Page 76 of Beauty At Stake
“So, don't use that to justify what you did.”
“All right. Fine. I'm complicit. Go ahead and blame me.”
“That's it?”
“I already apologized. What else do you want?”
“I want you to fix it!” Star hissed. “Call him here. Tell him to remove the spell.”
“All right.” I held up my hands. “Anu! Anu, I made a mistake. Please, remove your influence.”
Nothing happened. Anu didn't show up. I felt no different. Star remained livid.
“Anu! Please! Come on. I shouldn't have made that decision without Star. He wants to be free of it. Please, remove your magic.”
More nothing.
I tried again and again. I was respectful, then I was firm. I even begged. I knew he was there. Watching. But when Anu didn't want to show himself, nothing could make him appear.
I stared at Star. “I don't know why he'd deny us now. It doesn't make any sense.”
He shook his head and stormed back into the restaurant.
“Fuck me,” I whispered. “What have I done?”
Chapter Twenty-Six
I swayed on my feet. There was nowhere to sit down, so I crouched on the courtyard stones that formed a path between the vegetable beds. My heart was racing as if I'd come from a battle. I guess I had. With Star. My mind couldn't process it. I felt like that guy in “Princess Bride”—Inconceivable!
“I don't think that word means what you think it means,” I muttered to myself. Then I shook my head. “Great. I'm losing my shit. Just because Star has finally had enough.” I stood up and took a deep breath. I knew he'd react poorly, but I hadn't expected him to shout at me. To . . . reject me. Wow. What was I—thirteen? “You havefivehusbands! Five men who love you more than life itself! What the fuck is wrong with you?” I mentally slapped myself. “And he's right to be angry. Ugh! You're the bad guy! It's you, Seren! You have no one to blame but yourself. So, what are you going to do?”
I stared down at my shaking hands. There was no doubt that I wanted Star. It wasn't just the kids. It was him. Even before he'd given me a piece of his Demon Lord magic, I had felt a draw to him. Did I sense what we'd become? Or had I pushed us in this direction? I was too far down the rabbit hole to see things clearly. It was all topsy-turvy down there. I had lied to my husbands and Star. Betrayed them. And I thought it would be all right. Raza's words came back to haunt me.
“Who are you?”
“Who am I?” I whispered. “I've forgotten. I've gotten so wrapped up in desire and denying it that I've lost myself. This isn't me. I don't lie to the people I love. I don't do this. This isn't me.” I lifted my chin and squared my shoulders. “Anu, I don't know why you didn't appear when Star was here, but you're gonna show yourself now. Because if you don't, I'm leaving Earth and I'm not coming back.”
Silence.
I crossed my arms. Yeah, it was a huge risk to give a god an ultimatum. But I was done with this shit. There was one thing I was certain of—Anu had manipulated me. He twisted my heartstrings around his divine finger and made me dance, all while I thought it was my idea.
“All right,” I said. “I'm leaving. I'll contact the Councils when I get to Fairy. I'm done working for them and you.” I summoned my Demon magic. The Fire rose inside me. Once I was on Danu's planet, Anu wouldn't be able to reach me.
“Stop!” Anu's voice rumbled through the world.
I let the Fire go, embers dancing from my hands to fall on the stone. Before me stood a massive man, dark-skinned and with a dark expression to match. His head was bald, his eyes intense, and his teeth gleamed white when he bared them like an animal.
“Oh, you're pissed?” I asked as I crossed my arms over my chest. “Why? Because I figured you out?”
His eyes narrowed, and he stepped forward. As he moved, his body shifted, becoming smaller and paler. I ignored theshow. It was the same with both of the Twin Gods. Fucking neurotic body shifting.
“Just pick one!” I waved at him. “This is ridiculous.”
Anu paused, his blue eyes going wide. “It represents how I am a part of all my children.”
“Yeah, I know. I fucking get it. Now, stop it!”
His form shifted one last time, becoming a Thai man, as if he were trying to match the setting. He spread his slender arms. “You have it all wrong, Seren. Again.”
