by Crystal Dawn
She would contribute with love and kindness. Not that the other mates weren’t loving and kind, but so far most had wanted to fight and aid in missions. Jen would be the one keeping the home fires burning and that job was as important as any even if it wasn’t appreciated as much as it should be. He went to his temporary home. It was one of those long term hotels for people moving to an area. He had two bedrooms and a bigger place by himself than Jen had for herself, Danny, and the baby that would be there sooner than she expected.
Chapter 4
Plans Set in Motion
Hades woke and looked over at the sexiest female alive. She was tired, not surprising since she carried his child. She had not conceived as quickly as the others, also not surprising since everything was more difficult with her. It was alright because she was worth it and he would weather any storm and pass nay test to be with her. All of the gods had gotten amazing females, each in their own way.
He had studied all the information about this Jenna Jones that he could gather and he was certain she was Eudoros’s mate. She seemed softer than the other mates, but he thought that conclusion might be faulty. The female had had a tough life with no one to encourage and love her. She had survived things most people would have just given up through. He thought she was much stronger than she appeared. She would make a good addition to the extended family. Not everyone was a warrior and even with their somewhat embattled circumstances, they still needed homemakers to make Olympus the home they all wanted to live in.
Doc moved and he pulled her on top of him. “Good morning, Sweetness,” he whispered to her. She smiled with a sexy sleepy look on her face as her hair fell tousled around her face.
“Morning, Sexy,” she said before she leaned down and kissed him. “What are we doing today?”
“Today we set up a plan because we need to move quickly. I’m not sure all those we intend to save will survive undamaged if we wait much longer. With the plan coming together for our team at the other facility, we have to push Ros to take action here.”
“I agree, but how will we get in?”
“I think it may be time to get Eudorus’s mate involved. She’s the only one we have an in with. I’m pretty sure Eudorus has become friends with both her and the boy child.”
“He’ll object. She’s so small and fragile.”
“I think she hides a warrior’s heart in that small delicate body.”
“He’s due here in thirty minutes, we’d best be ready.”
“I thought we might…”
“No time right now but later, we’ll make up for it.”
“Very well female. I’ll hold you to that.”
Showers were quick and separate so they wouldn’t loose track of time and get caught up in each other. Doc went first so she would be fully dressed even if Eurodos came early. They were dressed and Hades held his mate on his lap feeding her breakfast from his plate. He liked to keep track to be sure she ate enough for her and the child. She was a doctor, but she still got caught up in her work and if he didn’t watch her like a hawk, she would forget to eat and get dizzy.
Eurodos knocked and Doc hopped up to answer the door but Hades stood too and pushed her gently into the seat. He went to the door expecting Ros but ready for anything. He got what he was expecting and he motioned him inside. Hades wasn’t sure how this talk would work out. He couldn’t deny he was relieved when Doc decided to talk to Ros about it.
“Ros, you know females, even those who might not seem tough are often stronger than they seem?”
“Yes,” he answered cautiously obviously unsure about where this was going.
“We need to move faster than we had planned on and the only way in is through Jen,” Doc said quickly.
Ros stood there just looking at her open mouthed. Whatever he had expected, this wasn’t it. “She is too frail to use in such a way. The risk to her and the babe is too great.”
His reaction was no surprise and Hades sat down and relaxed watching to see how Doc would address his concerns. “She is perfectly capable of doing what we need her to and you will stay with her to see she isn’t harmed. If we don’t move quickly, she may be harmed more by our unwillingness to act.”
Ros was quiet while he contemplated what Doc had said. Hades knew they were all worried, not only about the gods at risk but the females that were being used by Raker. The man was a menace to gods, humans, and even the animals used in some of the testing that were stolen from their owners to be abused and starved during the testing process. He had to be stopped and they all knew it. Hades didn’t blame Ros for not wanting to use his little mate in such a dangerous mission. He wouldn’t have considered it himself, but the need was too great and the danger to all those they hoped to save too much.
“I’ll worry about her, besides what will we do if she won’t help?”
“You know her best, do you really think she’ll pass on the chance to get a little pay back?”
The look on his face made it clear that he suspected she would agree. He probably wasn’t looking forward to explaining everything to her, but Hades and Doc intended to help him with that.
“I’d best get to the corner so I’m there when Jen comes back from taking Danny to the school bus.”
“Okay, but when you talk to her keep in mind the plan at the other facility is scheduled in two days. If it goes it first, you will lose your window to take down this place,” Hades added.
He had enough on his plate with the mission he and Doc were in charge of without covering this one too but there’s been some emergencies both for the governments that hired them and for some of the facilities they were now operating. They had even used a few demons for some of the missions which was not something they would do if they had a choice. The demons didn’t mind but let some humans get a look at those pointed tales and all hell would break loose.
Ros left looking as unhappy as a god could be. “What do you think he’ll do?” Doc asked.
“The right thing, it isn’t in him to do anything else.” She nodded, hoping Hades was right.
