“I was teasing Val.” He said with an awkward grin, helping himself to some pomegranate seeds. “Everyone, even the godliest person, has some kind of judgmental thought at some point or another. There’s nothing wrong with you struggling with that.”
“You know, you’re a lot more insightful than I first thought you were.”
“See, there we go. Now I know you are judgmental.” I flushed and shook my head, quickly trying to cover my tracks, but he spoke first, “I’m kidding. I know... Most people don’t consider drug addicts to be people with worldly views, trust me – most of them aren’t. But a few of us might surprise you.”
“You, Griffin, definitely surprise me.”
He smiled at me, “well you, Valentina, always take my breath away.”
Almost immediately, I could feel my cheeks burning. I bowed my head and the silence resumed after that. Reaching up I pressed a cool palm to my skin, relieving some of the growing temperature as I smiled to myself. He did like me. And I did like him I decided.
Griffin reached out and set the tea plate of cake in front of me, the slice half toppled over from its shaky removal. He was still embarrassed and my reaction probably wasn’t helping. Chancing a glance upwards, I smiled shyly at him before refocusing my energies on the carrot cake, picking my way through the layers and eating more of the icing than the cake itself.
Griffin was as content to eat and watch me as I ate too; neither of us needed to say anything else. As we finished up, scraping at the last remains on our plates Griffin’s eyes caught mine and he smiled.
“I like you, Valentina.” He said quietly. I was thankful that we were the only ones here, had we been in a crowded room I worried I might not have heard him.
“I like you too Griffin.” He nodded his head with contentment, swiping his hand over the blanket and the food disappeared for us. He stood, holding out his hand to help me as I rose next to him.
Who would have thought that I would have a boyfriend? The prospect of it had been unimaginable only a few weeks ago. My father was a strict man who believed in the old fashion idea of marriage – I would marry someone he approved of. It would be someone that I had barely ever met whom I would only ever date after we were married. And by that time, I would be expected to start having babies...
Thinking back on it all, my life before this, I realized that I would’ve never been able to fit into the mold I had been desperately trying to squish myself into. Maybe I had always known, deep down inside, that I was different from my siblings and through that acknowledgement they had sensed my difference. Maybe that’s why I had been the black sheep.
I hated thinking of myself like that, as if I had been an outcast in my own family, but from the outside looking in that’s what it had been. That’s how it had been all along. I was little Valentina that no one noticed, not because I wasn’t outstanding – no, because I could see in Griffin’s eyes he thought I was – but because I was different and for people like my siblings, different was never good.
I glanced down to fix my dress and when I looked back up there was a curious expression on his face. I didn’t have long to scrutinize it though as it disappeared again and he was back to grinning.
“Ready to party?”
“Always.” I teased, letting him guide me from our sanctuary to the door that would take us to Styx.
Chapter 12
The party was in full swing by the time we walked in. It seemed everyone had turned up for the celebration, or at least for the booze. I glanced up at Griffin who was already eying the bar. It hadn’t gone unnoticed to me that he had drunk his way through the two bottles for dinner that I hadn’t even touched.
Not that I was offended or anything, it saved me having to drink. I wondered if he still felt like he needed it or if he was using it as a crutch to get through the night. A part of me wanted to save him but then another part of me knew to pick my battles. He’d given up drugs coming here, giving up the alcohol would take as much time and maybe he wasn’t ready to invest.
“Want to go get drinks?” I shouted at him over the noise of the music. It was the excuse he needed to nod and then weave his way through the crowd to the bar. I looked around slowly trying to see if I could find anyone I recognized.
I wasn’t, of course, standing in a room of pure strangers but it was nicer to talk to people who knew your name than having to go through the formalities of introductions again. Plus, I was hoping to spot Aidan and Savannah I could say hi. Maybe even tell them about our dinner, minus Griffin’s past. That wasn’t for me to share.
