Holly's Pledge

by Anh Leod

  “No,” he said. “Don’t change a thing. I want to take a picture.”

  Holly scrambled into a sitting position. “Don’t you dare pull out your cell phone! The next thing you know I’d find it on the Rotten Tomatoes website!”

  “Nah.” Greg sat next to her. “I wouldn’t share.”

  “Guys always do in the end, no matter what they say. They can’t resist showing off or it’s revenge after a breakup.”

  “You’re sure pushing this to a conclusion,” Greg said after a pause, hurt showing on his face.

  Holly put her hand on his thigh. “No, I don’t mean that…just stuff that happened in college.”

  “Your nude photos got out.”

  Holly made a face. “Video.”

  Greg’s grin took over his entire face. “You made a sex tape?”

  “Why do you think I got all conservative and stopped dating? I was humiliated!”

  “Do you have a copy?”

  Holly folded her arms over her chest. “No comment.”

  “No problem. It’s cool. It’s not like I’d want to see you with another dude anyway.”

  She frowned at that. What about Glaukos? Greg seemed to be okay with that the other night. “You know I’d be with Glaukos too if he came back. And I’m going to figure out how to do it.”

  “Oh sure. We’ll just challenge Hades for his soul, like something out of a novel,” Greg said casually.

  “Yeah, absolutely.” Holly considered that. Why not? She had Cherokee to get a message through.

  “Holly, I wasn’t serious.”

  “But you should be. Cherokee checked on Glaukos yesterday. He’s guarding Torc in the Underworld somewhere. Only Hades knows where he is.”

  “So you can just contact some ancient Greek god?”

  Holly remembered Ellery and Panacea, and what Brandi had said about Cherokee’s problems with his father. “Probably not without consequences.”

  “Are you willing to pay consequences to a being like that?”

  Holly thought about the way Glaukos made her feel. Greg made her feel great too, but it was as if they were each half of a greater whole. She wanted them both. “Yes, I guess I am. Do you think it would work?”

  “You’d have to have a plan.” Greg sat down next to her.

  The log in the fireplace caught fire. In a few minutes it would start to warm up.

  “I’m freezing,” Holly admitted.

  Greg patted his lap. “Sit here.”

  Holly raised an eyebrow, but she really was cold. In a quick move, she leapt up and straddled him. He made an “oomph” noise as the breath was pushed from his lungs.

  “I’m glad I left my socks on.”

  “Sexy,” Greg commented with a cheery grin.

  “Do you mind that we’re talking about this when you wanted to have sex?”

  “I’m waiting for the fire to catch better before I take my pants off. Otherwise you are going to be unimpressed.”

  She laughed. “Okay then.”

  Greg ran his hands up and down Holly’s freckled thighs. The ticklish sensation had her feeling both itchy and sexy. She felt open and ready to be penetrated.

  “The only thing I really know about Hades is the Persephone myth. You know, how she ate the pomegranate seed and it trapped her in the Underworld?” Greg asked.

  He was wearing a ribbed white scarf. The yarn felt soft under her chin. Her whole body felt good against his.

  “Glaukos gave me a pomegranate.” Holly snuggled against Greg’s chest and wondered how she could get his hands from her thighs to her pussy. She wanted him to touch her there.

  “Huh, another pomegranate? I wonder,” he mused.

  She was considering what good her pomegranate would be when she felt a vibration under her hand.

  “Your jacket is vibrating.”

  “Cell phone.” Greg’s warm hand left her leg as he reached into his pocket. “Hey, Joe.”

  Holly could hear the lead singer of Rotten Tomatoes speaking through the receiver.

  “Get this. Torc’s is opening back up this weekend.”

  Holly’s mouth dropped open. Greg switched to speakerphone mode.

  “Torc isn’t back, is he? We heard Glaukos was guarding him in the Underworld.”

  “I just got a call from Dante, the head bartender,” Joe said. “I asked about Torc, obviously. He said he hadn’t seen Torc but there was a new manager named Nos.”

  Greg glanced at Holly but she just shrugged. She had no idea who that was.

