Page 6 of Apollo

But why the hell did he keep caring about it? Especially when he was trying to do something about it? Even as he fought to communicate as much, leaning to still her struggles with his elbows around her ribcage and his lips grinding at her ear.

“You want me to help or not, Little Mothra?”

It was a last-second strategy to borrow the she-beast’s name, not knowing if she’d recognize the KaijuVerse vibe. But her reaction, like a jolt of laughter and jerk of shock at once, was all he needed for now. He had her attention; he could work from there to distract her from the pain until he could fully close her wounds. And then—

Damn it.

What was that expression some maddening mortal had coined, about the best-laid plans of mice and men?

And now, of gods. At least the one gawking back at him from this woman’s wide eyes, his reflection as creepy as a swamp kappa.

At the same time a similar bog of bewilderment took over his senses . . .

As he struggled to process what she pushed back at him.

At first, it was only pressure in his fingertips. The fires of his powers, except supplied with new kindling. Not just twigs and leaves. This was like a forest, with the trees bathed in honeyed sunlight. It was cedar brushed with rose oil. Pine boughs dotted with fresh cherries.

It was her, offered in full to the inferno of him . . .

Why?

With their gazes still locked, he was able to slam the question into her—only to see, with slamming certainty, that she didn’t know either. She was as weirded-out about this strangeness as him. And was clearly not used to the condition.

Which at once, led her to something worse.

The woman was . . . scared.

He didn’t doubt his discernment about that either. Her gaze continued to show him just that. Her fear wasn’t the normal oh-my-God-I’m-going-to-die kind. It sprang from someplace deeper. Darker. Her electricity, zipping in her veins, still broadcasted it all to every drop of his own blood—and he was helpless to resist.

She’d caught him up and pinned him down. Drained his powers but then given them back, twice as bright and bold. The thug in her death throes, instead revitalizing her savior . . .

Because . . . ?

Though his jaw worked up and down, biting at the air like a zombie chomping on non-existent brains, his own gray matter had nothing for that. From the looks of things, neither did hers. But the woman had a decent excuse, since they sat here in at least half a gallon of her blood. He was just a pointless idiot, squandering away the ticking seconds . . .

Apollo. Anax! Are you listening? Quil himself confirmed it. Those cops are headed here. You have less than a minute.

Kaw underlined his telepathy by frantically hopping between the chandelier’s shattered chunks, all still slathered with this woman’s blood. This mystery woman—for now. With a crime scene like this, it’d take the police a couple of hours tops to cross-confirm all her evidence and link it to the grim spectacle she’d left behind in the atrium at the DeLux.

But maybe that was for the best?

He shook his head with disgusted force.

For the best? In what fucked-up universe, exactly?

Maybe one in which a douchebag demigod hadn’t stolen one of his most valuable treasures and wasn’t scheming to unleash its power on a lot of unsuspecting mortals? Also one in which his most promising lead about the matter wasn’t locked in the head of the audacious female in his lap?

The guerilla who’d tried taking him out twice tonight.

Yet now, after he’d healed her most prominent wounds, was likely considering a lucky number three?

Like it or not—and he really did not—he still had to get the little monster out of here. To interrogate her properly, he had to heal her the rest of the way. To do all that, a dozen prying policemen definitely wouldn’t be helpful.

Damn it.

As if he’d yelled that part, Kaw punched the air with a new squawk. The bird’s most distinct cry had Apollo jerking his head up until his squad leader’s beady black gaze dominated the few feet between them.

You waiting for her to pull out a signed permission slip?