by Brux, Boone
Tor furrowed his brow. “Who?”
“Ares.” She stood and smoothed her hands down her camo-print capris. “I think I have the right to meet my father, don’t you?”
He stood, shaking his head. “It’s not that easy, Nikki.”
“Why?” She propped her hands on her hips. “You know your mom. Why can’t I meet my dad?”
“Because Ares is…complicated.”
“Let me guess. He’s a dark, brooding alpha male who could snuff out my life with a snap of his fingers.”
“Pretty much, and he doesn’t handle being summoned very well.”
“I don’t care.” Her voice grew louder. “I’m his daughter, damn it. Isn’t he supposed to come running when daddy’s girl wants something?”
He cringed. “I suggest you not call him daddy.”
“No problem, I have a whole stream of things I’d like to call him.” Years of being neglected by her parents spilled forward. “He owes me!”
Tor gently gripped her shoulders. Shocks of heat and electricity sparked against her skin. He glanced at his hands, telling her he’d felt it too. “Listen, let me ask my mother. Maybe she’ll be able to convince him. They have a”—he released her and mimicked air quotes—“special relationship.”
“Okay, that’s kind of creepy considering what we did last night,” Nikki said. All of the bluster bled out of her. She really wasn’t in any shape to have a reality TV show reunion with her father, especially since he was a full-fledged god. “Fine, ask your mom. I’ve always liked her.”
“And she’s always liked you.” He smiled. “Despite your parentage.”
“She’s a woman—I mean goddess—of good taste.”
“She’d say the same thing.”
Nikki picked up her wineglass and walked to the kitchen. Could she even get drunk on regular wine now that she was a demigoddess? She certainly hoped so. The urge to laugh and cry at the same time simmered inside her. Maybe she was asleep and all of this was a dream. Maybe she’d been the one who’d gotten drunk at the business meeting and she was actually facedown on the table, passed out and drooling. In a while she’d wake up with one hell of a hangover and no pride, but at least her life would be back to normal. One could only hope.
She took a deep breath and exhaled, and then pinned Tor with a stare. “What about us?”
He shoved his hands into his front pockets. “There is no us beyond work, Nikki. Like I said, I don’t date magical beings.”
Leaving her wineglass on the counter, she moved toward him. Maybe it was the Ares DNA making her feel bold, but fighting for what she wanted seemed the only course of action. “I’m not just any magical being.”
“No, you’re my assistant.”—he maneuvered to stand behind a chair—“a very good one I don’t want to lose.”
“What makes you think you’ll lose me? Maybe things will be different with us.” She continued to stalk him, wise to his evasive moves.
“I’m not willing to take that chance.” He took another step backward. “Despite my mother’s presence in my life, I have never embraced being a demigod and I never will.”
That made her stop. She cocked her head. “Why not? You could have everything you want, never have to work, enjoy life without stress.”
“I like working. It gives my life purpose, unlike some of the others I’ve seen.”
“And dating a demigoddess interferes with that?” She approached the chair, shaking her head. “I never pegged you for a coward.”
“I’m not a coward.” He placed his hands on the top of the chair back, looking like a man getting ready to bolt. “But what they want and what I want never seem to mesh.”
Nikki stepped around the chair, blocking his path. “We’ve been together for six years.” She covered one of his hands with hers. “And let me just tell you, last night was hot enough to set my thong on fire. In my opinion, we meshed very well.”
“I know.” He yanked his hand free and backed up, running into her shelf. Picture frames toppled and he barely caught the one of her and Azzura before it hit the floor. “I mean, I kind of remember, but we need to keep our relationship strictly business.”
She stalked him, having too much fun watching Toraos Stephanos, demigod and son of Aphrodite, lose his cool. “You need to keep it business. I’m perfectly willing to have a few closed-door meetings, if you know what I mean.”
“I don’t think so.” He continued to retreat until he hit the front door. “Again, I’m sorry for this mess, Nikki. We’re going to have to learn to put all this behind us and get back to our normal routine.”
A loud knock came from the other side of the door. He fumbled for the handle and yanked on it to reveal a police officer.
