Love and War

by Tricia Andersen

  Athena sighed. “How may I serve you, father?”

  “I want you and your friend to join us for lunch tomorrow.”

  Athena frowned in confusion even though she knew her father couldn’t see her. “My friend?”

  “The man you were with in front of your condo. Hera saw you both in an intimate position when she drove by yesterday.”

  “Of course she did.” Athena looked up to see Artemis mouth to her told you so.

  “Tell your sister she can also join us. Your stepmother and I look forward to seeing all three of you tomorrow at noon.”

  “Of course, Dad. We’ll see you then.” Athena sighed as she tapped the screen to end the call. She looked up at Artemis.

  “Thanks for dragging me into your drama,” Artemis replied as she growled. “I love having lunch with Dad and the she-bitch.”

  “Sorry,” Athena apologized. “And he knows Apollo is guiding the moon right now.”

  “I heard. I better go. And you better get to bed.”

  “I probably should.”

  Artemis leaned across the sofa to give Athena a peck on the cheek before she disappeared. Athena rose from her place then scooped the mugs up in her hands. She shuffled to the kitchen to dump the contents in the sink and rinse them out. She stared out the kitchen window searching for any sign of Mack. Where was he? Was he near?

  She huffed as she flipped off the light and made her way to bed. She was asleep before her head hit the pillow.

  * * * *

  Athena’s swaying fingers intertwined with Mack’s as they strode up the drive to the mansion. He shrugged them away then stuffed his hands in his pockets. She glared at him out of the corner of her eye. He fidgeted in his navy blue suit, the fabric rippling with the motion.

  Earlier that morning at Artemis’s cabin, she greeted him the way she’d promised without a stitch of clothes on with both of theirs in her arms. When he laid eyes on her it only took him seconds to have her lifted in his arms, pinned against a tree and be buried balls deep inside her. A few hard thrusts filled her with his seed and left her a trembling mess in his embrace.

  The second time was slower and sweeter. Setting her down, he dropped to his knees at her feet. Bracing her against the trunk with his hands on her hips, he kissed a trail on her skin up and down her legs. He paused at the vee of her thighs to lick and suck the sensitive flesh there. If Artemis was back she was sure the goddess heard her screams of pleasure.

  Once she had settled from her orgasm, Mack tugged her on top of him to ride him. She lost track of the position changes and how many times she reached her fiery peak in his arms, but the sun had risen and morning filled the sky by the time they collapsed, exhausted, against each other.

  It was then that Athena told Mack about their lunch date with the King and Queen of the Gods. Mack’s warm, tender embrace turned hard and cold in an instant. It grew even more frigid when she suggested he wear a suit.

  Of course he didn’t own one. She glanced at them as they reached the cement staircase that led to the front door. She just hoped the magic she cast to make him one held out. She modeled it after the one her brother wore to her office before all this mess began. It was real fabric but that didn’t mean that it wouldn’t suddenly disappear. Her wits weren’t exactly about her when she conjured it into existence.

  Artemis ducked around the two of them then pressed a knuckle to the doorbell. Despite how dressed up Mack and Athena were, Artemis chose to wear her usual black outfit. And she bitched the entire time they were getting prepared to go in the first place.

  “Little eager, are we?” Athena teased.

  “The faster we get in there, the faster we get this over with,” Artemis muttered.

  “I agree with her,” Mack added as he pointed to the goddess of the hunt.

  Athena rolled her eyes as the large front door opened. A butler scanned each of them with a critical eye before he gave a huge sigh. “Senator and Missus Lynch are in the dining room waiting for you. Don’t dawdle.”

  The three of them scuttled away across the foyer away from the ancient servant. Artemis tossed a dirty look over her shoulder. “Dawdle? Does that son of a bitch understand who he’s talking to?”

  “He does,” Athena chided. “He’s been tending to Dad since we were on Olympus. And he’s not wrong. When it comes to Zeus and Hera, we’re known to try to avoid the inevitable.”

