by Cara Wylde
“Yes, I remember you, Valentina De Rossi. You look different.”
“It was three years ago. I’ve...”
“You have an actual body.” He smiled mischievously as he gave her a once-over, his gaze lingering on her breasts.
She cocked an eyebrow. She’d wanted to say she’d grown. On second thought, maybe that wasn’t appropriate.
“You looked very transparent that day. And very eager to go through my office furniture.”
She blushed. Why was she blushing? It was the way he looked at her. Damn him! Like she was his favorite dessert.
“Right. Okay, so we know each other. I need your help.”
“Do you now?”
He bent slightly and squeezed his bulky frame into the back seat of the cab. He’d lost interest, apparently, and he was getting ready to slam the door in her face.
Valentina reacted on instinct. She grabbed the door, pulled it wide open, and stuffed her suitcase right next to him, forcing him to move to the other side. Alarmed, Magny poofed himself on her shoulder. She got in the car and shut the door.
“We’re sharing the cab. Where are you staying?”
Gideon sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He was getting a headache. Who did she think she was? A young witch, an inexperienced Keeper of the Spades, a random girl who’d barged into his office in her etheric body and rattled his mind and soul forever! He needed her out. And away. As far away from him as possible. She’d said she needed his help, but he didn’t help people. Witches, Ordinaries, goddamn fairies or pixie slugs, he didn’t care. It wasn’t in his nature. Jupiter, the God of the Sky and Thunder, didn’t help. Ever. Well, maybe with some exceptions. Not some. One. Just one. But look where that had gotten him! In Cairo, chasing a hitman to beg him to eliminate someone for him. And as if that wasn’t enough of a hassle, now he also had to deal with the sexy witch who’d been haunting his dreams for about three years or so. Yes, gods dreamed too.
“We’re not sharing the cab,” he sighed. “And you’re not staying at my hotel.”
Valentina squinted her eyes at him. He caught her gaze, and when she saw a stupid smirk tugging at the corners of his lips, she scowled, anger pouring through her every pore, like steam in an Egyptian bathhouse. She’d just met him and her whole being was reacting so strongly to him. His superior, entitled demeanor annoyed her like nothing had ever annoyed her before. Fire. Yes, he was fire energy. The Emperor card was associated with the astrological sign of Aries. As a calm, perfectionist, control freak of a Virgo, Valentina reacted very badly to fire signs. She had yet to decide which was the worst: Aries, Leo, or Sagittarius. She had a feeling that Gideon Jove would soon help her reach a conclusion.
“Listen to me, Mr. Jove. I’ve just had a shitty, shitty day. I’m far from home, exhausted, scared most of the time, and trust me, the last thing on my bucket list was to save the world. Here I am, though. I had no choice. So, why should you? We’re sharing the cab, and I am going to get a room at your hotel.”
Jove huffed. He could barely contain his laughter.
“Keeper,” he started, but was unceremoniously cut off.
“No, listen to me. That’s all I want. That’s the least you can do.”
He turned away, looking ahead, past the driver’s shoulder. He furrowed his dark brows.
“I don’t owe you anything, Keeper.”
“That’s neither for me nor for you to decide.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
After a moment’s silence, he cleared his throat and gave the driver the address. What a pain! He knew he shouldn’t have left New York. The stars weren’t aligned right. It was July, after all. Eclipse season. And August was going to be even worse.
CHAPTER TWO
She’d given him enough time, or at least that was what she thought as she took the elevator to the tenth floor. He’d gotten a better room than her, of course, but the last thing Valentina cared about was that she was on the first floor, where the noise coming from the street would probably keep her awake all night. Or not. She did have some peace and quiet spells up her sleeve.
“Are you sure about this?” Magny asked from atop her left shoulder.
“What’s wrong with you? Loki never intimidated you. Why does Jupiter?”
The hobgoblin gulped. “Loki’s a Trickster. I’m a sort of Trickster, too. We get along just fine. Jupiter, though...” His round, brown eyes widened at the mere sound of the god’s name.
