Page 49 of The Demigod Complex
Those questions had kept her up half the night. Her apartment, usually a place of comfort for her, had been more like a cage, and time her enemy as she waited for whatever came next.
Then this morning, she’d come into the office as requested, both eager to see him and dreading how he’d treat her. Castor was already there, the door closed between them. She resisted the temptation to barge in and demand what was up with him. He’d asked for her trust. So, curiosity and a need to be with him dragging at every action, she’d forced herself to get down to the usual routine, checking through a week’s worth of emails from her absence.
Around nine a.m., two gods she’d recognize anywhere had shown up in her office—Zeus and Poseidon.
The hairs stood up on the back of her neck as pure power pulsed through the room. Contrary to popular movies, they didn’t wear long robes and sport gray beards. Nymphs had a hard time resisting gods for a reason, and the power they exuded, a strong aphrodisiac by itself, wasn’t the only draw. Both appeared as young men, in their early thirties at most. Like their demigod offspring, both had broad shoulders, trim hips, and likely sported six-packs under those immaculate suits. Romanticized images of the perfect male body got the original blueprint from these immortals. Both were devastatingly handsome, though Zeus was dark—black hair, deep brown eyes—where Poseidon was fair—blond hair and green eyes.
They did nothing for her.
Leia sent Poseidon a hate-filled glare, then moved her gaze to Zeus, head held high. “May I help you?”
“We have an appointment with my son,” Zeus said, his voice a rumbling roll of thunder.
So that’s where Castor got his sexy, deep tones from.
“Come on in, Dad,” Castor called from his office.
The gods gave her a polite nod before entering Castor’s office, closing the door behind them. They’d been in there about an hour before Castor had called her in. Now, she smoothed the slim skirt of her deep red suit over her hips and checked the V of the jacket, which showed just enough cleavage. She’d forgone a blouse underneath this morning when she’d dressed, determined to remind Castor what he was missing. With a softclick, she opened the door and the three men all standing together in front of Castor’s modern glass desk turned to face her.
Castor’s expression gave nothing away. Damn, he looked amazing in her favorite black suit and maroon tie. With effort, she pulled her gaze away. Zeus appeared amused, if the quirk of his lips was anything to go by. Poseidon she refused to look at again. She might do something stupid like try to drown the god of the oceans with the water in the bottle on her desk.
That was until he crossed the room to stand before her, surrounding her in a cloud of salty sea air.
“Kaios caused a lot of problems for you.”
She raised her eyebrows pointedly, and he held up his hands. “Granted, I was part of the situation. Now he’s dead, I would like to make amends.”
She crossed her arms. “Oh, really?”
His mouth tightened, but he didn’t say anything about her rudeness. Gods didn’t take sarcasm well most of the time. “Yes. His death negates my deal with him, an agreement bound by an unbreakable oath. Now I am no longer beholden by my word, and I can release your spring.”
Her arms dropped to her side even as her mouth dropped open. “What do you mean by release it?”
“You assumed it buried and gone, but it’s simply deep underground. I can raise it to the surface again.”
“You’re saying I can…” She swallowed. “I can go home?”
After ages without it, hope was no longer an emotion she attached to her life’s purpose as a nymph.
She glanced at Castor but encountered a stony expression. He was keeping his thoughts close. She pulled her gaze back to the god standing before her.
“Yes. Would you like that?”
She was tempted to roll her eyes at the fatherly tone to his voice and patronizing expression on his face. He thought he was doing her a favor. After all this time? Gods. They never changed.
She considered his question. Would she like that? Up until a year ago, she had been desperate for her spring. But now…
Another glance at Castor told her nothing.I guess that tells me everything.She turned back to Poseidon, her gaze steady, which was more than she could say for her shaking hands. “Yes. I would like you to bring my spring back.”
He inclined his head. “Consider it done.” He paused expectantly.
“If you’re waiting for me to thank you, you’ll be waiting centuries. That’s how long it’s taken you to put this right.”
His eyebrows drew low over his eyes, but she tipped her chin and stared him down. Eventually, he turned to Zeus. “I’ll wait for you by the elevators.”
That’s right, asshole. Run away.She glared after his departing back before turning to Zeus. “I assume I have you to thank for this?”
He crossed the room and took her hands in his. “I may have suggested my brother consider this action.”