  “The club damage wasn’t as bad as expected,” Joe continued. “And we’re still under contract, so we’re playing this weekend.”

  “What about our instruments?”

  “Still on stage according to Dante. We just have to show up on Saturday, the grand reopening.”

  “Weird,” Holly commented. “Hard to believe after we saw the place falling apart.”

  “Have you heard anything about Ellery?” Joe asked. “I tried to call Sam but couldn’t reach him.”

  “Resting comfortably, according to Claudia,” Holly said.

  “Are we going to practice?”

  “How about Wednesday? We’ll use our backup instruments.”

  Greg agreed then ended the call after Holly said goodbye.

  “I say we invite Hades,” Holly said. “Saturday night.”

  “I think he would have more control over the environment there than we would,” Greg said.

  “But still, it’s as perfect as we’re going to get. I’ll think of something and see what Cherokee has to offer.”

  “Okay.”

  He didn’t sound thrilled but Holly liked her idea. She felt the fire warming the side of her face. It was warming up out here. “Are you starting to feel overdressed yet?” she asked.

  Greg’s hands slipped up her thighs then around to her ass. He lifted her up for a squeeze and Holly found her lips exactly at his height. She opened them for a kiss.

  As their tongues met and tangled, Holly pushed his sport coat off his shoulders. He bent forward so she could get it off his arms then unwound his scarf and tossed both on the table in front of the sofa.

  “Condoms,” Greg reminded, tilting her back so he could grab the coat and find one.

  “Excellent,” muttered Holly, unbuckling his belt when he had righted her again.

  They wriggled against each other, getting Greg’s pants down past his knees. Holly was amused to see the Scooby Doo Halloween boxer shorts he was wearing.

  “Very fashionable.”

  Greg sucked her lower lip. “They were clean.” He turned on the sofa so he could lower her.

  “Oooh, oooh cold,” she gasped as her back touched the cushion.

  “Sorry.” He grabbed the heap of their clothes and she lifted up so they’d provide a barrier against the winter-chilly fabric.

  At least her feet were warm at the fire end. She heard clunking noises as Greg toed off his shoes. He settled between her thighs, kneeling. His shirt was half off and she had a feeling one of the buttons was missing, but she could see he had great pecs and the way he was lit by the fire made him look otherworldly.

  “You’re a very sexy guy,” she told him.

  “Really? Thanks.”

  “I’m surprised you sound surprised, being a bass guitar player in a working band and all.”

  His cock was hard and ready, bobbing at her belly level.

  “The rest of my life feels all too ordinary.” He grinned down at her. “At least it used to.”

  “I don’t think you’re ordinary at all,” Holly said, pulling him to her. “Mmmm, want help with that condom?”

  He feathered his lips over hers then leaned back. “Here.” He put the square to her teeth so she could rip it open, then he took the condom and put it on the flared tip of his cock.

  Holly watched intently, feeling the moisture pooling between her thighs as he slowly rolled the condom down his engorged cock. She felt ready to come at the first touch of his body against
hers but hoped she could hold out for a good long time.

  His body against hers was familiar now. Their sexual relationship was moving into its third day. Too fast? She wondered as he penetrated her. She arched her back and moved her hips to meet his thrusts. Her body didn’t think it was too fast, more too slow, as he took his time with her, trailing kisses down her cheek to her neck, to her clavicle and then to her breasts. She tried to hold back her mounting orgasm and simply enjoy him.

  Soon, all of her felt fiery. She touched his hair, his shoulders, then clung to his pecs when he momentarily changed the rhythm and dove in hard. Her channel clutched at him tightly. When he took a breath she moved her hands down his slim back, found his ass and pulled him against her. Her legs twisted around his and her soft flesh was gently abraded by the hair on his legs. He felt masculine and powerful and she was glad Dylan was out of town so she could feast on Greg all night if she wanted.

  Chapter Eight

  “I don’t think you understand the cost of what you’re asking,” Brandi told Holly the next night.

