Page 53 of Dead End

As I placed it on the shelf, he clucked his tongue. “What’s wrong?” I asked.

“You can’t put them willy nilly on the shelf. You need to think through the organization. Are you an alphabetical girlie or a genre girlie? Or maybe color-coded?”

“I’m not a girlie at all. I’m a goddess.”

“Where are your roomies?”

“Kane is at his place, gathering more of his belongings. Goran is upstairs, determined to finish reading his Brandon Sanderson book before it’s due back to the library.”

Gun’s gaze snagged on the window, and he dropped the stack of books on the floor in a heap.

“What is it?” I asked.

“It must be Unas.”

Butterflies formed an insectile tornado in my stomach. “What makes you so sure?”

“He looks like a comic book villain.”

I scrambled to the window for a better view. Unlike many of the gods at The Corporation, Unas met my expectations. Bulky, brawny, and beastly, he resembled a walking, talking Halloween costume. Given the season, I hoped nobody with the Sight noticed him. He scared me, and I was the one who’d invited him.

“Should I lower the ward?” I asked.

“If you expect him to come inside, then yes.” He patted hispocket, which bulged with a pack of tarot cards. “Go on, Lorelei. I’ve got you covered.”

Nausea flooded my stomach as I lowered the ward. “I don’t think I can do this.”

“It’s all right. I can do it for you.” Gun opened the door.

“Let’s talk to him on the porch. It’s a nice day. There’s no reason to be inside.”

Unas walked with the gait of a god that didn’t understand the word no. I started to feel worse.

“Maybe don’t mention I’m a goddess,” I whispered.

“Unas,” Gun said in a bright, sunny voice. “Welcome to Bluebeard’s Castle.”

The god grunted. “Why have you summoned me?” His voice matched his physique, which only added to my angst.

Gun offered an easygoing smile that rivaled the most successful used car salesman’s. “Because we have a proposition for you. You help us. We help you.”

“I don’t even know who you are.”

“I am Gunther Saxon, member of the illustrious Assassins Guild and ancient society of mages known as La Fortuna. This is my dear friend, Lorelei Clay. She’s very boring.”

His eyes on me, Unas scented the air. “You’re a goddess.”

Well, there went my undercover identity. “Yes.”

“She is a goddess,” Gun intervened, “but very little meat on her bones. Hardly worth the effort. You’d wash her soul down with a nice Chianti and be hungry again five minutes later.”

“Chianti?”

“It’s an underrated Italian red wine. Never mind.”

As frightened as I was to know the truth, I couldn’t let the opportunity pass me by. “I’m Melinoe, daughter of Hades and Persephone.” I tried to gauge his reaction.

Unas didn’t react. “What reason would I have to help you, child of Hades and Persephone?”

---