  The three of them came to a stop when they reached the dining room doors. Zeus stood at his place at the head of the table, the large paned glass window leading to the garden illuminating the room behind him. Hera sat at his left, a wine glass already to her lips. The bottle it came from was half empty beside her plate.

  “It’s good of you to join us,” Zeus greeted, a hint of frost in his voice.

  Athena and Mack took to the right side of the table while Artemis sauntered to the left. She plopped into a seat leaving an empty chair between her and Hera. Hera glowered at her before taking another sip of wine.

  Mack held out a hand past Athena and offered it to Zeus. “Mack Bradshaw.”

  Zeus stared at it for a long moment before he shook it. “Alastair Lynch. This is my wife, Elizabeth.”

  “Dad,” Athena interrupted. “He knows who you both are. You don’t need to put up pretenses.”

  Zeus snarled. “And why does he know that?”

  “Because the demon he’s about to fight revealed it,” Athena replied as she fought the cringe building up inside her. It was another lie but Zeus didn’t need to know she had to tell him when they confessed to each other that they were mated.

  “Fighting a demon? What kind of epic adventure is this?”

  “One in a cage. The demon took Ares place. A mortal MMA fight is about to turn into a supernatural battle of good and evil. Can we eat now?”

  Zeus huffed before settling into his seat. Athena reached for her chair to pull it free from the table. She gasped a little when she found that Mack had already done it for her. She smiled at him as she sat. His cheeks tinged red as he took the spot next to her away from Zeus.

  Not another word was said until the servants brought platters of food and left them in the middle of the table. Athena slipped a piece of chicken in her mouth as she glanced at Mack. The poor guy looked flustered as he debated which of the many forks nestled around his plate he should use.

  “How did you two meet?” Hera questioned, her eyes narrowed as she glared at Athena.

  “Mack pulled me from the burning jet in Georgia,” Athena answered. “He took me into his home and cared for me.”

  Hera snorted. “Cared for you? You’re immortal, child.”

  “He didn’t know that. Besides, it was a heroic gesture.”

  “One that I see you were happy to reward by the way you were wrapped around him outside your brownstone. Tell me, Athena. Are you sleeping with him?”

  Athena sucked the piece of chicken down her throat setting off a violent cough. She glanced up at Artemis as she reached for her glass of water. Shit. By the way she was acting there was no doubt Hera would see right through her. Zeus was going to strike Mack down right there at lunch and then probably her too.

  Artemis smirked at her then set her fork on her plate. “Ares and Juliet are pregnant.”

  Both Zeus and Hera’s eyes grew wide as they stared at Artemis. Athena fought back a grin as she brought her coughing fit under control. She was going to owe her sister huge for this one.

  Artemis beamed at Hera as she continued. “That means you’re going to be a grandma again, Hera. How does that sound?”

  Hera let go an indignant shriek as she guzzled what was left of her wine. Grandma meant old in Hera’s book even though she had many grandchildren already. Old was not acceptable. It didn’t stop Artemis from leering at her stepmother with a chuckle just to torture her.

  “Enough. Artemis,” Zeus commanded. He looked at Mack. “I am grateful that you helped my daughter. Since you know so much about us, maybe you should tell us about y
ourself.”

  Athena noticed Mack’s throat bob as he swallowed hard. “I work on cars during the day and run a tow truck on call at night.”

  “And you live in Georgia, correct?”

  “I do, sir. Yes.”

  “Athena’s jet crashed in a swamp. What were you doing there?”

  Mack paused. “I live there. It landed not far from my place.”

  “Hmm,” was the only response Zeus gave.

  Athena growled at her father. “Hmm what, Dad?”

  Zeus chewed for a moment as he watched her. “You know what you are, Athena. You are a goddess. A maiden goddess, or at least I assume a maiden goddess at this point. You control the fate of the world at a whim. I am grateful for Mister Bradshaw’s assistance and I’m sure you consider him a friend. I just question if a friendship like this should continue.”

  Athena gaped at him as she dropped her spoon on her plate. “Dad, you don’t get to make those calls. It’s my life. I can be friends with whomever I want to be friends with.”

