Goddess Read online

  I whirled away from the hit, reveling in my new speed and balance. The katana moved gracefully, as if it were an extension of my arm. I jumped with stealth over the next swing of his blade and brought the wrath of mine across his neck on instinct.

  Surprise whitened his face at the moment of impact. A half heartbeat later, his body teetered, collapsing first at the knees and then landing chest down on the icy, pitted pavement. His head was wedged beneath the Dumpster. Thick, purple-tinted blood crept away from him.

  My phone buzzed and thunder rocked the sky.

  Allison’s voice whispered through the receiver. “Are you okay in there?”

  I forced incoherent sounds through my lips.

  “Are you sick? Is it cramps? I have something in my purse if you need anything like that.”

  Lightning burst through the sky, horizontal on top of vertical and every other configuration possible.

  Icy rain poured over me. “I need five minutes. Cover for me with Justin.” I disconnected. The back of my shirt snagged against the brick supporting my weight as my knees gave up the job. I pushed the phone into blood-soaked pockets and turned my hands over in the rain, allowing the storm to wash away the sticky, hot blood.

  Gil’s body lay diagonally across the narrow alley, filling more space than reasonable. The blue haze over his skin was gone.

  I stretched a leg out to kick the strange weapon away from his swollen hand, only then remembering mine. I rotated my wrist. The swelling and bruise were gone. Healed.

  “Callie!” Liam arrived in a panic. “Are you okay?” He fell to the ground beside me, checking every inch of me with gentle hands. “Where are you hurt?”

  “I’m healed.”

  He blinked. Drops of rain fell from long black lashes to his cheeks, pink with worry. “Healed?”

  “Not Gil, though.”

  Liam tapped the screen of his phone. “I’m asking Oliver to bring you dry clothes. Let’s go inside before Gil’s friends come looking for him.”

  “Allison and Justin think I’m in the bathroom.” I wiped frantically at tears mixing with rain on my face.

  “It’s okay, Callie. You’re safe. You did well.”

  “What about Gil?”

  “Tom will take care of him.”

  “Tom wasn’t here. Is he hurt?”

  “He’s fine. Bruised ego aside, I suspect he’ll recover by nightfall. He’s knocked out cold. I saw him on the sidewalk by his car. I assume the Jotunn got the drop on him.”

  “Gil of Niflheim,” I corrected. “He had a name. And he looked like everyone else.” Tall, but still. “What if he had a family and I took him from them? I can’t do things like this. This isn’t me.” This is bad. Awful. Horrible bad. “What if he wasn’t a monster?”

  Liam wrapped me in a warm embrace as thunder pounded the sky and rain washed Gil’s blood down the street in thin pink rivers. “Gil tried to kill you.”

  I pressed my face to his chest. “So what?”

  Liam pulled me back by my shoulders and stared hotly into my eyes. “When someone tries to hurt you, you fight. Understand? Live. Do whatever it takes. I don’t care about ethics, circumstances, or politics. No matter what happens, from now until the end of forever, you must live. Promise me.”

  I buried my face in the fabric of his shirt and sobbed. How could I promise that? This battle was starting and I was untrained. I’d be lucky to live through tomorrow.

  Chapter 12

  Oliver lodged their sleek, black Mercedes in the mouth of the alley, helping conceal the gruesome scene from passersby, though the storm did most of the work. I wiggled on the backseat. Out of my soaked jeans. Into dry ones. Leaving clothes at his place for post-battle practice was smarter than I’d initially thought. The replacement Roll With It polo they brought was huge, probably Mason’s, but I couldn’t be picky. I pressed my wet clothes to my face, scrubbing away the invisible filth that clung to me, as if I could I somehow rub murder off my skin.

  The trunk slammed shut, rocking the car, and the back door opened. Oliver and Tom dripped with rain and rubbed their hands into a wet towel.

  Liam slid onto the seat beside me. He didn’t close the door. “Feeling any better?”

  “N-n-n-no.” My teeth chattered painfully. “Ad-d-renaline.”

  He took my hands in his and rubbed them roughly. “I’m proud of you. You’re stronger than you think.” He brushed towel-dried hair from my cheek. “I wish we could talk, but your friends are coming.”

