Page 11 of Achille's Earth Angel
ALEX STARED AT THEtwo men Hercules and Achilles were holding. He wouldn’t have believed it if he hadn’t seen it for himself. They had both walked out of the sea, the clothing they were wearing instantly appearing on their bodies. Both men were tall, lithe, with fins on their shoulders and backs that had receded into their bodies as they took on a more human look. They hadn’t noticed him and Hercules because their gaze had been intent on Ange’s cottage. He and Hercules had been kneeling slightly further down the beach, looking at the footprints in the sand.
“Who are you two and what are you doing here?” Alex spat out at them, still shaken. If not for Achilles suddenly appearing as they met up with these two, he didn’t know what the outcome would have been. He was obviously no match physically for either of them.
Hercules shook the one he was holding. “Answer him, Epaphras. He’s the local law here.”
Epaphras turned his head, his gold eyes encircled with red staring at Alex in disdain. “I don’t have to answer to him,” he spat back. “I’m not subject to mortal law.”
“And what are you doing here, Gronk?” Achilles asked, shaking his prisoner with a growl. “You should know better than to let Epaphras lead you into trouble by now.”
“It was his idea,” Gronk whined, his gaze sliding away from Epaphras when he glared at him. His gaze latched onto Ange and his nostrils quivered in the air. “Although, I can see why he wanted her,” he growled. “She smells good and looks even better. Ow,” he exclaimed when Achilles slapped his ears. “Watch it, Gronk.”
Achilles turned his fierce gaze on Ange as she cautiously approached. “I told you to stay put,” he growled.
Ange swallowed and then stiffened her back and trudged up to them. “I don’t take orders. Besides, I can identify my attacker, and it was him.” She pointed to the one Hercules held.
At that moment they all gaped when a beautiful, exotic creature walked out of the sea, her curvy form taking on a tunic to cover her body that seemed to morph from beautiful rainbow scales into skin. “So, this is where you’ve been going,” she said sternly, shaking her finger at Epaphras. “When Daddy finds out, you are going to be in so much trouble.”
Her long reddish curls swung gently behind her as she turned to Gronk. “And you too, cousin.” Then she smiled at Hercules and Achilles. “Nice to see you again, Hercules,” she cooed at him. “You too, Achilles. You’re both just as handsome as I remember.”
“Nice to see you to, Delia,” Hercules replied, his eyes twinkling.
Alex just stared, stunned at the wondrous creature before him. “You...you saved my life once,” he croaked, his gaze avidly soaking in her luminous green eyes and the ruby lips that curved upwards at the corner. “I never got to thank you.”
She laughed throatily. “Yes, you did. I enjoyed the flowers you left on the water from time to time when you were a boy and still believed in me.”
“What the old man doesn’t know won’t hurt me,” Epaphras cut in, still sulking. His avarice gaze was sliding up and down Angel as if he could taste her.
“What makes you think he doesn’t know?” Delia replied, cocking her head sideways with a mocking grin.
“Did you tell him?”
She tossed her curls back. “I didn’t say a word, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t know. He always knows, you can’t fool Daddy. And when he finds out...”
Her words were cut off as sudden loops of water sprang from the sea like lariats, encircling Epaphras, Gronk, and the girl. Delia laughed in delight as they were lifted high above the water. She blew a kiss at Alex. “Uh oh, he knows,” she exclaimed in a sing-song voice, her laughter tinkling across the breeze as they were drawn into the sea to disappear beneath its surface.
They all stared at the water where the three visitors had disappeared. “Is that enough proof for you?” Achilles asked Ange, his brow furrowing into a frown.
She nodded, her eyes wide in stunned amazement.
“I guess I won’t be making an arrest,” Alex said, his voice cracking,
Hercules cleared his throat. “I’ll just be making my way home now,” he added, nodding to Achilles. “If Poseidon knows, I’m betting Zeus soon will. I’ll try to run interference for you, Achilles, if you’re determined to stay here.” He started off down the beach at a trot. “Return the car for me to the little lady up the road,” he yelled back over his shoulder. “Ange knows her.”
Achilles waved. “Will do!” he called back.
Ange turned to Alex. “You might as well lose that report. If Perseus even took it,” she added.
Alex nodded, his eyes turning to Achilles with a slight frown. “So, are you going to stay here?” He glanced from Achilles to Ange as if undecided whether he should do something.
Achilles nodded. “I do plan to stick around for a while.”
Ange interrupted. “You said you were looking for work?”
He nodded.
“If you want a job, you can stay in my guest room and take care of the goats and gardens and be a general handyman until I’ve decided what to do with Dad’s farm,” she offered. “I had planned on hiring someone anyway because I can’t do it all by myself.”
Alex frowned. “In the house, Ange? Even if he is the real Achilles, he’s still a stranger. And I’m sorry to say it, but the Gods don’t have the greatest reputations.”
