Page 101 of Ares' Shield
Glancing down at my whip still wrapped securely around the giant’s foot, I grin. I unfurl the whip and wrap it securely around the nail, pulling it tight. I stand on the back of his foot, balancing as best I can while dodging heated metal hands.
“Distract it. I think I’ve got it,” I yell.
It swipes out a hand again and I flip back off the foot, pulling the whip tight, and the momentum pulls the nail free. I stumble backward as it pulls free and hot golden liquid sprays me as it pours out of the giant.
I fall back on my ass as the giant tips forward.
“Timber,” I screech.
Please let them be okay.
I flop back in the sand with heaving breaths and stare at the gold fluid coating my skin. It’s not oil which is what I would have thought would be inside an automaton.
“Beth?” Jayden’s panicked voice meets my ears.
“I’m here. I’m okay,” I call back and sit up.
“What the hell is all over you?” Jayden drops to his knees in front of me and cups my cheeks.
“I don’t know. I think it might be its blood.” I swipe at the gold liquid all over me as Adrian and Raven race over.
“That’s not blood,” Adrian says with wide eyes.
“What is it, then?” I ask in horror.
Do I have some kind of toxic motor oil coating my skin? I rub my hands over my arms but all it does is spread the substance in deeper.
Jayden grips my hands to still their movements and glares at Adrian. “What is it? Is it dangerous?”
“No, I don’t actually know what it will do to you, but I don’t think it’s dangerous. That gold stuff is ichor. The blood of the gods.” Adrian crouches in front of me and tilts his head to the side.
“Hephaestus put his own blood in his automatons? That is a little strange. Is that how they’re alive and still around?”
“I don’t know, but since we all have the blood of the gods inside us, I don’t think it will hurt you,” Adrian says, looking unsure.
“But you think it could affect me in a different way.” I raise an eyebrow at him.
“It’s possible that you could become even more powerful than you already are.” Adrian slaps his knees and pushes himself up to stand.
“I can barely handle the power I have now. What are you thinking could happen?” I ask, swiping at the ichor on my face.
Jayden whips his shirt over his head and I can’t help but ogle him for a second. “You’re rubbing it in.”
“What are you doing? Put your shirt back on,” I shout.
“What’s wrong, baby? I’m gonna clean the ichor off you.” Jayden swipes his shirt over my cheeks and I can’t help but inhale the masculine scent of him.
I’m in so much trouble. Between the view of his toned chest and his scent, I squirm in the sandy desert.
“Jayden,” I breathe. “Stop. You’re not helping either.”
Raven holds a hand out to me. “We need to go before we’re attacked again.”
Adrian slaps her hand away. “Don’t touch her. We don’t know what skin contact with that stuff will do.”
“Have you seen me, Adrian? I’m covered in it too. We all are.” She points to a spot on his arm that’s tinted gold.
“Shit, okay then.” He shrugs.