“Are you the one who phoned in the mugging?” the policeman asked.
“Yes, officer.” Tor stepped aside to let the man in. “Miss Triano was the woman assaulted. I arrived after the fact.”
The cop did a double take at Nikki and smiled. She smiled back and waved.
Tor cleared his throat. “Did you need to ask us questions, Officer?
“I’d like to get your version of the story.” The cop flipped open a small notebook, pulling a pen free from the spiral edge, and smirked. “The assailant is still unconscious.” He flicked his head toward Nikki. “You do that to him?”
“Uh, yeah.” Nikki fumbled for an explanation. “I guess I freaked out a little.” She gave him an innocent smile. “Thank God for Turbo Boxing.”
“That’s an understatement,” the cop said, giving her a look of approval.
Nikki relayed all the facts of her mugging without going into too much detail. When she was finished, the officer flipped his notebook closed. “That should do it.”
“Will you be needing anything more from me?” Tor asked.
“No, I think I have enough for my report, but if I have any questions I’ll contact you.”
“Certainly, thank you for your quick response.” Tor headed for the door. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Nikki?”
She slid onto a stool at her kitchen island. Run, coward. “You can count on it.”
Without replying, he turned and left. She smiled as his quick footsteps faded down the hallway. He labored under the delusion that he didn’t want a relationship, but he did. He’d said so last night. Sure, he was tanked on Ambrosia, but from what she’d read, the liquid washed away inhibitions. Hopefully there had been a grain of truth in his lovemaking.
Nikki smiled at the officer. “I love my job.”
Chapter Nine
Stacey ogled the departing police officer on her way into Nikki’s apartment. “Hey, I’m carrying an unregistered weapon, officer. Maybe you should frisk me.”
Though Nikki couldn’t discern the cop’s reply, it drew a husky laugh from her friend. Nikki rolled her eyes and waited for Stacey to get her visual fill of the man. “You’re going to get arrested for indecent composure if you don’t stop staring at him.”
Stacey spun and braced her hands on either side of the doorway. “Damn, I love our men in blue.” She stepped inside and shut the door. “I think I need to go blow-dry my panties.”
“That is so gross.” Nikki gave a little shudder.
“So what’s your crime? Unpaid parking tickets again? I can fix that, you know.”
“I got mugged.”
“Seriously?” Stacey walked to where Nikki sat at the counter. “You okay?”
“I’m fine. He had a toy gun.” She refrained from regaling her friend about the ninja moves she’d executed. “Tor showed up just in time.”
“This city is going to hell.” She gave Nikki an assessing look and veered off topic. “Did you get a facial or something?” Stacey slid onto the stool across from her. “You look so healthy and all ‘I just hiked up a hill and ate some granola’ and shit. What gives?”
Nikki patted her messy ponytail. “Thank you for the compliment—I think.”
“Is the rosy complexion from getting laid by your boss? B
ecause if it is, I’m going to have to start looking at my boss, old Mr. Peterson, in a whole new light.”
“Actually—” Nikki stood and retrieved a second wineglass and another bottle of Riesling. “I had a photo shoot today.” She pivoted and struck her best supermodel pose. “You’re looking at the new face for Kythera’s Goddess line.”
“Back this truck up. No way.”
Nikki laughed. “I’m serious.”
Her friend stood and gave her a hug. “We’ve got to celebrate.” She rummaged through the utensil drawer. “This isn’t a perk for banging the boss, is it?”
Nikki gasped. “No! Jeez, do you kiss your mother with that mouth?”
“Rarely.” Stacey produced the wine opener. “And never with tongue.”
“You’re so gross.” Nikki plucked the opener from Stacey’s hand and jabbed it into the cork. “For your information, it was the new creative director’s idea.”
“New creative director, huh?” Stacey wiggled her eyebrows.
“It’s not like that.” At least she hoped Creed had been sincere about her being the look they needed, and didn’t say it because he had other ideas. “He said I had a fresh innocence about me.”
“So, he hasn’t met you yet?”
Nikki stuck out her tongue.