She didn’t Ros as well as she did some of the others, but Hades knew him well enough. His judgment would be what they’d go by. Things were speeding up now and the end was in sight. So far everything had gone amazingly well but the worst was ahead of them. Jen’s reaction could aid them or ruin any possible chance of success. It was all in someone else’s hands now and she hated the loss of control but she and Hades couldn’t do it all and dealing with Ros’s mate was his job. Dealing with her mate, that was her job. She moved over to him and put her arms around him holding him as tight as she could. There was a time she had thought they wouldn’t ever be together. She had been ready to walk away from him and never look back. She was thankful every day now that she had him. There was some time to kill and they had each other. Who could possibly ask for more?
Chapter 5
Lie by Omission
Ros headed to the corner as fast as he could. He wanted to be there before Jen made it by on her way to work. He had a feeling she might think he had seduced her in order to get her onboard for this mission. He didn’t know how to convince her that wasn’t true. He hadn’t known her long but it hadn’t taken long to develop deep feelings for her. He wanted forever and he hoped this mission wouldn’t cost him his chance with her.
He was in place in his big red suit with the padded tummy a few minutes before Jen came by. As she came around the corner she looked up and their eyes met. She smiled and still managed to turn a bright shade of red. At least he knew she was thinking of last night and it had made an impression on her. She hurried into the building where she worked even though he knew she had time to stop and talk had she wanted to. He thought she didn’t know what to say or how he’d act now that they’d been together.
If she was worried he no longer wanted her, she needn’t be. He wanted her more than ever. He considered her his and he pitied the man that would even think to lay a hand on her in passion or as a threat. She didn
’t know it yet, but they now belonged to each other. He would kill for her or Danny. He would find a way and he would show her that he would take care of her. He had a line of people, mostly young women, waiting to take pictures with Santa. How they had discovered he wasn’t an old man, he didn’t know.
He found he preferred the vomit, spit, and pee of the youngsters to the females grabbing his crotch and trying to kiss him. He looked at his watch and realized he had somehow missed Jen leaving for lunch. He was probably fending off that one girl that had tried to reach down his pants. He had a lot of respect for the males who played Santa each season. He hadn’t realized how hard a job it would actually be.
He closed down for lunch to the complaints of some of the females. Too bad, they could come back or not for all he cared. Any money raised might be going to a charity but he’d rather just donate himself than have his body abused any more. He went to the café where he took a long lunch, ate a nice meal and reflected upon how fucked up his existence had become in a relatively short time. He made it back just in time to catch Jen dragging a reluctant Danny in the door. She pretended not to see him, but that wouldn’t work at the end of the day.
He had every intention of closing early enough that he would be waiting for her when she and Danny stepped out the door. Let her try to ignore him then. Her attempt to distance herself from him was doomed to fail. He thought of nothing but their time together and what a nice family they’d make for the rest of his day. As he’d planned, he closed up an hour before she was due to get done and he waited around for her.
Just as he planned, he caught her just as she came out of the door. She looked nervous but that was probably because she didn’t know how to address what had happened between them or what it meant. Danny was trying to turn her around to head to the corner Ros sat on. He turned just enough to see Ros and his smile lit up his whole face. He tugged on his mama’s arm but she seemed determined to run away. Ros wasn’t about to let that happen. Even if he didn’t need to speak to her, he needed to be close to her.
“Ros, Ros!” Danny yelled. “Ros is right here, Mama.”
Jen turned reluctantly almost as if she were fearful of what might come next. Ros smiled at her, his attitude gentle. He had given them a lot of thought and he realized he loved this female and her child. He would fight to keep them in his life even if he had to fight her until she knew he loved her.
“Ros, I didn’t see you there,” she said her flushed red with the awkwardness of the moment.
He let her get by with the white lie. “That’s okay, you see me now. I’d like to take you and Danny out for a meal. I need to talk to you about something. It’s important,” he added the last part when he saw she was about to protest.
Danny got excited. “Come on Mama. It’ll be fun.”
Jen sighed. Ros could see she was overwhelmed but when this was over he’d take care of her. She wouldn’t have to worry about anything anymore. “Okay, but tomorrow is a work and school day so we need to get home early.”
Ros smiled victoriously thankful she had agreed. He didn’t know what he would have done of she hadn’t. “I’ll get you home in time.” He grabbed her arm and led her to the SUV sitting near the corner.
“I have the perfect place in mind, Danny will love it,” Ros said and he recognized that he was already in daddy mode. He thought of the little guy first. He’d even gotten a car seat so Danny would be safe.
They pulled into one of those places that had a pizza bar and all kinds of games for kids. Danny squealed in excitement. Ros suspected Jen’s budget hadn’t stretched to places like this since her husband had passed. Ros opened the door getting Danny out of the back first. While he was getting Danny out, Jen got out and watched quietly.
“You have a child’s car seat?” she asked and Ros could see the wheels turning in her head.
“I bought it today for Danny,” Ros explained.