“What about Jupiter?” Valentina was getting ready to knock on his door. She took a deep breath first, pulled her long, rich hair over her only free shoulder, smoothed down her cute, flower-patterned dress, and plastered a smile on her red lips. She’d put on a bit of delicate makeup, just enough to make her beautiful features pop up.
“He sounded very displeased in the car.”
“Of course he did.” She sighed, her knuckles making contact with the wooden door. The small sound reverberated down the fancy corridor. “He knows who I am, and he knows what I want. He’s one of my Ash Gods.” Since Sia, the painter of souls, had used the name, Valentina had decided to adopt it. It was strange, but it made her feel slightly better after what had happened between her and Piper’s girlfriend. “And I hunt Ash Gods,” she added with a smirk.
“What do you think you’re doing here?”
Jove’s booming voice made her smile fall. She crossed her arms over her firm, generous chest. He was wearing a dark tailored suit, which meant he was just getting ready to leave.
“Inviting you to dinner?”
Jove opened the door wider and leaned against the frame. He studied her with unmasked curiosity.
“How nice of you. And you look nice, too. The dress suits you. All flowery and virginal...”
Valentina blushed bright red. Magny shuffled uncomfortably. If Jupiter kept this up, the hobgoblin would either have a heart attack, or poof himself back in their room. She didn’t want him to leave her alone with the God of the Sky and Thunder.
“Well, what do you say? I thought we could get to know each other better. My treat.”
That was it. He couldn’t hold it in anymore. Gideon Jove threw his head back and laughed with gusto. A witch, a mortal, a mere Keeper of the Spades, had just asked him to dinner and offered to pay. Had the world turned upside down? Had he left the third dimension in his sleep and ended up in the cube root of the third dimension? Which wasn’t a thing, by the way.
Valentina blushed harder, but not with embarrassment this time. Annoyance. He could really get on her nerves. She shrugged, and when she noticed that her left shoulder felt lighter, she cursed Magnus for being such a weakling. He’d poofed himself away, leaving her to deal with arrogant Jupiter.
“So? Is that a yes?”
Jove ran a hand through his perfectly combed hair, readjusted a loose strand that had fallen on his forehead, and shook his head. He waved his index finger at her.
“I like you, Valentina De Rossi. You’re not like the other ones.”
“Other ones?”
“Yes. Like those witches who want to work with gods and all. Who think that if they leave a tray of stale fruit and cheap wine on an altar, Hekate, or Aphrodite, or Odin would come down from the skies and help them with that curse against their neighbor’s rabid dog.”
“What? I don’t... I don’t even...” She was at a loss for words. She didn’t know how to react anymore.
“You actually want to bring the offering of a real, honest to... err... the Christian God?... dinner.”
“I don’t believe in...”
“Of course not. You don’t believe in anyone and anything.”
“That’s not the point. Nor what we were talking about...” She sighed deeply. “You’re messing with my head.”
“Then let’s cut this short, right? I wouldn’t want to give that pretty little skull of yours a hard time. It might break.” He reached out and poked her on the forehead.
She cocked an eyebrow. Not impressed.
“I have a thing tonight. Can’t do dinner. Let’s try lunch tomorrow.”
He winked at her and made to close the door. Valentina took a confident step forward and blocked the door with a firm hand.
“That’s it? You’re just going to wave me off like that when you know what I want to talk to you about? You know why I’m here. You must. You’re a god, and just like the others, you know much more than I do.”
“Yes,” Gideon Jove said, his voice suddenly grave. He looked deep into her blue eyes, as if he was just trying to gather the last details he hadn’t cared to look at before. “And let me tell you now. Let’s set things straight and disperse any trace of doubt, or confusion, or hope, or whatever you mortals call this distasteful thing that makes you keep going even in the face of adversity.” He closed the space between them, his hand coming to rest on hers, his fingers slowly tracing the sharpness of her knuckles, until they found her wrist and curled around it, squeezing lightly until she released the door. “It will not happen. I will not go inside your card. I will not be your Emperor. I’m sorry, Keeper of the Spades. You’ll have to look somewhere else. The twelve dimensions are full of aspects of Jupiter. You’re a De Rossi witch. You’re resourceful.” He winked again. “You’ll find a way. I believe in you.” And he slammed the door in her face.
