Love and War Read online

  “Still,” Juliet persisted.

  Demeter rubbed her brow. “For your information, I am currently converting an old stable into a mother-in-law suite for my son-in-law, so to speak. That way they can be alone here when it’s not his time to have her. I’m not entirely heartless.” She waved to the house. “Are we good now? Go. Get it done.”

  Athena squealed as Mack scooped her into his arms. He carried her across the lawn, leaping up the steps two at a time. She tried to hold tight to him, but her strength faltered. He just held her tighter to his chest.

  He climbed the inside staircase and turned for the bedroom. He laid her on the mattress then tugged the sheets free from around her. She snuggled into the pillow and smiled at him. Her eyes widened as he crawled in beside her.

  “What are you doing?” she whispered.

  “I’m not letting you out of my sight ever again.” Mack stroked her hair from her face. His touch was tender on her bruised skin. She felt her eyes grow heavy. “But my aunt.”

  “Will be fine. Sleep.”

  “Okay.” She felt the pull of sleep drag her under. Just as she drifted away she heard him speak. “I love you, Athena.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  It took two weeks before Athena could walk straight again. She drifted in and out of sleep for the first two days. Each time she woke, Mack was by her side tucked beneath the covers. He carried her to the shower and joined her to help her wash. His touch on her bare skin excited her. It was evident by his near constant erection he wanted her just as much.

  But he wouldn’t give in to his desires. There was guilt in his gaze. As much as she tried to assure him that she was getting better he didn’t shake it.

  The full moon rose on the third day. At twilight Mack disappeared into the woods to change. Demeter took his place caring for Athena until sunup. When Mack collapsed in bed the next morning too exhausted to do much to help, the goddess of the harvest called in the reinforcements.

  Persephone took the first couple of days, pulling out her books of Mad Libs for entertainment. Athena groaned. What Persephone saw in those fool games she would never know.

  Ares took a day or two, then returned daily to train with Mack. A few other gods and goddesses filtered in and out to help.

  On the last day of the full moon, Athena was bundled up on the living room couch with a mug of hot cocoa in her hands. She watched out the window for Mack to return. It made her anxious when he went out to hunt. She had seen him as a werewolf and it was the most terrifying thing she had ever laid eyes on. It still worried her that he could get shot or attacked by another animal.

  She was so consumed with her thoughts that she never heard the steps of high dollar designer loafers enter the room until the voice reached her. “You aunt informed me that it was my turn to take care of you.”

  Athena turned to find Zeus hovering over her beside the sofa. He sucked in a loud breath when he saw her. Time had healed quite a bit but she still looked rough.

  “I didn’t realize it was this bad. You didn’t look like this when I saw you last,” he remarked. “Is there anything I can get you?”

  She raised her mug to him. “I’m fine, Dad. I’m sure you have important meetings to get to. I’ll be fine.”

  “I cleared my schedule.” Zeus slipped his suit coat off then laid it over the back of a plush, floral chair. He settled in the seat. “Besides, if I left I wouldn’t hear the end of it from Demeter.”

  Athena smirked at him. Her heart raged in anger. “Thanks, Dad. Glad to know you care.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Athena set her mug on the end table then buried her hands in her lap so he wouldn’t see them shake. “First you try to exile me, then it’s a bother to take care of me after I’m attacked and nearly killed.”

  Zeus threw up his hands. “I don’t even understand why, or how you were attacked. There is nothing under Olympus that should be able to do this to you.”

  “Try a Sumerian death demon, that can kill gods.”

  Zeus’s countenance darkened. “The werewolf’s opponent for his fight.”

  “Yes. Namtar.”

  “So this is Mack Bradshaw’s fault. The demon hurt you instead of him.”

  “No, Dad. It’s yours. Namtar wants to destroy the King of the Gods. He knew he couldn’t attack you directly. He knew he’d have to weaken you first. So he tried to kill the one he believed you loved. Too bad for him he was way off base.”

  Zeus’s face fell. “Athena, that’s not true. He had it right.”