He took her arm on one side and Danny’s hand on the other and escorted them through the door. Danny broke loose as soon as they were inside and ran around the game room checking everything out. Ros stopped at the counter and bought a pile of tokens. Once Danny burned some of his energy off and found them at their table, he gave him a handful of tokens. The look of happiness on the boy’s face brought tears to Ros’s eyes. Jen was blinking rapidly, probably trying not to cry as well.
Ros watched as Danny settled on a game and played with the utmost concentration. His delight as he won and tickets came out of the machine gave Ros a warm feeling inside. He knew he was trying to avoid the conversation he needed to start with Jen, but it was a good excuse. He really wanted to make Jen and Danny happy from now on.
“You needed to talk about something?” Jen asked.
He tried to relax before he got into the conversation he was dreading. “Jen,” he said as he leaned across the table taking her hand in his. “I know what I’m going to tell you will be hard for you to understand.”
She pulled her hand back, tears came to her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. “I understand last night meant nothing. Men will be men, right?”
“Oh, Jen, no. I want you. I want us to have a future but I’m not who you think I am. I’m not sure where to start,” he said as he looked in her eyes knowing his dread and confusion was showing.
“Start at the beginning,” she said with a giggle. The beginning, she said. It sounded so easy.
“You’ve heard of the gods that Origin created?”
“Yes, of course. Everyone’s heard of them unless they live under a rock.”
“I’m one of them,” he explained.
She laughed. “I’ll admit your gorgeous, but a god? Is this a joke?”
He stared at her until she stopped laughing. “Sometimes I wish it was a joke or a dream. I really am a god. The place you work is a company run by Origin. They’ve changed the name but the evil is the same.”
“That’s not possible. They’re just trying to help couples that can’t have babies. They’re helping people!” she said almost hysterically. The people at the next table looked over at them.
“Please don’t be so loud, Jen. I know this is hard to deal with, but I’m telling you the truth.”
“Even if I could believe this and I’m not saying I can, why tell me?”
“Your baby isn’t your ex-husbands. They used god DNA to impregnate you.” Her breathing sped up and she was pale. He feared she might pass out so he moved to sit next to her instead of across.
“No, you’re wrong. That can’t be true.” He could see she was growing agitated but he didn’t know how to calm her.
“Jen, we want to help you.”
“Like you helped me last night?” she accused. It wasn’t a surprise, he’d expected this. Now he was wishing he’d kept it in his pants a little longer.
“No, last night was just about you and me. This is about you bosses, you, and your baby. They are keeping two gods in the basement. They’re in bad shape and may die. If you don’t help us, can you live with the results?” He didn’t feel right putting this much pressure on her but what choice did he have? Jen already understood as well as he did that life was rarely fair.
“What do you want me to do? I don’t have access to anything except the patient waiting room where patients check in.”
“We need to get in where you are without raising any red flags or getting any attention. We’ll figure things out from there.”
“You’ll need an appointment for a woman. A male can accompany her in to the examination room. More than one man will draw attention.”
“There’s never more than one man?”
“There was once. They were in a ménage and both men accompanied her. They used a cocktail with both men’s sperm to increase the odds one would take.”
Ros felt weak. Something hit him right between the eyes. He thought he’d figured out how they were having such luck impregnating these woman. They required a blood test pre-employment. There were ways to tell if a female was predispos
ed to breed with a god. The next step was to give them a cocktail with all available god’s sperm. God’s sperm was aggressive, even a small amount of the right god’s sperm would take. He didn’t know why Doc and the other doctors that worked for the gods hadn’t figured it out. Maybe it was because they were concentrating on other things. He would tell her what he thought and find out what Doc thought about it.
“We can act like a ménage. Two gods can handle several human males. We need to know the best time to do it. I also want you to stay with me for now. We’re asking a lot of you, we know that. Let me take care of you and safeguard you until this is done.
“Okay,” she said but he saw she had doubts.
He was a little surprised she’d agreed. Maybe she was just tired of the struggle or maybe she just cared for him. He hoped she had some feelings for him since he sure as hell had feelings for her. Danny came running to the table with a big stack of tickets. The waitress came and got their drink order. She had been hanging out with a young man dressed like a Goth. Her boyfriend, Ros suspected, but he didn’t mind she hadn’t hurried over to their table since it had given him time to talk to Jen.
They all three took the pizza and salad bar. The food was filling and Danny loved pizza. He’d admitted he hadn’t had it in a while and Jen flushed with embarrassment. It wasn’t her fault and she did the best she could but he would be there for her now.
Once they were finished eating, he got up and caught her hand. He still had a pocket of tokens and they played skee ball. Danny was delighted when he saw more tickets coming out near where the money had gone in. Danny won, probably because Jen and Ros weren’t trying too hard. They took all the tickets and after he paid for their meal, Danny picked out a car that he could wind up. The boy was so happy that Ros wished he could see that look on his face everyday.
He escorted them outside but he was tense. He was waiting for Jen to throw objections at him. She wasn’t saying a word which made him wonder what she was thinking. “Why don’t we run by your place and we can pick up some clothes for Danny and you?”
