Giving It Up for the Gods (16 page)

Jase embodied complication, confusion, and charm. The way he blew hot and cold hurt her deep inside, but his tenderness settled like a bandage over her wounds. For him, this seemed to be more about foiling Neptune than fucking her. Her dreams of a one-night stand had evaporated the first time Jase kissed her, but he didn’t feel the same. Maybe he still carried a torch for this Cardea woman, but she was desperate to give it up to someone, and he topped her do-me-now list.

Sirens prided themselves on being strong, feisty females. She’d survive when he moved on…maybe. Anything was better than sticking around and seeing him with another woman. Her heartsong—the melody a Siren sang to the man she wanted to have and to hold forever—bubbled up inside her. For Jase, she’d sing a melody of love and binding.
Yeah, like he’s really up for that
. He hated anything to do with Sirens. With him, her passion burned brighter than a million candles—more like a gasoline-soaked bonfire—but she refused to go up in flames. Not when he wanted her body, but not her brain.

Jase pulled back, and she almost screamed or begged, anything for another tender moment in his arms. When he held the car door open and helped her to her feet, she glanced across at the village green and froze. “Jase? Do you see what I see? Is that really Merc doing a rain dance around that tree?”

Chapter Sixteen

Over on the village green, Mercury skipped and danced around like a lunatic. He waved when he spotted Jase and Lindy, giggled manically; then he wobbled and sat down in the shade of the central tree. He started picking daisies, and as he made a chain, he rolled onto his back and stared up at the sky. His legs shook as he struggled to sit up, but fits of giggles overtook him.

Jase swore and started toward him. “Damn it, the stupid kid’s drunk. What the hell is Saul thinking letting him come here alone?”

Lindy stared, bewildered. “Why here?”

Jase kept moving toward Mercury, but he called over his shoulder, “The Romano British worshipped him, even if he couldn’t answer their prayers. Thanks to his family, he wasn’t even sure he was human, let alone a god.”

Lindy felt for Merc, but that didn’t explain why he weaved around this village like an underage cider drinker. All he needed was an askew baseball cap and an empty bottle in his hand.

Jase stopped and pointed at the ancient church. “Saint Andrews sits over the ruins of the kid’s temple. There’s even a statue of him inside. He’s attuned to the power running through the village. Imagine if you’d never tasted coffee and someone poured two hundred double-strength espressos down your throat. You’d be trembling like one of those leaves on that tree Merc was dancing around. He’s overdosed on centuries of worship, and his body can’t process it quickly enough.”

Lindy stared at the teenage god spread-eagled on the grass. Merc opened his arms and legs wide like a child making snow angels; then he pulled them tight against his body. Clearly amused by his own antics, he did it again and again.

Lindy watched and wondered. “Jase, I don’t understand. If the other gods diverted his worship, what’s driving him crazy?”

His answer was a knife through her heart. “They weren’t very good at stealing, whatever they thought. Most of the strength lingered in those stones, and his presence here has released it. The poor kid’s stuck in a shower of all the things his childhood lacked. Imagine he’s a drinker who’s a million times over the limit—a bit like you last night.”

Lindy blushed and looked away. Neptune’s balls, it wasn’t like she’d set out to get trashed. And was it her fault she hadn’t eaten yesterday? They’d been busy avoiding Neptune’s warriors; then she’d gotten involved with one super-sexy demon, but he kept avoiding sex with her because of her heritage. Throw in a few curious cows, and she was screwed. Well, not screwed but…

She’d all but begged Jase to order mineral water, but the big, bad demon had ordered vodka martinis and practically forced her to drink. Looking back without the beer goggles and hangover, it was almost like he’d intended to get her wasted—not that he’d needed to. She was already his for the taking. Only he hadn’t been taking much.

She hung back and let Jase try to quiet the teen before the locals called the police. With his long dark hair, sculpted muscles, and sensual lips, Jase made her heart pound.
And don’t get me started on his eyes. They’re melted gold that warms my soul
. And still something nagged at the back of her brain.

He’d made sure she drunk herself into a stupor; then the bed broke in the night. Even the cleaner found the door open and wandered in. Surely his demon senses would have warned him about that. A vague memory bubbled up inside her, but the implications left her breathless. When they fled Country and Western Heaven, they’d crossed that pack-horse bridge. She’d hated every second of it, but back then she hadn’t known Saul was a god. Once they were back on solid ground, he’d turned to Jase and said,
“I’m agriculture and open fields, not crossing and transitions.”

