The Revelation (Pandora's Harem 1) A Reverse Harem Tale(11)
He leans on one of the bakery cases, but doesn’t order.
“The blueberry cupcakes are very good,” I say, trying to open him up a bit.
“I’m not eating. Thank you.”
“But you can’t come to Fifi’s and not have a cupcake.”
“I can when Ker’s here.” He looks past my shoulder, his gaze settling somewhere behind me.
I freeze. Ker is nothing like his violent brother Thanatos, but he’s still a god of death. And I have no plans on checking out today. Even in a peaceful manner. I lower my voice. “We can’t make a scene. There are mortals here. Humans who know nothing about us.”
“I know that,” Lycus says. “But if it comes down to your life or causing a ruckus, what do you think I’m going to do?”
A cold touch strikes my arm, but I don’t see anything. Ker.
Lycus moves his hand to the dagger dangling at his waist and retrieves the weapon, sliding it under the sleeve of his leather jacket.
I pray to the gods Ker behaves until we can get out of here and make it back to my place.
Ares comes up behind me and wraps his arm around my waist. Now I have Spartans flanking both sides of me. “We’ve got your back, Sugar.”
At least he didn’t call me cupcake.
Leonidas is behind me, I can feel his warmth seeping through my fleece vest, weaving through my sweatshirt and jeans, and finally spreading across my skin, delving inside me and coursing through my veins. If Ker is on the hunt and if that hunt includes killing me, he’s going to have to engage in a pretty hefty battle first. And I doubt even he’s willing to risk all just to grab one soul, in public. He prefers the peaceful, quiet ways of killing and that can’t happen to me now. Not that I feel any better. Just knowing the dark god is lurking about is enough to unsettle my nerves.
The woman at the counter slides a bakery box my way, shifting my focus away from my enemy. “Half a dozen cupcakes in here,” she says, tapping the string-wrapped carton. “And one birthday cupcake in this special box.”
I stare at the unique cupcake-shaped container. Its see-through pink lid has something bouncing around inside it, though from the gold aura pulsing at the top, I don’t think it’s of this earth. Which means the woman can’t see it. “This packaging is different than what I’ve seen you use before.” I reach for my birthday cupcake.
“They’re new,” the woman says. “Some off the street salesman brought in the sample this morning.”
I smile, try to hide my concern. If the vibrant pulsing energy is of the gods, then it can be either poison or maybe even a piece of Hope. As I don’t remember the moment I released hell on earth, I don’t remember what Hope looks like. For all I know, she can have a bright aura beaming from her essence. But the container is still a form of a box, and boxes are my thing. So, if Hope was to try to find me, she’d reach out from a box. I’m pretty sure on that, but why I’m sure, I don’t know. Of course, poison is just as much a given, considering my affection for boxes and my curious nature. The gods must know I’d do anything to get my hands on a box, especially a unique looking one. Oh, I am so fucked.
Leonidas leans closer. Stretching his arm over my shoulder, he hands the cashier money for the cupcakes and then grabs the box.
He brings his mouth to my ear, the scent of mint reaching my nose. “Do you want me to carry your cupcake?”
I’m quite capable of handling a single item, even if it is touched by the gods. “I got this one, but thanks.” I cradle the plastic package to my chest. The energy pulsing from its top vibrates against my ribs, but unlike the heat from Leonidas, it doesn’t snake its way beneath my clothes, it remains contained in the package.
Ares tugs my arm, pulls me toward the door.
From the corner of my eye, I see a gray shadow hovering nearby. Ker is still here.
“He’s not going to harm you,” Lycus says, remaining at my left, his fingers still poised on the hilt of the dagger under his sleeve. “If Ker was here to claim your life, he’d have come with reinforcements. And he hasn’t. They would have shown up by now, trust me.”
Lycus’s words do little to ease my worries. I don’t like Death stalking me, even if he is just here to survey the situation and not kill me…yet. Eventually he will be back and so, too, will his brother Thanatos. According to what I’ve studied, the two of them will do anything for Moros. Even if mortals didn’t get things one-hundred percent correct where the gods are concerned, I know for fact Death does exist. And it does come either in peace or by violent means. I may not trust the other stories of the gods, at least not to a tee, but I can’t dispute the tales about Moros and his two miserable brothers.
Lycus closes the small gap lingering between us.
Leonidas shadows my back, his energy continuing to warm my blood.
We leave the bakery and walk up the block.
Ker follows us, his dark gray aura moving alongside Ares. He doesn’t take human form and I suspect that’s because he’s only here to unnerve me or to stake out my reaction to his presence. But whatever his reason for hovering around us, I won’t let him get the best of me. I’m not easily intimated.
Visions of Chaos’s face fills my mind.
A wicked gust of wind kicks up, takes my breath away as it slams my face. My cheeks sting, my fingers freeze. I try to breathe, but can’t. All my energy is focused on the container at my chest. I will not drop it.