  “Really, Dad? Exile.”

  “I wanted to get you away from that werewolf. Ever since he’s come into your life you don’t call or text as much. And I hardly ever see you.”

  “Exile would fix that?”

  He shrugged. “I was furious. I didn’t think it all through. Then when I heard you were attacked, I assumed it was him.”

  “It wasn’t. His only transgression was that he left me alone that night. But then he did ask me to be his wife and I said no because I didn’t want to disappoint you.” Tears pooled in Athena’s eyes. “So there’s that.”

  There was silence for a long moment before Zeus spoke. “Do you love him?”

  Athena didn’t answer. She just nodded.

  Zeus huffed. “Do you want him as your husband? Taking my influence out of the equation.”

  Athena shrugged as she wiped at her damp cheeks. “I never want to let him go. So yes.”

  “Then you should.”

  “The offer is off the table.”

  “I could demand he ask you again.”

  Athena let go an awkward laugh. “I don’t think it works that way, Dad.”

  “I’m the King of the Gods. If anyone can do it, it’s me. Or Aphrodite, I suppose.”

  He chuckled with her then cocked his head. “I’ve never seen you cry this much before.”

  “Well, I guess you should know. It’ll be obvious soon. Juliet isn’t the only one pregnant. I am too.”

  Zeus’s eyes widened. “Excuse me?”

  “Mack and I are having a baby.”

  She could see the war of emotions going on in his eyes as he stared away from her into the dining room. The one he ended up with was resignation. “The baby survived the attack?”

  “Thanks to Apollo, yes.”

  “That’s wonderful news. Are you happy?”

  She couldn’t help but smile. “Yes. Very.”

  “Then I’m happy for you. Just do me a favor? Keep it from Hera for a while. She’s still not handling Ares and Juliet’s news well. Two little demigods on the way. We’re going to have our hands full.”

  Athena’s smile grew wider. “Yes, we are. Grandpa.”

  He stared at her, dumbfounded. She didn’t miss the tinge of pink in his cheeks when he finally smiled with her.

  They both turned as the front door swung open. Mack strode in wearing only a pair of sweatpants. His bare flesh glimmered with sweat.

  Athena swallowed hard. She hoped he got over his guilt soon. She wasn’t sure how much more she could take of looking but not touching.

  Zeus stood slowly and turned to face Mack, his face like stone.

  Mack glanced from father to daughter and back. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt. I wanted to check up on Athena and grab a bite for breakfast before I met up with Ares.”

  Zeus offered his hand to Mack. “You weren’t interrupting. I’m here to take care of Athena. It’s good to see you again, Mr. Bradshaw.”

  Mack shook his hand. “It’s good to see you too, Mr... ummm...Senator Lynch? Your excellency? Forgive me. I’m barely knowledgeable on how to address my own people.”

  Zeus chuckled. “Just call me Zeus. It’s easier. Why don’t I find something for us for breakfast?” He glanced at the couple one last time before disappearing into the kitchen.

  Mack sank into the sofa next to Athena. “What the fuck was that?”

  Athena laughed softly. “We talked. We’re on the path to wo
rking things out.”

  “But he wanted to exile you.”

  “I brought that up. I brought a lot of things up. Like the baby.”

  Mack rolled his eyes. “Now I’m a dead man.”

  She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tight. “He took it better than Hera did about Ares and Juliet’s pregnancy. He is by no means completely happy about us. But he’s coming around. And he gave…”

  Athena clipped her words short. Just because her father gave any union between her and Mack his blessing didn’t mean the offer was on the table. It wasn’t. She’d screwed up and rejected it.

  Mack brushed a lock of hair from her face. “Gave what?”

  “Nothing. I talk too much. Could you hold me? I’m a little cold.”

  “Of course, love.” He held her close to him, tugging her onto his lap. She laid her head against his chest to listen to the steady rhythm of his heart. She would love this man until the end of time. She just wished she hadn’t been such a fool.

