Goddess of Light (Goddess Summoning #3)(46)

The woodland creature looked wounded but instantly obeyed his goddess. Artemis narrowed her eyes and concentrated. There! She hadn't imagined it. The overwhelming pressure that bound her to the mortal woman had lifted, but in its place was a single thread, thin and almost insubstantial. What was this? What had happened? Apollo must have made love to the mortal. That should have fulfilled the invocation. The mortal had asked to have romance in her life. How could being made love to by the God of Light not satisfy the woman's ideal of romance? Especially after she had been primed for him by the magic Artemis had used during the wonderfully erotic theater presentation. Her immortal eavesdropping on Pamela's conversation with the concierge had been fruitful; joining the erotic show herself was an inspired idea. The Huntress's full lips tilted up. She was discovering that there were things about the modern world that she enjoyed. She'd had no idea how much fun it would be to take a little sojourn as an adored star of the theater. She'd have to do so again very soon...

Artemis cringed as the thread that still bound her to the mortal woman tugged at her. It was just a slight pressure, like a very small burr that had worked its way into her slipper. At first it was only a minor annoyance, but left alone it could cause much irritation.

The goddess blew out a frustrated breath. There was nothing she could do about it right now. She couldn't very well chase down her brother and burst in on his lovemaking, demanding to know why his performance hadn't been romantic enough. That certainly wouldn't help. She twirled the thin, cold stem of her martini glass between her fingers. It was still early. Perhaps by morning Apollo would have managed to do whatever it was that the ridiculous mortal woman required to satisfy her romantic desires. Until then it was pointless to brood about it. She needed a diversion.

She glanced slyly at the young satyr who still sat quietly beside her. He really was a handsome beast.

"Darling," she purred, and his ears literally perked in her direction. "Remember how exciting it was when you pursued me through the air earlier tonight?"

"Of course, Goddess," his voice was eager. "An eternity can pass, and I will still remember."

"I'm not ready as yet to return to Olympus. Pay for our drinks, and then let us go back to that lovely theater. You shall practice your aerial pursuit, and this time perhaps you will be more fully rewarded when you finally capture me."

She ran one finger down his muscular arm and his fawn-like eyes dilated in response.

"I live to serve your needs, Goddess," he said.

"That is exactly what I am counting on," Artemis murmured to herself as the satyr rushed off to pay the servant.

Chapter 16

Oh, bloody buggering hell. She'd forgotten to use a condom. And not just for the first time. For the second, as well as the third. She rolled her eyes. What. A. Moron. How could she have forgotten? Especially after she'd swallowed down the knot of embarrassment that had threatened to choke her and bought a brand new box of Trojans from the hotel gift shop after her pedicure. And thank God she'd gotten that pedicure. Phoebus had kissed and caressed and even sucked her toes. Just thinking about it made her feel all flushed and weak-kneed, again.

Focus! Her internal monitor chastised her. Not using condoms had nothing to do with toe-sucking. Or did it?

A movement to her right drew her eyes. Pamela turned her head and looked at Phoebus. He was so beautiful. When she wasn't looking at him, she could think of him as just an ordinarily nice-looking man. And then she'd see him and realize that there was nothing ordinary about him. Nothing at all.

Her body still glowed from his touch. She should be sore and tired and probably battling a raging urinary tract infection from too much sex. Instead she felt marvelous. Lazy and lethargic and very, very well-satisfied.

But she'd still forgotten to use a condom.

"I can feel you frowning," he said without opening his eyes.

"That's impossible," she said, forcing a smile on her face. "And anyway, I'm not frowning."

Still without opening his eyes Phoebus said, "Not anymore you aren't." He opened his eyes then and turned his golden head so that he could look directly at her. His smile was tender. "Good morning, my sweet Pamela."

"I forgot to use a condom last night." She blushed. "And this morning."

His brow wrinkled. "Condom?" He tried out the unfamiliar word.

"Yeah," she said, her face getting hotter by the second. She grabbed the sheet, which had come completely untucked, thanks to their aerobics last night, wound it around her naked body, and retreated to the bathroom. Over her shoulder she said, "You know - condom, prophylactic, rubber. I'm not on the pill or anything. You're the doctor. I shouldn't have to tell you how easy it would be for me to get pregnant."

A condom was something that kept a mortal woman from getting pregnant? How very interesting. Although he didn't think it would stop a god from impregnating a mortal, should he desire her to become with child. Apollo had not impregnated Pamela. He stretched and smiled. He would like to, though, but not until she knew she was his, and she had agreed to spend her life with him.

"You could not have become pregnant from our love-making, Pamela," he said.

She stuck her head out of the bathroom, her toothbrush in her hand. "You've had a vasectomy?"

He had no idea what she was talking about, but it seemed the thought relieved her, so he nodded and smiled.