But they were lost in the crowd if they were even here at all. I spotted Charlotte though, and Nicola alongside Zane and Royce. Jed was probably somewhere here as well if not at the bar with Griffin. He was a borderline alcoholic, I knew it.
“Orange soda.” Griffin returned holding out a glass of bright orange liquid with a smile, in his other hand he held a full glass of some amber liquid.
“Thank you!” I grinned as I took the glass, he had noticed I didn’t like the alcohol. Or maybe he had guessed from my half drank glass at dinner. I sipped the soda and nodded contently to myself. Better. Not to say his choice in wine was horrible, my taste buds didn’t like it. I probably would never be able to stomach alcohol after living with my uncle.
“I’m not a dancer.” He admitted quietly. I thought back to the other night when he had started to ask to dance with me. He must like me then. I smiled, patting his arm.
“Let’s find somewhere to sit down, we don’t have to dance because it’s a party.” I couldn’t help but laugh at the relieved look on his face as he nodded. Taking my free hand, he started guiding me through the bodies toward the booths looking for a free one. It grew steadily more disheartening the more packed we found the tables and booths to be. At the least everyone was enjoying themselves you couldn’t fault the club for that. It was the perfect venue for these kinds of things.
“Alright,” Griffin said with an edge of determination. He nodded toward the back wall alongside the bar, I followed happily, eyes still flicking around the room looking for Savannah or Aidan. Griffin conjured out of nowhere a booth for us. “When in doubt, recreate.” I laughed in pleasure and agreed with him as we both slipped in, setting our drinks down.
“You know, when Atlas brought us all back I doubt he had in mind that we’d spend our days sleeping and our nights drinking ourselves in a coma while hooking up with each other.”
“Probably not.”
“That’s what you get for collecting a bunch of teenagers and barely mature adults.”
I laughed and shrugged, “let them enjoy themselves now. Atlas gave me the impression this sort of happy-go-lucky mood wasn’t going to last long. Once we truly start coming into ourselves and taking charge of our duties, I get the impression something big is coming. He wouldn’t have brought us back for no reason.”
Griffin looked thoughtful for a moment before nodding his head slowly. I wondered what he was thinking as his expression became unreadable quickly it was hard to discern thoughts or even emotions.
“Wonder what it is.” He finally said, though his tone made me think he had an idea. “Atlas isn’t particularly helpful when you ask questions. He has too many rules and guards himself far too well. I imagine there’s all sorts of things he hasn’t told us. And then things he has decided not to tell us because he would rather sit back and watch us flounder when these things crop up. Things he could’ve prepared us for.”
“Like what?”
“Well, like your dog. When was the last time you saw a three-headed dog? And where did it come from? Are there more of them? What other animals are lurking in this mountain, or are they not on this mountain at all?” Griffin shrugged his shoulders, “I don’t know, seems to me like there’s a lot of questions and few answers. None of that is good for whatever this big thing is that’s coming.”
“Big thing?” I asked the way Griffin spoke was as though he knew what it was.
“Atlas
mentioned something about a prophecy the other day. He wouldn’t say much else about it, let alone what the prophecy said and who it involved.”
I frowned, finding the thought more than discerning. Maybe Atlas was holding back too much. Not that he had ever avoided any questions with me save the one about my Goddess.
“What kind of creatures do you think exist?” I decided to change the subject, something about this unknown prophecy was not sitting well with me. I didn’t want to dwell and harp on it when neither of us had any concrete answers.
“Maybe griffins: those are lions with wings. And I want to say for the record, if they exist I’m getting an army I can say I have an army of Griffins.” I laughed instantly feeling better; I think he made the joke for that reason because he smiled proudly as soon as I did.
“Valentina?” I turned to look as Savannah, trailed by
Aidan, came rushing over to the table. “There you are, we’ve been looking for you every” She stopped speaking when she saw Griffin, swallowing hard and then smiling tersely, “where” she finished. “How are you?” She leaned in for a hug and pulled back to signal for Aidan to do the same.