“Are you quitting your day job?
“No. Creed assured me that being the face won’t interfere much.” She twisted the handle of the opener until its metal arms stood out to the side. With a quick shove, she pushed them down, lifting the cork halfway out of the bottle. “Modeling is not my dream.”
“How does Tor feel about it? Isn’t he worried that this job will mess up his orderly life?”
“He has some misgivings.” Nikki stuck the bottle between her thighs and wiggled the cork free. “But we’re working on it.”
The need to spill her guts about everything that had happened since this morning was tempting, but she wasn’t sure how much could say without Stacey thinking she’d gone completely bonkers.
“I just bet you are.” Stacey accepted one of the glasses of wine and took a deep drink. “I sense there’s more to this story. You’re uber-antsy. So what are you not telling me?”
Stacey’s power of perception was legendary. That was what made her a partner at her firm in record time. Her insight and her brain. From a friend standpoint, it could be trying, especially when Nikki had secrets she wanted to keep. “Let’s go into the living room and get comfy.”
“That bad, eh?” Stacey reached for the Riesling. “We’d better bring the bottle.”
They made themselves comfortable on the couch. Not one to be put off, Stacey dived right into the conversation. “So how was he this morning? The slutty clothes? Tor’s reaction? Did you guys get naughty on his desk?”
“Not exactly.” Nikki toyed with the fringe on one of the many throw pillows, unable to meet her friend’s gaze. “He doesn’t remember any of last night.”
A strained silence hung in the air. Nikki glanced up. Instead of the outburst of indignation she’d expected, Stacey’s gaze narrowed.
Her voice took on a suspicious edge. “Why?”
Because he’s a demigod and was drugged with Ambrosia. There was no way she could explain what had really happened without sounding like a wack-job, so she fudged the truth just enough to make it believable. “Demetria Mirrors drugged him.”
Stacey was silent for another few seconds, as if weighing Nikki’s statement. And then being the great friend that she was, she followed rule number one from the BFF guidelines—instant acceptance and outrage on her friend’s behalf. “That bitch.”
“A queen bitch.” Tension eased from Nikki. “On a good note, I think she broke her ankle today. Maybe that will keep her laid up for a while.”
“Don’t count on it.” A wide smile spread across her friends face. “How did it happen? Did one of the interns take her out at the knees with a law book? No, wait, I bet those twenty-dollar blow-job shoes she wears couldn’t hold up her massive ego.”
“Her heel snapped and she hit the floor like she was living in the hood.” Nikki had spent many nights complaining about Demetria, and even though her friend had never met the man-eater, Stacey disliked the attorney as much as she did. “I guess Tor confronted her about drugging him.”
“Really?” Stacey sat forward, eager for more gossip. “Did he fire her?”
Nikki thought for a second, and then shook her head. “I don’t think so.”
“Well, why not?” Her friend shook both hands in the air. It was a common action she did when her Latina fire surfaced. “That bitch deserves to be slapped in chains.”
Nikki gave a strained smile. The conversation was getting tricky. Each fact she told produced a lie she needed to talk around. “I think Demetria has some kind of family connection to Tor’s.”
Stacey harrumphed. “Probably that crazy, vain-ass uncle of hers.”
The wineglass stopped halfway to Nikki’s mouth, her eyes rounding at her friend’s statement. “How do you know about Demi’s uncle?”
“What?” Stacey’s gaze skated to Nikki’s face, her expression morphing from unguarded to panic. Shit, shit, shit!
Nikki set her wineglass down, now understanding that she was hearing her friend’s thoughts. “I said how do you know about Demi’s vain uncle?” She refrained from naming Narcissus specifically. “I didn’t find out about him until today.”
Stacey stuttered a few times before spitting out a coherent sentence. “I just assumed. Demetria was bound to have a crazy aunt or uncle in her polluted gene pool. From what you’ve told me, she’s nuts.” Stacey held up her arm and looked at her watch. “Crap, I’ve got to go. I have a date with Chad tonight.”