  Before the words made sense, his lips were on mine, warming my soul and redirecting the excess energy. I curled my fingers in his hair and climbed onto his lap, instantly relieved. Residual fear gave way to passion, and I melted into him. In Liam’s arms, I was strong. Fierce. Hopeful.

  Allison’s voice broke my reverie. “Well, you seem better.”

  I ended the kiss with a smile, concentrating on Liam another long second. “I am.”

  And then I wasn’t.

  Allison stood with Justin outside the open rear door, jackets poised overhead like makeshift umbrellas. Steam rose from their skin in the frigid rain.

  Justin turned on his heels and marched away, unspeaking.

  Liam rolled his head against the seat back, resigned. “Go after him,” he whispered.

  I slid off Liam’s lap and pressed my face into my palms. “I’m the worst. We just made up and I hurt him again.”

  Liam pulled my hands away from my face. “You needed a reason for being outside in the storm.”

  His earlier words caught up with me. “You knew he was coming? That’s why you kissed me?” He hadn’t let me get close to him in so long, not like before I changed. Disgust trickled through me. “What the hell is going on with you lately? The distant, brooding crap I can live with. It’s a hard life. But this?” I glanced at our small audience on the sidewalk. “Dick move, Liam.”

  I climbed out of the car and traded looks with Allison. She pointed in the direction Justin had gone. I ran to catch up.

  He’d made it to his Jeep.

  “Wait! Justin, stop!” The storm fizzled into mist and the wind cracked into action. Swaying trees sent small bright leaves and gimpy limbs to the ground. Hair whipped against my face and stung my eyes. I wrangled the mass into one hand.

  He stuck the key in his Jeep door but waited.

  I pleaded. “Don’t be mad.”

  Justin shook his head. “I’m not mad. I’m fine. Okay? Don’t worry about me.”

  I grabbed his hand and turned him to look at me. “I do worry about you. You’re not yourself lately. You’re upset. A lot. You aren’t talking to me.” You’re spending time with a girl who probably isn’t human and definitely is out to hurt you. I needed to figure out Nym’s game before I lost Justin completely. “I can’t stand to see you hurt. Please, just talk to me.”

  He grimaced. “All right. You want to know what I’m thinking? I’m thinking I can accept that you chose him, but I can’t stand there and watch you with him like that.”

  Heat rose up my throat, burning my cheeks. Hadn’t he just apologized for the last time he freaked about Liam and me? I scanned the area for Nym. “I know. I’m sorry. I’m not normally a PDA girl. You know that. I just…” killed Gil, a frost giant sent to kill me on behalf of Mother Earth who has a beef with her grandson, Zeus, aka, my grandpa. I shook my arms hard at my sides and envisioned giving Zeus a bump on the head. “I’m not myself either, I guess.”

  Wind blew dark clouds across the otherwise bland sky, captivating me for the moment. A strange sensation crawled along my skin as the weather changed. The change was like watching time-lapse photography or an invisible hand erasing an ethereal whiteboard. The sun peeked through, blinding me. I squinted and rubbed my arms as wind drew gooseflesh on my skin.

  Justin opened his door and waved me off. “It’s fine. You deserve to be happy.” Hesitation flitted over him. Something changed. His shoulders stiffened and he turned, ste
pping quickly into my space. Resolution firmed his features and hope lifted his voice. “Kiss me.”

  “What?” I stumbled back.

  He caught me in one strong arm and pressed his palms to the small of my back, guiding me closer. A smile touched his lips. “Humor me.”

  “Justin.” I wedged my arms against his chest and arched my back for a better view of the smile I loved. “That’s nuts.”

  He shrugged and smiled wider. His eyes twinkled like they did whenever he dared me to try anything.

  “Why?” I scanned the area for signs of danger or Liam. He’d sent me after Justin to make up, not make out.