  “What do you mean?” Holly asked, glancing from Brandi to Cherokee. They were both more solemn than she’d like. It was dampening her enthusiasm.

  It was Tuesday and she was back in Cherokee’s kitchen, drinking espresso with the two of them. She wished Dylan was home so she could feel there was a chance someone was on her side.

  “I see you’re very passionate about Glaukos, despite the short amount of time you spent with him,” Brandi said, caressing Cherokee’s shoulder in a proprietary fashion.

  Though the table was round, Brandi and Cherokee were as close to opposite her as they could get. What was this, a job interview? Wasn’t Brandi the person who had suggested the three of them might have a future together?

  “I’m sure you felt the same way about Cherokee and my brother, after one night with them,” Holly shot back.

  Cherokee grinned. “The red hair, temper thing is proving true.”

  “I do have a temper,” Holly admitted. “I know I’m asking favors, but on the other hand, Glaukos is your friend. You don’t want him to spend eternity guarding the demi-god who doomed his sister and sliced his throat open, do you? Sounds like a pretty crappy way to spend time to me.”

  “Wonderful.” Brandi’s tiger eyes flashed. “Pull at the heart strings, why don’t you?”

  “What is the cost of what I’m asking, Brandi?” She had to be careful not to be rude, since she depended on Brandi for her second income, but this wasn’t a work situation. Maybe she should have waited for Dylan to come home.

  She watched Brandi’s pillowy lips tighten. “Ares got to Cherokee through what was supposed to be a secure computer. I had to nurse him back to health.”

  Holly had just begun to feel bad when Cherokee laughed. “That’s not why Ares got to me. I was too close to my sex deadline. I have to be more careful when one of you is out of town.”

  Brandi closed her eyes. Now she looked guilty.

  Cherokee continued, “He can get to me anywhere. He’s a god.”

  “Still,” Holly said, shuddering. “I’m so sorry.”

  “If that were the case, the next time I checked the internet he would have been right there. He could have come at me through my BlackBerry, for that matter. Brandi, that attack is not a compelling reason not to do as Holly requests. But Holly, you need a plan.”

  “How about a pomegranate?” she asked.

  “What about it?”

  “According to legend, Hades trapped Persephone by forcing her to eat one little pomegranate seed.”

  “You want Glaukos out of the Underworld, not stuck in it for a third of the year like Persephone.”

  “It just seems like the seeds have power. And Glaukos gave me a pomegranate. If we tricked Hades into eating a seed, maybe something would happen to give us control.”

  “The red seed is a symbol,” Brandi said. “Of becoming a woman or something like that.”

  “That is a modern interpretation,” Cherokee said. “But this is real and you’re talking about history. That seed did have power.”

  “There you go,” Holly said. “The fact that Glaukos gave it to me must mean something.”

  “Sure.”

  Holly waited for Cherokee to elaborate as she listened to a clock on the wall above the designer stove clicking away the seconds. Finally, she gave in to impatience. “What kind of power?”

  Cherokee leaned forward. Holly mimicked him.

  “It had the power to keep Persephone in the Underworld part of the year.”

  Holly sat back. “Not helpful.”

  Cherokee grinned his devastatingly handsome grin. “It may have no effect on Hades at all, but then again, it might. I cannot say what though.”

  “Maybe it gives the holder of the seed their greatest wish or something like that,” she mused.

  “Oh come on, Holly, that’s some seriously wishful thinking,” Brandi said.

  “It’s worth a try. What else have I got?”

  “How are you going to get him to your pomegranate?” Brandi asked.

  Holly raised her eyebrows at Cherokee. “Invite him? Torc’s is reopening Saturday night.”

  “Really?” Cherokee said. His brow knitted. “What else have you heard?”

  “Dante is still the head bartender and the new manager is someone named Nos. Heard of him?”

  “Dante is more than human. Nos may be another of Hades’ sons or perhaps a demon.”

  “Oh goody,” Brandi said, slamming her cup on the table. “Let’s all go out clubbing and get ourselves incinerated.”

  “Cara mia.” Cherokee put his hand over hers. “You knew life wouldn’t be exactly normal around me.”