  * * * *

  Mack rubbed his taped hands as he waited for his turn. There was no anxiety, there was no fear. There was just the deep seeded, undying need to enact revenge.

  He didn’t let Athena go with him to the weigh-in. She had recovered remarkably well and all that was left from Namtar’s attack was a slight limp, which would go away, and two heinous scars that never would. She joked with him that they made her look badass. As far as he was concerned, she didn’t need them. She was the most badass woman he’d ever known.

  He begged Demeter and Apollo to check on their child. The abuse Athena had gone through tore him apart. Losing his son or daughter would kill him. Both assured him that the little tike had a heartbeat like a raging storm and was growing like a weed. Whoever they were, they were bound to give their parents lots of challenges.

  He sighed as he drove a fist into the palm of the other hand. If only Mom and Dad could be together to watch him or her grow up. Both Athena and Zeus had made it clear that marriage was not an option. He carried the ring everywhere he went hoping for the perfect moment to ask again. But he knew it would never happen.

  Little did Zeus and Athena know, they weren’t getting rid of him that easily. He had a new job working for Hades and Ares. He sold his truck and was going to move his things from the swamp in the next week or two.

  Hades even struck a bargain with Artemis to use her forest when he needed to change. Of course, he couldn’t touch any animals unless she directed. Hades told Mack he agreed, with an eye roll. At some point, Artemis needed to get a grip.

  He heard someone clear their throat and looked to see who was in the room with him. Speaking of the devil, so to speak.

  “Yeah, boss?” Mack greeted with an amused grin.

  “I was just waiting for the train of thought you were riding to return to the station,” Hades replied with a smirk. He appeared naturally, with no illusion, dressed in a black designer suit. The more Mack thought about it, he hadn’t seen the Las Vegas pimp version of him in a long time.

  “I’m good. What’s going on?”

  “You’re one fight out. Ares will meet you at the curtain. I will be with the lovely ladies.”

  “You’re not cornering me with Ares?”

  “Do you really need me shouting nonsense to you? I don’t have any idea what this all is yet. What I do know, is that you better not disappoint me. If you win, Namtar will be a distant memory. If not, he will have the opportunity to strike again.”

  “I’m not losing,” Mack replied.

  “Good. I’ll walk you to the curtain.”

  Mack stood and strode to the door, holding it open for the lord of the underworld. Together they wove their way through the corridors beneath the arena to the curtain separating the backstage from the crowd. Hades nodded to both of them, then slipped through the black fabric.

  “Ready?” Ares asked.

  “I’ve never been more ready to beat someone down,” Mack answered.

  The crowd roared to signal the end of the match before his. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Namtar approach like a cat on the prowl. The demon looked much worse for the wear. Hades had beaten him within an inch of his existence for hurting Athena.

  Tonight, Mack would finish the job.

  Ares gripped his shoulder as a classic rock song shook the building. “In the cage, Mack. Save it for there.”

  Mack growled at Namtar then stormed to the cage with Ares on his heels. He stopped before the official and popped out his mouth guard enough to prove it was there. After the official nodded in acknowledgement, he patted Mack down.

  He saw Athena when he turned to get last instructions from Ares. She sat beside Hades dressed in a long ruby sleeveless gown. The slit framed a slender knee crossed over the other. Her long blonde hair flowed free over her shoulders. She looked like a movie star. It was hard for him to believe someone so beautiful was carrying his baby.

  On the other side of Hades sat Persephone cuddled up to her husband also dressed in an evening gown. Demeter sat beside her daughter in a floral blouse and jeans looking none too pleased. Beside Athena sat Juliet in a lilac gown. Artemis sat beside the nymph dressed in black jeans and a T-shirt looking like she was ready to throat punch someone.

  Ares rubbed the petroleum jelly on Mack’s face then gave him a quick hug. Mack hopped up the steps into the cage, making his way to his corner as the crowd chanted his name.

  A foreign tune rang through the building as Namtar stalked toward the chain link structure alone. He presented himself to the official to go through the same routine as Mack had before joining him in the octagon. Namtar’s blood red stare never left Mack as he went to his corner.