Valentina stood there, in the middle of the hallway, blinking rapidly, doing her best to keep her tears at bay. Tears of anger and frustration. She cradled her wrist in her other hand. Her skin tingled where he’d touched her. She wanted more.
“Someone who’s more stubborn than you, finally?” Ravenna chuckled.
“He’s right,” Val replied telepathically. “I’ll find a way.”
“Oh! I sense an adventure coming our way. And a dangerous one, at that.”
“Shut up. It will be fine.”
Valentina’s lips curled into a mischievous smile. Once in the elevator, Magnus poofed himself back on her shoulder.
“What are you smiling for? Didn’t it go terribly bad?”
Val rolled her eyes and swatted him off. Magny fell on his bum just as the doors were opening at the sixth floor. No one got on. They’d probably changed their mind, or Valentina’s personal energy glowed so negatively that Ordinaries instinctively felt her and thought it in their best interest to steer clear.
“Since you’re a coward and didn’t stick around to hear all of it, I’ll get you up to date. Gideon Jove said he has a thing tonight.”
“And that concerns us... how?”
“We’re going to follow him.”
Magny’s already big eyes grew so much bigger that they almost popped out of his head. He picked himself up, dusted off his clothes, straightened his back, and crossed his short, chubby arms, over his chest. He gave Valentina the most serious look he could muster.
“A tracking spell on a god? Are you insane?! No, don’t tell me. I know this is not you. This is Ravenna. She came up with the idea, didn’t she? You could never be so reckless.”
Sharp pain exploded in Val’s left side. She clutched her ribs, looked up at the ceiling, and held her breath. Ravenna was yelling in her head, offended beyond belief. Val had never thought that the Higher Self of someone who didn’t exist anymore could be so vexed. Okay, she was being mean. Even though she had never met her twin sister, it wasn’t her fault. It had never been her fault.
“Ugh! If I could speak for myself, have an actual voice!” Ravenna raged. “I’m tired of being insulted by every lousy life form you’re associating with. Tell him! Tell him it was not my idea. I’m not the evil one here!”
“Oh, you’re evil alright,” Valentina said through gritted teeth.
Magny huffed. “Who? Me? Because I’m not afraid to tell you the truth?”
“Not you.”
“Who are you talking to, then? Oooh! Right. Tell her she’s awful. No one likes her, and she should keep her ideas to herself and leave us alone.”
“It wasn’t her idea.” Val could barely stand. The pain was so deep and raw that she could swear there was something inside her, underneath her ribs, that was trying to tear her to pieces. “It was mine. And I’m not going to use a spell, Magnus. I’m not stupid. He’d know I cast a spell on him immediately. We’re going to follow him the old-fashioned way.”
The doors opened on the first floor, and Magny and Valentina stepped out of the elevator. She went into her room only to grab her coat and do a quick spell for a cab, so she’d find one exactly when she’d need it.
As they headed to Reception, Magnus whispered in her ear: “I still don’t like this. I don’t like it one bit.” He held on to the high collar of her coat. When they got out of the hotel, he magically manifested a hoodie for himself, so he’d be more inconspicuous. Just in case.
“No witchcraft,” she reassured him. “How many detective movies have you watched?”
“Meh. Not my genre. I like superhero movies!” Magny suddenly turned chatty and cheerful. “Like the one with the big, green guy.”
Val smiled. Sometimes, she could swear the hobgoblin was such a simple creature. She would have felt safer with him if he were...
“There he is,” she whispered. She stepped into the shadows as Gideon Jove emerged from the tall building of glass and steel and got into a red Maserati. Of course he’d drive a red car. “Ready?”
“N-no...”
As he drove away, Valentina stepped onto the sidewalk and waved her arm without even looking down the street. A cab stopped right in front of her, and she got in, her heart beating wildly in her chest. It was on. She and Magny were chasing a god. For real. She was lucky to have a good driver, because she was determined to keep her word and not use magic. She’d already cheated a bit by casting a spell for a fast, convenient ride.
