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

to admit I find your little girlfriend charming, and it's good to see you're finally getting laid regularly. She's good for you. Let me talk to her, Eryx. It can't hurt."

"I just want her safe, Dionysus. That's all."

"I know."

Dionysus came upon her sitting at the edge of the pool, still wrapped in the silk sheet. He looked at her as if she were much more fetching than she felt. She looked at him, her hair tumbling over her slumped shoulders, and dangled her feet in the water. Ignoring his very annoying and very badly timed hard-on, she watched him saunter over and sit next to her. Maia acknowledged him with a defiant glare, but then looked back at the ripples of water radiating out from her feet.

Dionysus waved his hand and a lime daiquiri appeared. With a smile, he handed it to Maia. “I hear you like these."

She didn't even question it. She just took a long, cold sip and swallowed gratefully. “I suppose you've come to talk some sense into me. Eryx told me how persuasive you can be."

"It's one of my gifts."

"It doesn't sound like it's a very useful one. Seems to me it would be handier to have the ability to turn evil goddesses into toads."

"Oh, but I disagree, Maia. The power of persuasion has always come in handy to me.” He nudged her with his elbow, teasing. “You may think I'm the laughingstock of the gods, but I assure you, I'm not a blithering drunk. We can all be quite deadly when we want to be."

"But no one wants to be. Not in my case."

"Not true. Eryx would kill for you. He'd die for you."

She knew it was true. She'd seen it in his eyes and had felt it in his touch. He loved her more than anything. “I would die for him."

Dionysus offered her a sad, sweet smile. “He won't allow it."

"He's being stubborn."

"Because he knows, better than anyone, what Nemesis can do.” He considered her for a moment. “Did he ever tell you about how Chloe died?"

"He didn't have to.” She cringed, remembering the sight of the terrible knife in her dream, the one Nemesis used to carve up the priestess. “I saw her in a dream."

"Ah,” he said. “Then, you'll understand why Eryx is afraid for you."

Her heart wrenched as she thought of the beautiful maiden in his temple. She felt such an affinity to Chloe, at the same time as she felt jealous of her. It was ridiculous. The girl had died centuries ago, yet here they were, discussing her as if she were more than just a memory. “He really loved her, didn't he?"

"Chloe was an innocent, too much so. She was a pleasant distraction for him, but I don't think she was a meaningful one. I doubt Eryx ever cared for her the way he feels for you."

As much as it made her feel better to hear that, it also made her feel guilty.

"Guilt is a very powerful, lingering thing, Maia,” Dionysus said, as if reading her mind. “Even for a god. Maybe more so. Knowing Chloe died because of him almost destroyed Eryx. And there were others, too."

"There were?"

"Of course. We may be gods, but in many ways, we're also just men. And each time Nemesis got wind of them, each time she suspected Eryx of loving another, she killed them. No preambles, no warnings. Just death. I know of three other women who Nemesis destroyed. And he never even came close to loving them the way he loves you. Is it any wonder he's worried now? For years, decades, I couldn't even tempt him to look at a woman! You're the only one he's ever given his whole heart to. He can't watch you get hurt."

It broke her heart. Eryx had had love snatched from him so many times. He'd denied himself any love for years afterward. He'd chosen to live in hell, all because he couldn't return the affections of a twisted goddess.

"But what am I supposed to do? She'll kill everyone I know."

"Let us sort it out."

"But I've already been here so long. They'll think I deserted my dad."

Dionysus laughed. “Don't be silly. Eryx just brought you to Olympus two days ago."

Two days ago? Her mind spun as she considered the insane possibility. “That's not right... We've been here at least a month."

He plucked her lime daiquiri from her hand and took a manly gulp, finishing it. “There's the beauty of this place. Time goes by real slowly here.” With a last, lingering look at her bosom, Dionysus sighed. “Say, I don't suppose you'd be up for a quick roll in the proverbial hay?"

"Um, no offense, but no thanks."

"Just checking. What would I be if I didn't ask?” He grinned at her. “Don't give up on Eryx, Maia. He's the best person I know, man or god."

Dionysus vanished, leaving her staring into the bottom of her daiquiri glass. As if it were an empty cup stained with tea leaves, she gazed into it, looking for answers she knew she'd never find there. The future seemed so bleak, and she wished desperately she could escape back into the arms of the man she loved. Still reeling from Dionysus's information about the skewed timing on Olympus, she thought of all the ways and all the times Eryx had made love to her. Hard and forceful, claiming her as no one else could. Gentle and soothing, coaxing the sweetest shudders from her body. And always with adoration, with infinite love.

He was her infinite love. And she needed to let him know again before hell's mouth devoured them.

She found him where she'd left him. Sitting on the couch in the other room, staring at the wall. For a moment, she just watched him. His beauty still stole her every last breath away. Somehow, in his pain, his beauty only intensified, making her lungs ache.

But Eryx didn't look broken anymore. He seemed resigned. And as she silently watched, the tiniest of