  The referee motioned the two opponents to the center of the mat to go over the rules. Mack fought back a grin. If the poor man had any idea he was addressing a werewolf and a demon, he might understand the rules were null and void.

  He sent them back to their corners. When both of them were ready, he dropped his hand. “Fight.”

  Mack shuffled out of his corner looking for an opening to attack as he threw a combination of jabs, crosses and hooks. None landed on Namtar. The demon seemed to be bouncing in and out of Mack’s reach at an inhuman rate.

  The first punch Namtar landed struck Mack’s temple, dazing him. A moment later another hit the back of his head. Mack raised his hands up and turned to face Namtar, but the demon was never in his sight. The blows kept coming through all over his head. The room swayed a little as his vision clouded.

  Mack stopped in his tracks as another punch landed in his eye socket. There was a pattern. He took a quarter turn then braced for the blow to his cheek as he counted. He got to the number two before the fist hit his face.

  Mack counted to two again then lashed out with a back kick. No punch landed on him but he heard a grunt as his foot embedded into Namtar’s belly.

  Mack pivoted to take advantage of the kick. He brought a knee up into Namtar’s face then downstroked with an elbow. The demon collapsed onto the mat, blood trickling down his cheek from the cut left by Mack’s elbow.

  Mack descended on him, straddling his hips to rain strikes down on him. The referee pulled him off as the sixth or seventh blow left Namtar lying there senseless. Mack retreated to his corner as he raised his hands in victory. His heart thundered in his chest as Athena mimicked him, a brilliant smile on her face. Ares was by his side a moment later. He wrapped Mack in a bearhug that lifted the big man off his feet.

  Once Namtar was on his feet again, the referee motioned Mack back to the center of the mat. As the announcer declared the winner, the referee raised Mack’s hand over his head. The roar of the audience was deafening. It wasn’t nearly as satisfying as getting to beat the crap out of the one that nearly killed the woman he loved.

  Once the referee dropped his arms, Mack turned to watch Namtar shuffle from the cage into the crowd. As he passed, Hades stood. He winked to Ares and Mack before following the demon from the building.

/>   “Is he?” Mack inquired,

  “He won’t be threatening any of us again. Hades is going to make him a resident of the underworld. He told me he had Cerberus back there somewhere to finish the job. I have no idea how. That dog is louder than hell.”

  The officials motioned them from the cage and back towards the corridors. They didn’t make it to the curtain before they were joined by the women waiting for them. Ever Demeter looked overjoyed at witnessing an MMA fight. He got a hug from each of the five women before Athena took his hand and led him to the locker room.

  It took all the willpower in him not to strip the ruby gown from her body the second the locker room door shut. His now swollen cock went to war with his cup. If he didn’t suspect the rest would come through the door any second, he’d pick her up in his arms and bury himself inside her.

  She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and kissed him. It didn’t help the state he was in.

  “Congratulations,” she murmured against his lips.

  “Thank you. If we go home, I can show you just how thankful I am.”

  “And you leave for Georgia in the morning?”

  “Probably.”

  She let go of him and retreated a few steps.

  He frowned at her. “What is it?”

  Athena hugged herself tight. “How are we going to raise this baby in two separate states?”

  He cocked a smile at her. “We’re not. I haven’t had a chance to tell you. I’m going to Georgia to pack and finish the sale paperwork on my truck. I’m moving to DC. I work for Ares and Hades now.”

  “You’re fighting for them?”

  “I’m Vice President of talent. I recruit fighters. I book fights. I put the fight card together. Yeah, I’ll be fighting when I want, and I’ll be traveling, but I will live in the same city as you. And if you’re so kind, possibly the same house.”

  She grinned as she closed the distance between them again and hugged him tight. She bit her lower lip. “I know I screwed up and the offer is off the table, but if you ever wanted to ask me to marry you again, I would say yes. There would be no question. And Dad gave me his blessing the morning he came to take care of me, in case you might ask again.”