  Zeus leaned towards her, his glare piercing her. “I’m not only your father. I am your King. That means I do have a say who you associate with. Matter closed.”

  Athena scooped the napkin that had been tucked on her lap and tossed it on her plate. “Thanks for lunch, Dad and Hera. But I’ve lost my appetite. See you later.”

  She shoved her ass back to scoot out her chair then stood. She stormed out of the dining room and across the foyer to the front door. The sound of bootsteps scuttling across the marble tile floor announced that Artemis was right on her heels. Her heart dropped into her stomach making her feel sick. She’d left Mack behind in the mess.

  “You just smarted off to Zeus,” Artemis sputtered, clearly impressed.

  Athena glanced over her shoulder as she pulled open the front door. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Mack following just a few steps behind. She held it open for them to exit before she let it slam shut behind them.

  Athena glanced at her sister. “He doesn’t get to make my decisions for me.”

  “About time you grew some balls,” Artemis replied with a wink. “Are you guys coming back to my place?”

  “Sure.”

  “Actually,” Mack interjected as he turned to Athena. “It’d be better if you ghosted me back to my shack.”

  Athena frowned at him, confused. “Why? What about your truck?”

  “I don’t have enough time to drive it back. If it wouldn’t be any trouble, I’d rather keep it at your place.”

  “I could send it with you,” Athena offered.

  He shook his head. “It would just tempt me to drive back to you. You may resent what your father said but I heard it loud and clear. I’m not good enough for you. Even I see that. And if you’re pregnant…” He looked away from her as he clenched his hands to his hips.

  “You are good enough for me, Mack.”

  “Just send me back, Athena.”

  Her heart sank in her chest as she stared at him for a long, silent moment. Finally she spoke. “And when the full moon is over? How are you getting your truck?”

  He glanced back at her. “I’ll call you. Give me your number.”

  “Here.” She slipped her cell from her purse then slid her fingers over the screen to wake it. She handed it to him. “Type yours in. I’ll call you in a couple of days to arrange getting it to you.”

  His fingers brushed hers as he took the phone and tapped on the screen. He handed it back then tugged on the tie around his neck. She noticed him stare at her mouth as his teeth scraped his bottom lip.

  His voice was deep and guttural as he spoke. “Send me back. Now.”

  Athena huffed as she concentrated on the massive beast of a man standing before her. In the blink of an eye he was gone. She fought back tears as she hugged her sister and shuffled her way back to the truck.

  Chapter Nine

  Mack high stepped through the overgrown brush as he struggled with the drawstring on his sweatpants. It was awkward to walk around the swamp butt ass naked even this deep in. He’d started hiding a pair of pants to put on after his change somewhere away from the house a long time ago. Then he’d trained himself to get to them during the craze that overtook him before the sun came up.

  The cloth was a little damp. His go-to was his truck but for the last few days a hollowed-out log had to do the trick.

  His thoughts skipped past his old vehicle to the woman who had possession of it. He couldn’t stop thinking of Athena and it wasn’t the mysterious power that mated them. He’d lost track of how many times he’d jacked himself off to the image of her in his head. He daydreamed of her lying in his arms as he held her close. He couldn’t shake the memory of her lips on his. Being without her was slowly driving him insane. He needed her more than anything he’d ever needed before. He needed her more than the air he breathed.

  He worked out in his makeshift gym in his shed to try to get her out of his head. He hit the bags until his knuckles bled. He scouted gators in the swamp to work his takedown skills and whatever Jiu Jitsu he could do on the animal. He really could use a human training partner for once.

  No amount of training could make him forget his goddess.

  When two days had passed, he waited by the phone like some eager schoolgirl. He embarrassed himself by the way he was acting. When she called finally to make arrangements for his truck, he couldn’t hang up. He noticed, though, that she couldn’t either. Both of them scrounged for idle chit chat just to hear the other’s voice. More than once the conversation derailed into phone sex. For being the goddess of wisdom and war, he came on command for her like she was Aphrodite.

