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

knock over the costumed mannequins and rip their plastic heads off.

She'd been patient. Very patient.

She'd let Eryx have this time with his whore, knowing he'd eventually let his guard slip. She'd already waited an eternity anyway. Another few days should mean nothing to one such as her.

It had occurred to her once or twice that she should just give in. He'd never love her; she knew it. But somewhere along the line, it had ceased to be an exercise in making him love her. Now she just wanted him to feel her pain. And if Maia Douglas felt it too ... well, bonus.

She strolled over to the mummy display and curled her lip at the shriveled princess on display. Perhaps she'd mummify Maia Douglas and stick her in a glass case. How fitting.

Perhaps she'd bury her alive.

Hmm, there were so many possibilities. All she knew was it had to hurt. A lot.

And she had to do it soon. Nothing else would appease the horrible need inside her, the insatiable desire for revenge. She would punish him for his pride and didn't care who got in the way.

One of the security guards passed her on his rounds. He offered her a small smile of recognition and said something inane about the weather. Nemesis, still camouflaged as one of the staff members, grinned back and agreed it had been a lovely day.

As soon as the man's back was turned, the goddess turned to face him. Without him seeing, she pointed at his chest and squeezed her hand into a fist. Within seconds, the man's face turned purple, and he clutched in vain at his chest. Standing still, her borrowed face registering no interest, she watched as his heart exploded inside his chest, and he fell dead to the ground.

Nemesis then turned on her heel and left the gallery.

It wasn't quite as satisfying as killing Maia and Eryx, but it cheered her up a little bit.

Upon hearing the noise in the outer chamber, Eryx stole from the bed he'd been sharing with Maia. As she slumbered, he leaned over, moved her tousled hair from her face, and planted a soft kiss on her cheek. She was so beautiful he ached when he looked at her. She was soft and warm and so human. And so sleepy.

Poor thing. He'd worn her out. Again. It seemed all they did was wear each other out and then rest in each other's arms. Utter bliss.

Heaven had never been quite so heavenly to him. Thankfully, he'd had his cousins doing surveillance for him, to keep him apprised of any suspicious activity, and he'd been able to relax a little bit. To enjoy his haven with Maia. But despite the relative peace, he was still on his guard, wondering how Nemesis would show her cruel self next.

He threw a towel around his waist and strode into the other room. Dionysus was propped on the plush couch, waiting for him. At the sight of Eryx's towel, he raised an eyebrow. “Don't you guys ever stop? You're supposed to be the celibate one. The martyr. What happened to your virtue?"

Eryx was unfazed by his cousin's teasing. “Yeah, that stopped being an issue when I realized the evil witch was trying to kill my ... Maia."

Dionysus cracked a smile. “Were you about to say your girlfriend? ‘Cause that's just adorable."

"Girlfriend.” Eryx huffed. “What are you, fifteen?"

"Well, what is she to you? I should know. After all, I've been putting my neck on the line for her. So have Apollo and Artemis. The last thing I need is for Nemesis to curse me with another hundred years of blue balls.” He grimaced, remembering. “So, what are you planning to do with your little conservator anyway? Make her your wife?"

Eryx frowned. He'd been pondering the same question for a long time, and it didn't have a simple answer. He loved her, more than anything, but could he really take her away from everything she'd loved before him? Her family? Her career? The chance at having a family of her own one day? She might want those things.

Yet, could he really be satisfied to watch her from afar for the rest of her life, until she eventually became a shriveled-up old woman and died? He couldn't bear to see that either.

"You do know what is involved if you're planning on making her your partner forever?” Dionysus asked.

"Yeah, I know,” he mumbled.

"It's risky. It hasn't always worked. Of course, in the old days, Zeus would just turn one of his lovers into a constellation, or some such shit, but I don't imagine that sort of poetry goes down well in these modern times."

"No. If I'm going to be with her, I'm going to be with her. I just don't want her to regret her decision."

"Well, she may need to make a choice soon."

Eryx's head popped up. “What have you learned?"

The god of wine looked worried, which in itself was a rare occurrence and was not inspiring. “It's her father, Eryx. It's not good.” He looked up, and Eryx followed his gaze.

Maia, wrapped in a silken sheet from the bed, was standing in the doorway, her face etched in pain. Eryx held his arms out to her, and she shuffled over to him, letting him hold her. “What's wrong with my dad?"

"I've been to the hospital since you've been here. He's in a coma, Maia, and gravely ill."

She stared at Dionysus, not knowing what to say. It broke Eryx's heart to see her so forlorn. Especially when it was all because of him.

She turned to him. “But you fixed him."

"I did, baby,” he said softly. “It's Nemesis."

Her lip began to tremble. Her perfect heaven was shattered. “So, instead of coming after us, she went after my dad? A man who not so long ago was sick and bedridden."

"She's never been opposed to attacking the vulnerable as long as it advances her vengeful cause."

"They call her the goddess of just retribution, but personally, I think she gets off