  “There’s movie star abnormal and then there’s demi-god abnormal,” Brandi retorted.

  “You’re used to the movie star kind,” Holly pointed out. “So really, you were never in normal at all, growing up with a director father and working in the biz.”

  Brandi dropped her chin on her hands and stared at the plate of brownies in the middle of the table.

  Cherokee shrugged. “I will email him and issue the invitation.”

  “That’s all I’m asking,” Holly assured him. She rose from the table. “I’ll get out of your hair, okay?”

  Cherokee watched the girl leave the room. Funny how he thought of her as a girl and Brandi as a woman, but then women, even goddesses, seemed to fall into different camps for him, the way Athena was always a woman and Aphrodite a girl.

  He hoped Holly had Glaukos’ best interests at heart. She was right that he wouldn’t want a lonely existence guarding his sister’s tormentor. But would he want a short mortal life in return? Maybe he could talk Hades into returning Glaukos to his post in the court, if not sending him to the mortal plane. Holly was at least right that he had to do something to help his friend.

  He slapped his hands on his thighs then pushed back his chair. “I will go upstairs and send the email.”

  “I’ll come too,” Brandi said. “You shouldn’t be alone when contacting the gods. Something always seems to go wrong.”

  “My protector,” he said with affection. “I was just thinking how you were like Athena and Holly was like Aphrodite.”

  Brandi’s expression was suddenly outraged. “You think I’m wise and she’s sexy?”

  He used a curse word his father often spoke, one in a language so old he wasn’t sure what it meant. All these years of living and still he said stupid things to women sometimes. “I meant you are wise and she focuses only on the physical pleasures.”

  “I like physical pleasures.” Brandi put her hands on her hips.

  “I well know that.” He stood and walked away without another word, knowing she would follow, if for no other reason than to prove her point.

  Slowly, he moved up the stairs, hearing her breathing behind him. Her scent hung on the air. They’d already made love that morning because she said she had a meeting to prepare for though she didn’t
appear to be in a hurry now.

  When he reached his bedroom, he asked, “Do you not have somewhere to be?”

  Her beautiful eyes flashed at him. “I have time. I’m not leaving you alone when you use that infernal machine.” He tucked an errant curl behind her ear and kissed the tip of her nose. “Don’t patronize me.”

  “I simply think you are adorable.”

  Brandi rubbed her hands over her face and threw herself onto the bed. “I have an interview early tomorrow with a producer about a hot new movie that’s being cast. He’s only available during the day so Holly can’t do it.”

  “I thought you did your own interviews anyway.”

  “So far, but that’s got to change. I’ve got so much going on.”

  “Time to do some hiring?”

  Brandi stretched her neck from side to side. “I probably could afford someone young. At least kids with journalism degrees usually come out with a lot of experience from college newspapers.”

  Cherokee kept a smile from reaching his lips. At his age, there wasn’t much of a difference between twenty-two and twenty-four, but to her it was a great deal of time. How old would Glaukos be in human years if Hades sent him back as a mortal? Cherokee himself was one hundred fifty-four and had a lifespan of four to five hundred years, if his father could be believed. Very loosely, that put him around thirty in mortal terms. Glaukos had died younger than that in the earthquake that had been his second death. His face was unlined. He was perhaps around Brandi and Holly’s age or even younger.

  Cherokee made a mental note to contact his guy about papers if Hades did bring Glaukos back. He’d need documentation to find work in this fact-obsessed modern society. Holly really had no idea what she was asking.

  “I am certain you can find a good candidate. Many people are obsessed with the movie industry and would love to write about it.”

  Brandi flopped backward and pulled her knees to her chest. Her “I’m sure you’re right,” came out muffled.

  He wondered if she realized how much her stretches and yoga poses aroused him. She was so busy with work that if she didn’t exercise here or with Dylan she wouldn’t have time at all, but he often interrupted her workouts to pounce on her. He suspected their shared lover did the same. His body naturally stayed lean and sculpted, a gift of his immortal genes.