Zeus (Contemporary Mythos Book 6)

What was wrong with this woman? Not only did she not so much as bat a fucking eyelash over my godly mojo, which, by the way, I’d been pumping out like a damn fire hose, but she also felt compelled to challenge me.

She couldn’t have been mortal. A faerie, maybe? Nymph?

Rubbing my chin, I poured another scotch and leaned against the bar in my loft, absently scratching Levin’s head as I stared into oblivion.

Hermes appeared in my living room in a flash of light and feathers, rubbing the back of his head and doing that Clint Eastwood squint of his. I’m sure women found it attractive. I, however, always felt compelled to ask him if he needed glasses.

“What did you find out?” I stood straight, resting the tumbler on the bar.

After the debacle that was the evidence meeting, I needed to know more about her. Any bit of dirt or information that could possibly explain why I didn’t wake up with her in bed next to me this morning.

“Gee. Great to see you too, Dad. Can’t you at least pour me a drink first?” Hermes smirked as he scratched the stubble on his chin and slid onto a stool.

Levin trotted over to him, and Hermes smiled as he scratched the dog behind both ears.

Tightening my jaw, I grabbed another glass and obliged him—this one time. I eyed the “flyboy” aviation jacket hanging over his frame as I slid the scotch toward him. “Still working the pilot cover, I see?”

“I like flying too much, and considering winged shoes aren’t exactly discreet, modern technology is my calling.” He grinned, forming those same creases in his cheeks as mine before taking a long swig of whiskey.

I tapped my pinky ring against the glass several times.

Hermes’s gaze dropped to my hand before he lowered his tumbler. “Before I tell you what I found out, Pops, level with me here. Why the sudden keen interest in a mortal? I can count on one hand the number of times you asked me about one in the past century.”

“So, she is mortal?” I pressed my fingertips into the marble.

Hermes blinked rapidly. “What else would she be without you knowing?”

Fuck. Me. Could any of this have been easy?

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I snarled. “Hera is no longer Queen.”

“What? How? Is that—” Hermes slid from the stool and leaned his forearms on the bar. “That’s possible?”

“Yes. And I let her leave.” Staring at the swirling smoke patterns in the bar top, I curled my lip back before downing the rest of my drink.

“Wow, but—”

I cut a glare at my son. “Be careful with your next words, boy. I have a matter of days. Days to find a new Queen or risk losing not only the crown but part of my power as well.”

Hermes nodded, taking a step back. “And this woman is a candidate? Why go through the trouble? You’re King of the Gods, just force her to—”

Slamming the glass down, I pressed my palms against the bar. “What did you find out?”

“Alright, alright. Calm down. Last thing we need is a random lightning strike in New York City in the middle of winter.” He snapped his brown leather jacket. “This’ll probably make you feel better. She’s a divorcée.”

I balled my hands into fists. “How is her being previously married supposed to make me feel better?”

“Because that marriage was the only thing keeping her legal in the US.” Hermes folded his arms.

Hope sprung eternal.

“Come again?”

“She’s about to be an illegal alien. Canadian citizen, living in the US, practicing law. She passed the bar in New York while she was still married, but without the proper immigration status again, and fast, not only will she be kicked out but won’t be able to practice here.”

A grin tugged at my lips. “And with how wrapped up in her work she is, why would she remember a little thing like a deadline?”

“Sure. Clearly, you’ve been…investigating her on your own.” A sly grin pulled at my son’s lips, his fingers drumming on the bar.

Aggravation tugged at my spine. “Not as thoroughly as I would prefer.”

Hermes’s expression fell flat. “You mean you two haven’t—”

“No,” I growled.

He blinked once. “I don’t know what to say to that.”

“You say nothing. That’s what.”

Hermes whistled and drummed his fingers on the flat surface. “Man, this chick has done a number on you, hasn’t she?”

The question made my blood boil. How had she worked under my skin? And why did I feel the need to pursue it?

“It’s not anything I can’t handle. She thinks she has some form of power over me.” I dragged my knuckle under my bottom lip, electricity sparking in my palms. “She’s sorely mistaken.”

Hermes held his hands up, eyeing the lightning still circling my arms. “Ever stop to think feeling powerless with someone doesn’t have to be the same as being powerless?”

Cutting my gaze to his, I shot a bolt at his tumbler, shattering it.

Hermes slapped the bar top. “Right. I know when I’ve overstayed my welcome.”

Levin touched my leg with his paw, panting.

“Take Levin for a walk,” I barked at Hermes.

He glared at me and scoffed. “I’m not your godsdamned errand boy.”

I returned the glare. Only mine would’ve rattled Olympus’s foundation.