Fifteen minutes later, they were pulling into a narrow alley, crowded with shiny, expensive cars, young men, and beautiful women who were dressed rather scantily. The main attraction seemed to be a night club. The Sphinx. Valentina paid the cab driver when it was clear that he couldn’t advance anymore, as the street was almost completely blocked. She got out of the car and mingled with the crowd. Magny was shivering on her shoulder, and not because of the weather. In July, Cairo was unbearably hot during the day, and decently warm at night.
“Do you see him?” Val asked. “Did he enter the club?”
“We lost him.” The hobgoblin sounded more relieved than worried. He was still convinced they were making a huge mistake. But when something got into Valentina’s head, there was no way anyone could make her change her mind. As stubborn as a mule. Magny wasn’t one for human idiomatic expressions, but this one fit like a glove. Oh! It was too much. He was so stressed that he couldn’t think clearly anymore. The Keeper of the Spades would one day be the death of him!
Valentina pushed her way through the crowd. It was getting thinner as the young men and women were allowed into the club. Or so she thought. She was too focused on trying to find Gideon Jove among dozens of unfamiliar faces to pay attention to her surroundings. She was just glad she could breathe more freely. The space was clearing, and she could walk toward the entrance without rubbing against sweaty bodies and having to avoid sharp elbows.
“Keeper!”
Valentina yelped when Magny pulled harshly at her hair. She grabbed his tiny hand with two fingers and squeezed until he released her dark locks.
“What’s gotten into you?”
“Look.”
He was pointing at a black, shiny motorcycle just a few feet away from them. There was no one around, so the owner was probably inside the club.
Val rolled her eyes. “Really? You’re into motorcycles? We don’t have time for this now.”
“Well, it looks like a Ducati Testa Stretta, although I can’t be sure… Pretty sweet ride, anyway. But that’s not the point. There’s something about it. Something...” He stretched as far as he could w
ithout leaving Val’s comfy shoulder and sniffed loudly. “It doesn’t belong to an Ordinary.”
“Witch, then?”
“No. It smells more... divine.”
“God?” Her curiosity was piqued now. She stepped closer to the shiny beast and crossed her arms over her chest to resist touching it. She had never been into cars, motorcycles or the like, so why was she itching to run her fingers over the smooth leather of the seat?
“Val, where is everyone?”
“Hm?”
Magny pulled at her hair again.
“The street is too empty. Too quiet.”
That was when she truly noticed. They were alone in the alley, and it felt unnatural. The place had been brimming with life just a minute or two before, and now she and Magnus were the only ones standing among the cars and a few motorcycles, none of which even came close to equaling the beauty of the black Ducati. She turned around, arms relaxing at her sides, her hands shaking slightly, and her fingers feeling the light crackle of green energy. She was on alert. She didn’t know why, but she felt like she should be ready for anything. The air didn’t feel right. The night was too silent, and even the club’s neon sign had dimmed considerably.
He came out of nowhere. Gideon Jove, in his tailored suit, with his raven black hair shining in the fading lights of the street, and his golden eyes fixed on Valentina and Magnus. He walked slowly, confidently, his steps firm and heavy on the concrete pavement. He was getting closer, and with each step, taller, too. Val couldn’t believe her eyes. She blinked, but what she’d thought must have been an illusion didn’t change. He was, indeed, growing taller and bigger, and he kept growing until his bulky frame filled the space between the buildings, and his head was way up above the roofs. She couldn’t see his face anymore. In fact, she could barely see his chest, as he was so tall now that a quarter of his body was hidden in the darkness of the night sky.
Valentina felt small. She was small. Magny didn’t even know how he felt anymore. Jupiter was standing above them, mighty, godly, and terrifying. He was no longer a businessman with an unusual name. He was a giant who could squash them, if he so wished. All he had to do was lift one foot, step right over them, and the witch and her hobgoblin would become one with the sidewalk. Two stains on the pavement. The rain could wash them away. If it ever rained in this ridiculously hot country in July...
