Fangs and Fennel (The Venom Trilogy #2)(64)

I closed my eyes and drew in a breath, but that didn’t help. Eyes closed, I could still too easily see his body, and the deep breath drew his unique scent into my mouth: basil and mint. I fought not to roll the smells around my tongue.

“I am trying to get information on Theseus. I don’t suppose”—I opened my eyes finally—“you could help me?”

His blue eyes narrowed. “No offer?”

“What?”

“You aren’t going to offer yourself to me in exchange? I see you didn’t even bother to dress yourself for seduction.” He brushed a hand over the bottom edge of my shirt, which drew my eyes down. And once more I was staring at his waistline. I squeaked and tipped my head back so I stared at the sky.

“Look, I don’t have anything to offer you. Even if I wasn’t married, I’m not that kind of girl. I thought we were friends. I thought . . . I thought you would help me. I guess not.” I shoved the cupcakes at him. “Here. Enjoy.” I turned and took a step, but a hand settled on my forearm.

“Stop. I’ll tell you what I can.”

I spun around, and Smithy was already walking away, the cupcake container in one hand. “Really?”

“Yes.”

That was him, all straight to the point. I hurried after him, stepping around the lounging people and creatures that were sprawled at the water’s edge. A woman popped up out of the pool, huge blue eyes blinking up at me, and a tail flipping out behind her. A mermaid. I wondered if she was one of the ones Merlin had turned. It had been an option for me.

I shook my head and almost stumbled on a blond satyr. “Sorry . . . Damara?”

The healer turned my way, a pair of sunglasses covering her strange eyes. “Alena, I wondered if you’d come.” She wasn’t wearing much, really just a pair of bikini bottoms, her furred goat legs stretched out to one side of her, and nothing else. Her two boyfriends, Tim and Gavin, were wearing less than her and obviously rather happy about it. I flushed and kept my eyes on hers. “Thanks again for the other day.”

She gave me two thumbs up. “Anytime, Alena. You know that.”

Smithy cleared his throat, and I hurried after him, waving back at Damara.

He led me to the far side of the pool, where a small covering was set up, like a sheik’s tent, open on only one side. He stepped into the shadows, and I glanced back, looking for Yaya. She wasn’t even watching me. She’d found a young faun and was chatting away with him as she dangled her feet in the water.

“I think she misses the life,” Smithy said, drawing my attention back to him. I made myself step under the covering.

“Why would you say that?”

He shook his head, a half smile twisting his lips. “Because she seems determined to find a way to put you in the middle of things with Zeus and Hera. Think about it, before the changes in the world, she was a priestess of the most powerful god around. Lightning and thunder and controlling the world. She was one of his last to leave his side all those years ago. He sent her away, actually, if I recall. She didn’t go willingly.”

I sat on a footstool, unable to wipe the frown from my face. “She’s human. But you say all that like she’s been around for longer than normal.”

Smithy laughed and shook his head. “You don’t know much about your family, do you?”

A chill swept through me. “No, I don’t.”

He leaned forward, muscles bunching, and I realized he was doing it on purpose. Trying to draw me in the way Yaya had wanted me to do to him.

That was all it took for me to steel myself against the lovely view. “Tell me what you know about her. About my family. About Theseus.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Sounds like you wanted to say ‘or else’ at the end of that sentence.”

I raised an eyebrow right back at him. “Or else I’ll tell your wife you were showing skin at the pool party.”

He barked a laugh. “You think she’ll care?”

“She will if I tell her you were throwing yourself at all the women.”

His smile fell. “That’s dirty pool.”

I shrugged. “Apparently it’s all you and the other pantheon know. I came in here, thinking I was talking to a friend, and you just jump all over the fact that you’re half naked and try to use it against me.”

“I can’t help it if you like what you see.” His eyes shot to mine, and I glared at him.

“I am otherwise attached.” I bit the words out.

“Your husband doesn’t think so. You don’t think so.”

I drew myself up, feeling the shift of power, feeling the shift of everything I believed shimmer in front of me. “I meant to Remo.”





CHAPTER 18


Smithy’s eyebrows shot up, and he leaned back in his chair. “To the vampire? I never would have pegged you for liking the bad boys, Alena. That’s disappointing, I’d thought better of you.”

His disapproval shouldn’t have stung, but old habits died hard. I made myself push through the sudden shame and ask my questions.

“You were going to tell me about my grandmother and Theseus. Are you going to help me, or should I just go?”

He tapped a finger on the top of the cupcake container, his eyes thoughtful. “Your grandmother is human. But Zeus favored her with a longer than normal life. That doesn’t make her supernatural.” Smithy leaned back on a lounger and stretched his legs out in front of him. A tiny dryad covered in green leaves and blooming white flowers stepped into the hut carrying a platter of drinks. Smithy took one and motioned for me to do the same.