He gulped and hopped from his stool, whistling for Levin. “Right away, sir.”

I had far more pressing matters to deal with…

I paused outside the courtroom. No doubt my presence would cause a stir, especially considering I hadn’t done the “courteous” action of announcing my arrival via phone call. No. I needed to swoop in, discreetly work my magic, and get the Tartarus out of Dodge. I’d donned my dark blue suit with a matching necktie, knowing it made my eyes pop, slathered in extra hair gel, and as I entered, flashed a radiant-as-fuck grin.

The whispering and murmurs started as soon as my shoe touched the tan carpet leading into a barrage of cubicles. With one hand in my pants pocket, I used the other to give idle waves to those who chose to stare at me.

A random man walked up to me, puffing his chest, trying to make himself look taller. “Mr. Vronti, we uh—we weren’t expecting you.”

“Yes.” I squinted, panning the heads peeking over cubicle walls, looking for one blonde in particular. “I was in the area and thought of something last minute to discuss with—I’m looking for Miss Bazin’s paralegal, Olivia. Is she in?”

“Fuck me,” an Aussie woman whispered nearby.

Smiling at the random man, I nudged my head in the voice’s direction and swiveled on my heel. Resting my forearm on the cubicle wall, I leaned over. Olivia had her head crouched near her computer monitor, hands pressed against the desk and splayed open.

“Hello there,” I said, dropping my voice an octave.

Olivia shot up, the phone headset nestled atop her head yanking off from lack of cord length. “Zane. Mr. Vronti.” She cleared her throat and batted her bangs from her eyes before grabbing a tissue and dabbing between her tits with it. “Zane.”

“Olivia.” Stroking the wall with a single finger, I subtly chewed on my bottom lip.

Her eyes snapped to my finger, and she gulped before letting out a nervous laugh. “Is there uh—something I can help you with? Keira isn’t uh—isn’t here. She went to lunch.”

“Perfect. Because I hoped to speak with you.” I bent forward, finally managing to catch her gaze.

It was so much easier when they looked at me.

Her plump lips parted, and she absently dropped the tissue as she stuck out her chest. “Me?”

“Mmhm. Mind if I…come around?” I did a circle gesture with my hand, making my lightning power spark in my eyes.

“Come? Around?” She pushed her rolling desk chair back and opened her arms. “Have at it.”

Keeping her gaze without blinking, I curved my lips into a grin, and walked around the corner of the cubicle with powerful, calculated steps. I stood in front of her, widening my stance.

Her chest heaved as she stared up at me, her hands gripping the seat of her chair on each side of her wide hips. “Hi.”

“Hi,” I whispered, sitting on the edge of her desk and crossing one ankle over the opposite knee. “Olivia, I need you to do me a favor.”

Olivia halfway stood from her chair, glancing around the office with her fingers grazing her chest. “Here? In the middle of the office?”

“Olivia,” I beckoned, making her look me in the eye again.

She slowly sat back down, rubbing her lips together as she devoured me with her gaze.

“Under other circumstances, I may have taken you up on such an enticing offer.” I leaned forward, tilting my head, relishing in the whimper that escaped her throat. “But the favor I need involves your calendar.”

“My—calendar?” She scrunched her nose.

Sitting back, I interlaced my fingers, letting them hang between my legs. “Particularly the one you keep for Keira?”

“Oh. Sure. What about it?” Olivia’s gaze moved to her computer monitor as she rolled her chair to the desk and pulled up a digital calendar.

I was next to her in a swift move undetectable to the mortal eye, leaning on the desk.

Dipping my chin and lowering my voice, I laced every word with power only a god-king possessed. “Her paperwork deadline. The divorce. Her residency status situation. Erase it.”

She stared up at me, sticking out her chest before letting out a moaning sigh.

Leaning forward, I moved close enough to let her smell the scent wafting from me that I’d explicitly conjured for her—eucalyptus, barbeque and…Vegemite. I would’ve chosen Aqua di Gio or even fucking vanilla and laundry, but no—this woman liked what she liked. “Olivia.”

“Yup. Right. On it.” Her hand worked the mouse, eyes wide as she clicked onto the calendar, pulled up the instance…and hit the delete button with a single finger.

“Good girl.” I rested my hands in my lap.

She let out a sensual groan, rolling her chair closer to me, puckering her lips, and closing her eyes. Scooping a folder from her desk into my hand, I lifted it between us, making her lips meet with it rather than my mouth. She fluttered her eyes open with an exaggerated pout.

“The entry never existed. In fact, blame it on a glitch if she asks. And I—” As I leaned forward, her chest swelled, and her eyes grew heavy. I bopped her on the nose with the folder. “—was never here.”