It was a lie and Nikki knew it. Thursday was their wine and taco night—it had been for years. There was no man on earth who could keep Stacey away from girls’ date night. A wild thought popped into Nikki’s head. “You know, don’t you?”
Stacey stood. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Oh my God!” Nikki jumped to her feet. “You know. I can’t believe we’ve been friends since forever and you never told me.” She took two steps toward her. “How long have you known?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Stacey backed up, skirting the chair. “Maybe you should check your meds, because you’re starting to babble.”
“So who is it? Your mom? Your dad?” Nikki followed her. “It can’t be your dad because I’ve met him, so it has to be your mom.”
“Okay, I’m leaving now because you are acting crazy.” Stacey spun and nearly sprinted to the door.
Tremors like those Nikki had felt during her encounter with the mugger skittered along her skin. Now aware that she was Ares’s daughter, she recognized the impulse to fight and win. “If you open that door, I’m going to set your clothes on fire.”
Not that she actually would have, but the threat was enough to stop Stacey in her tracks. For several seconds she stared at the door, probably contemplating her next move or wondering if Nikki could really light her up. A heavy exhale escaped her throat, and the stiffness in Stacey’s stance evaporated. Slowly she turned and faced her. Several more seconds passed before she finally said, “I’ve always known you were Ares’s daughter.”
Though she’d just accused Stacey of knowing about her demigoddess status, her friend’s revelation sent Nikki stumbling to the couch. “ “How is it that I’m the last person to know I’m a frickin’ demigoddess?” She lowered her hands and glared. “Oh my God, does Demetria know too?”
Stacey scrunched up her face and nodded. “Yes.”
Humiliation swamped Nikki. How could nobody have told her? She felt like the laughingstock of the immortal world. The surrealism of the moment warred with accusations of betrayal. “Why didn’t you ever tell me?”
Stacey plodded back into the living room. “Because I wasn’t allowed.” She lowered herself to the couch. “Ares has a standing rule. None of
his offspring are to know he’s their father.”
“I can’t believe this. Why?”
“I don’t know why he doesn’t specifically allow it, but it’s kind of an unwritten rule that the god gets to pick and choose what children they claim, if any. Something to do with how many there are, as in a lot. And none of the other gods can defy each other’s wishes.” Stacey shrugged. “They’re not like us, Nikki. They don’t have the same connection with others as humans do. They don’t understand our need to know who we are.”
Nikki collapsed against the couch back and stared at the friend she’d always thought she knew, but who now seemed like a stranger. “Who are you?”
A sad smile graced Stacey’s mouth and her eyes softened. “I’m your best friend and you’re mine. That hasn’t changed, Nikki.”
“You lied to me. How can things not have changed?” She rubbed her hands across her face and shook her head
“Start from the beginning. Tell me everything you know.”
“Well, I’m the daughter of Athena.” Stacey settled into the couch. “My father raised me, but my mom does pop in every now and then, Christmas, birthday, and whatnot.”
“The fact that you live across the hall from me—planned or chance.”
Stacey gave her a sheepish grin. “Planned, but not because I was forced to. I wanted to be your friend.” She scooted a few inches closer. “Listen Nikki, my mom mentioned that Ares had a daughter my age. I asked around and found you. The rest is history.”
“Why?” Nikki wasn’t sure she trusted anything Stacey said. The idea that she’d never let on that they had this connection still smacked of deceitfulness.
“Why what?”
“Why did you want to be my friend?”
“I figured we had something in common. We were both children of the gods and being raised by our human parents.” Stacey shrugged. “I was right, wasn’t I?”
“Is that the only reason?” Nikki was beginning to understand Tor’s reluctance to embrace his heritage. All the duplicity she’d read about in Greek mythology seemed to be based in truth. “It seems pretty weak to me.”
“No, that’s not the only reason.” Stacey picked up a pillow and cradled it against her stomach. “I thought if the time ever came and you found out who you really were…I’d be able to help you. Let’s face it, discovering you’re a demigoddess isn’t like finding out you’ve been adopted. I remember how hard it was for me growing up with just a dad, and I knew who my mother was, even though I rarely saw her.”