  Justin loosened his hold, letting me know I could trust him. I was always in control of my choices with Justin. “I think we’re meant to be, Callie. I can’t explain it, but I know it here.” He freed one arm to take my hand in his. He pressed our hands to his heart. Certainty cemented his words. His good mood returned. “My mind’s been a mess lately, and I don’t know what I forgot the night I ended up at the hospital, but I haven’t forgotten how I feel about you. The way I’ve always felt about you. Lately, it’s gotten stronger. It’s like we’re two parts of something amazing in a real, finish-the-ride, win-the-prize, change-your-life way.”

  His contagious mood confused my heart. I struggled for clarity of thought. “Kisses aren’t magical. Nothing will change. We’ll just feel awkward after. Isn’t that the reason we put off doing something like this for so long? I had the same thoughts once. You know I did, but things changed for me and I saw what I couldn’t before. If this was such a great idea, don’t you think we’d have done it a long time ago? Not after one of us started dating someone else.”

  His gaze moved to my lips. “I remember you dating Kirk, despite my warning. I remember helping you through the breakup I saw coming. I didn’t make a move because your heart was broken. You needed a friend, not another romance, and I didn’t want to be your rebound guy. Then the Hales came and you walked away.”

  “Hey.” I poked his chest. “I have never walked away from you. I would never.” Electricity charged the air between us. “Nev-er.”

  His expression softened. My mouth dried out. My tongue swept over my bottom lip and Justin accepted that as an invitation. I grew rigid as our lips touched.

  The cinnamon of his gum washed through my mouth as I gasped for air. I opened my eyes. Justin had almost released me. His arms were a loose cradle, a suggestion, not a demand. Exhilaration burned in his soulful blue eyes, slingshotting me through a thousand shared memories. Night fishing and bonfires, skipping rocks, and secret clubhouse meetings in his barn. The scent of hay on his jacket took me back to times I treasured and longed for.

  I stepped away from him and wrapped my arms around my middle.

  The light of hope in his eyes flickered out. “I’m sorry.”

  “S’kay.”

  His heart ached, shredding mine along with it. “I shouldn’t have done that.” He scrubbed heavy hands over his face. Guilt and desperation overcame me to the point of nausea. “I don’t know why I did that. I don’t know…. God, Callie, I am so sorry.”

  “It’s okay. Something’s going on with you. We can figure it out together, okay?” I reached for his arm, but he stepped away.

  His eyes glistened. His gaze moved to the bending trees in the field beyond his Jeep. He laughed once and turned in a circle, probably looking for someone to hit or somewhere to run far away from me.

  Our story would’ve been one to tell our grandkids, but that wasn’t the one I was meant to tell. Destiny had other plans for me.

  A small tornado of scarlet leaves whirled past our ankles. The trees that had once nourished them now stood empty, reaching gnarled gray fingers into the sky.

  “Justin.”

  “No.” He shook his head. “Hey. I’m going to go. Liam’s probably looking for you. Tell him he owes me an ass kicking. I had no right to touch you, and I shouldn’t have asked. I need to clear my head.” He tossed his hat onto the passenger seat and climbed behind the wheel. “I’ve officially lost my mind. He should definitely hand me my ass.”

  I suppressed a laugh. “It’s been a rough few weeks.”

  He pulled the door shut, powered down the window, and blasted his heater.

  I slid my palms over the open window frame. “Are we cool?”

  His pain twisted in my gut like a hot iron. Any day I lived beyond this one would be cake.

  He smiled. “Yeah. We’re cool. I’m a ten gallon-sized ass, but yeah.”

  “Good. I think I’m going home, climbing into bed, and starting over tomorrow.”

  “Me too.” He squinted into the sky. “I’d better check the horses before the weather changes again.”

  I stepped away from the Jeep, consumed by blinding, emotional pain. He angled away from the curb and looked back with a wave. The expression on his face morphed from regret to terror and the brake lights went on. Fear struck me in the gut, and I doubled over.

  The unmistakable baritone of a giant shook the ground. “Hello, Goddess.”

  I twisted at the waist, seeking the source of the low rumbling voice.

  Two large, bald men with facial piercings and an eerie blue shimmer approached me from the tree line.

  I forced my limbs into a defensive stance.

  The larger one grabbed my wrist.

  A car door slammed behind me.

  “What’s going on here?” Justin demanded, eating up the space between us. Fury struck through his crippling fear.