Olivia’s eyes closed again, and she moaned, gripping the armrests of her chair as her head fell back.

I stood, pulling on my shirt sleeves and scanning the other cubicles. Not a soul peeked. Just the way I’d willed it. Buttoning my suit jacket, I strolled from Olivia’s cubicle and started to walk away.

Olivia gasped behind me. “I think—I just came and have no idea how.”

Peeking a glance at her over my shoulder, I grinned at her fists thrusting into the air as she leapt from her chair.

“But I am all about phantom orgasms,” she exclaimed.

Remember when I said it was far too easy?

I smirked to myself before exiting the building.

The first step was complete. The damsel would soon be in distress, and I could swoop in to save the day and make her an offer she couldn’t refuse. Still, I needed more information. I’d only known Keira for a matter of days and she’d already managed to surprise me far too many times for comfort. A meddling god could not meddle properly without ammunition. And I knew precisely who to call on to provide me with an arsenal on our darling spitfire prosecutor.

I stood in my living room, waiting for the arrival of my enforcers, throwing a tennis ball for Levin. His ears flopped as he returned with it in the corner of his mouth. After dropping the ball at my feet, he bent forward with his butt in the air, tail wagging excitedly. Scooping the drool-covered ball into my palm, I threw it down the hall for the fourteenth time.

A side window flew open, the sound of feathers rustling echoing in my ears as Bia and Kratos flew into the room. Their brown wings fanned out as they landed, and Levin dropped the ball, growling at them with his lip curled back. I raised a hand to him, and on command, he sat with a whimper.

“Please tell me you both disguised yourselves before flying into my apartment on a bustling street in New York?” I flicked my wrist to shut the window behind them.

“We may not be on Earth often, but we do know the protocol, sir,” Kratos said, his voice as deep as the Titans themselves. His tanned leather vest stood out in contrast to his umber skin, his bald head reflecting the overhead lights.

Bia bowed her head, her black hair shifting over the loose tunic top she wore. “My liege.”

Bia never spoke. Any communication she did was telepathically and only other gods could hear her.

“I have a task for you both.” Spying Levin vibrating from the corner of my eye, I whistled at him, and he ran to my enforcers, circling them.

Bia lifted her hands, and folded her wings behind her as if Levin would chew on them.

“Interesting choice in enforcers, sir.” Kratos crossed his massive arms, lowering one for the moment it took to pat Levin on the head.

“The last time you two worked together was Prometheus. I’d say you’re due.” Moving behind the bar, I poured myself a scotch, raising my brow at them as an offering.

They both shook their heads, and I shrugged.

“What would you have us do? A heist? Robbery, perhaps?” Kratos snapped his fingers. “Infiltration.”

I sniggered at him over the rim of my tumbler. “You’ve been watching far too many movies, old friend.”

Kratos’s full lips tilted down in a deep frown.

“What do you wish of us, my lord?” Bia steepled her terracotta fingers, piercing me with hazel eyes. Her voice traveled over my brain like scattered whispers.

“I want you to follow someone. A mortal. I need to know absolutely everything about her.” My grip tightened on the glass, making it squeak.

“A mortal? But wh—” Kratos started.

I pointed at him. “If one more god asks me why, one more time, I’m sincerely going to lose my shit. Since when am I questioned at every turn?”

“I meant no disrespect. We just need to know what we’re looking for.” Kratos interlaced his fingers behind his back and bowed his head.

“She’s—different. I need to know why. What makes her tick, what makes her happy, how she spends her days. Be on her ass like a fly on shit. Get my drift?” I downed the whiskey.

“Yes, my lord,” Kratos answered, flaring out his wings.

Levin yelped, his claws slipping against the floor as he scurried away.

“Do you wish me to read her mind?” Bia twisted her wrists as she canted her head to the side.

Bia’s ability to read minds only extended to the mortal variety…thank Olympus.

“Yes. All of it. Any of it. Whatever it takes. You’ll report in within twenty-four hours.” Blowing out a breath, I leaned on the bar.

“A day? My liege, that’s not a lot of time.” The feathers in Kratos’s wings rustled.

Tightening my jaw, I shook my head. “I don’t have time. Currently, there is no queen.” I cut my gaze to them. “Understand?”

Bia and Kratos exchanged bewildered glances before nodding.

“Good. Off you go.” I jutted my head toward the window and waited for them to exit before slumping against the bar.

Holding my head in my hands, I let out a deep sigh. Levin’s paw touched my thigh, and I smiled down at him, his pink tongue sprouting from the corner of his mouth, his brown eyes gleaming with happiness.

I patted him on the head and rubbed my temple. “I’m fine, boy. Just exhausted.”

So. Incredibly. Spent.