

“Take as much time as you need. I’m not going anywhere.” His lips slipped into a smug grin that warmed my chest.

I sunk my face into his hair and sighed. “For tonight, can we pretend we have forever?”

“I’d like that.”

I trailed my finger down his neck, tracing over his pec until I reached the sun pendant. Running my thumb over it, I adjusted myself until we met each other underwater. He grunted, pulling me tighter against him.

“Play me like a cello,” I whispered.

He smiled against my cheek, and for the rest of the night, he made my decision much more difficult.