“What’s up Jailbait?” He mused my hair making my nose scrunch up.
“My hair is now, thank you.” He smirked at me before turning to look at Griffin. His expression changed too, tightening a bit. But Aidan was the King of fake smiles he plastered on one for Griffin’s sake.
“Thanks for letting us use this place. Not that we would’ve asked if I had wanted to.”
“Don’t I know it,” Griffin muttered, that dark cloud I had almost forgotten about pulling itself back on his face. “I hope you two enjoy yourselves.”
“We were.”
“Want to go get something to eat Val?” Savannah barely cut him off but turned her back entirely to Griffin, looking over at me with an anxious expression.
“Actually, Griffin is my date tonight. He made me an amazing dinner and now we were enjoying our drinks. Sorry, but don’t let me stop you from going.” I smiled as politely as I could before turn back to Griffin and holding my hand out across the table. He was surprised by the bold move but smiled at me before taking it, threading our fingers together.
I glanced back up at the King and Queen, “unless you two want to join us?” Savannah looked slightly uncomfortable, torn between wanting to stay and protect me and not wanting to be anywhere near Griffin even if Aidan was there.
“No,” she smiled politely, “you two enjoy yourselves. Sorry for interrupting.” She said with an abrupt nod. I immediately felt sorry for being a bit rude, Savannah was still my friend and I knew she had my best interests at heart. But I couldn’t help but feel somewhat protective over Griffin. Someone needed to cut him some slack if only to show the others he wasn’t a villain like his God made him out to be.
I watched them both turn to go and Aidan slid his arm around her waist protectively, their heads bowed close in conversation. I had no doubt they were both talking about me.
“You didn’t have to do that. I wouldn’t have minded.” “I did though.” I looked back over at him, “I know
Hades did some things you regret to Savannah and I know it did a lot more than scare her but that’s no reason to come over and blatantly try to pull us apart for “my protection”.” I attempted to smile, but we both knew I was faking it I picked up my glass and finished off the soda.
“Do you want to dance?” Griffin startled me with the question. When I looked up to meet his eyes it was genuine request. He was trying to make me feel better and it was working. I couldn’t stop the big stupid grin that grew on my face as I nodded.
“Yeah, I’d like that.” He threw his head back and downed the rest of his drink before standing up and holding his hand out to me. I realized as I took his hand and glanced over to the bodies of the crowd dancing, that I didn’t exactly know how to dance the way these people were.
The dancing I had done back home had consisted of one of my siblings, or a few, playing guitars while we laughed and sang around the bonfire. Sometimes we would stand up and jump, sway and wave our hands to the music but dancing like how everyone was doing here? Never.
It looked provocative, it seemed sexual and for a second I panicked. Griffin squeezed my hand though and led me further into the crowd before twisting me around I was facing him. This was good; it was an excellent starting point. At least my butt wasn’t going to be pressed up against his body because I didn’t know what to do with it.
He continued to hold my hand before taking up the other. Together we swayed and moved our bodies to the beat in some semblance of dancing. It was nice, albeit a little awkward given the strange looks everyone was sending our way. I didn’t care though, I was happy because Griffin wanted me to be happy. This is what love was supposed to be like.
The song changed to a slower beat and he stepped closer, wrapping one arm around my waist and held me tightly.
“I’m sorry in advance if I step on your toes.” He whispered in my ear, the sensation of his breath was hot down the back of my neck. I smiled, nodding my head in contentment. That didn’t matter; he was slow dancing with me. I’d only ever imagined this would happen on my wedding day.
The world around us seemed to stop as we danced. No one else on the dance floor mattered except him and I. Time itself seemed to freeze. I struggled to paint this all in my memory for fear that if I forgot I would never be able to recall again how his hands felt around me, the smell of his cologne or the way we seemed to fit together perfectly.