  I inhaled a breath of relief. I could work with anger.

  The giant with my arm snarled, “It’s no business of yours.”

  “Uh, the hell you say.” Justin nailed him in the chest with both hands and enough force to knock down any professional wrestler.

  The giant shoved him back with his free hand. Justin landed in the grass near the trees, rolling feet over head.

  My arm ached from the giant’s grip. I stamped my foot onto his and kneed his crotch. He pinned both my arms behind me and pulled my back to his chest.

  The second giant appraised me. “She’s not much.” He mashed a stinky sausage finger to the tip of my nose and breathed stench into my hair. “I’ll call Gil. Let him know we’re done here.”

  I forced my shoulders back and stood as tall as possible in the giant’s iron grip. “Gil’s dead.”

  The larger giant shook me. “How?”

  “I killed him.”

  Lightning hit a tree in the orchard behind us.

  The second giant leaned forward at the waist, aligning his eyes with mine. “Zeus is a meddling nuisance, and you are a liar.”

  I widened my stance, bent my knees, and leaned forward in a rush of motion, throwing my captor over my head and toppling him into number two. The scream of pain as my shoulder dislocated seemed to rouse Justin at the trees.

  “Callie.” He rose like a new foal on unsteady legs. “Run.”

  The giants frowned. If he intervened again, they’d kill him. If I found a way to hurt them, Justin would see my truth. My mind fragmented. What could I do? What was the answer? “Stay back, Justin.”

  I lowered into a defensive stance and positioned myself between him and them. If I held off long enough, Tom, Oliver, or Liam would find us. “Go home. We aren’t doing this today.”

  “You’re wrong, Goddess. Without you in the equation, we’ve won before the battle begins. Our men spared. Isn’t that what you want? To protect your men?”

  I dodged their attempts to recapture me. “My men don’t fear you, and they like to fight. I won’t surrender.”

  A wave of confusion slapped me in the head. Justin’s furious voice echoed across the field as he regained his balance. “What the hell’s going on here? You know these guys? Who are they? What do they want?”

  I angled my body between the giants and Justin, directing their focus back to me. “You don’t want to do this. I’m not alone.”

&nbs
p; They laughed and the earth trembled. “This human is your army? You’ve failed the prophecy already?”

  Justin wobbled into view. Shock stretched his eyes. “Did you call me a human?” He took my hand and tugged me back. “Aliens. We need to get out of here and find people. Witnesses. The rain chased everyone off the street. Come on.”

  The first giant snatched me from Justin’s grip and wound his powerful arms around me, crushing my windpipe with one bicep. The world shimmered brighter than their skin. Black dots floated in my periphery. I clawed his massive arms, trying every practiced move to free myself, but Oliver’s lean arms were nothing compared to the tree trunks on a giant.

  Justin charged forward, despair in his eyes. I blinked and his body crumbled before me. My lungs burned for oxygen. Icy grass met my face. The giant collapsed on top of me, crushing me into the ground, expelling air from my lungs in a burst. I struggled to keep my senses, begging my eyes to focus despite two hundred pounds of dead weight on my back. I scanned the field for Tom or Liam. Either the cavalry had arrived or my giant had a stroke.

  Justin lay beside me in the grass, his head twisted at an unnatural angle. His wide blue eyes stared unblinking beside me.

  The other giant fell on the far side of Justin.

  Tom strode into view and stood over Justin. “Are you okay, boss?”

  Words lodged in my swollen windpipe.

  A great weight lifted, and I sucked in desperate lungfuls of air.

  Liam rolled the giant away from me. “You’re okay. Everything’s okay.”

  I blinked bleary eyes, unsure I could speak with a crushed windpipe. Everything was the absolute opposite of okay. Was he insane?

  “Oliver’s with Allison. She’s safe inside the diner.” He cast a solemn gaze into the horizon. “We need to talk about Justin.”

  Mason drove the Town Car onto the sidewalk and jumped out. “People are coming out again. Let’s finish this.” He popped the trunk and opened the back door. Tom tossed two mammoth-sized heads in with Gil. They hoisted the bodies, locking hands under giant arms, and piled them on the backseat, legs bent at horrid angles.