Saturn—Saul, or whatever he called himself—was the devious god of agriculture. He’d sent cows, and later a lightning bolt…which meant he really had been dogging them. She stopped dead and stared at Jase. Not a minion, then. And so much more than a demon. Damn, that meant… No way! But nothing else made sense. Not only had he played her, but he’d lied from the moment they met. Well, more not told her everything than lied. He was a conniving lowlife…but he’d stolen her heart. And what did he give her in return? Nothing. Just played games and refused to have sex.

Jase the jerk had to be Janus, the god of doors, archways, beginnings, endings,
and transitions
—but he’d been tossed out of Olympus for raping the nymph Cardea. Worse, Jase had already admitted he’d once cared for some female called Cardea.
I’m so not jealous—much
. He must still love her, but where did that leave Lindy? Alone, as usual.

The other gods had turned on Jase when the nymph made her accusations. That always struck her as odd, especially since not long after, Jupiter raped Io and Calisto. Not that the other gods cared. Callous bastards, the lot of them, and that included Jase and his best buddy, Saul. The jury was still out on the kid. He was loudmouthed and sometimes obnoxious, but his heart was in the right place—or so she thought.

She heard a motorbike rumble in the distance. A couple of minutes later, Saul parked up alongside the hired car. Hand raised in greeting, he stalked past her toward his grandson, Mercury.

Lindy ran to catch up with his long-legged lope. When she did, she punched his shoulder. Hard. He turned toward her, one quizzical eyebrow raised in an unspoken
what the hell?

Her uppercut connected with his jaw.
How satisfying to make a primal god grunt
. She wanted to beat on his sneaky, spying ass, and she swung her fist back again. Saul caught her hand in his and shook his head.

Too furious to think straight, she yelled, “Pervert. You’re a double-dealing, depraved loser, but that’s what I should expect from the man who fathered Juno. The Siren race fell because of your daughter’s games. Your son fucks us for some twisted pleasure, and you stand by and let him. No wonder you fell out of favor with your fans. Listen, buster, whatever game you and your friend over there are playing, the pair of you can play it without me.”

Her words carried over to Jase, and his jaw clenched. When he abandoned his pursuit of Mercury and marched back toward the car, his gaze was deadly and determined. Jase let his fangs show and his horns rise as he grabbed Saul’s collar.

“Mine,” Jase growled

Jase’s skin shone like he’d bathed in blood. He was terrible and terrifying, but Lindy didn’t give a damn. When he reached her side, she sank her fist into his balls. “Since they’re damn near useless unless I lick them, that shouldn’t hurt too much. Shame you’re not a dog-shifter; then you could lick them yourself. No wonder all those ancient statues show you with two faces. Your followers knew you well, didn’t they? Well, listen up, freak face, since you’re the god of endings, you shouldn’t be surprised that I’m leaving.”

Jase groaned and clutched at his groin. Not that she cared, really. Determined to end her association with manipulative gods, Lindy ran for the car. If she put her foot down and drove, she might find some breathing space—someplace where Janus, Saturn, or even Neptune couldn’t find her. Hopefully, Neptune would have moved on and fucked someone else by then too.

She yanked the car door open, ready for a quick getaway, but it shot from her hand and slammed shut. The car shook from the impact. Janus, the Roman god of doors and new beginnings, was playing with her again. Yeah, that explained the doors back at the farmhouse—not CCTV, but ancient power and magic.

Lindy’s fists curled into talons, and her fangs extended. “Back off, mister. I’m out of here.”

When she started across to the village green, he stalked after her. His gaze never wavered. Intense and dangerous, he dripped so much sex appeal that her mouth watered. He made her feel like one of the butterflies she’d seen in museums—the ones Victorian naturalists pinned onto trays.

Each slow, deliberate step he took set her pulse racing, but he was a sneaky bastard who’d done nothing but leave her sexually frustrated and tearful. Repeatedly. She retreated until her back rested on the cold steel of the door. And still she couldn’t take her eyes off her beautiful demon. He was one powerful alpha male on the prowl. Damn it, she wouldn’t watch his hips or lust over the way they rolled as he moved toward her.