  His brow furrowed as he noticed the strange orange flicker in the trees. It wasn’t an unusual sight anymore. The flicker of flame caught his attention several times a day now. Namtar was screwing with him and it was pissing him off.

  Except this time it wasn’t a flicker or two. The whole swamp was on fire including his shack. Flickers danced around his roof yet did not devour the dry wood of the shingles. The shack, the deck, the trees around them were all ablaze yet not even a twig was charred.

  “Namtar, get the fuck out here. I want answers,” Mack demanded.

  The high pitched laugh was reminiscent of fingernails on a chalkboard. Namtar bounced an exaggerated jig on the roof of the shack before dropping down to the deck. Mack gripped his throat and pinned him to the wall before the demon’s feet hit the wood.

  “Talk, you bastard. I’m done with this,” Mack ordered with a growl.

  Namtar laughed again as flames skittered up Mack’s arm holding tight to him. Mack watched them in horror for a moment then scowled. “I’m not falling for your bullshit.”

  The illusion took shape along with the heat. Mack yelped as he let go to pound his arm on his sweatpants to smother the flames. When he looked up he could see the amusement gone from Namtar’s gaze. In fact, if looks could kill, Mack would be a dead man walking.

  “Blood will flow,” Namtar warned.

  “Whose?” Mack countered. “If it’s mine, then do it now. Stop toying with me.”

  “And I told you, yours will come in the cage. You are not my prey.”

  “Then for fuck’s sake, who?”

  Namtar smirked as he sauntered towards Mack. Mack backed away on instinct. “To destroy a kingdom, one must kill the king.”

  Mack blinked at him. “Zeus?”

  Namtar nodded in response.

  Mack blew out a heavy sigh. He knew Zeus was Athena’s father but, after the judgement Zeus had levied on him, he couldn’t say he’d miss the bastard. “Then why are you torturing me? Why knock Ares out of the fight. I have nothing to do with Zeus and he does,” Mack continued.

  “To kill a king, you must find his weakness. For the King of the Gods, his weakness is with the one he loves most.”

  Mack rubbed the pink, swelling skin on his arm. “Again, I have no association with Hera, either. Coming after me won’t help you.”

&
nbsp; Namtar’s grin grew wider and more sinister, something like a villain in a horror movie. He crowded Mack until Mack’s back was up against the same wall he had pinned Namtar to. The imitation blaze slithered around him. Mack trembled. He knew just how fast they could become real and his body would be engulfed in them.

  Namtar cocked his head as he studied Mack. “His love is not with his bride but with his child. His favorite child. To bring the King to his knees, I must spill his precious daughter’s blood first. Then I can take his life.”

  Mack felt his blood turn to ice. “Athena.”

  “Correct. Now you see why I brought you in? Wherever you are, there she is. It is a shame that you did finally find your mate. I only intended to take her life, not the life of her and your child.”

  Mack’s face contorted in rage as he roared. “You won’t touch either of them. I will kill you first. Do you understand me? You will leave them both alone.”

  Namtar cackled as he backed away. Mack lunged at him, blood lust burning through his veins. But as he made contact, the demon and his fire disappeared leaving Mack alone in the swamp. He glanced around the landscape for a moment before he threw open the front door and raced inside. He nearly ripped the phone off the wall when he grabbed it. He tossed papers on the floor until he found the scribbled on a piece of paper. He tapped the buttons on the handset then held it up to his ear.

  “Anna Lynch,” an all too familiar feminine voice greeted over the line. Despite the terror running through Mack, his cock twitched in response.

  “Where are you?” Mack demanded.

  “Mack?”

  “Where are you, Athena?”

  “I’m at work. What the fuck is this about?”

  “Where’s my truck?”

  There was a pause on the line. Her voice came back hard and cold. “If your coordinates were correct, your truck is outside. I have work to do.”

  “Don’t hang up,” Mack pleaded. “You need to stay there where it’s safe.”

  “Mack, what are you talking about?”

  “I’m leaving right now. I’m coming up there. Please, stay there.”