I looked up at Griffin and realized he must be thinking the same thing as me as he suddenly leaned in, about to kiss me. I didn’t mean to but in a flash, I pressed my hands against his chest throwing his weight backwards as I skirted away and shook my head. He looked angry for a second but then it dissipated as he mimicked my action.
“Sorry, that was out of line.”
“No, I shouldn’t have reacted violently. I don’t know what came over me, I panicked.” I bit down on my lip, looking at my feet as he approached me again. He reached out and took me by the waist, pulling us close together.
“It’s okay Val, we’ll take it slow. I get it.” He smiled, “Besides, we have eternity.” I couldn’t help but chuckle at the idea as I nodded.
“You’re right, eternity is a long time. But I hope it doesn’t take me that long to get comfortable with kissing.”
“Is it something I...”
“No. Nothing like that, I’m not ready yet.” He nodded his head in understanding as we resumed our dancing position. He smiled down at me, and suddenly twirled me out of his grip and pulled me back in. I laughed breathlessly, barely managing to catch myself on his chest.
“You know, for someone who doesn’t like dancing you’re pretty good at it.” He shrugged and didn’t reply as he pulled me closer still. It was a tight grip, almost possessive a voice reasoned in the back of my mind. But it was understandable; I was the only person here who believed in him. He needed that; it would kill him to lose it.
We lost ourselves in the dance again and it wasn’t long before I started to regret not letting him kiss me. It was a kiss after all; nothing bad could come of it. He had stopped when I wanted him to and that’s all I needed to know. A kiss didn’t say forever and it certainly didn’t promise anything more than a kiss.
My stomach twisted tightly as I looked up at Griffin nervously, “I want you to kiss me again.” I said quietly, almost too quiet as he stared down at me in surprise before ascending his head slowly.
It was a painful gesture, it felt like it took him eons to reach me and then all at once his lips were on mine. They weren’t soft and sweet like I had expected or anticipated from the books I read, they were chaffed and rough, but the kiss itself was lovely. He pulled back, running his tongue over his dry lips like he subconsciously knew before he smiled at me and squeezed me gently.
“Would you like to get out of here? Go back to my place or something?” Now that promised some
thing more. I glanced around the room as if looking for something to give my answer for me but there was nothing, no one. Not even Savannah and Aidan were lingering anymore.
“Okay,” I said carefully, mind reeling in horror that I had said yes. Why would I do that? I was leading him on. I was a terrible person. I shouldn’t go.
I steeled myself to back out moments later, but I barely had the chance, Griffin was quick to stop dancing as he took my hand and led me once more through the crowd. I rationalized that I was dramatic, nothing that bad could happen. Griffin liked me; I knew that he wanted me. He wouldn’t do anything drastic to ruin that.
But Hades might.
My mind couldn’t stop talking as he took me quickly to another exit I hadn’t known existed. I looked back at the crowd of drunken dancers and wondered vaguely if anyone had even noticed me being led away. Did they care? It was a foolish question, but it was too late to ask it. Griffin tugged me through the door that led me not back to our hallway but to another hall completely.
“Where are we?”
“The back exit. Don’t worry. It’s through this door.”
“You’re apartment?”
He didn’t answer me as he pulled me through the threshold.
Chapter 13
He moved fast I barely had any time to take anything in around me. All I knew was the hallway we entered, and subsequently exited, had been dark. It reminded me of the underground where Aidan and I had found Savannah, it was chilly and damp like it too. But before I even had time to try and assess if that’s where I was, Griffin was pushing open a door that walked us right into an apartment like the sanctuary he had taken me to earlier.
The walls were dark like both the hallway and the sanctuary, one of them even cut from stone from what I could see. There were no windows but a fireplace at the far end, which churned out all the light I needed to see. It was different from how the apartment had looked when I first came to see him after Atlas brought him to Olympus. There was more furniture now, but it didn’t feel any cozier.
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