Page 10 of Achille's Earth Angel
When she pulled into her little driveway and walked around front, she spotted the footprints on the flagstones immediately. This time there were more than one set of prints and she started shaking.
Why did this guy want her so badly that he brought someone with him?
She was willing to admit she’d been lucky with their first encounter. If not for Achilles and Hercules showing up, she wouldn’t have been able to stop him. She’d been taking some self-defense courses in Athens, but Epaphras had been much bigger and stronger than anyone she’d been paired off with. Plus, none of those men had wanted to hurt her. They were just trying to teach her how to get away from an opponent. When Achilles and Hercules had distracted him, she’d gained an advantage.
Spinning around in a panic, she raced behind the house to where Achilles had just unfolded himself from the red car, her heart racing. “Footprints...more than one...” she stammered, throwing herself into his arms without a second thought. Her only desire was to feel safe at that moment.
“He’s back,” Achilles shouted to the other two men as his arms closed protectively around her trembling body. “Are you okay?” The other two raced around the house.
He lifted her chin and she nodded, her body still shivering. She was starting to feel like a coward now, but seeing two sets of prints had really shaken her. “There were two of them this time, Achilles. Why is he still after me? What does he want?” she whispered.
She was more frightened when his eyes turned deadly and his grip tightened. “If he keeps this up, he’s going to force me to kick his ass and then Zeus will know we’re here. He won’t like it and he’s dangerous to cross.”
“You mean Zeus—as in thunderbolt Zeus?” she asked, scoffing.
His eyes softened. “I know it’s hard for you to believe because the gods have been silent for centuries, but they are real, Angel. Why do you think Epaphras can come and go so easily in the sea? He’s coming back hoping to catch you unaware, but he can’t stay long out of water. He can’t wait around for you to come home if you’re gone, and he can’t go into town looking for you. He just wants to snatch you and take you into the sea with him.”
“But why?” she protested. “I would drown in the sea, I can’t breathe water.”
“It doesn’t matter to him. All he wants is to have your body and then let you go. If you wash back up on the beach alive or dead is of no concern to him.
One thing your historians did get correct, some of the gods are very cruel. Only Zeus cares about the mortal world. His progeny and siblings, however, consider mortals far beneath them and inferior. They don’t mind playing with them, and they enjoyed their adoration, but they are mostly spoiled and vain. That’s why he eventually prohibited all contact with the mortal world in order to protect you.”
“B-but you’re supposed to be a god and you aren’t cruel,” she responded shyly, her arms tingling where he was rubbing his palms up and down her bare flesh. And Hercules seems kind.”
Her fingers seemed to have a life of their own when she placed her hands on his broad chest, enjoying the heat coming through his T-shirt. She couldn’t resist the urge to press in and enjoy his muscles rippling beneath his skin as he spoke.
“I’m not a god, I’m an immortal. There is a difference, my little earth Angel,” he said throatily. “Zeus can grant immortality to anyone he chooses, but a true god is born of gods. Hercules is a demi-god because his mother was a mortal. He inherited his mother’s kindness and his father’s affinity for the mortal world.”
“So, if you are the real Achilles, then your skin can’t be pierced with weapons, right?”
“Are you planning on trying to skewer me with something?” he asked, amusement tipping the corners of his mouth upward.
She cocked her head sideways. “Just thinking of a way to convince myself you’re actually telling me the truth,” she mocked. “I’m a modern girl, and not very gullible.”
He held out his arm. “Here, use those nails of yours and try to scratch me.” His green eyes gleamed back at her, mocking her in return.
Ange tossed her head. She was proud of her nails, and they were rock hard. She’d just been to the manicurist and had them done before returning to Ikaria. Still, she didn’t want to hurt him.
Tentatively she reached out and raked her nails down his arm but nothing happened. He didn’t flinch and not so much as a skin cell flaked off. Even more curious, she clenched her fingers like claws and dug into his arm. Nothing. She pressed harder, putting more of her strength behind them. Still nothing. No indentation in the skin, no cutting purple line appearing, absolutely nothing. She was amazed.
She finally pressed her nails into her own arm, and with just a little effort, half-moon circles appeared in her flesh, turning reddish purple when she lifted her hand.
“See what I mean?”
She looked up at him doubtfully. “Okay, yeah, I see what you mean. But my nails aren’t weapons or anything. You could just have tough skin or something,” she admitted grudgingly. “It doesn’t mean you have armor for hide because you were dipped in the River Styx!”
He shook his head ruefully. “That’s exactly what it means, Angel,” he replied with a wink.
“I’m going to need more than that as proof,” she added stubbornly.
Quick as lightning, Achilles suddenly moved. Running around the side of the house, he shouted back at her to stay where she was.
Curious and suddenly frightened, she followed him. At the edge of the beach, she could see Alex and Hercules struggling with two men just as Achilles joined the fight. Within seconds it was over. Achilles had collared the one who had been attacking Alex, and Hercules had Epaphras by the collar, shaking him like he was trying to dust the dirt out of a rug.
How had he known? She wondered. She hadn’t heard anyone call, or any sounds of fighting, yet Achilles had instantly known something was wrong. Ignoring his advice to stay put, she started towards the men on the beach.
***
