Page 5 of Where A Goddess Belongs

Chapter Two

Jacoby was only five minutes into his rounds when the woman appeared at his side. “You look like you have the fate of the world on your shoulders, Jacoby. What’s happened?” He wasn’t surprised by her appearance. He’d been expecting her. The only problem he had was, he still wasn’t sure if she was real or if he was imagining her. “The Mal are sending our replacements on Sunday. I don’t think we have enough time to get everyone out before then.” “Ah, yes. That could be a problem. So what are you going to do?” For a few seconds, Jacoby considered the fact that he was most likely talking to a figment of his imagination. She’d made her first appearance about two months ago, had scared the shit out of him as he’d made his rounds one night. He’d thought she was real...until he’d reached for her and his hand had passed right through her arm. Freaked out and afraid he’d finally lost his mind, he tried to ignore the apparition but she’d refused to go away. The second time she’d appeared, he’d found he could no longer ignore her and he’d asked who she was. After she’d told him, he’d walked back to the cabin and almost confessed to Den that he was losing his mind. He’d caught himself before the words could escape and make Den worry more than he already was. “I’m not sure. I thought we’d have more time to come up with a plan, make something work.” “Well, now you don’t. Who do you sacrifice?” Jacoby shot a glare at the female walking beside him. “No one. That’s not an option.” “Sometimes it’s the only option.” Stopping with a frustrated sigh, Jacoby turned to confront his imaginary friend. He looked much more real than she had the first time he’d seen her. She held herself like a goddess and by that, he meant she looked regal. Not tall but not short, not skinny but not heavy, her hair down to her mid-back and a shade of brown that defied explanation. Somewhere between sable and gold. And her eyes...damn, she had beautiful eyes, a brown so dark they looked almost black. They held a sharp intelligence that made him feel like an idiot every time he opened his mouth around her. Sometimes he kept it shut. This was not one of those times. “No. Not in this case. And if you don’t have anything helpful to say, I respectfully request you don’t give any more advice. Unless you have something to suggest other than sacrificing someone I love.” She remained silent and, for several seconds he wondered if he’d finally stuck his foot far enough into his mouth that she’d leave and never come back. He wasn’t sure that’s what he wanted. She stared at him for so long he was pretty sure she was about to blast his head off his shoulders. And then she smiled and he swore the fucking sun shone out of her pores. Vaffanculo, he truly was losing it. “Good for you. I’m glad to see you’re not afraid to speak your mind. You’re going to need that strength.” His mouth opened as he tried to think of a response but all he could come up with was, “I don’t know what the hell to do. We’re screwed anyway we try to work this. And if you were really here and not just a figment of my imagination, you’d be able to help me with this problem. But since you’re just part of my brain, of course you don’t have anything to add because I’m well and truly screwed here.”

The woman laughed, husky and low and sexy, the kind of laugh that turned men’s heads and made them want her.

Except for Jacoby. He had it bad for an actual flesh-and-blood goddess who made him want to throw her down on any flat surface and lose himself in her soft body. The same goddess his best friend lusted after, as well.

Damn, they were all screwed.

“Why don’t you tell me a little more about your dilemma and we’ll see if we can’t come up with a solution.”

Sighing, he figured what the hell. “The problem is I don’t know who to trust except Den. We have no allies in the Mal. And we don’t know anyone outside of it. We’re fucked.” He paused. “Excuse the language.”

Which just made him want to smack himself upside the head. Why the hell was he apologizing to someone who wasn’t really there?

“Well, I do know someone you can trust.”

Snorting, he began to walk again, not surprised when she kept pace. “Sure. Okay. Lay it on me.”

“His name is Steven and I believe you may have heard of him.”

He stopped short. Holy shit. She was right. Or he was right. And who the hell cared at this point.

He’d never met Steven Castiglione but the guy’s name was infamous among the Mal. Jacoby had never heard the entire story but the rumors flying among the Mal muscle, guys like Jacoby and Den, was that he’d defected to the lucani a few years ago, after he’d taken down a high-level Mal in Florida.

Why the hell he’d gone to the lucani, no one knew although there was talk of a woman being involved.

Which made sense. When wasn’t there a woman involved?

The woman back at the cabin immediately popped into his head. Beautiful. Sexy. And off limits.

Fuck.

“Do you know how I can get in contact with him?”

The woman put one hand on her hip and raised her eyebrows. “Oh, so you believe I’m real now?”

“Are you?”

Her laughter rang out, strong and clear and completely natural. But there was still something so...otherworldly about her.

“Who are you?”

Her smile softened but the look in her eyes made his back straighten. It was the look of royalty.

“Before I tell you my name, I want you to tell me something.”

He nodded, his throat going dry.

“Who do you think I am?”

He hadn’t been expecting that question but he had an answer ready to go.

“Turan, Lady of the Swans.”

Her smile widened slightly, enough to let him know he’d amused her. Why? He had no idea.

If she was real, he had no idea why the Goddess Turan would be talking to him. Considering she was one of the five founding Etruscan deities who’d disappeared thousands of years ago... Even an idiot would understand his dilemma.

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