For The Love Of A God by Rosanna Leo (ebook reader for comics .txt) 📕

to look, but she knew she had to. Dragging her eyes away from the celestial brother and sister, she turned to the man she'd grown to love. As she looked at him, really looked at him, her eyes filled with tears and her heart palpitated.

He was incredible. More breathtakingly beautiful than the statue had ever been. He, too, was clad in Grecian clothing of old. His hair was blonder than blond. His eyes greener than green. Everything about him was enhanced, almost animated, he was so vibrant. His lips seemed fuller, his muscles more sculpted. The waves of his hair seemed to flow, as if blown by a non-existent fan. He wore sandals fashioned out of the softest of leathers and was carrying a copper shield, a reminder he was the son of Ares as much as Aphrodite.

And his face was full of love. For her.

"Maia. Say my name."

And as a shattered breath tore from her lungs, she tried. But her fevered brain refused to let her enunciate what she knew in her heart.

"You're ... Eric Lord!"

The moment the words were out of her mouth, her knees buckled and her eyes rolled back. Sweet darkness claimed her to give her respite from her strange reality.

Eric caught her as she fell, swooping her up easily, holding her weak body to his chest. The other gods clustered about them, curious about the mortal.

Artemis laid a cool hand on Maia's brow. “The little one fights hard, Eryx. I'm not certain you'll win her over. Perhaps it's best to erase her memory."

"No,” he uttered through clenched teeth. “I'll make her see. I have to."

"Sometimes mortals just don't want to know...” Apollo trailed off, his voice pained.

Eric glanced up at him. He knew Apollo had lost numerous lovers through the ages, women who had been terrified of his brilliance. Women who'd died, rather than accept him.

He wouldn't let Maia suffer a similar fate, and would certainly not let Nemesis get her either.

"I'll take her into the bedroom and see if I can revive her. Apollo, Artemis, guard the outside door in case Nemesis shows up. Dionysus, you take the living room."

"Always happy to help. Consider me your heavenly security detail. You kids run along and don't do anything I wouldn't do.” With a randy grin, he stood guard by the front door, while Apollo and Artemis transformed into a thin mist and disappeared under the door. “I never liked Nemesis anyway. See if I let her shrink my balls again."

After closing the bedroom door, Eric laid Maia down on her bed and sat next to her.

The poor thing. Her brain just couldn't deal with the bizarre information and had simply shut down. He'd seen it happen before, although not to him. Other than Chloe, there had never been anyone he'd cared about enough to show his true self to. And with Chloe, well, that had been another time and place. The people of ancient Greece were a more accepting lot. They weren't bred to be cynical and hard like today's people.

Maia wasn't cynical, nor was she hard. She was sensible and analytical, yet she still could not accept what was standing in front of her. And Eric only knew of a couple of ways to prove his godliness to her.

The first method made her faint. Revealing oneself in one's full glory had such an effect.

But there was a second method. He just wasn't sure she'd allow it. Not after all that had happened.

He caressed her cheek, loving its softness, and whispered close to her ear. “Maia. Wake up, sweetheart."

Before her eyes ever opened, she turned her face to his hand and kissed his palm. Her lips moved, but there was no sound for a few moments. Finally, her eyes still closed, she mumbled, “Eric. You shouldn't drink so much scotch."

He smiled. She was dreaming, and reliving the gala. Her mind had clearly thrown her back to a happier time. Before he'd destroyed her ordered world. He hated to wrench her out of her happy place, but knew they were on borrowed time.

He had so much to say, and so much to prove.

"Maia. Please wake up."

Her eyes popped open, but they took him in through a hazy filter. She looked confused and adorable and sexy all at once. Even if she did look ready to cry.

Apparently, she hadn't forgotten anything.

Her gaze darted all over the room. He leaned in closer, lying almost over her, seeking to comfort her with the press of his body. “The others are standing guard outside. Baby, you're safe. It's just us."

"Er—” She closed her mouth. She'd been about to say his name, but clearly didn't know which name to use anymore.

"You don't have to say anything,” he whispered, more disappointed than he'd ever been. “Just let me be with you."

"I ... I want to believe. I do. I just don't know how."

Her face was so sad it broke his heart. He knew he shouldn't push himself on her. She was in too fragile a state. But he needed to end this to help her, even if it meant she walked away from him later.

"I can help you believe."

"How? Show me how ... please."

Fierce, angry desire swept through his body, telling him to take her, to claim her. His love would make a believer of her. By the time he was done, she'd be singing his name from the rafters. The last time he'd made love to her, he'd held back, knowing the full force of his love was too potent to be unleashed.

The time for niceties was over. As far as he was concerned, Eric Lord was dead. It was time for Maia to know the real Eryx.

With that one paralyzing, tantalizing thought in mind, he lowered his lips to hers.

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Chapter Fourteen

As his lips touched hers, red-hot liquid fire tore a path through her clammy body. Maia wanted to scream, even as he deepened the kiss, swallowing her cry.

What was happening? Was she dying?

No,