He towered over her—all red skin, torn clothes, and ebony horns. He’d never looked more deadly or more desirable, and he was focused on her.

She had to stay angry, but one look at his sculptured muscles and dark-eyed menace, and she forgot to breathe.
Fascinating, powerful male. Not mine
. He leaned toward her, caging her with his body as he planted his hands on either side of her shoulders, and moved closer to the car.

“I’ll show you how well my equipment works when an irresistible Siren isn’t taking swipes at it,” he rumbled.

Irresistible? Her? She liked that. Still, picking fights with gods wasn’t the wisest thing she’d ever done. In fact, it was downright dumb…even for her. She’d started something she couldn’t finish, but after the way this lot messed with her head and left her body aching, she refused to back down. “Think about it, Janus. I’m a Siren. By definition, that means I’m sexy as hell. Desired by every red-blooded male on the planet. Let’s face it; your equipment just isn’t working. It can’t be.”

He grabbed her hands and moved them to his crotch. “It’s working all right, princess. You’re so hot even my demon craves you.”

Lindy stroked her hand over his cock. It was tall and stiff, and she wanted it buried inside her. His pleasured groan was music in her ears.
What the hell am I doing? Fondling a demon in a public place. Neptune’s balls, he’s messing with my head again
. She pulled her hand away as if it were on fire. “You had your chance, babe, and let’s face it, you blew it.”

Jase ignored her words and stared at her lips. Lindy’s cunt clenched. She’d give anything for him to be as willing as her. He played her body the way a virtuoso violinist handled a Stradivarius. Then, rather than make beautiful music, he hit a bum note so painful her heart had shattered in her chest.

When he bent his head lower and took possession of her lips, she tried to resist. Her body turned traitor and arched up against him. Her arms crept around his neck, and she nibbled at his lower lip.

Eons later, when she came up for air, she looked him in the eye and told him, “This changes nothing. I’m still out of here.”

* * * *

Saul grabbed Merc by the scruff of the neck. “Suck it up, kid. For someone thousands of years old, you’re acting like some hormonal mortal teenager.”

Saul glanced over at Jase. As he watched, his friend’s body returned to its human form, and part of him remembered how he’d once loved a woman the way Jase loved Lindy. Now Lua was gone, murdered by her own children. All they left him was vengeance. If Lindy would just calm down and listen, then he’d move a step closer to his goal tonight. At least it looked like Jase had a lid on the Lindy situation.

Saul dragged Merc—
my grandson, for fuck’s sake
—over to the car, and the rear door flew open. He tossed the kid into the backseat, and the door shut on its own.

Lindy gave him a look that would melt the polar icecaps; then her anger exploded. “Jase might be shit in bed, but you’re just plain weird. Do you get your kicks out of watching humans get it on?”

Jase’s woman had a sense of humor, even when she was pissed. He gave Jase’s groin a meaningful look and grinned. “Shit in bed? Lindy, that’s just too much information, and as for watching couples get to it, I’d rather go blind.”

“Yeah,” she snapped straight back, “well, come here, and I’ll scratch your eyes out for you.”

Saul shook his head. “Jase, Merc might have been right. This one’s a bit on the feisty side. Are you sure you don’t want to throw her back?”

Lindy bridled, but Jase pulled her into his arms and tucked her head beneath his chin. “Lindy’s perfect. And when Merc sobers up, I’m going to kick his ass into the middle of next year for this.”

LINDY’S BRAIN STOPPED working when Jase called her perfect. Maybe, all things considered, she’d been a little hasty when she took a swipe at his balls—but he’d still played her. “Come on, Jase, Janus, or whatever name you’re using today. It’s time you gave me an explanation.”

Lindy twisted in his arms and stared into his face. He opened and closed his mouth, but no sound came out. His horns straightened, and his eyes darkened. Flames flickered around his pupils, but still he didn’t speak. His distress was a living, palpable thing, and he was losing control. Again.

She went up on tiptoe and planted a brief kiss on his neck before she swung round to face Saul. She smiled like a cat closing in on a particularly plump mouse, and her nails extended into talons. “Okay, buster, what have you done to him? Why can’t he tell me what’s going on? Remember how Sirens hate the dark? Well, the same applies to secrets, but I guess we’re just too metaphysical for you cryptic gods and all.”